The purpose to which we commit... We teach, learn, lead and serve, connecting people with the University of Wisconsin, and engaging with them in transforming lives and communities.

February 2024

Club within a Club: LEGO club at Roberts Boys and Girls Club

Tracy Keifenheim, 4-H Educator, partnered with the Fond du Lac Boys and Girls Club Roberts location to start a 4-H club within the Boys and Girls Club. Keifenheim worked with Anna Koepsell, Roberts Extension Director, to build out the 6-week LEGO Club.

The importance of cow handling and a revolutionary way to practice

Handling cows is necessary to harvest milk and provide animal care, but these interactions also present a risk of injury to personnel. Inappropriate cow handling threatens animal welfare, milk production, and public trust in dairy farming. But how can the industry best teach these skills? Interactive learning experiences can help build confidence by allowing dairy workers to actively participate in their own training. Read more about innovative ways to train this real-world skill.

Can farmers do anything to prepare for extreme weather?

Most midwestern farms do not have a drought risk management plan. The topic of weather-resilient or extreme-weather crop production practices is in its infancy throughout the Midwest. Why? In Wisconsin, it rains weekly, if not more in the summer, with an average annual rainfall of 34”.

A flash drought occurred in 2023 as the result of hotter-than-normal temperatures and less-than-normal rainfall. By June and July, all 72 Wisconsin counties fell into a drought category and had drought impacts.

Community Health Assessments

Every three years the health department and community partners collaboratively engage to conduct a Community Health Assessment (CHA) in Fond du Lac County. The main purpose of a CHA is to complete a comprehensive collection and analysis of data to identify health issues of primary concern.

Fourth Annual Wisconsin Rural Economic Summit

Join us on Thursday, March 28th at 9 AM for the fourth annual Wisconsin Rural Economic Summit.

Using the latest research and data specific to Wisconsin’s rural communities and regions. The summit includes an overview of the latest economic and demographic trends across rural communities, an examination of entrepreneurship, and a discussion of what rural communities can do to foster economic growth and development.

How the Juntos program Empowers Latino 8th-12th Grade Students and Their Parents

Juntos means “Together” in Spanish. Juntos’ mission is to empower Latino 8th-12th grade students and their parents to gain knowledge, skills, and resources to promote high school graduation and make going to college possible.

Manage Grazing for Productivity, Resiliency

The summer of 2023 taught us numerous lessons as our wet spring turned to a droughty summer across Wisconsin. While well-timed rains boosted yields for row crops and alfalfa fields, the same can’t be said for many of the pastures across the state, especially those under continuously grazed management.

UPCOMING 2024 EVENTS

Spring 2024 Broadband Regional Workshop: Waterloo
March 22 I 8:30 AM-4:00 PM I REGISTER
This 4-session series will cover: what data you need for successful broadband planning; how to focus and prioritize your community engagement; tips, tools, and templates for community engagement.

Wisconsin Rural Economic Summit
March 28 I 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM I REGISTER
Using the latest research and data specific to Wisconsin’s rural communities and regions, we will focus on the Wisconsin rural economy. The summit includes an overview of the latest economic and demographic trends across rural communities, an examination of entrepreneurship, and a discussion of what rural communities can do to foster economic growth and development.

AGRICULTURE EVENTS

Focus on Forage Webinar - Annual Forages
March 6 I 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM I REGISTER
This session will identify annual forages that can fit into dairy forage rotations and cow diets. A look at ongoing work regarding the nitrogen needs of these forages as well as drought effects on nitrate levels in the soil will also be included.

WI Beef Cow-Calf School for Beginner
March 19, 21 and 26 I April 2 and 4 I 7:00 PM -8:30 PM I REGISTER (Registration closed.) An online program geared towards newer producers (< 5 years of experience) and those do not own beef yet but are considering it.

Badger Dairy Insight- Strategies for improving reproduction in dairy herd
March 19 I 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM I REGISTER
Drs. Fricke and Martins will discuss latest research on optimizing use of sexed and beef semen in dairy herds, managing heifer growth and reproduction, and optimizing re-synchronization programs in lactating dairy cows.

Focus on Forage Webinar - Pastures
March 20 I 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM I REGISTER
This session will identify the impact that grazing management has on production potential of pastures, improving summer pasture performance, identify species that will improve climate resilience and introduce the use of silvopasture to improve woodlands and increase profitability.

Private Pesticide Applicator ZOOM Training & Test - Fond du Lac Co.
March 28 I 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM I REGISTER
Private applicators can become recertified via this training & test. All manuals & training must be purchased from the PAT Store

An EEO/AA employer, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requirements.

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