West Pottawattamie County Extension and Outreach

Worried about the Cyclospora outbreak? AnswerLine walks through how to reduce your risk!

Cyclospora has been making headlines recently due to a large multistate outbreak. The best way to reduce your risk of infection is to wash your hands thoroughly and carefully rinse all fresh fruits and vegetables before eating or preparing them. For produce with rough or textured skins, use a clean vegetable brush to scrub the surface thoroughly. go.iastate.edu/RR7SWK

The deadline to apply for the Iowa Master Gardeners program is this Friday. If you have been thinking about signing up, here is your reminder! Come join us!

Follow the link in the comments for more information.

Anyone interested in becoming an Iowa Master Gardener can apply through Friday for the fall 2026 Garden Academy cohort, a required training for the program that begins Aug. 31. ⤵️ Find a link to the story in the comments.

📣Calling all high school teachers!
Do you want to help your students better understand where their food comes from and how the food system works? 🌱
Join the Youth Local Food Leader Program and bring engaging, real-world learning into your classroom! Plus, stipends are available for participating teachers
👉 Learn more and sign up here:
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/ffed/youth-local-food-leader

Find us tomorrow night at Sunset Park! We will have some goodies and lots of information about Iowa State University Extension and Outreach programming!

Our Master Gardeners will be at the Farmers Market Council Bluffs this evening with lots of information about how to sign up for this year's offering. If you have been thinking about becoming an Iowa Master Gardeners, this is the perfect opportunity to learn more! Look for the red Iowa State University Extension and Outreach table!

Join us at the Farmers Market Council Bluffs tomorrow!

Stop by the ISU Extension and Outreach booth on Thursday, July 16th from 4:30 pm-7:00 pm to learn about the upcoming West Pott Fall Garden Academy.

We'd love to see you there!

Our office will close at 1 pm today, July 15, so our staff can attend a visit with Iowa State University President, David Cook. We will reopen tomorrow at 8 am. If you need assistance or would like to leave a voicemail, please call 712-366-7070.

The Fruit and Vegetable Field Day is back July 29! 🍅🫑🍎

Commercial growers and gardeners across the state are invited to the Iowa State Horticulture Research Station to see research projects on peppers, tomatoes, apples, organic pest management, the use of drones in horticultural crops and more.

Register by July 24 👉 https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/iowa-state-university-fruit-and-vegetable-field-day-july-29

ISU Horticulture Research Station, Iowa State Extension Commercial Vegetables and Specialty Crops, Commercial Fruit Production - ISU Extension and Outreach

For all your weekend plans!

Summer Grilling, Simple Wins Grilling isn’t just for burgers. Adding veggies, fruit
kabobs, or lean proteins can boost flavor and nutrition—no extra time needed!

Follow the link in the comments for recipes and tips.