Almost 130 people came to the First Baptist Church in Forney on Saturday, February 22, 2014 to attend Farming by the Yard, the Kaufman County Master Gardeners 2014 Spring Seminar. Jeff Raska, Texas A&M AgriLife Poultry Educator for Dallas County, discussed selecting appropriate breeds of chickens for the backyard coop, how to be a good neighbor while raising city chickens, characteristics of a good coop, and other important factors to consider when making the decision on whether backyard chickens are for you.

Master Gardener Dianne Kaufman explained the history of edible landscapes and offered many examples of ways to incorporate edible plants—flowers, herbs, vegetables—into the home landscape. She also provided lists of edible plants most suitable for inclusion in your yard.

Laura Miller, Texas A&M AgriLife Commercial Horticulture Extension Agent for Tarrant County, talked about the types of stone fruits—peaches, nectarines and others—that grow well in our area and discussed problems to look out for and some management best practices. She also spoke about nuts, particularly pecans, which are suitable for our area.

All three speakers were available during the morning to answer questions and offer advice, as were about two dozen local Master Gardeners. Participants also visited information booths, shopped at vendor booths and the silent auction and enjoyed light refreshments.