Month: October 2019

Survey could help efforts to get more seafood eaten in CT

If you’re an average Connecticut resident, you probably didn’t eat seafood more than once in the last week. But you might, if you knew more about how to prepare different types of fish, shellfish and seaweed, and where to buy local seafood. You’d also be inclined to have seafood more often if you knew more […]

Job Opening: Extension Educator, Diversified Livestock

The College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) at the University of Connecticut contributes to a sustainable future through scientific discovery, innovation, and community engagement. CAHNR’s accomplishments result in safe, sustainable and secure plant and animal production systems, healthier individuals and communities, greater protection and conservation of our environment and natural resources, balanced growth […]

Expiration, Use-By and Sell-By dates: What do they really mean?

Often people open up their refrigerators, cupboards and cabinets to find foods that are beyond their sell- buy and use- buy dates. While it is always better to be safe than sorry, the following guidelines and information should help to take the guesswork out of determining whether or not your food is safe to eat. […]

Attend the CT Ag Wellness Summit

Stress has many causes and is a serious problem for those involved in agriculture. Unfortunately many folks try to deal with this quietly, showing a stiff upper lip, and by themselves – not the healthiest route to take. Join us in learning more about how to identify stressors,  understanding ways to help yourself, and equally […]

Laura Brown Receives CEDAS Member of the Year Award

Last week, Extension educator Laura Brown received the Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS) Member of the Year Award at the CEDAS Annual meeting. The award recognized her role in the CEDAS program committee including the successful CEDAS Academy webinar series’ and coordination the newly launched Best Practices in Land Use and Economic Development program.  Laura […]

Cost of Hay in Connecticut

Colder weather is setting in, and that means that livestock owners will be feeding increased amounts of hay. How is the price consumers pay for hay set? The Zwick Center for Food and Resource Policy has a report, the Financial Analysis of Hay Production in Connecticut that is available for review at http://bit.ly/CostOfHay. It explains […]

The Start of Something Big: UConn Environment Corps

A UConn partnership led by CLEAR has received a $2.25 million grant from the National Science Foundation to expand and study a new public engagement program that combines teaching, service learning, and Extension outreach. The program is called the Environment Corps and focuses on using STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) skills to address important […]

Halloween is coming, but you can eat healthy

Halloween can be can be scary time of year for folks trying eat healthy. How do you stay selfish with your health when there are so many temptations? Change your mind! Have a plan: Use apps to track your calories – so you know the true calorie cost of eating candy, or another helping of […]

CEDAS Recognizes Municipalities’ ‘Best Practices Policies’

CEDAS ISSUES ‘BEST PRACTICES IN LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT’ ACCREDITATION TO TWENTY-FOUR CONNECTICUT COMMUNITIES The Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS) is proud to announce that it has certified twenty-four Connecticut cities and towns as exemplifying best practices in land use and economic development. These twenty-four communities subjected themselves to a rigorous application review process […]

Ask UConn Extension: Biodegradable Plastic Mulch

Farmers: Are you considering biodegradable plastic mulch (BDM) for your crops? Shuresh Ghimire, UConn Extension educator for vegetable crops, visits Bruce Gresczyk Jr. of Gresczyk Farms in New Hartford, Connecticut to discuss biodegradable plastic mulch (BDM), and the advantages and disadvantages of BDM for vegetable farmers: https://youtu.be/kyvB1QxHAtE #AskUConnExtension

Fall is a Great Time to Plant Trees

Autumn is an ideal time to plant a tree is as the air temperatures have cooled but the soil is still warm. Warm soil temperatures encourage root growth while decreasing light and day length signal the plant to stop producing top growth. Roots will continue to grow until the soil freezes and the tree enters […]

New UConn PEP Facilitators Trained

Congratulations to our newest People Empowering People (UConn PEP) facilitators who completed their training last week. UConn PEP is an innovative personal and family development program with a strong community focus. Learn more or join us at https://pep.extension.uconn.edu/

Canine Circovirus in Connecticut, Identified by UConn Researchers

Investigators at the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (CVMDL) at UConn recently reported a new canine disease, identified for the first time in New England. This is the same group, same laboratory, that recently reported eastern equine encephalomyelitis in horses and birds and earlier recognized epizootic hemorrhagic disease in deer (September 2017) and West Nile […]

Still Time to Apply to Become a UConn Extension Master Gardener

STILL TIME TO APPLY TO BECOME A UCONN EXTENSION MASTER GARDENER – APPLICATION DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18. The deadline to apply for the 2020 Master Gardener program is this Friday, October 18. There are still some seats available. Go to https://mastergardener.uconn.edu/2019-uconn-extension-mast…/ to either apply online or download a paper version. This session we’ll be […]

Services Available for Connecticut Families

Connecticut Council of Family Service Agencies (CCFSA) is strengthening Connecticut communities and collectively serves more than 180,000 families, making them one of the largest associations of community-based human services for children, adults and families. All members are nationally accredited, nonprofit, human service agencies. Together they form a collaborative statewide system of support for all phases […]

UConn Beef Auction – Nov. 3rd

The UConn Beef Auction will be held this year on Sunday, November 3 at the Cattle Resource Unit (heifer barn) located on Horsebarn Hill Road, Storrs campus. The auction will be held 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 […]

Have your Soil Tested for Macro & Micro Nutrients

Send your soil sample in for testing now. Our standard nutrient analysis includes pH, macro- and micro nutrients, a lead scan and as long as we know what you are growing, the results will contain limestone and fertilizer recommendations. The cost is $12/sample. You are welcome to come to the lab with your ‘one cup […]

Farm to School Month

It’s here! National Farm to School Month, which means its time for the HardCORE Challenge – eat a #CTGrown Apple or Pear to the CORE! Follow this link to find an Orchard near you. Fall is the quintessential time to visit a farm with apple and pear picking, corn mazes, pumpkin patches, cider donuts and so much more! We will be celebrating local agriculture […]

Information About EEE from CVMDL at UConn

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is a disease caused by a virus that mosquitos transmit. The name of the disease is misleading in that this virus can infect and cause disease in humans and a wide variety of animal species, including birds as well as horses and other equids. Horses that have not been vaccinated for […]

Registration Open for CT Trail Symposium

We in Connecticut, over the last decade, have made great progress in building and connecting our trail systems.  So much so that the Connecticut Greenways Council believes now is the time to celebrate and shout about our trail systems assuring that all members of our communities can gather, recreate, relax, run errands and even commute […]

Fall Updates from UConn Extension

UConn Extension is pleased to share the following updates with you: An update on the strategic planning process for the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, as well as internal re-organization of Extension program teams. Our UConn CLEAR program worked with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection on a sea level rise model […]

10 Tips for the October Gardener

Dig and store tender bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and tubers in a cool, dark, place. Remove plant debris from the flowerbeds. Bag any diseased plant parts and put it in the trash or take it to a landfill but do not compost. Take a scenic drive to observe the changing fall foliage. The CT DEEP has […]