The UConn Extension podcast covers four topics: Connecting Connecticut On The Trail Walk With Me One Health You can listen to all episodes on our Spotify channel at s.uconn.edu/extension-podcast.
Agriculture & Food
Ensuring a vibrant and sustainable agricultural industry and food supply
Protect Humans and Animals from Mosquitoes
The presence of mosquitoes carrying Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV) on the rise in Connecticut, according to surveillance program from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and testing from UConn’s Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (CVMDL) in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources. Protect both humans and livestock with these steps: http://s.uconn.edu/eeev
Annual Beef Cattle Auction
The 2023 University of Connecticut (UConn) Beef Cattle Auction is set to occur on Sunday, October 22, 2023, at the Cattle Resource Unit (CRU) on Horsebarn Hill Road in Storrs, CT 06269. This year’s event will offer both in-person attendance and the opportunity for virtual and live bidding through Wolf Auction Group. Sale animals will […]
Report the Spotted Lanternfly (SLF)
If you see something, say something. The Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) seriously threatens Connecticut agriculture and other plants we enjoy. Help the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station control the SLF by reporting and eliminating this invasive pest. Learn more at s.uconn.edu/lanternfly
Ask UConn Extension: What to do with Jumping Worms
Asian jumping worms are a problem. Most efforts at this time are about reducing the spread. The eggs of these worms can travel on shoes and gardening tools and plant material, so proper sanitation is a big key. Avoid plant swaps. More tips and tricks: s.uconn.edu/jumpingworms
Bonnie Kegler: Empowering Youth with UConn 4-H
Bonnie Kegler (’88 CAHNR, ’90 NEAG) joined UConn Extension and the 4-H program in Windham County as an assistant extension educator in July, after an award-winning teaching career at Killingly High School in the agricultural education program. “I want youth in the UConn 4-H program to have a sense of accomplishment on any level, whether […]
Prepare for Additional Rain
We’re experiencing heavy rain again this afternoon, & expected into the evening, in part from #HurricaneLee effects. Prepare for flooding with our resources at https://s.uconn.edu/flooding
Meet Brenda Sanchez
Brenda Sanchez recently joined our team as an Outreach Nutrition Education Assistant with the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) in our Bethel office in Fairfield County. She joins us from experiences working in the medical field and with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, where she spent 11 years as a peer […]
Solving the Food Label Mystery
Navigating the grocery store aisle is challenging for many consumers—especially those who want to buy the most nutritious food and stay within their budget. Learn more and play Unpeeled: The Case Files of Maya McCluen at http://s.uconn.edu/unpeeled. Additional food label resources, including understanding best by, sell by, and expiration date are in this article and […]
Become a Master Composter
Registration is open for the 2023 UConn Master Composter Program! Classes consist of two Saturday in-person sessions, September 16 and 30, and two Thursday night virtual ones, September 21 and 28. There are also two field trips scheduled for October. Participants will learn about composting and share their knowledge with others in a variety of […]
Job Opening: Evaluation Specialist
We’re hiring an Extension Evaluation Specialist. Join our team and advance the field of program evaluation by designing and testing methods that lead to improved capacity to measure outcomes of UConn Extension programs. The Specialist designs and delivers education programs and non-credit courses for UConn Extension faculty, staff, and administrators to increase their capacity to […]
Stress Management Resources for Farmers
Farming is stressful, and there are resources to help navigate those challenges. Becca Toms from our Solid Ground program talked with two of our farmers – Dishaun Harris: Root Life, New Haven and Yoko Takemura: Assawaga Farm, Putnam – about the different stresses they face farming in Connecticut and some of the practices they have […]
August 18th: 2nd Annual UConn IPM Seminar Series
Join us on Friday, August 18th for the 2nd Annual UConn IPM Seminar Series. This event is free to the public, and will be held in the Wilfred B. Young Building on the Storrs Campus from 10:a.m.-2:30 p.m. Registration is required. Topics: Dr. Nick Goltz- Disease Update and Plant Health Tips Pamm Cooper- Good Bug- […]
Cultivating Education and Food Security with the Master Gardeners
On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from early spring through fall, you can find dedicated groups of Master Gardeners lovingly cultivating an organic Demonstration Vegetable Garden at the Fairfield County Extension Center site in Bethel. By summer, the garden is a beautiful oasis teeming with butterflies, and pollinators as volunteers harvest tomatoes, potatoes, beans, and […]
Getting Locally Grown, Fresh Food onto Student Lunch Trays
Recent policy changes are raising the opportunity for many more Connecticut students to taste fresh, locally grown food in their school cafeterias. UConn Extension is well positioned to make the most of these changes. First, in 2021, the CT Grown for CT Kids Grants program was created by the state to help school districts and […]
Flooding Resources for Agriculture, Residents & Municipalities
Many of our communities are affected by the statewide flooding from the Connecticut River after heavy rains in New York and Vermont. Flooding conditions continued after more rain arrived. UConn Extension has the following resources to support agricultural producers, consumers, residents, and others affected. Flooding Resources
Read the Latest Issue of Wrack Lines
The new issue of Wrack Lines, a Connecticut Sea Grant publication is available, with articles about marine scientists, fishermen & offshore wind, marine economics, a new aquaculture course and more: https://seagrant.uconn.edu/?p=10622
Disaster Preparedness for Horse Owners
Article by Dr. Jenifer Nadeau, UConn Equine Extension Specialist When it comes to disasters, a lot of us think about wildfires. However, we also picture catastrophic flooding. Flooding is the most common type of natural disaster. About 40% of all natural disasters worldwide involve flooding. According to National Flood Insurance, in a 30-year mortgage, a […]
Flooding Resources
Updated on July 24, 2023 Many of our communities are affected by the statewide flooding from the Connecticut River after heavy rains in New York and Vermont. Flooding conditions continued after more rain arrived. UConn Extension has the following resources to support agricultural producers, consumers, residents, and others affected. You can also sign up for […]
Meat and Poultry HACCP Course
HACCP for Meat and Poultry Processors (Course approved by International HACCP Alliance) This three-day International HACCP Alliance approved Meat and Poultry HACCP course will provide participants with the information they need to prepare a HACCP food safety program and plan for a plant under USDA/FSIS Grant of Inspection. *See additional information below flyer; click flyer […]
Connecticut Shell Recycling Survey
Do you work with a restaurant that sells oysters? Please pass on this survey to them! We are recruiting individuals for a research project to gauge the CT food service sector interest in shell recycling. We have obtained prospective participants’ email addresses through project partners at the Connecticut Restaurant Association. Participation involves a survey that will take […]
Siete Consejos para Estirar Tu Presupuesto en Alimentos
Dianisi Torres, M.A., CHW Nutrition Outreach Educator, UConn Extension Read the article in English here. ¿Alguna vez se ha detenido en la línea del supermercado, mira su carrito de compras y se pregunta, cómo tan pocos artículos de alimentos cuestan tanto dinero? Es algo que pasa con frecuencia a pesar de que somos afortunados de […]
Crop Talk June 2023
UConn Extension is pleased to announce that the June 2023 edition of Crop Talk is now available at https://ipm.cahnr.uconn.edu/crop-talk/ Happy reading!
UConn Dairy Herd is 2023 Outstanding Dairy Farm
UConn’s Kellogg Dairy Center (KDC) is recognized as the 2023 Connecticut Outstanding Dairy Farm for New England Green Pastures. The facility sits atop horsebarn hill in Storrs, looking out over the rolling fields. Within the barn, and the cattle resource unit down the road, are award-winning cattle and a nationally recognized university dairy program. They […]
Urban Farmer Training Offered on July 15th
Are you new to, or interested in Urban Farming? Join our Solid Ground Program and Keney Park Sustainability Project to get some deeper knowledge on some useful skills that urban farmers can use to support their businesses and farms! Join Us: July 15th 9AM-12PM @ Keney Park Sustainability Project 183 Windsor Ave. Windsor, CT with […]
Leaders of Color in Conservation
We’re pleased to introduce our 2023 Leaders of Color in Conservation in Connecticut. UConn Extension, in partnership with a BIPOC-led organization, E&G Community Builders is implementing the Leaders of Color in Conservation Training Project (LOCCT). We are training and mentoring these individuals in conservation planning and common practices on small farms.
Meet Srikanth Kodati, Extension Educator
Srikanth Kodati recently joined us as an Assistant Extension Educator for pesticide safety and crop protection. He received his bachelor’s degree from Acharya N.G Ranga Agricultural University in Hyderabad, India, and his Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he studied the diversity and management of root rot diseases of soybean. Prior to […]
UConn Extension Receives Four National Communications Awards
UConn Extension received four awards from the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE) at the annual conference in June. Gold Award – Respecting Roots and Growing for the Future – Writing Team: Stacey Stearns Silver Award – On Farm Food Safety Animated Videos – Educational Video Team: Indu Upadhyaya, Mike Zaritheny, Juliana Restrepo-Marin, Stacey Stearns, Bonnie […]
The Big E, 4-H, and FFA
The Big E can be a transformational educational experience for youth involved in 4-H and/or the National FFA Organization. Learn more about the event in personal testimonials and impact statements in this video!
Did You Know? Ants
While ants can be a nuisance, they are actually considered beneficial predators when they are in places where they are not disrupting plant growth. They prefer sandy, dry soils and that is probably why they are in this area. Compost is not an effective means of killing ants, but if a sandy soil is amended […]
Can the wildfire particles get into the soil and our food?
Can the particles in the air currently from the Canadian wildfires get into the soil and then into our food being grown locally? Smoke and ash from current Canadian wildfires have raised questions about the safety of produce growing on farms and gardens in Connecticut and beyond. While the number 1 concern from wildfire smoke […]
Did You Know? Asparagus
Asparagus should not be harvested the first two years after planting. The third year, harvest is limited to 2 weeks. After that, it is safe to harvest for 4-8 weeks, then allow ferns to develop. Some people opt not to harvest the 3rd year, but it can be done. -Pamm Cooper
UConn Summer Riding: Community Polo Lessons 2023
Polo lesson registration is now open! Lessons are available to Intermediate or Advanced Level riders who can maintain control of their horse at the walk, trot and canter, and comfortable on different levels of horses. DATES Session 1: Jun 5 – 24 Session 2: Jun 26 – Jul 14 Session 3: Jul 17 – Aug […]
2023 Connecticut Grower Crop Loss Reporting
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture, in coordination with UConn Extension and USDA Farm Service Agency, has created a crop loss form to gather data from growers related to crop loss impacts incurred to date in 2023 due to weather.Connecticut Department of Agriculture will share data with USDA Farm Service Agency and UConn Extension. By filling out this […]
Did You Know? Crabapples
If a crabapple fails to produce fruit, but does have flowers, then either flowers were not pollinated or the tree has other issues and is stressed, and will then abort fruit. Crabapple trees in shade also tend to produce little to no fruit. -Pamm Cooper
Upcoming Field Workshops on Improving Pasture Management for Sustainable Livestock Production
REMINDER: Our Tri-State SARE Professional Development Project is pleased to announce two summer workshops for Improving Pasture Management for Sustainable Livestock Production. Click the flyer image above or the link below for more information on the workshops. Please email Rachel.Bespuda@uconn.edu with any questions. Additional information on the SARE program can be found at https://livestock.extension.uconn.edu/sare/ Workshop […]
WTNH Channel 8 airs story on CT shell recycling program
WTNH Channel 8 news broadcast a story about Connecticut Sea Grant’s shell recycling initiative on its April 19 show. CTSG’s Tessa Getchis, aquaculture extension specialist, and Michael Gilman, shell recycling coordinator, were interviewed for the piece, titled “Connecticut oyster recycling program reinvigorates reefs.” Watch the story here.
Chloride is Crucial for Crops!
Article by Haiying Tao, PhD, UConn Assistant Professor, Soil Fertility & Health While we all are aware that the big three, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) are needed for healthy plants, many of us don’t give much thought to the dozen or so trace elements that while needed in tiny quantities are also […]
4-H Youth Survey
Are you a 4-H member who participated in 2023? Are you between the ages of 13 and 18? Do you want to share your experience? Please help us gather feedback on our programming by filling out the anonymous Annual Index Survey at s.uconn.edu/4-Hindex23
Advancing Environmental & Climate Justice in CT
Romina Flores Diaz, a political science student at UConn Hartford, and Mayra Rodríguez González, our urban and community forestry assistant extension educator, advanced UConn CAHNR’s strategic vision through their collaborative research on Resilient Cities, Racism, and Equity. At the Undergraduate Research Conference in Storrs, Romina presented an evidence-based approach to achieve environmental and climate justice […]