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Gilmer County Agriculture & Natural Resources

Lawn, Gardening & Pests

Get a yard that feels and looks like home. Get a bountiful harvest. Grow your own and sow something beautiful. WVU Extension has lawn, gardening and pests information you can use.

Gilmer County Master Gardener Program

The Master Gardener Program and training are conducted by the West Virginia University Extension Service through the county extension offices. The training provides gardeners with the opportunity to improve their horticultural knowledge and skills and then share their experience with the public through organized volunteer activities. The program topics covered include: botany, plant problem diagnosis, soils, ornamentals, pest management, fruits, vegetables, and plant propagation. This program requires a commitment to a 3 hour class each week for 10 weeks. If you would like to participate, contact the Extension Office with dates and times that would be convenient for you.

This Month in the Garden Calendar

Cultivating Rich and Unique Bloody Butcher Corn

Close up of red, orange, and purple kernels of corn.

When thinking of heirloom field corn that holds a significant place in our state’s history, West Virginians cannot help but mention Bloody Butcher Corn, which dates back to the early 1800s.  

While most white and yellow corn varieties are harvested at a rate of 190 to 250 bushels per acre, the open pollinated Bloody Butcher is maximized at 100 bushels per acre. The stalks can grow to heights of 12 feet or taller, so wind and hard rains can knock the stalks down easily. Another reason is the corn’s days to maturity reach upward of 100 days. The corn will always produce two ears per stalk that are usually 10 to 12 inches in length.  

More from the Garden Calendar

Lawn, Gardening & Pests News for Gilmer County

Join the Winter/Spring 2025 Master Gardener Training

female planting in a garden

WVU Extension Master Gardener training, which used to be offered through in-person courses organized by WVU Extension offices around the state, will once again be available online via Zoom sessions. 

WVU Extension will continue offering online Master Gardener training classes for late winter/spring 2025 term, beginning on January 9 through May 15. Classes will be held every Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. 


AgAlert! Boxwood Blight

Boxwood blight on a shrub.

Boxwood blight is a fungal disease that affects one of West Virginia's most popular landscape shrubs.

Boxwood blights are a fungal disease that can be fatal if no measures are taken to manage the disease at the early stage of infection and symptom appearance. There are two different fungal pathogens involved with blights – Volutella buxi  and Calonectria pseudonaviculata.


Join the Winter/Spring 2024 Master Gardener Training

female planting in a garden

WVU Extension Master Gardener training, which used to be offered through in-person courses organized by WVU Extension offices around the state, will once again be available online via Zoom sessions. 

WVU Extension will continue offering online Master Gardener training classes for late winter/spring 2024 term, beginning on January 11 through May 2. Classes will be held every Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. 


Agriculture

Practical economic strategies. Investments in local growers. Farming like our future depends on it. WVU Extension offers timely, research-based agriculture information you can put into practice.

Agriculture News for Gilmer County

Lease Recommendations for Land Owner & Tenants

Ben Goff.

Ben Goff, WVU Extension Agent in Mason and Putnam counties, offers recommendations for landowners and tenants who want to prepare for the upcoming farming season and work to minimize their respective risks.

Goff covers a variety of tips for farmers and landowners regarding farm leases, including:


Register for 2021 Pasture Management Certificate Training

Barn on farm.

The Pasture Management Certificate Training is offered as part of Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College Agricultural Innovation Workforce Trainings & Certifications. 

Instructed by Kevin Shaffer, Ed Rayburn and Ben Goff from WVU Extension, this certification will teach farmers how they can improve sustainability to their operation by improving their pasture management so there is more available forage year-round. 


Making Quality Hay - Mountaineer FarmTalk

Join us and our special guests every Friday at 10 a.m., for Mountaineer Farm Talk! Learn, share, laugh and enjoy a cup of cowboy coffee (or herbal tea for non-coffee drinkers). We encourage audience participation so have your questions ready.

https://wvu.zoom.us/j/98991307779
Meeting ID: 989 9130 7779O or call  888-475-4499 and 877-853-5257 US Toll-free.

Featured next on Mountaineer FarmTalk:


Gilmer County Farm Show

Starting the Tuesday after Labor Day, the residents of Gilmer County are invited to participate in the Gilmer County Farm Show. This agricultural event features local farmers and 4-H/FFA youth in livestock shows and agricultural exhibits.

Pesticide Recertification Classes

The Gilmer County Extension Office offices recertification classes for applicators each December.

Natural Resources

Land you can take pride in. Nature you can appreciate. Keep wild and wonderful just that. WVU Extension has natural resources information from trusted experts.

Natural Resources News for Gilmer County

Register for White Oak in West Virginia Webinar

Hand holding up a leaf from a white oak tree. The leaf is red from fall coloring.

Join us as we dive into the opportunities and challenges related to sustaining and harvesting white oak trees in West Virginia.

Tuesday, February 2


Register for West Virginia Woodland Stewards Seminar

Timber forest.

Join us as we dive into a variety of educational topics and learn more about how we can be better stewards of West Virginia's woodlands.

Tuesday, February 9


Soil Testing in Gilmer County

Fillable WVU Soil Testing Form Printable WVU Soil Testing Form How to Complete the Form

Forms are available as PDFs. Download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free, if needed.


Soil testing is the easiest and most reliable method of assessing a soil’s nutrient status. It provides a basis for recommending the correct amount of lime and fertilizer to apply for crops and pastures. Soil testing also allows an expert to predict the probability of obtaining a yield or growth response to lime and fertilizer application.

How Often to Sample

  • Row crops and hayfields: Every one or two years or when crops are rotated.
  • Permanent pastures: Every 3 - 4 years.
  • Vegetable gardens: Every 1 - 2 years.
  • Lawns and turf: Every 3 - 5 years.

West Virginia University offers free soil analysis to residents. Your county Extension agent can assist you in your effort to collect good soil samples and also to understand the results of analysis.