AGRILIFE EXTENSION SETS BACKYARD BASICS SERIES IN MONAHANS

BY: Steve Byrns, Extension Communications Specialist

Need information on raising poultry or vegetables? How about making salsa or preserving home grown produce?

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Backyard Basics “The Art of Self-Reliance Program” offers information on these topics and much more, said Caleb Eaton, AgriLife Extension agent in Ward County.

Eaton said each segment of the program series will be conducted from 6-8 p.m. on March 3, May 12, June 30, Aug. 25, Sept. 15 and Oct. 20 in the Ward County Convention Center, 400 E. 4th St. In Monahans.

The series topics in order by date are Home Vegetable Gardening, Backyard Fruit and Nut Production, Sizzling Summer Salsa, Preserving Homegrown Food, Backyard Poultry and Homegrown Gifts.

“This whole AgriLife Extension series is geared toward the homeowner who wants that taste of ‘homegrown, homemade,’ but just doesn’t quite know how to attain it,” Eaton said. “I predict this will be a very popular series, because it deals with many of the very topics we at the AgriLife Extension office get calls on the most.”

“The Backyard Basics Program was created by AgriLife Extension staffers in Bexar and surrounding counties for the South Central Texas area, and we are excited to be bringing this programming approach out west,” Eaton said.

“Folks across the country and even in Ward County are becoming more and more interested in producing safe food at home for their families and neighbors to enjoy. West Texas has its own challenges when it comes to food production, and each of our sessions will offer tips and procedures that are specific to our semi-arid climate.”

Individual registration is $20 per session due upon arrival.