Cabell County Ag News

The 2022 West Virginia Master Gardener Course will begin on March 3rd and run weekly on Thursday evenings from 6 to 9 PM through June 30th. This class will be primarily Zoom-based but the Cabell County Master Gardeners will be offering an in-person viewing opportunity in the WVU Extension-Cabell County Office located in Milton, WV. 

The charge for the course will be either $50 for the non-printable PDF West Virginia Master Gardener Manual or $100 for the physical book. To register for the Cabell County Master Gardeners' Course, visit  https://bit.ly/2022CCMGClass.

WVU Extension is looking for motivated individuals in Cabell County who are interested in Shiitake mushroom cultivation. We will be hosting in-person workshops in the future in our area. If you would like to learn more about Shiitakes please complete the brief information form.

When planning a garden, it is important to think about how you plan to keep out unwanted pests such as deer, rabbits, opossums, birds and the neighbor’s cat. Each pest carries their own threats to your garden and possibly you. Deer, groundhogs and rabbits may eat the plants and the fruit on them. Birds will pick your berries from the bushes. While thinking the cat in the garden is keeping away the rodents they might turn your raised beds into their new litter box. Fencing strategies have developed over the years as equipment has improved from split rail to barbed wire to woven and now netting.

At an earlier time you showed interest in being involved in the Master Gardener Program here in Cabell County. I’m pleased to inform you that our classes will start on January 9 with an organizational and sign up meeting. The remaining classes, dates and subject material will be passed out on January 9 at the orientation. 

The cost of the program is $150 which will cover the cost of the extensive study manual as well as name badges, insurance and miscellaneous class expenses. Please be prepared to pay this fee by the orientation meeting. Classes will be Thursday evenings from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m., in the Fellowship Hall of Enslow Park Presbyterian Church located just off of the Hal Greer Boulevard Exit at 1338 Enslow Boulevard, Huntington, W.Va.

Wet conditions have farmers calling the Cabell County office about soil issues and I've been referring farmers to information by Ed Rayburn and Tom Basden. If you're a local Cabell County farmer with soil questions, email Evan Wilson, WVU Extension Service Agent, Agriculture and Natural Resources.