Onetime captive behind Iron Curtain grows his dream in WV
By Douglas Imbrogno LEON, W.Va. - If Noah had beached his ark on a certain hilltop in Mason County, it might explain the bounty of animals found there.A host of roosters crow seemingly every other...
View ArticleGarden Guru: The annual lawn invasion begins
By John PorterCHARLESTON, W.Va. - The phone rings. I answer. The person on the other end starts complaining about a small furry creature wreaking havoc in their lawn or landscape.They know what it is,...
View ArticleGarden Guru: Some trees can't be saved
By John PorterCHARLESTON, W.Va. - As I drove down the alley behind the house, I realized I had seen the tree before.Five years ago, I answered a call from the McGraths, an elderly couple in Nitro,...
View ArticleGarden Guru: Excess rain causes garden problems
By John PorterCHARLESTON, W.Va. - This time of year, most people run their vegetable garden on autopilot. Everything has been planted and the harvests may start to slowly trickle in.While the work in...
View ArticleGarden Guru: Growing the biggest and best in the garden
Everyone wants a beautiful flower garden or a productive vegetable garden. So it goes to reason that letting plants grow to their biggest and best is a no-brainer. Often, however, the key to the...
View ArticleAg officials: Floodwater-tainted produce should be discarded
By The Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. - West Virginia agricultural officials are advising growers to discard vegetables that have had contact with floodwaters.The advice comes after weeks of rain...
View ArticleGarden Guru: Storms are a serious risk for produce, trees
By John PorterCHARLESTON, W.Va. - Our region has certainly suffered under an overabundance of rainfall in the last few months.As I traveled this past week to the National Association of County...
View ArticleSmithsonian documents South Hills garden for archive
By By Anna Patrick Staff writer CHARLESTON, W.Va. - If a yard could speak - of its life, its wildlife visitors, its human inhabitants - what would it say?In the case of George and Marion Jones' yard,...
View ArticleSigns of life: Send us your garden photos
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - In the heart of summer - with the skies releasing rainfall almost daily - the plant life is really taking off. Do you have hydrangeas blooming in bright colors of pinks and blues?...
View ArticleRecent rains give 'shroom lovers reason to cheer
By Billy Wolfe CHARLESTON, W.Va. - It might sound hard to believe, but not everyone has been unhappy with the weather lately."I'm one of the few people who is like, 'Yeah! Bring on the rain!'" said...
View ArticleGazette-Mail's 'Garden Guru' columnist wins award
Staff reportsSIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Gazette-Mail "Garden Guru" columnist John Porter was named a national finalist in the 2015 National Association of County Agricultural Agents Communications Awards in...
View ArticleGarden Guru: Working with different pollination
By By John Porter CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Last week I made my way to South Dakota for the annual meeting of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents. It is a fun conference made even more...
View ArticleGarden Guru: Plant now for fall vegetables' last hurrah
By John PorterCHARLESTON, W.Va. - The heat of summer has finally arrived.The blazing sun and sticky humidity are enough to make you want to stay in the cool breeze of the air conditioner. It seems an...
View ArticleSigns of life: Send us your garden photos
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - In the heart of summer - with the skies releasing rainfall almost daily - plant life is really taking off. Do you have hydrangeas blooming in bright colors of pinks and blues?...
View ArticleWV Farm2Fork Team: WV's top chefs feature locally grown ingredients
By By Allen Arnold WV Farm2Fork Team CHARLESTON, W.Va. - When "buy local" becomes the focus of articles in the finance section, you just know that what we have all seen as a continually increasing...
View ArticleGarden Guru: Parasitic plants suck life out of other plants
By John PorterCHARLESTON, W.Va. - When you talk about killer plants, your mind may conjure images of a man-eating plant in "Little Shop of Horrors," insect-eating Venus flytraps or poisonous plants...
View ArticleWV Farm2Fork Team: Get to know your farmer
By By Shelly Keeney WV Farm2Fork Team HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Last week the nation celebrated National Farmers Market Week, and it does seem now more than ever that consumers are choosing to spend their...
View ArticleGarden Guru: Giant hogweed is causing a rash of skin rashes
By John PorterCHARLESTON, W.Va. - Most of us know the plants we want to steer clear of, those we don't want to tangle with.Experience and knowledge tells us there are some plants that fight back...
View ArticleGarden Guru: A trip to the state fair
One of my favorite things to do is to visit the state fair. One of the great things about my job is that I get to do it for work. This past week I had the privilege of once again heading to Lewisburg...
View ArticleRainy weather dampens local produce yields
By Anna Patrick From the looks of produce stands - lined with tomatoes in hues of yellow, red and green, stacked with ears of corn and holding bushels of hot peppers and green beans - it would appear...
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