All managed plants are affected by pests, whether a vegetable garden, fruit orchard, corn field, or landscape beds.  Properly managing those pests usually requires knowing what insect, disease, or animal is actually afflicting your plants.  The Oconto County office of UW-Madison, Division of Extension, is providing in-person opportunities to help you get plant management advice, […]

By far the most important step in safe home canning is to follow an up-to-date, research tested recipe. Research-tested recipes recommend metal 2-piece lids for home canning.  Two-piece lids are sold to fit regular and wide-mouth glass canning jars and are made up of a flat metal lid and a metal screw band.  The lid contains a sealing […]

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 Farm stress […]

Making maple syrup is a time-honored tradition in many parts of Wisconsin, and it is as much of an art as a science. Even though sap does run in other trees such as birch and elm in early spring, maples produce more and sweeter sap than any other tree. Collection. Once trees are tapped, a collecting container is […]

Sugar maple, state tree of Wisconsin If you have been scrolling the internet of late you might have noticed that some companies are touting the reported health benefits of drinking tree sap. Some ads suggest that drinking tree sap or ‘tree water’ is a natural way to hydrate. Regardless of whether drinking tree sap is a […]

As planting season approaches and starts for vegetable gardens, area gardeners have the opportunity to learn more about techniques which optimize the performance and efficiency of their gardens.  The Coleman Branch of the Marinette County Consolidated Library System and the Marinette County office of UW-Madison, Division of Extension are cooperatively sponsoring this opportunity. The workshop will […]

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension’s Badger Crop Connect will be starting its 2nd annual webinar series for the 2021 growing season. The purpose of this series is to provide agronomists, crop consultants, and farmers timely crop updates for Wisconsin. These free webinars will be offered on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month […]

Updated March 17, 2021 The coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, is impacting households, communities, and businesses. A U.S. Census survey from October noted that one-third of adults reported it was somewhat or very difficult to pay for their usual household expenses. The frequently asked questions below highlight some common financial challenges as a result of the COVID-19 […]

The following responses were provided by University of Wisconsin-Madison public health experts Ajay Sethi, Ph.D., MHS, Associate Professor in Population Health Sciences and Faculty Director of the Master of Public Health Program and Devlin Cole, MD, MPH, Preventative Medicine Resident, School of Medicine and Public Health. Last updated February 19, 2021. Vaccine Technology and Development […]

The Cover Crops Research and Outreach Project, CCROP, a collaboration between the USDA Dairy Forage Research Center, Michael Fields Agriculture Institute, University of Wisconsin Madison Center for Integrated Agriculture Systems and University of Wisconsin-Madison Nutrient and Pest Management (NPM) Program is hosting a three part conversation series in March and April highlighting farmer, outreach, and […]

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 […]

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 […]