Publications

Planting a native meadow is a challenging endeavor under the best circumstances. For Marylanders, the task is stymied by a lack of commercially available seed, and complicated by an abundance of misinformation about species selection. This fact sheet provides information on selecting species and obtaining seeds for planting a native meadow in Maryland's Coastal Plain ecoregions. The species recommended are based on those typically observed thriving in man-made meadows throughout the area. It is our hope that the species list will help landscape professionals and native seed producers in their efforts to meet the growing demand for meadow installation projects in Maryland.

A late August seeding of forage radish (Raphanus sativus L.) can eliminate the need for tillage before many early spring vegetable crops like spinach, beets, peas, onions, and even carrots under certain soil conditions in Maryland. In addition to reducing soil disturbance, not having to till prior to spring planting reduces labor requirements at a critical point in the season and may allow earlier planting. Forage radish, which winterkills when temperatures drop to 17-20°F, suppresses early spring weeds, allows soil to dry out and warm up, and provides an increased supply of N, S, P and other nutrients to crops in early spring. Because of the minimal amount of residue after forage radish, conventional planting equipment can effectively seed directly into the winterkilled cover crop without tillage. For early transplanted crops like onions, rows of radish can create holes into which transplants can be dropped. Experiment station results in Maryland and farmer trials throughout the mid-Atlantic and northeast have shown that this system requires a closed cover crop canopy in fall and may be ineffective in poorly structured, heavy soils. Authors: Natalie Lounsbury and Ray Weil; Title: No-Till Spring Vegetables After Forage Radish Cover Crop (FS-1134).

Sales are one-time transactions. Marketing is the process by which you identify a group of people who are willing and able to become and to remain your customers. As a new farmer, you won’t have established relationships with customers and potential buyers, yet. You must determine who wants and /or needs your products. These are your potential customers. Marketing takes time. But, it can be one of the most cost-effective uses of time in your business.

When preparing to show livestock in 4-H it can be overwhelming at times with the rules and guidelines that are found within the Maryland 4-H program and specifically in your individual county. If you take the time to read over the rules and guidelines and have open communication with your 4-H Extension Educator, 4-H Swine Department Superintendents and your Club Leader it becomes an easier process to ensure a positive experience.

Infectious Coryza (IC) is a rapidly spreading respiratory disease that mainly affects chickens and, occasionally, pheasants and Guinea fowl of all ages. Currently, there is an ongoing outbreak in some poultry flocks in the northeastern U.S. This publication addresses the most frequently asked questions about IC and how to prevent and control it. Authors: Mostafa Ghanem and Nathaniel Tablante; Title: Infectious Coryza (IC): Frequently asked questions (FAQs) (FS-1131)

Owning a flock of chickens can be a rewarding and educational hobby as well as a source of fresh eggs. While more often a problem for small and backyard flocks, predators can cause damage and loss of birds on farms of all sizes. This damage can range from an occasional bird loss to many birds nightly until the problem is fixed. Authors: Dr. Jon Moyle, Maegan Purdue, Dr. Tom Tabler, Jennifer Rhodes, and Paul Goeringer; Title: Identifying and Preventing Poultry Predators in the Mid-Atlantic Region (FS-1132)

The objective of this document is to provide an overview of the most relevant urban stormwater management and watershed restoration issues, common mitigating practices, and regulations relevant to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Land use and landscaping practices can drastically change how water flows on the landscape and ultimately impacts the health of our streams, rivers, and bays.

This fact sheet was developed to familiarize you with the care and up-keep of fertilizer injector pumps or proportioners and to discuss several methods of calibrating these pumps for effective and efficient application of nutrients and other materials on your plants. Proper care and calibration will prevent under or over application of nutrients and other treatments needed for appropriate plant growth. Authors: Andrew G. Ristvey and Charles F. Schuster; Title: Care and Calibration of Injector Pumps (FS-1121)

As winter approaches, it is important to make sure that equipment and housing are ready well in advance for your small poultry flock. By starting winter preparations early, there will be plenty of time to fix any problems before the cold sets in. Authors: Dr. Jonathan Moyle, Maegan Perdue, Emily Lhaman, and Dr. Jennifer Timmons; Title: Winter Weather and Small Flocks: What You Need to Know (FS-1133)

This fact sheet documents the fit of relationship education (RE) programs to Cooperative Extension programming goals. The research base behind RE programming, in addition to its alignment with Extension program areas is discussed. Author: Alexander E. Chan, Ph.D., LMFT; Title: Why Extension Needs Relationship Education (FS-1129)