Come visit us at the CANFIELD FAIR

By Marilyn McKinley

Ohio certified naturalist volunteer

The OSU Extension master gardener volunteers and Ohio certified volunteer naturalists have a grand display with the OSU Extension Office at this year’s Canfield Fair. Stop by, have a seat, enjoy the awesome displays – and relax with us. We hope to meet you at the fair!

We’ll be available throughout the fair to answer your questions, talk about bugs, discuss tree issues and even the difference between poison ivy and Virginia creeper. You can even bring a picture or two of a problem you have with a plant or pest. We’ll take a look and help you solve the problem. If it is related to gardening and nature, it’s more than welcome!

Join us in Building 44 (Floral Building) near the Fair Board Office. See our displays of interesting plants, viewing boxes of all kinds of bugs from our area, quizzes on weeds and plants, and learn about plant families – how different plants have the same kinds of traits. We will be presenting short talks every day at noon, 1, 2 and 4 p.m. At 3 p.m. today through Monday we will have a “Fun with Bugs” session for kids and kids at heart! At 5 p.m., we’ll be working with the Canfield Fair Floral Department and some members of the Men’s Garden Club of Youngstown to give some tours of the building and explain why some flowers place better than others. We’ll help you learn to make an entry and be the envy of other gardeners by learning how to win a blue ribbon! Find details on our presentations in the daily fair program.

We’ll give you details of our workshops and projects, such as Local Flavor where we offer free gardening sessions all summer at urban farms and community gardens. Get the scoop on our monthly Coffee with the Master Gardeners series. Get details on submitting samples to our Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic. Learn how you can join us for our Wreaths Across America project. We have lots of activities and workshops throughout the year to help you.

Part of the OSU Extension display gives you details about canning basics, food safety and more. Do you know what needs to be put in the pressure canner and what can be done with just the hot water bath? View the displays for the answers!

If you are interested in becoming an Ohio State University Extension-trained master gardener volunteer or an Ohio certified volunteer naturalist volunteer, we can help you with details about these programs and tell you about our personal experiences as volunteers. Talk to us. Find out what we do. Let us tell you why we do this and how it helps us personally, as well as how it benefits the community. These programs are a wonderful way to learn and share your passion and knowledge with others. Let’s talk about signing you up for the next class!

See you all week at the fair!