It is not uncommon to hear individuals talk about pollinators and/or a pollinator garden.  Pollinators are important to our daily lives. It is estimated that 1 in every 3 bites of food is due to pollinators. Additionally, it is estimated over $18.9 billion dollars’ worth of crops in the United States depend on pollinators. 

The term pollinator refers to an animal that assist plants through the pollination process. They do this by moving pollen from one part of the flower of a plant to another part. This pollen then fertilizes the plant. Indiana is home to 430 different species of bees, 144 different species of butterflies, more than 2,000 different species of moths, and many different species of flower-visiting flies, wasps, ants, and beetles who serve as pollinators. Some of the common pollinators that individuals think about are honeybees, bumblebees, carpenter bees, monarch butterflies, swallowtail butterflies, and the Luna moth. 

To help pollinators thrive, many individuals have designated a portion of their property as a pollinator habitat. Pollinator habitats are often made with a variety of native plants that bloom in different colors, shapes, and sizes. This is important because different pollinators like different types of flowers. For example, red tubular flowers with a nectar reward tend to attract hummingbirds. Bees and flies with shorter mouthparts often visit daisy-like flowers that provide nectar and pollen in shallow flowers.

Pollinator habitats often have plants that are blooming throughout the growing season (spring, summer, and fall). Lastly, pollinator habitats often contain plants that some individuals would classify as weeds because they provide food for the pollinators, including dandelions, milkweed, goldenrod, and clover.

As you consider planting more pollinator friendly plants on your property, you may want to take the time to look at POL-6 Recommended Indiana-Native Plants for Attracting Pollinators from Purdue Extension. This publication will provide you with a list of plants that you may want to consider planting. It provides you with information such as when it blooms, what color it blooms, what growing conditions it needs, and if it is hard to find. For instance, if you are looking for a native tree that is pollinator friendly, you could try a red maple (Acer rubrum). According to this publication, red maple trees can handle wet mesic to dry mesic soil moisture, gets up to 95 feet tall, has yellow flowers in the spring, and is great for bees, butterflies, moths, flies, and wasps. In comparison, the Ohio buckeye (Aesculus glabra) gets to 35 feet tall, has yellow flowers in the spring, and is great for bees and hummingbirds.

For more information regarding this week’s column topic or to RSVP for upcoming events. It is always best to call first to assure items are ready when you arrive and to RSVP for programs. While many publications are free, some do have a fee. Purdue University is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. All times listed are Eastern Time.

Upcoming Events:

June 29 – Exploring 4-H Field Day, see 4honline email

June 30 – Public Speaking Demonstration and Summer Judging 4-H contests, Fairgrounds, 5 pm.

July 12 – Forest Management and Selling Timber webinar, 12 pm, register at
               https://women4theland.org/upcoming-events

July 12 – FairEntry.com deadline for all 4-H projects (except rabbits July 16) entered for county fair

July 22-29 – Putnam County 4-H Fair

Indiana is very blessed to have overall an excellent working relationship between FFA ag science programs and 4-H youth development programs. While both offer different programs and vary in delivery, the career development events are very much shared events for youth in both organizations to develop career and life skills. Ag science in the middle school and high schools is rooted to the Smith-Hughes Act passed in 1917 while 4-H via Extension programs at land grant universities has its roots in the Smith-Lever Act of 1914. Extension via 4-H youth programming work with schools in a variety methods. Sometimes this is with ag science instructors and other programs as well.

Recently the North Putnam High School food science room was shared allowing yet another partnership with the 4-H Chef University program with both Bainbridge and Roachdale fourth and fifth grade students in the summer school program. Thanks to North Putnam administrators and ag science teachers for letting us use the food science classroom facility. The youth gained knowledge in preparing food safely with proper sanitation, kitchen practices and also with the experience of cooking six different recipes for classroom sampling. Skills like reading and following a recipe, finding materials and tools to prepare items, international connections of food, and healthy nutrition on a budget were additional items presented to students.

A few weeks back, an investment program reaching nearly 90 students via Greencastle Middle School and Greencastle High School students occurred where students were given a virtual $100K portfolio to manage using an online program made available by the Indiana Council for Economic Education. Thanks to GMS/GHS business teacher Brittany Labhart for allowing this partnership to occur where weekly between March and mid-May, various investment topics were presented and students shared trading experiences or thoughts about the market.

Extension staff conduct numerous programs at county schools and are very involved with youth education throughout the year. Nature of Teaching and Captain Cash are two other examples where the ag natural resources educator and health and human science Extension educators and county Extension education coordinator teach in classrooms and afterschool events. School admin, teachers and home school groups are welcomed to contact Extension staff to begin planning for the next school year and schedule programs for the next school year.

Visit our homepage at www.extension.purdue.edu/putnam or you can contact the local office by calling 765.653.8411 for more information regarding this week’s column topic or to RSVP for upcoming events. Office hours are Monday thru Friday from 8:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-4:00pm. Evening and lunch appointments are available, upon request. It is always best to call first to assure items are ready when you arrive and to RSVP for programs. While many publications are free, some do have a fee. All times listed are Eastern Time. Purdue University is an equal access/equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.

Upcoming Events

June 27 – YQCA Putnam 4-H, 6pm, register https://yqcaprogram.org/

June 27 – Photography 4-H Workshop, York Auto Bldg, Fairgrounds 7:30 pm

June 29 – Exploring 4-H Field Day, see 4honline email

June 30 – Public Speaking Demonstration and Summer Judging 4-H contests, Fairgrounds, 5 pm.

July 12 – Forest Management and Selling Timber webinar, 12pm, register at https://women4theland.org/upcoming-events

July 12 – FairEntry.com deadline for all 4-H projects (except rabbits July 16) entered for county fair

July 22-29 – Putnam County 4-H Fair

Access Church of Cloverdale (located at 501 North Main Street, Cloverdale, IN) is holding an all day Vacation Bible School on June 25, 2022 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM with registration beginning at 8:30 AM.

This will be an exciting and interactive learning experience for all children aged pre-k to 6^th grade.  This year’s VBS is The Mighty God; God leads Moses and Me.

For more information or to pre-register your child, call Meghan Ray at 812-585-2585.

On Sunday, June 26, 2022 from 12:30-2:30 PM you can join the Putnamville United Methodist Church at the historic Putnamville United Methodist Church, on the Putnamville Public Green (corner of State Road 243 and Highway 40) for their annual Ice Cream Social. Listed on the Register of Historic Places, this church was built in 1834. For a goodwill donation, you can enjoy Bainbridge Dari-Ette ice cream, hot dogs, pies, drinks, and more. The UMW will also hold a bake sale at the social, with music provided by musicians of Gobin UM Church.

You are also invited to tour the 1884 Dr. Horn Office/Putnamville Museum and the Townsend/Layman Museum; an 1828 reconstructed Summer Kitchen for the Townsend Inn and former residence of freed slaves. The museums are located directly north of the church on the Putnamville Public Green. Canned goods for the Putnam County Emergency Food Pantry will be gratefully accepted. Additional parking is available at Abundant Life Baptist Church at the southwest corner of SR 243 and Hwy 40.

During the summer, Purdue Extension handles a lot of issues that landowners face. These issues range from insect problems, plant problems, nuisance wildlife, and pond problems. When it comes to pond issues, most of these problems are algae and pond weeds.   

There are three main types of algae. The first is microscopic algae (commonly thought of as blue-green algae). It appears to look like a swirl of green or yellow-green oil floating on top of the pond. Microscopic algae often occur when there is an abundant of nutrients. To control this problem, it is best to prevent excess nutrients from entering the pond.

Mat-forming algae is the second type of algae. It is commonly referred to as moss. It will grow in mats around the edges and bottoms of the pond starting in the spring. The final type of algae is Chara. Chara is often a calcified, brittle plant that is rooted. Most algae problems can be controlled by using copper products. However, you should not use copper products if there are trout or koi found in the pond.

Duckweed and watermeal are two free-floating plants that can wreak havoc on a pond. These two plants are extremely small (duckweed is 1/8 to ¼ inch in diameter). You can tell these two plants apart by looking for roots. Duckweed has small roots that hang in the water while watermeal has no roots. Both of these plants can completely cover a pond and cause oxygen depletion to occur.

Waterlilies, watershield, and American pondweed are three examples of rooted-floating plants. Each of these plants have underground stems, call rhizomes, from where new plants sprout. The leaves and flowers of these species then float on top of the water. American pondweed has long slender leaves that are 2 to 3 inches long. They will then be attached to their roots by long petioles. Waterlilies and watershield are similar in appearance. However, you can tell them apart since watershield has smaller leaves and petioles that are attached in the center of the leave.

Individuals with pond problems are welcome to contact Purdue Extension to schedule a site visit or submit photos for identification (send to smith535@purdue.edu). Once you have the issue identified, we can discuss control options and if an aquatic herbicide should be used. Please remember whenever utilizing an aquatic herbicide, you need to read and follow all label instructions.

For more information regarding this week’s column topic or to RSVP for upcoming events. It is always best to call first to assure items are ready when you arrive and to RSVP for programs. While many publications are free, some do have a fee. Purdue University is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. All times listed are Eastern Time.

Upcoming Events:

June 15 – “What’s the Deal with Diets?” program, free, 5pm, Fairgrounds, register at 765-653-8411

June 15 – YQCA Putnam 4-H, 1pm, register https://yqcaprogram.org/

June 17 – Summer PARP, 9 am, Fairgrounds, register at 765-653-8411

June 27 – YQCA Putnam 4-H, 6pm, register https://yqcaprogram.org/

July 12 – Forest Management and Selling Timber webinar, 12 pm, register at
               https://women4theland.org/upcoming-events

July 22-29 – Putnam County 4-H Fair

You do not have to travel for very long within Putnam County to see poison hemlock growing. Poison hemlock is a biennial plant that can grow up to 10 feet tall during its second year of life. During year two, it will bloom. The flowers of poison hemlock are small and white and they are found in an umbrella-shaped cluster on top of the plant. The leaves are fern-like. Poison hemlock is currently blooming in Putnam County. The stem of poison hemlock will have purple spots on it and be hairless.  

It is important to know how to identify poison hemlock because it is highly poisonous and can be fatal to humans and livestock when consumed. If a human would touch it, they can develop major skin irritations. This can even incur if you mow the plant down. Poison hemlock easily invades areas around roads, streams, trails, ditches, forest edges, and waste areas.

If you think you may have poison hemlock on your property, do not touch it. Take a photo of the plant (entire plant) and an up-close photo of the stem. You can then email the photos to smith535@purdue.edu for identification and information on how to control it. Purdue University is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Experiences in 4-H and with Extension programs vary and most individuals have their favorite area of activity. Sometimes one can become so wrapped up in their favorite Extension and 4-H activity that they forget about the other areas of entire program. In other situations, individuals may want the program to have objectives that align well with mission and vision statements while other times individuals may have personal objectives that do not align with program mission and vision statements. Both Purdue Extension and Indiana 4-H have their own mission and vision statements. Let’s take a look at these statements:

Indiana 4-H Mission: The Indiana 4-H Youth Development mission is to provide real-life educational opportunities that develop young people who will have a positive impact in their communities and the world.

Indiana 4-H Vision: Indiana 4-H Youth Development s?trives to be the premier, community-based program empowering young people to reach their full potential.

Purdue Extension Mission: We deliver practical, research-based information that enhances lives and livelihoods.

Purdue Extension Vision: We will be a leader in providing relevant, high-impact educational programs that transform the lives and livelihoods of individuals and communities in Indiana and the world.

As we enter the summer time period with exhibit competitions, keep these statements in mind. The real-life educational experiences for youth working on projects and activities will be memorable for them if they are allowed to take ownership and be engaged. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other relatives, it is fine to help give ideas to youth who seek guidance but please don’t do the project and take this great opportunity away from the youth.

In the adult exhibitions, you will have great opportunities to use practical and research-based information you have learned from Extension programs and other life experiences to demonstrate how your life and livelihood has been advanced.

Visit our homepage at www.extension.purdue.edu/putnam or you can contact the local office by calling 765.653.8411 for more information regarding this week’s column topic or to RSVP for upcoming events. Office hours are Monday thru Friday from 8:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-4:00pm. Evening and lunch appointments are available, upon request. It is always best to call first to assure items are ready when you arrive and to RSVP for programs. While many publications are free, some do have a fee. All times listed are Eastern Time. Purdue University is an equal access/equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.

Upcoming Events

June 15 – “What’s the Deal with Diets?” program, free, 5pm, Fairgrounds, register at 765-653-8411

June 15 – YQCA Putnam 4-H, 1pm, register https://yqcaprogram.org/

June 17 – Summer PARP, 9am, Fairgrounds, register at 765-653-8411

June 27 – YQCA Putnam 4-H, 6pm, register https://yqcaprogram.org/

July 12 – Forest Management and Selling Timber webinar, 12pm, register at https://women4theland.org/upcoming-event

Better Business Bureau® will once again host its prestigious recognition event, the Torch Awards for Ethics.

The BBB is accepting nominations now through Sunday, June 12.  

Four award categories will recognize recipients as exemplary businesses, charities or individuals. “We’re thrilled to recognize exemplary members of our incredible community,” said Cathy Armour, BBB President and CEO. “Here in central Indiana, we have so many remarkable individuals and organizations who deserve to be recognized and celebrated for their outstanding practices.” 

Any for-profit or non-profit organizations and individuals within BBB Central Indiana’s 46-county service area are eligible. While BBB Accreditation is not required, all entrants must have been in business for at least three years, met all their financial obligations, and have at least a “B” rating with the BBB.

Entries will be evaluated by an independent panel of esteemed judges from business communities across central Indiana.? ? 

To be considered, an initial nomination must be submitted by Sunday, June 12. The process is free and easy. To make a nomination, or learn more about the celebration, visit the Torch Awards section on BBB.org or call (317) 488-2222.??