Indianapolis, IN. A NPSEC (National Pesticide Safety Education Center) team comprised of staff and Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) coordinators that are members of the Respirator Collaboration Team participated in eXtension’s Impact Collaborative Summit in Indianapolis from October 16th – 18th. The purpose of the Summit was for institutional and national Extension teams to bring […]
Agriculture & Farming
Ensuring a vibrant and sustainable agricultural industry and food supply
UConn CVMDL Monitoring for Longhorned Tick
Recent reports of the longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis or Asian Longhorned tick)being found in Westchester County, New York have alarmed livestock owners and outdoor enthusiasts statewide. The longhorned tick is native to Asia and was reported in the continental USA in November 2017, when it was first discovered on a sheep farm in Hunterdon County, New […]
Robotic Conference at UConn
Register by Friday, October 19th to attend the Robotic Milking Conference at UConn. The day-long event will cover the impacts on animal health, welfare, and economic sustainability for Northeast dairy farms. Admission is $40 per person and $20 for students. For more information and to register visit s.uconn.edu/roboticmilking
Beef Auction at UConn Scheduled for Oct. 21st
UConn’s Department of Animal Science is holding their annual beef auction on Sunday, October 21st at the Cattle Resource Unit (Heifer Barn) on Horsebarn Hill Road in Storrs. The auction will be held at UConn’s Storrs Campus at the UConn Cattle Resource Unit (Heifer Barn) located on Horsebarn Hill Road. The event is free and […]
Ask UConn Extension
Do you have questions about food, health, or sustainability topics? Ask UConn Extension. Extension educators are working in every town and city in Connecticut to bring the research of UConn to our communities. UConn Extension is on a collaborative journey. We co-create knowledge with farmers, families, communities, and businesses. We educate. We convene groups to […]
Farm Aid 2018
UConn Seniors Casey Lambert and Evan Lentz staffed the joint UConn Extension/UMass Extension Fruit informational booth at the Farm Aid 2018 event on Saturday, September 22nd held at the Xfinity Center in Hartford. They work with Mary Concklin, Associate Extension Educator-Fruit Specialist, with commercial fruit growers on a USDA-iPiPE grant.
Solid Ground Farmer Training E-Learning
Did you miss a class? A selection of trainings from the Solid Ground program are available in an e-learning format at newfarms.extension.uconn.edu. BF 104: Soil Health and Management with Kip Kolesinskas is a three-part course. Participants will learn the basic soil science principles for maintaining healthy soils. Guidance on soil testing and reading soil tests is provided. BF 105: Fruit Production for Small […]
CT Seeks Better Information & Understanding of Produce Growers
Connecticut seeks better information and understanding of produce growers in the state The University of Connecticut Extension is collaborating with the Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg) to support Connecticut produce growers covered by the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. In order to do that, we need to have more and better […]
New Group of Students Trained in Seafood Safety
Before a bowl of clam chowder or a freshly grilled swordfish steak ends up on a restaurant diner’s plate, specially trained seafood handlers will have been working to eliminate any risk of contamination or hazards that could cause illness. Many of those handlers will have learned their skills in training offered by Connecticut Sea Grant, including a three-day course held in […]
Enroll in the Master Composter Program
Enroll Now in the UConn 2018 Master Composter Program Almost 25% of household waste can be recycled through composting. The purpose of the UConn Master Composter program is to educate and train residents about the basics of small scale composting and in exchange for the training, volunteers will pass on their knowledge to others through […]
Building Community Through a Garden
Dozens of bright yellow Goldfinches flew alongside as I made my way up the winding driveway past their meadows and into the heart of the 4-H Education Center at Auerfarm in Bloomfield. The high, wiry whistle of the birds sounded the alarm at my arrival. I parked behind the barn, and climbed the hill to […]
Fairholm Farm: CT Green Pasture’s Dairy Farm of the Year
The Green Pastures Award judging team has chosen Fairholm Farm as the Connecticut Dairy Farm of the Year, 2018. The annual award will be presented at the Big E Green Pasture’s banquet where each New England state presents their winning farm. The farms present a slide show of their management strategies and innovative goals that […]
Food Safety for Produce Buyers
On July 17, UConn Extension and the Connecticut Department of Agriculture hosted a meeting in Storrs for operations (distributors, schools, institutions, restaurants, grocery stores, and foodservice operations) that buy fresh produce from farms in southern New England. A team of regulators and produce safety educators from Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island conceived and developed the […]
Helping Connecticut Farmers Succeed: A Collaborative Journey
“Educating farmers in sustainable, profitable and environmentally-sound food production practices benefits every man, woman and child in the country directly, on a daily basis, by helping to maintain a safe and secure food source. Knowledge of effective IPM practices helps prevent excess application of pesticides by otherwise frustrated growers,” Jude Boucher says. The name Jude […]
40 Gallon Challenge
Connecticut residents are invited 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 average by 40 gallons per person, per day. As a participant in the challenge, one commits to taking on […]
Quantifying Water Use
“New York City is surrounded by water,” Angie Harris says, “I realized it was a great source of beauty, transportation, and recreation. But it was also contaminated and deeply problematic.” Angie grew up in Queens, New York. She realized water was a crucial resource of concern while an undergraduate at New York University studying environmental […]
Award Winning Cheese
The UConn Creamery, part of the Department of Animal Science, has once again taken home awards from the annual American Cheese Society Judging and Competition. Our Chipotle Queso Blanco and our Green Chile Queso Blanco were recognized for excellence amongst 1966 products from over 200 entering companies. Both cheeses were awarded third place in their […]
Hartford County Extension Center Moving
Our Hartford County Extension Center is moving. As of Friday, August 3rd, please use the following address and new phone numbers: Exchange Building – Suite 262 270 Farmington Ave Farmington, CT, 06032 (860) 409-9050 Fax (860) 409-9080 hartford@uconn.edu Please be patient with our faculty and staff over the next week as it may take a […]
Strengthening Connecticut Farms
Over recent years a new cohort of farmers has cropped up in our small state. “New”, “Beginning”, “First-generation”, “Early stage”— these growers have been met by a growing number of training programs to help them get started, improve their production skills, and enhance the viability of their businesses. This is a group of avid learners who are always on the lookout for training […]
Tick Testing 101
If you find a tick on yourself, your child, or your pet, remove it immediately! The Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (CVMDL) can test the tick for pathogens. Ticks received at the CVMDL are first examinedunder a microscope by trained technicians to determine the species of tick, life stage, and degree of blood engorgement, all of which are factors […]
Safeguarding Health Through Diagnostics
The Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (CVMDL) at UConn safeguards animal and human health. Faculty and staff fulfill their mission through veterinary diagnostic laboratory services, professional expertise, and collaboration with state and federal agencies to detect and monitor diseases important to animal and human health, as well as detecting newly emerging diseases. CVMDL is committed […]
Shuresh Ghimire Joins UConn Extension
UConn Extension and the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources are pleased to announce that Dr. Shuresh Ghimire joined us on July 6thas our Extension Vegetable Educator. Dr. Ghimire has a PhD in Horticulture and is based in the Extension office at the Tolland Agricultural Center in Vernon. He was working at Washington State University (WSU), studying […]
Disaster Assistance for Farmers
As it grows, the farmers.gov website will deliver information, tools, and first-hand advice built around the needs of America’s farmers, ranchers, and foresters. It’s a site being built for farmers, by farmers. Visit the new farmers.gov Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool. For more information on disaster preparedness and readiness for your family, community, workplace, or agricultural operation please visit UConn EDEN.
Buying from Local Farms? What do FSMA Rules Mean to Produce Buyers?
Buying From Local Farms? What Do FSMA Rules Mean to Produce Buyers? On July 17, 2018 a team of regulators and produce safety educators from Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are hosting an educational meeting for operations (distributors, schools, institutions, restaurants, grocery stores, foodservice operations, etc.) that buy fresh produce from farms in southern New […]
Produce Safety Training
Some medium to larger Connecticut farms need to comply with the Produce Safety Rule (PSR). This includes taking an approved food safety course, implement- ing certain practices that can minimize risk, and keeping records related to those practices. The Connecticut Department of Agriculture conducts a variety of activi- ties related to implementation of the rule, […]
Food Safety on Farms
Fruits and vegetables add important nutrients, color, variety to our diet. Most of us enjoy them raw in salads, as a snack, or dessert. However, in the last few years there has been an increase in the number of foodborne illness outbreaks asso- ciated with fresh fruits and vegetables. Spinach, cantaloupe, tomatoes, cilantro, and green […]
2017 Highlights of Extension
UConn Extension is on a collaborative journey. We co-create knowledge with farmers, families, communities, and businesses. We educate. We convene groups to help solve problems. Connecticut is a small, diverse state with urban and rural spaces. We understand that because we live and work here. Extension educators are ready to connect you with our knowledge […]
Testing Ticks is Vital to Safety
The warmer weather has people and our animals headed outdoors. Unfortunately, this same weather has also brought ticks out in abundance. Recent reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have cited increased numbers of ticks, and tick-borne diseases. UConn’s Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (CVMDL), part of the Department of Pathobiology in […]
Patriotic Smoothies
In Meriden schools, they served Red, White, & Blue Smoothies in honor of the winter Olympics and local dairy in February. What a cool idea! And one that you can replicate at home in honor of Memorial Day. It’s a fun and delicious smoothie. The layers were strawberry, banana, and blueberry served at breakfast with graham crackers. Put Local […]
Basic Management of Small Poultry Flocks
By Michael J. Darre, Ph.D., P.A.S. There are several basic needs that need to be provided for poultry. These are feed, water, fresh air, light, darkness, proper thermal environment, protection (from the elements, predators, injury and theft) and proper space. Proper housing and equipment will take care of many of these items. Poultry and other […]
Can I Water Vegetables with my Rain Barrel Water?
By Joan Allen Originally published by the UConn Home & Garden Education Center Collection of rain water from roofs using rain barrels is growing in popularity because of its many environmental and practical benefits. It can help the environment by diverting water that might contain contaminants away from storm drains and the natural bodies of […]
Extension Offers Greenhouse Biological Control Conference
UConn Extension is sponsoring a Greenhouse Biological Control Conference. This one-day educational program will be held onWednesday, June 20, 2018 at Room 100, WB Young Building, University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT. The speakers featured at this educational program include: Michael Oleykowski, Syngenta who will be speaking on Developing an Effective, Integrated Control Program […]
Spring Compost Sales
Calling all green thumbs. CAHNR is happy to announce sales dates for the 2018 spring compost sale. We will be open on April 27 and 28th. Sales hours will be Fridays 1:00pm to 4:30pm and Saturdays 9:00am to 3:00pm. Sales are cash and credit card only. Sales will be cancelled if it is raining. The […]
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.
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. […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]