Extension Connection
March 2023
A Note From Your AFNR Educator
March is here! March always puts me in an impatient mindset. It seems so close to spring. Something that helps keep my mind busy is calves are being born, probably my favorite part of the cattle calendar. This month, there are a lot of events hosted by Extension and our partners to help ease my impatience with March. Check them out in this newsletter or on our Carlton County Extension website. Hope to see you there!
Best,
Mercedes
Poultry for beginners class to be held at the Carlton County Transportation Building
This event is free, but please pre-register by calling Ann at 218-384-8684 or rustx048@umn.edu. Each participant will receive a coupon good for $5 off poultry feed at Widdes Feed and Farm Supply.
Introducing the new Carlton County Master Gardeners
Carlton County will welcome 7 new Master Gardener volunteers for the 2023 gardening season. Debra Carlson, Debra Drexler, Samantha Halligan, Dawn Moffett, Mary Stafford, Kap Wilkes, and Karen Zimmerman are currently taking the required core course training and each has committed to 50 hours of volunteer service to our community in the coming year. They were welcomed to the group at the kick off meeting on February 28th. We are looking forward to getting to know them and immersing them in our group!
Apple Tree Pruning Workshop to be Held in Moose Lake
Throughout February and March, UMN Extension offered apple tree pruning workshops across the state. The final two workshops are scheduled for:
- Tuesday, March 14th from 1 to 3 p.m. in Duluth
- Wednesday, March 15th from 1 to 3 p.m. in Moose Lake
Whether you have two trees or 20, the workshop will provide guidance on proper pruning methods and hands-on practice pruning trees at apple orchards.
Pruning apple trees properly is important to optimize fruit growth and make harvesting easier. Homeowners, gardeners, Master Gardener volunteers, and orchardists of all experience levels throughout Minnesota may find these workshops useful. Participants will be outdoors using pruning shears and loppers, so attendees are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather and activities involved.
Local Educator, Mercedes Moffett and other Extension educators will lead participants through the considerations and techniques for proper pruning. Learn more and register
Pine & Isanti Counties Annual Corn and Soybean Conference
The University of Minnesota Extension invites all crop producers in East Central Minnesota to the Pine & Isanti Counties Annual Corn & Soybean Conference on Thursday, March 2, 2023 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Braham Event Center. A $10 registration fee will be collected at the door and includes breakfast and lunch plus handouts.
Learn from Extension specialist speakers on the following topics: crop financing, soybean yield and research, corn productivity and profitability, crop climate adaptation, sustainable tillage systems, cover crops for corn and soybeans, and weed management. In addition, Minnesota’s Department of Agriculture Commissioner will be in attendance and provide updates. Local agricultural organizations, such as NRCS, FSA, SWCD, MAWQCP, Farm Bureau, LSCW, and FBM will be present.
For more information and to register, check out the Pine & Isanti conference webpage or register online. Questions pertaining to this event can be directed to Katie Hagen by phone (Pine: 320-591-1650; Isanti: 763-689-8254) or hagen@umn.edu.
March community connect class - Basic seed saving techniques
Spring is almost here and gardening is right around the corner! Join Master Gardener and seed saving expert, Doug McLellan for a presentation on why we should be saving seeds, what seeds can be saved, preventing your seeds from cross pollinating and the tools needed for seed saving. Master Gardeners will be on hand with a seed swap table and a question and answer booth. Bring your seeds pre-packaged and marked with the variety or any other gardening item you would like to swap.
Thursday, March 23, 2023 from 6-7:30 p.m.
Carlton County Transportation Bldg, Carlton, MN
$5 at the door, 18 and under are free.
To register, please call Ann at 218-384-8684 or email rustx048@umn.edu.
Creating Wildlife Habitat on Your Property
University of Minnesota Extension will present a five part webinar series on how you can create wildlife habitat on your property. This series is for anyone in Minnesota with a farm, woodlands, lowlands or a backyard.
All webinars will take place online every Monday night from March 20th through April 17th from 7-8:30 p.m. Each session will focus on a different aspect of wildlife habitat management including different species groups and selecting a site, as well as the development, establishment, and maintenance of habitat for those groups.
The cost for this series is $100, however the fee is waived for landowners and residents in St. Louis, Carlton, Cook, Pine or Isanti county. To receive your waiver code, you must contact Mercedes Moffett PRIOR TO REGISTERING. moffe029@umn.edu or 218-384-8681 Register at z.umn.edu/WildlifeHabitatSeries2023.8th district horticulture scholarship opportunity
Questions about the scholarship can be directed to Jan Dzwonkowski at 218-865-6018 or jan_dz@q.com. Applicants will be notified of selection or non-selection two weeks before the spring meeting of the 8th district.
Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Offerings
Carlton County Soil & Water Conservation offering March workshops
Our partners at Carlton SWCD have two exciting workshops scheduled for March. Both workshops are FREE.
Interseeding and Soil Health Workshop
Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 6 pm at the Barnum Community Center, 3753 Front Street, Barnum
Carlton County farmers are invited to learn about interseeding and soil health from Extension Educator, Mercedes Moffett. Farmers have been using cover crops for decades to diversify crop rotations, improve weed control, build organic matter, capture nutrients, and provide additional feed and forage for livestock. Qualifying Carlton County residents may be eligible for up to $80 per acre to help renovate hay pastures with cover crops which can help increase forage supply, reduce soil erosion, and improve soil health.
Create a Rain Garden Workshop
Tuesday March 28, 2023 from 6-7:30pm at the Hermantown City Hall, 5105 Maple Grove Road Hermantown, MN
A rain garden is a small basin of colorful native plants that add beauty to your yard while collecting stormwater runoff from your roof, lawn and driveway. They also benefit our bees, birds, and butterflies! This FREE workshop will cover step-by-step instructions to help you successfully install a rain garden and learn about rain garden specific plants and how they benefit pollinators. Funds are available to help offset the costs of plants, compost, mulch, edging and other materials.
To register for SWCD workshops, please call Alyssa Bloss, Conservation Specialist, at (218) 384-3891 or register online.
Did you know?
In 4-H, all youth are welcome!
4-H is an out-of-school, hands-on learning program for anyone in Kindergarten through one year past high school (grade 13). Youth choose a project that’s interesting to them and explore it with peers and caring adults. 4-H clubs are groups of youth who want to learn together and meet in every part of Minnesota.
What can I do in 4-H?
The sky’s the limit! 4-H offers learning experiences in science, photography, agriculture, healthy living, civic engagement and much more. We have one-day events, year-long projects and everything in between. There are many ways to try 4-H.
Read this month's 4-H newsletter to explore the opportunities waiting for you!
Carlton County Extension Staff
Tracey Hartung, Administrative Specialist thartung@umn.edu
Mercedes Moffett, Agriculture Educator, moffe029@umn.edu
Ann Rust, Vol Coord & Horticulture Assist rustx048@umn.edu
Katie Siltanen, 4-H Educator silta006@umn.edu
Email: mnext-Carlton@umn.edu
Website: https://local.extension.umn.edu/local/carlton
Location: 317 Chestnut Avenue, Carlton, MN, USA
Phone: 218-384-3511
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UMNExtensionCarltonAg/