OSU Extension Holmes County

10/22/2026

Cooking with Kate- Holiday Edition

Registration is now OPEN! Whether you are wanting to make a tasty new dish for your family or you are entertaining friends, let FCS Educator Kate Shumaker share some new ideas with you.

There are options for both evening and morning classes to fit in to most peoples schedules. Choose between 6pm-8pm Tuesday, November 10th or 9:30-11:30am Wednesday, November 11th. Classes are being held at The Love Center Food Pantry Community Room.

Recipes are currently being selected. All participants will receive copies of recipes used and be able to sample all the dishes prepared. Click the link ⬇ to register!
https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8p65Au7uM7vm1ds

10/22/2026

Not all jars are made for the freezer! Here are some good tips from OSU Extension, Family and Consumer Sciences!

🫙 Canning or Freezing? Choose the Right Jar to Protect Your Food & Your Effort! 🫙
Preserving food takes time, money, and energy—don’t let the wrong jar ruin it all!
✅ Best choice? Mason-type, threaded home-canning jars—they’re specially made for the job. These jars go through annealing, a heat treatment and cooling process that removes internal stress from the glass. The result? A stronger jar with less chance of breakage.
✅ Buying new? Check the box label—it’ll say if it’s safe for canning and/or freezing.
✅ Freezer tip: Use jars with straight sides to allow for expansion. Jars with shoulders or rounded tops? ❌ Risk of breaking!
✅ Always leave headspace when freezing to prevent cracks.
💡 Look for “Freezer Safe” on the label and preserve with confidence!

10/21/2026

If you or a loved one deals with diabetes, you will want to watch our 2026 Dining with Diabetes.

Webinars start tomorrow October 22nd. It is a weekly (4 sessions) webinar that meets for 2 hours, from 4:30pm-6:30pm. The sessions are FREE and virtual. Making it very accessible! To register for classes please visit the link below. ⬇

Visit go.osu.edu/virtualdwdfall26 to register.

10/20/2026

🔥 COMING SOON! 🔥

Do you like to keep current on news?
Enjoy reading about agriculture and natural resources?
Always looking for an educational opportunity?

Sign up TODAY for the Holmes County Ag and Natural Resources Newsletter. The winter edition is currently in the works! Delivered directly to your inbox, no need to even leave the comfort of your home to get it from the mail.

Things it will include: upcoming AGNR events (for Holmes and surrounding counties), relevant news articles, updates and much, much more.

Simply click the link go.osu.edu/anrnews to leave your contact information. We'll be in your inbox soon!

10/19/2026

Fall is the best time of the year to take a soil test. Soil tests take the guesswork out of deciding what your ground needs and can help you avoid spending money on fertilizer or lime that isn’t needed. The results will give you a look at soil pH and available nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium, helping you plan ahead for next year’s crops, hay, or pasture. Taking samples in the fall also gives you plenty of time to review the results and make any needed lime or fertility applications before spring.

Holmes SWCD has soil buckets, probes, and soil bags available at no charge. If you have questions about where to sample, how to take a good soil sample, or what your results mean, stop by or contact Holmes SWCD—we’re happy to help.

10/19/2026

There are several exciting things coming up for the Agriculture and Natural Resources division at the OSUE Office!

🚜 The hay and straw database;
To be listed as having product for sale on the database please visit and leave your information at go.osu.edu/haysignup
If you are looking to purchase hay or straw, you can find what is available locally at go.osu.edu/hayDB

🗞 There is an Ag and Natural Resource newsletter being developed! It will contain relevant news articles, upcoming extension hosted events, and much, much more! If this sounds like something you would enjoy reading you can sign up with go.osu.edu/anrnews

As always you can visit holmes.osu.edu to stay current on all events in the county.

10/18/2026

Winter and snow will be here quicker than we realize. Plan ahead to have a successful winter!
This weeks Ohio BEEF newsletter contains an article written by Bill Halfman, University of Wisconsin Extension State Beef Outreach Specialist, on how planning ahead will make your winter season smoother not only for you, but your cattle as well.

https://u.osu.edu/beef/2026/10/14/plan-ahead-for-a-successful-winter-feeding-season/

10/17/2026

Drone Camp for any 4-H youth interested!
Camp is November 10th in Butler County. Cost is $375. Don't wait to register if you are interested as there is a limit of 12 participants.
Questions? Contact the Butler OSUE office at 513-887-3722.

10/16/2026

Looking for something to do this fall? Look no further than the Holmes County Extension Office!

We have you covered from cooking classes, crafting to processing deer at home. In person events, hands on events, even virtual if you don't want to venture out in to the chilly fall air.

For more information be sure to check out our website www.holmes.osu.edu, follow us here and check us out on Instagram!

🍂🍂 We would love to see you this fall 🍂🍂

10/16/2026

Enjoy crafting? Be sure to join FCS Educator Kate Shumaker for her holiday Get Crafty with Kate!

Held the evening of December 3rd from 5:30-7pm at the Holmes County District Public Library, Kate will be showing you how to add holiday festiveness to a set of beverage coasters with decoupage. Feel free to bring your own paper materials to apply to the coasters.

It is a great opportunity to create a homemade gift!

Call the library at 330-674-5972 to register. Space is limited.