"Healthy food should be accessible to everyone, so we're super excited to be able to lend to that, even just in a small way."

Andria Hails

Wild Eastons Vendor

(Local grower of microgreens, greens, mushrooms and spices)

In June 2025, FoodWIse launched a gleaning project at the Sturgeon Bay Farmers Market to increase access to fresh, local produce for families with limited income. Inspired by a successful model in Manitowoc, the project aims to reduce food waste, improve produce availability at food pantries, and strengthen community partnerships.  Food pantries often struggle to source fresh fruits and vegetables. Grocery store donations may arrive close to expiration, limiting shelf life and nutrition. When donations are not enough, pantries must purchase produce, which can be costly. Meanwhile, farmers market vendors often have leftover produce at the end of the day, much of which is discarded or composted.
According to the USDA, more than one-third of food in the U.S. goes uneaten. This project helps redirect surplus produce to where it’s needed most, supporting both nutrition security and
sustainability.  Read more about this project.

Harvesting and distributing apples to food pantries across Manitowoc, Kewaunee, and Door Counties.  

FoodWIse interviews with pantry managers in Manitowoc, Kewaunee, and Door Counties, identified fresh produce access as a concern.  Many food pantries lack fresh produce, stocking only canned fruits and vegetables.  FoodWIse coordinator Laura Apfelbeck worked with Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, securing grant funds to pilot a program aimed at collecting unsold apples from the Door County Peninsular Research Station in Sturgeon Bay and delivering them to food pantries in Door, Kewaunee, and Manitowoc Counties.  Continue reading here.

All 8 Door County Libraries recently became “Libraries with Heart” after receiving a Rural Health Grant from the American Heart Association (AHA). Forestville, Baileys Harbor, Egg Harbor, Ephraim, Sister Bay, Washington Island, Fish Creek, and Sturgeon Bay.

Sue Koeppe is a HeartCorps member with the American Heart Association, placed in Manitowoc, Door and Kewaunee with University of Wisconsin Division of Extension’s FoodWIse program. FoodWIse serves low-income, SNAP-eligible people, helping improve access to nutritious food and physical activity. So FoodWIse and HeartCorps are a natural fit. As part of her HeartCorps project, Sue received funding from AHA to purchase blood pressure monitors and other materials to create a Community Heart Hub blood pressure monitoring station within the library, as well as two check-out kits at Fish Creek and Sturgeon Bay, one kit at each of the other six libraries. Additionally, AHA provides training, technical assistance, and education materials to support the library’s efforts.  Read the complete article.... ❤️

Grassed waterways play a critical role on the landscape by stabilizing areas of concentrated water flow. If grassed waterways are installed properly and have an adequate grass cover, they can significantly reduce sediment and nutrient losses. The roots of the growing grass help to keep sediment and nutrients in place. The grassed waterway helps to catch soil particles carried in runoff as it concentrates and leaves the field.  Waterways also help to minimize the impact of large precipitation events by slowing down and infiltrating runoff. When soil remains in place, sediment and nutrients are not transported to nearby streams, rivers, and lakes. This helps to keep our water cleaner and aquatic ecosystems healthier.  Learn more in the full article.

If you have too high of phosphorus in your soil what other nutrients might be affected by that?

The Crop Nutrient Guide is an overview of essential plant nutrients and the ways they interact with one another. Farmers and agronomists can use this guide as a tool in conjunction with a good soil testing program to help diagnose agronomic problems and consider their nutrient management strategy. 

A lot of farmers & agronomists assume they’re doing fine because they don’t see visual nutrient deficiency symptoms in crops. But what if you are losing 5 to 10% yield and never know it? Crops and Soils Educator Chris Clark explains in a video two tools for in-season look at your crops. The pre-sidedress nitrate (PSNT) and plant tissue testing can help you capture a nutrient deficiency you don’t know about in your field this season. 

Flowers, grasses, and sedges are great additions to your gardens and home landscape to intercept and control dirty water, store and cycle carbon, promote healthy soil, shelter and feed wildlife, and provide pollinator support. Over time, we have learned that many plants introduced into our gardens can negatively impact native species by spreading into natural areas.  Full article

Tomatoes are among the most popular crops grown by Wisconsin gardeners. The flavor and nutritional benefits of homegrown tomatoes make them well worth the effort. Understanding a few basic characteristics of tomatoes can help increase success with your tomato crop this year.  Read more...

Bacterial canker is a common and sometimes lethal disease of trees in the genus Prunus including cherry, plum and peach.  Bacterial canker is sometimes also referred to as “gummosis”, “blossom blast”, “dieback”, “spur blight” and “twig blight”.  Learn more here!

A Gathering for Dads, Mentors & Male Role Models
Join us for a powerful, uplifting event where fathers, father figures, mentors, and male allies come together to celebrate, support, and strengthen their roles in family and community life.

Through open conversations, shared experiences, and community-building, Fathers In Focus will explore the challenges of modern fatherhood—and the victories that come with staying present and connected.

Learn more and how to register.

Date: Saturday, October 18, 2025
Location: Madison Area Technical College

July 17, 2025: Teens, Screens, and Social Media

Decrease stress around screens with your teen. Learn how to use your family values to set a media plan that works for you and your teen. Ideal for parents of 13 – 18-year-olds but all are welcome. Register for 1PM.

August 21, 2025: How to Talk to Kids About Tough Stuff

Discover effective strategies for discussing sensitive topics with children. You’ll learn how to create a safe environment and communicate with empathy to help children navigate difficult conversations. Register for 1PM.

The 2025 Door County Fair will be Wednesday, August 13th - Sunday, August 17th.  Premium books, schedules and more information is now available on the Door County Fair website.

The FairEntry program is now open!  Registration of Fair entries must be completed by July 21st. 

At the beginning of June, we welcomed Josie Kinnard to the Extension Door County Office!  Due to some issues with AmeriCorps funding, Josie was brought on as a Positive Youth Development Intern at the beginning of June.  Some changes have since happened at the State level and she will be moving into the AmeriCorps member position (what she was initially hired for) on June 15th.  We are excited to have Josie with us this summer and hope that many of you will get a chance to meet her at some point!  Her role is to help expand the capacity of our 4-H program and to help reach more youth.  She will be helping Candis with programming at the Boys & Girls Club, planning for future workshops and events, and helping during the Fair.  We look forward to this summer and appreciate the flexibility and dedication that Josie has shown already!   

Check out our website for the latest 4-H newsletter, events and opportunities.  

Badger Dairy Insight is a webinar series to provide the latest research-based dairy information to improve animal welfare, breeding and genetic selection, automation and modernization, and nutritional decisions for producers, dairy workers and managers, ag professionals, and educators. 

Join the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Dairy Program for the Badger Dairy Insight webinars! These happen on the third Tuesday of each month from 11am-12pm CST.

Our webinars happen every month. You’ll hear from local Dairy Program Educators and UW Specialists about the latest dairy topics. It’s a great chance to learn and ask questions.  Register Here!

Dairy cows are more sensitive to heat than many people realize. While humans may feel comfortable in temperatures ranging from 70ºF and beyond, dairy cows begin to experience heat stress at this point. This is because a cow’s thermal neutral zone—the temperature range in which they do not have to expend extra energy to stay warm or cool—is between 40ºF and 70ºF. A significant factor contributing to their sensitivity is the high metabolic heat they generate; a high-producing dairy cow can produce over 6,000 BTUs of heat per hour, making it challenging for them to stay cool as temperatures rise.  Continue reading...