What made you sick? Is it food you cooked at home? By Diane Wright Hirsch, MPH, Senior Extension Educator/Food Safety As winter wanes and we begin to eat more seasonally—perhaps eat more salads, raw fruits and veggies, using the barbecue—it may be a good time to take stock of our safe food preparation skills. […]
Author: Stacey Stearns
EFNEP in New Britain
Extension educator Heather Pease from our Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program was recently at the YWCA in New Britain for a program. Heather said of the program, “Learning about portions, measurements and recommended serving sizes! Playing with our food!” The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) helps families learn about healthy eating, shopping […]
Kid Eats
A new interactive app named Kid Eats, designed to help parents and teachers promote healthy eating and introduce cooking skills, is now available at the Apple app store. The program incorporates youth-adult partnerships, with adult and child working together in the kitchen. Designed for youth grades three to six, the app is a collaborative effort […]
Cloe Labranche: 4-H Alumni Spotlight
Meet 4-H Alumni and UConn undergraduate Cloe Labranche. We met with her and chatted about her 4-H experience, and what she is up to at UConn. How did you become involved with 4-H? Can you tell us about your 4-H experience? I came from a non-ag family and found out about 4-H when I was […]
Garden Master Classes Available
Garden Master Classes are offered through the UConn Extension Master Gardener Program. For Certified Master Gardeners they provide continuing education as part of the Advanced Master Gardener certification process. These classes are also open to the general public. Anyone with an interest in gardening and horticulture is welcome! The UConn Extension Master Gardener Program is […]
Install a Rain Garden This Spring
What is a Rain Garden? A rain garden is a depression (about 6 inches deep) that collects stormwater runoff from a roof, driveway or yard and allows it to infiltrate into the ground. Rain gardens are typically planted with shrubs and perennials (natives are ideal), and can be colorful, landscaped areas in your yard. Why […]
Tick Alert!
Headed outdoors? The recent warm weather has brought the ticks back out. Make sure you take precautions against ticks in October and November. Adult ticks are more active during this time of the year, creating a problem for both humans and animals. These disease-carrying arachnids reside in moist areas, long grass and the leaf litter […]
Master Gardener Program Updates
The New Year ushered in a new crop of interns aspiring to become certified Master Gardeners. Classes began January 11th. The Bethel and New Haven classes alternate locations each year, and the 2018 class is being held in New Haven County at the Edgerton Park Carriage House. Both the New Haven County and Fairfield County […]
Who Keeps Our Food Supply Safe?
Who keeps our food supply safe? Rules, regulations, jurisdiction By Diane Wright Hirsch Senior Extension Educator/Food Safety I am often asked who to contact when someone has a concern about the regulation of our food supply. It might be a budding entrepreneur who needs to know which agency they need to contact to figure […]
SNAP-Ed Programming in Fairfield County
Nutrition outreach in January at the Danbury New Hope Church mobile food pantry included an on-site food demonstration with Banana Oatmeal, recipes and information were also distributed to 235 participants while waiting for their number to be called. Nutrition outreach at the Walnut Hill Church mobile food pantry in Bethel was on January 24th and […]
Join Us at the CT Flower & Garden Show
FREE Soil Testing and Gardening Advice at the Connecticut Flower and Garden Show, February 22 – 25, 2018 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. The University of Connecticut Soil Testing Laboratory will offer free soil pH testing each day of the show. Bring in ½ cup of soil and we will test it and […]
Lifelong Learning in March
CLIR, a lifelong learning program offered in collaboration with UConn Extension, will hold the following classes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in March, all in Vernon Cottage on UConn’s Depot Campus, from 1:15 to 2:45, except for the Memoir Club. Memoir Club Thursdays 10:15 – 11:45 Mar 1 UConn’s Osiris Quartet Mar 7 What are […]
My 4-H Story
MY 4-H STORY By Mia Herrera It is safe to say that 4-H has more than just impacted my life. It has given me opportunities that would enhance my leadership and citizenship skills, and it has also shaped me into the person I have become. 4-H has provided life skill s and given me the […]
Growing Gardens, Growing Health in Norwalk
The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) helps families learn about healthy eating, shopping on a budget, cooking and physical activity. EFNEP staff strive to empower participants, providing knowledge and skills to improve the health of all family members. Participants learn through doing, with cooking, physical activity and supportive discussions about nutrition and healthy […]
Sustainable Landscape News
Vickie Wallace is an Extension Educator and Program Director of UConn’s Sustainable Turf and Landscape Program. Ms. Wallace is part of a team of Extension specialists that provides Integrated Pest Management (IPM) education for CT landscape professionals and homeowners. One focus of Ms. Wallace’s program is the training of municipal and school grounds managers who […]
Nutrition & Wellness in New London County
Erica Benvenuti, the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) dietitian, provides workshops, presentations, and food demonstrations for low-income families and individuals in Southeastern Connecticut. The interactive, educational classes are designed to help people make healthy food choices on a limited budget. The EFNEP program’s nutrition and cooking classes teach practical, easily applicable skills, such […]
4-H Mentoring Program Continues
Extension Educator Edith Valiquette leads the 4-H Mentoring program. In November, the group started their community service projects and gifts for their family. Each school had a Family Night Out (FNO) in November. At this FNO, family pictures were taken for distribution at the December FNO. This is a popular activity with our families. It […]
Locally Sourced Food – Even in Mid-Winter
By Diane Wright Hirsch, MPH Senior Extension Educator, Food Safety After a not-so-local food-filled holiday season (including, I must confess, raspberries, grown somewhere in South America, in a fruit salad), it might be a good time to get back on track. Though it can be more difficult in the winter, eating locally sourced foods […]
Lifelong Learning Opportunities in February
CLIR, a lifelong learning program offered in collaboration with UConn Extension, will hold the following classes in February, all in Vernon Cottage on UConn’s Depot Campus, from 1:15 to 2:45 except for Memoir Club. Memoir Club Thursdays 10:15 – 11:45 Feb 1 Musical Theatre – Words of Music Feb 6 […]
Allied Health Sciences School and Family SNAP-Ed
Last year, through the hard work of all, the Allied Health Sciences School and Family SNAP-Ed program reached 5,549 participants and 6,164 contacts via single and multiple sessions. Education focused on: 1) cooking more, economical food shopping, safe food handling; 2) improving consumption of fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, whole grains and avoiding sweetened beverages; and 3) […]
New London County Master Gardener Signature Projects 2017
Master Gardener Signature Projects 2017 Camp Harkness for the Handicapped, Waterford. People with disabilities spend time at the Camp during the summer months. Master Gardeners assist the clients with gardening activities and maintain the wheelchair accessible plants. In the winter, they work with seniors in the greenhouse. This project has been ongoing for a long […]
Survey on Community Investment in Economic Development
Survey Seeks to Understand How Connecticut’s Communities Invest in Economic Development Do you have a hand in economic development for your community or region? This month economic developers across the state will have the opportunity to participate in the first Connecticut Local Economic Survey coordinated by the University of Connecticut (UConn) Extension in partnership with […]
Urban Agriculture Graduates
UConn Extension Urban Agriculture Program – Graduation Ceremony. On January 16, 2018 UConn Extension graduated 9 new urban farmers who completed a year-long training. To be able to graduate, students needed to complete five modules: botany, soils, entomology, vegetable production, and integrated pest management (30-40 hours each) and pass each with at least 70% or […]
4-H Spotlight: Edward Merritt
4-H Alumni and Retiree Spotlight Edward Merritt – Retired Hartford County Administrator, 4-H Agent and MA 4-H Alumni By Nancy Wilhelm, Program Coordinator, State 4-H Office At 83 Ed Merritt remembers a lot of exciting experiences during his time with the Hartford County Extension Program. He came to UConn Extension on October 1, 1963 […]
Cooking Matters
The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) helps families learn about healthy eating, shopping on a budget, cooking and physical activity. EFNEP staff strive to empower participants, providing knowledge and skills to improve the health of all family members. Participants learn through doing, with cooking, physical activity and supportive discussions about nutrition and healthy […]
Healthy Homes News
The Healthy Homes Partnership is a national effort to provide information on how to keep your home safe and healthy. A healthy home supports the health and safety of the people who live there. Research indicates that there is a relationship between your health and the health of your home. CT Healthy Homes Partnership team […]
CT 4-H Adventures in STEM Conference
On November 4, 2017, 63 youth at-tended the CT 4-H Adventures in STEM Conference at the UConn Storrs Campus. Youth participated in a variety of STEM related workshops and also had the opportunity to have lunch in the Whitney Dining Hall. Thank you to the UConn faculty, staff and students who provided workshops that day […]
Fairfield County Master Gardener Projects
Sandi Wilson, Fairfield County Master Gardener Coordinator, spotlights three of the signature projects that volunteers have been working on: The Fairfield County Demonstration Vegetable Garden – Bethel, CT In November the Master Gardeners were putting the garden to bed for the season. Each year, they analyze what worked and what didn’t in the garden and […]
Urban Agriculture Extension Program
German Cutz is our Extension Educator for Sustainable Families and Communities. Here is a quick snapshot of a few of his programs for this fall: Nine out of 11 participants completed the year-round urban agriculture training in Bethel. They graduation ceremony is being planned for January 16th, 2018. Bethel urban agriculture program is currently recruiting […]
Improving Nutrition in New Britain
The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) helps families learn about healthy eating, shopping on a budget, cooking and physical activity. EFNEP staff strive to empower participants, providing knowledge and skills to improve the health of all family members. Participants learn through doing, with cooking, physical activity and supportive discussions about nutrition and healthy […]
New Year Resolution: Take the 40-Gallon Challenge
What are you going to do differently in 2018? How about conserving water with UConn Extension. UConn Extension is inviting all Connecticut residents to join the 40 Gallon Challenge and take on new practices to increase water conservation. The 40 Gallon Challenge is a national call for residents and businesses to reduce water use on […]
Setting a Course for Active Learning
Setting a Course for Active Learning: An Interview with Senator Beth Bye By Nancy Wilhelm, Program Coordinator, State 4-H Office Elizabeth “Beth” Bye is the Executive Director of the 4-H Education Center at Auerfarm in Bloomfield. She has worked in early childhood education for over 30 years. She is also a member of the Connecticut […]
Celebrating Retirement
On Friday, December 8th the Fairfield County Extension team and past Extension staff had a luncheon at the Red Rooster restaurant in Newtown. Past Extension Educator, Joseph J. Maisano, Jr. and his wife Betty Maisano attended. Joe worked as a Horticulture expert and Extension Educator for Fairfield County for 30 years. He shared with us that […]
Cook Before Eating
By Diane Wright Hirsch, MPH, Senior Extension Educator/Food Safety During the holiday season, from Thanksgiving dinner through New Year’s celebrations, people who rarely spend time in the kitchen may be more likely to pick up a cookbook and make some cookies. Or, they may be stuffing their first turkey for Christmas day family dinner. Or […]
Principles of a Healthy Home…in ASL!
UConn Student Hailee Parenteau posted a Healthy Homes Principles video in American Sign Language on the national HHP Facebook page as part of our Healthy Homes Partnership social media project. Watch the video at: http://s.uconn.edu/40u
CT 4-H Explorers Program for 5 & 6 Year Olds
By Pamela Gray, New London County 4-H Program Coordinator In response to requests from leaders and parents for the UConn 4-H program to incorporate Cloverbud-age youth, we ran a pilot program in 2017 for 5-6 year olds. With pilot year success, it is now an official addition starting 2018! 4-H Explorers is an age appropriate […]
Nutrition Education Outreach in Fairfield County
Nutrition Education Outreach November 2017 Submitted by Heather Peracchio SNAP-Ed programs: Nutrition outreach at the Danbury mobile pantry reached 265 families on November 8th and the mobile pantry in Bethel on November 29th reached 183 families. EFNEP: The Soccer and Nutrition program reached 22 children and adults on Friday November 3. Adults and children participated in the program which follows the Cornell University […]
Chris Collins: Making a Difference
Chris Collins moved to Meriden, Connecticut four years ago with his girlfriend and her two children. In his professional capacity he serves as a substance abuse counselor at Rushford at Meriden, an organization that offers a variety of outpatient programs and services, including counseling young adults about substance use disorders. A longtime friend of Chris’ […]
Laura Irwin: 4-H Alumni Spotlight
It was never a question of if Laura Irwin of Hartland would join 4-H, but rather, when she would become a 4-H member. “My mom always wanted to be a 4-H member, and never had the opportunity,” Laura recalls. “So, she made sure her children did. I joined when I was 7-years old, and I’m […]
Cold Storage: A Sustainable Way to Preserve the Harvest
By Diane Wright Hirsch, MPH Senior Extension Educator/Food Safety A young couple I know if looking to buy their first house. She prefers older homes with character, he wants space for a big garden. They came upon an older home with a dirt basement floor….I immediately thought that it might be a good candidate for a […]