University of Maryland Extension - Lower Eastern Shore

05/22/2026

To register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSctiK6LIjbwFkrmS-wecN480WkzKq2WaHfh9kZf95KRwtoS8g/viewform

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, s*x, gender identity or expression, s*xual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.

05/21/2026

Interested in showing livestock at the fair, but are uncertain of where to begin? Come to the County Fair Livestock Orientation at John Walter Smith Park in Snow Hill this evening at 6pm. University of Maryland Extension Staff and 4-H Members will go over everything you need to know and give live demonstrations to show sheep, goats, cattle, swine, poultry, and rabbits at the fair.

05/18/2026

ATTENTION: Spots are still available for our Wonders of a 4-H Summer Workshop Series!
June 17th and 18th- The 4-H Wonders of a 4-H Summer at Shad Landing. (9:00 am-3:00 pm) Cost $40.00, Youth age 8-13
June 24th and 25th 2026- The 4-H Wonders of Assateague Island and Marine Science. Location: The Sarbanes Center on Assateague Island. (9:00am-3:00pm) Cost $40.00 Youth age 8-13
June 29th, 30th, and July 1st 2026 - It's Sew Easy to Sew!
Location: 305 Bank Street, Snow Hill Md. (1:00pm-4:00pm) Cost $30.00 Youth age 8-13
July 15th and 16th, 2026 - The 4-H Wonders of Food and Fiber Location: Snow Hill Fire Department-4718 Snow Hill Rd. Snow Hill, MD. (9:00am-3:00pm) Cost $40.00 Youth age 8-13
Please register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wonders-of-a-4-h-summer-2026-tickets-1984314089859

05/14/2026

This week, Ginny is celebrating the flowers of the Tulip Poplar! There was a large Tulip Poplar at the Maryland State House until a hurricane took it down. This year, seedlings of the Tulip Poplar are being planted in many counties to celebrate 250 years of Independence.

05/14/2026

05/08/2026

Here's Ginny's Plant of the Week to show us that snowballs in May can be a beautiful thing!

Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’ or the European Snowball Viburnum has been prized in Europe since the 16 th century as the most recognized viburnum. The plants thrive in moist but well drained soil in full sun to afternoon shade. Plants grow from 10-12 feet tall
and spread 12-14 feet wide with a dense rounded crown. ‘Roseum’ is a sterile cultivar that is spectacular in May when it is covered in large 3 to 4-inch diameter clusters of non-fertile flowers that start out lime green and mature to snow white, giving the plant its
name of Snowball Viburnum. As the flowers mature, they become a light shade of rose which give it its cultivar of ‘Roseum’. Because the flowers are sterile there is no production of fruit, and the plants are often sold as V. opulus ‘Sterile’. The leaves are attached pposite each other on the light gray- brown ribbed stem. Each 3–6-inch green maple shaped leaf has 3-5 lobes and is coarsely toothed with narrow grooved petioles. In autumn the leaves turn and attractive red orange color. There is some susceptibility to bacterial leaf spot, stem blight and powdery mildew, and aphids can damage the
foliage in the early spring. Plants are cold tolerant in USDA zones 3-8

05/04/2026

Join us for Dining with Diabetes, a diabetes education program for adults with type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes and their families. This 4 week series will be held at the Eastern Shore Area Health Education Center in Cambridge, MD.

The Dining with Diabetes program is offered as a series and teaches healthy meal planning and other self-management skills. 2026 Dining with Diabetes Program.

https://go.umd.edu/2026HEC_DWD

05/04/2026

05/04/2026

There is still time to register for this year's Empowering Health Conference | UME Digital Literacy!

Please don't miss out on a dynamic and engaging day at the 2026 Empowering Health & Technology Conference, where innovation, insight, and impact come together.

Date: May 7, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Virtual (Zoom)
Cost: FREE

This year’s conference brings together leaders, practitioners, and innovators to explore how emerging technologies—especially AI—are transforming health systems, workforce development, and community care.

https://marylandersonline.umd.edu/events/2026-empowering-health-conference-0/

What to Expect:

Expert-led sessions on AI in health, digital equity, and workforce transformation
Practical strategies for responsible and inclusive technology adoption
Real-world examples of innovation improving health outcomes
Opportunities to engage with peers across public health, technology, and community sectors
Whether you're a healthcare professional, researcher, educator, or community leader, this conference will provide valuable insights and actionable tools to support your work.

Register today to secure your spot: Meeting Registration - Zoom

Registration deadline: May 6, 2026

We also encourage you to share this opportunity with your networks—your support in helping us spread the word is greatly appreciated.

We look forward to having you join us for this exciting event.

2026 Empowering Health Conference About the Conference

05/01/2026

Spring beauty abounds in Ginny's Plant of the Week. Do you have any in your yard?

Perennial flowering plants can last from 3 years to over 100 years! Almost all have their own time to bloom, from early spring like Phlox subulata or Moss phlox to Aquilegia canadensis or Columbine for late spring blooms. Asclepias tuberosa or Butterfly W**d blooms in early summer while Lobelia cardinalis or Cardinal Flower blooms later in the summer, and Solidago rugosa & #39;Fireworks& #39; or Goldenrod ‘Fireworks’ blooms in the late fall. All of these herbaceous perennials bring color, texture, fragrance and pollinators to the gardens, and all have their season to bloom. That used to be the same for the Iris
germanica or the Tall Bearded Iris that typically bloom in late spring to early summer. Now there are reblooming Iris that will bloom in spring and then again in autumn. This gives the landscape another chance to have tall rainbow-colored fragrant flowers blooming longer. A wonderful white reblooming Iris is ‘Immortality’, with fragrant, pure white ruffled petals and creamy white to pale yellow beards. A sunny yellow reblooming Iris is ‘Summer Olympics’, with lightly fragrant, bright yellow, softly ruffled standards and
falls. The center of each falls has a white blotch that is bisected by yellow veins and a bright yellow beard. ‘Grand Canyon Sunset’ is a spectacular tri-colored Bearded Iris with bright apricot gold upright standards and soft lavender falls that are bordered by a rim of apricot and a bright tangerine beard. There are a rainbow of many more reblooming iris and many with thrive in Maryland. Tall Bearded Iris thrives in full sun in moist but well drained slightly acidic soils. If the soil is heavy clay, they can be planted in raised beds that are designed to drain well. They are cold hardy in USDA zones 3-9, but early bloomers like ‘Summer Olympics’ can have their buds frozen in the colder areas in early spring. The long, sword shaped green foliage grows on the youngest part of the above ground rhizome. Because they bloom more than once a year, they do require in early spring and again in July. Although they are drought tolerant, they do need water during their spring and late summer flowering periods. Deer do not touch either the colorful flowers or the foliage. If the rhizomes are planted too deep, get too
much shade, have become overcrowded or given too much fertilizer they will not bloom. Pests can include slugs, snails, aphids, thrips and Iris borers. Diseases can include bacterial soft rot, crown rot, root rot, leaf spot and mosaic virus. Cool wet weather in spring will often cause the foliage to develop leaf spot. Good sanitation will help keep the rhizomes and flowers thriving and blooming in the landscapes.