Article by Judy Benson If you’re a Connecticut shellfish farmer, your ears might perk up a bit when you hear the term HABs – harmful algal blooms. Toxic HABs outbreaks, sometimes referred to as “red tide” or “brown tide” because of the discolored water that can occur along with it, have caused recent shellfish bed […]
Agriculture & Food
Ensuring a vibrant and sustainable agricultural industry and food supply
Cucumber Salad Recipes with UConn EFNEP
UConn Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program cooks! Learn to make cucumber salads! YUM!
USDA Non-insured Disaster Assistance Program
USDA Non-insured Disaster Assistance Program or “NAP” is accepting applications until Sept 1, 2020. NAP provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops (such as shellfish) when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters. The annual fee is $325 and is free in some cases. Beginning, limited resource, socially disadvantaged and qualifying […]
Meet Erin Korowotny: New Haven County 4-H Intern
Hello everyone! My name is Erin Korowotny and I am very excited to be the intern for New Haven County 4-H this summer! I am a rising senior in UConn CAHNR, studying Agriculture and Natural Resources. Currently, I serve as the Treasurer of the UConn Agriculture Advocacy Club. After graduation, I hope to pursue a […]
Baking 5 Ingredient Bagels with UConn EFNEP
UConn Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program cooks! Learn to make this easy, fast, and only 5 ingredient bagel! YUM!
Cauliflower Fried Rice with Nikki Santillo
Nikki Santillo, a UConn student and intern with our UConn Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) walks us through the steps and provides the recipe to make cauliflower fried rice.
Virtual Story Series: Blueberries for Sal – Read by Zach Duda
Zach Duda, one of our UConn Extension interns with the Litchfield County 4-H program reads Blueberries for Sal in a virtual story series. Youth can learn all about blueberries, how to pick them, and what we can use them for.
There is Still Time to Garden
August is just around the corner, and somehow you never got your vegetable garden started. Perhaps you had a wonderful early-season harvest but didn’t plant any later-season crops. The garden bed is just sitting there, empty except for weeds. Don’t think the garden season is over! There are plenty of short-season crops and cold-tolerant veggies […]
Meet Ryan Morais: Vegetable Entomology Intern
I am a Senior undergrad environmental engineering major and ecology and evolutionary biology minor with a passion for entomology. This summer I will be working as a vegetable entomology intern through UConn’s Extension Internship Program. I work closely with Professor Legrand to develop an informational entomology website and outreach educational materials. Other than web development, […]
Meet Autumn Blasi: UConn EFNEP Intern
Hi! My name is Autumn Blasi, and I’m one of the summer interns with UConn CAHNR Extension. I’m currently working in clinical and community nutrition with organizations like the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), and the Human Resource Agencies (HRA) of Bristol and New Britain. At UConn, I major in Nutritional Sciences, with […]
Dairy Handling and Restraint with Megan Davenport
Megan Davenport, a UConn Extension summer intern with Hartford County 4-H, teaches us about dairy cattle handling and restraint.
Improving Health and Nutrition in Hartford
Participants at the Village Family Resource Center at Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford wanted more information on health and nutrition. Our Expanded Food and Nutrition Education program (EFNEP) partnered with the Family Resource Center to provide five educational outreach sessions in 2019. Community members wanted to learn about food security, healthy choices, feeding children, […]
Pasta Salsa Recipe with UConn EFNEP
Heather Pease from our UConn Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) walks us through the process of making Pasta Salsa. You can make this delicious and nutritious recipe with a few simple items. It’s healthy and budget-friendly.
Urban Agriculture in Bridgeport
Extension works on urban agriculture projects in cities including Danbury, Stamford and Bridgeport. We are collaborating with food accessibility and food justice organizations in Bridgeport to build capacity growing fresh vegetables. Growing sites include schools, community centers and capped brown fields. Partners provide healthy food and train underserved, diverse audiences in farming. UConn Extension offered […]
CVMDL Identifies Asian Longhorned Tick Submitted from NY
The Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (CVMDL) at UConn is reporting the identification of the Asian longhorned tick. This is the first time that CVMDL has identified this tick species. The ticks were submitted to CVMDL for identification and testing from the State of New York. Our laboratory notified New York State Animal and Public Health […]
Nutrient Management in Canaan
Nutrient Management on farms is a balancing act between how much manure needs to be spread and how many nutrients crop fields need. We work with dairy farmers throughout the state to address the challenge of managing nutrient distribution on their fields through research and outreach, innovative technology, and by fostering collaborative partnerships. The Canaan […]
Meet Megan Davenport: Hartford County 4-H Intern
Hi everyone! My name is Megan Davenport and I am Hartford County’s 4-H Intern this summer! I am currently a junior at UConn in Storrs, CT and am double majoring in Animal Science (ANSC) and Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) and minoring in Agriculture Outreach and Learning. At UConn, I am heavily involved in the […]
The Hay Making Process with Zach Duda
Zach Duda, a UConn CAHNR student and a summer intern with Extension’s Litchfield County 4-H program walks us through the haymaking process. We often see cattle, horses, sheep, and goats consuming hay, but if you ever wondered how it was made, Zach has the answers for you.
Meet Sara Tomis: New London County 4- H Intern
Greetings! My name is Sara Tomis and I am working as an intern for the New London County 4-H Office. I am majoring in Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) at the University of Connecticut, and I intend to pursue a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Education upon the completion of my undergraduate degree. I aspire to […]
UVM 4-H Summer Online Programs
4-H staff in Vermont are offering programs on a variety of topics where youth can meet new friends and try new activities. CLOVERBUDS CONNECT CHALLENGE Cloverbud Connects Challenges are issued each Friday and are geared toward youth in grades K-2 (Flyer, PDF). Cloverbuds watch a video that demonstrates an activity and then we challenge you […]
Recipe: Southwestern Bean Burgers
Heather Pease from our UConn Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) walks us through the process of making Southwestern Bean Burgers. You can make this delicious and nutritious recipe with a few simple items. It’s healthy and budget-friendly.
Food Preservation Resources
Planning on Canning? Freezing Food in Your Future? Check out this Food Preservation Resource list for all the accurate information you will need to can, freeze or dry the garden bounty: Food Preservation Links and Resources 10 Rules for Safe Canning
Students’ IDEA Grant Will Showcase Innovative Agriculture
A group of students from the UConn College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) received an IDEA grant from the UConn Office of Undergraduate Research. Their project will help bridge the communication gap between agriculture and consumers. Approximately two percent of the population is involved in agriculture, but we all need to eat every […]
Environmental Conditions Online
Your One Stop Shop for Maps and Geographic Information cteco.uconn.edu Technology has expanded the mapping world. No longer are maps static and flat. They are now interactive, zoom able and clickable. They allow focus on a location or a question and enable us to explore our backyard, town, state and world. The Connecticut Environmental Conditions […]
Meet Nikki Santillo: New Haven County Farmer’s Market Intern
Hello, my name is Nikki Santillo. I am interning with the New Haven County farmer’s market. I am a rising junior majoring in Nutritional Sciences with a minor in Food Science. In the fall semester, I was able to connect with an after school program the nutrition club supported. I helped inform the children about […]
UConn Extension & Wrack Lines Awards
UConn Extension We are delighted to share that UConn Extension has received three national awards from the Association of Communication Excellence: Gold Award – Marketing – Budget Under $1000: Bug Week – Kara Bonsack and Stacey Stearns Silver Award – Marketing – Budget Over $1000: Ask UConn Extension – Kara Bonsack, Stacey Stearns, Mike Zaritheny and […]
Tour des Farms Annual Bike Ride Uplifts Local Farmers All Summer Long
Your Scenic Summer Ride Can Support Connecticut Farmers and Help Tackle Food Insecurity Statewide – Connecticut Resource Conservation and Development (CT RC&D) is a statewide nonprofit agriculture and environmental organization focused on sustainable Connecticut communities and rural prosperity. On July 1st, they’re launching the 3rd Annual Tour des Farms Fundraiser, a bicycle (2020 to include […]
Educator Spotlight: Bill Davenport
After thirty-three years as an agriscience teacher at Nonnewaug High School in Woodbury, William Davenport has found his way back to his early grounding in 4-H. He began work as assistant extension educator in charge of 4-H programming in Litchfield County in July 2019. Davenport is a graduate of the college, having earned bachelor of […]
Pasta Salad – A Healthy Recipe with Dianisi Torres
Dianisi Torres of our UConn Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) makes a healthy pasta salad with you using ingredients from the Dollar Store. The presentation is in English and Spanish. Dianisi Torres, de nuestro programa Educación Alimentaria y Nutricional Expandida de la Extension de UConn, conocido como EFNEP, prepara una ensalada de […]
Meet Carl Johnson: Plant Diagnostic & Horticulture Intern
Hello! My name is Carl Johnson I am the Plant diagnostic & Horticulture intern at the UConn Plant Diagnostic Lab. I am a graduate of the Ratcliffe Hicks plant science program(RHSA) and am going into my senior year as a Sustainable Plant and Soil Systems (SPSS) major. Before enrolling in UConn I worked as a […]
Meet Zachary Duda: Litchfield County 4-H Intern
Hello my name is Zachary Duda and I am excited to be an intern this summer with Litchfield County 4-H! I am currently a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Connecticut. At UConn I serve as the President of the UConn Agricultural Advocacy Club and am […]
High-Value Greenhouse Production
High technology greenhouses across Connecticut provide cover for many types of plants. Bedding plants, edibles (vegetable and herb transplants, greenhouse vegetables grown for production), ornamental herbaceous perennials, hemp and poinsettias all grow in greenhouses. UConn Extension supports the Connecticut greenhouse industry with information and educational programming on sustainable production methods. In Connecticut, the greenhouse industry […]
Seafood Consumption is Increasing
Human demand for seafood is rising, but the world ocean can only provide a limited share of what we consume. Over the last 50 years, the average annual growth in seafood production exceeded that of all other types of terrestrial animal production. In 2018, global seafood production was estimated at an all-time high of 178.8 […]
Meet Sydney Collins: NRCA Intern
Hello all! My name is Sydney Collins, and I am excited to announce my partnership with UConn Extension as a NRCA Intern for the Natural Resources Conservation Academy (NRCA) in Summer 2020. More about me, I am a rising sophomore at the University of Connecticut studying Environmental Science with a keen interest in Urban and Community Development. […]
Raised beds for my vegetable garden?
There’s a growing interest in using raised beds in vegetable gardens, and if that’s your interest, read on. It’s always a good idea to plan a project before jumping in and consider the many variables. Let’s explore some of these. Why you’re considering raised beds. Many people are interested in raised beds as a way […]
Partner Testimonials
Partnerships are at the foundation of Extension’s work statewide in all 169 towns and cities of Connecticut. We integrate with agencies and non-profits in communities in a variety of ways. “Our partnerships strengthen Extension, and in turn increase our statewide impact. Our innovative collaborations allow Extension and our partners to reach respective goals together.” ~ […]
Survey Impacts of COVID-19 on Agricultural Producers
Agricultural Producers: You are invited to participate in a research study. UConn Extension has many educational programs for agricultural producers. You may or may not have participated in these in the past. We are surveying agricultural producers to determine the impacts of COVID-19 on your agricultural business and what educational programs you need from UConn Extension and our partners because of COVID-19. […]
How to Make a Strawberry Kale Smoothie with Molly Basak-Smith
Molly Basak-Smith of our UConn Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) walks through how to make a strawberry kale smoothie as part of our Slurpie challenge with the Put Local On Your Tray program. Make your own smoothie at home and join us in the Great Smoothie Slurp!
What to Know Before You Go: Visiting a Farm During COVID
Facemasks and social distancing have become the norm in all parts of our lives. Farm stands, community supported agriculture (CSA) operations; farmers’ markets and pick-your-own operations have remained open despite the pandemic. However, the operations have changed to adhere to regulations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Before you visit the farm […]
What is It?
What is it? The Spotted Pine Sawyer Beetle. It is right on time with adults appearing in June. It’s look alike is the Asian Longhorn Beetle, but the adult stage for the ALB occurs during August, says Carol Quish from our UConn Home & Garden Education Center. Ask us your question at: http://bit.ly/AskUConnExtension_form Our colleagues at University of […]