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Highlights of Extension

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collage of pages from Extension highlights publication

Our 2022 Highlights of Extension report shows how UConn Extension continues innovating to meet audiences and partners around the issues identified in the strategic initiatives set forth by the UConn College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources.

Youth programs, water quality, and geospatial education are all part of the sustainable landscapes and climate portfolios and featured throughout this issue. In agriculture, we continue partnering with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, innovating aquaculture production in the state, and serving new and beginning farmers.

The work of our financial literacy program is needed now more than ever and aligns with our other health programming. All programs center diversity, equity, inclusion and justice, and this work is ongoing. UConn Extension educators and volunteers continue to improve the lives of residents in all 169 cities and towns. Extension is steadfast in our commitment and will continue evolving alongside those we serve.

We invite you to explore the progress made over the past year and join us in future programs.

Read our report online at s.uconn.edu/highlights

Today: Matching Gifts for our Master Gardeners

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master gardener volunteers in front of a gardenIt’s the final day of UConn Gives! Yesterday was a great day as we reached the halfway mark towards our $20,000 goal. So many of you stepped up and donated to the Master Gardener program – Thank you to all who have donated thus far!

But now it’s the home stretch and we’re hoping to finish as the group with the most donors. If we do, the Master Gardener program receives an additional $5,000 from the UConn Foundation AND an additional $500 from our college’s dean, Indrajeet Chaubey.

We finished yesterday in first place, but keeping the top spot is not guaranteed.

If you have already donated, thank you! If you haven’t, please consider a modest donation that will add to our donor tally. Your $5 or $10 donation could be the one that puts an additional $5,500 in our account. Generous folks like you who understand the good that Master Gardeners do in our communities can make the difference in this campaign.

Your gift will support the program by providing financial resources, meaning we can concentrate on what we do best – gardening and teaching. As a primarily self-funded program, any amount is appreciated – and, whether it’s $5, $25 or $100, your donation gets us closer to the $5,500 bonus!

Please help us grow our future – go to https://givingday.uconn.edu./o/university-of-connecticut-32/i/uconn-gives-2023/s/uconn-extension-master-gardeners-muw11dlx8 before 7 PM TODAY. Thank you!

Support Extension During UConn Gives

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UConn Gives logo 2023

Extension program participants everywhere know that we are committed to providing an exceptional experience. During UConn Gives, a 36-hour giving initiative on March 8-9, program participants, faculty, staff, and friends worldwide come together to give back and celebrate what they care about at UConn Extension.

Please join us in supporting our Extension programs - $5 is an immense help and unlocks matching gifts too.

master gardener volunteers in front of a garden

Extension Master Gardeners

Extension Master Gardeners share their knowledge and their passion for horticulture and the environment throughout Connecticut. Using the knowledge and the skills gained in the training portion of the program, Master Gardeners provide research-based information and assistance through classes, clinics, workshops, and community outreach projects, More than 9,000 participants have assisted and encouraged homeowners, schools, municipalities, and many other community groups.

Give to the Master Gardeners: s.uconn.edu/givetogardeners

master gardener volunteers in front of a garden

UConn 4-H

The 4-H Centennial Fund provides unique leadership, civic education and workforce preparedness opportunities through state, regional and national 4-H events. UConn 4-H reaches over 18,000 youth each year with exciting learning opportunities.

three images of youth in forest

Youth Environmental Changemakers

Your generous gift will enable high school students from underserved Connecticut communities to get paid while participating in our award-winning 9-month environmental education program! The Conservation Ambassador Program (CAP) includes a one-week action-packed, hands-on field experience at the Storrs campus, followed by a local environmental action project tailored to the student's interests and community needs.
Give to Youth Environmental Changemakers: s.uconn.edu/changemakers
woman running tests in laboratory

Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

CVMDL is dedicated to improving and developing state-of-the-art diagnostics for the protection and monitoring of animal health not only in Connecticut but across the United States. As part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) and as the only Nationally Accredited laboratory in New England, CVMDL is at the forefront of disease surveillance. Advances in testing will ensure enhanced safety for our pets, our food supply, and people.
Give to the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (CVMDL): s.uconn.edu/give-cvmdl
Joe and Zhai in the meat lab

Animal Science Meat Laboratory

The UConn Meat Science Laboratory was built for college teaching and commercial service of slaughtering, processing, and meat packaging in the 1950s and has been primarily used for teaching and research since the 1990’s. The funds raised by UConn Gives will contribute to equipment repair and small upgrades in the UConn Meat Science Laboratory.
Give to the Meat Lab: s.uconn.edu/give-meat-lab

Apply to Become a Summer Intern with Extension

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UConn Undergraduate Students: Apply for one of our summer internships. We have 18 opportunities available throughout the state. Learn more and apply at https://s.uconn.edu/interns

Get paid and gain valuable in-the-field experience in your chosen discipline at an in-state Extension office location.

  • Food
  • Health
  • Nutrition
  • Sustainability
  • Research
  • Agribusiness
  • Youth Education
  • Community Development
  • Marketing

photos of three of the summer interns

Learn where Extension offices are located across the state here so you can apply to an internship that is close to where you will be living this summer.

Get paid while learning and working in a career-oriented role. Most of these roles are for an average 18-20 hours per week over the 10 week summer period with some requiring a bit of weekend and/or evening hours, although these circumstances vary by position. Some of these positions for employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.

UConn Extension is the premiere public engagement program at the University of Connecticut. Extension has eight offices in strategic locations statewide as well as the Sea Grant office at the Avery Point campus and the administrative office on the Storrs campus. Extension programs cover the full spectrum of topics related to food, health and sustainability. Programs delivered by Extension reach individuals, communities, and businesses in each of the 169 municipalities across the state. Extension has approximately 100 faculty and staff in the Department of Extension with another 20 faculty and staff with partial Extension appointments in the academic departments of the UConn College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources.

Internship Timeline

Applications due: March 17, 2023

Selected Interns Notified: by April 10, 2023

Internship starts: May 8, 2023 or later

Learn more and apply online.

Jardin Para Principiantes

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¿Quieres hacer un jardin pero no sabes cómo empezar?

¡UCONN Master Gardeners pueden ayudarte! Ofrecemos un taller “Jardin para Principiantes” el 14 de marzo del 2023.

La presentación incluye como planificar tu jardin, la siembra, el mantenimiento, y la cosecha de sus vegetales, frutas o flores favoritos. También hablaremos de cómo hacer un jardin en un espacio limitado o en macetas.  ¡No se lo pierdan!

¿Cuándo?:  Martes, el 14 de marzo, 5:30pm-7:30pm

¿Donde?: Willimantic Public Library, 905 Main St, Willimantic

 

Flyer with information about upcoming Master Gardener event for spanish speakers at willimantic public library

Getting to the Root Videos & Farmer Panels

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From UConn Solid Ground:

In 2022 we kicked off a new video series with the goal of raising the visibility of some of the many entrepreneurs among the new farmer community. Last year we learned about Cut Flower Farming at Eddy Farm and Niche Livestock Farming at BOTL farm. These videos as well as the farmer panels we recorded are available at: https://newfarms.uconn.edu/video-series/

In 2023, we are pleased to add two new videos. Join us in watching the release of our next two releases focused on:

1) Ethnic & Specialty Crops at Mahara Farm via zoom @ noon on 3/9

Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/getting-to-the-root-ethnic-and-specialty-crops-tickets-558917516337

 

2) Added Value Products with Park City Harvest (in person) @ 9:45 on 3/11

Register at https://ctnofa.org/winter-conference/2023-conference/ (must be a registrant at the CT NOFA conference).

 

We are extra grateful to Daniel Recinos for his professional videography work.

Job Openings at UConn Extension

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Remember to check our jobs page with UConn Extension and consider the opportunity to join our team!  There are several new faculty and staff openings encompassing varying backgrounds and specialties. The current open positions are below.

Connecticut Saves Week

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Connecticut Saves Week is February 27th through March 3rd, 2023! Each day includes a financial theme that Connecticut Saves will be promoting alongside America Saves.

Monday, February 27: Saving Automatically,

Tuesday, February 28: Saving for the Unexpected,

Wednesday, March 1: Saving for Major Milestones,

Thursday, March 2: Paying Down Debt is Saving

Friday, March 3: Saving at Any Age.

Work towards being a more financially sound version of yourself! The overall goal of Connecticut Saves Week is to encourage people to take sound financial actions that will help them reach their goals. Visit Connecticut Saves on Tuesday, February 28, 10 AM -1 PM on the concourse at the Legislative Office Building for the Financial Education Expo hosted by the Connecticut Department of Banking.

On your journey to a better financial status, be aware that there are different methods and tools you can use to help you manage your money well. What works for one person may not work for you as your situation and what motivates you may be different. For example, have you used a spending plan (or budget)? Some people find using a spreadsheet helpful. Others like using an app. Based on what you know about yourself, how can you set yourself up for financial success?

A central part of financial literacy is pursuing the information you need to make wise decisions. Look at the intentions of authors that post specific tactics and methods to reach your financial goals. Financial information is widely available and much of it is for free. Make sure that the information you use is high quality and without bias toward specific products or services. Check out the library for personal finance books you can borrow.

America Saves will promote numerous free videos, articles, and resources to supplement each daily theme during America Saves Week. Each theme revolves around saving as the foundation for a more financially stable life. Setting up an automatic savings account can be a great way to motivate yourself to work towards your goals without putting in physical effort each month. A great way to encourage yourself to save is to take the Connecticut Saves Pledge. Located on the Connecticut Saves Website, it can take close to 5 minutes to sign yourself up. You can identify a goal, make a savings plan, and take the pledge to hold yourself accountable.

Once you’ve identified your goal, it is easier to save when you have something in mind to reach for. It can be a practical goal like a retirement fund or a social goal, like a concert. Saving isn’t limited to young adults and can help anyone achieve any financial goal. It is always important to remember that financial stability is not a linear journey. Financial setbacks happen. If you have set aside money for emergency savings, those funds can help you weather financial challenges more easily. Determining what your goals and priorities are now will help you begin to work on a plan for your financial future.

DIY Video Series

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We’ve been working away in the background at getting some great videos pulled together for you.
In our DIY Video Series, we visit farms all over the state and look at different projects they have tackled to make some of the costs a little easier on their wallets and more sustainable for their farms.  Each topic is capped off with a conversation with an expert about best practices if you want to conquer some of these DIY tasks yourself.
To see the videos you can visit a playlist we created here: https://kaltura.uconn.edu/playlist/dedicated/1_vbne4me9/  or you can see all of our Solid Ground videos here: https://newfarms.uconn.edu/video-series/
We have videos on Coolbots:
      Keney Park Sustainability Project
      Fox Meadow Farm
      Off Center Farm
      Four Root Farm
      UVM Extension
 
Season Extension Structures:
      Daigle Farm
      River Crest Farm
      Cloverleigh Farm
      CT Greenhouse Company
 
and Humane Animal Handling:
      Allard Family Farm
      Arbor Farm
      West View Farm
      Howling Flats Farm
      UConn Extension
 
If you are working on one of these projects, take a peak and find out how other farms in the state are putting their projects together and making their farms work!  If you’re not, take a look anyways, perhaps it will give you some new ideas for these slightly slower winter days.
 
Again, you can check all the DIY Videos out here: https://kaltura.uconn.edu/playlist/dedicated/1_vbne4me9/

Celebrating George Washington Carver

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Black background with green yellow and red stripes, the title "black history" and the words "black history month 2023: faith"George Washington Carver infographic

As the first African American who attended Iowa State University, George Washington Carver earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. An expert in plant research and development, Dr. Carver was recruited to Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, by the Black Educator, Booker T. Washington. Some of Dr. Carver’s accomplishments include:

👉🏾Taught black farmers how to rotate plants for healthy soils and better crops

👉🏾Invented the “Jessup Wagon”, a traveling demonstration wagon to teach farmers

👉🏾Developed over 300 products from peanuts and over 100 for sweet potatoes

👉🏾Wrote over 40 simple language bulletins, including advice and recipes

 

References: 

George W. Carver: An Uncommon Educator, Record-Journal, www.myrecordjournal.com,Feb 4,2023.

https://www.tuskegee.edu/support-tu/george-washington-carver (accessed 2.15.23)

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/george-washington-carver (accessed 2.15.23)

📷Credit: George Washington Carver (cpnas.org)

Feb/2023 Written and created by: U. R. Taylor, MS, RDN, CDN  and Lindsey Brush

#BlackHistoryMonth #AskUConn #UConnEFNEP #UConnExtension