By Connie Patterson  

Carbon County Comet Contributor

The last Marty Perue Memorial Golden Pitchfork award of the season was presented to Jody and Jack Moore.

Jack has lived on the property where he and Jody now make their home his entire life. He said the “shop disguised as a two-bedroom house” next door is where he and his four siblings were raised. 

By Connie Patterson

Valley Service Organization

People living in Saratoga often must contend with deer that like to munch on their flowers, trees and bushes, but according to the newest recipient of VSO’s Marty Perue Golden Pitchfork award, people living in subdivisions outside of town must also contend with antelope searching for tasty snacks.

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

My gardens have not gotten the attention this year I would like to give them.

I have two homes and it seems like an impossible dream to keep up with the mowing and then the weeding required to make the gardens look good.

Now to make my situation worse, the grasshoppers are coming out.

Nasty little creatures.

By Connie Patterson

Carbon County Comet Contributor

Bob and Sierra Smith are the winners of the first Marty Perue Golden Pitchfork Traveling Award this summer. The Smith’s yard is stunning for its many perennials that come up year after year, making it an early visual delight while many of us are still waiting for the weather to cooperate.

By Liz Swynarczuk

Carbon County Comet Contributor

You’ve probably seen it along roadsides, in fields and meadows, maybe even in your yard. Clusters of tiny white flowers topping a strong, sturdy stalk with sage green fern-like leaves. Some think it smells sweet, others say pungent, or spicy, while others believe it stinks. No matter the scent, this is Yarrow and it has been used medicinally for thousands of years.

By Dana Davis

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

The Saratoga Story Hour at the local library is a weekly event for the community’s young readers. This week, the children in attendance were treated to a special activity - planting vibrant flowers in the barrels that line the library’s front entrance.

By Liz Swynarczuk

Carbon County Comet Contributor

By Connie Patterson

Carbon County Comet Contributor

 The Saratoga Friends of the Library will host an informative program about gardening in Wyoming’s challenging climate at the Saratoga Library on Thursday, May 16th at 6:30pm. 

By Dana Davis

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

A lot of my gardening expertise–if you can call it that– is by doing it wrong the first time and learning what works on a second and third effort.

Currently, I have a shining example of my abilities in that I have kept a tomato plant, I grew from a seed last summer, alive all winter and it is still large.

By Mike Armstrong    

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

The Hanna Agriculture Resource Team (HART) has come out of hibernation and met on March 26 in the Heart of Hanna store.

By Mike Armstrong    

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

As much as I hate when it starts getting cold and frost starts to appear, I know I don’t have time to bum out and have to get myself in gear to get ready to shut down my gardens and patio.

Carbon County proves year after year, that cold weather comes quick and you have to be ready or a lot of dead plants are going to happen. 

By Connie Patterson    

Valley Service Organization

 Gourds and grapes are two of the unique plants that helped Connie and John Powell earn VSO’s Marty Perue Memorial Golden Pitchfork award.

The Powells have lived in their home for many years and have turned what was once a sagebrush lot into a beautiful yard and garden. 

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

Zucchini is probably being harvested in most gardens in Carbon County, if not already done so. A type of squash, botanically, a zucchini is definitely a fruit. It comes from seeds, and it flowers on a part of the zucchini plant. Zucchini blossoms are beautiful and tasty.

Like the tomato which is a fruit, and it’s legally considered a veggie.

By Mike Armstrong

Reporter, Carbon County Comet

Dealing with pesky deer and their voracious appetite for your beloved plants can be a never-ending battle for garden enthusiasts.