WHEELING – The Ohio County Master Gardeners will hold their regular monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14.

The meeting will take place at Vance Memorial Presbyterian Church, 905 National Road, Wheeling.

The speaker will be Eric Blend. He will instruct the group on the gardening calendar, timing planting for optimum results and raising backyard chickens.

Blend is the owner and lead grower of The Blended Homestead in Wheeling, where he transformed a small backyard garden into a thriving 40-acre agricultural operation. A graduate of West Virginia University, Blend focuses on intensive market gardening and soil vitality through pesticide-free, regenerative growing practices. His expertise spans a variety of diverse crops, ranging from heirloom tomatoes and specialty peppers to native forest products like wild ramps.

Beyond the field, Blend is a passionate educator who uses The Blended Homestead’s Facebook page to share technical insights on closed-loop fertility and pollinator health. He is dedicated to strengthening the local food system by teaching others how to scale sustainable gardening into community food sovereignty.

For more information regarding the Master Gardener Program, contact the Ohio County Extension Office by emailing OhioCountyExtension@mail.wvu.edu or calling 304-234-3673.