Do you like to volunteer, dig in the soil, and get your hands dirty? Planting and harvesting vegetables, experimenting with cover crops, and reducing tillage can be great fun as well. Virginia Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and the Fauquier Education Farm offer two tangible ways to volunteer, dig in the soil, get your hands dirty, and give back to the community. 

Tim Ohlwiler elaborates on how these volunteer-based programs serve as living laboratories where theory and hands-on practice merge for the benefit of participants and communities. Tim is an extension agent for horticulture with Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) in Fauquier County, Virginia. Tim was recognized as a friend of 4-H for his youth educational programming in 2023. Tim helps coordinate the local Master Gardener program and serves on the board of the Fauquier Education Farm. 

To learn about Virginia Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener, please call your local Virginia Cooperative Extension unit. Enjoy a virtual tour of the Fauquier Education Farm and learn about its programs and ways to support its mission at https://www.fauquiereducationfarm.org/. 

For questions about soil and water conservation and the protection of natural resources, call or visit a USDA Service Center, or a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office near you to learn about education programs, funding opportunities, and the technical assistance offered. 

To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. Recent 4 The Soil blog posts resources can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/.

As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement through gardening, farming, and volunteering in your community. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.