Upcoming Classes: Ethnobotany – April 28th in Torrington Growing Trends at the Garden Barn – May 2nd in Vernon Boot Camp for Your Senses – May 3rd at Edgerton Park Carriage House Digital Garden Photography Basics – May 6th at Auerfarm in Bloomfield Pruning Trees and Shrubs – May 22nd in Bethel Forest Pests: Emerald […]
Author: Stacey Stearns
Statewide Multi-Use Trail Data Available
Data Collection Program Releases 2017 Data Shedding Light on Statewide Multi-use Trail Use The Connecticut Trail Census (CTTC), a program tracking use on multi-use trails statewide, has released publically available data for the 2017 calendar year on their website http://www.cttrailcensus.uconn.edu/. The CTTC collects data regarding trail use patterns including who is using these trails, […]
Be Aware of Ticks and Know the Warning Signs of Lyme Disease
Originally published by United Way of Connecticut As the weather starts to warm, an increased awareness of ticks and the symptoms associated with Lyme disease is important. Tips for preventing Lyme disease: Avoid tall grass and over-grown, brushy areas. Stay in the middle of trails when hiking in the woods. Wear light-colored clothing to allow ticks to be […]
Solid Ground Farmer Trainings Continue
UConn Extension’s Solid Ground Training class for beginner farmers on the “Safe and Effective Use of Pesticides For Organic and Non-Organic Producers”, held in Bethel on April 10 and taught by Mary Concklin. A part of the class was devoted to learning about personal protective equipment (PPE) with Chelsey Hahn modeling several different PPE items.
Stormwater Research from Extension
Our UConn Extension educators working in land use, and the environment have recently published two articles: Extension Educators Mike Dietz and Chet Arnold have an article, Can Green Infrastructure Provide Both Water Quality and Flood Reduction Benefits?, in the May issue of the Journal of Sustainable Water in the Built Environment. You can read the […]
Put Local On Your Tray (Or Plate) In April
Put Local on Your Tray is a farm-to-school program helping Connecticut schools serve and celebrate regionally grown food. Even if you’re not a school, they have some advice for getting local onto your plate this season. Days are getting slightly warmer and longer, the breeze is sharp, and the land is both awakened and nourished by fresh spring rain. […]
New Rules for Corralling Runoff Require Local Actions
By JUDY BENSON Haddam – As the state gets wetter, Connecticut cities and towns have little choice but to take better control of the water that flows over streets, parking lots and fields from rainfall and snowmelt. “There are two drivers related to stormwater,” said David Dickson, faculty member of the UConn Center for Land […]
Poop In The Garden
By: Diane Wright Hirsch, MPH Extension Educator/Food Safety Over the weekend, before the most recent snow, I looked out my kitchen window to see my dog squatting over the chive patch in our vegetable garden. It was too late to stop him. I spend a lot of time with Connecticut farmers, talking about producing […]
Worker Protection Standards for Organic Farms
Organic Farming is Affected by a New Law: The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) The new law provides protections for agricultural workers, pesticide handlers, family members and volunteers. UConn Extension and CT NOFA are offering a workshop specifically designed for organic growers on May 3, 2018 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at 1796 Asylum Avenue in […]
Spring Compost Sales
UPDATE: DATE & PAYMENT CHANGE: Calling all green thumbs. UConn CAHNR is happy to announce sales dates for the 2018 spring compost sale. We will be open on April 20, 21, 27 and 28th. Sales hours will be Fridays 1:00pm to 4:30pm and Saturdays 9:00am to 3:00pm. Sales are CHECK and CREDIT CARD only. NO […]
All Paws In Today!
“The lessons and experiences I have gained from this trip will remain with me forever as the most exciting and rewarding opportunity 4-H has ever given me.” These are the words of a 4-H teen returning home from National 4-H Congress. The 4-H Centennial Fund makes it possible for teens to attend these amazing leadership […]
All Paws In! Support 4-H on UConn’s Giving Day
We’re excited to announce that UConn Gives, the University’s first ever Giving Day, is April 4-5, 2018. Please take this opportunity to support the 4-H Centennial Fund. Visit Extension’s Giving Day page to make your gift of any amount. For more information on UConn Gives, go to givingday.uconn.edu. The 4-H Centennial Fund has been a […]
Worthley Recognized for Forestry Efforts
Extension educator Tom Worthley received the Ernest M. Gould Jr. Technology Transfer Award today from the New England Society of American Foresters in Nashua, New Hampshire. With Tom are members of the Department of Natural Resources & the Environment: Senior Nick Vertefeuille, Asst. Prof. Bob Fahey, Tom, and PhD candidates Nancy Marek and Danielle Kloster. […]
Salmonella Awareness is Key to Good Health
Salmonella are bacteria that can live in the intestinal tracts of animals. There are many different types of salmonellae, some are found solely in animals and others can cause disease in both animals and people. Salmonellosis in humans can occur if they consume foods contaminated with Salmonella or have contact with animals or their environment. […]
Lifelong Learning Classes Offered in April
CLIR, a lifelong learning program offered in collaboration with UConn Extension, will hold the following classes in April, all in Vernon Cottage on UConn’s Depot Campus, from 1:15 to 2:45 except for the Memoir Club. Memoir Club Thursdays, April 5 – 26 10:15 – 11:45 Great Decisions Mondays, April […]
Basic Food Safety Practices at Home
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. […]
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 […]