Veterans who pitch an idea to build or expand an agribusiness in West Virginia could be eligible to win up to a $10,000 grant from the state Department of Agriculture.
Veterans who pitch an idea to build or expand an agribusiness in West Virginia could be eligible to win up to a $10,000 grant from the state Department of Agriculture, officials said in a press release.
The department is hosting a “Shark Tank”-style competition for the first time early next year for members of “West Virginia Veterans and Heroes to Agriculture,” a state program that aims to support veterans working in and transitioning into the field of agriculture.
“The largest barrier to entry for any inspiring farmer is capital,” Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt said in the press release.
Veterans are tasked with completing a competition application by Jan. 16 describing their operation and business plans. Finalists will be given five minutes to pitch their idea in front of a panel of judges at Cedar Lakes Conference Center in Ripley on March 11.
The winner will receive $10,000; five runners-up will win $5,000 each; ten others will get $2,500.
“Whether the contestants are looking to build a new barn, buy equipment or install fencing, the prize money can be used for capital improvements to make their dreams come true,” Veterans and Heroes to Agriculture Manager Sierra Cox said.
Those interested in signing up for the program can contact Cox at 304-558-2210 or kcox@wvda.us.
The end of spooky season comes with the temptation to throw away your jack-o’-lanterns without a second thought. But there are alternatives to find a use for your pumpkins after Halloween.
The end of spooky season comes with the temptation to throw away your jack-o’-lanterns without a second thought. But there are alternatives to find a use for your pumpkins after Halloween.
An easy way to reuse pumpkins is to split them into chunks and add them to compost. That way, they help fertilize the soil in gardens and local forests, or become treats for local wildlife like deer during wintertime.
“When the snow starts flying, those pumpkins are frosted up a good bit and the sugars have kind of broken down, it seems like the deer really enjoy them,” WVU Extension agriculture and natural resources agent Josh Peplowski said. “So it does add to the wildlife viewing in the backyard.”
Though the use of chemicals like bleach to keep pumpkins from decaying can be a concern, Peplowski says most household brands like Clorox are diluted, with the compound continuing to degrade in sunlight.
“Obviously if you were to drink that bleach straight, it would be toxic to wildlife and humans, but that’s not what we’re using those pumpkins for,” Peplowski said. “So don’t be concerned that just because you treated it with bleach, that you have to be concerned about feeding into the wildlife. It’ll be perfectly fine as long as you did it correctly.”
Other alternatives include feeding the fruits to pets, donating them to a farm, zoo or shelter as animal feed or even cutting off the top of the pumpkin and suspending the base from a tree branch to make a bird feeder.
“Certainly anyone can reuse the pumpkin seeds, clean them up, and roasting or baking them makes a handy snack,” WVU associate professor of plant pathology Jim Kotcon said. “The pumpkin flesh itself can be used as either wildlife food, or in some cases pets will enjoy those.”
Kotcon said these alternatives help give back to nature and promote sustainability instead of adding to overfilled landfills.
“Putting any kind of food waste or yard waste into a landfill does create some potentially harmful residues as those products break down,” said Kotcon. “And so finding a safe and environmentally sustainable alternative always makes sense.”
Watching out for paint, light bulbs or other harmful materials before feeding pumpkins to animals is also essential.
“You probably want to scrape those pumpkins off before you add them into the compost pile, or also before you add it out there for the wildlife feed,” Peplowski said. “A lot of those paints that people use are child safe and washable a lot of times so maybe just a good scrubbing will take those off.”
A tree planting for a food forest is scheduled this weekend at Shepherd University’s Tabler Farm, where volunteers can help plant edible species native to Appalachia.
A tree planting for a food forest is scheduled this weekend at Shepherd University’s Tabler Farm, where volunteers can help plant edible species native to Appalachia.
“This region that we live in, Appalachia, is a really unique region in the world. It’s very, very highly biodiverse. And it is filled with edible species for humans,” Tabler Farm Coordinator Madison Hale said. “Food forests are really popular right now, but I was specifically wanting to focus on native trees just to highlight the unique ecosystem here.”
A food forest is a created ecosystem of edible plants for food production, mirroring how the plants are found in nature. They act as alternatives to annual crop production that are seen as more ecologically healthy and easier to maintain.
Hale oversees programs at the farm through the school’s environmental studies department, which helps train farmers in sustainable agriculture practices. This particular food forest program comes from a grant from the Cacapon Institute, an ecological conservation group.
Some of the species set to be planted at the forest include sugar maple, witch-hazel, hackberry and spicebush. Persimmons, serviceberries and redbuds were planted during last year’s event.
“There’s a wide range, there’s probably about 20 species that I know of that we could potentially incorporate into this food forest,” Hale said. “And we’re really just receiving whatever is available through the nurseries that Cacapon Institute works with.”
Hale said food forests aren’t just environmentally friendly. The act of planting them gives locals the chance to learn about native tree species and how they fit into the regional culture.
“I think by working with native species, you’re just helping foster that connection with people to the natural world,” Hale said.
The planting event runs Saturday, Oct. 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Tabler Farm in Shepherdstown. Information on how to sign up is available on the school’s event website.
The Autumn Harvest Festival in Monroe County is a yearly tradition. Agriculture and community has been celebrated at this event for over three decades. After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the festival returned on Sept. 24 to Willow Bend Road, near Union, West Virginia. But for some, the return was bittersweet.
The Autumn Harvest Festival in Monroe County is a yearly tradition. Agriculture and community has been celebrated at this event for over three decades. After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the festival returned on Sept. 24 to Willow Bend Road, near Union, West Virginia. But for some, the return was bittersweet.
Anna Lusk has been working at the festival since 1985. Lusk has seen the event grow from fewer than 100 attendees to thousands of visitors. This year was additionally special with the organizers honoring the founder of the festival, Bill Clark.
“He was an extension agent here in Monroe County for many years,” Lusk recalled. “Sometime in the early 1980s, nobody’s quite sure when, he got the idea to have a homegrown festival that would showcase Monroe County and our history and our agrarian way of life. We want to pay honor to Bill because if it hadn’t been for Bill’s dream, this never would have happened.”
In addition to Clark, Lusk and other festival volunteers, Shane Clarkson manages the farm as an employee of WVU Davis College. Clarkson and Jason Kleinfelder are concerned with what the future holds for them. If WVU decides to sell the farm, it’s not clear what the future holds for his job.
Brian Allen
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West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Visitors of the festival make their way to the activities.
“Job hunting. That’s the only thing I know,” Clarkson said. “They [WVU Davis College] said they can place us in other locations but it was just kind of up in the air. Kind of looking for hope and maybe they can save them but it doesn’t look like it so far. Just had to kind of wait and see.”
While job placement might be an option, Jason Kleinfelter said he has a special connection to the farm in Monroe County. Kleinfelter also works at the farm.
“I love working here. I got a degree in animal science and I love this farm,” Kleinfelter said. “I love the way it looks. I love taking care of these animals. But we’ll see. Who knows what tomorrow brings but something will be available.”
The sale of the property isn’t a done deal. Residents and county commissioners are working various avenues to keep the farm open and available for future public use. Some of those options include the Monroe County Commission leasing the farm or convincing WVU that the property is viable and relevant for continued agricultural research.
Monroe County’s WVU extension agent Brian Wickline confirmed the sale could be the end of the Autumn Harvest Festival. As with many corporate and educational decisions, it comes down to money. The farm sits on more than 230 acres which could be costly.
“That would be a very large sum of money for a local organization to come up with to actually buy the farm,” Wickline said. “I think what that organization would be doing would be trying to do a long term lease with the university.”
The farm was donated to WVU in 1970.
Brian Allen
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West Virginia Public Broadcasting
WVU Willowbend Research, Education and Outreach Center in Monroe County.
“We’ve had several folks within the community come up with some ideas,” Wickline said. “Our county commissioners have been very supportive of coming up with ideas and projects that the community could utilize the farm for.”
While the general mood is doubtful, Wickline is preparing a proposal for WVU, outlining the potential of the Demonstration Farm, how it serves the community and how it can be self-sustaining, and even profitable.
“We’ve looked at budgets prior to and we’ve looked at budgets afterwards,” Wickline said. “If they did have the opportunity to take the farm over, and, yes, we anticipate a budget that is profitable.”
West Virginia State Sen. Stephen Baldwin, D-Greenbrier, shared a more optimistic attitude at the Autumn Festival.
“We got wind that they were looking at selling. And so we reached out to them [WVU] to say, ‘Hold on a minute.’ This is a really important farm in our area. We feel like it’s never reached its full potential. We’ve got some ideas and plans as to how it could reach its full potential. I mean, because if you look at agriculture in this part of the state, it’s huge business. And we feel like it’s been a missed opportunity that it hasn’t been fully utilized. During the festival really is the time that it’s utilized most and we feel like it could be utilized year-round.”
Darryl Donohue, dean of WVU Davis college, shared the following statement via email:
“WVU, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design and Monroe County officials are working to come to an agreement regarding the future of the farm that will be beneficial to both parties,” Donohue wrote.
Meanwhile, Wickline hopes to have answers about the farm’s fate by the end of October. In the meantime, those involved with the demonstration farm and the Autumn Harvest Festival are doing their best to carry on and enjoy the possible last tradition.
Brian Allen
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West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Attendees grill food at the Monroe County Autumn Festival, 2022.
“We’ve had a wonderful turnout and enthusiasm level is high, and weather is perfect,” Lusk said. “God has blessed us today. We could not be happier.”
Residents just hope it’s not too little, too late.
Reporting by Brian Allen, on behalf of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Sightings of spotted lanternflies have been reported in the Eastern Panhandle as the invasive species begin to mature this season. The Department of Agriculture reports sightings in four counties: Berkeley, Jefferson, Hampshire and Mineral.
Sightings of spotted lanternflies have been reported in the Eastern Panhandle as the invasive species begin to mature this season. The Department of Agriculture reports sightings in four counties: Berkeley, Jefferson, Hampshire and Mineral.
Lanternflies were first sighted in the area two years ago and are believed to have bypassed a quarantine in Pennsylvania and introduced through cargo shipments along Interstate 81. The insects feed on popular crops, including a variety of tree fruit, and have the potential to cause harm to the country’s orchard and logging industries.
Emily Morrow, the WVU Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension agent in Jefferson County, says while the infestation is not as severe as it is in neighboring states, it is important to stop the spread.
apugach/Getty Images/iStockphoto
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iStockphoto
A typical host of spotted lanternflies are trees of heaven, an invasive species native to China.
“We do advise folks to kill whatever they can, if they can,” Morrow said. “If you find egg masses in the fall and winter months, if you can scrape those off and apply rubbing alcohol, that will keep the eggs from hatching.”
The state’s Department of Agriculture recommends reporting any lanternfly sightings.
“Reporting still is very, very important throughout the state, because we can catch the population early on,” said James Watson, coordinator for the department’s spotted lanternfly program. “There’s a chance that we could eradicate that population if it’s small enough and confined to a small location, such as one or two properties.”
Watson says there is a chance the department will contact the owners of the properties the lanternflies have been spotted on to eradicate the bugs from the properties in the future.
Reports of lanternfly sightings can be made to the Department of Agriculture by calling 304-558-2212 or via email at bugbusters@wvda.us. More information is also available on the department’s website.
The first commercial farm to be staffed and operated by foster care youth is being built at the Stepping Stones Residential Treatment Facility in Wayne County.
After loading up their crops and setting up a stand at the Ceredo Farmer’s Market, youth from the Stepping Stones Residential Treatment Facility sold their first $100 dollars of produce that they grew on their commercial farm, Growing Hope.
Stepping Stones Residential Treatment Facility
First dollar earned by Growing Hope
Located in Lavalette, West Virginia, Stepping Stones is a child welfare and behavioral health provider for Cabell and Wayne County. The program helps young adults in the foster care system transition into adulthood.
Many Appalachian youth who age out of the foster care system fall into homelessness or substance use disorders. According to Susan Fry, the director of Stepping Stones, transitioning from foster care is harder when the children don’t have trade skills or access to education.
“You can’t go out and be a productive member of society if you haven’t had the opportunity,” Fry said. “Whether it be through a university, a community college, or trade so that they can achieve employment that pays a livable wage.”
It doesn’t help that some of these youth are transitioning into a food insecure community. The closest grocery store for rural Lavalette is a 20 minute drive to Huntington.
The Growing Hope farm began in partnership with Green Bronx Machine, a New York City based nonprofit that teaches children about agriculture and science while creating sustainable sources of employment and nutrition for underdeveloped communities.
“The same economic hardships, the same lack of education opportunities, the same nutrition and health disparities that face the young men in Appalachia are precisely what are facing young men and young children here in the South Bronx,” the CEO of Green Bronx Machine, Stephen Ritz, said.
Growing Hope uses aeroponic tower gardens to grow plants like cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, and a wide variety of leafy greens and herbs. Aeroponics is a process of growing crops without soil, which allows plants to be grown year-round.
Stepping Stones Residential Treatment Facility
Growing Hope’s aeroponic farm
According to Ritz, the skill to operate an aeroponic farm is a trade skill that is uncommon throughout Appalachia.
“Growing food in Appalachia, as these young men are learning, is a license to print money,” Ritz said. “I’ve met a lot of kids who are allergic to vegetables, but I’ve never met a young man who’s allergic to money.”
Stepping Stones is also building a community of tiny houses for young adults from foster care to have a place to rent. The tiny homes will act as a place where foster youth can have a personal space, while still being part of a larger community.
“Young people in foster care, especially in residential treatment, they’ve never even had a room by themselves, let alone their own home,” Fry said. “To be able to have a home that is theirs, that they’re paying rent on, that they decide how they want to change the decorations and set it up, and not to have all those roommate issues.”
According to Fry, giving less restrictions and more opportunities to these young adults allow them more freedom to grow into themselves.
“We want to, at least by the time they’re age 17, be able to get them in a less restrictive living situation, and give them more control over their decisions. ”
Stepping Stones Residential Treatment Facility
Stepping Stone’s tiny homes
Stepping Stones is looking at their program as a model that can be adapted for other communities.
“We’re very rural, and what would work with us where we don’t have zoning may not work in Charleston, but the structure of the model; the community wrapping their arms around these kids in foster care, that can apply anywhere in the world,” Fry said.
The foster youth employees with Growing Hope are looking to expand from selling at the farmer’s market toward selling to individuals and restaurants.
