New England Greenhouse Floriculture Guide 2017-2018

–  300+ pages of current recommendations for nonchemical and chemical management of greenhouse insects, mites, diseases, weeds and algae, plus recommendations for using plant growth regulators –  Guidelines specific to New England, in a durable plastic comb binding –  Extensive, practical information about using biocontrol organisms to manage insects and mites – Information about how […]

Bridging the Gap Between Classroom & Cafeteria

By Catherine Hallisey, FoodCorps Connecticut Fellow | Nov 30, 2016 Originally published by: foodcorps.org Big things are happening with farm to school in New London. The school district has a team of administrators, teachers, principals, non-profit organizations, and FoodCorps service members who are working towards one shared goal: “Every New London student will graduate educated and empowered to grow food, eat well, and […]

CT 10% Campaign Reaches $3 Million Goal

BuyCTGrown, a project of UConn Extension with CitySeed of New Haven, is excited to celebrate reaching $3 million in locally grown products that were purchased and reported by residents and businesses through its website. Starting in August 2013, BuyCTGrown invited consumers and businesses to take a pledge to commit 10% of their food and gardening […]

Dehydrate Some Local Apples: Preserve The Flavor

By:      Diane Wright Hirsch, MPH             Extension Educator/Food   There is nothing quite like a fresh fall apple, crunchy sweet/tart and delicious. Fast forward to that supermarket apple in April. Mushy, grainy textured, with significantly less crunch and flavor. The season for apple growing usually comes to an end in November in Connecticut. Through […]

Food Safety Modernization Act Info Session

Are you still wondering how the FSMA Produce Safety Rule will affect your life and your livelihood? The University of Connecticut Extension in cooperation with the Connecticut Department of Agriculture/USDA Specialty Crops program is providing an opportunity for farmers to learn more about FSMA.   We will discuss the rule, exemptions from the rule, key […]

Low Impact Development in Connecticut

Connecticut towns are increasingly recognizing the impact of stormwater runoff on water quality. Low impact development (LID), also called green stormwater infrastructure, is a major strategy to address these issues. The Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) program at the Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) has been working with towns on these […]

Welcome Lindsey Brush to CT FANs IM!

Lindsey is the new Program Assistant for the Connecticut Fitness and Nutrition Clubs In Motion. Lindsey is a recent graduate of the University of St. Joseph’s in West Hartford with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics. Lindsey is also pursuing a certification as a personal trainer from National Academy of Sports Medicine. She […]

Giving Tuesday

With the end of year and holidays approaching, consider making your gift to UConn Extension. Here are ways you can show your support: Make a Gift Online You can make a gift online by accessing the UConn Extension Online Giving Page: http://s.uconn.edu/extension There are three UConn Extension Foundation accounts featured on the site: The Cooperative […]

Become a First Detector

By Joan Allen The National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) was formed along with the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) in 2002. The mission of the NPDN is to enhance national agricultural security by quickly detecting and identifying introduced pests and pathogens. This is accomplished through the creation of a nationwide network of diagnostic laboratories […]

Put Local on Your Tray

To our neighbors across the ocean, lunch in American schools is evidence of our culinary inferiority. The fact that one third of the nation’s children are growing up overweight and obese leads many to point a finger at school food. But in reality, the age of sloppy joes and tater tots is steadily giving way […]

Water Solutions

Irrigation and plant pathogens, or infectious organisms, in water are recurring themes for Rosa Raudales, an Assistant Professor of Horticulture and Greenhouse Extension Specialist. Rosa’s first job was on a plantain irrigation project in Honduras. As an undergraduate, her thesis focused on pathogens in hydroponic systems, where plants are grown in a soilless system. Rosa […]

CYFAR Summer Experience at Auerfarm

By Sherry Gray The Auerfarm is a 4-H Education Center with 120 acres located in the northwest section of Bloomfield, Connecticut. The Farm was deeded to the non-profit Connecticut 4–H Development Fund in 1976; however; has a rich history dating back to the early years of the 20th Century. The farm served as a model […]

Creating a Food Safety Culture

A report by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) published in 2013 described the increasingly evident relationship between produce and foodborne illness: over a ten year period, from 1998 to 2008, produce was responsible for 46% of diagnosed foodborne illness where a source was determined. This often surprises consumers who normally consider meat and poultry […]

Pumpkins are a Terrible Thing to Waste…

By:     Diane Wright Hirsch, MPH             UConn Extension Educator/Food   Pumpkins are thought to have originated in North America. Early colonists learned of pumpkins from Native American Indians for whom pumpkin was a dietary staple. They would often cut strips of pumpkin and roast them on an open fire before eating. These resourceful people […]

NIFA Programs Salute and Assist Veterans and their Families

Posted by Brent Elrod and Desiree Rucker, National Institute of Food and Agriculture Whether protecting our nation and its highest ideals with military service or ensuring a safe, abundant, and nutritious food supply as veterans, we are grateful for their willingness to serve. For more than 35 years, USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) […]

Plant Diagnostic App Available for Android

The Plant Sample Submission App, developed in cooperation with Purdue and other universities, is supported by the UConn Plant Diagnostic Lab. The download is free and is available for iPhones, iPads (at app store) and now Android devices at: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.in3.samplesubmission If UConn is the selected lab in the app, submissions, including information & images, go […]

Telling Stories With Maps

Most people like to look at maps. How many times have you looked at a map just to figure out where you’re going, and then become distracted by towns, rivers and mountains off to the side? And in this day and age, maps—including satellite imagery—are all around us, on our phones and in our cars. […]

Communities Invited to Apply for First Impressions

First Impressions Community Exchange Program “great reminder of what matters” As a new holiday season approaches, most of us know how hard it is to take time off from our commitments and busy schedules to do something new. But recent research by organizational psychologists and neurologists finds that having new experiences – new sounds, sights, […]

PEP Celebrates 20th Anniversary

In 1993, Extension Educator Cherry Czuba and a social services coordinator in a Windham low-income housing project taught family life information and community development strategies to five natural leaders in the community. Each participant committed a year, attended ten 2-hour training sessions, went to monthly meetings, and addressed community issues through projects. In 1994, Cherry […]

A Foundation in 4-H

Solomon “Sol” Boucher of Tolland exemplifies the 4-H motto of making the best better. Sol has taken the foundation in leadership and citizenship skills developed through the 4-H program to a global stage, impacting his community, and a wider audience. In 2003, 10-year old Sol joined the Mighty Mix 4-H Club. Deb Couture and Felicia […]

Environmental Leadership Award Winners

The UConn Environmental Policy Advisory Council recently awarded their 2013-2016 Environmental Leadership Awards, and we are pleased to announce that UConn Extension educators were recognized. The NEMO Rain Garden Outreach Team, consisting of Dave Dickson and Mike Dietz won the Team Award. Mike Dietz also won the Alumni award. Luc Dang, a former intern with our […]

Connecticut Sea Grant Receives Research to Application Award

Sea Grant Association Research to Application Award Presented to Connecticut (CT), Maine (ME) and New Hampshire (NH) Sea Grant Programs NEWPORT, RI— Seaweed cultivation is a rapidly growing industry in New England, providing new economic opportunities for seaside communities and would-be sea vegetable farmers. The widespread efforts to improve the growth and marketing of seaweeds in […]

4-H Volunteer Marcia Johnson

Twenty-eight years as an elementary school teacher has not dampened the enthusiasm of 4-H volunteer Marcia Johnson. She’s upbeat, energetic and clearly excited about teaching. Five years ago, Johnson created a school gardening program for her students at John Barry Elementary School in Meriden. When Johnson took a position at Meriden’s Nathan Hale School, she […]

Master Gardener Volunteer Tracy Burrell

We have 1,587 active Master Gardener volunteers in Connecticut. In 2015, they donated 34,555 hours of community service to towns and cities throughout the state, with an economic value of $797,183. Master Gardener offices are in each of the county offices, on the Storrs campus, and the Bartlett Arboretum in Stamford. Tracy Burrell of Mystic […]

Pick Your Own Apples – Avoid Those with Bird Droppings

By Diane Wright Hirsch, MPH Extension Educator/Food Safety Connecticut has an abundance of farms that open their gates to those who want to pick their own raspberries, apples, vegetables and other seasonal offerings. I have picked raspberries well into October in the past, though I am not sure how the hot summer and early fall have […]

10 Tips for the October Gardener

Ten Tips for the October Gardener: Remove, bag and trash any gypsy moth or bagworm egg masses or spray with a horticultural oil to smother them. This summer was very dry so continue to water ornamental plants up until a hard frost. Clean up any remaining debris from the garden beds but do not add […]

November Classes at CLIR

UConn Extension’s Center for Learning In Retirement (CLIR) classes for November (all held in Vernon Cottage on the UConn Depot campus): Why You Shouldn’t Worry Too Much About Who Wins the White House This November; Tuesday, November 1; 1:15-2:45 The Symphony; Wednesdays; November 2, 9, and 16; 1:15-2:45 Memoir Club; Thursdays, November 3, 10, and […]

Wind Firm Forests

Driving down a Connecticut road with a canopy of green overhead delights Connecticut residents. But when a storm strikes, those same trees frustrate residents by blocking roads and causing power outages. Connecticut is the fourth most densely populated state in the union, and with 75% of the land covered by trees, power outages frequently occur. […]

Auerfarm: Growing Opportunities

The 120-acre 4-H Education Center at Auerfarm is a private, non-profit education center located in Bloomfield. Over 15,000 students and family members participate in year-round 4-H curriculum-based school science programs, animal clubs, and Junior Master Gardening projects annually. Hartford entrepreneur and retailer Beatrice Fox Auerbach and her husband purchased the farm in 1925. Beatrice took […]

Making Healthier Homes

What do we mean by a healthy home? According to housing and public health experts, it is a home that is designed and maintained to support the health and safety of its residents. In his 2009 Call to Action to Promote Healthy Homes, the U.S. Surgeon General stated that by improving housing conditions—for example, by […]

Vegetable IPM Class of 2016

Each year, UConn Extension Educator Jude Boucher helps commercial vegetable growers find sustainable solutions to pest problems. The program emphasizes healthy soils, balanced plant nutrition, proper pest and beneficial identification, scouting and monitoring techniques, preventative management strategies, reduced-risk pesticide selection application, and resistance management. Farmers apply to become part of the program, as space is […]

Spanish Sessions at Northeast Greenhouse Conf.

The Northeast Greenhouse Conference will feature Spanish language sessions, presented by UConn Extension educator Rosa Raudales on Wednesday, November 9th. Raudales session on diagnosing disease is one of four Spanish sessions being offered. The others include: understanding plants, good and bad bugs, and working safely in greenhouses. Space is limited and attendees are advised to register […]

Deadline Extended – Become a UConn Extension Master Gardener

UConn Extension is accepting applications for the 2017 Master Gardener Program. Master Gardener interns receive horticultural training from UConn, and then share knowledge with the public through community volunteering and outreach efforts. Enrollment in the UConn Extension Master Gardener program is limited and competitive. “Gardening and the study of it is something we can do […]