Extension works on urban agriculture projects in cities including Danbury, Stamford and Bridgeport. We are collaborating with food accessibility and food justice organizations in Bridgeport to build capacity growing fresh vegetables. Growing sites include schools, community centers and capped brown fields. Partners provide healthy food and train underserved, diverse audiences in farming. UConn Extension offered […]
agriculture
Students’ IDEA Grant Will Showcase Innovative Agriculture
A group of students from the UConn College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) received an IDEA grant from the UConn Office of Undergraduate Research. Their project will help bridge the communication gap between agriculture and consumers. Approximately two percent of the population is involved in agriculture, but we all need to eat every […]
Educator Spotlight: Bill Davenport
After thirty-three years as an agriscience teacher at Nonnewaug High School in Woodbury, William Davenport has found his way back to his early grounding in 4-H. He began work as assistant extension educator in charge of 4-H programming in Litchfield County in July 2019. Davenport is a graduate of the college, having earned bachelor of […]
Survey Impacts of COVID-19 on Agricultural Producers
Agricultural Producers: You are invited to participate in a research study. UConn Extension has many educational programs for agricultural producers. You may or may not have participated in these in the past. We are surveying agricultural producers to determine the impacts of COVID-19 on your agricultural business and what educational programs you need from UConn Extension and our partners because of COVID-19. […]
Highlights of Extension
UConn Extension has collaborated with our partners, communities and stakeholders for over 100 years. We are proud to serve all 169 cities and towns in Connecticut. The worldwide pandemic involving COVID-19 (coronavirus) has produced unprecedented challenges in the UConn community and around the world. Our services continue during this challenging time. All of our educators […]
SBA Relief Program Q&A for Farmers
UConn Extension hosted a Q&A session with the Small Business Association (SBA) on relief programs available. You can view the powerpoint presentation slides and video of the full presentation. Interim Final Rule: Additional Criterion for Seasonal Employers (Updated 4/28/20) Paycheck Protection Program Frequently Asked Questions (Updated 4/28/20) This powerpoint from SBA does not include updated […]
UConn Extension by the Numbers
Extension is a part of UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources (CAHNR). We have over 100 years of experience strengthening communities in Connecticut and beyond. Our educational specialists are ready to work with you and your community. Extension programs cover the full spectrum of topics aligned to the CAHNR strategic initiatives: • […]
Agricultural Stress Management
We understand many of our Connecticut farms and families have been dealing with stress long before this pandemic took place. Through a collaborative of UConn Extension faculty and staff along with some of our critical partners (Farm Credit East, ACA, Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Connecticut Farm Bureau, CT NOFA, Eggleston Equine, and Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services) […]
Economic Assistance Programs for Agriculture & Businesses
Economic Assistance Programs Paycheck Protection Program The Paycheck Protection Program prioritizes millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing up to $349 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses. Applications can be submitted starting today. Small businesses and eligible nonprofit organizations, Veterans organizations, and Tribal businesses described in the Small Business Act, as […]
Ask UConn Extension Your Questions
UConn Extension has collaborated with our partners, communities and stakeholders for over 100 years. We are proud to serve all 169 cities and towns in Connecticut. The worldwide pandemic involving COVID-19 (coronavirus) has produced unprecedented challenges in the UConn community and around the world. Our services continue during this challenging time. We are still delivering the […]
Agriculture Producer Survey Request
Agricultural Producers: Please take this five minute survey on the impacts of COVID-19 on your business. The Governor of Connecticut issued a “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order except for essential businesses on March 23, 2020. The Commissioner of Agriculture clarified, per Executive Order 7H, that agriculture businesses are considered “essential businesses”. This anonymous survey will […]
Soil Testing Lab is Open
In light of agriculture (including community gardening) being designated as essential, the UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory will remain open utilizing best practices; social distancing and disinfecting are a high priority. No one will be allowed in the lab but essential personnel. Any soil tests need to be mailed or left in the drop box […]
Aquaculture Farmers: Local Health Dept. & District Contact Info
If you are considering direct sales via farm stands or markets, we previously sent the guidance and it is also at:http://aquaculture.uconn.edu. An important step in the approval process is to contact your local health department or district. Contact information is below. Keep in mind that these folks are very busy right now. Be persistent; be […]
Virtual Town Hall for CT Farmers on Monday, March 23rd
Connecticut Farm Bureau Association Hosting a Virtual Town Hall Meeting for Connecticut Farmers on COVID-19 Monday, March 23, 2020 7:00 pm ZOOM Video-conference/Teleconference Up-to-date information on COVID-19 Emergency and its impact on Connecticut farms Opportunity to ask questions. Opportunity to raise concerns, address problems, share strategies and resources, and provide feedback. Agenda: Newest guidance and […]
Join us for a Farmer Focus Group Tomorrow
Invite to Farmer Focus Group Do you struggle with getting all the work done on your farm? Do you have challenges attracting and retaining employees? Are you interested in working with other farmers to design solutions to labor challenges? If so, consider attending the farmer focus group, Exploring Novel Approaches to Farm Labor, at the CT NOFA Winter Conference in […]
Why We Need Local Food in our Schools
Who wants local food in schools, and why? We’re partnering with 81 school districts in Connecticut through our Put Local On Your Tray program, and helping them to source local food from Connecticut farms. This short video explains the importance of local food in our schools: https://youtu.be/v9QrMjryulY #UConnImpact
Vegetable Production Certificate Course
We’re offering a Vegetable Production Certificate Course, beginning on March 12th. It’s a hybrid format, online and in-person for new and beginning farmers. This year only, we have a special introductory fee of $100 or $150 depending on the course option you choose. This vegetable production course is designed to benefit beginner vegetable producers who […]
One-On-One Agricultural Advising Sessions
The UConn Extension RMA program has offered one-on-one advising sessions for several years. Due to the popularity of this program, we are offering 3 days this winter for you to meet in a private session with an advisor. We are offering a wide array of topics to choose from. The brochure has the full schedule. […]
Workshop: Production Agriculture – Back to Basics
Production Agriculture – BACK TO BASICS Farmers of all experience are encouraged to join the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, University of Connecticut, and the American Farmland Trust on Thursday, January 9, 2020 from 9 AM to 1 PM at the Tolland Agricultural Center in Vernon, Connecticut to hear the latest in IPM/biocontrol, soil management, and […]
UConn Agriculture Advocacy Club Newsletter
The UConn College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources has an Agriculture Advocacy Club, and they recently published their first newsletter. You can read the issue at http://bit.ly/AgAdvocateVol1
Where can we get healthy food? #AskUConnExtension
Where can we get healthy food? Dr. German Cutz, one of our Extension educators, discusses urban agriculture as one option as we use innovative technology and new methods to grow food for our families and communities. #AskUConnExtension Video: Mike Zaritheny
Dress your Table with Connecticut Grown this Thanksgiving
Preparations are underway in many homes for the Thanksgiving holiday. Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Department of Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt would like to recognize the many hands that play a role in putting food on your table, including the more than 5,500 farm families in Connecticut. “Connecticut farmers are an essential segment of […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Growing Food and Health with the Mashantucket Tribe
“The mission statement of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (MPTN) states they will ‘…establish a social, cultural and economic foundation that can never be undermined or destroyed…,’” says Tribal Councilor Daniel Menihan, Jr. MPTN was facing challenges growing their fruits and vegetables at a scale to meet the tribe’s needs on their land in Ledyard, […]
Christmas in July at CT Greenhouses
It is Christmas in July for the greenhouse producers who grow poinsettias. In order to have plants that are blooming for December sales, greenhouses start the process early. Poinsettias require months in the greenhouse before they are ready to be purchased and taken home. Leanne Pundt, one of our Extension educators was scouting the plants […]
Auerfarm Appoints Erica Fearn as Executive Director
The Auerfarm 4-H Education Center in Bloomfield, Connecticut announces the appointment of Erica Prior Fearn, CAE, as its new Executive Director, beginning July 24. Fearn succeeds Interim Executive Director Barbara G. DeMaio, who held the position since March. “Auerfarm is thrilled to have an executive of Erica’s caliber lead our organization. Her experience at the […]
GMO 2.0 Overview
GMO 2.0 Overview By Quamyia Foye Quamyia Foye is an undergraduate at UConn and attended GMO 2.0: Science, Society and the Future and wrote the following summary of the event, along with her perceptions. Overview of Risks and Benefits of Genetically Engineered Crops Dr. Paul Vincelli, extension professor and provost distinguished service professor from […]
Conservation Planning
Excess fertilizer use and inefficient nutrient management strategies often are causes of water quality impairment in the United States. When excess nitrogen enters large water bodies it enhances algae growth and when that algae decomposes, hypoxic conditions—often called a “dead zone” occur. Nutrients carried to the Long Island Sound have been linked to the seasonal […]
Risk Management Tools: Helping Connecticut Farms Grow
“Agriculture is inherently a risk filled profession,” says Associate Extension Educator Joseph Bonelli. “Utilizing risk management is a tool for farmers to minimize the impacts of threats they can’t completely control by reducing the impact of certain dangers on their farm business.” UConn Extension has a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Risk Management Association […]
Connecticut Grown Strawberries Ripe for Picking
Fresh from the field, Connecticut Grown strawberries are now ripening and ready to eat. Strawberries are the first fruit available in Connecticut and signal the arrival of summer for many residents who look forward to visiting one of the state’s pick-your-own farms. “Visiting a Connecticut strawberry patch to pick your own is a wholesome, family […]
Evan Lentz: Intern Spotlight
Evan Lentz and Casey Lambert spent the summer of 2018 as undergraduate interns scouting for diseases and insects at vineyards and small fruit farms throughout the state with the iPiPE grant through the National Institute for Food and Agriculture. iPIPE is the Integrated Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education. It’s a weather and pest-tracking […]
Welcome Abby Beissinger to UConn Extension!
UConn Extension and the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture are proud to announce our newest team member, Abby Beissinger. Abby has accepted the position of Plant Diagnostician in the UConn Plant Diagnostic Laboratory. Her first official day was May 28, 2019. Abby attended the University of Wisconsin and received a B.A. in Anthropology […]
When did GMO become a dirty word?
Do you know someone with diabetes? While most people may associate GMOs with food products, their use actually began in the medical field with insulin. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved GMO insulin for use in October of 1982 after rigorous testing, clinical trials, and review. Prior to that, diabetics used insulin obtained from the pancreas […]
Risk Management Technology: Drones in Agriculture?
Risk Management Technology: Drones in Agriculture? Article by Evan Lentz Drones have had a long-standing history in the both the military and hobbyist circles. Recently, there has been a resurgence of drones into general consumer markets which has stimulated an interest in their utility in a range of applications. As such, it should be no […]
Spotlight – Farm Labor Shortages: Years in the Making
Spotlight – Farm Labor Shortages: Years in the Making Article by Evan Lentz For some time, concerns regarding the availability of reliable farm labor have reached the ears of UConn’s Risk Management team. When considering the vast range of risks that agricultural stakeholders face throughout the year, labor shortages may very well be the most […]
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 […]
Real Farmers, Real Risks: Interview with Preston Ridge Vineyards
Article by Evan Lentz Preston Ridge Vineyard is a beautiful vineyard and winery located in Preston, Connecticut. The owners and team members at Preston Ridge work hard to produce a wide variety of grapes and have an impressive line of local Connecticut wines. Their tasting room and outdoor wedding venue immerse guests in the prestige […]
Risk Management Technology: Robotic Milking Machine
Article by Evan Lentz On October 26, 2017, UConn Extension and CT Farm Risk Management program teamed up to host the Robotic Milking Conference at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT. The conference program boasted an impressive lineup of farmers, researchers, and industry professionals. All seemed to advocate highly for the incorporation of the […]