One Last Visit

One Last Visit 

It is with mixed emotions that I write this column this week. Beginning January 3, 2011, I will change job responsibilities with Ohio State

University (OSU) Extension and assume the role of OSU Extension Beef Coordinator. This position will be based out of the OSU Extension Center at

Piketon. 

This position will be an OSU Extension faculty position jointly funded by OSU Extension, the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, and the Ohio Beef Council. The primary focus of this position is to address animal welfare, beef management and production, and pre-harvest food safety in the commercial cow-calf and stocker segments of Ohio’s beef industry, and programming directed toward increasing consumer confidence and awareness regarding Ohio’s beef industry. This position will also contribute to Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) programming in the Ohio Valley Extension Education and Research Area (EERA).

After earlier stints in Brown and Adams Counties with OSU Extension, I began my tenure in Highland County on February 16, 1998.  For those of you that like historical points of reference, that was the day after Dale Earnhardt, Sr. won his only Daytona 500.  (I couldn’t resist working in a sports reference!)  I find it hard to believe that nearly 13 years have passed since I started here in Highland County and it truly has been a great experience. 

A person will not enjoy working in Extension if you don’t like to interact with the public. The residents of Highland County have been great to work with over the years and my new position will still allow me to work with many of you, just not necessarily on a daily basis. Agriculture has changed significantly over the past 12 plus years and it has been my pleasure trying to educate and inform you about these many changes.  In 1998, I must admit that I didn’t see topics such as Roundup-resistant marestail, crops grown for energy production, emerald ash borer, DNA technology in animal breeding, and animal welfare concerns reaching the significance that they have today. It makes you wonder what is on the horizon for the next decade.

My time in Highland County has passed very quickly because I have worked with some tremendous people during my time here.  Two constants that have been here during my time here have been Rose Fisher Merkowitz and Patty Cummings. Rose has been a great County Director and excels in her program areas. Patty has been an Office Associate here since right before I arrived and, needless to say, has had to put up with a lot from me and made me look as good as she possibly could! Libby McNeal joined our team a couple of years ago and has done a great job with the 4-H program. Dawna Jo Kiesling with the Food and Nutrition Program and Ray Koch, our Master Gardener Coordinator have helped make this a strong, productive office.

Some recent departures from this office have been missed as well. Long-time 4-H Educator Nikki Eyre retired in 2009 and was an outstanding coworker. Highland County has greatly benefited from the outstanding 4-H program she helped to build. Office Assistant Karen Miller left earlier in 2010 and has been sorely missed. I also want to thank other past coworkers including Danielle Thompson, Troy Roush, JoAnne Byers, and Connie Reynolds who I have worked with in Highland County.

So what does the future hold for OSU Extension in Highland County? Thanks to the cooperative efforts of OSU Extension Administration, the Highland, Brown, and Adams County Commissioners, and the Highland County Extension Support Committee, the Highland County Extension office will be open for business in 2011. This has been made possible by funding from the Highland County Commissioners, outstanding fundraising efforts by our local support committee, and a multi-county staffing plan.

Under this plan, Highland, Brown and Adams County will each have a full-time Extension Educator for 4-H.  For Highland County, Libby McNeal will continue to serve in the same capacity with the 4-H program.  David Dugan, Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Kathy Jelley, Extension Educator for Family and Consumer Sciences, will split their time between the three counties in their respective program areas.  Patty Cummings, Dawna Jo Kiesling, and Ray Koch will continue with their same responsibilities here in Highland County.

OSU Extension-Highland County has undergone some significant changes over the past several months due to budget constraints. I am sure that the new staffing arrangement will go through some “growing pains” until the staff and clientele adjust to the new faces in new places.  However, I am confident that this office will continue to provide an important service to this community because of the talented people associated with the office, the educational needs of the clientele, a strong volunteer network, and a community that has generously supported the role Extension plays in the county. 

In summary, I am ending the Highland County chapter of my Extension career and am excited about the possibilities associated with my new position. I truly appreciate the opportunity to have worked with the residents of Highland County as it has been extremely rewarding.  I look forward to seeing many of you at future Extension programs here and around the state.

John Grimes is the Ohio State University Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Highland County. Ohio State University, Extension embraces human diversity and is committed to ensuring that all research and related educational programs are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or veteran status. This statement is in accordance with United States Civil Rights Laws and the USDA.

It is with mixed emotions that I write this column this week. Beginning January 3, 2011, I will change job responsibilities with Ohio State University (OSU) Extension and assume the role of OSU Extension Beef Coordinator. This position will be based out of the OSU Extension Center at Piketon. 

This position will be an OSU Extension faculty position jointly funded by OSU Extension, the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, and the Ohio Beef Council. The primary focus of this position is to address animal welfare, beef management and production, and pre-harvest food safety in the commercial cow-calf and stocker segments of Ohio’s beef industry, and programming directed toward increasing consumer confidence and awareness regarding Ohio’s beef industry. This position will also contribute to Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) programming in the Ohio Valley Extension Education and Research Area (EERA).

After earlier stints in Brown and Adams Counties with OSU Extension, I began my tenure in Highland County on February 16, 1998.  For those of you that like historical points of reference, that was the day after Dale Earnhardt, Sr. won his only Daytona 500.  (I couldn’t resist working in a sports reference!)  I find it hard to believe that nearly 13 years have passed since I started here in Highland County and it truly has been a great experience. 

A person will not enjoy working in Extension if you don’t like to interact with the public. The residents of Highland County have been great to work with over the years and my new position will still allow me to work with many of you, just not necessarily on a daily basis. Agriculture has changed significantly over the past 12 plus years and it has been my pleasure trying to educate and inform you about these many changes.  In 1998, I must admit that I didn’t see topics such as Roundup-resistant marestail, crops grown for energy production, emerald ash borer, DNA technology in animal breeding, and animal welfare concerns reaching the significance that they have today. It makes you wonder what is on the horizon for the next decade.

My time in Highland County has passed very quickly because I have worked with some tremendous people during my time here.  Two constants that have been here during my time here have been Rose Fisher Merkowitz and Patty Cummings. Rose has been a great County Director and excels in her program areas. Patty has been an Office Associate here since right before I arrived and, needless to say, has had to put up with a lot from me and made me look as good as she possibly could! Libby McNeal joined our team a couple of years ago and has done a great job with the 4-H program. Dawna Jo Kiesling with the Food and Nutrition Program and Ray Koch, our Master Gardener Coordinator have helped make this a strong, productive office.

Some recent departures from this office have been missed as well. Long-time 4-H Educator Nikki Eyre retired in 2009 and was an outstanding coworker. Highland County has greatly benefited from the outstanding 4-H program she helped to build. Office Assistant Karen Miller left earlier in 2010 and has been sorely missed. I also want to thank other past coworkers including Danielle Thompson, Troy Roush, JoAnne Byers, and Connie Reynolds who I have worked with in Highland County.

So what does the future hold for OSU Extension in Highland County? Thanks to the cooperative efforts of OSU Extension Administration, the Highland, Brown, and Adams County Commissioners, and the Highland County Extension Support. Committee, the Highland County Extension office will be open for business in 2011. This has been made possible by funding from the Highland County Commissioners, outstanding fundraising efforts by our local support committee, and a multi-county staffing plan.

Under this plan, Highland, Brown and Adams County will each have a full-time Extension Educator for 4-H. For Highland County, Libby McNeal will continue to serve in the same capacity with the 4-H program. David Dugan, Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Kathy Jelley, Extension Educator for Family and Consumer Sciences, will split their time between the three counties in their respective program areas. Patty Cummings, Dawna Jo Kiesling, and Ray Koch will continue with their same responsibilities here in Highland County.

OSU Extension-Highland County has undergone some significant changes over the past several months due to budget constraints. I am sure that the new staffing arrangement will go through some “growing pains” until the staff and clientele adjust to the new faces in new places. However, I am confident that this office will continue to provide an important service to this community because of the talented people associated with the office, the educational needs of the clientele, a strong volunteer network, and a community that has generously supported the role Extension plays in the county. 

In summary, I am ending the Highland County chapter of my Extension career and am excited about the possibilities associated with my new position. I truly appreciate the opportunity to have worked with the residents of Highland County as it has been extremely rewarding. I look forward to seeing many of you at future Extension programs here and around the state.