Virginia Cooperative Extension - Greene Unit

06/02/2026

Greene County 4-H Livestock Club Bake Sale
Support local youth at the Greene 4-H Livestock Club Bake Sale during the Virginia Black Bear Festival

Date: Saturday, June 6, 2026
Location: Virginia Black Bear Festival, Stanardsville, VA
Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (or sold out!)

Stop by to purchase homemade baked goods and support the Greene 4-H Livestock Club.

Payment: Cash or check only
Make checks payable to VCE Greene
$50 fee for returned checks

05/21/2026

Wow- water test kits are going quickly! We only have 13 kits left available for purchase for our June 3 event!

This is a great, economical way to test your water so that you know what you're really drinking. Kits will be available for pick-up starting on Tuesday, May May 26, and will need to be returned to the VCE-Greene office on June 3rd from 7 am - 9 am. Pre-registration is required, and we only have a limited number of testing kits! Kits are $70 each.

To register, visit: https://www.tinyurl.com/greenewater2026.

05/21/2026

We have seen lots of these nymphs already! We are expecting many of them in Greene this year, so get ready. In the comments are links to some helpful resources.

They're baaaack! 🪰 👀 Have you seen spotted lanternfly nymphs in your area? They begin hatching in April.

These invasive insects feed on more than 70 plant species, so check around your yard. If you find any, squash, stomp and smash on sight. 🥾

Another important measure is to remove any invasive tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) on your property. See the comments for resources on tree of heaven ID and treatment methods.

05/19/2026

This is a great resource if you are looking for hay or want to sell hay!

The Virginia Hay Clearing House is a superb resource for those in need of hay.

*NOTE - Due to the severe drought across most of Virginia, be aware that there are shortages of hay this spring.

Click here for the latest edition>>
https://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/pdf/hay.pdf

05/14/2026

Don't forget about our well water testing clinic coming up in 2.5 weeks! This is a great, economical way to test your water so that you know what you're really drinking. Kits will be picked up the week before, and will need to be returned to the VCE-Greene office on June 3rd from 7 am - 9 am. Pre-registration is required, and we only have a limited number of testing kits! Kits are $70 each.

To register, visit: https://www.tinyurl.com/greenewater2026.

05/13/2026

Greene County 4‑H Summer Workshops – 2026

We are excited to offer summer workshops again this year. Space is limited, so we encourage you to register early.
Register for summer workshops here:
https://tinyurl.com/greene4hsummer26

Location:
All workshops will be held at the Greene Extension Office
(11235 Spotswood Trail, Suite B, Ruckersville), unless otherwise noted.

Cost:
$15 per workshop (unless specified).
Cash (exact change) or check accepted.
Checks should be made payable to VCE Greene.
A $50 returned check fee applies.

Little Explorers: Nature Adventure
Date: June 9, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Ages: 5–8
Cost: $15
Youth will explore the natural world through hands-on, sensory activities. Participants will learn about plants and insects, create nature-inspired art, and enjoy outdoor games in a fun and supportive environment.

STEM Day Camp
Date: June 23–24, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Ages: 9–13
Cost: $35
Location: Greene Community Park
Registration for this program is through Greene Parks and Recreation.
Youth will participate in hands-on STEM activities and experiments that build problem-solving skills, teamwork, and curiosity.

Spread the Fun: Bread and Butter
Date: June 26, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Ages: 9–19
Cost: $15
Participants will learn to make homemade bread and butter from scratch. Youth will also create their own flavored butter spreads while building basic kitchen skills.

Noodles from Scratch
Date: July 29, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Ages: 9–19
Cost: $15
Youth will make fresh pasta from scratch and prepare a simple sauce using vegetables from the garden. This workshop focuses on cooking skills and exploring where food comes from.

Slice of the Garden
Date: August 7, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Ages: 9–19
Cost: $15
Participants will create homemade pizza from scratch using fresh vegetables. Youth will prepare sauce and toppings while building kitchen skills and learning about local food sources.

05/08/2026

Our bread is out of the oven! Thanks to all who joined us on our live Zoom tonight! We enjoyed baking with friends from Culpeper, Henrico, and Russell counties! If you missed out this time, that’s okay! We will have another “In A Bag” opportunity in September! We would love to see any photos of your bread creations below! 

04/28/2026

Drought is something we are all concerned about right now. Check out this opportunity below!

Across Virginia, changing conditions this season have a lot of producers planning ahead.

Join us on May 6th at 7PM for an Emergency Drought Management Webinar covering:
- Managing your herd
- Making marketing decisions
- Pasture and Hay management

Join here: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/88282557548

Share with fellow producers who may benefit. For questions, contact Emily Bowman at [email protected] or (540)231-2792

04/27/2026

Egg‑citing things are happening! 🥚✨

Students in five classrooms across the county are taking part in the embryology program! This past week, students got a chance to candle their eggs and peek inside to look for signs of life. They’ve also been learning about the parts of an egg and are excitedly (and patiently!) counting down to hatch day next week. 🥚🐣