With the average age of U.S. farmers being 58, it was heartwarming to see 22 young people at Friendship Bible Church eager to learn about gardening. Afterward these members of Trailside Troop 1703 planted seeds in flower pots they decorated for their moms for Mother’s Day.
What if Portage County was known for growing nutritionally rich food? On March 21, two county commissioners (Jill Crawford and Sabrina Christian-Bennett), state Rep. Heidi Workman, and 110 other attendees of Spring into Health learned ways to expand this healthy vision.
Local growers Megan and Mike Massoli and Jared Phillip shared ways to grow nutritious crops. You can purchase Megan and Mike’s veggies at the Haymaker Farmers Market or sign up for their CSA program at www.wrenboxfarm.com.
For more information about buying Jared’s tasty beef text him at 330-802-3078 or at 330 699-9186.
Scott Myers, who farms 2,500 acres in Dalton and is part of the OFA Farm Policy Board, shared findings from his recent trip to Washington, D.C. Last fall, despite the drought, Scott’s corn yield per acre was significantly higher than his conventional farming neighbors. Scott uses tillage, cover crops and a weed zapper for weed management.
For more information about weed zappers visit White’s Farm Supply store at 5828 Waterloo Rd, Atwater.
Here are links to their talks:
- Scott Myers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J77z7sPWPbQ
- Megan and Mike Massoli: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IZxzNJ5zFU
- Jared Phillip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDPEq18nk20
The first speaker of Spring into Health, Maine state Rep. Bill Pleucker, spoke of a growing agricultural problem. In Maine there are farmers whose soil is so contaminated with forever chemicals they cannot sell their milk or crops.
Recent EWG research found that 63% of conventionally grown food contained forever chemicals.
“This is not the farmers fault, because years ago it was not known all of the detrimental effects of using sewer sludge on farmland,” Pleucker said.
Forever chemicals leach into soil when biosolids (sewer sludge) or forever chemical containing pesticides are applied to farmland. Approximately 15% of all pesticides contain forever chemicals and EPA continues to approve even more ag chemicals with PFAS/PFOS.
Maine is the first state in the nation to ban biosolids on farmland and in the near future Maine will be banning pesticides, herbicides, lawn-garden products that contain carcinogenic forever chemicals. In Maine, a state farm relief bill and two organizations provide financial relief for affected farmers to filtrate their toxic water wells and help with the financial loss of not being able to sell their crops.
Just like with water and soil, forever chemicals accumulate in humans and there is no known medical intervention to remove these chemicals. Forever chemicals are in many personal care items.
After Bill’s talk many stated they were researching dental floss, pet tick treatments, skillets, shampoos, and cosmetics that do not contain forever chemicals. Biosolid application on farms continues to be allowed in Ohio, on a permitted basis.
Pit-Stop is a new convenience store in Randolph. It is open 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday and until 11:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
The Walk to End Alzheimer’s Spaghetti Dinner is noon to 3 p.m. April 26 at the Randolph Community Center. It costs $10 for adults, $5 for children and under 3 are free. The employer of Gayle Ganoe (who is organizing this event) will match all donations up to $30,000. Katya Wilkins, from the Alzheimer’s Association will be passing out free information.
Randolph Township Trustees have banned mega solar and wind farms and have voted to have a moratorium regarding data centers in the township. Trustee Susan White shared she is particularly concerned about data centers due to their excessive water usage and potential for contaminating the Big Indian water aquifer.
Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children." —Sitting Bull
Please call or text Sandy Engle at 330 569 4801 with events, info, and stories. Thanks!