This dish is highly adaptable to your preferences, working well with lamb, beef, or chicken. Try customizing the thick and richly spiced tomato sauce to be chunky, or smoother, depending on your taste. We like this braise served over quinoa or couscous, but gnocchi, farro or even tagliatelle would be delicious!
With April being “Ohio Native Plant Month” and many of our native spring ephemerals currently in bloom, this is a great time to think about native plants and the role they play in our ecosystem. The importance of native plants is even gaining national attention with the U.S. Senate recently passing a bipartisan resolution designating April 2021 as “National Native Plant Month”.
As you make plans for your garden, remember that native plants are beautiful additions to your landscape and also contribute to ecosystem health by providing food and shelter to wildlife such as bees, birds and insects. The plants are well adapted to our area and require less maintenance than other species. Use the slideshow below to familiarize yourself with some of the native plants in bloom this month. When you are ready to learn more about natives or find out how to purchase them for your yard, visit: https://www.ohionativeplantmonth.org/
There’s nothing quite like soup to provide comfort and nourishment when the weather is less than ideal! If you have an Instant Pot or a stovetop pressure cooker, this soup can come together in a jiffy, but it’s also delicious made entirely in a pot on the stovetop.
(Updated February 2026)
The spotted lanternfly has become more firmly established in Ohio, with established populations in 18 counties and the species observed in several additional counties. Spotted lanternfly was first detected in Ohio in 2020 and in Hamilton County in 2022, and it is now considered established in the region. As of February 17, 2026, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) issued a statewide quarantine for spotted lanternfly, requiring inspection of certain trees, nursery stock, and related materials before they are transported out of the state.
The Ohio Department of Agriculture is no longer asking residents to report sightings of spotted lanternfly since the insect is now considered established. However, residents are encouraged to learn to identify the insect and destroy it when possible.
The following link provides additional information and control recommendations from the Ohio Department of Agriculture:
https://agri.ohio.gov/divisions/plant-health/invasive-pests/invasive-insects/slf
(This post was originally written in March 2021)
Traveling this summer? Beware of unwanted hitchhikers. The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) was first reported in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has since spread to several eastern states and the Midwest. Lanternflies are poor fliers but can hitchhike. Large egg masses are formed and these masses are laid on trees, wood or rusty metal (e.g. old train cars). Egg masses can also be found on vehicles, outdoor equipment, stone, or other smooth surfaces, and it is these egg masses that are often moved by human assisted spread.
The spotted lanternfly can congregate in large numbers and preferred hosts are Tree of Heaven and grapes but spotted lanternflies have been documented on a variety of species. These phloem feeders concern fruit producers as their large numbers can cause a nuisance. They squirt honeydew from their abdomen (which can rain down on people) and this substance promotes the growth of black sooty mold on leaves, bark, and outdoor surfaces such as decks and patios.
If you are traveling east, do not pack up the lanterfly when you return home. Check yourself and your belongings for any tag-alongs. Adults are the easiest to spot and are most abundant late summer through fall. With populations now established in Ohio, residents may begin seeing more lanternflies in the coming years.
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