Connecticut Environmental Action Day (CEAD) is a one-day conference that seeks to inspire students to take the #ClimateChangeChallenge and then post their actions using #ExtendtheChange to encourage friends and families to do the same. CEAD is sponsored by UConn Extension with our partners from UConn’s Department of Marketing, Department of Anthropology, and UConn PIRG. The goals […]
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National Nutrition Month – Smooth Chai Latte
Do you practice yoga? Do you have a favorite herbal tea? As part of #NNM, self-care is a big part of “being well” and making sure you’re taking care of the [mental] part of you. Helping yourself to wind down may lower stress levels- even if it’s that morning cup of tea that you absolutely […]
National Nutrition Month – Recipe of the Week
Did you know that buying frozen fruits and vegetables versus fresh have extra benefits? Frozen fruits and vegetables may be less expensive and can stretch your food dollars when fresh produce is not “in season” in your area. Frozen fruits and vegetables are frozen at the peak of their ripeness so their nutrients are available […]
Support 4-H Through Your Local Tractor Supply and JOANN Stores
Tractor Supply and JOANN stores across the country are supporting 4-H this spring through their Clovers for Kids and Paper Clover campaigns. From March 1st to April 30th JOANN Stores nationwide will ask their customers to donate towards the 4-H Program through their Clovers for Kids Campaign which is in its second year of operation. Both $1 […]
February is Heart Health Month – Hit the Trails for Your Heart
February is heart health month – to raise awareness about heart disease and how people can prevent it. Walking is one easy way to increase physical fitness. Every step counts. Most adults should try for at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) a week of moderate intensity activity. 30 minutes of brisk walking on at least […]
Extension Interns Receive Award
Casey Lambert (’19) and Evan Lentz (’19) won 2nd place honors for their poster and presentation at the national meeting for the USDA-iPiPE project (Integrated Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education) held in Raleigh, NC February 4-6. Mary Concklin, Fruit Extension Educator, PSLA, is the grant PI. The primary focus of the project was to […]
‘New normal’ of flooded roads presents complex challenges
Story and photos by Judy Benson With frequent downpours flooding many of the state’s coastal roads throughout the fall and into January – including the previous day – the workshop could hardly have had more relevance and timeliness. “I spent yesterday dealing with countless calls to my office from people saying they couldn’t get to […]
My 4-H Story: Samantha Smith
4-H has impacted my life by teaching me that even in the hard times you should hold onto your project and never let go. 4-H has also taught me how to do math. 4-H has helped me with my spelling. Through my 4-H years I have learned a lot. I have learned patience while working […]
CT Trail Census Receives Grant
Our Connecticut Trail Census program recently received $206,049.50 in grant funding from the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) Trails & Greenways Program and the Connecticut Greenways Council. UConn Extension’s Connecticut Trail Census is a statewide volunteer-based data collection and education program implemented as a pilot from 2016-2018 on 16 multi-use (bicycle, pedestrian, equestrian) trail sites across the state.
School of Business Partnership Strengthens Extension
Extension brings the research of the land-grant university to communities statewide. Other departments at UConn are helping Extension grow and impact new audiences with the research and resources they produce. We have built a partnership with the Department of Marketing in the School of Business that has transformed the marketing initiatives of UConn Extension, and […]
My 4-H Story: Maria Grillo
4-H has, in a sentence, taught me how to be myself and to tap into my full potential. I was once a quiet kid who desperately wanted to speak out and have an impact but didn’t know how. Now, I am a determined, confident young adult who can be heard the minute I walk into […]
New England Greenhouse Floriculture Guide is Available
The 2019-20 edition of the New England Greenhouse Floriculture Guide is now available. Order your copy today! New England greenhouse growers have long relied on the New England Greenhouse Floriculture Guide,for its unbiased, detailed information about insect and mite management, disease prevention and management, weed control, and plant growth regulation. The Guide is updated every two years to ensure that […]
My 4-H Story: Hannah Platt
For the past eight years 4-H has taught me many things that I probably would not have learned without it. I have experienced how the association for the fair works over the past few years. I learned that without it, the fair would not happen. Every one of the officers has their own role and […]
Job: New Haven County Master Gardener Coordinator
Position Description Master Gardener County Coordinator New Haven County The UConn Extension Master Gardener Program is seeking applications for the position of Master Gardener New Haven County Program Coordinator. This is a 16‐hour‐per‐week position and is a temporary, six‐month appointment. Renewal is optional pending coordinator review and availability of program funding. Responsibilities include but are […]
Solid Ground Farmer Trainings in January
The following Solid Ground Farmer Trainings are scheduled for January. BF 106: Vegetable Production for Small Scale Farming – January 5th BF 240: Pesticide Safety for Conventional & Organic Producers – January 9th BF 270: Welding Basics for Agriculture – January 12th – FULL BF 110: Growing Crops in Low, High and Movable Tunnels – January […]
Stormwater Corps: Looking for Green Stormwater Opportunities
If you were out and about in the towns of North Haven, Milford, Hamden, West Haven or Cheshire this summer, you may have seen a team of four young adults writing on clipboards, snapping pictures of parking lots, laying their phones down on the sidewalk, and peering down into storm drains. These four intrepid UConn […]
My 4-H Story: Elizabeth Hall
To some people my 4-H story might seem dull, but to me it has been an exciting adventure! 4-H has taught me responsibility and how my actions can positively affect my community. I have also learned leadership and citizenship skills that I have been able to incorporate into activities outside of 4-H. Setting goals in […]
Chicken Questions?
Do you own chickens? Our poultry care video series with retired Extension Educator Dr. Mike Darre can answer your questions. There are 10 videos, topic include: how to hold your birds, how to inspect your birds, determining if your chicken is a good layer, watering systems, nest boxes, feeding, housing and heating, bird litter, housing, […]
My 4-H Story: Chloe Smith
I Found Myself at 4-H Camp It’s not very often that someone reflects on defining moments in their life but when I take a moment to reflect on my life so far, the biggest influence that comes to mind is the eight years I’ve spent in the 4-H program and how the 4-H program has […]
Pre-Register for Vegetable and Small Fruit Growers’ Conference
SOUTH WINDSOR, CT – UConn Extension’s 2019 Vegetable & Small Fruit Growers’ Conference will be taking place on Monday, January 7th, 2019. The conference will be held at Maneeley’s Conference Center on 65 Rye Street in South Windsor. The day will include 9 educational sessions, an extensive trade show with over 30 exhibitors, and plenty […]
Poinsettias: From Production to Decoration
Wholesale growers across Connecticut started shipping poinsettias in mid-November. Poinsettia are a long-term crop, started from rooted cuttings in early to mid-July. Plants are pinched to promote branching and growers measure the height of the plants on a weekly basis, and enter data into a computer program, to make sure the plants will be at […]
Holiday Food Shopping on a Budget
It is that crazy, stressful expensive time of year. But planning for that holiday meal shouldn’t be on that list. Here are a few steps to help ease the process and cost: Clean out the refrigerator and freezer of unneeded or wanted items. This will make room for items for the big meal. Also it […]
Lifelong Learning with CLIR Begins Again in January
The Center for Learning in Retirement, otherwise known as CLIR, is one of the many programs offered through the University of Connecticut (UConn) Extension, part of the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources. CLIR is a lifelong learning program that provides meaningful and serious intellectual activities for adults of retirement age. Individuals from all […]
Urban Agriculture Graduation
UConn Extension in collaboration with Green Village Initiative offered the Urban Agriculture Program in Bridgeport, Connecticut from November 2017 to November 2018. A new group of urban farmers graduated on December 7, 2018. The UConn Extension urban agriculture program consists of three components: classroom instruction, hands-on vegetable production, and entrepreneurship. To complete the program students […]
Livestock BCS Video Series
We have a new video series on Body Condition Scoring (BCS) for livestock. Our Tri-State SARE project produced videos for beef cattle, swine, sheep, and goats. You can view the entire series at: http://s.uconn.edu/bcs The Tri-State SARE project, Nutrition’s Role in Sustainable Livestock Production, focuses on animal nutrition as it relates to health and well-being of […]
Bedding Plant Program for Greenhouse Growers Offered
UConn Extension offers Bedding Plant Program for Greenhouse Growers Get the latest information on insect and disease management, proper watering techniques and mixing pesticide formulations and network with fellow growers. This educational program will feature the following topics of interest to those who produce spring ornamental crops in the greenhouse: Watering: Air and Water Balance […]
Nitrogen – The Fix
Nitrogen is an essential nutrient required for the production and growth of all plants, vegetation, and living organisms. It makes up 78% of our atmosphere; however, that only accounts for 2% of the Nitrogen on our planet. The remaining 98% can be found within the Earth’s lithosphere; the crust and outer mantel. The Nitrogen found […]
Food Safety – Approved Grower Courses Available
FSMA Produce Safety Rule/Produce Safety Alliance Approved Grower Training Course December 5 and 6, 2018; December 7, Snow Date 8:30 am through 3:30 pm Middlesex County Extension Center 1066 Saybrook Road Haddam, Connecticut 06438 Registration Deadline Monday, November 26 Space is limited to 30 participants. REGISTRATION: Course fees are $50 for Connecticut Farmers; $150 […]
Communicating Towards Improved Health and Nutrition
Obesity is increasingly affecting residents of Connecticut. Recent statistics report that 20% of children and 36% of young adults are afflicted by obesity (Poulin & Peng, 2018). A team of Extension educators, faculty, and graduate students in Allied Health Sciences are working with community partners to take a multi-faceted approach to addressing health and nutrition […]
Pesticide Safety Educator Receives Award
Indianapolis, IN. A NPSEC team comprised of staff and 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 projects and programs from various topic areas to find […]
Coastal Storm Preparedness Story Map for Connecticut
As part of the Coastal Storm Awareness Program (CSAP) 10 social science research and related new technology projects were funded to improve public response to coastal storm hazard information. In one of these studies, Jennifer Marlon, of Yale University, and other collaborators in 2015 found that 70 percent of coastal Connecticut residents are either unsure […]
CT Trail Census Update
Greetings, trail folks! As seasons change and everyone debates which one is the best, we here at the CT Trail Census (CTTC) realized that thanks to last year’s CTTC volunteer participants, we actually do have data with which to rank the seasons with! Trail use data, of course! So here it goes: According to last year’s data, […]
Well Water: Protecting Your Well
There are a number of steps that a homeowner can take to help protect their private well. Water should be diverted away from the wellhead to prevent the pooling and potential introduction of contaminated water into the well. Keep the well in good repair. A faulty well can allow surface water to reach groundwater without […]
Halloween Health Tips
Trick or Treat: Halloween is filled with sweet temptations and scary over-eating. Here are a few tips to help both adults and children avoid over indulging. Be a role model! Make sure your little goblins eat a healthy meal before trick or treating. Create a Healthy Family Halloween Tradition like Butternut Squash soup. Pair it […]
October Apple Challenge with the Tray Project
October meant apple challenges for school districts participating in the Put Local On Your Tray Project. You can find recipes for apples on the website. They also share the following about apples: In the Past: Apple trees belong to the rose family, and originated in Central Asia in the mountains of southern Kazakhastan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, […]
Home Water Systems: Wells
In Connecticut, approximately 15% of residents receive their drinking water from private wells. In rural areas of the state, that percentage increases to greater than 90%. An owner of a private well is also a manager of the well. As manager of the well, the homeowner is responsible for making sure that the water is safe […]
Celebrate 40 Years of the UConn Extension Master Gardener Program
UConn Extension’s Master Gardener Program is celebrating 40 years of transforming academic research into practical gardening skills and techniques that everyone can use. The program sprouted in 1978 from the roots of the founding program at Washington State University. The program instructs participants in science-based horticulture practices and garden management, after which students apply their knowledge by […]
Ken Trice: 4-H Volunteer Spotlight
4-H affiliation: Tolland County 4-H Advisory Committee member How did you learn about 4-H Fifteen years ago visiting the Tolland County 4-H Fair with my 3 daughters (then ages 8, 6,and 4). At the time the oldest two registered for the upcoming 4-H year with the Willy Nilly 4-H club. The youngest was a sort […]
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 […]
Fun Recipe: Fruit Slushies
This recipe is a favorite in the KidEats App that was developed by our 4-H FANS program and the New Mexico State University Learning Games Laboratory.