One of the most charming things about Smith Mountain Lake is the blend of agricultural land and small-town friendliness with the convenience and access of a much bigger city. Along with this simpler, more rural lifestyle, however, can come a lot of questions related to living so close to the great outdoors. What kind of bug is eating my flowers? Why are my tomatoes not bearing fruit? Where do you go with questions like these? The answer is the Virginia Cooperative Extension Agency or VCE, a partnership between the state, Virginia Tech, and Virginia State University to bring a wealth of information on topics related to agriculture, families, and 4-H. Their website provides a list of the offices in each county here, but most Smith Mountain Lake residents’ local office will be in Franklin County (540-483-5161), Bedford County (540-586-7675), or Pittsylvania (434-432-7770). If you’re curious about the type of information the VCE can provide you, check out their resource page here. Whatever your question, the Cooperative Extension Service can surely provide you with an answer!
