GARRETT COUNTY

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at the University of Maryland Extension, Garrett County Office! We’re grateful for our volunteers, community partners, and everyone who makes our programs possible. Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday filled with warmth, joy, and good company!

Our office will be closed November 26-27, 2026 to enjoy the Thanksgiving Holiday with our family and friends.

Grow your plant collection—and your gardening skills! Join us on November 9, 2026, at Garrett College’s Northern Outreach Center for a free plant propagation workshop.

Perfect for beginners and plant enthusiasts alike, this hands-on class will explore how to grow new plants through division, cuttings, and winter sowing. Each participant will take home plants and/or seeds to continue growing!

Ready to get growing? Complete the registration form to sign up for this free workshop!

Grow your gardening knowledge and give back to your community! Garrett County’s 2027 Master Gardener Basic Training combines virtual and in-person sessions covering soil science, native plants, vegetable gardening, and more. Apply before December 15, 2026, and take the first step toward becoming a Master Gardener volunteer. To register, contact Ashley Bodkins at abachtel@umd.edu or by calling 301-334-6960. See the flyer below for details!

Keep your curiosity growing through the quieter winter months! Join University of Maryland Extension for a virtual book club exploring The Forest Year by Ethan Tapper.

Discover the natural rhythms and seasonal cycles of the forest while taking time to slow down, connect with fellow nature and gardening enthusiasts, and build new friendships. Together, we’ll find inspiration and explore ways to bring the book’s lessons to life in our own backyards and communities.

Ready to join the conversation? Register HERE to participate in the virtual book club.

Fall letters have been sent earlier this month to all active producers that require a Nutrient Management Update for 2027. Our office would like to reiterate the December 7th deadline for all information to be provided in order to receive a timely plan update for the 2027 growing season. Andrea will be on leave at the beginning of the year, so information is needed earlier. Please take advantage of the nice weather this fall to get required soil and manure samples. All lab submittal forms and extension's data collection forms were included with the letter for your convenience. For questions, reach out to Andrea at 301-334-6960 or email auphold@umd.edu.

Blackout Dates for Lawn Fertilizer Applications begins on November 16th and will remain in place until March 1, 2027. The purpose of these blackout dates is to protect local streams and the Chesapeake Bay from fertilizer runoff during late fall and winter. During this time, grass is usually dormant and cannot use extra nutrients. Read the entire press release HERE.

The 4-H team was excited to decorate the window at the Ruth Enlow Library of Garrett County in Oakland in celebration of National 4-H Week. This year is especially meaningful as 4-H celebrates 125 years of inspiring young people to learn, lead, serve their communities, and make a difference. Over the past 125 years, 4-H has evolved to meet the changing needs and interests of young people while staying true to its core values of learning by doing, leadership, service, and personal growth. We are grateful to the Ruth Enlow Library for providing this wonderful opportunity to celebrate 4-H with the community. Stop by the library throughout October to check out the display!

It has been a busy and exciting National 4-H Week here in Garrett County! We were honored to receive a proclamation from the Garrett County Commissioners recognizing National 4-H Week and celebrating the many ways 4-H positively impacts local youth, families, and communities. What makes Garrett County so special is the strong sense of community, the generosity of our volunteers, and the support of families, local leaders, and organizations who work together to help young people thrive. This special recognition highlights the dedication of our 4-H members, volunteers, families, and supporters who help youth develop leadership skills, explore new interests, build confidence, and make a difference in Garrett County.

Thank you to the Town of Oakland, Maryland, for lighting the fountain green and to Garrett County Government for illuminating the courthouse in green in celebration of National 4-H Week! These displays of support recognize our 4-H youth, dedicated volunteers, and the positive impact of 4-H throughout our community.

By lighting these local landmarks in 4-H green, you helped bring attention to the opportunities 4-H provides for young people to develop leadership skills, build confidence, explore their interests, and serve others. We are grateful to be part of a community that supports our youth and celebrates their accomplishments.

Thank you for helping Garrett County 4-H shine! 🍀

Garrett County 4-H STEM Enrichment provides students with hands-on learning in science, technology, engineering, and math. During a recent Leaf Science program, students investigated why leaves change color, examined leaf structures with an iPad magnifier, learned to identify white oak and red oak leaves and enjoyed a marker-and-water experiment.

The program also incorporates a middle school leadership component where students help plan, mentor younger peers and assist 4-H Educator Karen Wood throughout the school year.

Garrett County 4-H takes the spotlight in “Homegrown,” an article by Sarah Myers in The Lakefront Magazine.

Through stories from the 69th Garrett County Fair, the article celebrates the year-round dedication our members bring to their projects—from raising livestock to sewing, engineering, gardening, and more. It highlights how the 4-H experience extends beyond the ribbons, helping youth develop confidence, responsibility, leadership skills, and lasting friendships.

Following the article is a conversation with Dr. Wendy Powers, Dean of the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, who shares reflections on her first visit to the Garrett County Fair.

“Beyond the Clover,” an episode of The Backbone podcast featuring the Garrett County Fair and the role of 4-H in youth development.

Tune in for a look at the dedication, animal care, and life skills behind the show ring—and the community that supports our young people along the way!

FCS Educator Kenzi Mousch and Emily Pysell, Program Assistant, joined families at Route 40 Elementary for the Mini Chefs, Mighty Meals Title I Night! Families explored healthy eating while discovering fun, hands-on ways to practice math skills using food. Participants created fruit and vegetable pattern kabobs to learn about patterns and made fajita fraction pizzas to explore fractions. The activity demonstrated how cooking and preparing nutritious foods can provide meaningful opportunities to build math skills while encouraging healthy eating habits at home.

It was a fun night of learning, cooking, and spending time together!

FCS Educator Kenzi Mousch traveled to Caroline County to present to eighth-grade students during Ag Education Day. 409 Students learned about the importance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in food production and how these practices help prevent food contamination and foodborne illness. Using educational materials from Produce TRAINer: A Food Safety Training Toolkit for Produce Farm Workers, students explored food safety practices and learned how to identify and assess potential risks on the farm. This educational program was developed by University of Maryland Extension in collaboration with numerous partners to promote safe produce handling and food safety awareness.

Dr. Jesse Ketterman and Carrie Sorenson were joined by one of our colleagues, Lynn Matava on the Eastern Shore to present at the Small Farms Conference offered by University of Maryland Eastern Shore. The session focused on health insurance options for farmers, using health insurance as a risk management tool, and access to preventative services.

Are you receiving our monthly AG Newsletter? If not, please click here to update your contact information and to stay updated on everything agriculture-related in Garrett County and the tri-state area.

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.