The highly anticipated Hasting Farm Fest is set to return to the Clark County Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM. This annual country music and community festival celebrates the rich agricultural history of Southwest Ohio while supporting a vital local cause: the Second Harvest Food Bank of Clark, Champaign, and Logan Counties.
Founded by Clark County native Kate Hasting of the Nashville-based country duo HASTING, the festival is a heartfelt tribute to her roots and her family’s deep connection to the local farming community. What began as a vision in 2017 to bring high-quality entertainment to her hometown has blossomed into a premier event that embodies the spirit of family, friends, and farming.
This year’s festival promises an unforgettable day of live country music, featuring a stellar lineup of national and local talent, inlcuding:
Matt Clarkson Band – 4:30 PM Hasting – 5:30 PM Dalton Dover – 6:30 PM Priscilla Block – 8:00 PM
Hasting Farm Fest offers a community experience designed for all ages.… Continue reading
In the mid-August column, we reviewed the status of the data center proposed for Ashville. The Village of Ashville had passed an agreement, as emergency legislation, to cooperate in the construction of two data centers and an accompanying natural-gas power-generating facility.
Village resident Laura McNamara-Smith and others circulated a referendum petition to repeal the data center resolution. A referendum is a direct vote by the electorate (rather than their representatives) on a proposal, law or public issue. In May, the group turned in enough valid signatures to place the referendum on the Nov. 3 ballot. The petitions were submitted to the Ashville fiscal officer to transfer to the board of elections.
In a June letter, the Village fiscal officer informed the board of elections that she was not submitting the petition because it was insufficient and invalid. She explained the resolution is not subject to referendum because it passed as an emergency measure and was an administrative action.… Continue reading
By Laura Lindsey, Manbir Rakkar, Alyssa Essman, Emma Matcham, Ohio State University
Winter wheat offers several advantages for Ohio crop production systems, including greater crop rotation diversity, valuable soil cover during the fall and winter months, and an additional opportunity for farm income. Now that we’ve entered mid-September, wheat planting is just around the corner. Here are our key management strategies for this fall:
1. Plant within the 14-day period starting after the county fly-safe date. It can be tempting to plant wheat before your county’s Hessian fly-safe date (Figure 1; however, the best time to plant wheat is the 14-day period starting the day after the fly-safe date. In our field research trials, we’ve measured a 5 to 10% yield loss when wheat was planted prior to the fly-safe date (Figure 2).
Figure 1. Hessian fly-safe date by Ohio county.
Farmers sometimes plant prior to the fly-safe date because of concerns about wet weather delaying planting too far beyond the fly-safe date.… Continue reading
The agricultural outlook varies widely by commodity and geography. While some livestock and dairy producers are benefiting from stronger market conditions, many row-crop farmers continue to face tighter margins driven by lower commodity prices and elevated production costs. On this Ohio Ag Net Podcast, powered by Ohio Corn and Wheat, Trey Miller from Farm Credit Mid-America discusses current farm economy trends and how they are working alongside their customers to navigate difficult periods and position operations for long-term success.
Then, if you haven’t signed up for an Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association members yet, now would be the perfect time. Learn about a sign-up incentive that may have you saying O-H and find out about all of the benefits of joining Ohio Corn and Wheat.
By Mitch Greve, Technical Agronomist – Northwest Ohio, Channel
Why is fall an important time to think about soil fertility?
Fall provides an excellent opportunity to evaluate nutrient removal following harvest and prepare fields for the next crop. With corn, soybean, and wheat harvests complete, producers can assess soil fertility, collect soil samples, apply lime as needed, and apply phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) before spring fieldwork begins. Completing these tasks in the fall can improve efficiency and help ensure nutrients are available when crops begin growing the following season.
Should I soil test every fall?
While annual soil testing is not necessary for every field, sampling every two to four years is recommended. Fields with consistently high yields or variable productivity may benefit from more frequent testing. Soil test results provide valuable information about soil pH, phosphorus, potassium, and other nutrients, allowing fertilizer applications to be based on actual crop needs rather than estimates.… Continue reading
By Dean Kreager, Extension Educator – Agriculture and Natural Resources, Licking County
Many parts of Ohio are under development pressure, and communities are trying to act to prevent the loss of agricultural land. I bring this up because a planning group reached out while searching for local statistics and numbers related to “prime farmland.” This got me thinking about what makes farmland “prime.” Is it defined by specific soil types, historical yields, lay of the land, or proximity to markets? I won’t argue these are all important and are used to determine value, but what type of land is currently providing the largest net income per acre? The marginal land once considered a byproduct of farmland ownership is likely producing your highest net income per acre, thanks to current cattle market conditions. Instead of producing a little extra income, the cattle enterprise may be a big contributor to the bottom line.… Continue reading
At the Gwynne Conservation Area, landowners don’t just hear how to improve wildlife habitat, manage woodlands or protect ponds—they see those practices at work.
Across 67 acres of woodlands, prairies, wetlands, ponds and streams, the Gwynne serves as an outdoor classroom where visitors can explore practical strategies for caring for their land.
For many farmers, farming is more than a job. It is a way of life, built around the responsibility and pride that comes with producing food, fiber, and fuel for the world. That is why few things are harder than facing the possibility of having to give it up.
For Logan Heath, a farmer from Quincy, Ohio, that possibility became very real. Farming had always been a central part of his life, but for a time, he wasn’t sure he would ever be able to return to it.
“Around my senior year of high school. I was on my way home from shelling corn, and I got in an accident and rolled my truck. I became paralyzed. It will be four years this Oct. 20 since the accident,” Heath said.
Heath has been farming since he was able to walk, doing so alongside his grandfather and uncles.… Continue reading
Ohio Farm Bureau continues to oppose a proposed highway connector that would link U.S. 23 with Interstate 71 in Marion and Morrow counties, arguing the project warrants a more comprehensive examination of its costs, benefits and long-term impact on farmland and rural communities.
The proposed connector’s preferred route, which would directly affect roughly 800 acres of agricultural land within the highway footprint, has generated considerable discussion in north-central Ohio, with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) moving forward with a feasibility study and selecting a preferred alternative for the project.
“Our members’ primary concerns can be boiled down to are we really looking at all of the costs and all of the benefits,” said Leah Curtis, associate general counsel with Ohio Farm Bureau. “And are we giving a full view of, particularly, the costs that will be incurred by the people where this will be built and what benefits will they accrue from all of those costs?”… Continue reading
By Dusty Sonnenberg, Field Leader, a project of the Ohio Soybean Council and Soybean Checkoff
On this episode of the podcast, Dusty is joined by Dwayne Wilson, Grain Merchandising Specialist at White Commercial Corporation. Dusty and Dwayne discuss the current grain markets and some of the changes that have impacted grain marketing over time. Dwayne explains the role that basis plays in marketing decisions. They also discuss using on-farm storage as a marketing tool and some of the current Geo-political events that are factoring into the current demand. To conclude, they look at the opportunities the new soybean crush capacity coming to Ohio will bring and the impact it may have on local basis for soybeans. It is always important to remember that “There is a risk of loss in futures and options trading. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.”
By Aubree Siffring, National Corn Growers Association
For generations, farmers have grown corn to feed people and livestock. For decades, it has also fueled vehicles. Today, research and manufacturing innovation is creating even more opportunities for corn in surprising places, like bioplastics and other biobased products
And corn growers need new markets. Even with record exports so far this marketing year, there’s extra supply – and likely more to come with continued advancements in genetics and technology.
Corn-based inputs have a huge opportunity in biomanufacturing, replacing traditional chemicals and materials produced from fossilized sources. This shift is already underway as many manufacturers work toward more renewable, non-fossilized alternatives.
How big is this opportunity?
The global plastics market, just one sector of products where corn could solve the fossil-based inputs problem, is an economic giant. Plastics – used in everything from household items to packaging, and beyond – represent a world of potential for corn and corn-based ethanol as feedstocks to make the shift to a biobased economy.… Continue reading
As a new school year gets underway, Ohio FFA members are returning to agricultural education classrooms across the state. For 11 individuals, this year brings an opportunity to serve beyond their home chapters as members of the 2026-2027 Ohio FFA State Officer Team.
Each officer will travel thousands of miles to visit local chapters, facilitate leadership programs, connect with industry leaders, and share the story of Ohio FFA as its highest-ranked student leadership. Through their service, state officers also support agricultural education teachers and build meaningful connections with organizations and individuals across the industry.
Let’s meet this year’s team!
Why did you join FFA?
Joining FFA was second nature for me. With two agriscience educators as parents, I got firsthand experience with agriculture and FFA long before zipping up my own corduroy jacket. Before becoming an FFA member, I had the opportunity to witness former state officers and members of my own chapter lead with integrity and purpose.… Continue reading
Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, back from a three-month health absence, cast the winning Ag Committee vote to send the Senate farm bill that Democrats blocked in August to the full chamber. McConnell, true to his word to help pass a farm bill, cast the 12th GOP vote needed to advance the Senate farm bill. Committee approval was a victory for Chair John Boozman despite a last-minute fight over a GOP amendment to reform livestock production standards to deal with California’s Prop 12.
“It’s been almost a decade since Congress last passed a farm bill,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. “In the past 10 years, more than 200,000 family farms have gone out of business, as farmers grappled with a pandemic, global unrest, rising expenses and falling prices paid for the food they grow. A new, modernized farm bill will help give farmers the tools they need to survive continued and unforeseen challenges ahead.… Continue reading
Growing processing tomatoes requires precision, patience, and plenty of planning. At Niese Ag near Pandora, the crop has also become a big driver for the diversified family business.
Operated by Chuck and Tammy Niese, along with their son and daughter-in-law, Derek and Ashley Niese, the farm raises corn, soybeans, wheat, and processing tomatoes. Along the way, the family has added seed sales, freezer beef and a pick-your-own blackberry and raspberry patch.
“I wanted to raise tomatoes because when we first started farming, I wanted to make the most that we could with what we had,” Chuck said. “Tomatoes are high value, high effort.”
“We like the challenge. We like working hard and trying to make things better,” Derek said.
The Niese family’s history with processing tomatoes stretches back generations. Both Chuck and Tammy’s parents and grandparents grew tomatoes, and the couple continued that tradition after purchasing farmland from both sides of the family following their marriage in 1989.… Continue reading
It can be easy to focus on the challenges facing agriculture right now, from tight margins and weather concerns to high input costs and uncertainty in commodity markets. But despite those pressures, growth is still happening across Ohio agriculture.
“A lot of that comes from some livestock, both contract and cattle, facilities and things of that nature,” said Rudi Pitzer Perry, regional vice president of agricultural lending with Farm Credit Mid-America. “They’ve seen a massive amount of growth over the last couple of years. There’s been some good profit in those areas too. So, it’s not overly surprising, but it’s good to see.”
Growth is not limited to livestock, however. Land continues to change hands as established farms expand and younger producers enter agriculture.
“We’re still seeing that land changing hands, that expansion, both from next-generation operations maybe getting larger and taking advantage of some opportunities that they’ve been able to have,” Pitzer Perry said.… Continue reading
National Farm Safety and Health Week is Sept. 21-25, 2026. This annual event reminds us that the choices we make today shape the success of tomorrow. The theme “Safety Today, Success Tomorrow” highlights the critical connection between safe work practices and the productivity and sustainability of our farms, ranches, and agricultural communities.
Agriculture remains one of the nation’s most demanding occupations, making safety awareness and injury prevention essential for everyone involved, from farmers and farm families to agricultural workers and youth. Taking time to identify hazards, maintain equipment, use proper personal protective equipment, and prioritize physical and mental well-being can prevent injuries and save lives. The Fatal Five for Ohio farmers are highlighted here.
1. Tractor and machinery incidents
Tractor rollovers, runovers, PTO entanglements, and injuries involving moving machinery remain the leading causes of severe injuries and fatalities. These injuries rise during harvest season, when there is increased exposure to hazards.… Continue reading
By Dr. Alyssa Essman, OSU Extension State Weed Specialist, Adapted from C.O.R.N. 2026-29
Waterhemp continues to be one of the most common and troublesome weeds in crop production in Ohio, and this year is no exception. Plants that avoided control by POST applications, whether from herbicide-resistance, large size or later emergence, are now visible above soybean canopies. Waterhemp plants can produce hundreds of thousands or even up to one million seeds per plant. Managing current populations or new infestations starts with preventing seed from reaching the soil. From now through harvest, preventing further seed development and deposits into the soil seedbank will improve outcomes in the coming growing seasons. There are limited control options at this point in the season beyond scouting and hand pulling. Just a few plants left in the field can lead to a total infestation if allowed to produce and drop viable seeds.
Viability of pigweed seed declines after about 3 to 5 years.… Continue reading
On Friday, the USDA significantly lowered the corn yield while slightly raising soybean yield. That is puzzling because widespread Midwest dryness from mid-July through mid-August affected both crops. Even with improved conditions in late August, I expected both yields to move in the same direction.
Corn:
Unlike last September, when the USDA added nearly 1.4 million planted acres, this year’s increase was only 100,000 acres. They also recognized the dry conditions throughout the Plains and reduced the estimate for harvested corn acres slightly. Long term, this seems more bullish than bearish to me.
The USDA also made a substantial reduction to the Feed & Residual category, which I’ve said for over a year was very overstated. Lowering demand may sound bearish, but I doubt the USDA will adjust this category again anytime soon, unless it needs to raise carryout because of a production reduction.
The USDA also increased last year’s corn exports slightly. … Continue reading
Ohio Ag Net’s Allison Kinney is joined by Jay Brandt of the David Brandt Farm to discuss the operation’s long-standing commitment to no-till farming, cover crops and soil health. Brandt shares how decades of conservation practices have transformed the farm’s soils, improved water infiltration and crop resilience, and helped reduce fertility needs. He also discusses the value of selecting the right cover crop mixes, the role soil biology plays in crop production, and how the next generation is looking to utilize advancing technology to continue building on the farm’s conservation legacy.
I love watching hummingbirds drink from the feeder just outside my kitchen window. The show is always entertaining. One August morning, two battled for their turn. My feeder has five ports, and the pair quickly learned that it worked best not to drink side by side. Any other configuration quickly proved ideal. Several times, I watched two drinking, then one darted out of sight. It would return just seconds later, only to rinse and repeat. At times, one dropped into the butterfly bush, hovering like a helicopter, or teasing its partner before rising again for another sip. The entire scene was a mesmerizing moment in time, much like the harvest activity in the coming months, which will operate like a well-tuned orchestra, with each person knowing their role in bringing corn and soybeans out of the field as efficiently as possible.
The Pro Farmer Crop Tour, at this writing, was completed more than a week ago.… Continue reading
Ohio Ag Net | Ohio's Country Journal Ohio Ag Net | Ohio's Country Journal 
