March Madness: The strong urge to plant something. Anything!!!

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Look Around

After months of grays and greens and a cold that has too often kept us housebound, we look forward to the color and promise of spring flowers. March is a month of transition, and we watch spring settle in as the days go by. Those in the know have been enjoying the beautiful winter blooms of hellebores. A walk in the neighborhood brings a smile as we see emerging daffodils, and what a delight to happen upon the blooms of crocus, snowdrops, or dwarf iris!  We notice the swelling leaf and flower buds of trees and shrubs, and we follow the day-by-day progress as the buds break and leaves and flowers emerge. Forsythias are the heralds of spring’s arrival, with their bright yellow displays. Cornelian cherry trees delight us with small but abundant deep yellow blooms that light up the sky. We breathe in the fruity scent of the star magnolia’s white blooms when we pass it by. Venturing out into woods and meadows rewards us with the sight of early wildflower blooms. Trout lilies, spring beauties, hepatica, skunk cabbage, anemones, violets….the list goes on, and when we frequent these areas we can watch the progression and growing display with each new day.   But before we end this March stroll we look up. High in the branches of the red maples populating our neighborhoods is an often-overlooked beauty.  The delicate ruby-red flowers of the red maple take our breath away. We search for a low limb or open our cell phone cameras for a closer examination of the delicate anthers and styles.  The absence of leaves allows these flowers to take center stage, and they are fine actors indeed. Look up. Look around. K Edgington

 

Many of us who love conifers call ourselves and our conifer-loving friends "Coneheads". February is prime conifer viewing time – Coneheads rejoice!

The Root of It newsletter please click HERE for a webpage version of the newsletter.

Look Around

While spring makes us smile with the erupting beauty of bulbs and leaves, summer energizes us with its full color palette of flowers and shrubs, and fall enchants us with swaying grasses and drifting leaves, winter offers a more serene and tranquil beauty. In winter, conifers take center stage. These trees and shrubs, which often play a supporting role during the growing season, come into focus, and bring shades of green, blue, and gold, as well as interesting textures and quiet beauty to the landscape. Conifers, which we differentiate from other evergreen plants by the presence of needles and cones, come in many forms. The long needles of pines offer texture and movement. Spruce branches, with their stiff, sharp needles and whorled form, are plants of presence and substance. Junipers run the gamut from groundcovers to shrubs to stately trees. We tend to think of junipers as common plants, not worthy of undue attention, but when planted in a spot with proper drainage and light, they contribute to the elegance and beauty of garden beds and borders. Years of overuse and poor variety or cultivar selection have led us to dismiss the yew and shear it into balls or hedges. When left to its own devices this deep green beauty earns its spot in a winter display. Arborvitae, which are so helpful in creating backyard privacy, have tiny, scale-like needles that are compressed into fan-like branchlets. They’re workhorses in our shrub borders, but a beauty to behold in the winter landscape.  Run your hand along the branches of a fir, with its soft needles, and enjoy the citrus-like aroma. Firs are distinguished by their upward facing cones, and choosing one suited to our Midwest soils and climate will reward us with a conifer second to none. Hemlocks, with their short, soft needles and small, papery cones, add grace to the conifer mix with their delicate branches and drooping tips. Each of these conifer families is beautiful on its own, but when they play together, the mix is captivating. Beautiful bark, a variety of textures and foliage colors, and an array of shapes and sizes keep us ever interested as we take a winter walk to check out the conifers. Look around. K Edgington

 

Even a small farm needs a strong food safety plan and legal protection for it

By Cookson Beecher on January 21, 2021

ANALYSIS

She can grow some mean salad greens. “So healthy for you and your family,” she’ll cheerfully tell the customer who makes regular stops at her booth at the local farmers market.

At another booth, a farmer has some farm-made cheese on display. “Comes from cows that are raised out on grass,” he says to a group of customers wandering through the farmers market and stopping at his booth.

At a restaurant on Main Street, a farmer proudly holds up his strawberries for the chef, who buys his berries on a regular basis. “Real beauties,” he says. “They’re large and red-ripe. Your diners will love them. Sweet and juicy and no pesticides.”

These farmers have several things in common. They would be identified as small-scale farmers and therefore exempt from many provisions, such as mandatory inspections, in the Food Safety Modernization Act. They primarily sell direct to their customers.

They also have something else that’s even more valuable. Their customers’ trust.

On a business level, that’s of utmost importance, Rachel Armstrong, founder and executive director of Farm Commons, will quickly say. But while knowing how to farm and having a loyal customer base is one thing, knowing how to keep your customers safe from foodborne pathogen problems and your farm safe from lawsuits is another.

Continue reading HERE

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)

Wondering how this warm winter will affect our landscape? 

Whether you believe in global warming or not, West

Virginia has been experiencing higher temperatures

in both summer and winter. The United States

Department of Agriculture hardiness zone map shows

that between 1990 and 2015, there has been significant

change in temperatures resulting in a shift in hardiness

zones.

Read more on what to expect:

IPM Chronicle Vol 8 Issue 1 Winter 2020

SPRING INTO GARDENING 

by Extension Master Gardeners of Kanawha County

Date: March 14, 2020
Location:  Coonskin Park Clubhouse, Charleston on March 14, 2020
Registration Fee: $8.00 if by March 1, then $13.00 day of the event. 

Flyer and Registrations form links below:

Spring into Gardening flyer
Spring into Gardening Registration

Evan Wilson named as Extension Agent for Cabell & Wayne Counties

After a lengthy vacancy in the agriculture extension agent positions in Cabell and Wayne Counties, the position was recently filled.  James Evan Wilson, a graduate of WVU, will split time between the two counties serving the agricultural needs of the area.  Evan grew up in the Mason County community of Apple Grove and comes from a strong agricultural background having been involved in 4-H and FFA as a student.  He has recently completed he Masters Degree in Agriculture, Natural Resource and Design and has worked in poultry in Virginia.
Evan will bring a great deal of knowledge, energy and resources to the two counties that we serves. He is looking forward to meeting the CCMGA members from Cabell and Wayne Counties to explore ways that we can work together.
Evan can be contacted by email at jewilson@mix.wvu.edu

Bell plans to retire as head of HMDA