Gardeners, artists, wellness experts and a tick researcher are among the speakers at the Wayne County Fair Grange Rotunda, Sept. 8-11. Continuing a longstanding tradition at the fair, our Ohio State University Extension Family and Consumer Sciences program will host an educational exhibit in the Rotunda, beginning when the gates open on Saturday, Sept. 6.
Speakers take the stage starting Monday when the focus is on a younger audience to coincide with Wayne County Schools Day. Our new Wayne County FCS Educator Kaitlynn Henninge will be front and center with presentations on fun and healthy breakfast ideas, gluten-free eating and air-frying fall produce. Additionally, OSU Master Gardener volunteers will offer their expertise.
Here’s the complete lineup:
Monday, Sept. 8
10:30 a.m. Insect Adventures with the United Titanium Bug Zoo - Staff from the United Titanium Bug Zoo, located at Ohio State University Wooster Campus, will bring some of Ohio’s native insects from the zoo for a hands-on learning experience.
11:30 a.m. Skins and Skulls -Mammals of Ohio – John Lorson, Soil and Water Conservation District program manager, will talk about Ohio’s wild mammals complete with skulls, furs and even a few surprise animal artifacts. He invites fairgoers to come, touch and learn about their wild Ohio neighbors.
1:00 p.m. Build A Healthy Breakfast – OSU FCS Educator Kaitlynn Henninge will talk about the importance of breakfast and share quick and easy breakfast recipes. She’ll provide samples of some tasty pumpkin pancakes.
2:00 p.m. Creature Feature - Serena Solis from the Wilderness Center of Wilmot will bring the center’s ambassador animals – Zea, a red corn snake, and Gus, an Eastern box turtle, and teach us all about them.
3:00 p.m. Pollinators: Nature’s Superheroes – OSU Master Gardener Volunteers Maria Snoddy and Grace Grahm will explain how pollinators help provide food and flowers and why protecting them is important. The program is geared to a younger audience, but adults will find it interesting as well. Children will have a chance to become a “scientist” to identify pollinator superheroes in action in some of the fair’s flower beds created by Master Gardeners.
Tuesday, Sept. 9
10:30 a.m. Use of Artificial Intelligence in Family History Research - Deborah Kitko, genealogy librarian at the Wayne County Public Library, will explore how AI can be used as a tool for research, writing and analysis in the quest for family history.
1 p.m. Gluten-Free Eating – OSU Extension FCS Educator Kaitlynn Henninge will talk about gluten and related disorders, gluten-free eating, shopping, and baking.
3 p.m. Exploring the Mediterranean Diet – Wooster Community Hospital Registered Dietitian Rita Abboud will discuss the health benefits and fundamental ingredients of the Mediterranean Diet. She’ll have recipes and ideas to share.
Wednesday, Sept. 10
10:30 a.m. Sourdough for Beginners – Meghan Wright, a married mother of five who has been baking sourdough for 10 years, will offer what she calls “a relaxed approach to a timeless skill.” Her presentation will include recipes and information on ingredients, tools and techniques to start making sourdough.
11:30 a.m. Preparing Ohio’s Fall Produce in the Air Fryer – OSU Extension FCS Educator Kaitlynn Henninge will share the ins and outs of air frying and prepare a tasty recipe.
12:30 p.m. Tree City Quilt Guild – Members will demonstrate quilting techniques and showcase some of their work.
2 p.m. The Art of Wreath Making – Susie Cochran, OSU Master Gardener volunteer and owner of Comfort & Joy Wreaths,
3 p.m. How To Keep Your Muscles Happy and Healthy – Dianna Stair, registered nurse and director of West View Wellness Center, will give an overview of the muscular system and share techniques for to relax and release tight, stressed muscles.
4 p.m. Have A Seat for Yoga! - Lyn Shoots, certified yoga instructor, will demonstrate and discuss the benefits of chair yoga.
Thursday, Sept. 11
10:30 a.m. Healthy Aging and Exercise! - Kerry MacQueen, health educator/injury prevention coordinator for Holmes County General Health District, will discuss what positive, healthy aging looks like through the use of daily physical activity and exercise.
11:30 a.m. How To Control Weeds in Your Yard and Garden – Paul Snyder, Secrest Arboretum operations manager and Master Gardener coordinator, will help you understand weed biology and simple control strategies to limit the quantity of weeds found in your yard and garden. He will provide samples of common weeds.
2:00p.m. Who’s That Tick? Troy Koser, postdoctoral researcher with the Ohio State University Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, will offer information about the different tick species in Wayne County and tick-safe precautions for families and livestock. Not all tick species have the same effect on human animal health, so Koser will talk about the major tick species that may impact us and provide resources to help us identify and test ticks. Additionally, he’ll describe his lab’s research on tick biology, how we protect ourselves from tick bites, and our projects looking into how you can protect yourself and your livestock from ticks and pathogens they carry.
Be sure to stop by our exhibit in the Rotunda, where we also will have informational displays and handouts. It’s a good place to rest and learn something new