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Richland County

Gardening in Richland County Goes Virtual

Published: 2020
By Tim Fine
Weekly gardening classes were scheduled to be held in April at the Richland County MSU Extension office. The intent was to hold four workshops, one every Friday in the month from noon to 1 p.m. When initially scheduled, the intent was to allow clientele the opportunity to learn more about gardening and ask questions to the agent in a more relaxed setting over the lunch hour. When it became apparent that the pandemic would not allow for face-to-face interaction, rather than cancelling the workshops, the format was changed to virtual webinars. Topics for the webinars began with knowing and understanding soils, then focused on raised beds and container gardens, gardening resources, and ended with making a final plan for vegetable and landscape gardens. Transitioning this series to a web-based meeting platform not only boosted attendance, it also allowed for participants from various regions of Montana to join the meeting and interact with the agent and other attendees. The workshops were also recorded and uploaded to Richland County MSU Extension’s Facebook page, which allowed those who were not available at that specific time to go back and watch the presentations. Presentations and material related to horticulture production and backyard gardening continue to be commonly asked for programs in and around Richland County, especially during the beginning of the pandemic when some were concerned about food security. These programs not only addressed the issue of food security but allowed interaction with Extension staff at a time when the physical location was closed.
Stock photo of vegetables