GARRETT COUNTY

As we commemorate this historic milestone, we honor the vision, courage, and dedication of the generations who have helped build and strengthen our nation. For 250 years, Americans have worked together to overcome challenges, expand opportunities, and create vibrant communities where families, businesses, and organizations can thrive.

Here in Garrett County, we are especially grateful for the strong spirit of service, stewardship, and community that reflects the very best of our nation's values. Through education, agriculture, youth development, environmental stewardship, and community engagement, we remain committed to helping our community build a brighter future for generations to come.

As we celebrate America's Semiquincentennial, let us reflect on our shared history, appreciate the freedoms and opportunities we enjoy, and look forward with optimism to the next chapter of our nation's story.

Visit https://www.garrett250.com/ for all of the happenings in Garrett County.

Happy 250th Birthday, America!

My name is Isabelle Hauser, a 2026 summer intern with the University of Maryland Extension Workforce Development Program. I recently graduated from Potomac State College of WVU with an associate's degree in Agricultural Education and Extension. In the fall, I will be attending West Virginia University in pursuit of a B.S in Agricultural Education. I am the fifth generation on my family's dairy farm, where we milk 50 head of cattle. I grew up showing market livestock through 4-H and FFA, but continue to show a small string of dairy cattle through the summer and fall.

My end goal is to teach high school agriculture, and hopefully inspire the next generation of agriculturalists to return to the agriculture industry when seeking careers. While we continue to advance technologically, I truly believe that the next generation can make a difference in holding the integrity of agricultural practices. This summer, I am looking forward to strengthening my knowledge of the many sectors of agriculture and community development through my work with the extension office.

You can track my weekly adventures on the Creating Leadership & Professional Development Summer 2026 blog posts by clicking below.

Is it time to have your dial gauge tested? Community members are encouraged to bring their pressure canner dial gauges to the Garrett County Extension Office for testing. Dial gauges should be tested annually to ensure they are providing accurate pressure readings for safe home canning. We offer testing for approved brands that can be calibrated. For more details or to check if your gauge qualifies for testing, please contact our office.

The summer months will zoom by so please add August 28th to your calendar so that you can enjoy the 4th Annual Tomato Festival in Garrett County. Be sure to grow your favorite tomato so that you can enter the judging category this year! Great prizes and lots of fun!

Mark Your Calendars...​​​

MDA's 2026-2027 Cover Crop Sign-Up runs June 22 through July 17, 2026 at local soil conservation district offices. This is your opportunity to apply for grants to help pay for seed, labor, and equipment costs to plant soil-building cover crops in your fields this fall.

Why Plant Cover Crops

Cover crops are important to the health of local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay. They can also improve the quality of spring cash crops and lower input costs by:

• Recycling unused nutrients for spring cash crops
  
• Adding organic matter to the soil
• Controlling weeds and pests
• Reducing soil erosion and compaction
• Protecting fields from too much or too little rain

Apply in person at the Garrett Soil Conservation District office by contacting Samantha Miller at samanthae.miller1@maryland.gov to set up an appointment. Contact Seth Metheny at seth.metheny1@maryland.gov for questions. Or call 301-501-5860. Be sure to bring your completed Nutrient Management Plan Certification and IRS Form W-9.

Health insurance can be confusing and many people find it difficult to choose and use a health insurance plan. For professionals, it is important to understand how health insurance literacy can affect health behaviors and how education can help improve health insurance literacy.

University of Maryland Extension’s Health Insurance Literacy Team is offering this webinar on June 30, 2026 from 10AM-Noon and July 17, 2026 from 1-3 PM to help professionals improve their knowledge of this topic and understand health insurance literacy resources they can use in their work.

To register for the June 30, 2026 webinar, go to: https://umd.zoom.us/meeting/register/5g8t6j6rTU-C3iKAmvO69w

To register for the July 17, 2026 webinar, go to:

https://umd.zoom.us/meeting/register/v62bJ-6gTEO_0teY6BIikw

Members of the Garrett County 4-H completed their 2026 Broiler Project with the Broiler Show on June 3rd. Members are given 10 Cornish Cross peeps donated by Bruceton AG Service in Grantsville, MD. The members then raise the peeps for 8 weeks to a market size. At the end of the eight weeks, the youth turn in a report showing the feed conversion, mortality rate, and profit/loss from their project. They include pictures and a story where they tell what they learned from their project. The members are then allowed to sell the broilers for meat or keep them for their families.

The Broiler Project is a wonderful, short term learning experience for 4-H youth and their families. We greatly appreciate the support of Bruceton AG Service for the donation of the broiler peeps to the youth members. For 2026, we had 18 youth participate. Listed below are the top three placements in each member division. Others participating were Savannah Bolyard, Ella Georg, Amelia Teets, Briella Wilt, Weston Bolyard, Keeley Garlitz, Cheyenne McClean, Camber Rizer, and Jake Sanders.

Students from the Partners After School Program at Friendsville, Yough Glades, and Crellin spent June 11 enjoying an exciting day of outdoor adventure at our 4-H Camping Center in Bittinger. This program was led by Karen Wood, 4-H Educator and Emily Pysell, Program Assistant. Participants took part in a variety of hands-on activities, including archery, nature exploration, fishing, boating, and swimming. The day was topped off with a hot picnic lunch and plenty of opportunities for fun, friendship, and new experiences.

The demonstration pollinator garden is beginning its 3rd year--- planted in May of 2024 as small plug plants that have withstood poor soil and two consecutive dry summer seasons, these plants are looking great! Several are already in bloom! Be sure to appreciate the biodiversity the next time you stop by the office building. We are regularly seeing butterflies, moths, bees, and more. We even had a toad friend visit last year. Feel free to ask questions about the plants that are bloom whenever you are at the office!

UME Educators, Ashley Bodkins, ENR Educator, and Lacie Ashby, 4-H Educator, recently hosted a Bats, Boards, and Better Habitats workshop at the our 4-H Camping Center in Bittinger. This hands-on learning experience focused on understanding and supporting bats and their role in the ecosystem. Participants learned about the types of bats found in Western Maryland, their lifestyle, common diseases, and how to address unwanted bats. The class also explored bats’ role in the landscape ecosystem, including their benefits for mosquito management, and discussed environmentally friendly lighting options to support both night pollinators and bats.

Through hands-on scouting exercises, participants evaluated the pros and cons of potential bat box locations, learning how to choose the best spots for installation. The workshop concluded with participants working together to build bat boxes. These three constructed bat boxes will later be painted and hung at the the 4-H Camping Center to enhance bat habitats on-site. This engaging workshop provided valuable insights into bat conservation and practical ways to improve habitats in local landscapes. Thanks to Maryland Department of Natural Resources experts Megan Zagorski, Jenny Saville, Max Ferlauto, and Christine "Cricket" Smith, and MD 4-H Camp Naturalist, Kyle Klotz, for assisting as guest speakers.

Bat houses come in different sizes and styles. This class utilized the plan below.

This month, Kenzi Mousch, Nutrition, Health and Wellness Educator, had the opportunity to attend a hands-on Canning Training in Queen Anne’s County, where she learned the proper techniques for both pressure canning and water bath canning. The training provided valuable skills in safe food preservation practices, and she is excited to begin bringing canning education opportunities to Garrett County in the future. Stay tuned for future canning workshops and food preservation programs coming to Garrett County!

The Maryland 4-H Environmental Education and Camping Center in Bittinger is open for the season and bustling with activity! After hosting school groups and adult educational weekends this spring, the camp is gearing up for a busy summer filled with 4-H camps from across Maryland, weddings, and opportunities for fun and fresh air for everyone.

Recently, the center welcomed LEAD MD Fellows for a day of learning and team building. Center Director and 4-H Educator, Lacie Ashby, greeted the Fellows and shared an overview of the facility and its unique history. Kyle Klotz, Camp Staff, then led the group through the low ropes challenge course to strengthen teamwork and collaboration, followed by additional team-building activities and a nutrition-themed escape station facilitated by Kenzie Mousch, Nutrition, Health & Wellness Educator.

We’re looking forward to a summer filled with adventure and unforgettable memories at the camp.

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We are here to serve you in person, by phone, email, or by Zoom. If you have questions, contact one of our experts to provide solutions.

Email: rcvetnic@umd.edu

Website: https://extension.umd.edu/locations/garrett-county

Location: 1916 Maryland Hwy., Suite A, Mt. Lake Park, MD 21550

Phone: 301-334-6960

Office Hours: M-F 8:00 am-4:30 pm excluding holidays
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4HGarrettCoMD

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity, please contact us at least two weeks prior to the event at (301) 334-6960.