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2025 Year in Review
Kelly Bryant
Charles County 4-H Educator
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As we close out an incredible year, Charles County 4-H is proud to reflect on the many programs, events, and opportunities that brought youth, families, and volunteers together in 2025. From hands-on STEM activities to livestock projects and leadership development, our members truly embodied the 4-H motto "To Make the Best Better."
January: Kicking Off the Year
We started strong with Steer Weigh-In, Skillathon, and Sewing Workshops, setting the tone for a year of learning and growth. Club Officer Installations celebrated leadership, while Volunteer Professional Development ensured our volunteers are ready to support youth. We also hosted a Poultry/Rabbit Interest Night and Public Speaking Information Night, sparking excitement for upcoming contests.
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February: Building Skills and Confidence
February featured Air Rifle and Archery programs, along with our Public Speaking Contest, where youth showcased communication skills. We continued with a new Sewing Workshop and Skillathon, welcomed new volunteers, and focused on animal science with Broiler Quality Assurance and Poultry Judging.
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Summer Highlights (June–August)
Summer kicked off with Spring Show, Day Camp, and community events like Dr. Brown’s Community Day. Youth enjoyed Robotics, My Family’s Garden, and multiple judging contests. July featured Overnight Camp, Fair Project Night, and participation in CCPS’ CTE Camp, while August brought Clover Days, Hog Weigh-In, Canning Workshops, and Youth Shark Tank. Our members proudly represented Charles County at the Maryland State Fair.
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Fall Focus (September–November)
September was all about the Charles County Fair, followed by school partnerships and science programs. October celebrated National 4-H Week, participation at the new STEAMRollers’s 4-H Club meetings to assist families with enrollment, and leadership meetings. November included Record Book Office Hours, Fall Retreat, and community engagement through Trunk or Treat and the Humane Society’s Fall Festival.
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December: Wrapping Up the Year
We closed the year with the Horsemasters 4-H Club meeting where we thanked Brigitte Wehrs for her many years of service to the club, Holiday Craft Events, and STEM activities. Our team also participated in the AGNR Strategic Initiatives event, ensuring that Charles County 4-H remains at the forefront of youth development.
Looking Ahead
The 4-H Team met offsite to review successes, identify areas for improvement, and plan an exciting 2026 calendar. Stay tuned for new programs and opportunities coming your way!
From all of us at Charles County 4-H—thank you for your commitment and support in 2025. Happy Holidays!
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Winter Agronomy Update: IPM Prep for the Upcoming Season
Hayden Schug
| | Winter is a good time to reset fields, clean up problem areas, and prepare for next year’s pest pressure. Even though crops are out of the ground, many insects and diseases survive the winter in old plant material, weedy areas, and protected structures. Taking a few simple steps now can make a big difference in reducing early-season pests. | | |
Start by removing crop debris and old plant material. Many insects/ pathogens overwinter in dead stems, fallen leaves, and other leftover plant material. If you noticed any fungal or bacterial problems in your fields this year, ensure that plant material is removed completely and not put into your compost pile. Cleaning up fields, garden rows, and fence lines now helps limit the places where pests can survive until spring. This also applies to high tunnels and propagation houses. Removing weeds/debris in these structures is especially important because thrips and other small pests often overwinter in them and become a problem as soon as temperatures warm up.
Winter is also a good time to look back at the past season and review your field notes. Think about which fields had the most insect pressure, when problems showed up, and what weather patterns may have played a role. Keeping records of when and where pests caused issues helps you scout more efficiently next year and plan ahead.
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Consider what IPM options might help reduce pressure in the spring. This could include rotation, planting date changes, resistant varieties, or improving airflow in tunnels. Small adjustments now often pay off once planting begins.
Taking a little time during the winter to clean up debris, remove weeds, and review last year’s pest challenges helps set the stage for a smoother, more efficient start to the growing season. It also supports healthier crops and reduces the need for early pesticide applications. A bit of winter prep goes a long way toward a stronger IPM program in the year ahead.
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Hayden Schug
Agriculture and Food Systems Educator
hschug@umd.edu
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Nutrient Management Planning — A Key to Sustainable Farming in Maryland
As we work together to support productive farms and protect our natural resources, now is a great time to remind all agricultural producers about the University of Maryland Extension Nutrient Management Program and the importance of completing and maintaining your Nutrient Management Plans (NMPs).
The Agricultural Nutrient Management Program, led by the University of Maryland Extension (UME), helps Maryland farmers implement nutrient management practices that balance crop needs with nutrient applications — improving yields while safeguarding our waterways, including the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. This program supports compliance with the Maryland Water Quality Improvement Act and associated regulations designed to reduce nutrient runoff and protect water quality.
UME Nutrient Management Advisors are located throughout the state and are ready to assist you with plan development, updates, technical support, and training.
Who Needs a Nutrient Management Plan?
Maryland law requires a nutrient management plan for agricultural operations that meet at least one of the following:
- Annual gross income of $2,500 or more, or
- 8,000 pounds or more of live animal weight (8 animal units).
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These plans cover all land used for crop production, livestock forage, or other agricultural products. See the MDA Agricultural Nutrient Management Program.
What’s in a Nutrient Management Plan?
A complete NMP includes recommendations tailored to your operation based on:
- Soil test results and crop yield goals,
- Nutrient sources such as fertilizer and manure,
- Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce nutrient loss,
- Field-specific application rates for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and
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A schedule for implementation and updates.
Plans must be written by a certified nutrient management consultant, a certified farm operator, or prepared by our UME advisors. They should be updated at least every three years, and updated sooner if your farm’s management changes. More information can be found at Legal Information Institute.
To stay in compliance:
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Have an NMP in hand before applying nutrients each season.
- Ensure your plan is signed, implemented, and current.
- Attend required nutrient applicator trainings if you apply nutrients to 10+ acres every three years (unless you are certified to write your own plans).
Annual implementation reporting and proper recordkeeping are also important components of plan compliance.
Benefits of Working with Extension Advisors
Partnering with a UME Nutrient Management Advisor can help you:
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Understand new regulations and nutrient planning tools, Improve nutrient use efficiency and farm profitability,
- Reduce nutrient losses to local streams and the Bay,
- Get technical support with soil and manure testing, and
- Access training and certification resources.
How to Get Started
To request or update your Nutrient Management Plan:
- Contact your local University of Maryland Extension office and speak with a trained Nutrient Management Advisor.
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Visit the Extension website or reach out directly for personalized help and program resources.
Whether you’re planning your first nutrient management plan or updating a current one, don’t wait — early planning helps ensure compliance and makes for a smoother growing season.
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Gilbert (BJ) Bowling
Nutrient Management Advisor
Gbowlin1@umd.edu
| | | Have a Gardening Question? Our MGs have the Answers! | | |
Master Gardeners participated in a variety of outreach events this fall including: the Charles County Fair, Kim Ball Cares Wellness Fair, Monarch Mania, La Plata Fall Festival, the Charles County Sheriff’s Wellness Fair, Rec Xpress Fall Festival, and Charles County Public Schools ELD Community Night.
In addition to the community events, the Master Gardeners have been hard at work giving presentations, garden tours, and other horticulture education to the community.
The Grow It Eat It Education Project had two presentations this season on Fall Vegetable Gardening and Winterizing Your Garden & Composting.
At Melwood, Master Gardeners assisted summer campers in hands on activities like planting seeds, weeding, laying landscape fabric, installing irrigation, transplanting, and trellising. Over 800lbs of produce was grown and distributed to local food banks.
| | The Senior Education Programs completed their third year of teaching at the Richard Clark Senior Center. During 2025, they led 10 classes to the Clark Gardeners. This fall, the program also presented “Who Polluted the Potomac” at the Indian Head Green Thumb Club and provided garden consultations to the Nanjemoy Green Thumb Club. | | The Food Bank Garden hosted Boy Scouts at the garden where they received input on constructing raised beds and planting trees. For 2025, the Seeds of Hope Community Learning Garden produced 610 pounds of produce for the Food Bank. | | |
Boy Scouts harvest sweet potatoes.
Photo credit: Brent Burdick
| | Gail Black and Deborah Cron plant garlic to overwinter. Photo credit: Brent Burdick | | The Bel Alton Demonstration Garden Project gave two workshops. One on seed saving, cleaning, and packaging where participants were able to take home some of the seeds they cleaned. The other one was on creative native gardens for all seasons, where participants learned about the mistakes and challenges the project experienced to get the garden to where it is now. | | 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
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Feel free to contact our staff with any questions
or ideas you have to help make our community better.
Please send an email to jcrawfo4@umd.edu or visit our website.
| | University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity, please contact us at (301) 226-7500. | | | | |
