Virginia Cooperative Extension - Loudoun

Due to Loudoun County's D3 Extreme Drought status, VCE Loudoun would like to share information about two U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs available to livestock producers.

The Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) aids with grazing land that has experienced drought. The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) provides financial assistance for transporting water, hauling feed, and hauling livestock to forage.

LFP Fact Sheet: https://bit.ly/3y73HOy
ELAP Fact Sheet: https://bit.ly/46jU0ZS
US Drought Monitor: https://www.weather.gov/mhx/Drought

Please note that there is a $31 late acreage report fee per farm for any producer who did not report their pasture ground by July 15, 2024. To apply for these FSA programs, please contact 540-347-4402, Ext 2, or email [email protected] or [email protected].

Photo courtesy of USDA ARS.

Congratulations to all the young ladies who participated in this year’s Miss Loudoun County Fair Pageant on July 14, 2024! 🎉

The contestants were judged on their 4-H involvement, community engagement, and extracurricular activities based on their responses to a series of questions during competition.

Special recognition to the three winners:
Mary Grace Menuey, Miss Loudoun County Fair
Chloe Ferringer, Junior Miss Loudoun County Fair
Eliana Dalgetty, Little Miss Loudoun County Fair

They will hand out all ribbons at livestock shows during the Loudoun County Fair and represent VCE Loudoun 4-H at community events throughout the next year. 🎡🍀

We hope to see you at this year’s Loudoun County Fair! Events span from Tuesday, July 23 to Saturday, July 27, 2024. Check out this year’s lineup at www.loudouncountyfair.com.


Photos by Camryn Monroe

The Loudoun County Fair is happening July 23 – 27 at the Loudoun County Fairgrounds in Leesburg!

Next weekend will be a celebration of community, agriculture, and entertainment in Loudoun County. Attendees can look forward to carnival rides, lively games, and a variety of food vendors. To celebrate Loudoun’s agricultural history, the fair will also showcase agricultural exhibits, competitive livestock shows, and 4-H displays that reflect the county's farming heritage.

With a schedule packed full of events, the Loudoun County Fair is set to create lasting memories for families and visitors, celebrating the spirit and culture of the community.

Get your tickets today!
https://hubs.li/Q02GNshY0

Even though we’ve had some rain this week, extreme to severe drought conditions are affecting County. Officials encourage residents to be aware of the drought conditions and to practice wise water use. Details here: https://bit.ly/3YahCxU

Join VCE Loudoun Master Gardeners for their next free virtual lecture on Thursday, August 1, 2024! This lecture's topic is The Wild Plants We Need for the Future of Agriculture. Learn more about the connections between crops, wild plants and weeds and how conserving crops' wild relatives is essential to the future of food production.

Event flyer: https://bit.ly/3ScRT4c
Event link: tinyurl.com/yd5a2mwm
Password: LCPL

This event is offered in partnership with Loudoun County Public Library.

Soil health is essential to having a healthy garden, lawn or farm. Have you considered testing your soil?

VCE Loudoun has residential and commercial soil kits available at our office (750 Miller Dr SE, Ste 161, Leesburg) in English and Spanish. Kits including soil sampling instructions, a sample box, and details on mailing your sample to Virginia Tech. The cost to conduct a basic soil test is $10.

A can provide information on the proper amount of lime and fertilizer to apply to your lawn, garden and other areas of your landscape. Soil testing can also be used to diagnose common nutrient deficiencies for plants that are growing poorly.

Learn more about home garden soil testing at https://brnw.ch/soiltest. Commercial crop soil testing information can be found at www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-124/452-124.html.

As we head into the later part of July, there are a lot of veggies ready to head into the garden! View Virginia Cooperative Extension's full planting calendar at https://brnw.ch/plantguide.

Keep in mind that this resource has not been updated to reflect new hardiness zones. To determine your USDA zone, enter your zip code at https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/.

As we head into the later part of the month, there are a lot of veggies ready to head into the garden! ☀️🌱

Direct Sowing:
Zones 6A & 6B: Bush Beans, Beets, Carrots, Swiss Chard, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Mustard, Rutabaga, Summer Squash, Turnips
Zone 7A: Bush Beans, Carrots, Swiss Chard, Collards, Kale, Rutabaga, Summer Squash
Zone 7B: Bush Beans, Lima Beans, Carrots, Cucumbers, Okra, Southern Peas, Summer Squash, Sweet Corn
Zone 8A: Lima Beans, Bush Beans, Carrots, Cucumbers, Okra, Southern Peas, Summer Squash, Winter Squash, Sweet Corn, Watermelon

Zone 8B Direct Sowing Recommendations are not available at this time. We are working to update our resources!

Transplanting:
Zones 6A, 6B, & 7A: Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Leeks
Zones 7B & 8A: Eggplant, Peppers, Tomatoes
Zone 8B Transplanting Recommendations are not available at this time. We are working to update our resources!

You can prepare for the entire planting season by visiting https://brnw.ch/plantguide - keep in mind that this resource has not been updated to reflect the new hardiness zones. To determine your USDA zone, you can enter your zip code here: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/

VCE Loudoun 4-H looks forward to supporting the Loudoun County Fair taking place on July 23–27, 2024. 4-H youth will participate by showing and auctioning animals, preparing meals to fundraise future 4-H projects, and more. All Loudoun residents are welcomed to attend to support our youth and join the festivities! Visit www.loudouncountyfair.com for more details.

Photos courtesy of Camryn Monroe

Much of Virginia is experiencing a moderate or severe drought.

Here are some tips on managing drought in vegetable and annual plants:

"Mulch your vegetable crops and flowering annuals using clean straw or hay, rice hulls or leaf mold.

Before watering, check the soil moisture by poking a finger an inch deep in to the soil media. If the soil is dry, give a good soaking water around its root zone area.

Shallow containers and 6” deep raised beds may require twice a day watering.

Water gently around the base of the plants and avoid splashing on its leaves.

Morning hours are good for watering plants.

Control any weeds by mulching or hoeing.

Avoid frequent fertilization of your crops, if needed, use granular products containing some slow-release formulation and water it immediately after application."

More on managing drought, including protecting trees, from our friends in Wisconsin: https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/2024/07/01/keeping-your-plants-healthy-dealing-with-dry-soils-and-drought/

Join VCE Loudoun Master Gardeners' free virtual lecture tonight, July 11, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. This month's topic is Working the Night Shift: Pollination After Dark. Pollinator conservation biologist Emily May will discuss night-time pollinators and how to support them in our gardens and communities.

Event flyer: https://bit.ly/4eQjMJ4
Event link: tinyurl.com/mr7r7vjx
Password: LCPL

Loudoun County Public Library

Join VCE Loudoun Master Gardeners for their next free virtual lecture on Thursday, July 11, 2024! This month's topic is Working the Night Shift: Pollination After Dark. Learn more about night-time pollinators and how to support them in our gardens and communities.

Event flyer: https://bit.ly/4eQjMJ4
Event link: tinyurl.com/mr7r7vjx

This event is offered in partnership with Loudoun County Public Library.

VCE Loudoun has an exciting opportunity to share with urban agriculturists! Mini-grant applications are currently being accepted by the "Advancing Urban Agriculture and Sustainable Food Systems" Initiative. Mini-grants of up to $15,000 are being offered to support and strengthen in Virginia.

Applications are due by Monday, August 19, 2024. A virtual Q&A session will also be held on Friday, July 26, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. Visit tinyurl.com/UrbanAgVaMiniGrant for more details.

This Initiative is led by Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation, Virginia State University’s Small Farm Outreach Program, and other partners.

Photo Credit: Virginia State University

Congratulations to Eleni Kasianides, our current summer intern and former VCE Loudoun 4-Her, on being recognized as the 2024 National Miss Agriculture USA Queen by Miss Agriculture USA. We're very proud of her accomplishments and thankful to have her on our team!

MEET YOUR 2024 NATIONAL MISS AGRICULTURE USA, ELENI KASIANIDES!

Eleni Kasianides is a current student at Grove City College where she is a current triple major in Entrepreneurship, Marketing, and Management. She is an intern this summer with Virginia Cooperative Extension. Eleni is a proud 4-H alum of 10 years, where she served as President of her club and an ambassador to state Congress. Her agricultural endeavors have taken her across the country, to conferences in Atlanta Georgia, and meeting her own Governor to AGvocate. While at college, she has been invited on multiple occasions to teach lessons in the Education Department Daycare on agricultural subjects for kids 3-6. Eleni is always excited to talk about passion areas, but if she has a free moment, you will likely find her in the barn snuggling a bunny.

ARE YOU READY TO BE APART OF 2025? REGISTRATION OPENING SOON!

www.missagricultureusa.org

The next Twilight Grower Meeting takes place on Thursday, July 18, 2024 at Survivor Farm (632 Lake Arrowhead Rd) in Luray, VA. Learn about small-scale sweet potato and cane berry production and marketing from Specialists Doug Pfeiffer and Tom Kuhar. Registration is required: bit.ly/3QO3VA3.

This is the third Twilight Grower Meeting being held this year in collaboration between VCE Loudoun and Virginia Cooperative Extension offices in Northwest Virginia. Visit bit.ly/4ezIzRx for more details.

VCE- Clarke County, Virginia Cooperative Extension - Culpeper Unit, Page County - Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Cooperative Extension- Rappahannock Office, VCE Northern Shenandoah Valley Agriculture and Natural Resources

VCE Loudoun 4-H would like to recognize the fabulous teen counselors, counselors-in-training, staff, and volunteers who helped make this year’s Loudoun-Fauquier 4-H Junior Camp a huge success!

4-H Junior Camp enables campers to gain independence and confidence by providing “learn by doing” experiences through hands-on programs. Over 270 youth participated in this year’s camping activities, including canoeing, fishing, arts, bonfires, and more.

Special thanks as well to Fauquier County 4-H for their partnership and to Northern Virginia 4-H Educational Center for hosting another amazing camp!

The VCE Loudoun office will be closed tomorrow, July 4, 2024, in observance of Independence Day. The office will reopen on Friday, July 5 at 8:30 a.m.

County government administrative offices will be closed Thursday, July 4, 2024, in observance of the Independence Day holiday.

Yesterday, July 2, 2024, VCE Loudoun Master Food Volunteers partnered with Loudoun Hunger Relief (LHR) to perform a cooking demo for LHR visitors. Volunteers prepared a summer pasta salad using ingredients available at LHR and gave out samples to enjoy.

This event was held in support for the Supporting Wellness at Pantries (SWAP) program which promotes healthier food choices. Use the SWAP Summer Salad recipe below to make this delicious pasta salad at home!

You no longer need to report spotted lanternfly sightings in County, but there are still steps you can take to slow the spread. Young nymphs (black with white spots) and mature nymphs (with red patches) are being seen throughout the county and will soon develop into adults.

Visit www.loudoun.gov/spottedlanternfly to learn more about identifying and managing the spotted lanternfly on your property. And remember, if you see them, squash them!

Note: You can report spotted lanternfly sightings in the Town of Leesburg at https://bit.ly/3xIJwGp. When applying treatments on your property, please be mindful of the correct timing and always read the label before use.

You can read the July 2024 edition of our VCE Loudoun monthly newsletter at conta.cc/3xDFuPI! Learn more about our recent initiatives and find more details about upcoming programs and events. Visit bit.ly/vceloudoun-newsletter to subscribe to future editions of our newsletter.

Happy first day of July! This is a transitional month in the vegetable garden. In warmer zones of the state you can keep planting summer veggies throughout July, but in cooler parts in Virginia, the first few weeks of July are your final opportunity to get summer veggies in the ground.

View the full planting calendar at https://brnw.ch/plantguide. Keep in mind that this resource has not been updated to reflect new hardiness zones. To determine your USDA zone, enter your zip code at https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/.

It's nearly July! This is a transitional month in the vegetable garden--in warmer parts of the state you can keep planting summer veggies throughout July, but in cooler parts in Virginia, the first few weeks of July are your final opportunity to get summer veggies in the ground.

Towards the end of the month, you can also start to plant your fall veggie garden with cool-weather crops. For this reason, we'll be publishing TWO July planting graphics: this one for the first few weeks of July and one for the second half of the month.

🍅 View the full planting calendar: https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-331/426-331.html

EARLY JULY Chart Text
* = transplant
ZONE 6A
Beans, lima
Beans, bush
Brussels Sprouts
Carrots
Cucumbers
Okra
Southern Pea
Squash, Summer
Sweet Corn
Cauliflower*
Eggplant*
peppers*
Tomatoes*
ZONE 6B
Beans, lima
Beans, bush
Carrots
Cucumbers
Okra
Southern Pea
Squash, Summer
Sweet Corn
Eggplant*
peppers*
Tomatoes*
ZONE 7A
Beans, bush
Beans, pole
Beans, lima
Cucumbers
Okra
Southern pea
Squash, summer
Squash, winter
Sweet corn
Sweet potato
Watermelon
Eggplant*
Peppers*
Tomatoes*
ZONE 7B
Beans, bush
Beans, pole
Beans, lima
Cucumbers
Muskmelons
Okra
Southern pea
Squash, summer
Squash, winter
Sweet corn
Sweet potato
Watermelon
Eggplant*
Peppers*
Pumpkins*
Tomatoes*
ZONE 8A
Beans, bush
Beans, pole
Beans, lima
Cucumbers
Muskmelons
Okra
Southern pea
Squash, summer
Squash, winter
Sweet corn
Sweet potato
Watermelon
Eggplant*
Peppers*
Pumpkins*
Tomatoes*

Thank you to Great Country Farms for hosting an excellent Twilight Grower Meeting yesterday, June 27, 2024! Participants went on a guided tour of the farm and learned from Tree Fruit and Cover Crop Specialists about regenerative and biorational practices, challenges, and opportunities.

Special thanks to all who organized this event in collaboration with VCE Loudoun's Commercial Horticulturist Beth Sastre:

VCE- Clarke County, Virginia Cooperative Extension - Culpeper Unit, Page County - Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Cooperative Extension- Rappahannock Office, VCE Northern Shenandoah Valley Agriculture and Natural Resources, Virginia Tech Tree Fruit Extension and Outreach, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources - University of Maryland

The Virginia Cooperative Extension – City of Alexandria office is hiring a 4-H Youth Development Agent. Visit the Virginia Tech Careers page to review the job description and submit an application: https://careers.pageuppeople.com/968/cw/en-us/job/530054/associate-extension-agent-4h-youth-development-city-of-alexandria.

The 4-H Youth Development Agent is a professional educator who provides leadership to the local 4-H program and manages its day-to-day operation. This position with Alexandria 4-H Youth Development will deliver development programming to urban youths, build partnerships with other agencies, and foster a strong volunteer recruitment, training, and management program.

Details | Associate Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development - City of Alexandria | Careers | Division of Human Resources | Virginia Tech Apply now Back to search results Job no: 530054 Work type: Administrative & Professional Senior management: Agriculture & Life Sciences Department: Northeast District Coop. Extension Location: Alexandria, Virginia Categories: Agriculture / Life Science

Join VCE Loudoun Master Gardeners for their next free virtual lecture on Thursday, July 11, 2024! This month's topic is Working the Night Shift: Pollination After Dark. Learn more about night-time pollinators and how to support them in our gardens and communities.

Event flyer: https://bit.ly/4eQjMJ4
Event link: tinyurl.com/mr7r7vjx

This event is offered in partnership with Loudoun County Public Library.

Congratulations to the VCE Loudoun 4-Hers who attended the 2024 Virginia 4-H State Congress last week on June 18-21! Read more about their amazing accomplishments below.

State Congress is held on the Virginia Tech campus and is the premier, statewide annual 4-H event for outstanding 4-H teens and adult volunteer leaders. Congress delegates had the opportunity to attend workshops, compete above the local and district level, participate in the peer voting process, enjoy social events, get a glimpse of campus life, and more.

“There's nothing good I can say about ticks,” said Eric Day of the Virginia Tech Department of Entomology. “When you go outside, enjoy the outdoors but enjoy it carefully. Be aware that ticks are really kind of everywhere — they’re never going to go away — but there’s things we can do to greatly reduce our chance of getting tick bites. At very least, avoid those areas where wildlife is going through tall grass and tall weeds.”

Want to learn more about ticks and how to avoid them? Read Eric's tips here ➡️ https://brnw.ch/tick

Sign up today for VCE Loudoun’s College Readiness and Success Workshop taking place on Thursday, July 18, 2024! Are you a rising junior or senior in high school? Register now for a guided class on navigating the application process and learn how to find the right fit and which questions to ask.

Hear from current college student and VCE Loudoun's summer intern Eleni Kasianides where to find scholarships and what makes a winning essay. Attend with a parent to learn how to ace your application and ease fears about the college search! Visit bit.ly/3xz81G8 or use the embedded QR code to RSVP by Friday, July 12.

The Summer 2024 issue of the Trumpet Vine has arrived! This publication is released quarterly by the VCE Loudoun Master Gardeners to provide educational articles, seasonal advice, and more. Topics in this issue include summer heat management, invasive and native plants, and changing plant hardiness zones.

Read the latest issue at bit.ly/tvine-summer24. Subscribe to the Trumpet Vine and read previous issues at loudouncountymastergardeners.org/gardening-advice/trumpet-vine-newsletter/.

VCE Loudoun is honored to be recognized by the County Board of Supervisors for our support for this year’s "Scrape for the Grape" campaign. Read the Board's resolution at bit.ly/4cA2PRf.

This campaign was organized in partnership with the Loudoun Invasive Removal Alliance, Visit Loudoun and the Loudoun Wineries Association to combat the invasive spotted lanternfly, which is a threat to vineyards and other crops. During this campaign, hundreds of volunteers assisted in removing thousands of spotted lanternfly egg masses from Trees of Heaven and other vegetation.

The spotted lanternfly continues to cause significant damage to plants and trees that are economically important in Loudoun County. Learn more about the and how you can help slow the spread at loudoun.gov/spottedlanternfly.

The County Board of Supervisors has adopted a resolution of appreciation for the “Scrape for the Grape” campaign to combat the invasive spotted lanternfly, which is a threat to vineyards and other crops. The effort included hundreds of volunteers who are credited with removing thousands of spotted lanternfly egg masses from Trees of Heaven and other vegetation. Read the resolution: https://bit.ly/4cA2PRf

Attention urban agriculturists! Mini-grant applications are now being accepted by the "Advancing Urban Agriculture and Sustainable Food Systems" Initiative. Mini-grants of up to $15,000 are being offered to support existing projects, especially those focused on underserved communities.

Applications are due by Monday, August 19, 2024. A virtual Q&A webinar will also be held on Friday, July 26. Visit tinyurl.com/UrbanAgVaMiniGrant for more details.

This Initiative is led by the Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation, Virginia State University’s (VSU) Small Farm Outreach Program, and other partners.

📢 Attention urban agriculturists!!

“Advancing Urban Agriculture and Sustainable Food Systems" Initiative in Virginia is offering up to $15,000 in mini-grants to support urban agriculture projects. This initiative aims to enhance the capacity of existing projects, especially those focusing on underserved communities.

🔍 Application Details:
🗓️ Opens: June 17, 2024
⏰ Deadline: August 19, 2024, 5:00 PM ET
📅 Award Notification: October 1, 2024

Join our virtual Q&A sessions on June 20 and July 26 for more info. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to propel urban agriculture projects throughout Virginia!

For eligibility criteria, application details, and to register for the webinar, visit: https://tinyurl.com/UrbanAgVaMiniGrant

The Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation, Virginia State University (VSU) Small Farm Outreach Program, and partners The Happily Natural Day and petersburgoasisyouthfarm.

You've heard a lot about "native plants", but how do you know which plants are actually native to your area? In Virginia, we have excellent tools for selecting for the home landscape.

Plant Virginia Natives offers guides for each region which provide a perfect starting point: https://www.plantvirginianatives.org/

Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation also offers a Virginia Native Plant Finder database! Access it here: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural.../native-plants-finder

You've heard a lot about "native plants" but how do you know which plants are actually native to your area?!

In Virginia, we have excellent tools for selecting native plants for the home landscape.

Plant Virginia Natives offers guides for each region which provide a perfect starting point: https://www.plantvirginianatives.org/

Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation also offers a Virginia Native Plant Finder database! Access it here: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/native-plants-finder

The next Twilight Grower Meeting takes place on Thursday, June 27, 2024 at Great Country Farms in Bluemont, VA. Learn about regenerative and biorational practices, challenges, and opportunities from Tree Fruit and Cover Crop Specialists.

Registration is required: bit.ly/3QO3VA3. Email [email protected] to make dinner reservations and note dietary restrictions.

This is the second of three Twilight Grower Meetings being held this year in collaboration between VCE Loudoun and Virginia Cooperative Extension offices in Northwest Virginia. Visit bit.ly/4ezIzRx for more details.

VCE- Clarke County, Virginia Cooperative Extension - Culpeper Unit, Page County - Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Cooperative Extension- Rappahannock Office, VCE Northern Shenandoah Valley Agriculture and Natural Resources