Last week we recognized several of our educators for their contributions to Extension. Sarah Bailey received the Doris Lane Award. Tom Worthley received the Arland Meade Communications Award. Longevity Awards: Diane Wright Hirsch, Richard Meinert, Umekia Taylor and Pamela Gray. Thank you all for your service to Extension!
Gardens
Beware of Volcano Mulch
In three short decades, volcano mulch has become one of the greatest threats to newly planted and young trees and shrubs. If unchecked, the significant monetary and human investment in greenscapes will result in more and more dead and dying trees. Volcano mulch is the over-mulching of plant material, notably trees and shrubs. Mulch plays […]
Plant Sales on May 18th
Gardeners: Join us for a plant sale on Saturday, May 18th. We have one on each side of the state: Bethel and Brooklyn. We’ll be at the Windham County Extension Center in Brooklyn on Saturday, May 18th from 9 AM until 2 PM. The plant sale at the Fairfield County Extension Center in Bethel is […]
The best time to submit a soil sample
Article by Joseph Croze As most of you are probably already familiar with, the University of Connecticut is home to the UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory. This lab is staffed by Dawn Pettinelli, the manager, and myself, the technician. We also have a few part time and student employees throughout the year that help with […]
Join UConn for a Panel Presentation on GMOs
UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources is offering two events on the science of GMOs next week that we welcome you to attend. GMO 2.0: Science, Society and the Future is on Wednesday, April 24th in the UConn Student Union Theater on the Storrs Campus at 7 PM. The panel features four experts that have research […]
Ten Tips for the April Gardener
Ten Tips for the April Gardener Click on highlighted links for additional information. Prune old, leggy growth from heather (which flowers on new growth in late summer) but prune heath (which sets its flower buds in late spring) just enough to shape it in the early spring. Start dahlia tubers in pots indoors in a cool spot. Pinch back […]
Join Us for #UConnGives
UConn Gives is BACK for year two. And we need your help to grow our programs, and continue serving Connecticut communities. Put your paws in by supporting UConn 4-H, the UConn Extension Master Gardener Program, the 4-H Sports and Nutrition program, or the Natural Resources Conservation Academy on March 27-28, 2019. All four of these […]
Take the Climate Change Challenge with UConn Extension
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 […]
National Nutrition Month; a time to celebrate school food!
When you think “local food” do you also think “school food”? You should. About 25% of food served by Hartford Public Schools is local. This helps the local economy, and bolsters hometown pride. Lonnie Burt, Senior Director of Child Nutrition for Hartford Public Schools explains that, “Purchasing local products is important on so many levels; […]
GMO Working Group Hosting April Events
The CAHNR GMO Working Group is hosting GMO 2.0: Science, Society and the Future, a panel presentation on Wednesday, April 24th at 7 PM in the Student Union Theater. Please save the date and make plans to join us. The event is free and anyone is welcome to attend. The panel is moderated by Dean Indrajeet Chaubey. Speakers include: […]
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 […]
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 […]
Soil pH – The Master Variable
The UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis Lab tests for and analyzes multiple soil parameters; but none as critical, and as often overlooked, as pH. Soil pH plays a crucial role in the growth of vegetation planted, as well as ground water quality. Before we start talking about soil pH, I think it is a good idea […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Open House with Fairfield County Master Gardeners in Bethel
Craft Fair and Open House Celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the UConn Extension Master Gardener Program Date: Saturday, October 6, 2018 (rain date Saturday, October 13) Time:9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Where: Fairfield County Extension Office and Grounds 67 Stony Hill Road (Route 6), Bethel, Connecticut The UConn Extension Master Gardener Program is […]
Horticultural Opportunities
The UConn Extension Master Gardener program is a program that offers many different opportunities through the horticulture world. There are many qualities that are vital to becoming a Master Gardener, such as being eager to educate your community, participating in training programs, and wanting to learn more about plant care and gardening. It is […]
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 […]
Apply to Become a UConn Extension Master Gardener
Do you love gardening? Are you interested in expanding your knowledge and sharing that knowledge with others? Applications are now available for the 2019 Master Gardener Program through UConn Extension. Participants receive horticultural training from UConn, and then share that knowledge with the public through community volunteering and educational outreach efforts. Enrollment in the UConn […]
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 […]
10 Rules for Safe Canning
By Diane Wright Hirsch, MPH Senior Extension Educator/Food Safety Even though some may feel home canning has gone the way of the dinosaurs, I regularly get questions posed to me by newbie and experience canners alike. Some want to know how to can tomatoes without potentially killing a loved one. Others want to know if […]
Be on the Lookout for Giant Hogweed, an Invasive Plant in CT
UConn and the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG) are asking state residents to be on the lookout for Giant Hogweed, which typically blooms during July. Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) is an invasive, non-native plant from Eurasia that was first identified in Connecticut in 2001. This Federal Noxious weed was confirmed in 25 towns in […]
Bug Out with UConn Extension
UConn Extension’s Bug Week is right around the corner, 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 of silk, sources of dyes, […]
Put Local on Your Tray Sign Ups for 2018-2019
VERNON, CT, (June 13, 2018) – UConn Extension and the Connecticut State Department of Education is currently inviting school food service professionals across the state to sign up for the Put Local on Your Tray Program in the upcoming 2018-19 school year. Schools and districts that sign up will get help increasing fresh, locally grown […]
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 […]
Controlling Ticks
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends creating a tick-safe zone. Ticks feed on blood of animals including humans. Tactics to reduce the attractiveness of animals traveling into your yard will keep the number of ticks dropping off of them reduced. Do not feed the birds as chipmunks, squirrels and many other animals […]
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 Garden Chores
By Carol Quish Originally Published by the UConn Home & Garden Education Center Some garden perennials were not so lucky this winter. If it appears the voles and chipmunks have been busy feeding and tunneling their way through parts of the garden, you will see heaved up tunnels in the lawn from moles. Fill in […]
Another Win for Rain Gardens
By Amanda Ryan Originally published by the Center for Land Use Education and Research It’s well known that rain gardens are great for infiltrating stormwater but people may not realize that they also help destroy common stormwater pollutants. Several studies have found that rather than accumulating pollutants in their soils, rain gardens tend to biodegrade […]
Black Knot of Plum & Cherry: Prune Now!
By Joan Allen Originally published by the UConn Home & Garden Education Center Black knot of plum and cherry, caused by the fungus Apiosporina morbosa, may be overlooked during the growing season when the leaves are hiding the galls, but this time of year they are hard to miss, especially when they are as abundant […]
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 […]
Master Your Garden With Our Spring Courses
Upcoming Classes: Ethnobotany – April 28th in Torrington Growing Trends at the Garden Barn – May 2nd in Vernon Boot Camp for Your Senses – May 3rd at Edgerton Park Carriage House Digital Garden Photography Basics – May 6th at Auerfarm in Bloomfield Pruning Trees and Shrubs – May 22nd in Bethel Forest Pests: Emerald […]
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 […]
Kid Eats
A new interactive app named Kid Eats, designed to help parents and teachers promote healthy eating and introduce cooking skills, is now available at the Apple app store. The program incorporates youth-adult partnerships, with adult and child working together in the kitchen. Designed for youth grades three to six, the app is a collaborative effort […]