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 […]
Agriculture & Farming
Ensuring a vibrant and sustainable agricultural industry and food supply
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Jessica LaRosa: 4-H Alumni Spotlight
The UConn 4-H program fostered a passion for animals in Jessica LaRosa of East Windsor. While in 4-H, Jessica discovered she loved teaching the public and others about agriculture. “My passion for both animals and teaching other about agriculture is what led me to find my major at UConn,” Jessica says. Jessica joined the Merry […]
The First HardCORE CT Apple Challenge
The First HardCORE CT Apple Challenge with Put Local On Your Tray! October is special for a few reasons. Everyone is getting back in the swing of things at school, the foliage outstanding, and the many varieties of delicious crisp apples are ripening atop trees in orchards across the state. The combination makes a perfect […]
Windham Master Gardener Program
By John Lorusso We have had a great year educating our new crop of Master Gardeners in Brooklyn this year. The group began classes in the dead of winter in January and have been diligently working on their plant identification and diagnostic abilities all summer. In addition to those actions, they have been very busy […]
Biosecurity Workshop Provides Healthy Discussion
By Joyce Meader How would a dairy or livestock business survive if a Foreign Animal Disease arrived in the United States? Using Foot and Mouth Disease as an example, participants of this week’s Biosecurity Work shop heard from Dr. Richard Horowitz about the New England Secure Milk Supply’s steps to maintain a permit to ship […]
Deadline Extended for Master Gardener Program Applications
Do you love gardening? Are you interested in expanding your knowledge and sharing that knowledge with others? Applications for the 2018 Master Gardener Program through UConn Extension are now due by Friday, November 17. Master Gardener interns receive horticultural training from UConn, and then share knowledge with the public through community volunteering and educational outreach […]
Building Communities: Brass City Harvest
UConn Extension empowers communities by building a network of awareness and knowledge. One example of this is Brass City Harvest, Inc. in Waterbury. Extension educators in our greenhouse and Master Gardener programs worked with Susan Pronovost to build the capacity of 501(c)3 organization. Susan shared her organization’s work with us Brass City Harvest, Inc. is […]
UConn Beef Auction
The auction will be held on Sunday, October 22nd at UConn’s Storrs Campus at the UConn Cattle Resource Unit (Heifer Barn) located on Horsebarn Hill Road. The event is free and open to the general public. Preview of animals begins at 10 a.m.; auction will be held at 12:00 noon; lunch will be available for […]
Economic Impacts of Connecticut Agriculture
You are cordially invited to the release the Zwick Center’s new ag econ impact report on Friday, September 29th at 9.30 AM at the Legislative Office Building (room 1-B) in Hartford. Speakers include U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, the Commissioner of Ag Steven Reviczky, and Dean Cameron Faustman.
Brush Hill Farm – CT Dairy Farm of the Year
Brush Hill Farm – CT Dairy Farm of the Year 2017, UConn Extension Green Pastures Program By Joyce Meader Looking for cows at Brush Hill Farm? Look no further than the pasture. Other than a few hours a day when the cows are being milked in the barn, they enjoy fresh air, sunshine, and lush […]
Sheep Shearing School
The Connecticut Sheep Breeders Association Inc. in conjunction with the University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension Service are again offering a one-day shearing school. Saturday, October 14, 2017 UConn Beef Barn (Livestock Unit 1) Horsebarn Hill Road 8am-4:30pm This program is offered for those individuals who have a strong interest in learning how to […]
Worm Day
Saturday, October 21, 2017 at the Fairfield County Extension Center from 10 am to 1 pm. Want to learn more about invasive earthworms in Connecticut? Ever thought about making a worm bin to recycle kitchen scraps into rich vermicompost? Join us for Worm Day! It is free and open to the public. Following presentations on […]
Videos Showcase Farm Energy
Renewable energy has a lower environmental impact than energy generated by burning fossil fuels. Connecticut has a goal to secure 27% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020. Recently, four videos on farm energy were produced to showcase different options available to Connecticut Farmers. Ace Begonias in Bethany has an energy-efficient lighting project. Full […]
Why Farmers Are Pleading: Leave Your Dogs Home
By Diane Wright Hirsch, MPH UConn Extension Educator – Food Safety Over the years I have worked with many fruit and vegetable farmers, as they have become the focus of new food safety regulations. Some of these farms sell their product through pick-your-own (PYO) operations, some at an on-farm stand; others have CSA (community supported […]
Become a Master Composter
Become a UConn Master Composter! The purpose of the Master Composter Program is to provide local compost enthusiasts with the tools and information necessary to educate and teach interested community members about composting and reducing the amount of solid waste sent to the state’s incinerators and landfills. Participants would attend classroom sessions at the Fairfield […]
Join the Big Bug Hunt to Beat Garden Pests
Major citizen science project tracks garden bugs to identify when and how they spread Key points The Big Bug Hunt is an international research project to track when and how garden bugs spread. Participants are helping to create a pest-alert system that will warn gardeners when pests are heading their way. Anyone can take part […]
Food Safety for Artisan Cheesemakers
Dr. Dennis D’Amico has been working with North Carolina State University to convert his cheese food safety workshop into an online program. They recently launched the online course: Food Safety for Artisan Cheesemakers. The course will be offered at no cost until the end of the year by using the code INTRO-FREE. To enroll : https://foodsafety.ncsu.edu/food-safety-basics-artisan-cheesemakers/. The […]
Benchmarking and Risk Management
Farmers: Learn more about benchmarking and risk management http://s.uconn.edu/3th with Extension educators and Farm Credit East.
So, You Want to Preserve Your Famous Salsa…
By Diane Wright Hirsch, MPH, RD Extension Educator/Food Safety Every year, about this time, I am spending time on the phone, talking people out of canning. Well, not exactly. I strongly encourage canning as a way to preserve summer tomatoes, peaches, apples and cucumbers (often as pickles). But, invariably I will answer the phone and […]
Keeping Farm Fresh Veggies and Fruits Fresh
Keeping those farm fresh veggies and fruits fresh By Diane Wright Hirsch, MPH Senior Extension Educator/Food Safety Recently I had a call from a mom asking if she should wash her berries before storing in the fridge. Her 30-something daughter, who, of course, knows everything, insisted that she should wash first. The mom wasn’t […]
Nutrient Management Planning
Article by Richard Meinert In the simplest form a Nutrient Management Plan is an inventory of the nutrients produced on the farm or needed by crops that are, or will be, produced, and a list of planned applications needed to distribute those nutrients to individual crop fields to support the growth of the desired crop, […]
Preparing Agricultural Leaders for Drought
Article by Kim Colavito Markesich Originally published by Naturally.UConn.edu While Connecticut residents live in a state with ample water resources, we are beginning to notice some changes in precipitation trends. “Connecticut is very fortunate as we’re actually quite water rich,” says Angie Harris, research assistant in UConn Extension. “We are getting rainfall, but there’s […]
Bug Out This Summer With UConn Extension
UConn Extension’s Bug Week is right around the corner, from July 24th to 29th, and we have programs for the whole family. Bugs are the unsung heroes of our ecosystem, providing services such as pollination and natural pest control. However, bugs don’t stop at environmental benefits. They have also impacted our culture through the manufacturing […]
Make Sure Your Farm Counts!
Make Sure Your Farm Counts! NASS conducts a census of all agricultural operations every five years as well as other agricultural surveys. We need to know about all types of agricultural operations of all sizes. The Information you provide is kept confidential by law and will not be disclosed to any other government or private […]
Got Gardening Questions?
Did you know that the UConn Extension Master Gardener program has 9 locations statewide, and our trained volunteers are ready and able to help you answer garden questions. Find a location near you at http://mastergardener.uconn.edu.
Online Course Catalog of Extension Programs
There are more than one hundred UConn Extension specialists working throughout Connecticut. These educators are teaching and training in local communities, sharing their experience and knowledge with residents through a variety of programs. These instructional activities now will be easily accessible with the creation of an online extension course catalog. Extension classes address a wide range […]
Spring: Egg Safety Time
Spring: A good time to remind you about egg safety By Diane Wright Hirsch, MPH Senior Extension Educator/Food Safety Spring is here (at least officially) and it is always a good time to remind ourselves of how to safely handle eggs. Whether you are hard-boiling them for an Easter or Passover celebration, or looking […]
Biological Control Short Course Offered
Xerces Society’s Conservation Biological Control Short Course 4-H Education Center at Auer Farm 158 Auer Farm Rd. Bloomfield, CT Tuesday, June 13th, 2017 9:00 am – 4:30 pm EDT Learn a science-based strategy that seeks to integrate beneficial insects for natural pest control with instructor Dr. Ana Legrand from UConn! To register and read course […]
National Ag Day
Happy National Agriculture Day! UConn CAHNR students, and Connecticut 4-H alumni Katy Davis and Katelyn Williams are in Washington DC today for National Ag Day Training – two of only 12 4-H students selected nationwide to participate. National 4-H Council is pleased to offer this agriculture leadership opportunity for college students to represent 4-H in the 2017 National Ag […]
Celebrate Dairy in March with Put Local on Your Tray
During the month of March, the Put Local On Your Tray program is partnering with school districts across the state to feature local dairy. Put Local On Your Tray helps Connecticut school districts serve and celebrate locally grown products. Through a combination of technical assistance and promotional materials, the program works with schools to build […]
Will Food Label Confusion Go Away?
By Diane Wright Hirsch, MPH Senior Extension Educator/Food Safety When teaching consumers and those who prepare food for day care centers, food pantries, shelters, and senior lunch programs, I always spend a bit of time talking about food labels. Not the nutrition labels, which can also be confusing to the average consumer, but the […]