Charles County Connection Winter 2021

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In This Issue ~ From the Desk of Shelley King-Curry, Southern Area Extension Director Food Systems Lecture Series Kickoff with Evan Lutz Master Gardeners Honored for their Service Pantry Samples Reimagined Schedule of Free School Lunches Build a Banana Snowman! Charles County Youth Program Impact Report Plan for Change! Welcome Charlie Sasscer! Grafted vs. Non-grafted Tomato Plants Time for Nature in Charles County 4-H Forestry Program Opens 4-H Salutes State Award Winners and Graduates Subscribe to other University of Maryland Extension publications Follow us on Facebook! ‌

Greetings and Winter Happenings at the University of Maryland Charles County Extension! Everyone, as we embark upon the one year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, surely, we are all thinking, “What a year it has been!” What can compare to what we each and collectively have experienced? While much has changed, both temporarily and permanently, we come to this time reflecting on the many lives lost, unprecedented economic challenges, lifestyle adaptations and other adjustments that are far too many to mention. The impacts have been significant and we trust in some way the work we do here in Extension has continued to support you personally and collectively during this most challenging of times. We have adjusted and adapted to find ways that have been innovative and responsive in serving the community with the programs we deliver. The pandemic has strengthened us and kept us learning and developing on how to deliver programs in what will continue to be a growing virtual world because of technological advancements. While this is a reality we recognize, please know that we will continue to value and provide in person program opportunities and events as the pandemic lessens.  Beginning in March, we are gradually resuming some of our in-person programming. This will be limited and advancement will depend on the continued reduction of COVID caseloads and increasing vaccine rates.  We are welcoming a new Master Gardener Program Coordinator, Kaitlyn Baligush, starting on March 1, 2021, to provide overall leadership for the program and volunteers. We are now fully staffed with this new hire and I thank all our MG Volunteers for their ongoing patience during the Coordinator vacancy these past six months.  In this issue, we continue to share progress and direction on our ongoing efforts, impacts of last year’s programming, acknowledgements of service and accomplishments by volunteers and our youth, along with resources from our various programs to support you and others in the community.   As spring approaches my hope is that we each find a sense and hope for renewal and thank you for your continued support! Stay well and stay safe! Shelley Shelley T. King-Curry, MS University of Maryland Extension Area Extension Director - Southern Maryland Cluster Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's Counties  9501 Crain Hwy, Box 1 Bel Alton, MD 20611 301-934-5403 Ext. 300

College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Free Lecture Series ~ March 2 to May 4

The kickoff event is scheduled for Tuesday, March 2, at 6:00 pm Eastern, and will feature Evan Lutz, recent University of Maryland alum and CEO of Hungry Harvest. This high-profile social entrepreneur will present "Building a Localized Waste-free Food System One Apple at a Time." Having created the company in his dorm basement his senior year at the university in June 2014, Lutz was catapulted to success after making a deal with Robert Herjavec on ABC's Shark Tank in the summer of 2015. Through his company, he has taken 20 million pounds of produce that would have otherwise gone to a landfill for purely cosmetic reasons and instead distributed it through his produce subscription program. He's also distributed over 1.3 million pounds through reduced cost programs and donations to those in need. Register now for this event and upcoming lectures.

MASTER GARDENER NEWS

Master Gardeners Honored for Their Years of Service Tina Bailem Charles County Master Gardener

Each year, Charles County Master Gardeners provide a great service and put in many hours of hard work. They deliver meaningful community programs to improve the well-being of individuals and the community, protect natural resources and help to keep fresh fruits and vegetables on the table. Master Gardeners use research-based horticultural knowledge and practices to deliver educational outreach and project-based efforts that inspire change and promote healthy people, healthy communities and a healthy planet. In 2020, despite the challenges they were faced with, CC MGs gave 1752 hours of service and clocked 1145 advanced education hours. The are also proud to present Emeritus status to three outstanding Master Gardeners: Mary Beth Chandler, Dianne Shisler and Sharon Zimmer.  Thank you, Charles County Master Gardeners, for a job well done!

Mary Beth Chandler was a CC MG from 2003 through 2016, and served 458 volunteer hours in 13 years; she completed 212 advanced education hours.

Dianne Shisler was a CC MG from 2003 through 2018, and served 770 volunteer hours in 15 years; she completed 248 advanced education hours.

Sharon Zimmer was a CC MG from 2002 through 2019, and served 708 volunteer hours in 17 years; she completed 266 advanced education hours.

The Maryland Master Gardener Program is a volunteer educational organization of the University of Maryland Extension (UME). The program puts research-based knowledge and environmental power into the hands of people who want to create sustainable gardens and landscapes, and protect and improve natural resources. Master Gardeners are citizens from all walks of life who combine their love of plants, people, and the environment to help residents solve problems and make environmentally-sound decisions on public and private properties.

MARYLAND SNAP-Ed

Jessica Conjour, MPH Project Leader and Nutrition Educator Maryland SNAP-Ed jconjour@umd.edu

Family and Consumer Sciences

Plan for Change Patricia Maynard FCS Educator-Financial Wellness pmaynard@umd.edu Even if we PLAN for change it can still feel surprising or overwhelming when it happens. Preparing to manage when there are changes in your life situation, job status, and income involves some strategies to help you cope. It’s time to reassess the situation. Start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can!  Know and plan for the bottom line. Re-evaluate household spending. List all forms of income, and all expenses, and make decisions about which expenses are absolutely essential. Get the household on board to identify your needs versus wants, and for reducing spending and ensuring that your needs are met. Keep your goals in mind. Every bit of assistance can be helpful to make ends meet when income drops. Explore ALL options for benefits and assistance that you might qualify for. Keep in mind that eligibility criteria may have changed, so don’t assume you don’t qualify for various benefits or services. Maryland Access Point (MAP) is a one-stop resource that can help determine which services might help you in your particular situation. If you already have a case manager through one service, ask what other ideas they may have for support for you and your family.  Learn how to manage stress in healthy ways. Ask friends and relatives what resources they have found to be helpful. Even in down times– or ESPECIALLY in down times– consciously keep your outlook positive, remind yourself that the change in the situation is temporary– remember your future goals– and keep your eye on the prize!

AGRICULTURE Dr. Alan Leslie Extension Educator, Agriculture and Food Systems aleslie@umd.edu

Welcome to the Extension!

Introducing the new Agriculture Extension Educator for Marketing in Prince George’s County Charlie Sasscer III grew up in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, on his family’s hay and beef cattle farm. He was heavily involved in 4-H growing up which helped to develop his love of livestock. He attended Oklahoma State University where he earned his Bachelors of Science in Animal Science Production. He then attended Kansas State University to pursue a Master’s of Science in ruminant nutrition, before moving back home in 2020. Charlie’s role as the new Prince George’s County Agriculture Marketing Extension Educator is to help producers be financially successful. This will be done through the implementation of business and market planning, as well as the acquisition of grants and continuing education. In his spare time, he can be found back home on the family farm, raising beef cattle and deer hunting. Congratulations, Charlie!

Study of Grafted Versus Non-Grafted Tomato Plants among Four Cultivars in a High Tunnel System Ben Beale-Extension Agent, St. Mary’s County Alan Leslie-Extension Agent, Charles County

Introduction. Grafting high tunnel tomatoes has shown to improve plant vigor, yield, and disease resistance, however grafting also is more expensive and can delay first harvest by 3-5 days. In sites with limited rotation and thus high disease and pest pressure, the added expense is easily justified but in new sites with low disease inoculum, the utility of grafting is still uncertain. Study Overview. A study was undertaken in 2019 and repeated in 2020 to examine the effect of grafting on tomato performance of four cultivars in a new high tunnel site constructed at the Extension Office in Leonardtown. The site had no history of vegetable production and very low disease and pest pressure. Cultivars "Red Deuce," "Red Mountain," "BHN 589," and "Mountain Fresh Plus" were randomly assigned within five separate replication rows. Each cultivar replication contained three plants grafted to "Maxifort" root stock and three own-rooted plants. The trial utilized standard horticultural practices throughout the growing season. Plants were set in the tunnel in April and did not receive any supplemental heat. In 2020, young plants did experience some frost injury to the tips during the late frost that occurred the first week of May. This resulted in a much shorter harvest window of approximately 30 days. Fruit were harvested as they ripened and were separated by size and quality using the standard USDA grading system. Harvest was stopped after the main harvest season. Total mass and fruit number were recorded for each grade. A consumer survey of taste and overall quality was conducted at area farmers markets in 2019. Results. As expected, grafting delayed initial harvest by several days (Fig. 1). Grafting had a significant effect on overall yield with grafted plants accumulating more yield (pounds) of fruit than non-grafted plants. This difference was especially noticeable in LG/XL fruit. Grafted plants produced significantly more LG/XL tomatoes than non-grafted. "Red Deuce" yielded significantly better than other cultivars and had the lowest yield increase with grafting.

Figure 1. Average yield per harvest for 2020 trial

When overall value was tabulated, grafting resulted in higher net return for cultivars "Red Mountain," "BHN 589" and "Mountain Fresh Plus." This study shows the value of grafting, even on sites with no past tomato production and limited disease inoculum. "Red Mountain" and "Red Deuce" cultivars exhibited the greatest yields among cultivars.

Figure 2. Total yield for grafted and un-grafted tomato varieties averaged across both years

Growing with 4-H

Time for Nature in Charles County Amy Lang 4-H Youth Development Educator amlang@umd.edu

Recent health and needs assessments conducted by the Charles County Local Management Board and our local Health Department, identified two critical issues in Charles County: Increasing rates of mental health support request High rates of obesity and related physical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension   These issues are not unique to Charles County. Many communities across the nation are facing these same challenges. The good news is that there is a huge body of research pointing to a simple, cost-effective tool for addressing both of these issues. That tool is nature. Getting both young and old outside into natural settings for a hike or a wildlife program has tremendous physical, social, and emotional benefits.    A recent literature review of 68 studies that investigated the health impacts of time in nature found that more time in nature correlated to increased levels of physical activity and lower body mass index scores (BMI). If we consider the obesity crisis in America, nature is a compelling tool. It gets us moving and helps lower physical markers of obesity.    While mental health and wellness has been an ongoing issue for decades, the problem has certainly been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lifestyle changes. Many across America, and in Charles County have turned to nature to restore a sense of calm in these unprecedented times. They are doing exactly what the research indicates. A review of 143 studies encompassing data on over 290 million people from 20 countries across the globe found that time in nature consistently correlates with reduced levels of stress, anxiety, and aggression. It also leads to better moods and happier people. There are many of us who may need additional tools and supports for dealing with mental health challenges, but a healthy dose of nature may just do the trick.    So... what is Charles County 4-H doing in light of the research on nature and the needs of our community? We are busy planning and implementing programs aimed at getting youth outside, spending time in nature to address the rates of obesity and mental health challenges across our county. We encourage you to join us in these ventures: We are holding an interest meeting to discuss Clover programming, hoping to find ways to increase youth experiences in nature.  Pre-Register here – we would love to hear your suggestions. We are seeking input on outdoor discovery programs that would be of interest. Share your thoughts via this quick one-minute survey. We are launching a State-Wide Forestry Club. See the flyer below and start registration here.    We hope you can find some time to Get Outside.

Charles County 4-H Salutes the State Award Winners and Graduating 4-H'ers Bonnie Boyden Program Management Specialist bboyden@umd.edu

Charles County 4-H is extremely proud of our 4-H volunteers, youth and partners that have shown their dedication to “A Commitment to Excellence!” Charles County is honored to have such amazing individuals committed to the 4-H program. We would like to acknowledge our 2020 state award winners and graduating 4-H’ers. The first volunteer to be recognized is Mrs. Donna Bailey who received the Dick Angus Spirit of 4-H Award. Her years of service to the 4-H program have been on a club, county, regional, state and national level. She has been a mentor to youth and adults over the years and is highly regarded around the country as a great resource. She is a 4-H alumna and brought her love of the program to her children who then cultivated the love in their children. Donna’s dedication to 4-H is admirable and we appreciate all she has done for so many youth and adults. Congratulations Mrs. Bailey!! The next amazing volunteer is Mr. Frank Fruh who has spent over 30 years working with volunteers and youth in our Shooting Sports Program. Mr. Fruh was inducted in the Hall of Fame for Maryland 4-H and it is so deserved. Mr. Fruh has spent many Sunday afternoons working with youth and adults teaching them safe shooting sports skills, while helping them master their abilities to succeed. Frank has worked with the state and national shooting sports program to help youth have a positive experience on a higher level of competition. We are so lucky to have him as part of Charles County 4-H. Congratulations! We would like to applaud Brigitte Wehrs who will be recognized as Maryland 4-H Horse Program Volunteer of the Year on February 28 at the Maryland Horseman’s Party. Brigitte grew up as a 4-H member of the Horsemaster’s 4-H Club that she now serves as the club leader. She has dedicated herself to working to educate youth about the horse industry. She served as a coach for Horse Bowl and has offered many educational events for youth to learn about the horse project. We are grateful to have Brigitte as a volunteer for Charles County. Congratulations on this honor. The Charles County Fair was selected as the Partner of the Year for Maryland 4-H. Their continued loyalty and dedication to the 4-H program is so appreciated. The board members are dedicated to helping the youth reach their highest potential by providing 4-H with a space to offer so many programs. We are so appreciative of this partnership and their willingness to help in anyway especially during COVID. We are thrilled that the fair received this recognition. We also had several 4-H youth receive state recognition for their accomplishments. We had two youth who were MD 4-H Foundation scholarship winners. Sydney Garner, recipient of the Howard W. Clark Scholarship, and Sam Guzzone recipient of the J. O’Neil and Rosa Moxley Johnston Scholarship. Hats off to our Foundation scholarship winners. LaMareé James was recognized as one of the top individuals for her Senior 4-H Portfolio and Addison Herbert received a College of Agriculture and Natural Resources $1,000.00 scholarship for being top senior individual for 2020 MD Livestock Skillathon Contest. BRAVO to our older youth and their accomplishments. As 2021 begins, we would like to also salute our 2020 graduates of the 4-H program. Charles County 4-H has some great members moving on into adulthood and leaving behind a program that is better because these young people were a part of it. We have been a small part of their lives for the last few years and we are overwhelmed with their accomplishments. Graduation did not look the same in 2020 for our youth so we wanted to take this moment to honor these young adults who have greatly impacted Charles County 4-H. Our graduating class of 2020 was: Georgia Bowling, Hunter Burch, Morgan Bussey, Jake Collins, Jillian Dore, Taylor Good, George Goldsmith, Samuel Guzzone, LaMareé James, Lauren and Nora O’Neil, Jackson Palma, Justin Roberts, Leslie Verga, and Brian Wathen. We are excited to invite them to transition into a volunteer role in 4-H where they can share their knowledge and skills.

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Feel free to contact our staff about any questions  or ideas you have to help make our community better. Please send an email to jcrawfo4@umd.edu.

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