University of Maryland Extension Anne Arundel County

06/12/2026

Come listen to extension educators and specialists from UMD, UD and IR4 speak about and taste their research on blueberries, blackberries, sweet corn, watermelon, peppers, and biodegradable plastic.

Register here: https://go.umd.edu/LSVSFTT

06/12/2026

Come join us for a free blueberry and blackberry tour at the Wye Reseach and Education Center.

Register here: https://go.umd.edu/wyeberrytour

06/10/2026

Maryland Crop Scouting School Opportunity this Month, June 25th!

📣Register today for Maryland Crop Scouting School and learn more about:

🌱Identifying major insect pests and beneficials
🌱Disease recognition and field symptoms
🌱Weed identification and herbicide considerations
🌱How to properly scout and make treatment decisions

📅June 25
⏰9 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.
📍Wye Research and Education Center

To learn more and register, follow the link below. ⤵🔗
https://go.umd.edu/2bof

06/10/2026

On-Line Entries are Now Open! The Maryland State Fair will be back in full swing for its 145th year for three long weekends: Aug. 27-30, Sept. 3-7, and Sept. 10-13. The Maryland State Fair offers over 6,000 competition classes for 4-H/FFA youth and/or Open Class (general public) exhibitors. PRE-REGISTER your Cow, Cake, Corn, Quilt or other creation on-line now through July 15 (for 4-H/FFA youth) and now through July 31 (for Open Class youth and adults) to compete for ribbons, prizes and bragging rights. Visit www.marylandstatefair.com for 2026 Maryland State Fair competition rules, regulations, and entry forms.

06/10/2026

Check out this Crop Scouting School Opportunity in September 2026!

Hands-on crop scouting training focused on IPM. Learn to identify pests, diseases, and weeds and make better field decisions.

06/10/2026

Mark your calendars for the Crop and Forage Field Day and Tour on June 23, 2026.

No registration required. Lunch provided.

Private Applicator Pesticide Credits and Nutrient Voucher Credits approved

06/09/2026

🌶️☀️ With summer temperatures on the rise, Dave Myers and our intern Teagan Flaherty spent some time mulching around our jalapeño plants at the Anne Arundel Urban Farm Research Clinic.

A layer of straw helps conserve soil moisture, regulate soil temperatures, suppress weeds, and reduce water loss during hot weather. These simple management practices can make a big difference in maintaining healthy plants throughout the growing season.

As temperatures continue to climb, we'll be keeping a close eye on crop health and soil moisture to help our peppers thrive.

06/08/2026

🌽🐛 The Anne Arundel Urban Farming Research Clinic is proud to be part of a seasonal multi-state Integrated Pest Management (IPM) monitoring project in partnership with Kelly Hamby and the University of Maryland Department of Entomology, College Park .

This marks our 4th year participating in this important effort to track key agricultural pests and provide timely information to growers across Maryland and the region.

We're especially fortunate this summer to have our intern, Teagan, on the team. As an undergraduate at the University of Maryland, College Park minoring in entomology, Teagan Flaherty will be a valuable contributor to our monitoring activities.

The project focuses on tracking:
🌽 Corn earworm
🌽 Fall armyworm
🌽 Western bean cutworm

Good news so far—we have not detected any Western bean cutworms in our traps this season, but we remain vigilant and continue monitoring for their presence throughout the summer.

Monitoring data are shared with Maryland growers to support informed pest management decisions throughout the growing season.

Thank you to our partners and collaborators who help make this work possible. Together, we're supporting healthier crops, stronger farms, and science-based agriculture.

06/06/2026

🎃 Pumpkin Update 🎃

Dave Myers and Teagan Flaherty, our summer intern, are out replanting pumpkins by hand after several rows planted last week became a snack for local groundhogs and deer.

Wildlife pressure is a reality of small-scale farming, and without management, animals can quickly wipe out an entire crop. To give our pumpkins a better chance, we've added more electric fencing and even put up a scarecrow to help keep hungry visitors away.

Farming is all about adapting to challenges and trying again. Here's hoping these pumpkins get the fresh start they deserve! 🌱🎃

🎃🚜🦌🌱

06/05/2026

🍑 Peach Orchard Update at the Anne Arundel Urban Farm Research Clinic 🍑

Dave and Teagan Flaherty , our summer intern, are out in the orchard this week thinning the peach trees. The trees have started to show the natural phenomenon known as June Drop, where some young fruit is naturally shed as the tree adjusts its crop load.

To help the trees focus their energy on producing high-quality fruit, Dave begins by gently tapping the limbs with a stick, encouraging the weakest fruit to drop. He then carefully hand-thins each branch, leaving peaches spaced about 4–6 inches apart.

While it may seem counterintuitive to remove fruit, thinning is an important orchard management practice. By reducing the number of peaches on each tree, the remaining fruit can grow larger, sweeter, and juicier while also reducing stress on the branches.

We're looking forward to a harvest of beautiful, flavorful peaches later this summer!

🍑🌳☀️👨‍🌾👩‍🌾