FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ann Bailey Berry, WVU Extension Communications
Phone: (304) 293-5691, ext. 3416; e-mail: Ann.Berry@mail.wvu.edu
To be archived after April 1, 2008
Though it is still January, you will find yourself reading straight through to December when you pick up your free copy of the 2008 West Virginia Extension Service Garden Calendar.
The popular calendar always follows a how-to theme for home gardeners. This year, however, the calendar’s local-food focus expands to incorporate the bounty of West Virginia farmers’ markets.
Armchair gardeners particularly will appreciate Extension educators’ advice on how to locate farmers’ markets, shop for fresh produce and keep food safe to eat.
Those thinking about selling their own produce at a farmers’ market will find an introduction to the regulations governing the business venture. The overview also includes encouragement: “Don’t let these requirements scare you away from the rewarding and profitable experience of marketing high-quality food directly to families and restaurants.”
Every year, WVU Extension agriculture and nutrition specialists prepare easy-to-follow steps on how to grow, store and use fruits and vegetables. Lawns, ornamentals and houseplants also are included among the timely tip boxes.
Each edition of the calendar also introduces novice and advanced gardeners to new techniques and varieties.
This year, gardeners are invited to extend their growing season by creating a high tunnel—a plastic-covered greenhouse that can be used to grow just one vegetable or a combination of fruits and vegetables.
Gardeners also are invited to follow the path of WVU Extension’s Harrison County Master Gardeners, who share their nutritious bounty through the Plant-A-Row for the Hungry (PAR) program. They donate 1 ton of produce to their community food pantries each year.
To receive a free copy of the 2008 WVU Extension Service Garden Calendar, contact your county’s WVU Extension Service office, which is listed in your local telephone directory and on the Web (www.ext.wvu.edu).
—WVU-ES—
fsm—1/24/08
Last modified
January 31, 2008
Comments to: Extension Service Web
