Publications

A 4-H virtual activity club (VAC) meets over the internet to provide a focused learning experience on a single topic for a short period of time. During the COVID-19 pandemic that started in March 2020, 4-H programming was forced to adapt quickly to a virtual environment. Activity clubs are one of Maryland 4-H’s established delivery modes. Offering them online was a natural fit for filling the void created by cancelled 4-H club meetings, summer camps, and other out-of-school-time activities due to the pandemic. Author: Jessica Mellon; Incorporating the Essential Elements of 4-H into Online Environments through Virtual Activity Clubs (FS-1173)

This publication is created to provide tips and suggestions on ways you can use the Zoom platform to implement successful online community education programs. It takes readers through visual illustrations of pre-meeting, during-meeting, and post-meeting features that can be used to seamlessly educate your clientele, collect feedbacks and extend outreach by broadcasting your programs on social media. Authors: Dhruti Patel and Mona Habibi; Title: Visual Guide for Using Zoom for Community Education Program (EM-9)

This seven-page fact sheet, describing homeowner landscape management best practices, is a checklist used by Maryland Master Gardeners to certify small urban gardens as “Bay-Wise” conservation landscapes.

The fecal egg count reduction test is a tool that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of a dewormer. This tool should be incorporated into the parasite management program on the farm to monitor the development of dewormer resistance. Authors: Sarah Potts, Ph.D., Amanda Grev, Ph.D., Susan Schoenian, and Jeff Semler; Title: Gastrointestinal Parasite Control in Cattle: The Fecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FS-1175)

Despite reports of phosphorus (P) deficiencies in corn grown on soils with high P concentrations in Maryland, the scientific literature does not consistently demonstrate a yield increase with the use of starter P fertilizer. In this study, we evaluated corn yields with and without starter P application on soils across a wide range of soil P concentrations in Maryland to determine if our local conditions are consistent with the literature. Author: Nicole M. Fiorellino; Title: Is Starter Phosphorus Fertilizer Necessary for Corn Grown on Atlantic Coastal Plain Soils? (FS-1160).

Deep row entrenchment (DRE) is a biosolids beneficial reuse system suited to strip mine reclamation using biosolids and hybrid poplar trees. This publication provides best management practices resulting from years of research by the University of Maryland on a private gravel spoil site in southern Maryland. Application of the technique to coal mine spoils is discussed with examples of commercial applications.

Crop issues are an occasional problem in small flocks. This fact sheet goes over some of the more common crop ailments and how to deal with them. Authors: Jon Moyle, Mostafa Ghanem, and Maegan Perdue; Title: Common Crop Issues in Backyard Chickens (EBR-60)

As industrial hemp production becomes legal in the US, new and experienced growers alike have questions about its cultivation, management, and marketing. This factsheet answers frequently asked questions about hemp production in Maryland. Information contained within this document is current as of June 2021. The UMD Industrial Hemp webpage (https://extension.umd.edu/programs/agriculture-food-systems/program-areas/fruit-vegetable-production/alternative-crops/industrial-hemp) will house the most updated information on hemp production in Maryland. Authors: Nichole M. Fiorellino, Emily Zobel, Karen Rane, and Andrew Ristvey; Title: Industrial Hemp Production in Maryland: Frequently Answered Questions (FS-1172)

These variety trial reports contain statistical information that is critical for proper interpretation of the data. However, without basic understanding of statistics, growers and end-users of the variety trial reports may misinterpret the data and draw invalid conclusions. This fact sheet addresses basic statistical concepts and how to apply them to properly interpret variety trial data. Authors: Andrew A. Kness and Nicole M. Fiorellino; Title: What do the Numbers Really Mean? Interpreting Variety Trial Results (FS-1119)

This fact sheet provides tips and examples on how to make your recipes healthier with simple swaps for reducing calories, sugars, fat, and increasing fiber. Authors: Beverly Jackey and Cheryl Bush; Title: Recipe Swaps: Common Substitutions for Making Recipes Healthier (FS-1174)