The winter of 2020/21 started out mild and relatively dry in our area, but then switched gears to some snow and colder weather.  As you and your family adjusted to the winter weather changes, did you wonder how it might affect wildlife and plants?  Or conversely, do you want to know more about how our area’s native […]

Farm Ready Research is Extension’s agriculture winter webinar meeting series for farmers and ag professionals. Join the webinars to learn the most up-to-date information on topics from dairy and livestock production to farm management resources. Sessions began December 2020 and run through April 2021. See a full list of topics and register at go.wisc.edu/FarmReadyResearch Categorized: Agriculture

Focus on Forage is a FREE, 7-part Extension webinar series highlighting research-based information and farmer strategies to optimize forage yield, quality, and profitability in Wisconsin.   Focus on Forage webinars will be held weekly on Wednesdays from 12:30 to 1:30 pm from January 13th through March 3rd. CCA CEUs will be offered for each webinar. Webinars are free, but […]

Thursday, February 25, 2021.  12:30 pm-2:45 pm.  Online via Zoom.  Pre-registration required at:  go.wisc.edu/2021agronomyday

Join the University of Wisconsin-Madison – Division of Extension’s Dairy Program on Tuesdays from 1 to 2:30 pm CST for the Badger Dairy Insight webinar series. These are no-cost webinars; however, participants must register before the program at go.wisc.edu/FarmReadyResearch. We are featuring your local Extension Dairy Program Educators and UW Specialists as they present on current […]

An Aging Mastery Program® will soon be offered by Extension Oconto & Marinette County. This fun innovative program empowers you to take key steps to improve your well-being, add stability to your life, and strengthen ties to your community. Aging Mastery Program®, developed by the National Council on Aging, is a nationwide program whose basic […]

University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension’s Heart of the Farm-Women in Agriculture program is starting it’s statewide online ‘Coffee Chat’ Fall/Winter program on the 2nd Monday of each month (10 a.m. – 11 a.m.) through March 2021. The Heart of the Farm-Women in Agriculture program addresses the needs of farm women by providing education on farm […]

Milk and milk products provide a wealth of nutrition benefits. But milk that has not been pasteurized can harbor dangerous microorganisms that can pose serious health risks to you and your family if consumed raw. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from 1993 through 2012, there were 127 outbreaks linked to raw milk or […]

Whether you are new to canning, returning to canning because of the pandemic, or have always canned the bounty of your harvest, there are certain tips that will help ensure that your time and efforts lead to safe, healthy food for your family.  Use recipes that are up to date. Some canning recommendations have changed dramatically […]

Back to Basics steam canner The University of Wisconsin-Madison conducted research showing that an atmospheric steam canner may be used to safely can naturally acid foods such as peaches, pears, and apples, or acidified-foods such as salsa or pickles. The steam canner uses only ~2 quarts of water (compared to 16 quarts, or more, in a boiling […]

The University of Wisconsin of Wisconsin Human Development & Relationships educators have collaborated and created a quick reference guide: TOOLS TO COPE WITH THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF COVID-19 in English and Spanish.  The guide connects you with quick resources to the following questions: If You… Are about to lose your job or have already lost your job? Know that you will not have enough […]

The safety of the food that you preserve for your family and friends is important to you. The University of Wisconsin Division of Extension supports using up-to-date, research-tested recipes so that you know that the food that you preserve is both safe and high in quality. Here are a few quick tips on changes and […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated their recommendations on food handling during this time of COVID-19.  The recommendations are available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean. Highlights of the recommendations are: There continues to be no evidence that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is associated with handling food or consuming food. Coronaviruses are thought […]

It’s jam and jelly season! Let’s review the use of an atmospheric steam canner for canning acid foods. The University of Wisconsin-Madison conducted research showing that an atmospheric Steam Canner may be used to safely can naturally acid foods such as peaches, pears, and apples, or acidified-foods such as salsa or pickles. The atmospheric steam canner uses only […]

Many current home canning recommendations suggest a 5 to 10 minute wait at the end of the canning process prior to removing jars from the canner. Why is this wait time now included in some canning recipes and it is necessary for safety? Some home canning recipes, such as the Ball (Fresh Preserving) recipe for Classic Strawberry Jam, include as a final […]

Even though a national trend has some families converting their Little Free Libraries into food pantries, this may not be food-safe idea.  Little Free Libraries have a strong tie to Wisconsin. According to the Little Free Library website, in 2009, Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin, built a model of a one room schoolhouse. It was a tribute […]

A second method of ‘dry canning’ has surfaced, even more unsafe than the first.  One unsafe method of dry canning is oven ‘canning’ of dry goods such as dry beans, nuts or flour. This method of ‘preserving’ dry foods really isn’t canning and it isn’t considered safe.  A second method of ‘dry canning’ involves placing raw vegetables such as corn, green […]

The University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension announces the launch of a new micro-learning video series: Money As You Grow Book Reads.  Each week, Financial Security Team Educators will read a popular children’s book that teaches children about money.  You can find free guides online through Dollars During Development.  Get the conversation started with your child while doing a fun activity in the […]

Did you know? By law, you can request three FREE credit reports each year. Mark your calendar to request a copy of your free report on 6/6. Our “Check Your Free Credit Report: 2/2, 6/6, 10/10” campaign makes it easier to remember to order your reports. Learn more on the website. https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/creditreport/

Please click on the link below to see what percent of the population is at the highest-risk of complication from COVID-19. You can search by county and zip code. The map below is an example of what the Oconto County map looks like. https://hip.wisc.edu/NHP  

Please click on the link to see how Badger Talks examines personal finance in a pandemic. Badger Talks examines personal finance in a pandemic

For information on the COVID-19 Response Grant Program please click on the link below, this information is provided by the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. https://www.med.wisc.edu/wisconsin-partnership-program/covid-19-response-grant-program/  

We all want to keep our families safe and healthy, especially in this time when the coronavirus presents such a real need to do so. No one wants to end up at the doctor’s office or the hospital with a foodborne illness*. [*There is no credible evidence that the coronavirus is spread by food or […]

We all know that hand washing is an important defense against coronavirus. And as we work to keep ourselves and our families healthy, routine cleaning and disinfecting of areas in our homes is important. Cleaning removes dirt from surfaces, while disinfecting kills germs that remain after cleaning. What is the best way to clean and […]