UVM Extension

A throwback Thursday to the 19th Annual Crops and Soils Field Day from July 23!
Where attendees spent the day in Alburgh learning about on-farm trails for flax/hemp fiber, vegetable seed planting dates, winter grain forage and of course, the autonomous weeding robots!

Thirty-one youth from across Central and Southeastern Vermont gathered for the annual Central and Southeastern Regional 4-H Dairy Clinic and Show on this past Saturday!

The weekend combined hands-on learning, leadership development, and competition for young dairy enthusiasts!

Honors were awarded across categories such as fitting and showing, breed champions, milking shorthorn, and herdsmanship, with the most prestigious recognition in the Showmanship Category being the Dick Dodge Award.

Click the link in bio to read the full story and see the list of award recipients!

At the annual 2026 Lamoille County 4-H Dairy Show, talented youth exhibitors showcased their dairy industry skills!

At the field days, Caledonia, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orange, and Orleans Counties competed in fitting and showmanship contests and dairy cattle conformation classes, which showcased the skills they’ve developed through their 4-H dairy projects.

Click the link in bio to read the full story and see the top honors recipients!

August is Tree Check Month!🪲
Vermonters are encouraged to watch for signs of the invasive Asian longhorned beetle, a destructive pest that could threaten our forests.

Knowing what to look for can make all the difference. Swipe through to learn more and click the link in bio to read the full story!

One Saturday this spring, around 50 people gathered in Charlotte to direct their attention and taste buds towards four Vermont culinary artists:

1. Andrew "Pops" Gonyon with his northern soul food from Humble Revelry
2. Maria Lara-Bregatta with her Dominican-Italian fusion dishes from Cafe Mamajuana
3. Alganesh Michael with her Eritrean and Ethiopian cuisine from A Taste of Abyssinia
4. Julian "Jewelz" Perkins with her authentic Jamaican fare from Jamaican Jewelz

The four chefs are inaugural partners with the African Diaspora Foodways Institute of Vermont (ADFI-VT). The pilot program is run by the nonprofit organization Clemmons Family Farm, with funding by the Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets Working Lands Enterprise Initiative. CALS is a collaborator on the project.

"Of all the different programs we've done, this one is really touching the heart, the essential part of what Clemmons Family Farm is all about," said Clemmons Family Farm President and Executive Director Lydia Clemmons. "Bringing people together, in a very intimate way, around food, [and] the joy of discovery."

This new tool aims to minimize pollutants associated with boating, like sewage, oil and fuel, detergents, solvents, paints, plastics, and other marine debris.

The Pumpout Nav app, developed by The San Francisco Estuary Partnership, is now available on Lake Champlain.

Lake Champlain is the first body of water outside of California to be included in the app, made possible through a partnership between the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, Lake Champlain Sea Grant, University of Vermont Extension, SUNY-Plattsburgh, and ecom enterprises, Inc.

To learn more, follow the link in bio.

UVM doctoral candidates Blair Christensen and Michelle Nikfarjam recently earned the competitive, prestigious US Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Predoctoral Fellowships.

While that alone is an astounding accomplishment, the two are also roommates. Christensen and Nikfarjam met through mutual friends and have had close personal and academic relationships as they study different research areas.

Less than 10% of applicants nationwide receive this prestigious award, and only 6 UVM doctoral students have ever received it (now 8), making it all the more impressive that the two have received it.

Nikfarjam studies food systems, and Christensen studies molecular and genetic mechanisms behind insecticide resistance in agricultural pests.
Though they have had different educational paths, they’ve both had hands-on teaching experience at UVM, where they’ve imparted their meaningful research and learning onto other students.

To learn more, click the link in bio.

Have you stopped farming in New England?

The University of Vermont is conducting a research study about farmer wellbeing and farm viability of farmers (including farm workers) who no longer farm in New England.

Participation involves a conversational interview (over Zoom or the phone) that lasts about 45 minutes. Participants will be compensated with a $200 check.

We seek to gather a broad range of perspectives, so people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and other underrepresented people are especially encouraged to participate.

To be considered for an interview, please fill out this 5-minute online form: https://qualtrics.uvm.edu/jfe/form/SV_ehWubMRh9KCPO8m

For questions, contact UVM Extension Assistant Professor of Community Development Ike Leslie at [email protected] or (802) 656-7538.