Please join us for the 2020 Wisconsin Pest Management  Update Virtual Meetings!  Registration Link: https://go.wisc.edu/78t2bd   The format for the Wisconsin Pest Management Update will be different this year because of COVID-19. Presentations will include pest management information for Wisconsin field and forage crops. Speakers will include Mark Renz, Nick Arneson, and Rodrigo Werle, Weed Scientists, Damon Smith, […]

Crop producers face many decisions while managing their fields and trying to raise a profitable crop.  Some of the decisions have both economic and environmental ramifications.  Finding methods that both improve profitability and decrease the environmental risk of the practice is imperative to maintaining a sustainable farm. A field day being sponsored by the Marinette County office […]

Dairy Prices, Feeding Focus of Upcoming Webinar.  The second webinar in the Farm Management Update Meeting series will be held on October 22 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm. This meeting typically was offered as an in-person meeting, but has been moved to a virtual format. The October webinar will focus on the near future of dairy […]

Corn harvest season is getting started, with local farms starting to harvest high moisture corn.  High moisture corn (HMC) is the grain after being normally combined, but there is enough moisture in it that it ensiles well, preserving feed quality for livestock.  Harvesting HMC is also more efficient and more environmentally friendly, as farms do […]

Edible Startup Summit (virtual) — November  9 to 10, 2020 The Edible Startup Summit will be held November 9 and 10 as a virtual training program. This popular program gives participants the knowledge and connections to start a food business. Participants will hear  successful food entrepreneurs and business development experts speak about various aspects of developing a sustainable food business. […]

Home-owners around the area are starting to experience the annual fall insect hibernation invasions.  The insects most likely to be staging on outside walls and beginning to move into houses, garages, or wall spaces are boxelder bugs, cluster flies, conifer seed bugs, and Multi-colored Asian Lady Beetles.  You may also find wasp species, other insects, and even […]

An international group of scientists has declared that it is highly unlikely that SARS-CoV-2 is a food safety risk. The International Commission for Microbiological Specifications of Foods (ICMSF) is a non-governmental organization and represents top food safety experts from around the globe. The ICMSF members believe it is highly unlikely that ingestion of SARS-CoV-2 will result in […]

Weather forecasts indicate that gardeners in our area will want to consider frost protection opportunities tonight and tomorrow night, Sept. 17 and 18.  Forecast lows for most of the Marinette County area are projected to reach the freezing mark, indicating that most gardens are at risk for damage. Plants facing the most risk are the […]

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 […]

2020 was a relatively strong plant disease year, again.  High, consistent humidity levels in July and fairly consistent rainfall events in June, July, and early August led to many fungal diseases having banner years.  As the end of the garden season approaches, we can actually do some things in fall to make a big difference in the […]

The Marinette office of UW-Madison, Division of Extension, is sponsoring corn silage moisture monitoring sampling days during September of 2020.  The first of these sample collection days was Tuesday, September 1st.  The other two days are Tuesdays, September 8th and 15th.  Each of these dates will have four sampling sites: Middle Inlet Town Hall from 10:30 to 11:15; Crivitz […]

Vegetable harvest is still in high gear, tree fruits are maturing, and livestock based products are also coming into season.  Fall means food, and there are many farms in our area which focus on producing food products and selling directly to consumers.  Whether you want to find a perfect head of cauliflower, a peck of apples for […]

Most gardeners and homeowners have one or more fruit trees and are starting to wonder when their fruit will be ready for eating, sauce making, or pies!  Some of the earliest maturing apples are already mature, but most apple cultivars and all pear cultivars are still going through the maturation and ripening processes.  There are some physical […]

Cells and spores of C. botulinum. Image courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control. Tested recipes recommend glass Mason-style jars and 2-piece self-sealing lids for home canning. In the past few weeks, one of the most frequently asked questions has been about jar sealing. Handling jars and lids correctly will go a long way towards successfully preserving your garden’s […]

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 […]

Nearly all people have something that causes allergic reactions within them.  The severity of those reactions and the number of allergens to which each of us is sensitive dictates many aspects of our health during some times of the year.  One of our region’s most common allergens is ragweed pollen, and that season is starting, or has […]

Stories in the news have prompted consumers to ask questions about the survival of the coronavirus on food packaging surfaces. Laboratory studies have shown that the virus that causes COVID-19 can survive on surfaces for up to several days and China recently banned food imports from several counties after finding viral RNA on food packaging. Is this cause for concern? Even as […]

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 Wisconsin Farm Support Program will open a second application period between August 10 – 24, 2020. Funding information and applications can be submitted online on the WI Department of Revenue website starting at 7:00 a.m. on August 10 and ending at 11:59 p.m. on August 24. If you have questions, you may request assistance by calling (608) 266-2772. […]

The annual flight of Western Bean Cutworm (WBCW) moths has reached the Marinette County area.  As you read the name, you would think that this is an insect which would affect green bean fields being raised for the Gillett cannery, or maybe soybean fields in the area.  However, their primary target is actually corn.  They can affect all […]

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 […]

Whether it’s ketchup and mustard on a burger or mayonnaise used in a favorite potato salad, do condiments need to be stored in the refrigerator?  Looking at the container for your favorite sauce or condiment, you will almost always find the words Refrigerate after Opening. My own home refrigerator has over a dozen such bottles: barbeque sauces, salad dressings, mayonnaise, mustard, hot […]

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 […]

Webinar Series for Food Entrepreneurs: Food Safety during COVID-19, Licensing Your Business Zoom program archive (English)   Spanish language program Webinar 2: August 10, 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. Starting a Food Business in Wisconsin: Keep Food Safety in Mind.  Barbara Ingham, Food Safety Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, answers basic questions about types of licenses a food business […]

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 […]

Several manufacturers are now selling pressure canners and other appliances that are compatible with induction heating elements. Are these style of canners safe to use for home canning? Yes! Induction compatible canners function the same way as regular pressure canners in preserving food. An induction-ready canner is different because of the type of material that the canner is made of. […]

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 […]

Food Safety News You can Use from the Division of Extension. Summer weather can bring heavy rains and power outages due to lightening and high winds. Extension has information that you can use to keep yourself and your family food-safe. Emergency Preparedness (USDA; many resources in Spanish) Keep Food Safe after a Disaster or Emergency (CDC, also in […]

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 annual late-spring invasion of mid-sized, metallic tan beetles with orange legs has begun in our area.  Seemingly overnight, they will appear and begin heavy feeding on roses, raspberries, grapes, apple trees, and many other trees and shrubs.  The beetle that pulls this magic appearing act is the rose chafer, a native species that does […]

Instructions have been circulating for ‘dry canning’ of products such as dry beans, flour, and pasta. Just because this process uses traditional canning jars, it isn’t ‘canning’ and, according to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, this method of food preservation may not be safe. What is canning? Canning as a method of food preservation or processing refers […]

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/

This Guide is a collection of farmers, growers and markets in Marinette, Florence and Oconto Counties that sell produce directly to consumers. Growers’ contact information, produce offered, and a map of the location are included with details given on local farmers’ markets. Guide to Home Grown Produce 

Submitted by:  Scott Reuss, Agriculture Agent. The first set of data was collected for the alfalfa forage quality monitoring project on Thursday, May 14.  Alfalfa maturity is way behind normal, but this data collection allowed for a review of consistency of growth across the county, as well as a more formal survey of overwinter survival.  […]

One of our most common native tree leaf eating caterpillars has begun to emerge and munch their way through certain trees’ canopies. The Eastern Tent Caterpillar is an early-season insect whose egg masses overwinter on tree branches of preferred species. That way, when they emerge in early to mid-May, the tiny caterpillars don’t have to […]

The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce on small business needs. Weekly on Tuesdays at 11:00am. Register here>> Wisconsin’s Small Business Administration Office is holding daily informational webinars at 2:00pm. Register here>>

The thermometer has had some ups and downs recently, but spring is definitely here and plants are getting growing for the 2020 growing season.  Many homeowners have started their lawn management tasks for the year, whereas others have not yet had to do so due to different soil types and localized weather conditions.  One part […]

Farming is always a risky business, as one weather event can change a farm’s outlook from rosy to very poor overnight. This year was going to be another tight economic one for raising grain crops, but it is now a really poor situation. There is the chance for market price to recover, but if we […]

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  

Vegetable gardens do not need to be large, open, flat spaces.  In fact, most families find that managing a vegetable garden is a lot easier if they have smaller gardens, with raised beds being a very good option.  Raised beds offer certain advantages over in-ground gardens, particularly in regards to pest management and early season […]

Farmers are in business to produce food for others.  It’s what they do.  It’s what they care about.  Right now, some area dairy farms are being told to go against their very nature and ‘dump’ the high quality food product they’ve invested their life into producing.  As our entire world faces very unusual circumstances, many […]

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

Our area’s Easter snowstorm may have tempered gardeners’ enthusiasm a bit, but it is definitely time to finish selecting what vegetables you are going to grow this year.  On-line or catalog orders are a constantly available opportunity, and vegetable and fruit plant & seed sales are considered ‘essential’ under the current Safer at Home order […]

Farms which sell food items directly to consumers have the opportunity to get their information into the Guide to Home-Grown Produce in Marinette & Oconto Counties. This free listing is available on-line for all area residents to then be able to purchase fruits, vegetables, meat products, and specialty items such as honey, maple syrup, and preserved […]

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 […]

The growing season is close, but there is still time to start your own vegetable seeds at home.  Starting seeds can be a simple biology lesson for your kids and grandkids, as they watch plants grow and develop.  And it can be a very fruitful lesson, as those young seedlings develop into productive plants that […]

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 […]

With a ‘Safer at Home‘ order, many of us are looking to foods stocked in our pantries and cupboards to help feed our families. What do dates on food products tell us? If the date is past, is the food still safe?  In most cases, yes! Dates on food package labels are generally quality dates, an indication […]

This self-study for parents and children help prepare for safely staying home and making a family plan. https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/homealone/    

On Thursday, February 20, 2020, the Oconto County Board of Supervisors recognized the Finger Family for receiving the Wisconsin’s Outstanding Young Farmer Award. Philip and Laura Finger are the fifth generation to farm on his family farm, which was established in 1872. Pictured back row left to right : Dick Doeren; Extension Education Committee Member, […]

As of September 6th, members may go to www.4honline.com and re-enroll in the  4-H program for 2019-2020. All 4-H members, youth and adult, must re-enroll on 4-H Online each year in order to participate in 4-H club, county, state, national and international activities. Even if you just became a member in August, you must go […]