Hancock County Agriculture & Natural Resources

Hancock County Lawn, Gardening & Pests News

Are you a home gardener? Lett-uce see your work by entering the first annual Hancock County Home Gardening Contest!

Here’s how to enter the Hancock County Garden Contest:

Master Gardener Program

This Month in the Garden Calendar

Importance of Color in the Garden

An exciting benefit of gardening is the vast palate of colors that can be observed with garden plants. Vegetables, flowers, herbs and fruits contain natural pigments that can be visually seen as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, white, black and brown.

The colors we find among our garden plants are the result of complicated genetic traits that are expressed over the course of the growing season. Color can even be an indicator of plant nutrition and overall plant health. Sometimes, poor color expression, like yellow or dull leaves, can be a signal for plant disease or nutrient stress. Colorful plants also attract pollinators and other beneficial insects to the garden.

More from the Garden Calendar

Lawn, Gardening & Pests News for Hancock County

Join the Spring 2023 Master Gardener Training

WVU Extension Master Gardener training, typically 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 the spring, beginning on March 2 through June 29. Classes will be held every Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. 

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AgAlert! Cucurbit Downy Mildew

Cucurbit downy mildew (CDM) has now been found in Monongalia County, West Virginia, as well as neighboring states – Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Maryland. For the latest information, visit the CDM regional map at https://cdm.ipmpipe.org/. 

Cucurbit downy mildew (CDM) is a destructive disease that can affect most members of the gourd family or Cucurbitaceae, such as cucumber, cantaloupe, pumpkin, squash, watermelon and zucchini. However, cucumbers are the worst affected cucurbit that can be completely killed in two weeks from the onset of the disease. 

Symptoms of the disease may vary slightly from species to species, but in general, it causes angular chlorotic lesions on the foliage. These lesions appear angular because they are bound by leaf veins. During humid conditions, the lower surface of the leaf is covered with a downy, pale gray to blackish mildew. 

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Join us for the 2022 Master Gardener Conference

The 27th annual Master Gardener Conference will be held on April 8-10, 2022, at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, West Virginia.

Garden enthusiasts and beginner gardeners from near and far are invited to join us this year! To register for the conference or find more information about the schedule and speakers, visit the Master Gardener Conference page.

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Weirton Farmers Market

Baked goods and fresh produce, locally grown by the farmers that sell it. That’s what you’ll experience at the Weirton Farmers Market. All produce is grown within 50 miles of the market location and is often picked that very morning, coming straight from the garden to you! You’re sure to find everything you want for healthier living while supporting the local growers of our community.

Another plus, marketers love talking about the food they produce and will be happy to share with you their favorite ways of preparing whatever you’re buying. Just try that at a big, impersonal store! Fresh air and sunshine, plus a relaxed, easy-going atmosphere are some of the reasons people look forward to our open-air market each year.

The Weirton Farmers Market is located in the Goodwill Parking Lot at 306-308 Penco Road. There will be one market day per week, Monday from 3 – 6 p.m., starting July 10 and running through October 30. After stocking up on garden-fresh produce, don't forget to visit our baked goods vendors to pick up dessert!

Farmers Market Vendors are required to participate in training courses. These training courses are available throughout the northern panhandle counties, as well as one training session being offered at WVU in Morgantown. Training includes farm and harvesting safety, West Virginia Department of Agriculture special programs, high tunnels and extending the season, value-added crops, marketing and advertising, customer service and much more.

The Market Vendors would like to thank all the patrons of the Weirton Farmers Markets. Your support is very much appreciated!

Hancock Agriculture News

Contact the Hancock County Office to learn about local agriculture opportunities.

Agriculture News for Hancock County

Lease Recommendations for Land Owner & Tenants

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:

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Register for 2021 Pasture Management Certificate Training

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. 

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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.

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Natural Resources