6 • The Beacon September 30 , 2021

H e l l o C o s h o c t o n County . The fall is by far my favorite time of the year as it has something for every sense . The feel of the cooler night temperatures , the taste of hot apple cider , the sight of pumpkins and mums , the smell and sound of corn and soybean harvest , and the anticipation of the fall color palette in our trees are all great reminders how blessed we are to call Coshocton County home .

For some , the start of fall is the Coshocton County Fair . The fair has a special place in the hearts of many in

David Marrison

OSU AG Extension Talk

Coshocton County . It is a great time to catch up with neighbors , see some amazing youth in action , and take in the sights , smells and tastes of the harvest season .

So as we ready ourselves for the fair , I would like to share an update on the fall armyworm and remind you of the Coshocton County Fall Foliage & Farm Tour .

Fall armyworm

One month ago parts of Coshocton County were hit hard by troops of armyworms eating area lawns , hayfields and alfalfa fields . Armyworm moths hitched a ride up on the jet stream from the south in mid-August and then laid their eggs . Once the eggs hatched , they transformed into hungry caterpillars . Their voracious appetites allowed them to completely wipe out hay fields and lawns in a short period of time . Grass today and gone tomorrow . In fact , one farmer outside of Fresno lost 35 acres of alfalfa hay in just two days .

Once done feeding , these armyworms move into the soil to pupate . After a short pupation cycle , the adult moths re-emerge to start the life cycle all over again .

Early last week our OSU Extension monitoring traps indicated a sharp increase in moth activity , which means the next round is underway . So the major question has been are we in for a repeat of hungry caterpillars eating our lawns and hayfields as we move into Coshocton County Fair week ?

Well , our OSU Extension entomologists are betting no as the fall armyworm is a tropical insect and needs warmer temperatures to grow and develop . Research shows even average temperatures of 64 F can kill 70 % of the newly hatched caterpillars . Our cooler temperatures over the past week arrived at the right time to help suppress the new caterpillar hatch . On the flip side , the hot temperatures we had in August were ideal for the development of the caterpillars a month ago .

We all know predictions are not certain . So we will watch the average daily temperatures , checking our traps and scouting local fields . We

For More News Log Onto ... www . CoshoctonBeaconToday . com have learned a lot about the fall armyworm over the past month and hope we don ’ t see them again .

Fall Foliage & Farm Tour

Make sure to circle the weekend of Oct . 16-17 on your calendar as OSU Extension , Coshocton Soil & Water Conservation District and the USDA Farm Service Agency will sponsor the 50th Fall Foliage & Farm Tour . This year ’ s drive-ityourself tour will highlight the southeast townships of Franklin , Linton and Lafayette . The tour attracts nearly 1,500 people each year and is a great way to enjoy Coshocton ’ s fall foliage and to visit various farms and businesses .

This year ’ s tour will include stops at a beef farm , winery , park , dam , dairy farm , training and competition facility , and a popular farm market and pumpkin patch . The stops will be open on Saturday , Oct . 16 from 10 a . m . to 5 p . m . and Sunday , Oct . 17 from noon to 5 p . m .

Just a reminder the tour map will not be released until that weekend . The map pickup location has been changed this year to the Coshocton County Fairgrounds , 707 Kenilworth Ave ., Coshocton . Maps can be picked up from 10 a . m . to 3 p . m . on Saturday and from noon to 3 p . m . on Sunday . I hope to see many of you on the tour .

Food for thought

In honor of the many 4-H and FFA youth who will show at the Coshocton County Fair , I would like to share a quote from Howard Cosell : “ The ultimate victory in competition is derived from the inner satisfaction of knowing that you have done your best and that you have gotten the most out of what you had to give .”

Have a good and safe day .

David Marrison is an associate professor and extension educator of agriculture and natural resources at Ohio State University Extension . He can be reached at 740-622-2265 or marrison . 2 @ osu . edu .