Put Local on Your Tray’s “Root-ing for Winter” campaign is working towards connecting schools with local farmers to increase the incorporation of local root vegetables in school meals.
Click to find additional information and resources
Ensuring a vibrant and sustainable agricultural industry and food supply
Put Local on Your Tray’s “Root-ing for Winter” campaign is working towards connecting schools with local farmers to increase the incorporation of local root vegetables in school meals.
Click to find additional information and resources
UConn Extension connects thousands of people across Connecticut and beyond each year, with the research and resources of the University of Connecticut’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources. We are comprised of more than 100 educators and a vast network of volunteers. UConn Extension works collaboratively to build more resilient communities through educational initiatives aimed to cultivate a sustainable future and develop tomorrow’s leaders. The work of UConn Extension connects communities and individuals to help make Connecticut a better place to live, and a better place for future generations.
We’re offering a Vegetable Production Certificate Course, beginning on January 20th 2021. It is a fully online course for new and beginning farmers who have 0-3 years of vegetable growing experience or no formal training in agriculture. The participants will learn answers to the basic questions about farm business planning, planning and preparing for vegetable farm, warm and cool-season vegetable production techniques, season extension, identification of biotic and abiotic issues, and marketing. The price of the course is $149. See the course description here.
Please contact the course coordinator, Shuresh Ghimire (Shuresh.Ghimire@uconn.edu, 860-870-6933) with any questions about this course.
Register Here.
In the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, farmers urgently needed access to the newest information on government compliance, health protocols, federal aid and more. UConn Extension put together its own website for COVID-19-related information for both farmers and consumers on production, distribution and processing. UConn Extension also responded by organizing an initiative that enlisted UConn 4-H members and volunteers to distribute more than 144,000 pounds of surplus milk and other products from Connecticut dairies to 53 food pantries in the state.
Read the full article and the article on the work our Connecticut Sea Grant program is doing.
Written by UConn registered dietitian-nutritionist Donna Zigmont, RDN, CD-N
Every January, millions of Americans make New Year’s resolutions to make positive changes in their lives. After a very difficult 2020 due to COVID-19, we are hopeful that 2021 will be more promising for all of us. Many of us have had to put our own health and well-being on pause during the pandemic due to emotional and financial stress, changes in our routine, loneliness, caring for loved ones, or homeschooling our children.
With the start of a new year, it’s a good time to think about making positive changes to improve our nutritional health.
Here are some tips to get you started:
What is a SMART goal? SMART goals are much more than simply stating something you want to accomplish. SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time based.
Here are more examples of SMART goals:
“I will eat a piece of fruit for a snack 4 days out of the week for the next 2 weeks.”
“I will try a new recipe with beans this week.”
“I will fill half my plate with veggies at dinner 4 nights this week.”
“I will drink 8 ounces of water with each meal this week.”
“I will try 2 new whole grains this week, like barley and quinoa.”
Now you try it! Record one SMART goal you want to focus on. Check to see that it is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time sensitive. Ask yourself: What specific part of my diet will I work on first? How will I track and measure my success? Can I realistically achieve this goal? Is it relevant to me and am I motivated to make this change? What is the short-term time frame I will work on this goal? This week, the next 2 weeks, this month?
Once you reach your goal, set another SMART goal to work on. Before you know it, your small changes will add up to HUGE results!
Make it a goal to try a plant-based, meatless meal this week!
Veggie Pizza Pita Pockets – Makes 1 Serving
Ingredients
1 pita, whole wheat (or use whole wheat English muffin)
4 Tbs. tomato sauce, unsalted
4 Tbs. shredded mozzarella cheese, part-skim
2 of the following vegetables: (or use more to increase your veggies!) green & red peppers, sliced mushrooms, chopped broccoli, chopped red onion, chopped spinach
Instructions
One Skillet Meal – Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients
1 package broccoli (10 ounces, frozen, can also use mustard greens, collard greens or spinach)
2 cans stewed tomatoes, low sodium (about 30 ounces)
1 cup brown rice, cooked
1 can white beans (15 ounces, rinsed and drained)
Pepper, oregano, basil, or hot pepper (other spices to taste)
Directions
For more tasty, low-cost recipes visit Healthy Family CT Recipes: https://communitynutrition.cahnr.uconn.edu/recipes/
Want to fine-tune your marketing and financial management skills and build a more resilient livestock farm business? Join us for three afternoons in February to learn, network, and share ideas with regional specialists and fellow women livestock farmers. This conference is intended for New England women livestock producers of all experience levels. Breaks and opportunities to network will be provided throughout the day and sessions will be recorded and shared. This is all for free, all you have to do is register. Link to join the meeting will be sent upon registration.
Tuesday, Feb. 2. 12-3 pm. Mind Your Business: On the first day, we’ll kick-off with a Keynote and dig into details about financial management, learn how to analyze and use your records to make decisions, how to successfully work and talk with grant and loan agencies, and break out your numbers to gain tips to analyze the profitability of your products.
Wednesday, Feb. 3. 12-3 pm. Strengthen Your Markets: On day two we’ll discuss ideas for how you can strengthen, pivot, or develop your marketing plan. How are you communicating with customers in a virtual world? What strategies have you developed to target your customers, tell your story, and get your products to people? What can we do to amplify quality products, from the farm to the table?
Thursday, Feb. 4. 12-3 pm. Innovation and Collaboration: We’ll focus on innovative ways producers in the region have successfully found their niche for selling meat and milk. We’ll also discuss some of the challenges producers have faced in 2020 in marketing their products and how collaborating for cooperative marketing might work in favor of the typical New England livestock producer. Day three will be closed with a final Keynote to send participants home with motivation and food for thought.
Demand for local livestock products is booming this year, don’t miss out on this opportunity to take a look at your business and see how you can better attain your financial goals through strategic marketing that is suited to your business.
When you register for this conference, you will be eligible to participate in part-three of the New England Women in Livestock Business which includes field days in the spring/summer to see other New England farms who are selling in innovative ways and producing top-quality products using sustainable practices, meet your fellow participants, and learn how you can strengthen your livestock farm business to also be resilient and sustainable!
This material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2018-70027-28588. This program is in partnership with UNH Cooperative Extension, UVM Extension, UMaine Cooperative Extension, New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, and The Tri-State SARE Project.
Chicken Vegetable Soup with Kale is a protein-packed recipe that will warm you up and fill you up. Heather Peracchio and Juliana Restrepo Marin walk us through the recipe for this delicious soup.
“Talent is everywhere, Opportunity is not.”
Our UConn 4-H Litchfield County and UConn 4-H New London County programs continued their grassroots efforts to help local families in need this week. This effort builds upon several dairy donations that have gone to food pantries statewide over the past few months since the pandemic started back in March. Over 144,000 pounds of dairy products have been delivered by our youth and volunteers, including 2,880 half-gallons on Monday, December 21st.