Top 5 Benefits of Your County Extension Service
According to their website, the Cooperative Extension System (CES) exists to help people solve problems, develop skills, and build a better future where they live and work. Centered around land-grant universities and colleges, they are available in most U.S. states and some Territories. Although they offer a wide variety of programs, most offer some sort of advice on gardening and growing your own food. The benefits of getting to know your county extension service are amazing. It’s a resource that you should definitely take advantage of!
They offer free, but good, garden advice
Many extension offices employ master gardeners to give advice on different aspects of growing your own fruits and vegetables. They may offer information tailored to your area like first and last frost dates, what varieties of plants grow well, which insects or garden pests to look out for. Some even provide notifications of when certain pests are emerging each season so you can prepare. They also offer recipes for favorite local dishes to use your fresh produce. I’ve found good advice on preserving produce, like canning, drying, fermenting, and other storage methods. Rather than trying to sort through advice from the latest celebrity gardener or influencer, one of the benefits of your county extension is that they genuinely want to help you solve your garden problems, not just follow the latest trends.
They know your area
If you’re new to the area or new to gardening in general, having a local expert to answer your questions is one of the huge benefits of your county extension service. So many things in gardening can depend on the climate, soil type, or history of your area. A master gardener from your local extension office may know of local varieties of crops that outperform any national seed company’s offerings. They can also help you plan out your garden schedule to make the most of your growing season and avoid any problematic pests or soil issues. Many of the extension services have a phone number or email box where you can send your questions and get personalized advice for any garden problem that comes up.
They can help you test your soil
In addition to advice, another of the benefits of your county extension service is that they often offer access to free or low cost soil testing. If you are struggling with poor results in your garden, getting a reliable soil test can help you narrow down potential issues. Finding and fixing a nutrient deficiency can improve your harvest, increase your garden’s productivity, and even help minimize pest problems.
Your extension service may partner with a local laboratory where you can send in your soil samples and get a readout of the various minerals and nutrients in your garden soil. They may even offer advice on how to read the results and what kinds of amendments may be appropriate. You may find broadly applicable advice from your county extension for amending your soil if your area is deficient in certain nutrients, or has other soil problems. Be sure to take full advantage of whatever assistance they can offer.
They provide training courses
If you’re looking to improve your gardening skills, some county extension offices provide online or in-person training courses. In addition to the master gardener program, some offer market gardening certifications, or general beginner gardening classes. Some may also offer courses on canning, dehydrating, pickling, or other preservation methods. If you have a training need that’s not offered in your area, there is a whole network of extension services with many of their course offerings available online. Or, you could reach out to your extension office and see if they have any courses planned in the future. Many extension services will develop ad-hoc seminars or webinars if there is interest in their community. Don’t be afraid to ask!
They can help you find fellow gardeners
The last of the benefits of your county extension service that I will list is the opportunity to get involved in your local gardening community. Some extension services will host farm-to-table dinners or events, gardening book clubs, plant or seed swaps or other local events. If you visit the county or state fair, the local extension service usually has a presence there with gardening or farming resources, freebies, or event sign-ups. As much information as there is available online, and online gardening communities and groups, it can still be worthwhile to find fellow gardeners in your area to share your gardening journey. Your local extension service can be a great way to get connected.
If you don’t know how to find your local extension service, check out the listing here!
One of the things your local extension office can help you with is choosing the right varieties for your area. Or you can use your USDA hardiness zone to help narrow down your choices. To learn more, check out my blog post What is A Hardiness Zone – Does It Matter?
