Each winter, WVU Extension brings education, know-how and research right to your community through a series of educational dinner meetings. 

Through these dinner meetings, participants have the opportunity to learn from WVU Extension specialists and industry experts about relevant topics to help you improve your own agricultural operations.

In January and February, a variety of important and engaging agricultural topics will be explored during regional dinner meetings throughout the state.

Below is an overview of each topic and date/location details. Registration/RSVP information for each session is provided below.

Find a Dinner Meeting Near You

Forest Carbon Credits and How Small Landowners Can Get Involved in the Marketplace

January 6-9 in Pendleton Pocahontas Greenbrier and Monroe Counties

Presenter: Anthony Pappas

Learn what forest carbon credits and how landowners with as little as 30 wooded acres can generate and sell their carbon credits. The world of carbon crediting and sale is fast evolving, learn how you can become involved in this emerging market. We'll discuss what carbon credits are, what the markets are like, and what types of landowners and woodlots are good fits...or not.

Anthony Pappas is the owner and lead consultant of Heritage Habitat and Forestry. As a West Virginia University alum, Anthony has years of experience managing public land for the benefit of both wildlife and the eventual realization of economic returns on timber as well as working for a timber consulting company focused on ecologically-sound timber production.

From the prairies of North Dakota down to the hills of northern Alabama and out to the Ozarks of Arkansas, Anthony has experience in a multitude of forest types and habitat diversities. Taking this first-hand knowledge of “wildlife forestry," Anthony has built his Ohio-based company around managing forests for multiple uses.

Forest Carbon Credits Dinner Meeting Details:

January 6, 6:30 p.m. at Pendleton Community Building, Franklin – To RSVP, contact Jessica Hoover.

January 7, 6:30 p.m. at Marlinton Municipal Building – To RSVP, contact Greg Hamons.

January 8, 6:30 p.m. at WVU Building, State Fairgrounds, Fairlea – To RSVP, contact Josh Peplowski.

January 9, 6:30 p.m. at Union Senior Center – To RSVP, contact Brian Wickline.

The Eastern Coyote: Ecology and Management 

January 13-15 in Summers, Nicholas and Mercer Counties

Presenter: Sheldon Owen

Sheldon Owen earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry and Wildlife Management from Mississippi State University in 1998. He then conducted graduate work at the University of Georgia where he earned a Master of Science degree in 2000, and at West Virginia University where he earned a PhD in Forest Resource Science 2003. The primary focus of his graduate research involved the ecology of forest dwelling bats and raccoons in association with intensive forest management. He served as a Wildlife Disease Biologist for the National Wildlife Disease Program within USDA/APHIS Wildlife Services in South Carolina for five years. Then he served as a Supervisory Wildlife Biologist for the South Carolina Program of Wildlife Services until 2010. He is currently the Wildlife Extension Specialist for West Virginia University Extension.  

Join us to learn more about the ecology of the eastern coyote. We will discuss their natural history, interesting behaviors, as well as their record-pacing range expansion. Finally, we will cover management techniques to help WV landowners minimize coyote conflicts.

Eastern Coyote Dinner Meeting Details:

January 13, 6 p.m. at Summers County Memorial Building, Hinton – To RSVP, contact David Richmond.

January 14, 5:30 p.m. at Nicholas County Veterans Memorial Park 4-H Building, Summersville – To RSVP, contact Brian Sparks. 

January 15, 5:30 p.m. at Glenwood Park 4-H Camp, Princeton – To RSVP, contact Jodi Richmond.

NOTE: Please RSVP for all dinner meetings at least two weeks in advance.

Making the Most Out of Your Pasture 

January 13-16 in Hardy, Hampshire, Mineral and Jefferson Counties

Presenter: Quill Ward

Quill Ward is the sixth-generation agriculturalist to live and work on his family’s beef cattle operation. He owns and manages 280 cows, as well as 60 yearling heifers. He is a 2008 graduate of West Virginia University’s Davis College where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with an emphasis Animal Science. During his college career, he was member of WVU’s Alpha Gamma Rho, as well as Block and Bridle. Quill currently holds multiple board and leadership positions. He is the president of the West Virginia Cattlemen’s Association. He also serves as a board member for the Harrison County Farm Bureau and Harrison County Livestock Association. He continues to be involved with West Virginia University by serving as a board member for AGR’s housing committee. 

In 2012, Quill began experimenting with expanding grazing periods in his operation. Over the last 10 years, he has worked to further his education on grazing practices by attending many conferences and seminars with the end goal of finding the ideal method for his operation. While farming takes up a huge portion of his life, Quill's number one priority is spending quality time with his family. He and his wife of more than ten years, Robin Ward, have two children. Sallie, six years old, and Aquilla Ira, two years old. 

In this presentation Quill Ward will discuss his trial and error throughout his extended grazing journey. He began researching extended grazing about ten years ago. Since then, he has been able to extend grazing for his cattle for 300+ days.

Extended Pasture Grazing Dinner Meeting Details:

January 13, 6 p.m. at Brookedale Farm Wedding Barn, Fort Ashby – To RSVP, contact Margaret Miltenberger. 

January 14, 6:30 p.m. at Augusta Firehall, Augusta – To RSVP, contact Candace DeLong.

January 15, 6 p.m. at Moorefield Middle School, Moorefield – To RSVP, contact Alex Smith.

January 16, 6:30 p.m. at WVU Kearneysville Tree Fruit Education Center, Kearneysville – To RSVP, contact Emily Morrow.

NOTE: Please RSVP for all dinner meetings at least two weeks in advance.

Stretching a Dollar: Strategies for Supplementing Cows and Maximizing Forage

January 13-16 in Marshall, Preston, Lewis and Tucker Counties 

Presenter: Ben Williamson

Ben Williamson of Flintstone, Maryland, is an Assistant Teaching Professor and Livestock Judging Team Coach for Penn State University. Williamson was raised on a diversified farming operation in Ohio comprised of grain, cattle and hogs. Additionally, he serves in several roles for Penn State Extension, including providing leadership for the PA Performance Bull Test, PA Farm Show, and youth livestock programs. He also teaches several production courses. With his family, Williamson manages a cow/calf operation and is venturing into marketing local produce.

Considering the recent weather patterns, some may need to re-align strategies for maximizing forages and minimize long term effects of drought. We will focus on supplementation and management strategies to put in your toolbox, setting your cows up for success.

Multi-species Grazing  

January 22-23 and 28-29 in Ritchie, Wood, Mason and Roane Counties

Presenter: Ed Rayburn 

Multi-species Grazing Dinner Meeting Details:

January 22, 6:30 p.m. at Ritchie County 4-H Grounds, Dinner Hall – To RSVP, contact Jessie Pennell. 

January 23, 7 p.m. at Fort Boreman Room, Judge Black Annex, Wood County Courthouse, Parkersburg  – To RSVP, contact JJ Barrett.

January 28, 6:30 p.m. at Mason County Career Center, Point Pleasant – To RSVP, contact Evan Wilson.

January 29, 6:30 p.m. at Roane County Library, Spencer – To RSVP, contact  Brandy Brabham.

NOTE: Please RSVP for all dinner meetings at least two weeks in advance.

High Tunnel Management: New Ideas for 2025 and Beyond

February 10-12 in Raleigh, Fayette and Mercer Counties

Presenter: Lewis Jett

Lewis Jett is the WVU Extension Horticulture Specialist. Dr. Jett is a native of West Virginia and works with commercial horticulture crop producers across West Virginia. His interest includes vegetables, fruits, herbs and native plants. A major focus of his research and outreach projects has been high tunnel crop management. 

This presentation will provide new, up-to-date information for anyone interested in high tunnel crop production. New and more efficient ways to heat, cool, irrigate and fertilize will be discussed. In addition, new crops with high profit potential will be discussed. Producers will receive information that can improve efficiency of high tunnel specialty crop production and will be presented options for year-round specialty crop production using high tunnels in West Virginia.

High Tunnel Dinner Meeting Details:

February 10, 6 p.m. at Raleigh County Extension Office, Beckley – To RSVP, contact David Richmond.

February 11, 5:30 p.m. at Sunday Road Baptist Church – To RSVP, contact Brian Sparks.

February 12, 5:30 p.m. at Glenwood Park 4-H Camp, Princeton – To RSVP, contact Jodi Richmond.

NOTE: Please RSVP for all dinner meetings at least two weeks in advance.

Using Drones in Agriculture

February 10-13 in Pendleton, Pocahontas, Greenbrier and Monroe Counties

Presenter: Paul Kinder

Dr. Kinder is a proud native of West Virginia and is passionate about environmental and ecological conservation, restoration, and sustainability in this state as well as throughout Appalachia. Dr. Kinder received degrees from both West Virginia University and Ohio State University and has over 30 years’ experience working in the private and public sectors. He began his career working for the WV Division of Natural Resources in the 1990s as a biometric supervisor and GIS analyst. He moved on to become the Director of Science and Technology for the Canaan Valley Institute for over a decade. Dr. Kinder arrived at WVU in 2009 and served as a research scientist, until his appointment as NRAC director in 2017. Dr. Kinder has experience and interests in the geosciences (GIS & Remote Sensing), UAVs (drones), environmental and ecological restoration, natural resources planning and management, and social network analysis. He enjoys fostering a transdisciplinary approach to research, teaching, and service.

Paul will give an introduction to the lab at the Natural Resource Analysis Center and broadly talk about their research and projects involving drone-based remote sensing and GIS. He will specifically address the FAA requirements to be a licensed drone pilot, introduce these innovative technologies, and provide examples of using drones in animal monitoring, planning/conservation, and invasive species identification/mapping, and eradication. It will be a facilitated conversation where he can answer questions that are relevant to the audience.

Drones in Ag Meeting Details:

February 10, 6:30 p.m. at Clinton Hedrick Community Building, Riverton – To RSVP, contact Jessica Hoover.

February 11, 6:30 p.m. at Marlinton Municipal Building – To RSVP, contact Greg Hamons.

February 12, 6:30 p.m. at WVU Building, State Fairgrounds, Fairlea – To RSVP, contact Josh Peplowski.

February 13, 6:30 p.m. at Union Senior Center – To RSVP, contact Brian Wickline.

NOTE: Please RSVP for all dinner meetings at least two weeks in advance.

Combatting Agronomic Crop Challenges

February 10-13 in Grant, Hampshire, Mineral and Jefferson Counties

Presenter: Bobby Clark

Bobby Clark is a Senior Extension Agent with Virginia Cooperative Extension. His office is in Woodstock, Virginia, and he serves as an Area Extension Agent. Major efforts include focusing on managing large animal mortality; managing slugs in no-till corn and soybean; improving farm profitability and water quality by improving nitrogen use efficiency in corn production; the Shenandoah County Sustainable Farm Demonstration and teaching farmers how to extend their grazing season through an initiative called Graze 300 VA.

This session will provide an update on ongoing multi-State research projects to solve issues surrounding slug management in no-till. This session will also update farmers on managing key crop challenges: army worms, tar spot and drought.

Crop Challenges Meeting Details:

February 10, 6 p.m. at North Fork Ruritan Club – To RSVP, contact Brad Smith.

February 11, 6:30 p.m. at Augusta Firehall – To RSVP, contact Candace DeLong.

February 12, 6 p.m. at Brookedale Farm Wedding Barn, Fort Ashby – To RSVP, contact Margaret Miltenberger.

February 13, 6:30 p.m. at WVU Kearneysville Tree Fruit Education Center – To RSVP, contact Emily Morrow.

NOTE: Please RSVP for all dinner meetings at least two weeks in advance.

Animal Health Protocols

February 10-13 in Ohio, Monongalia, Harrison and Barbour Counties

Presenter: Darin Matlick

Animal Health Protocols Meeting Details:

February 10, 6:30 p.m. at Highlands Event Center, Triadelphia – To RSVP, contact Karen Cox.

February 11, 6 p.m. at Winfield Community Center – To RSVP, contact Tina Cowger.

February 12, 6:30 p.m. at West Milford Community Building  – To RSVP, contact Jennifer Friend.

February 13, 6 p.m. at Belington Fire Hall – To RSVP, contact Jody Carpenter.

NOTE: Please RSVP for all dinner meetings at least two weeks in advance.

Farming Outside the Box

February 17-20 in Mason, Doddridge, Roane and Wood Counties

Presenter: Ed and Becky Morgan

Ed and Becky Morgan of Quicken Farm are primarily pork farmers in Hampshire County that process and sell their own products. After trying to fit into the standard boxes of State or Federal Inspection for meat processing and finding themselves the unlikeliest pair of Goldilocks, they decided the best fit was Federal Retail Exempt. They will explain to you the ins and outs of how their operation works and give you the information you need to decide if this is the best way for your own operation to move forward.

Farming Outside the Box Meeting Details:

February 17, 6:30 p.m. at Mason County Career Center, Point Pleasant – To RSVP, contact Evan Wilson.

February 18, 6:30 p.m. at Doddridge County Park, West Union – To RSVP, contact Zona Hutson.

February 19, 6:30 p.m. at Roane County Library, Spencer – To RSVP, contact Brandy Brabham.

February 20, 7 p.m. at Fort Boreman Room, Judge Black Annex, Wood County Courthouse, Parkersburg – To RSVP, contact JJ Barrett.

NOTE: Please RSVP for all dinner meetings at least two weeks in advance.

These details are subject to change. Please direct all questions to the contact for each dinner meeting.