Happy Easter! As much as would like to talk about Easter lilies or spring gardening we have some upcoming events that are more urgent for some readers. We have been receiving a lot of calls with spring in the air about kicking off new home projects. Therefore we are offering several upcoming classes to help with many of these common calls. Here are some answers to when and where you can learn new skills to help around the house.

Q: When can I start spraying pesticides and what can I use?

A: In general, I don’t like to recommend many pesticide or herbicides over the phone and certainly in the newspaper because there are so many to use and they vary for many situations. However, it is good to be certified if you are going to be spraying pesticides around your home especially ones that are restricted and require a permit. Therefore Thursday, April 8 we will be having a private pesticide applicator training at our office at 9 a.m. It is $10 to attend and the training will cover all safety, calibration, methods, laws and guidelines dealing with chemical applications.

Q: What is the best way to start making money on a small family piece of land?

A: We receive this call a lot referring to people that have recently moved back to the family farm or someone who has between 25-100 acres and really are not sure what to do with it. On Tuesday, April 13 at the Clear Spring Recreational Area in Meadville we will host a Natural Resource Enterprise Workshop. The day is designed to take the average homeowner and teach them multiple ways to create revenue generating enterprises on family land. The topics include cost share programs to get you started, how to market your product, liability and legal concerns, owners experiences and revenue potential. After a provided lunch, the group will tour multiple successful ventures and speak with experts in multiple areas of interest. This is a great opportunity for anyone with idle land who wants to create additional revenue. The cost is $25 and includes all materials and a meal.

Q: My pond is out of control, what do I do?

A: I have had this call about eight times already this year. This is the time of the year when aquatic weeds are starting to take off, algae is growing, and you think you are losing your pond. We are tentatively scheduling a pond and lake management class for Wednesday, May 5. This day will include learning to identify and control aquatic weeds, learn to take population samples from your existing pond, determine how to stock your pond to make it more productive, look at good and bad construct techniques, and learn to better manage any current pond or lake more effectively.

For more information on any of these programs or to sign up call the extension office at 601-445-8201.

David Carter is the director of the Adams County Extension Service. He can be reached at 601-445-8201.