Author: Stacey Stearns

Online Gardening Course for Home Gardeners Available

UConn Extension is excited to announce that the Fundamentals of Home Gardening online course, designed to help gardening enthusiasts of all levels cultivate thriving home gardens, is available for home gardeners who want to expand their knowledge and skills. The course is divided into four modules covering essential gardening topics: CORE – Water, Soils, and […]

Spring Chick Season: Tips for Raising a Healthy Flock

As the weather warms up, many poultry enthusiasts are preparing for chick season. Raising a healthy flock starts with strong management practices, whether you’re a first-time chicken owner or an experienced poultry keeper. UConn Extension has two new fact sheets to guide you through the process: 10 Tips for New Poultry Owners – Covers the […]

Put Local On Your Tray Celebrates Ag Week with School Taste Tests

Put Local On Your Tray, a UConn Extension program, partnered with K-12 schools across the region to celebrate National Ag Week through a series of exciting taste tests and educational events. Students had the opportunity to explore fresh, locally grown foods, connecting them with the farmers who grow them and the benefits of eating seasonal […]

Guardians Farm: A Story of Growth, Community, and Education

David Buck and Tamra French began their farming journey in 2014 with chickens and a vegetable garden at their home in Naugatuck. The following year, they added goats and began making homemade soaps and lotions. “We really started making everything for ourselves, and it snowballed from there,” David shared. In 2020, they moved to their […]

Celebrate National Agriculture Week

Why Agriculture Matters Connecticut’s farms and agricultural businesses are essential to the health, economy, and communities of our state. From fresh produce and dairy products to thriving nurseries and innovative urban farms, our farmers provide the food, fiber, and resources that sustain us. During National Agriculture Week (March 16-22, 2025), we take a moment to […]

Plant Variety Selection for the Home Vegetable Gardener

Plant Variety Selection for the Home Vegetable Gardener By Jacqueline Kowalski As snow and winter lose their charm, one thing that excites gardeners this time of year is the arrival and perusal of seed catalogs. The glossy pages filled with promises and beauty remind gardeners that spring is just around the corner, and soon, hands […]

Crop Talk March 2024

The latest issue of Crop Talk, our newsletter for commercial vegetable and fruit operations, is available. In this issue: The Vegetable IPM Program at UConn Extension Welcomes a new Outreach Assistant Farmer Feature: Paul Bucciaglia of Fort Hill Farm Reports on Soil Steaming for High Tunnels Call for Collaboration: Seeking Vegetable Farmers for Participatory Research […]

Farm Biosecurity Workshop

UConn Extension Hosts Farm Biosecurity Workshop to Help Protect Livestock, Poultry, and Families Biosecurity is the first line of defense in protecting farms, animals, and communities from the spread of disease. With concerns over avian influenza and other livestock health risks on the rise, UConn Extension is hosting a Farm Biosecurity Workshop to provide practical […]

HPAI Update for Connecticut Livestock and Poultry Farmers

UConn Extension is hosting a HPAI update for Connecticut livestock and poultry farmers. This free webinar is being held on Thursday, March 6th from 12:30-1:30 PM and will include pertinent updates and information for your farm. Topics include: HPAI Update from the Connecticut State Veterinarian HPAI Trends and Testing from the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic […]

Planning for the Future of Your Farm Event

Interested in resources for your farm? Lucky for you, there are plenty! Connecticut farmers and agricultural landowners are invited to attend Connecticut Farmland Trust’s “Planning for the Future of Your Farm” informational session on Wednesday, February 26th from 6:00-8:00 pm at the Killingly Town Hall at 172 Main Street, Danielson, CT 06239. Join speakers from Connecticut Farmland […]

USDA RMA and FSA Crop Reporting Deadlines App

UConn Extension and the USDA RMA developed an app which will send reminders of crop insurance and NAP sign-up deadlines. All crops/products that are presently covered by the USDA RMA and USDA FSA in New England are in the app. Notifications will be sent via text and/or email (you select the method) 4 weeks and […]

Meet Matt Syrotiak

Matt Syrotiak ’24 (CAHNR) recently joined our team as the State 4-H Program Coordinator. Matt is from Bethlehem, Connecticut, and brings a wealth of leadership experience in 4-H and FFA to the role. Additionally, Matt is a proud UConn and CAHNR graduate; he earned a bachelor of science in animal science and is completing a […]

Meet Nicole Davidow

Nicole Davidow recently joined our team as an Outreach Assistant for the Vegetable and Hemp Extension Program and is working alongside Shuresh Ghimire, our Vegetable Extension Specialist at the Tolland Extension Office. She is originally from Southington and received a bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Fairfield University, focusing on humanitarian crises, social justice issues, […]

Meet Sara Tomis

Sara Tomis is our new assistant extension educator for One Health – Agriculture and Community Engagement. Sara is originally from Preston, Connecticut and earned a bachelor of science in agricultural education and outreach from UConn CAHNR and a master of science in agricultural education and communication with a specialization in Extension from the University of […]

Discover the Potential of Agritourism: Free Webinar on January 30

UConn Extension is excited to announce an upcoming agritourism webinar, offering farmers and agricultural business owners a unique opportunity to explore the possibilities of integrating tourism into their agricultural operations. This free, virtual event will take place on Thursday, January 30 from 2-4 PM, and will feature practical insights from seasoned experts and farmers who […]

Meet Danielle Fisher

Danielle Fisher joined UConn Extension in our New London County office as an educational program assistant during the fall of 2024. She is from Willington, and earned her bachelor of science in animal science from UConn. “I have been familiar with the Extension Service due to my degree from the College of Agriculture, Health, and […]

Ag Mechanics Trainings Available

Our Upcoming Winter trainings for Ag Mechanics are up and ready to go!  With some old favorites (like our chainsaw classes and walk-behind tractor) and some new opportunities like the Hand Tool Maintenance and Upkeep class. As someone that has taken a couple of these classes myself, I find that I am constantly pulling the skills I’ve […]

CAES Announces Renewal of the Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine for Connecticut

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) in cooperation with USDA APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) continued to detect expanding populations of the spotted lanternfly (SLF) in Connecticut through 2023. The Director of CAES hereby announces the renewal of the Order of Quarantine for SLF that was established 1 July 2021, effective January 1, 2025. More information […]

2025 UConn Extension Vegetable and Small Fruit Growers’ Conference

Earlybird Registration closes on Dec. 29, 2024 Details When: Tuesday, January 7, 2025 Where: UConn Student Union, Storrs, CT Registration Information: Regular: $50.00 (ends December 29, 2024 at 11:59 PM) Late (starting on December 30, 2024): $70.00 Student: $35.00 Register at: s.uconn.edu/vfcregistration Online registration will be open until January 5, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. Walk-in registration may be available but […]

Construyendo Comunidades a Través de la Nutrición: Dianisi Torres y los Programas de UConn Extension en Windham

Los programas comunitarios de nutrición de UConn Extension se centran en mucho más que educación: enfatizan el fomento de conexiones y la creación de un sentido de pertenencia. Dianisi Torres ’17 (Neag), Asistente de Programas Educativos, lidera el Programa Ampliado de Educación en Alimentación y Nutrición (EFNEP) y las iniciativas SNAP-Ed en Windham. Para Torres, […]

New Online Certificate – FARM RISK MANAGEMENT

New Online Certificate – FARM RISK MANAGEMENT: In-Depth Strategies for Effective Farm Risk Management This unique program from UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources focuses on critical topics for the agriculture industry, farm risk management. Farm risk management involves understanding and mitigating factors that can impact agricultural operations, such as climate change, pest management, […]

Job Opportunities

Looking for a new opportunity in 2025? We have several job openings, including: Assistant/Associate Extension Educator for Agriculture Business Management Visiting Assistant/Associate Educator in Food Systems Regional Aquaculture Liaison Assistant Extension Educator – Visiting Educational Program Assistant – Hartford County Assistant/Associate Extension Professor in Soil Science UConn CAHNR is searching for a Director of the […]

Seniors Eating Well: Empowering Through Nutrition Education

As we age, maintaining a healthy diet becomes increasingly important to support overall wellness and quality of life. UConn Extension’s Seniors Eating Well program addresses this need by empowering older adults with the knowledge and resources to make informed dietary choices. Through engaging workshops, hands-on learning, and evidence-based education, this program supports Connecticut’s senior population […]

UConn EFNEP Food Demonstration with CitySeed Farmers Market at Dixwell Q-House 

UConn Extension’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) recently re-established connections with the CitySeed Farmer’s Market at the New Haven Dixwell Q-House to provide healthy recipe ideas. This year, CitySeed completed its 20th Anniversary of providing Connecticut farm produce to New Haven residents. EFNEP nutrition educators offer ideas about how to prepare farm market […]

Meet Qian (Rachel) Lei-Parent

Qian (Rachel) Lei-Parent recently joined our Middlesex County Extension Center and UConn Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) as an assistant extension geospatial educator. Qian has both of her B.S and M.S in Land Resources Management from Wuhan University, China. She received her Ph.D in natural resources from University of Connecticut focusing on […]

Meet MacKenzie White

MacKenzie White joined UConn Extension as our Diversified Livestock Field Based Extension Specialist on November 1, 2024. MacKenzie grew up in Shapleigh, Maine and earned her associates of applied animal science from the Ratcliffe Hicks School of Agriculture at UConn, a bachelor of science in agriculture and natural resources with a minor in animal science […]

We’re Having a Brush Fire Season – Please be Aware

By Tom Worthley Once again in today’s weather forecast, no significant precipitation is anticipated for the next week or so. Warm temperatures and breezy conditions will prevail. We have experienced such conditions before and we tend to go about our daily activities without giving it much thought. Notable now, however, as opposed to other times […]

State 4-H Program Coordinator Job Opening

Job Opening: We are hiring a State 4-H Program Coordinator. The State 4-H Program Coordinator will provide oversight and coordination of state, regional, and national administrative aspects of the UConn 4-H program, including event management, fund development and foundation account management, promotion and marketing, and compliance with UConn Minor Protection and federal civil rights requirements. […]

Managing Water Use at Home During Drought in Connecticut

Despite the fact that we get about 48 inches of precipitation annually, we still can experience periods that are classified as drought here. Although it can be said that drought is part of our natural cycle here in Connecticut, higher global temperatures have impacted our precipitation patterns. Over the last century, our annual precipitation totals […]

Apple Picking with the Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program

As the air begins to get colder and fall crops become ready to harvest, apple picking is a great way to learn about food systems, support local agriculture, and engage in healthy eating behaviors. On October 15th, 2024, twenty youth and child development professionals from the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (MPTN) traveled to Holmberg Orchards […]

Meet Charles Krasnow

Charles Krasnow joined UConn Extension as an associate extension educator for controlled environment agriculture in September. He is originally from Newton, Massachusetts and earned his bachelor of science from UMASS Amherst and Ph.D. from Michigan State University. What is your area of interest and how did you get started with it? I love plant pathology, […]

Elote and Esquites

Over 9,000 years ago, native Mexicans began breeding a wild grass called teosinte [tā-ō-‘sin-tē]. This practice has lead to the corn we know and love today. Mexican street corn, a popular food sold by street vendors, can be served “on the cob” or as corn niblets in a bowl. In this recipe, Elote [e’lo.te] refers […]

The Diebold Family: Lifelong Supporters of 4-H and Agriculture

The Diebold Family are lifelong supporters of 4-H and youth interested in pursuing agriculture. The generosity of gifts provided by Dudley and Nonie Diebold and the Diebold Foundation to the UConn 4-H program have provided Connecticut 4-H youth with unique and exciting leadership opportunities at both the state and national level. These include conferences such […]

Sandy Eggers: 4-H Volunteer Spotlight

Sandy Eggers has been a 4-H volunteer leader in Windham County for more than 45 years. She has and continues to serve as a club leader for the CT Whiplash Teamsters 4-H club. The Whiplash Teamsters are the only working steer 4-H club in the state of Connecticut. For more than 45 years, this club […]

UConn 4-H Giving Week

 Join UConn 4-H in Building a Ready Generation in a World of Change   UConn 4-H equips youth with skills for the future while meeting them where they are today. We craft programs to enable youth to thrive and build confidence and resiliency based on lessons learned through years of research on positive youth development. UConn […]

Extension Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

UConn Celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month!  “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together” is the 2024 celebration theme, which highlights the spirit of innovation, resilience, and unity of the Hispanic experience”. The winning theme was submitted by Yvette Delgado, Senior Diversity and Inclusion Specialist, Office of Minority and Women Federal Housing Finance Agency. Ms. Delgado […]