Working to Solve Community Issues - by Kendall Weingard

Pictured are the flyers I created for the Disease and Nematode Management field day coming up in August. I prepared the flyers to be sent to residents in Wicomico and Somerset county.

After working eight weeks with extension, I have experienced and admire the aspect of outreach and problem solving directed towards the community. I have learned about many different issues, potential enhancements and solutions. 

The projects I have assisted Dr. Sarah Hirsh with, include the miscanthus field trial, and the cover crop project. These projects are aimed at increasing soil health and crop profitability. In addition to assisting with projects, attendance at field days such as the vegetative buffer demonstration day for poultry farmers, Maryland Dairy Day, and the upcoming disease and nematode management field day, has allowed me to gain insight on community issues and how they can be resolved. The location where the miscanthus field research is taking place has had failed corn and soybean crops due to sea level rise, flooding and high salinity all of which occur in various places on the eastern shore. Dr. Sarah Hirsh, Dr. Haley Sater and Dr. Jon Moyle are interested in miscanthus because it may provide a way for farmers to have a profitable crop on land that may not be ideal. Miscanthus may also withstand deer and insect pressure, and be of importance to the poultry industry for bedding, one of the largest agricultural industries on the Delmarva peninsula. 

Although I have not heard from many farmers directly, field days have allowed me to understand common issues they have encountered. The vegetative buffer demonstration day brought to my attention that some poultry farmers have issues with pollinators, insects and avian influenza has been a considerable threat.  At the field day Dr. Jon Moyle, Dr. Haley Sater and Dr. Emily Zobel provided solutions and recommendations to address issues local to the community. Dr. Haley Sater also educated poultry farmers on the potential benefits of growing miscanthus, and the fact that it can be utilized for bedding. Recently, I was also able to attend Maryland’s Dairy Day where experts spoke on hydration and how to manage scours in dairy calves.

This week I was able to help create and send out flyers for an upcoming field day focused on nematode and disease management in watermelons and herbicide resistant weeds.  I also got the opportunity to assist in weighing dairy heifers with Dr. Amanda Grev and Mr. Jeff Semler at CMREC in Clarksville. We measured two groups of heifers, one group participates in rotational grazing on perennials and summer annuals, the other group stays in a consistent pasture supplemented with silage for feed. Their research may lead to results that could help farmers achieve a more efficient and healthy gestation and calving processes.

I am truly grateful to experience the means that University of Maryland Extension staff undergo to assist and better the community of agriculture. All of the projects I have witnessed are very exciting. I hope if I am able to continue a future with UMD extension that I can aid the community in finding efficient and achievable practices to address issues.

Pictured is the cattle weighed at CMREC in Clarksville. The cattles height, weight, and body condition scores were recorded in addition to fecal samples.