Calvert County

Every Marylander lives within a watershed and has a role to play in caring for the land, water, air, wildlife, and each other. Every action we take, every small positive change we make to improve water quality, soil health, and habitat counts in a big way. Learn about the actions you can take in your yard using the newly updated Bay-Wise Living Landscapes Metric.

The Patterson House and Gardens at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum completed a multi-year renovation in 2025. Join the park horticulturalist for a virtual tour of the 64 varieties of plants brought back to two formal gardens designed by pioneering female landscape architects in the 1930's.

Never buy seeds again! Come learn how to harvest, process, and preserve seeds from your favorite garden vegetables, herbs and flowers to use next year. Hands-on activities included!

Grafting allows gardeners to utilize genetic components of multiple varieties in a single plant. Come learn how to graft fruit plants such as apples, tomatoes, and more, through discussion and hands-on activities.

Event:  Southern Maryland Forage Conference
Date: January 20, 2026  |   Tuesday
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  |  Cost: Early bird Admission: $25; Early bird Admission & MDFC Membership: $45; After January 12, 2026 - Regular Admission: $30; Regular Admission & MDFC Membership: $50
Location: Calvert County Fair, 140 Calvert Fair Drive, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
Description: Topics include native warm-season grasses and more to be announced. Doors open at 8:30 am, with the meeting starting at 9 am. Morning refreshments and lunch are included. Nutrient management and pesticide applicator credits will be offered. Registration is required, with early bird pricing available through January 12th. Discounted Maryland-Delaware Forage Council membership is available with the purchase of a ticket. If you would like to pay by check or cash, please call the UME-St. Mary's Office at 301-475-4484. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. If you have questions or need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity, please contact us at 301-475-4484.
For more information Ben Beale at (301) 475-4481 (bbeale@umed.edu), Dave Myers at (301) 226-7473 (myersd@umd.edu), Hayden Schug at (301) 226-7502 (hschug@umd.edu), and Amanda Grev at (301) 226-7575 (agrev@umd.edu)
Registration: http://go.umd.edu/smdforage

Topics include:
Scouting/Field Assessment Technology
Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture
Pest Management
Animal Waste Technology
Irrigation & Drainage
Livestock Management

Wondering when to start thawing your turkey, how long leftovers are safe to eat, or how to bake safely for a crowd? Food safety experts will include  Dr. Shauna Henley of the University of Maryland, and Dr. Julie Garden-Robinson of North Dakota State University. Ask your toughest culinary questions so you can cook with confidence!

Event: Pasture Walk at Wilson Dowell Farms
Date: October 15, 2025  |  Wednesday
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  |  Cost: free
Location: Wilson Dowell Farms, 8210 Cattle Run, Owings, MD 20736
Description: Join University of Maryland Extension, NRCS, and Jason Leavitt for an educational pasture walk at Wilson Dowell Farms in Owings, MD (Calvert county). Wilson Dowell Farms is a multi-generational, family farm that produces high quality, pasture-raised meats and grass-fed beef. The farm raises and sells beef, pork, and goat and focuses on growing premium quality forage that the cattle and goats graze for a majority of the year. Join us to hear from Jason and discuss topics like grazing management, maximizing grazing days, and multi-species management.
For more information or to register: https://go.umd.edu/pasture-october

Please note this workshop is available in two separate locations from 9:00 am -1:30 pm:

August 21, 2025-- Harford County Extension Office in Street, MD
August 26, 2025- Charles County Soil Conservation Office in Waldorf, MD

Please indicate on the registration form which day you will be attending and if you have any dietary restrictions or special assistance is needed.

For more information, please contact Andy Kness at akness@umd.edu or Erika Crowl at ecrowl@umd.edu

June 10: Health Insurance Management, build up your skills to better understand, manage, resolve, and avoid health cost conflicts.
June 17: MIND Diet, nutrition for better brain health
June 24: Emotional Grief, managing grief and loss through narrative
July 1: Kitchen Eye Spy, learn best practices to save food and maintain your health