Somerset County

Welcome to the University of Maryland Extension (UME) - Somerset County, which is part of a statewide educational organization funded by federal, state, and local governments. Our mission is to support Maryland's agricultural industry; protect its valuable natural resources; enhance the well-being of families and individuals, both young and old; and foster the development of strong, stable communities.

The UME network of local or regional offices are staffed by one or more experts who provide useful, practical, and research-based information to agricultural producers, small business owners, youth, consumers, and others in rural areas and communities of all sizes. UME has field offices in all twenty-three Maryland counties and Baltimore City.

This mission is accomplished by faculty and staff within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University of Maryland, College Park through the discovery, integration, dissemination, and application of research based knowledge in the agricultural, human, and life sciences.

The Somerset County UME faculty and staff provide a broad range of outreach through workshops, seminars, classes, clinics, newsletters, consultations, and media efforts related to the following topics:

4-H and Youth
Agriculture
Food and Nutrition
Home Gardening
Health & Wellness
Money

Major Update Regarding Reinstatement of UMD Plan-writing Services!

University of Maryland Extension (UME) has launched an enhanced nutrient management planning process designed to adapt to modern farming practices and operations that better align with Maryland’s agricultural regulations and environmental goals. Moving forward, UME will now administer and coordinate statewide nutrient management planning following the finalization of the agreement between the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) and the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

Please contact the local Somerset County Extension office for additional information - 410.651.1350.

University of Maryland Extension Leads the Next Generation of the Statewide Nutrient Management Program...to read more click here.

Sporobolus heterolepis

Plant of the Week...

...or Prairie dropseed is often considered one of the most handsome of the native prairie grasses. It thrives in average to dry well drained soils, needs full sun, and is cold tolerant in USDA zones 3-9. Although it prefers to grow in dry rocky soils, it will tolerative a wide range soils from heavy clay to sandy loams. These fine textured warm season grasses can be slow to establish and are slow growing, but the plants can thrive as a ground cover in hot and dry areas, as a foundation planting, in a Rain Garden, a meadow, native plant garden, as a border or with their deep fibrous root system, reducing erosion on a sunny slope. The clump forming perennial grass will grow 2-3 feet tall and wide with hair like fine textured medium green leaves that grow 1/16” wide and 20 inches long. The foliage creates a mound with the arching stems, and the summers green turns golden in the autumn then fades to a light bronze in the winter. August to October the pink and brown tinted flower panicles bloom, filling the air with the fragrance of a combination of coriander, honey, popcorn, sunflower seeds and/or melted wax. The open branched airy flowering panicles are set on slender stems that rise above the foliage, and when mature become tiny rounded seeds that drop to the soil from their hulls. Plants can provide 4 seasons of interest, after mowing down the foliage in the spring the new grow has decorative arching stems, in summer the green mounds need no maintenance, in the autumn the foliage turns to gold with airy seed heads dancing in the breezes, and winter brings a sturdy bronze colored mound of grass that even snow can not beat down. Birds enjoy the seeds and the plants are tolerant of drought, erosion, deer, air pollution and Black Walnut trees.

Ginny Rosenkranz