Charles County Connection

Fall 2024


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Greetings to all our friends

and supporters!


Welcome to the latest edition of the Charles County Extension newsletter. What a fast year this has been! With the addition of Hayden Schug, Agriculture and Food Systems Educator, and Julia Rycyna, Home Horticulture Educator, all our programs are running at full speed, with no slowing down! Here are some final highlights:


The 4-H’ers had a fantastic Trunk or Treat night, with members and their friends dressed in creative costumes. This annual event gets bigger every year!


Two 4-H’ers from Charles County competed in the National 4-H Livestock Skillathon contest. Read about their adventure in Kentucky.


4-H also sponsored Overnight Camp, the Robotics teams at the State Fair, and competitors in the State Shotgun contest. Congratulations to all the 4-H youth for a spectacular year and here's to continuing "To Make the Best Better" in 2025!


The state of our farms and harvesting season is always important to the health of the county. Check out the list of upcoming workshops to meet the requirements of our local agriculture producers.


Master Gardener Volunteers have been busy delivering outreach programs, including workshops, cultivating the Food Bank Garden, saving seeds and meeting with our senior citizens. 


There are a lot of dangers lurking on the internet. Read some tips to stay safe online this season.


Check out some delicious recipes, perfect for the brisk weather and favorite seasonal offerings.


The University of Maryland Extension is working with an outside consultant to create a new Strategic Plan. Town Halls are scheduled and open to the public. Go to UMD Strategic Plan for complete information and to register for a Town Hall session. These are being held to seek your input and ideas for the future of Extension.


This is our last letter for 2024. We are grateful for your continued support and wish you all the best in 2025.


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 Highway, Box 1

Bel Alton, MD 20611

skingcur@umd.edu

301-226-7500

UME Strategic Planning

The University of Maryland Extension is undertaking a process to develop its next strategic plan. Learn more about this work, here. As part of this effort, we are excited to invite you to an upcoming town hall meeting. This meeting is a chance for you to tell us about your community.

We look forward to hearing from you as you explain your needs, describe important opportunities, ask questions, and provide valuable input as we create a plan for the future.


Growing with 4-H


Treats and Sweets for 4-H'ers and Friends

Jeanne Williams

Charles County 4-H Program Assistant, Shooting Sports Coordinator

jeannhh@umd.edu

October 25 was a beautiful night for all the ghouls and goblins to gather at the Charles County Fairgrounds for the 5th Annual 4-H Trunk or Treat.


This event began in 2020 as a way for our 4-H members to get to see their club leaders and other 4-H volunteers after a very upside down and stressful year. That year, the event was restricted to 8 trunks with 10 people total giving out goodies while the 4-H members had to drive thru to each station. 

This year, we were able to open the event up to 4-H members and their friends! We had over 25 stations with volunteers and families handing out goodies and over 60 children attended to learn a little about 4-H, see their friends after the fair season, and show off their costumes.


We were so excited to have this many visit and can’t wait for Trunk or Treat 2025, with plans to open up to the whole Charles County community!

Photo credits: Jeanne Williams

4-H'ers Meet the Challenges at the Livestock Exposition!

Jeanne Williams

Charles County 4-H Program Assistant, Shooting Sports Coordinator

jeanneh@umd.edu

The 4-H Team, L-R: Blaine Boyden (Charles Co.), (St. Mary's Co.), (Frederick Co.), and Robbie Abell (Charles Co.).

Four youth members represented Maryland at the 2024 National 4-H Livestock Skillathon contest in Louisville, Kentucky. There were two members from Charles County, one from St. Mary’s County, and one from Frederick County. These youth had to gain extensive knowledge in animal science and the livestock industry.


Over the course of their time together and the years leading up to now, they learned to identify breeds, feeds, meats, and equipment. They also learned how to read medicine labels, correctly administer medication, and judge hay and wool.


As a team, these members had to learn reproductive physiology, working with live animals, breeding animal selection, and carcass evaluation.


The team from Maryland placed 13th overall out of 22 teams from across the nation. The highlight was placing 8th as a team in Quality Assurance. This team was always smiling and laughing and really developed friendships for life. This will be an opportunity they will always remember and so will the coaches. 


We are so proud of the team’s efforts and hard work!!! Congratulations!

Photo credits: Jeanne Williams

Charles County 4-H Year Comes to a Close!

Bonnie Boyden

Program Management Specialist, 4-H

bboyden@umd.edu

As we approach 2025, we look back at an outstanding 2024 4-H year. We were able to offer so many “Learn by Doing” activities this year because of the amazing volunteers that support the needs of our 4-H’ers. There were workshops offered in animal science, environmental science and home environment. 4-H participation increased in all areas including an increase in the entries in the fair.


Let’s salute a few of our outstanding 4-H’ers!


2024 HONORS OVERNIGHT CAMPERS


The following youth were selected by their peers as our Honor Campers at overnight camp for being outstanding campers!


Spirit was Owen Holcomb; Head was Ryan Cory; Portlynn Roberts received the Heart Award; Hands was Colleen Galligan and Kaleb Orazio received the Health Award.

ROBOTICS TEAMS SCORE BIG AT STATE FAIR

The Intermediate VEX Robotics teams (The Land Droids) placed 2nd overall.

Team Members were: Sebastian Magana, Jacob Schauer-Smith, David King and Owen Holcomb.

The Senior Team (The Lumber Bots) placed 1st overall. Members of the team were: Blaine Boyden, Robbie Abell and Ethan Abell.



We also were well represented by an intermediate LEGO team (The Rock’n Robots) that did an awesome job at the competition! Team members were: Liam Kydd, Lucas Kydd, Haley Adams, Caleb Charnock, Tommy Charnock and Graysen Gray.

 

These teams were coached by two outstanding volunteers who met with these youths for 4 months to prepare them for the contest: Mr. Gary and Mr. Bob. We are thankful for their service to 4-H!

SHOOTING SPORTS YOUTH SHINE AT STATE MATCH


Charles County had a great group of 4-H’ers participate in the 4-H State Shotgun Contest in October. Our 4-H’ers placed in the top 10 in the Junior and Intermediate Divisions. These youth were coached by Frank Fruh, Larry Young, Ray Pierce, Wes Cory, Phil Herbert, and Bill McConnell!


Junior Division:

Colin Fabey, Trap (11th Place), in Skeet (1st Place) and 2nd Place Overall.


Intermediate Division:

Caleb Zarychta, Trap (6th Place), Skeet (13th Place), Sporting Clays (9th Place) and 10th Overall


Luke Barrett, Trap (11th Place), Skeet (4th Place), Sporting Clays (10th Place) and 9th Overall.

Congratulations to all these achievers. But for many members, the 4-H year of competition concludes at the Charles County Fair and this year it was the 100th Anniversary!

4-H has always valued this cherished tradition that has seen generations of families, friends, and neighbors gather together to watch livestock shows, visit the buildings to see who grew the largest pumpkin or who received Champion cake. What is a Fair unless you visit the poultry and rabbit barn or eat some of the great fair food…funnel cake?


This could not have been possible without the support of the volunteers and the Charles County Fair Board. The dedication of this board to make the Charles County Fair one of the best in the state is greatly appreciated by the community. We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the board, the volunteers and the 4-H members who have kept this going for 100 years!

This is just a small snapshot of the amazing 4-H’ers in Charles County in 2024 and we are excited for 2025 with more youth participating in county, state and national events. We have a calendar full of events for 2025; visit our website to see what is coming up next year.


The 4-H staff would like to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday and we look forward to seeing you in 2025!

Agriculture

With harvest season wrapped up, we can finally look back on the challenging year we've had and look forward to a better one next year.


This past growing season in Charles County was marked by significant weather variability. Early in the year, we had above-average to normal precipitation, providing a good start for early growth. However, as the season progressed, the county experienced below-average rainfall, especially through the summer and into October, leading to increasingly dry conditions. Currently, Charles County remains in a severe drought, and we're all hoping for more rain soon.


The warm weather finally left us with a cold snap after Thanksgiving. Some vegetable growers were still harvesting peppers and tomatoes into early November. Row crop and hay yields were generally down this year, with corn yields dropping by more than 30% for some farmers. Soybean yields varied, with double-crop beans faring a bit better if they managed to get some water to pop up during the dry summer.


Looking ahead, Southern Maryland has many conferences coming up . . .


Check the list below for events in Southern Maryland that will provide opportunities to earn credits for private pesticide recertification or nutrient management voucher recertification.


I hope everyone enjoys the Holidays and hope to see you at some meetings!

Hayden Schug

Agriculture and Food Systems Educator

hschug@umd.edu

Master Gardener News

Fall Planting

We are excited to welcome new enrollees into the Master Gardener Spring Training for next year! Welcome Trainees!


Our next workshop, "Starting Seeds, Indoors and Out,” is planned for February 1, 10:00 am to noon, at the College of Southern Maryland, La Plata campus. This is open to everyone; contact Julia Rycyna at jrycyna@umd.edu to sign up!


We are also working to develop new presentations that will provide information for all levels of gardening experience, so watch for our announcements on the website.


Pictured above: Master Gardeners Kay Redman, Beth Grem with Intern Ronla Henry at the "Grow It Eat It Fall Vegetable Gardening" presentation. Photo credit: Kathy Jenkins

This year the Southern Maryland Food Bank Garden harvested 723 pounds of fruit and vegetables, and conducted an outreach presentation on Seed Harvesting at the CSM. 

Fruit and vegetables in containers include beans, tomatoes, peppers, tomatillos, and Japanese, Garnet, and Jewell sweet potatoes. Photo credits: B. Burdick

There is a saying that gardens sleep, creep, and then leap. The first phase of the Bel Alton Demonstration Garden at the Charles County Extension Office was in 2020 and now in 2024 it has grown to fill out the garden space.


The intention of the garden was to use it to teach the public about horticultural practices, showcase best practices, and inspire visitors to use ideas from the garden. Now we have the ability to use plants in the garden for hands-on workshops and classes.


On November 9, we held a seed cleaning and saving workshop. We are planning another workshop on winter sowing of native plants for January 11, 10 am-noon at the Extension Office. This is open to all; contact Julia Rycyna at jrycyna@umd.edu to sign up!

Photo: Workshop participant cleaning Lil Joe Pye Weed seeds, and Master Gardener Linda Ivko labeling and packaging seeds.

The Senior Education Programs (SEP) completed the 12-class curriculum for the Senior Plus Gardening Program at Richard R. Clark Senior Center. For some of the seniors, this is the second year they have participated and it was great to see that they enjoyed the program and can remember information from previous classes.


The SEP team works hard to offer education opportunities at the Nanjemoy Senior and Community Center and the Waldorf Senior and Recreational Center, covering topics such as orchids, cool weather crops, and fall flowers. "


As the Home Horticulture Educator, I was honored to present to the Indian Head Senior Center Green Garden Club on "Good Bugs, Bad Pests, and Plant Problems."



The photo from the Monarch Madness event held for all seniors at Clark Senior Center pictures speaker Michael Callahan, Naturalist from the Nanjemoy Creek environmental Education Center. Photo credit: Donna Ball

Visit the Home & Garden Information Center’s (HGIC) webpage for more gardening information and to submit your questions. You can find more tips and tricks for taking photos here at Ask Extension. You can also follow HGIC on social media- Facebook page, YouTube channel, or Instagram (@umdhgic)HC).


Julia Rycyna

Home Horticulture Educator

Master Gardener Coordinator

jrycyna@umd.edu

Tech Education

Maria Barga

Technology Educator

mbarga@umd.edu

Maryland SNAP-Ed

Fall Fresh


Looking to spice things up a bit with something other than pumpkin spice? Take a look at some fun fall activities and treats. 

Crunchy Leaves

Walking is an easy way to boost your mood, improve your fitness, strengthen your bones and muscles, and reduce stress. The brisk fall air, changing colors, and crispy leaves make a great time to head outside for a walk. 

Tasty Treats

Holiday gatherings don't always leave our bellies full of nutrients, so try out these delicious bites to boost your vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They also make great dishes to take for the holidays!

Apple Cranberry Salad Toss

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1 large head of lettuce, washed and chopped

1 medium apple, washed and sliced

1/3 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup green onions, washed and sliced

1/2 cup low-fat vinaigrette dressing

Directions:

  1. Combine lettuce, apples, walnuts (optional), cranberries, and onions in a large bowl.
  2. Add dressing; toss to coat.
  3. Serve!


Black Bean and Sweet

Potato Chili

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

Non-stick cooking spray

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cans black beans, drained, rinsed

2 cups chicken broth

Shredded cheese (optional)

Sour cream (optional)

Directions:

  1. Spray slow cooker with cooking spray.
  2. In slow cooker, add all ingredients together.
  3. Cook on low heat setting for 7 to 8 hours.
  4. Serve chili with cheese and sour cream if desired.


Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins


Servings: 12

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

¾ cup canned pumpkin

2 cups fresh or frozen chopped cranberries, washed (Or ¾ cup dried cranberries)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Stir together dry ingredients (flour through cinnamon) and set aside.
  3. In another bowl, beat oil, eggs, and pumpkin together until well blended.
  4. Add the wet ingredients (pumpkin mixture) to the dry ingredients all at once. Stir until moistened.
  5. Fold in chopped cranberries.
  6. Spoon into paper-lined muffin cups.
  7. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 30 minutes.

Holiday Roasted Butternut Squash

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

2 pounds butternut squash

¼ cup walnuts

2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon dried sage

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon butter or canola oil

¼ cup dried cranberries

1 ½ Tablespoons maple syrup

Directions:


  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Rinse and peel squash. Cut off ends and discard. Crush squash at the neck, creating a narrow end and a round end. Cut round end in half and scoop out seeds with a spoon. Cut both ends into ¾ -inch even cubes.
  3. Coarsely chop walnuts. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, add squash. Toss with oil, sage, salt, and ground black pepper.
  5. Spread squash evenly on a baking sheet. Roast, stirring once, until tender, about 35 minutes.
  6. In a small skillet over medium heat, melt butter or heat oil. Add walnuts and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cranberries and maple syrup.
  7. Gently toss cooked squash with cranberry mixture.

Jessica Conjour, MPH

Project Leader and Nutrition Educator

jconjour@umd.edu


Khylah Harris, Nutrition Educator

Maryland SNAP-Ed

kvharris@umd.edu 



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