OSU Extension: Master Gardeners win Community Service Project of the Year
Congratulations to the Fairfield County Master Gardener Volunteers for recently being awarded the Master Gardener Community Service Award for the “In the News” Blog. Ohio State University Extension MGV Awards are given to those counties who exemplify excellence in their work with the MGV program.
“THE NEWS in Fairfield County” Blog site was started as means of informing and empowering community members to become engaged in the OSU Programming efforts and activities of the Fairfield County Extension office. But THE NEWS blog has become so much more. It serves as the Foundation for sharing local news columns offering timely information on what to do in the lawn, garden, insects, soil conditions and more. In addition, video recordings and YOUTUBE recordings with Master Gardeners are shared for distribution on THE NEWS Blog.
During the outbreak of Covid 19, we struggled to find a good way to stay connected to our county residents with timely information. OSU Extension in Fairfield County has weekly news columns in both the Lancaster Eagle Gazette and the Towne Crier. In addition, have a local radio show on WLRY 88.9FM The Saturday Morning Farm Page. The creation of “THE NEWS in Fairfield County” blog would increase our reach of information we could create and share.
If you are interested in subscribing to the “THE NEWS in Fairfield County” blog site simply follow this link https://u.osu.edu/thenews/ and click on the subscribe button. It is a free blog site that is maintained by staff at OSU Extension in Fairfield County. You can also look at some of the archived newspaper articles and radio shows. Be sure to check it out!
Little mouse, big problems
The damage that a little mouse can do to electrical systems may have great impacts on the functionality of farm equipment. Before putting equipment in storage for winter, do routine maintenance, including preventing mice from taking up residence in your tractor cab. One quarter of house fires with undetermined causes are assumed to be caused by rodents chewing on electrical wires. This can also be the cause of many tractor malfunctions. With the risk of electrocution, it makes you wonder why would they chew on electrical wires in the first place?
The answer is easy. They chew on everything.
Mice, rats, and other rodents have teeth that are constantly growing and therefore they are constantly gnawing on any material they can find to file their teeth. Electrical wires are often hidden from view in places that would be cozy for rodent nests and offer convenient access to wire insulation to chew. People rarely notice damage to the wires until an electrical system fails to work when they need it.
Modern farm equipment operates on a series of electrical systems to connect systems to each other and enable safety functions. A weakness somewhere in the circuit could cause malfunctions to the main electrical system, throwing codes, and triggering safety shut offs.
For example, if a mouse exposes wires to a seat sensor, the motor may refuse to run because it seems that the seat is empty. Imagine this happened to you. Your first idea may be to check if something is wrong with the motor or the battery, but upon inspection you find nothing wrong, and call your mechanic for help. Upon diagnosis, the issue traces back to the electrical system. Your mechanic flips up the tractor seat and finds a mouse nest, damaged wiring, and a faulty sensor. A mouse nest has now cost you hourly fees, parts, and delayed work. In a worse scenario, the damage to the wire coating could be minor and just cause heat to emit from the wires, then short circuit, spark, and catch on fire, melting your wiring harness. The damage can be frustrating, dangerous, and expensive to repair.
Traps and rodenticides are not very effective at controlling rodents on the farm. A barn cat is a helpful teammate, but the most effective control for rodents is preventing entry into storage spaces. It may seem impossible to seal every crack but do the best you can. Mice can squeeze through areas that are a quarter inch squared and rats through a half inch squared. Adding hardware cloth to ventilation spaces can help prevent entry. Keep vegetation around storage buildings trimmed down to reduce hidden entries and passage corridors.
Rodent damage can also be an issue in frequently used machinery during the winter. Mice can scurry away while the equipment is running and return after it is parked again to bask in the radiant warmth after you do chores. Both cabbed and open station equipment can harbor rodents. Remove any food or loose fabric material from your tractor cab to deter feeding and nest creation. Occasionally inspect your tractor throughout the winter to watch for nesting. Even if the cab or other compartments appear sealed there may be alternative entry points, such as the wheel wells or the firewall, where they can enter and make a cozy nest.
Inspect your equipment before and throughout winter storage as well as before use in the spring to scout for rodent damage in hidden spaces. Don’t forget to check your filters, batteries, and tires for replacement or repair at the same time. Consider scheduling maintenance appointments in the off season for swift return before the equipment is needed again in full force.
SOURCE: Christine Gelley – OSU Extension Educator – Noble County
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Master Gardeners win Community Service Project of the Year
