Carroll County hosts ag and natural resources expo Sept. 15

CARROLLTON, Ohio – If you want to attract wildlife or want to control nuisance wildlife, or if you want to learn about windmills, pasture management, meat goats or cut flower production, you can grab all sorts of information at the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Conservation Expo 2007 Sept. 15 in Carroll County.
In fact, there’s not much that won’t be covered at the event, held at the McClester Farm, 4071 Meter Road N.E., near Augusta, Ohio.
The free expo runs from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., rain or shine.
It is hoped the new event will follow the footsteps of the hugely successful Country Living Field Day, held from 1994 through 2003 until OSU Extension budget constraints ended its run.
The annual field day drew more than 5,000 visitors from 10 states and Canada.
“It was extremely beneficial program for years, but one county couldn’t carry the burden any more,” said Carroll County beef producer and SWCD supervisor Barbara Devitt.
This year’s event is sponsored by the Soil and Water Conservation Districts of Carroll, Columbiana, Harrison and Jefferson counties, in cooperation with the East Central Ohio Forestry Association, the Ohio divisions of forestry and wildlife, local Farm Bureaus in the four counties, and the Crossroads Resource Conservation and Development Council.
Logan to speak. Sean Logan, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, will be a featured speaker at 11 a.m.
At 1 p.m., Dale Arnold, director of energy services for the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, will update expo visitors on renewable and alternative energy production in Ohio. Dan McMillen, private lands biologist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife, will also speak during the expo.
Information overload. The event features eight main tents: energy; forestry; soil and water conservation; wildlife; children’s farm safety; small farm; and pasture management. Each includes exhibits, activities, vendors, demonstrations and individual speakers.
“I’m already frustrated because I won’t be able to attend everything I want to,” Devitt said.
Specific sessions will cover timber management, renewable energy sources, home heating alternatives, rotational vs. continuous grazing, fence construction, grape production, canning, fiber or wool spinning, nuisance wildlife, and pond management.
There will also be exhibits of live animals, demonstrations and, in the small farm tent, sessions on mushroom production, meat goats, grass-based beef and dairy production, pasture-raised poultry, cut flower production and vegetable production.
Diversified. “We’re trying to make it very diversified so we can interest all kinds of people,” said Linda Yeager, district administrator with the Carroll SWCD.”
“The need for education is out there,” Devitt added. “We raise beef and I’m still surprised to learn what resources are out there, but you have to know where to look.”
Restroom facilities, food vendors and first-aid will be available on the grounds. Limited handicapped access is available at some expo sites.
Kenwood Farms is located on Meter Road N.E., two miles south of Augusta in northern Carroll County. Signs will be posted.