The Darke Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD); City of Greenville; OSU Extension, Darke County; and the Darke County Solid Waste District will be jointly hosting a workshop on April 2, 2014 titled “Grow It, Make It, Can It” in the conference room at the OSU Extension office (603 Wagner Ave, Greenville) from 6:30-8:30 pm. There will be three presentations covering soil fertility and nutrient management practices for your backyard and garden; healthy, green alternatives to clean up your home, car or office; and food preservation and pressure canning basics.
Janell Weiss from Darke SWCD will cover tests you can perform on your garden and lawn that help you identify nutrient needs for growing a healthier plant, whether it is for vegetable production or a fuller, thicker lawn. She will also touch upon ways to utilize cover crops in your garden to promote soil health. A healthy soil will not only produce better plants, but prevent nutrients and soil from leaving your property. Janell will have you producing more and using less, all at a lower cost!
Krista Fourman from Solid Waste will touch upon the toxins emitted by everyday cleaning products in areas where you spend the majority of your day. These toxins potentially affect the natural environment and your health. Although you can’t single-handedly clean up the environment, you can make choices in your everyday life that will benefit the health of the planet and your community. Simple changes, such as finding green alternatives for the everyday products you use can have a beneficial impact on water quality, energy use and the amount of pollution and waste you generate. Green alternatives to chemical cleaning and gardening products are often found right in your kitchen and Krista will help you identify and make them!
And finally Diane Barga from OSU Extension will be giving a presentation on preserving food at home. She will discuss the basics of food preservation and canning, if you have a dial gauge canner, please bring it along and Diane will check the pressure for free!
If you are interested in participating in the “Grow It, Make It, Can It” workshop, please register with the Darke SWCD office at 937.548.1715, extension 3 or email jared.coppess@oh.nacdnet.net.