We love sharing the accomplishments of Master Gardeners! Diane Gawronski, MG Middlesex Class of 2022, was honored this year with an award by the Haddam Historical Society. See their full post below: “This year the Haddam Historical Society acknowledged garden volunteer Dr. Diane Gawronski, DMD with the Founders’ Day Award. Diane has been responsible for […]
Community
Windham Well Testing Workshop
Register today for a well water workshop for residents in Windham, Coventry and Mansfield! Even if your well water tastes and smells fine, that doesn’t always mean its safe to drink. The workshop will run Sunday, February 12th, 2:30pm-4:00pm at Eastern Connecticut State University. At the end of the workshop there will be the opportunity […]
Creating Small Farms
Join a group of passionate farmers for a strategic planning and brainstorming session. We’re developing an onramp for farm ownership in CT. DATE AND TIME Sat, February 04, 2023 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM EST LOCATION Sticks & Stones Farm 171 Huntingtown Road Newtown, CT 06470 Sign up here: https://realfoodct.kindful.com/e/creating-small-farms • Enjoy a complementary catered lunch, […]
Build Your Network, Grow Our Future
Join the New CT Farmer Alliance Build Your Network, Grow Our Future 2023! This annual event is a chance for farmers to connect with each other and with service providers who can help us in our farming journeys. The Details: Saturday January 21st 10AM-3PM AuerFarm, Bloomfield, CT The event will have a keynote address, […]
Tri-State SARE Professional Development Needs Assessment
The Tri-State (CT, MA, RI) SARE Professional Development Program is planning activities for the next three years – through 2026. The project will focus on training agricultural service providers as well as farmers in CT, MA and RI on sustainable livestock production practices. Specific content areas will be determined based on the feedback and needs […]
Northeast Disability and Agriculture Conference (FREE!)
The Northeast Disability and Agriculture Conference is a first-time regional event designed to educate and empower the agricultural community. Through workshops and presentations, farmer attendees will learn how to better advocate for themselves, and service provider attendees will learn how to identify potential distress risks within the community. Together attendees will learn how to build […]
Invest in Your Health: Cultivating a Healthy Mind Train the Trainer Workshop
Stigma exists across all age groups for those struggling with mental health. Navigation of the teen years in everyday situations can create angst and uncomfortable feelings that are difficult to express. According to the CDC, rates of depression and anxiety climb significantly during the ages of 12-17. Suicide is the second leading cause of death […]
Spring 2023 Riding Practicum and Equine Team Links are Now Live!
UConn’s Department of Animal Science offers a self-improvement, non-credit, extracurricular horse-riding program entitled “Horse Practicum.” The Practicum is open to all students enrolled at the University as well as faculty, staff and the community. Although priority for riding is given to Animal Science majors, all participants are welcome on a space available basis. Lessons are […]
Eat Smart, Live Strong with Heather Peracchio
Registered Dietitian and Assistant Extension Educator Heather Peracchio delivered the USDA Eat Smart, Live Strong session on Tuesday December 13th at Butter Brook Senior and Disabled Housing in New Milford, CT. Seniors learned about eating fruits and vegetables and moving more throughout the winter. Seniors taste-tested a delicious one pot minestrone soup and received a […]
Holiday Giving With Fairfield County Community Nutrition
The Fairfield County Community Nutrition team assembled and delivered a can opener and ‘Canned Foods Fill MyPlate’ materials to the Jericho Food Pantry in Danbury. Seventy-five of Danbury’s most in need residents will receive the gift bags in time for the holidays.
SNEFCC is Hiring!
The Southern New England Farmers of Color Collaborative is hiring! Project Manager Project Coordinator 1 Project Coordinator 2 All positions are part time (up to 800 hrs/year) and will entail some evening commitments, and some travel within the region of CT, MA, and RI Accepting Applications until positions are filled. Apply at https://bit.ly/snefccjobs
UConn Extension in partnership with E&G Community Builders
Leaders of Color in Conservation Training Project is Hiring: Project Coordinator Info: 10-12 hrs/week $25/hour Mostly remote work with some travel Excellent organization and communication skills Comfortable with events, photography, and digital platforms Apply at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tJFTK3_Bm0W_24TM3ilPHXCyzmjz8zjS/view?usp=sharing
Happy Holidays from UConn Extension
Happy holidays to our program participants, partners, and volunteers, from all of us at UConn Extension! May they be filled with warmth and cheer.
Master Gardener Calendar 2023
We are excited to present the 2023 UConn Master Gardener Calendar in Digital and Printable form. This calendar was compiled using photography and tips shared from Master Gardeners in New Haven County. The calendar includes information about our programming, resources for more information, insect highlights and the official Plant Hardiness Zone map of Connecticut and […]
CT GROWN MARKETING TOOLS: LIST YOUR CSA
Does your farm offer a CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) program? In the upcoming months the Connecticut Grown campaign will be promoting CSA’s and we want to be sure your farm is included. The Department of Agriculture maintains a list of Connecticut CSAs at https://portal.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=74ef6c0c3fdcad5c83a78f294&id=343708bd23&e=075feba670. To add your farm to this list, or to update the information […]
CT Trail Finder and Avenza Maps Webinar
WEDNESDAY, December 7, 2022 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Trail Mapping for CT Trail Finder with Avenza Maps Cary Chadwick & Emily Wilson, UConn CLEAR Connecticut Trail Finder is a free, interactive mapping site designed to help Connecticut residents and visitors find publicly accessible hiking, walking, snowshoeing, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and paddling trails across […]
Give to Extension
Gifts to Extension support programs in all 169 cities and towns of Connecticut. Your contribution positively impacts the 4-H youth program, agriculture and food, climate, health, and sustainable landscapes. Support Extension today at s.uconn.edu/givetoextension #GivingDay
Stretching Holiday Food Dollars
The holiday season is here. With food prices rising, here are a few tips to save big, from our UConn Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program. Find additional resources at https://efnep.uconn.edu/.
Programas y Servicios en Español
¿Sabía que la Extensión de UConn ofrece programas y servicios en español? Si tiene interés en la salud, nutrición, horticultura, manejo integrado de plagas, y el desarrollo personal y comunitario nuestros programas están disponibles para ayudarlo a aprender! UConn EFNEP El Programa Ampliado de Educación en Alimentación y Nutrición (UConn EFNEP) ayuda […]
Spanish Produce Safety Training Videos
Produce Safety Training VideosAvailable in Spanish and English Attention Farmers: UConn Extension’s 2 farm worker training videos are available now in Spanish. These are to help you with training your Spanish speaking employees in produce safety practices. These resources will help make your employees follow proper food safety on farm and ensure a safe food production. The videos were […]
Farmland Mixer
OUR LAST FARMLAND MIXER for the foreseeable future is coming up on DEC. 4TH. So if you want to hear about some great land opportunities, talk about how to go about finding land, OR have some land you want to sell or lease yourself, then you should join us at our Farmland Mixer ! We already have some land opportunities already registered […]
Husky Harvest Info Session- Regional Campus Food Pantry
SNAP-Ed Food Security recently teamed up with United Way to offer a info session for Stamford campus students and Husky Harvest clients. Husky Harvest is the name for the new regional campus food pantry program. Food insecurity is rising on many college campuses and Husky Harvest strives to provide students with resources while minimizing […]
Respecting Our Roots with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation
A partnership between UConn and local tribes led to the development of Meechooôk Farm and other programs that strengthen the tribal community, their land-base, and self-sufficiency. Learn more about the project by reading this article. Financial support for this work was provided by the USDA NIFA Federally-Recognized Tribes Extension Program (FRTEP Awards 2017-41580-26950 and 2022-41580-37944). […]
Fall Updates from Extension
The changing seasons are a reliable time marker, and this fall, UConn Extension is experiencing our own transitions. It’s an exciting time as new educators join the team and continue implementing our statewide programs. Catch up on our latest updates: s.uconn.edu/fall-news
Job Opening: Fairfield County Master Gardener Coordinator
Position Description UConn Extension Master Gardener Coordinator Lower Fairfield County The UConn Extension Master Gardener Program is seeking applications for the position of Master Gardener Program Coordinator for Lower Fairfield County, based at the Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens in Stamford, CT. This is a 16-hour-per-week position and is a temporary, six month appointment. Renewal is […]
Community climate planning projects underway in four CT cities
Doreen Abubaker, of the Community Placement Engagement Network and West River Watershed Partnership, talks to a group at the New Haven Folk Festival about climate change impacts in New Haven and the upcoming Climathon. Photo: Steve Hamm. Four Connecticut cities have joined a pilot project to boost community participation in climate change planning. Community activities […]
4-H Annual Survey
Its that time of year again! Please make sure to check your email over the next few weeks as we send out links to the annual 4-H survey. We use this information to improve our programming!
FRTEP Field Trip to Holmberg Orchards
We had such a fun field trip to Holmberg Orchards last Friday with a group of Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Member youth! The children picked their own apples and went home with apple recipes and activity pages. They had a great time learning about apple production and were very excited to try the fruit they had […]
Calling Master Gardener Alumni
Along with the changes in temperature and color brought with Fall, graduation season is upon us! As our new cohort of interns are joining the ranks of seasoned Master Gardener’s, we would love to hear from our Alums – even if you have not participated in Master Gardener events in a while. We encourage you […]
Encuesta del USDA para Agricultores Latin@ de habla hispana (estipendio de $200) // Latinx Spanish Speaking Farmers USDA Survey ($200 Stipend)
English message follows below the Spanish message // El mensaje en inglés sigue debajo de este mensaje en español. Estimada comunidad agrícola de CT y del noreste: Espero que todos hayan tenido un gran comienzo de semana. Mi nombre es Dra. Ivette Ruiz soy la fundadora de Healing By Growing Farms. Estoy muy […]
Adventures in Agriculture with Mashantucket Youth and 4-H
As a part of the symbiotic partnership between the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (MPTN) and UConn Extension and supported by USDA NIFA’s Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program (FRTEP), tribal youth engage in outreach opportunities designed to educate students about the origin of food and fiber. Programming during summer 2022 included a series of STEM activity […]
10 Ways to Volunteer with UConn 4-H
No matter how much time you have, volunteering with UConn 4-H makes a difference by helping youth explore and discover the skills they need to lead for a lifetime. There are lots of ways to get involved! Please note, your volunteer experience and/or opportunities may be happening virtually or in-person. Contact UConn 4-H for more […]
Help Wanted: Become a UConn 4-H Volunteer
UConn 4-H is Accepting Volunteer Applications UConn 4-H provides youth with life-changing experiences from flying rockets into space with NASA to organizing national conferences for other youth, and everything in between. These experiences are possible because of thousands of adult mentors and volunteers who work throughout the state and guide youth to reach their potential. […]
Visit Extension at the Gather New Haven Festival
Our UConn Extension Master Gardeners will be at the 1st Annual Gather New Haven Festival on Sunday, September 18th, celebrating health, wellness, and nature. Stop by and visit us to learn more about the program, ask your plant and horticulture questions, or pick up an application for our 2023 class. — The First Annual Gather […]
Applications for the 2023 Master Gardener Program are Open
APPLY TO BECOME A UCONN EXTENSION MASTER GARDENER – 2023 classes will include hybrid and virtual options The hot, hazy summer days are a great time to plan for next year’s gardening activities! Apply now for the 2023 UConn Extension Master Gardener Program. Classes will be held in Farmington, Brooklyn, Haddam, and Stamford along with […]
Huerto Para Principiantes
¿Quieres empezar un huerto, pero no sabes cómo empezar? ¡Los Maestros Jardineros de UConn están listos para ayudar! Ofrecemos un taller “Huerto para Principiantes” el 25 de agosto. La presentación incluye como planear el huerto y la siembra, mantenimiento, y cosecha de sus vegetales favoritos. También hablaremos de como hacer un huerto en espacio limitado, […]
Summer Program Updates
Empowering Connecticut Communities Extension programs are in full swing this summer, both in-person and online. we are here to serve and empower our Connecticut communities, while co-creating solutions to the critical issues that residents and communities are facing. Programs focus on the expertise of the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) and incorporate […]
UConn Extension Attends National Urban Extension Conference
UConn Extensionists Mary Ellen Welch, Jacqueline Kowalski, Jeantyl Norze and Heather Peracchio attended the National Urban Extension Conference at Rutgers Camden May 23-26. Educators and directors from across the country came together to share best practices in Extension and vision the future of Urban Extension. Norze led a presentation on “Academic Structure Versus Urban Extension […]
Northeast CT Farm and Food Guide
Grown ConNECTed has released a new Guide to Farm Fresh Food in Northeastern CT for 2022. This guide is an attempt at creating a comprehensive listing of farms selling directly to consumers in the Northeastern CT region and that your constituents can use to find local food, grown and raised in Northeastern CT. A digital copy […]
Urban Farmer Trainings in July
Hey Farmers! We are lucky indeed because we have a whole series of Urban Farmer Trainings coming up! Kicking it off on July 16 and 23rd, the I Got Next Farmers are teaming up with Keney Park Sustainability Project and UConn’s Solid Ground program to provide two full days of training (with lunch included!) from […]