Extension Express
Summer 2023
Welcoming New Team Members
Summer is in full swing, and our UConn Extension programs are actively serving your community. We are excited to welcome many new educators to our team. Some of these new hires have replaced retiring educators, while others are strategically focused on critical issues and challenges facing Connecticut.
Visit our Land Use Planning, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education, Sea Grant, 4-H, and Agriculture programs to meet just a few of our new educators. We also have several searches open and look forward to welcoming additional educators in the coming months.
New team members include:
- Renata Bertotti, Land Use Planning
- Talia Clarke, Sustainable Food Systems
- Sarah Schechter, Sea Grant
- Bonnie Kegler, UConn 4-H Windham County
We also have several team members starting later this summer:
- New Haven County EFNEP Program Assistant
- Fairfield County EFNEP Assistant
- Sea Grant Resilience Educator
- Sea Grant/Long Island Sound Study Outreach Coordinator
We invite you to join us at a UConn Extension program this summer. A few are highlighted below, and more are available at our website. You can also reach out anytime and ask us a question.
Flooding Resources Available
Support and Information for Agricultural Producers, Residents, and Municipalities
Many of our communities are affected by the statewide flooding from the Connecticut River after heavy rains in New York and Vermont. There is more rain expected this weekend, and flooding conditions may continue. UConn Extension has the following resources to support agricultural producers, consumers, residents, and others affected. These include information on how agricultural producers can report crop losses, consumer information, and Extension resources for municipalities. We encourage everyone to stay safe and be proactive.
Master Gardener Plant Clinic at the Darien Library
The Master Gardener program offers a Plant Clinic at the Bartlett Arboretum in Stamford, one of our program locations. Pat Carroll, Coordinator for the Bartlett Arboretum location, wanted to extend their reach since we have Master Gardeners and clients who live in communities ranging from Greenwich to Fairfield and as far north as Ridgefield and Redding.
Pat met with Joanne Gabriel who is both a Master Gardener and a Darien Library employee. “Joanne shared my enthusiasm of offering Plant Clinic at the library. We decided to run a trial of eight sessions on consecutive Friday mornings in May and June,” she said.
They met with a small group of Master Gardeners to determine the necessary materials, a topic of the day for each session, and a plan for handing off cases that require further research.
“There was a lot of enthusiasm and positive outreach each Friday we were set up at Darien Library,” Joanne says. “Sometimes we had plant cases, sometimes we just talked gardening, garden design, or hot topics. Each week there was a different theme for patrons to learn something new about. Finally, it was a great way for Master Gardeners to socialize, talk and learn from each other, something I think that was lost a bit during COVID.”
The Plant Clinic provided information, pamphlets, live demonstrations, and samples. There are discussions to continue offering some programming for the community in conjunction with the Darien Library. Learn more about the program at s.uconn.edu/gardener.
Upcoming Events
Latino Conservation Week
July 15th - 9:30 AM - 2 PM
Connecticut Science Center, Hartford
In recognition of Latino Conservation Week, the Connecticut Science Center and UConn Extension's Urban and Community Forestry program are joining forces to provide a unique learning opportunity for teens and their families to discover potential job paths related to conservation and environmental science. Interactive, bilingual sessions will foster enjoyable and meaningful experience for all generations, and local organizations will be present with fun activities and information.
Join us!
Other Upcoming Events
- Latino Conservation Week Event at CT Science Center (July 15)
- Honey Bee Latino Conservation Week Event (July 18)
- De la Tierra Venimos Latino Conservation Week Event (July 19)
- Bug Week activities (July 24-29)
- CNLA Summer Field Day (July 26 - stop and visit us there)
- 4-H Fairs (July 28th through August 20th at various locations)
- Plant Science Day at CAES (August 2 - stop and visit us there)
- Vegetable IPM Field Workshop (August 8)
- Meat and Poultry HACCP Course (August 23-25)
Extension Interns
Summer 2023: Extension Interns Share Their Experiences
UConn Extension offers experiential learning to undergraduate students each summer through our internship program. Each of the UConn students is paired with an Extension educator, and gains experiences with our programs that can help launch their careers. Our students share their experiences with the various statewide educators and programs from summer 2023.