Virginia Cooperative Extension outlines local programs and volunteer support for Powhatan farms and schools

Kathy Howland, unit coordinator and 4-H extension agent with Virginia Cooperative Extension, presented the office’s programs to the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors on May 19, 2025, describing local education, research and extension services for farmers, youth and residents.

Howland said the office’s work is grounded in Virginia Tech and Virginia State University research and includes soil and hay testing, a growing well water testing program, Master Gardener volunteer work and youth 4-H activities. “We have publications, fact sheets that we send out all the time to residents that are calling with questions,” she said.

The presentation emphasized volunteer capacity and local partnerships. Howland said Master Gardeners and 4-H volunteers provided the county with an estimated volunteer-hour value of $33.49, and that the office serves both Powhatan and Goochland counties. She gave counts of volunteers and outreach last year: about 64 Master Gardeners, 72 4-H volunteers and roughly 70 residents participating in well water testing.

John Few, the county agriculture and natural resources extension agent, described technical services including on‑site visits, hay and soil testing, a livestock scale available for loan and commercial-applicator training conducted with Goochland Extension. Howland said the office is piloting a five-week “farm to table” series that teaches growing techniques in the first half of each session and cooking in the second.

Speakers and attendees discussed small-farm needs and local marketing. A local grower who identified herself as Cass described a diversified vegetable operation that sells twice-weekly at a farm stand and through a small hospital market, and said she would welcome county help connecting local producers and promoting farm-to-table collaborations. Howland also noted collaboration with Powhatan Leadership Institute, the anti-litter council and schools on programs including embryology projects and in-classroom agriculture education.

Howland urged the county to consider restoring a full-time family and consumer sciences (FCS) agent, a position she said has often been cut when budgets tightened. She said the FCS role supports financial literacy, workforce development, nutrition and canning/food-safety training and can recruit master financial and food volunteers.

On funding, Howland explained that extension agents in Powhatan are not county employees: Virginia Tech administers payroll and benefits, and local funding is provided via invoices from the university. She asked the board to consider partnerships that would expand outreach and help first‑time and small farmers access programs offered by the universities.

The presentation closed with an invitation for supervisors and residents to collaborate on farmer roundtables, farm tours and local-marketing efforts. Howland offered the extension office as a resource for resident questions about safety, well water testing and agricultural best practices.