Curious minds never stop growing—discover something new today and check out this month's Extension in Action Newsletter!

Regional Dairy - Manuel Peña

Knowing how much feed you have on your farm at the end of the growing season is important to plan how much of each product you can feed and identify what additional feeds you may need to purchase. The UW-Madison Extension Dairy team created a spreadsheet calculator to help approximate harvested forage inventory and the forage needs for a dairy operation. The spreadsheet includes tabs for tracking feed inventory, determining feed inventory needs, and calculating estimated stored feed inventory based on storage structure (bag, bunker, pile, silo).

Positive Youth Development - Marie Witzel

As the largest youth development organization in the nation, we provide a place for all kids to reach their full potential. They’re able to see the world beyond themselves through hands-on, research-based experiences in every corner of Wisconsin.

4-H has something for everyone!

Most 4-H youth and the adults who care about them get their start with a 4-H club in their community. Based on their interests and guided by adult mentors, youth develop their own pathway.

In Wisconsin alone, there are more than 500 distinct project-based activities to spark lifelong learning, including:

October is National Co-operative Month. It is a great time to celebrate this alternative form of business organization. We are familiar with the terms “sole proprietorship,” “partnership,” or “corporation.”  Merriam-Webster defines a cooperative as “an enterprise or organization owned by and operated for the benefit of those using its services.” Their aim is not to make the most money. Their mission is to make sure that their members get the benefits from the organization. This might be reasonable health costs in a rural area; a place to sell their corn in the fall; access to electricity; or even access to high speed internet. It is also the most democratic form of business. The members (users of the cooperative) elect their board on a regular basis. It is these representatives who make the major policy decisions.

Cooperatives are big business. According to Deller, et al roughly 30,000 cooperatives operate throughout the U.S. They own more than 3 trillion in assets and generate over $500 billion in revenue. The study also notes that Americans hold 350 million memberships in cooperatives. Those are big numbers and illustrate why cooperatives are so important in our daily lives.

For more information on cooperatives, click the button below!

Regional Crops – Will Fulwider

The fungi that cause several corn ear rot diseases can produce mycotoxins, which are chemical substances that can be dangerous to humans and livestock. Corn affected by ear rots requires important management steps to limit yield losses and reduce mycotoxin concentrations.

Human Development & Relationships - Pattie Carroll

Early care and education lay the foundation for lifelong learning, health, and well-being. In Wisconsin, the professionals who nurture our youngest children are deeply committed, yet often under-recognized. Their voices matter — and this new report captures them. Drawing from focus groups with experienced providers across the state, Continuing Education for an Essential Workforce reveals what’s working, what’s missing, and what’s needed to support high-quality care through continuing education. If you care about children, families, or the future of Wisconsin’s workforce, this is must-read. 

Have Questions?

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UW Extension Office:
920-386-3790

Find these topics and more on our website: http://dodge.extension.wisc.edu