Michigan State University Extension

We wanted to show how many people used MSU Extension last year, using examples we know you'll recognize.

Making connections with Extension at the U.P. State Fair

Thursday’s U.P. State Fair schedule included a visit from Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II for “Lunch with the Governor.”

During the visit, Gilchrist discussed key issues facing Michigan residents and toured the fairgrounds. MSU Extension staff also had the opportunity to connect with other MSU Extension stakeholders and 4-H supporters, who met with staff and joined our leadership team for photos.

We appreciate the opportunity to connect with partners and supporters who help strengthen the work of MSU Extension and Michigan 4-H across the state.

We got our flowers...

This year's Specialty Cut Flower Farm Tour led participants on guided tours of several host sites across Michigan's Lower Peninsula. They learned about urban flower farming, building a farm around your market, creating on-farm experiences, and developing production systems that support long-term business success.

In true Extension fashion, growers asked questions, exchanged ideas, and saw firsthand how farms produce and market their flowers.
Our experts even walked away from the experience having learned something new. 

But the floral fun doesn't stop there.
With one more cut flower tour date scheduled, Tollgate Farm's U-Pick Flower Experience, and more resources online — you can get your flowers, too.

Supporting the people who support young people matters.

During day two of beginning-of-the-year training for the Isabella County Commission On Aging Foster Grandparent program, MSU Extension educators shared a mindfulness presentation focused on helping volunteers support their own emotional well-being as they serve young people.

The Foster Grandparent program connects adults age 55 and older with opportunities to support youth. During the training, several volunteers shared that their work with young people who have experienced trauma can sometimes bring up difficult experiences from their own lives.

The mindfulness session created space for volunteers to learn, ask questions and reflect on ways they can care for themselves while continuing to be there for the young people they serve. The group was highly engaged throughout the presentation, contributing questions and participating in discussion.

The training also reflected the value of collaboration. An MSU Extension colleague in southeast Michigan connected the agency with local educators Misty and Christi, creating an opportunity to work together in support of Foster Grandparents and strengthen our relationship with the agency.

When we support the people who care for and mentor young people, we strengthen the support available to the whole community.

📸 Picture by MSU Extension's Nonie Gross.

What happens when entrepreneurship education takes root in a classroom — and keeps growing?

From 2011 to 2018, an MSU Extension and 4-H youth educator partnered with Rapid River classroom teacher Michelle Hadel to bring youth entrepreneurship education to students. Through hands-on learning, students developed business ideas, created products, explored costs and pricing, built financial plans and put their ideas into action by selling at local and statewide events.

But the impact didn’t stop with the students.

Inspired by the entrepreneurship principles she taught, Hadel applied that knowledge to launch her own business, Hungry Bear Popcorn. Today, her business is part of the local food truck circuit and has even reached the UP State Fairgrounds.

It’s a lasting example of how local entrepreneurship programs can create opportunities for people of all ages — and how a strong partnership between MSU Extension, educators and communities can spark ideas that continue to grow.

Interested in turning your own food business idea into a food truck? Extension Does That.

A diverse group comprising a sociologist, a forestry researcher, a food safety expert, and a local government and economic policy specialist will form the inaugural cohort of Michigan State University Extension's new Administrative Fellows Program.

Over the course of a year, these fellows will collaborate with MSU Extension mentors, engage in leadership and professional development activities, and undertake a service project aligned with organizational priorities.

Throughout the program, they will develop a comprehensive understanding of MSU Extension’s operations statewide, including strategy, program planning, partnerships, and stakeholder engagement.

"MSU Extension’s success depends on people who understand both the communities we serve and the organization that makes that work possible,” said Quentin Tyler, director of MSU Extension. “This program provides a new avenue to introduce fresh perspectives and nurture talented leaders to shape the future of Extension.”

MSU Extension was proud to help plan and organize the 2026 Perennial Plant Association National Symposium, held at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center on MSU's campus.

Two of the symposium’s four days featured bus tours throughout Michigan, showcasing the diversity of horticultural businesses and public gardens across the state. The MSU Extension team helped coordinate tour stops and shared local insights and expertise while serving as bus captains and chase car drivers.

The second tour day concluded with dinner in the MSU Horticulture Gardens, a Michigan Garden Plant Tour trial site.

Thank you to the Perennial Plant Association and our partners for the opportunity to help host this year’s symposium and connect with horticulture professionals from across the country.

Lending a hand at Tollgate helps students in urban areas gain firsthand experience in agriculture.

Tollgate Farm and Education Center, as part of MSU Extension, exemplifies outreach and education in action. When the opportunity arose to offer work-based learning to Oakland Schools Technical Campus (OSTC) students, the answer was a clear yes!

Tollgate gave students a chance to apply classroom knowledge in a real-world agricultural setting while developing technical skills, building professional confidence, and gaining industry experience. Throughout the semester, students worked alongside Tollgate staff and volunteers on various farm operations — including animal care, maple syrup production, crop planning, greenhouse planting, spring field preparations, and more.

"I have been able to learn so much about working with sheep and goats that I never would have learned in a traditional school setting," says Sadie Snyder, an OSTC Animal Science Student. "I don't come from a background of working with livestock, so this was so helpful in getting my foot in the door of this side of ag."

Together, Tollgate and OSTC are continuing to develop a program that benefits both students and the farm, creating meaningful learning opportunities while supporting the mission of education, agriculture, and community engagement. As the partnership moves into its second year, both organizations look forward to building on this momentum and expanding opportunities for future students.