Protecting and improving water, soil, and other natural resources
Garrett Soil Conservation District
Important Announcements
Fruit Tree and Bush Sale
Ordering for 2027 is Now Open
We have begun taking orders for the 2027 Fruit Tree and Bush Sale. You can order any time between now and April 1, and as many times as you would like between now and April 1.
We have some great heirlooms, some of which are hard to find or very expensive elsewhere. Supplies are limited, and we cannot get more of those. So, if you want an heirloom, we recommend ordering sooner, rather than later. We also have some newer varieties.
Pick up will be mid-April 2027.
For questions, contact jeannie.frazee@maryland.gov
GSCD 2026 Scholarship
2026 Scholarship Winners
- Charlie McCrobie
- Cristy Enlow
- Molly Magruder – Sustain Grant
- Connor Clary – Sustain Grant
Each winner will receive a $1000 scholarship for fall 2026. Congratulations Charlie, Cristy, Molly, and Connor!
Cooperator's Dinner
Reservations Now Open
- October 29, 2026
- Doors open 6 pm, Dinner at 6:30 pm
- Bittinger Mennonite Gymnasium
- Adults $12.00, Age 6-12 $7.00, under 5 free
- Deadline to Reserve is October 15, 2026
Menu: Chicken or Ham, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Green Beans, Corn, Roll, Salad, Dessert, and Beverage.
District Purchases Educational Equipment
The District has purchased an Erosion Simulator Table and additional equipment for the Rainfall Simulator to make it more mobile. The total cost was $11,559.81. Funds for the purchases were provided by the Sustain Our Future Foundation.
Equipment will be used to teach area students and the public about erosion, cover crops, and soil conservation.
If you would like to schedule a demonstration for your club or group, contact Seth Metheny at seth.metheny1@maryland.gov.
Youth Win Cash
This year, in lieu of the 4H Club Booth displays, the District created a new Photo Contest. 4H and FFA youth could enter.
The main focus of the photo was required to include an agricultural best management practice (BMP).
Prizes Winners Were:
1st – $100 – Audrey Hawkins – Photo of HUA and pollinator planting at Custer Farm
2nd – $75 – Wyatt Funkhouser – Photo of a high tunnel at the Funkhouser Farm
3rd – $50 – Bowden Warnick – Photo of Contour Strips at Kenny Green Farm.
Great job winners!
Thank you to everyone who entered. For those interested in entering next year, make sure you read up on Agricultural Best Management Practices before next year’s photo.
Receive Email Updates
To receive regular Farmer Updates by email please contact jeannie.frazee@maryland.gov to be added to the list.
District Board of Supervisors Meetings
Regular meetings of the Garrett Soil Conservation District Board of Supervisors will be held in person at the GSCD office on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. (May’s meeting will be the third Monday.)
Anyone having an item to discuss with the Supervisors is invited to attend any of the meetings. Please click on the “Current Agenda” button for the meeting agenda. Note that the agenda will not be posted until several days ahead of the meeting.
Meetings will begin at 7:00 PM. All dates and times are subject to change if weather conditions, workload, or other factors make it necessary.
CURRENT AGENDA
Current Agenda will be posted several days ahead of each meeting.
The next Monthly Meeting of the Garrett Soil Conservation District Board of Supervisors will be held on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., at the Board Room in the Extension office, 1916 Maryland Hwy, Mt Lake Park. The meeting is open to the public.
Equipment Rentals
The District has a No-Till Drill and a Lime Spreader available for rent. The rental fee for the Drill is $10 per acre. Lime Spreader is $3 ton. For more information, or to request a rental, please call our office at 301-501-5886 or email jeannie.frazee@maryland.gov
New Equipment Rental Policy
Effective April 21, 2025, individuals renting the Drill or Lime Spreader must provide a credit card for payment prior to taking the equipment.
Once you are finished, the card will automatically be charged for your usage.
If the equipment you rented is returned dirty or broken, there will be a $350 Cleaning & Maintenance fee charged to your card as well. You can avoid this fee easily by returning it clean and in the same condition as when you picked it up.
E&S Review
For more information about Erosion and Sediment Review Fees, please visit the Erosion & Sediment Control page of this website.
Make sure you check out our “Announcements” tab in the top menu for more important updates.
More District News
Southern Salamanders Won
The Southern Salamanders Envirothon team won this year’s Garrett County Envirothon. They competed in the State Envirothon in June.
Donations to Local Envirothon
The GSCD has donated training supply trunks to both the Southern and Northern Envirothon teams. Each trunk consists of equipment that will help students better study toward Envirothon competitions.
Trunks cost $1000 each but contain $1500 worth of supplies that our local students may not have access to otherwise.
Children's Newsletter
The District has created a Children’s newsletter that is available free of charge to any child or group that works with children.
The newsletter is 12 pages long and contains simple soil science and conservation facts in the form of stories, games, and activities. The newsletter is geared to elementary age.
To obtain printed copies, please email jeannie.frazee@maryland.gov. There is no charge.
New No-Till Drill is Here
The new no-till drill has arrived. To be added to the list to rent the drill call 301-501-5860 or email jeannie.frazeee@maryland.gov.
Also, the Lime Spreader is back in operation!
GSCD Outreach Donations
Donations to outreach from January 2026 to June 2026 from GSCD to community groups include:
- $3982.32 worth of educational equipment to Garrett County 4-H
- $6474.00 in training materials and apparel to Garrett County Envirothon teams
- $4000.00 in scholarships to local students
- $4260.00 to Garrett County FFA teams to attend the State FFA Convention
- $3000.00 to State Envirothon
- $2358.00 in trees donated to communities around Garrett County for public spaces
Helping Local Farmers
Find out more about cost-share funding that is currently available. From high tunnels to fencing to storage and more, your District helps supports our agricultural community.
Helping the Local Community
Find out what the District is doing in our local community. Learn how the Garrett Soil Conservation District supports community education, 4-H, FFA, and more.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR OUTREACH
GSC Newsletters
Keep informed about what is happening with the Garrett Soil Conservation District. Learn interesting facts. Find out what services are available to local farmers and community members.
Call 301-501-5886 or email jeannie.frazee@maryland.gov to be added to the list.
Want to Know More About What the District Has Been Doing?
Read about the impact that your Soil Conservation District has had on Garrett County.
Be sure to follow us on Facebook for all the latest. And please tell your friends about us too!
Photo Gallery
Want to see some great, old photographs from the county? Be sure to visit our Gallery, under the “Contact” tab and our old Oakland flood photos under “Education” > “County Dams”.
