Warmer weather encourages many types of outdoor activities, it pays to be aware of certain plants that can make the outdoor experience unpleasant. Poison ivy leads the list of plants that cause skin irritation, or dermatitis. For those who are very sensitive to the effects of the oil produced by the poison ivy plant, direct […]
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Hemp Fest Registration Open
Dear hemp growers, service providers, and businesses interested in the hemp industry, We invite you to join us for an educational and networking event on Thursday, June 2, 2022, from 3-7 pm at Running Brook Farms, Killingworth, CT. The educational portion will include farmer panel discussions covering Hemp IPM as well as reduced tillage for […]
FSA Job Openings
Hartford/Tolland County FSA Hiring for Two Temporary Program Technician Positions The Hartford/Tolland County Farm Service Agency (FSA) office in Windsor, CT is hiring two full time, Temporary Program Technicians (PTs). The deadline to apply is May 27, 2022. Duties include general office activities supporting FSA programs administered at the field level. These positions will support […]
Job Opening – Project Outreach Coordinator in Northeast Connecticut
Job Opening – Project Outreach Coordinator in Northeast Connecticut (Accepting applications until May 30, 2022) UConn Extension is actively seeking to fill a part-time, six month position of Project Outreach Educator in Northeast Connecticut. This is an exciting opportunity for the right person who is versatile, responsive, and demonstrates an interest in local food and […]
Ian Harrington: Why I Vaccinated
Ian Harrington of the Access Community Action Agency in Windham discusses why he received the COVID-19 vaccine. Funding for this project was made possible by the Extension Foundation, USDA-NIFA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and UConn Extension.
Infant Formula Shortage
Infant Formula Shortage – y en Espanol Have you or someone you know been impacted by the infant formula supply shortage? You may be wondering how this happened and what to do about it. In February 2022, Abbott Laboratory, an infant formula company, recalled several of its formulas due to complaints about infants affected after […]
Soil Health Trailer Tour
Using Coffee Grounds in Your Garden
We are frequently asked if coffee grounds can be used in a garden. The short answer is yes, coffee grounds can be used in garden soil! Coffee grounds contain some major nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) as well as some micronutrients, so put them to work in your garden. Allow them to dry and then […]
Why I Vaccinated
Cande explains why she got vaccinated for COVID-19, https://youtu.be/yBca5K3FZVk Y, en Espanol, ¿Por qué es importante para usted recibir la vacuna contra el COVID-19? https://youtu.be/R5aP4kEUPag
Managing Bentgrass in Home Lawns
We’re frequently asked about Bentgrass. It’s the grass that looks dead when everything else is green, has the puffy appearance, and is squishy when you step on it. Pamm Cooper from our UConn Home & Garden Education Center explains what bentgrass is and how you can manage it in your lawn.
Green Snow Pro: Best Practices for Salt Application
The scientific studies continue to pile up, and confirm the same thing: road salt is causing lots of problems in our streams, lakes and groundwater. The majority of salt applied is sodium chloride, also known as rock salt. In the absence of a new “miracle” deicer, salt will continue to be the most cost-effective product […]
Seedlings in a Lawn
Friend or foe? What are those seedlings coming up in your lawn? We are getting numerous calls and e-mails from people all around the state about seedlings coming up in their lawns and gardens. They believe, or are being told, that these are poison ivy, when in fact they are maple seedlings. People need […]
Long Island Sound teacher workshop planned for May 21
Come tour and learn about Copps Island Oyster Company, Sheffield Island Lighthouse, the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge and how to take your students on an interdisciplinary field trip that incorporates NGSS, history and science into an unforgettable educational experience for all grade levels. Please see the flier attached here for details! Date: May […]
UConn 4-H Escape Moves to the Next Level
The UConn 4-H program introduced escape rooms in 2019 as a tool for teaching concepts and content to youth in a fun and interactive manner. This saw great success among audiences of all ages and was repeated a second time in early 2020. Then March 2020 introduced the pandemic and shuttered all in-person 4-H programming. […]
A Community of Farms in Northeastern Connecticut
The UConn Extension Sustainable Food Systems program launched a new brand in Northeastern Connecticut to help connect residents in the region with farms and farmers providing products directly to consumers. This new brand “Grown ConNECTed: A Community of Farms in Northeastern Connecticut” consists of a new website (grownconNECTed.org) with multiple resources for finding farms that […]
Webinar by CLEAR
UConn Center for Land Use Education and Research is hosting a webinar on “Planning and Funding Brownfield Site Investigations” on Wednesday June 1st at 1pm. This webinar will provide an overview of the different phases of site investigation (typically called Phase I, II and III), typical costs for each and potential funding sources, how to […]
Raising awareness to help sturgeon make a comeback in CT
UConn and Connecticut Sea Grant will unveil a sign at Hammonasset Beach State Park at 10 a.m. on May 7 to raise awareness of conservation efforts for the endangered Atlantic sturgeon. The ceremony will take place at the beach house at Meigs Point. The ancient and iconic Atlantic Sturgeon were once common in Connecticut waters. However, […]
UConn Forest Providing Educational, Environmental Benefits
The UConn Forest is vital for teaching, research, and extension work. It also provides wildlife habitat, watershed protection and popular recreational hiking trails. The Department of Natural Resources and the Environment (NRE) manages the forest. Proactive management sustains and enhances the many benefits the forest provides. Thomas Worthley is an Associate Extension Professor with joint […]
Windham County Extension Council Annual Meeting
Dr. Joe Emenheiser, our livestock ExtensionEducator, will present on the use of ultrasound technology for meat quality improvement.Demand for local meat is at unprecedented highs, and ensuring quality meat products is vital for economic development. Ultrasound technology allows meat quality traits to be objectively measured in live animals, enabling livestock producers to make more informed […]
Multi-Faceted Approach to Nitrogen Management
We have a multi-faceted approach to nitrogen management in Connecticut that addresses land use issues, agricultural production, and water quality. Extension faculty from the Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) are working on several applied research projects in support of better nitrogen (N) management. They are collaborating with the University of Rhode Island […]
National Lyme Disease Awareness Month
It’s National Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Before you venture outside, learn about the precautions you should take from @uconnladybug newest blog post linked below. The Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (CVMDL) in the Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science offers tick testing. Visit here for more info: https://cvmdl.uconn.edu/tests-fee/tick-testing/ @uconnladybug blog post: One early spring afternoon three years ago […]
New England Greenhouse Floriculture Guide
New England greenhouse growers rely on the New England Greenhouse Floriculture Guide for its unbiased, detailed information. It includes insect and mite management, disease prevention and management, weed control, and plant growth regulation. The Guide is updated every two years. Dr. Rosa Raudales and Leanne Pundt were co-editors for the 2021-2022 version. Raudales led the […]
EFNEP/4-H Special Interest group with Danbury Public Schools
EFNEP/4-H special interest group with Danbury Public Schools at Rogers Park Middle School has continued to meet throughout March and April. Teens tested their knife skills by using plastic knives to cut bananas and strawberries. Teens made fruit dip with cinnamon as a topping for their cut fruit. To learn more about bacteria on […]
Cultivation Tips for School Grounds Managers
Dr. Jason Henderson and Vickie Wallace of our Turfgrass Extension program provide research-based health tips for cultivation and managing school grounds in this first video of our new series.
Free Webinar on Export Assistance for CT Agricultural Producers
Free Webinar on Export Assistance for Connecticut Agricultural Producers! Date: Wednesday, May 4, 2022 Time: 10:00am Eastern time Cost: Free, but pre-registration is required Register Here: Closed Overview: Join us for a free webinar to hear about state and federal resources available to assist Connecticut agricultural and food product companies interested in exporting. This webinar, […]
CLEAR Online Training Portal
The Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) is the new home to a suite of online certificate trainings. The CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) offers online certificate courses for new and existing land use officials charged with protecting our environment. DEEP asked CLEAR to host them to expand reach and […]
Community Promise Week – Thank You Volunteers!
To celebrate our amazing volunteers, we are recognizing the work they’ve done. This April 24-30 is our #CommunityPromiseWeek, where we’ll be highlighting a few key leaders that make our programs possible. Thank you to Carol, Sandy, Ellen, Kim, Peg and Rich for all that you do! Stay tuned throughout the week as we highlight more […]
Fenwick Living Shoreline
The Hepburn Preserve is a 4-acre beach, dune and brackish tidal wetland habitat owned by the Lynde Point Land Trust, located in the Borough of Fenwick in Old Saybrook. Storm events have caused serious erosion of the area when strong winds and waves hit the shoreline, compounded by shoreline changes due to nearby seawalls and […]
Food and Nutrition Classes at Home
Hartford County’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) provided virtual nutrition education and cooking programs to limited resource adults and youth in 2021. We held the Cook and Chat virtual series for adults online. It included sessions on cooking basics, food safety, food budgeting, and nutrition topics over three to 12 lessons. Programs partners […]
Calling All Citizen Scientists: Mallard Duck Research
Have you found a Mallard duck nest this spring? Please support the research project of Dr. Tracy Rittenhouse in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment by letting us know. We have several students searching for nests all day, every day, but CT is full of people who are outside observing wildlife. We would greatly appreciate […]
Cleanup at Sherwood Island State Park
Sherwood Island State Park in Westport was Connecticut’s first state park. It is 238-acres of beaches, wetlands, and forest that serves as a public recreation area. Improving Habitat for Wildlife Work & Learn is a year-round outreach project that teaches Master Gardeners, interns and the public to create, improve and maintain a natural habitat for […]
Shellfish Habitat Restoration
The COVID-19 pandemic hit the aquaculture industry particularly hard. It was facing catastrophic sales losses that would have forced many out of business. Connecticut Sea Grant Extension helped keep industry members afloat during the pandemic by involving them in shellfish habitat restoration work. We kept people working at a time when the shellfish marketplace collapsed […]
‘Handbook for Increasing Ocean Literacy’ now available
A Handbook for Increasing Ocean Literacy: Tools for Educators and Ocean Literacy Advocates, developed by the National Marine Educators Association, with the support of NOAA, is now available to help educators and other ocean advocates teach, learn, and communicate about the ocean. CT Sea Grant Education Coordinator Diana Payne is one of the editors of the […]
4-H Mentoring Continues Serving Youth
Youth in Waterbury continued benefitting from the 4-H Mentoring project during the pandemic. The 4-H Mentoring Project is a prevention program where youth gain knowledge, build character, and develop life skills. It is a fun learning environment that helps them become self-directing, productive members of society. Approximately 45 youth ages nine through 14 participate annually. […]
Extension Donor Support is Growing Statewide Programming
The work of UConn Extension serves thousands of people across Connecticut. UConn Extension educators work in all 169 cities and towns helping Connecticut residents to solve problems in their communities and provide transformational learning experiences to program participants. This couldn’t be done without the financial support of generous donors, many of whom have experienced Extension […]
New Geographic Information Systems Office
Geospatial Educator Emily Wilson was named as the UConn representative to the newly formed Geographic Information Systems Advisory Council. The Council was established by the Connecticut Legislature last session in a bill that created a state Geographic Information Systems Office within the Office of Policy and Management, a Geographic Information Officer (GIO) to oversee the […]
Registration Open: Urban Farming Course
Join us for an Urban Farmer Training Course. We’re coordinating with @GVInitiative to offer this course from May through October. Details: s.uconn.edu/urbanfarmingcourse This program is funded in part by USDA NIFA.
Jacqueline Kowalski Hired as Urban Agriculture Educator
Urban agriculture in Connecticut is growing! Urban farms, community gardens, and innovative practices such as hydroponics are all a part of the urban agriculture landscape. To help meet the needs of the urban agriculture community, Jacqueline Kowalski recently joined the UConn Extension team. She is based at the Fairfield County Extension Center in Bethel. Identified […]
Ask UConn Extension: All About Cheese
Can cheese be frozen? Some cheese can be stored in the freezer but it’s not recommended because it can change the texture. Harder cheeses like Parmesan freeze better than other types. Therefore, it is best to freeze harder cheeses that you intend to use for cooking rather than eating alone. It is best to freeze […]
Job: Educational Program Assistant – Part-Time in Fairfield Co.
Apply Here: https://jobs.hr.uconn.edu/cw/en-us/job/496223/educational-program-assistant-1-fairfield-county-extension Search #: 496223Work type: Part-timeLocation: Fairfield County Extension CtrCategories: Academic Programs and Services JOB SUMMARY The UConn Extension Center located in Bethel, CT is seeking applications for a part-time Educational Program Assistant 1 position (50%). This position is responsible for supporting and helping implement high-quality, comprehensive, Extension programming at different program sites throughout the region, with […]