Healthy Food Systems

Join Sarah and Ashley from University of Maryland Extension to answer any Western Maryland garden related questions during this live zoom session.

Need a plant identified? Want advice on starting a garden? Want to add a native plant to your landscape in 2024? Are you encountering pests? Insects? Plant Diseases?
If you have a gardening question that you want us to answer live, please send photos and questions to abachtel@umd.edu or post on the event details in the comments section.

We will be discussing some of the common garden tasks for your garden and a timeline of what you should be seeding now?

Session will be recorded and posted after the event.

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 University of Maryland Extension @ 301-334-6960 before March 7, 2024. See less

Registration Includes:
• Course Materials (Produce Safety Rule Grower Training Manual v 1.2)

• Course Certificate from the Produce Safety Alliance upon successful completion of course materials

Who Should Attend?
Fruit and vegetable growers and others interested in learning about produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and co-management of natural resources and food safety. The PSA Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in § 112.22(c) that requires

‘At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.’
What to Expect at the PSA Grower Training Course?
The trainers will cover content contained in these eight modules:

• Introduction to Produce Safety

• Role of Maryland Dept. of Agriculture and On-Farm Readiness Reviews

• Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training

• Soil Amendments

• Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use

• Agricultural Water (Part I: Production Water; Part II: Postharvest Water)

• Postharvest Handling and Sanitation

• How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan

In addition to learning about produce safety best practices, key parts of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements are outlined within each module. There will be time for questions and discussion, so participants should come prepared to share their experiences and produce safety questions. Appropriate time will be made for breaks at the discretion of the instructors.

Participation requirements for in-person attendees include:
• Course attendance and participation will be monitored. Any attendee who does not participate for the duration of the course will not be eligible for certification.

• A hard-copy Produce Safety Rule Grower Training Manual v1.2 will be available to each attendee prior to the course administration.

• Participants are expected to complete and return course evaluations within one week of completing the course.

Funding for this series of work described in this article is supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award U2FFD007444 totaling $523,497 with 100 percent funded by FDA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by FDA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

2024 Poultry Grower Expo!

This event will include a tradeshow and educational sessions throughout the day, including generator maintenance, controller training, energy savings, summer readiness, and more.

Enjoy a free lunch and fellowship.

MD and DE Nutrient Management Credits Offered

Biosecurity is essential!  Take all precautions with clothes and footwear.

Please contact with any questions: Jon Moyle, jmoyle@umd.edu, Jenny Rhodes, jrhodes@umd.edu, Maegan Perdue, mperdue@umd.edu, Jennifer Timmons, jtimmons1@umes.edu, Georgie Cartanza, cartanza@udel.edu, and/or Holly Porter at porter@dcachicken.com

Date:  Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Time:  9 AM - 2 PM
Location:  Somerset County Civic Center, Crisfield Lane, Princess Anne, MD 21853
Registration to attend:  https://bit.ly/42vnpyj
For Sponsorship Opportunities:  http://tinyurl.com/2024growerexpo

Hosted by The Delmarva Poultry Team, UME, UMES, UDEL, DCA

Feb 27 - Starting seeds inside
It's time to start seeding your transplants and we'll have our seed starting experts discuss how to do it

March 12 - Cool weather crops
This class will focus on spring and fall leafy greens and cole crops

March 26 - Cover crops and composting
We'll discuss beneficial gardening practices that can increase your soil health and fertility

April 9 - Intro to Gardening
This class will focus on the basics of gardening to kick off the season

April 23 - Cane Berries
We'll talk about blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and which cane berries make sense for you

May 7 - Everything Tomatoes
Everyone loves tomatoes, but there are so many types and varieties how do you choose? We'll also talk about best management practices, insect and disease.

Beat the winter blues by working with spring greens! Join the Talbot Master Gardener Volunteers for our winter workshops on seed starting and herbs for container gardening.

This is a free half-day seminar from 8 am to 2 pm. The agenda for the day includes presentations covering key topics such as the direction and future of organic production, insights into organic grain markets, and navigating certification, regulations, and requirements. Additionally, there will be a farmer roundtable discussion featuring panelists representing various aspects of organic farming, including grain, vegetable, animal, and research. Light breakfast refreshments and lunch will be served.

The showcase aims to highlight our students' work and experiences through posters and/or physical displays. Guests, which will include industry partners, faculty, alumni, VIPs from around campus, and UMD students, will be able to walk through the showcase to see their projects.

Stop by the Kent County Public Library in Chestertown on the first and third Saturday of every month from January to March from 10 am to noon with all your questions about gardening, garden pests, plant problems, and insects. Master Gardeners will be on hand to give tips and tricks to make your home garden flourish, help troubleshoot tricky growing situations, and offer encouragement on creating the perfect garden for your space.

February 3,2024- Winter Birding with Special Guest Birder Dave Burgevin from Black Water and Eastern Neck Wildlife National Refuge

February 17, 2024- The Spotted Lantern Fly Is Here. Updates For The Summer

March 2, 2024 – Seed Swap & Garden Day

March 16, 2024- How Healthy Is Your Soil?

For further information please call or reasonable accommodations to participate in this event email the University of Maryland Extension Queen Anne’s County, Senior Agent Associate for Horticulture and Master Gardener Coordinator, Rachel J. Rhodes, at 410-758-0166 or rjrhodes@umd.edu or see us on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/QueenAnnesCountyMasterGardeners

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.

The Western Maryland Regional Fruit Meeting will be held at the University of Maryland, Western Maryland Research and Education Center, 18330 Keedysville Road, Keedysville, MD 21756, on Thursday, February 15, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The cost to attend the workshop is $40* ($45 after Feb 8, 2024), which includes continental breakfast, lunch, and handouts.

This yearly meeting will present industry information (including pesticide and nutrient management updates) related to commercial tree and small fruit production by the University of Maryland Extension and industry experts.

Attendance at this meeting qualifies for recertification continuing education credits (CEU’s) for individuals possessing a current and valid license:

• MARYLAND Recertification Training Commercial/Public Agency/Consultant/Private—credits in Categories 1A, 10*, 12*, PVT*
• WEST VIRGINIA Pesticide Recertification Training
• MARYLAND Nutrient Management Program

For more information or if you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event (two weeks prior), please contact Joseph Fiola or by calling (301) 432-2767 x344

*There is an additional processing fee from Eventbrite to pay by credit card

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.

Join the University of Maryland Extension - Queen Anne's County Master Gardeners for our annual seed swap and garden day. You do not need to bring seeds to receive seeds. Please label any seeds you bring so that other swappers know what they are getting. Seeds are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event or activity, please contact us at (410) 758-0166 or email Rachel Rhodes at rjrhodes@umd.edu by Monday, January 29, 2024.

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.