Name:            W. Gary Rapking

Title:               Upshur County Extension Agent and Extension Instructor

Unit:                Agriculture & Natural Resources

Location:         40 Chancery St. 2nd Flr., PO Box 488
                         Buckhannon, WV 26201-0488

E-mail:           Gary.Rapking@mail.wvu.edu 


Phone:
304-473-4208           Fax: 304-473-4261

Area of Expertise:

My expertise is in areas of commercial horticulture including: Direct marketing, Farmers Markets, and small fruit production

Program or Curriculum:

I work in all areas of Agriculture and Natural Resource programming. I am on the horticulture team, and have a primary involvement with commercial horticulture.

Background:

2002 - Master's of Divinity - Methodist School of Theology
1987 - present - United Methodist Pastor in Harrison and Barbour Counties
1978 - 1982 - WVU Extension Agent, Hardy County
1972 Bachelor's in Agricultural Economics - WVU

Career Highlights:

I initiated and coordinated the building of a youth livestock facility in Upshur County.
I initated and coordinated the re-location and expansion of the Farmer's Market.
I have researched and developed a program of early strawberry production for producers desiring to grow berries for the WV Strawberry Festival.
I was a member of the team which won a Team Program of Excellence award in "Economic Analysis of Marketing Weaned Calves".