Sheep is a major part of the diets of residents of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland and a group of local sheep producers just returned from a tour of those countries to gain a better insight of their methods. Steve and Madelyn Lowery, Nancy Wilcox, Dave Burkhart and Ohio Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator Mark Badertscher took part in the tour sponsored by the OSU Extension Office and the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association.

BELLEFONTAINE — Benjamin Logan Schools hosted “Using STEM to Bloom” for 45 girls in grades 3-5 on Wednesday, Oct. 14. STEM is an acronym for Science, Engineering, Technology and Math. The aim of "Using STEM to Bloom" is to help girls realize their aptitude, excitement, and abilities within these fields.

Mary Ellen Withrow, the first person to have held the post of treasurer at all three levels of government - local, state and national will be the featured speaker at the Hardin County Democrats Fall Luncheon and Rally on Saturday, Oct. 24 at noon at Walnut Grove United Methodist Church.

Five Hardin County people joined an OSU Extension and Ohio Sheep Improvement Association International Sheep Tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Local sheep producers Dave Burkhart, Nancy Wilcox, Steve Lowery, Madelyn Lowery, and OSU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator Mark Badertscher joined a group of 23 sheep producers, sheep industry personnel, and OSU Extension Educators on a two-week trip to Scotland, England, Wales, and Ireland

Due to the ban on poultry exhibits in Ohio, all 4-H and FFA poultry exhibitors across the state, including Hardin County, were unable to bring their poultry project birds to the county fairs. The Hardin County Fair Board stepped up and provided a generous poultry program at this year’s fair, including extensive poster display and contest, full showmanship show with fair board-purchased fake birds and full junior fair livestock sale participation to all with market poultry projects.

ADA — Ohio Northern University’s Freed Center for the Performing Arts will present “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” from Oct. 22-25 at 7:30 p.m. There also will be matinee performances on Oct. 24 and 25 at 2 p.m.

BLUFFTON —Tickets are available for Bluffton University’s production of “Smash,” a British comedy of manners by Jeffrey Hatcher. Dr. Melissa Friesen, a professor and chair of communication and theatre at Bluffton, will direct the show, being staged at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29-31 and at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 1 in Ramseyer Auditorium in College Hall.

ADA — The Ohio Northern University Department of Music presents the ONU Symphony’s season-opening concert, “Destiny and Dvorˇák,” in the Freed Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 5 p.m.

MARION — The Marion Palace Theatre presents Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning stage play, “Our Town,” for three performances in the Palace Theatre May Pavilion. Show dates are scheduled for Friday, Oct. 23 and Saturday, Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 25 at 2 p.m.

ADA — Ohio Northern University’s Freed Center for the Performing Arts presents an evening of music from Great Britain featuring the Ohio Northern University Wind Orchestra on Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m. The Northern Winds, under the direction of Thomas A. Hunt, will perform a concert of British music for winds and percussion, including Gustav Holst’s “First Suite,” Adam Gorb’s Yiddish Dances, Malcolm Arnold’s Four Scottish Dances, and four Percy Grainger favorites.