Planning AHEAD is a 7-session course guiding participants through end-of-life planning including:  getting started, handling financial changes, advance medical and legal directives, estate planning, choices in end-of-life care, final wishes, and understanding grief.  Wednesday at 12:00 noon beginning July 15, 2026. Register

WeCOPE is a 7-week class that empowers adults with effective, evidence-based strategies to manage stress, build resilience, and enhance their overall well-being.  Mondays at 12:00 noon beginning July 13, 2026.  Register

Join us for Caregivers' Compass, a supportive series open to all participants interested in caring for others.  Join any session or attend them all.  Topics may include Self Advocacy, Joy, Transitions, Financial Mapping, and Compassion Resiliency.  Tuesdays starting at 1:00 pm at the Door County ADRC, July 14 - August 4.  Information and Registration

Virtual (Zoom) free webinar open to all.  You will learn planning for and meeting monthly expenses, tips for finding and maintaining affordable housing, how to complete an application and why landlords screen applicants, strategies for building positive relationships with landlords and neighbors, and responsibilities and rights of landlords and tenants.  Class schedule and registration.

New research from the School of Human Ecology underscores how early relationships shape lifelong outcomes. Drawing on decades of developmental, health and behavioral science, experts link caregiving in infancy and early childhood to brain development, stress regulation and long‑term physical and mental health.

Learn more...

Focus on Fathers is a free, online parenting series designed especially for dads and open to everyone. Join anytime! This monthly series offers something valuable for everyone. Registration

June 9th - Fathers Teach Perspective 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

June 19 at 6:00 pm:  Friday Night Under the Lights, John Miles County Park, Sturgeon Bay

June 26, 27, & 28:  State Hunt and Dressage Show, Sheboygan County Fairgrounds, Plymouth, WI

Local Calendar of Events

State Calendar of Events

The 2026 Door County Fair will be Wednesday, August 12th - Sunday, August 16th

Premium Books: The 2026 Door County Fair Premium Books are now available! Printed copies are also available at the Extension Door County Office.  Premium Books

Judging Schedule:  There were no major changes to the Judging Schedule for 2026, but some times may have changed.  Please check the Judging Schedule to plan accordingly.                                         

FairEntry:  All Door County Fair entries are done online using the FairEntry website. FairEntry is now open to begin entering your Fair projects.  Fair entries will be due July 16th. Please do not wait until the last minute to avoid any issues!  The link to the FairEntry website.

A step-by-step process for how to use the FairEntry website can be found in the Premium Book.           

FairEntry Help Sessions:  For assistance with entering projects in FairEntry, two Entry Assistance dates have been scheduled.  These will be held at the Secretary's Office on the Fairgrounds.  

Wednesday, May 13, 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.  and  Saturday, May 16, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Premise ID Registration and Renewal: If you are planning to exhibit animals at the Fair, be sure that you have a Premise ID. This is REQUIRED for all exhibitors of beef, dairy, sheep, swine, horse, poultry and goats.  Get your Premise ID.

Any questions, please reach out to Candis at candis.dart@wisc.edu or (920)746-2260.             

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

Proper refrigerator and freezer temperatures reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Use an appliance thermometer to confirm your fridge is at 40°F or below and your freezer is at 0°F. If your fridge or freezer stops working, AnswerLine can guide you on what
foods to keep or discard.  Get help at Wisconsin AnswerLine.

When your food is grown and sold in the same area, the money stays in the local economy.  Cornell Extension found that for every dollar you spend at a farm market can generate an additional $0.48 for area small businesses. Small farmers and businesses sell their products directly, and you get to enjoy fresh-picked fruits and vegetables. The food you purchase at the farm market has traveled straight from the farm to you, unlike supermarket foods that travel about 1500 miles before you buy them.  Reducing food shipping means using less fuel and less packaging waste, and the food is at its nutrient peak. 

The Sturgeon Bay Farmer’s Market is open May 31 through October 11 on Saturdays from 8 am to noon at 36 S 3rd Ave in Sturgeon Bay.  You’ll find seasonal produce in spring like asparagus, beets, herbs, lettuce, mushrooms, rhubarb, strawberries, and kohlrabi.  New produce available each season. You can also use your FoodShare/SNAP dollars at the farm market too. For more information call 920-743-6246 or vacation@SturgeonBay.net.

Feeding young kids can be tough – refusing to eat new foods and other picky eating habits are common at this age. Childhood is a critical period for developing eating behaviors and habits that last into adulthood. Early eating habits play a vital role in growth, development, overall health, and the prevention of obesity and other lifelong, diet-related chronic diseases. Learn more...

Lazy J Dairy – Brussels (807 Pit Court, Luxemburg, WI)

Sunday, July 5, 2026

6:00 am-11:30 am - Rain or Shine

Age 8 & up $12. Kids 7 & Under FREE.  More information.

Dairy cows do an incredible job of turning the nutrients they consume in their diets into the milk and dairy products we enjoy every day.  One of those nutrients, protein, is key to their diet. Protein has several important functions. It supports growth in young animals, builds muscle, is a component of DNA, and is necessary for milk production. Protein can also be one of the largest out-of-pocket feed expenses for dairy producers. Getting protein feeding right is critical to boost both animal productivity and farm profitability. In this article, we’ll explain what protein is, how it is measured, its different types, and common feed sources.  Article

Leonard Polzin, Dairy Markets and Policy Outreach Specialist with UW–Madison Division of Extension, will lead the session and discuss how DMC can be used as an effective risk management tool. His presentation will focus on the fundamentals of Dairy Margin Coverage, key risk considerations for dairy operations, and trends observed in previous years of program participation.  Video

Will Fulwider, Regional Crops Educator with UW-Madison Extension in Wisconsin, hosts Field Notes, where specialist guests, farmers, and industry reps collaborate with them to combine their skills, knowledge, and experience to help farmers and agronomists develop research-based solutions to issues facing agriculture in Wisconsin.  Find out more...

Production data was collected from 17 fields in 2025 with a total of 5,175 dry matter tons of forage harvested, weighed, and sampled across 1,054 acres. Over 19 years, data was collected from 144 fields with a total of 88,765 dry matter tons of forage harvested, weighed, and sampled from 8,824 acres.  Trends and Results...

Understanding Alfalfa Winterkill: What to watch for

How does alfalfa effectively prepare for winter, and when does injury occur? 

Key factors influencing winter injury outcomes

Winter injury occurred. Now what?

Determining the Value of Standing Alfalfa

Scissor Clip Results for Brown, Door, and Kewaunee Counties available here.

In this video, Dr. David Jaramillo, USDA-ARS Dairy Forage Research Center research animal scientist, shares results from a multi-year study comparing the economics and performance of dairy heifers raised on pasture versus in confinement. The research followed heifers from birth through their first lactation, measuring growth, feed costs, and later milk production.

Findings showed that while growth rates were similar between systems by calving, pasture‑raised heifers produced more milk during their first lactation—over 2,700 pounds more—and had higher dry matter intake.  Learn more...

The Wisconsin soil testing program and nutrient application guidelines were originally developed in the early 1960s to aid farmers when growing field, fruit and vegetable crops. The guidelines are continually revised to incorporate the latest research and recommendations to maximize yields.  Current Guidelines

As part of our mission to provide education and community outreach, our Master Gardeners volunteer on many projects, including youth gardens, growing and harvesting food, and maintaining educational display gardens.

Learn more...

"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow." Audrey Hepburn

Establishing a native plant community is as much an art as it is a science. It involves careful planning, planting, and managing the plot long term. Learn the history of prairies in North America and how to create your own prairie landscape. Plus, find helpful plant descriptions of popular forbs, shrubs, and grasses featured in this extensive publication.  Article

Discover how natural landscapes can be both beautiful and lower maintenance. This webinar compares conventional lawns with more natural plantings and shares practical ideas for creating attractive, neighbor-friendly yards that support pollinators, biodiversity, and healthier local environments.  Watch recorded video!

Learn which floral traits attract different pollinators and explore a long list of woody plant recommendations — including trees, shrubs, evergreens, and vines — that serve as critical pollen and nectar sources throughout the growing season.  Article

The death cap mushroom is not only spreading rapidly as an invasive fungal species in the United States, but the move across continents has changed the chemistry of the species.  The California Department of Public Health reported 39 related poisonings in three months leading to the death of four people, at least three liver transplants and many more people sick. The culprit? Full Story

The Wisconsin Clean Marina Program provides critical information and technical assistance to Wisconsin’s marine industry to promote clean and safe waterways. It is a statewide program for marinas that adopt best management practices to protect Wisconsin’s water resources.  Wisconsin currently has 26 certified clean marinas and 18 more pledged marinas.  Learn more...

CEA-RWC program is a joint effort between the UW-Madison Extension and WEDC Office of Rural Prosperity to bring a structured community economic development strategic planning program to rural Wisconsin communities. CEA-RWC program equips small communities with tools to plan for a prosperous future, focusing on strengthening local economic development efforts.  Learn more...

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation’s (WEDC’s) Small Business Development Grant (SBDG) Program encourages communities and economic development partners to invest in their small businesses. The program offers financial incentives for these communities and organizations to develop innovative programs that directly support small businesses and small business creation. The program’s goal is to support economic development programs that aim to broaden access to capital for small businesses in the state of Wisconsin.  Learn more...

WiBee (pronounced We-bee) is a new smartphone app developed by the Gratton Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. We invite growers and interested community members to use the app during the growing season to collect high quality data on wild bee abundance and diversity on Wisconsin’s fruit and vegetable farms, as well as non-crop habitats.

With your help, we can provide growers with better pollination management recommendations specific to individual farms and share more information about the diversity, abundance and value of Wisconsin’s wild bees.

Whether you are a gardener, grower, student, or just interested in bees, you can contribute to WiBee.

The University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming in compliance with state and federal law.