October 2009

September 2009

• How do you save money bartering, buying car insurance or doing your laundry? Extension can help you with information posted on its new Family Economics web page. The site includes news columns written by Alaska agents on money management, energy and conservation, home and family issues and holiday tips.
• Extension Agents Darren Snyder and Peter Stortz led the first 4-H Sustainable Harvest Camp Aug. 19-21 in Juneau, which focused on harvest (cultivated and wild), community building and sustainability activities, outdoor skills building and food processing.  Ninteen youth,   ages 7 to 17, were supported by a team of Alaska Department of Fish and Game specialists, 4-H volunteer leaders, youth leaders, parents and local business people. This slide show by the Juneau Empire is from Juneau's arboretum, where the youth harvested and ate the historical “Maria's” Potato in our harvest feast celebration!

August 2009

• Got fish? Extension’s Preserving Alaska’s Bounty series includes detailed online lessons as well as DVDs on canning fish in cans and jars. The DVDs may be ordered from our DVD and video catalog or are available from district offices.
• Flying rocks from gravel airstrips often dent propellers and cause other damage to small planes. With a goal of improving aviation safety, Extension will offer its first workshop on establishing and maintaining grass airstrips in Alaska. Stephen Brown, an agriculture and horticulture agent from Palmer, will lead the free workshop from 2-4 p.m. Aug. 18 at the Mat-Su/Copper River District office. His recommendations are based on aviation turf research from the Matanuska Experiment Farm and a demonstration runway developed in Talkeetna. For more information, call Brown at 745-3639 or e-mail ffscb2@uaf.edu.
• For the first time, 4-H’ers from Tanana District will show and sell reindeer at the Tanana Valley State Fair livestock auction. 4-H’ers raised the reindeer with the guidance of Reindeer Research Program research coordinator George Aguiar at UAF. Plans are already under way to distribute four reindeer to 4-H’ers for next year’s fair.
• Blueberries abound in many areas of the state this year. For tips on how to clean and freeze berries as well as a varieties of recipes for jams, muffins, coffee cakes and desserts, get a copy of Extension’sCollecting and Using Alaska’s Wild Berries and Other Wild Products, which is available for $10 from district offices, or may be ordered online or using our toll-free number, 877-520-5211. The cookbook also contains information and recipes on chokecherries, crowberries, currants, fireweed, highbush and lowbush cranberries, raspberries and salmonberries.

July 2009

• Extension regrets to announce the passing of Dr. Robert "Bob" Wheeler, our forestry specialist since 1997. Wheeler, 57, died June 29 in Fairbanks, following a short battle with cancer. He taught at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and advised landowners, businesses, and a variety of agencies on forestry issues. He provided assistance to Extension agents statewide and worked with school forest education programs, including a birch syrup program at a Fairbanks elementary school. Donations are being accepted at the Georgeson Botanical Garden for a memorial apple tree to be planted in Wheeler's name. Send donations to Georgeson Botanical Garden, P.O. Box 757200, Fairbanks, AK 99775-700. 
• Just in time for berry season, Extension offers Making Jams and Jellies, an online resource that combines written and video instructions. The new Flash module will lead you through the process, from choosing fruit to canning and storing the final product. Others modules in the Preserving Alaska’s Bountyseries cover canning basics and canning fish and game meat in cans and jars. The modules require Adobe Flash Player, which may be downloaded from the site.
• Drying Foods is the latest food preservation DVD in the Preserving Alaska’s Bounty series. The DVD provides an overview and information on drying fruits, vegetables and herbs and making fruit leather. Get a copy from your local Extension office or order one online by clicking here. Copies cost $5. 

June 2009

May 2009

• As spring floodwaters subside in some Alaska communities and others prepare for potential flooding, many residents have questions. Check out our flood recovery website, which offers information from a variety of agencies and links to free and inexpensive Extension publications designed to help you prepare for and recover from flooding — everything from an emergency supply checklist to instructions on disinfecting your well and replacing valuable papers.
• Volcano watchers can check out the latest Redoubt monitoring information and emergency preparedness information on the Alaska Volcano Observatory website.
• Find answers to your questions about swine flu on our Extension Disaster Education Network site or on the state of Alaska’s pandemic flu site. Learn about how swine flu is transmitted, symptoms and how to best protect you and your family. For general information, contact your local public health center. Follow these recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
  
  •  Avoid close contact with people who are sick. 
 
  •  Stay home when you are sick.
 
  •  Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough.
 
  •  Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
  
  •  Wash your hands often with soap and water.
• Rich Seifert, who has served as Extension’s “energy guy” for 27 years, was honored this month as one of three recipients of the 2009 Usibelli Distinguished Teaching, Research and Public Service awards. Seifert received the service award. A UAF news release notes that Seifert’s work “touched thousands of people throughout the state via workshops and instructional publications.” Seifert has tirelessly promoted energy conservation and savings with numerous homebuilding techniques, retrofit and solar workshops.
• Now is a good time to plan for the garden season. Think about what you want to grow this year and be sure to check out Extension’s Recommended Variety List for Southcentral Alaska or Vegetable and Fruit Varieties for Interior Alaska. Our popular guide, 16 Easy Steps to Gardening in Alaska, is available at local Extension offices or may be ordered from our publications catalog. And if you have wet, cold or poorly drained soil, raised bed gardening may be the way to go.

March 2009

• Alaskans active in the specialty food business and currently producing a product are invited to Extension's Specialty and Gourmet Food Conference: Packaging Your Product, the Next Level. The conference will meet in Anchorage, March 20 - 21. Two guest speakers will address participants. Melody Stiller-Hamilton is a Pacific Northwest-based designer who specializes in developing packaging solutions and Nate Root is responsible for Alaska sales marketing and advertising for Raven's Brew Coffee of Ketchikan and Anchorage. For more information and a registration form, email conference organizer Coral Howe at coral.howe@uaf.edu .
• Extension will host the fifth annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference and Organic Growers School March 17 - 18 at the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge. Presenters from around Alaska will share information on topics such as university research on fruit and berry production and fish waste, composting; soil fertility; weed suppression; year-round Alaska CSAs; and egg and poultry production for local market. Panels will discuss composting and value-added agricultural products. Keynote speaker and Pennsylvania organic farmer George DeVault will talk about season extension, mainly through the use of high tunnels, floating row covers and crop rotation. He also will address the importance of saving seeds and how to go about it. Check here for a conference schedule and registration form.

February 2009

• Finding the right Extension publication and answers to Alaskans’ questions just got easier with the launch of the our new online publications database. The database is searchable by key word, subject area and author. Publications may also be located by program area.
• Come listen to the latest in agricultural developments at the 2009 Delta Farm Forum on Feb. 28. Representatives from Extension and a variety of state and federal agencies will provide information about the 2008 farm bill and loan program opportunities, berm row removal, Alaska Division of Agriculture grants and activities, and an update on fertilizer availability and price. Franci Havemeister, director of the Division of Agriculture, will talk about building a sustainable agriculture industry in the state.

Extension and the Salcha-Delta Soil and Water Conservation District are co-sponsoring the forum, which will run from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Delta High School small gym and will include a lunchtime potluck. Check here for a link to the full schedule.

• Read about what Extension is doing — from Chicken University to home energy advice. The 2008 Program Highlights is available now with news about Extension’s work with food preservation and families, agriculture and horticulture, natural resources, community development and youth.
• Farmers are invited to Palmer Feb. 10-11 for the annual Alaska Potato, Vegetable and Fruit Growers Conference hosted by Extension. Speakers on Feb. 10 will highlight the latest potato research, fertilizer recommendations and pest management. Vegetable and fruit topics will be covered the following day, including small fruit breeding and production, agricultural inspection programs and marketing. The featured speakers are Sujaya Rao, an associate professor of entomology from Oregon State University, and Chaim Kempler, a research leader from the Pacific Agri-Food Research Center in Agassiz, B.C. The conference will be hosted at the Palmer Community Center (depot) at 610 S. Valley Way in downtown Palmer. Download the schedule and registration form here.  For more information, call Palmer Extension at 745-3360. Registration forms may be faxed to 907-745-5479.

January 2009

• Look to the 28^th annual Alaska Greenhouse and Nursery Conference for tips on growing turf, designing gardens or doing business with rural Alaska. Sponsored by Extension, the Jan. 27-28 conference at the Anchorage Marriott Downtown Hotel will focus on landscaping, but will provide information on a variety of horticultural topics, including trees and shrubs, pests, invasive plants, parks and marketing opportunities. The featured speaker, John Peter Thompson, is the vice chair of the National Invasive Species Council, a sustainable agriculture advocate and an environmental issues consultant.
• The conference will be directly preceded by the Alaska Peony Growers Conference, Jan. 26-27, also at the Marriott. The Alaska Division of Agriculture is sponsoring the peony conference. Check here for a complete schedule to both conferences and a link to the combined registration form. Registration is requested by Friday, Jan. 23.
• Alaska 4-H is proud to announce the Alaska Youth in Government Conference March 15-19. Twenty teens from around the state will be chosen to attend the conference in Juneau, with all costs covered during the program. For more information and to find out how to apply, go to the Alaska 4-H home page.
• America's financial crisis continues to be on the minds of people everywhere. Cooperative Extension, as always, is ready to help. Our searchable online site, www.eXtension.org, provides a variety of financial resources that Cooperative Extension clients across the country will find helpful during these troubled times. The information is organized into five categories: business, families, farms and ranches, individuals and youth. eXtension, coupled with publications from the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, provide information consumers want and need to help them understand what they can do to weather this crisis.

December 2008

• The Cooperative Extension Service will be closed from noon on Christmas Eve through Jan. 2 for the holidays. Offices will reopen on Jan. 5. Happy holidays!
• Extension announces two new publications — Worms in a Tote, a low-budget approach to worm composting in a tote, and Sauerkraut, a guide to making the naturally fermented cabbage and serving it in recipes.
• As the holiday gift-giving season rolls around, think about useful presents from Extension. Collecting and Using Alaska Wild Berries and Other Wild Products is on sale for $7. The cookbook features recipes for cooking with everything from blueberries, raspberries and lowbush cranberries to chokecherries, fireweed and more. Details about fruit leathers and jams and jellies are included. Consider How to Make a Trapper Cap or Alaska Mittens patterns or the colorful guide, Wild, Edible and Poisonous Plants of Alaska . These are available at your local district office or may be ordered online. Also available are new food preservation DVDs on canning and pickling.
• Speaking of holidays, directions for cooking turkeys, Serving Turkey Safely, may be downloaded free from Extension’s publications catalog. Another useful publication, Selecting and Caring for a Christmas Tree, provides advice on how to choose a tree and which varieties retain their needles the longest. The publication also has information about how to make trees stay fresher longer and about tree safety.

October 2008
 

• Proper care for a septic system can add years to its life. Extension's water quality expert has developed written and video information to help homeowners care for and maintain their septic tank and drainfield. The new education program is supported by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.
• Concerns about plant and animal invaders will bring scientists, experts and citizens' groups together in Anchorage for back-to-back invasive species conferences. Prevention efforts and research will be discussed at the ninth-annual Alaska Noxious and Invasive Plants Management Workshop Oct. 21-22, followed by the third-annual Alaska Invasive Species Conference Oct. 23. This year's special guest is Lewis Ziska, a plant physiologist who is a specialist on the impact of rising carbon dioxide and global climate change on weed biology. Register for the conference online and see an agenda at www.regonline.com/CNIPM2008.
  
• Come join us for salmon and crackers Oct. 13-17 at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Wood Center. About 240 participants are needed for canned salmon taste tests conducted by the Fishery Industrial Technology Center in Kodiak with the assistance of Extension’s Food Product Development Program. Sampling will run from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. each day in the Wood Center Conference Rooms C & D.

September 2008
 

• It's been a rough summer for Alaska growers and producers. The Alaska Division of Agriculture is sponsoring a Alaskan Grown "Eat Local Challenge" to promote purchases of Alaskan Grown products - and to support local farmers. Try to eat at least one home-cooked meal this week using mainly local ingredients. Find out more about the challenge here.
• Extension now has another way of helping Alaskans can and preserve foods. Seven instructional Flash modules may be viewed on the web. The interactive modules combine written, audio and video instructions on canning basics and canning fish and game in jars and cans. The presentation allows viewers to read directions, listen to select audio clips about canning or watch a district agent show how to check the seals on canning jars, for instance. The series, developed by the Cooperative Extension district agents and staff, was designed by the UAF Center for Distance Education - and complements Extension's Preserving Alaska's Bounty series of food preservation DVDs. The newest DVD, which has just been released, is "Pickling." The DVD includes instruction on making sauerkraut, pickling vegetables and infusing vinegars. "Pickling" may be ordered online or through local Extension offices.

August 2008

• A number or Interior residents have been affected by August's rising floodwaters. As the water subsides, many residents have concerns about safety and health, septic system usage, cleanup and other recovery questions. Check out our flood recovery website, which offers information from a variety of agencies and links to free and inexpensive Extension publications designed to help you prepare for and recover from flooding — everything from an emergency supply checklist to instructions on disinfecting your well and replacing valuable papers.
• Fair season is approaching and the forecast calls for giant cabbages, livestock and plenty of good food and fun. Visit with Extension at the following fairs:
  • Southeast Alaska State Fair in Haines, July 24-27
  • Deltana Fair, July 25-27
  • Tanana Valley State Fair, August 1-9
  • Kenny Lake Fair, August 15-16
  • Kenai Peninsula State Fair, August 15-17
  • Alaska State Fair in Palmer, August 21 - September 1 (exhibitor's guide)
  • Galena Fair, August 23

• Rising energy costs affects everything from home heating oil and and gas pump prices to grocery bills. How do you pay for it all? Tanana District Extension Faculty Roxie Rodgers Dinstel shares tips for living cheaply in a weekly column published in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Read her ideas for plugging spending leaks, cutting costs and changing your spending habits. A new website created by the News-Miner also features other Extension columnists.
• Have you ever wanted to cook a muffin in an orange peel? More than 50 kids did recently as part of outdoor cookery and survival classes offered at the Georgeson Botanical Garden in Fairbanks. Cooperative Extension and the Alaska Sea Grant College Program hosted the event, which was part of Second Annual Alaska Book Festival. Extension Nutrition Educator Marsha Munsell guided two groups of kids through the finer point of outdoor cookery, including "muffins a la orange" and biscuits on a stick, cooked over charcoal. Kathy Kurtenbach of Sea Grant helped participants assemble survival kits that included a whistle, survival booklet, hard candy and a plastic garbage bag.

• Need some relief from rising energy costs? Check out the details of Alaska Housing Finance Corp.'s home weatherization and energy rebate program. Several downloadable Extension publications also can help save you money on fuel bills. Tips on Insulating an Existing Home provides a number of energy-saving ideas and suggestions on how to evaluate which housing items are most worthy of energy-efficient retrofits. Is heating with wood right for you? Check out the resources on Extension's Wood Energy website. Also, read about how your home can benefit from Passive Solar Heating or the basics of Active Solar Heating.
• Consider stretching the food budget by raising vegetables this summer. Don't have a garden spot? Vegetables can also be grown on a sunny deck, windowsill or balcony. All you'll need are some containers, a soil mixture and seeds. Check out details in Raising Vegetables in Mini Gardens. If you're still putting a garden in, consider warming soil temperatures through Raised Bed Gardening and suggestions from the popular guide, 16 Easy Steps to Gardening in Alaska.

May 2008

• Higher grocery prices are putting the pinch on consumers. Cooperative Extension Service Home Economist Leslie Shallcross offers ideas on stretching the food budget in a news story produced by KTUU-TV. Stay tuned for more money-saving ideas in the weekly series that will air on Wednesdays. Extension publications also will help trim grocery bills. FNH-00060 Make Your Own Mix provides a variety of recipes that use a homemade mix as a basis for a variety of cakes, cookies and breads. And if you're cleaning out your freezer for this year's catch, consider using two recent DVDs, FNH-1281 Canning Meat in Cans and FNH-1282 Canning Meat and Fish in Cans, which also can be ordered online or from the Extension office in your area.
• Home owners challenged by rising energy bills can get help from Extension. The newly revised Tips on Insulating an Existing Home provides a checklist of energy-saving recommendations on insulation, home mechanical systems, lighting and electrical. The checklist ranges from low-cost strategies to more expensive measures. The Insulation Factsheet compares the thermal properties and qualities of different types of insulation and Comparative Unit Fuel Costs for Equivalent Dollar Net Heat Output analyzes costs between different heating sources, such as natural gas, fuel oil, electricity, propane and wood. Each fuel cost is indexed to the cost of fuel oil.
• It's almost gardening season. Downloadable Extension publications include Raised Bed Gardening in Alaska, the popular 16 Easy Steps to Gardening in Alaska, Seed Starting or Transplanting, as well as a list of recommended vegetable and fruit varieties for Southcentral and the Interior. Happy gardening.

April 2008

• Extension's housing and energy specialist teaches workshops on cold and marine climate homebuilding and solar design around the state. His next solar workshop will run from 5:30-9:30 p.m. April 30 in the Anchorage Extension office. Check his website for the latest workshops.

March 2008

• Getting answers to life's questions just got a lot easier with the launch of Cooperative Extension Service's valuable new online resource: www.eXtension.org. Consumers may use the searchable site to get research-based answers from experts at land-grant universities across America who study subjects relevant to everyday life. Curious minds can find a range of information including tips on how to calculate their retirement readiness score, ease credit card debt or grow the best tomatoes on the block. Use the eXtension site to "Ask the Experts" or to contact more than 3,000 local Cooperative Extension offices with professionals who can help you locally. You’ll get customized answers to your specific needs and more than 36,000 answers to frequently answered questions.
• What is 4-H camp like in Bethel? Read about the camp for children of deployed rural Alaska National Guard and about Extension's many other activities in the 2007 Cooperative Extension Service Program Highlights. Find out about some of the programs that provide research-based, practical education to Alaskans—whether they're new Alaskans from Southeast Asia and learning how to garden here or longtime residents trying to cut their heating costs. As Fairbanks Agent Roxie Dinstel says, "People rely on us."
• Home gardeners and commercial growers will benefit from the Fourth Annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference and Organic Growers School, which will meet March 21-22 at the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge. Participants will hear the latest in marketing and horticultural research, cut flower production, weed control, small farms economies and renewable energy options. The husband-and-wife team of Lynn Byczynski and Dan Nagengast are guest speakers. Byczynski is the editor of Growing for Market, a respected publication on growing and direct marketing of vegetables, fruits, herbs, cut flowers and plants. Nagengast specializes in rural development and sustainable agriculture. The conference agenda and registration form are available here. Register by the March 14 deadline and pay $30 for one day or $50 for both.

Febuary 2008

• As tax documents start arriving in the mail, it’s time to think about home paperwork. How do you set up a permanent home filing system and how long should you keep records and what should you discard? Help is available through the Extension.
• Extension's Rural Development Project develops and disseminates relevant and easily understood research and technology to rural Alaskans, primarily in the lower Yukon-Kuskokwim rivers, the Copper River Valley and Southeast Alaska, to improve their quality of life. Read about its latest programs in the new Rural Development Project's annual report. The publication features stories about Kalskag's recycling concerns, Craig's innovative solution to high heating costs, the new Youth First Responders program on Prince of Wales Island, educational and subsistence workshops in the Copper River Valley and economic development in the Bethel area.

January 2008

• Many people prefer to can game meat and fish in cans because they are lightweight and durable. Cooperative Extension Service Home Economists Roxie Dinstel and Julie Cascio offer step-by-step lessons on canning with cans in Extension’s new DVD: FNH-1282 Canning Meat and Fish In Cans. Produced by Extension Communications, the DVD also offers visual instructions on assembling a can sealer. Order a copy online for $5 or contact an Extension office in your area.
  The DVD is the third in Extension’s Preserving Alaska Bounty series. DVDs released last summer include FNH-1280 Canning Basics and FNH-1281 Canning Meat and Fish in Jars. Upcoming topics will include drying foods, pickling and processing game meat.
• The 27th annual Alaska Greenhouse and Nursery Conference will be held Jan. 30-31 at the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge. Hosted by Extension's Tanana District, the conference will offer two days of information on all aspects of the nursery and greenhouse business—including irrigation, Alaska soil mixes, current landscape plants, beneficial insects, disease and commercial herb production. The featured speaker, Chris Beytes, editor of GrowerTalks magazine, travels the world reporting on the latest growing and retail trends. The conference agenda and registration form are available here. Register by the Jan. 18 deadline and pay $60 for one day or $100 for both.

December 2007

• Artificial trees may be easier to tend, but nothing compares to the look, feel and smell of a real Christmas tree. As the holidays approach, consider Selecting and Caring for a Christmas Tree, an Extension publication that provides advice on how to choose a tree and which varieties retain their needles the longest. The publication also has information about how to make cut trees fresher longer and on tree safety.
• Fairbanks Extension hosted November's Alaska Invasive Species Conference, which drew 60 attendees from Alaska, Yukon Territory and out of state. Four national speakers added perspective on invasive species issues. Greg Ruiz, from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, was impressed with the discussions and efforts under way in Alaska. He stressed the importance of analyzing potential entry points for invasive species and early detection. Goals for 2008 include focusing on citizen networks, early detection/eradication, monthly teleconferences, creating a "one-stop shopping" location online for invasive species information, and seeking support and participation from the state to continue the working group. For additional information, contact Extension Land Resources Agent Michele Hebert.
• Two Extension Web sites have been substantially revised. The Integrated Pest Management site now also includes information on invasive plants, control options and resources. A color gallery of invasive plants profiles species of concern. The Rural Development site updates new staff and projects, including the ATV village transportation economic analysis and the 4-H projects. The site also offers online access to native plant fact sheets and other new publications. Check out the wood energy link and cost calculator.
• The USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service team has completed their visit and review of the UAF Cooperative Extension Service, Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and UAF's pursuit of the land grant mission. The team's preliminary observations and recommendations are provided for your review and comment. UAF is reviewing the report and investigating the options for implementing the proposed recommendations. Your thoughts will be an important part of the process. Please send your ideas and comments to fnjcp@uaf.edu. Thank you for your support and input.

November 2007

• The conference will be followed Nov. 14-15 by the Eighth-Annual Noxious and Invasive Plants Management Workshop, also at the Princess. Presenters from across the state and five national speakers will talk about invasive plants prevention and management and what these invaders mean for Alaska. Two conference speakers, Michael Lusk of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and John Randall of The Nature Conservancy, also will present a public lecture from 6:30-8 p.m. Nov. 13 in the Noel Wien Library auditorium. Their talks are titled, "Weeds Invading Alaska: Why You Don't Want Other States' Problems" and "The Nature Conservancy's Global Invasive Species Approach."
• Everything from invasive plants to fish and mammal intruders will be discussed at the 2007 Alaska Invasive Species Conference Nov. 13 at the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge. A highlight will be Gregory Ruiz, a senior scientist with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, who will talk about "Coastal Marine Invasions in Alaska: Patterns, Processes and Predictions."
• Check out the latest issue of Under the Canopy, the forestry and forest products newsletter of Extension, which has been posted on our site. The issue highlights changes associated with climate change, a circumpolar boreal forest arboretum planned for UAF West Ridge and a closer partnership between the U.S. Forest Service and the forestry extension service of western states.

October 2007

• UAF Cooperative Extension Service, School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Forest Experimental Station, and other land-grant operations statewide will meet with the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) external review team the week of October 22 26. The five-member review team will conduct interviews in Anchorage, Palmer, Bethel, Fairbanks and Delta between Monday, Oct 22 and Thursday, Oct 25. Members expect to have a preliminary report on Friday, Oct 26, primarily focused on recommendations regarding the university's land-grant mission, resources necessary for Extension to meet that mission, and the organizational relationship that would enhance those capabilities. The team has requested a number of documents, including organization charts, unit strategic plans, UAF planning documents, advisory council information and instructional programs. You can find this information at www.uaf.edu/ces/csrees. The report also will be presented to the UA Board of Regents for consideration of recommendations during its December meeting.
• With winter approaching, its a good time to think about preparing your house for the cold weather. This may mean sealing cracks that may have appeared around windows and doors. Make sure your wood stove or oil furnace is in good working order. You may want to perform annual maintenance on your water softener. Fall is also a good indicator that its time to winterize your car or camper. There are also some things you can do in the yard to prepare for next spring. Throughout the winter, refer back to Extension for tips on keeping your house operating during the cold winter.
• Are you someone who takes pride in a pantry full of canned fish? Extension's first DVDs FNH-1280 Canning Basics and FNH-1281 Canning Meat and Fish in Jars bring Home Economists right to your kitchen to provide step-by-step instructions in home canning. Available for $5 each, DVDs are available by ordering online or contacting an Extension office in your area.

September 2007

• Berries are ripening around the state and Extension research has shown many to have high levels of antioxidants--an important biochemical in the human diet. Equip yourself with information on cleaning, storing an preserving berries to get the highest nutritional value possible. Extension publications FNH-00110 Lingonberries and FNH-00111 Alaska Blueberries provide detailed nutrition, storage and recipe information. Order your free copies online or by contacting an Extension office near you.

August 2007

• Fair enthusiasts, the wait is almost over! Visit Extension at fairs around the state.
  • Southeast State Fair
  • Kenny Lake Fair
  • Delta Fair
  • Tanana Valley State Fair 
  • Kenai Peninsula State Fair - Aug 17-19
  • Galena Fair - Aug 24-25
  • Palmer - August 23-Sept. 3
• The 2007 Communicator Award for National Association of Extension 4-H Agents (NEA4-HA) went to the Anchorage district Extension team. Their original 4-H promotional package included a Flash module, brochure, poster, CD, and web address cards. 4-H and Youth Development Agent Marianne Kerr and Administrative Assistant Susan Bybee will accept the award on Oct. 21 in Atlanta, GA at the national NEA4-HA meeting. Eielson AFB Extension 4-H Agent, Candi Dierenfield will also be accepting national recognition with her NEA4-HA "Aim High" Award at this meeting.
• You may think twice about squashing that funny-looking bug after reading Extension's newest free publication, PMC-10075 Beneficial Insects and Spiders of Alaska. This spiral-bound pocket guide includes color photos and information on identification of spiders and insects and details their helpful attributes. Order your copy online or by contacting your local Extension office.

July 2007

• A strange phenomena has been been reported sporadically around the Fairbanks area--a mass of larvae traveling in a procession. Extension IPM Technician, Diane Claassen, along with other entomologists from Alaska and the rest of the country, identified them as fungus gnat larvae. Although this behavior is not unheard of, it is uncommon in Fairbanks. Currently the larvae have shown up in isolated areas and do not pose any threat. For more information, or to report an occurrence, please contact IPM Technician Diane Claassen at fndmc2@uaf.edu or 474-2428.

June 2007

• Welcome to Extension's redesigned website. Over the next couple of months we will be updating and adding more content as well as building databases for various portions of the website. Please visit here often and let us know what you think.
• Interior Alaska has been alive with the hum of yellow jackets and hornets. Residents wanting to take a proactive role in the extermination of these pests can visit www.pestcontrolcanada.com/INSECTS/wasp_traps.htm for detailed instructions on building your own trap. For additional information contact an IPM agent in your area.
• As the spring puddles dry up, many begin to think about about landscaping. Keep your trees healthy this year with some help from Extension publication FWM-00119 "Tree Health and Fertilization." Learn to recognize unhealthy trees and steps that can be taken to promote tree health. Order this publication online or call Extension Communications at 877-520-5211 to reserve your copy.

May 2007

• Extension Housing and Energy Specialist Richard Seifert will be offering the workshop "Integrating Solar Features Into Your Alaska Home" May 16-17 in room 201A-B in the Natural Sciences Building on the UAF campus in Fairbanks. The class will feature Alaska-specific solar information, including passive solar use and active solar systems and will feature the text EEM-01255 "A Solar Design Manual For Alaska," which can be purchased at the workshop or online for $10. Call 474-7201 to pre-register or for more information.
• Extension's Food Product Development Program will be having its First Annual, Alaska Specialty & Gourmet Foods Conference on May 4 from 5-8 pm and May 5 from 8:30 am to 6 pm at the UAF/TVC Culinary Arts Facility in Fairbanks. Keynote speaker, Stephen Hall, is the author of the book "From Kitchen to Market," and a nationally recognized speaker on specialty and gourmet food marketing. Conference participants will have the opportunity to: learn from industry professionals, business experts and Alaska's own successful specialty food entrepreneurs; learn the "how-tos" of getting a product from kitchen to market; network with others; and share products and ideas. Register online or download a registration form. For more information contact Coral Howe at 474-1512 or coral.howe@uaf.edu.

April 2007

• Andy Anger, a faculty member in the Applied Business and Applied Accounting programs at UAF's Tanana Valley Campus, will conduct a free marketing workshop cosponsored by UAF Cooperative Extension Service and the University of Alaska Southeast, on Saturday, April 14, in Thorne Bay. Participants will explore the challenges to identify specific forest-product markets, to determine customer desires and then to effectively communicate that knowledge. For more information, or to sign up for the workshop, please call Karen Petersen in Extension's Thorne Bay office at 907-828-3207.
• Growers and naturalists in southern Alaska have a new resource for producing and cultivating plants. Extension's HGA-00232 "Native Plants of Alaska" series is comprised of 10 factsheets, each highlighting a different plant. View the complete series online or order any of the factsheets by contacting Extension Communications at 877-520-5211 or fycit@uaf.edu.

March 2007

• Most Extension offices around the state will be closed Friday, March 16, with the exception of the Anchorage office, due to University holiday. Offices will reopen the following Monday, March 19. The Anchorage Extension office will be closed instead on Friday, March 23 to coincide with area schools' spring breaks and will reopen Monday, March 26.
• Register now for the State Master Gardener Conference. Gardeners in Alaska will be gathering in Fairbanks March 16-17, 2007 for the annual conference, which will feature nine speakers on a variety of gardening topics. For more information email vld@acsalaska.net or call Virginia at (907) 451-8478.

February 2007

• Agriculture producers, supporters and enthusiasts: mark your calendar for Mar. 3, the annual Delta Farm Forum. Participants will be treated to presentations by representatives from the US Forest Service, Extension, USDA, UAF School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences and more. Held in the Delta High School small gymnasium from 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., the forum includes a potluck lunch. An informational flyer is available online at http://www.uaf.edu/ces/pdfs/2007FFflyer2.pdf. For more information, contact the Delta Junction Extension District Office at 895-4215.
• Ordering your favorite Extension publications just got easier! Extension is pleased to announce a secure online ordering feature now available on its website for paid publications. Customers ordering online with the new form receive 10% off their order through Friday, March 2, 2007.
• Register by Feb. 28 for the third annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference and Organic Growers School. The workshop, taking place March 30-31 at the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge, is for home gardeners and commercial growers alike and will feature grower presentations, panelists and exhibitors. For more information contact Extension agent Michele Hébert at 474-2423 or ffmah@uaf.edu.
• Do you think you make the best blueberry jam from your grandmother's secret recipe? Or maybe you have created a salmon dip mix that all your friends tell you should sell? If you are considering taking them to the public market, come learn more about the process. Coral Howe, Small Business Development Specialist for Extension's Tanana District will facilitate a casual information session for those interested in small business start-up ideas for food-related products. The gathering will held at the Fairbanks Barnes and Noble Bookstore, Feb. 24 from 10 am-noon and is free to the public. Individuals from Alaska DEC Environmental Health, Small Business Development Center and local marketing and food entrepreneurs are expected to attend to answer questions and discuss business opportunities in Alaska. For more information contact Coral at 474-1512 or coral.howe@uaf.edu.
• The latest installments in the Vegetable Factsheet series, FNH-00561M "Chard" and FNH-000561N "Pumpkin Seeds" are now available. Both offer nutrition and health information and tips on selection, storage, preparation and cooking methods. To order, fill out our online order form or contact Extension Communications at 877-520-5211 or fycit@uaf.edu.
• Teens from Ben Eielson Sr. High and the Eielson Youth Center, in collaboration with Extension Media Technician Jeff Fay, Extension/Alaska TRACKS 4-H program and Eielson Family Advocacy program produced four commercials about dating violence awareness. DVDs created and edited by teens will be distributed to high schools and community agencies throughout the state for Teen Dating Violence Awareness week, Feb. 5-9, 2007. For more information contact Extension 4-H and Youth Development Agent Candi Dierenfield at 377-4130.

January 2007

• Extension is pleased to announce the availability of its 2006 Program Highlights. Read about Extension outreach and public service activities over the past year. Hard copies may be requested by calling Extension Communications toll-free at 877-520-5211 or emailing fycit@uaf.edu.
• The latest installment in the Alaska Livestock Series, LPM-00747 "Goats in Alaska", is now available. A handy reference, this publication provides an overview of goat husbandry and general information on successful management of goats in Alaska. Publications may be ordered online, by emailing fycit@uaf.edu or calling Extension toll-free at 877-520-5211.
• Support 4-H in Alaska! - For every ticket purchased for Paramount Pictures and Walden Media's production of Charlotte's Web beginning Dec. 8, Hollywood Movie Money will make a $1 donation to 4-H to help support your state's 4-H program. To purchase tickets visit https://www.activaterewards.com/four_h/. This promotion runs through Jan. 31, 2007. For more information visit http://www.4-hbrandnetwork.org/CharlottesWeb/.
• The 26th annual statewide Alaska Greenhouse and Nursery Conference will be held Jan. 23-24, 2007 in Wasilla. Conference participants will also be able to attend the Polar Grower Trade show occurring simultaneously. Visit http://www.uaf.edu/ces/pdfs/GHNC2007registration.pdf to register or for more information. Contact the Palmer Extension office at 907-745-3360 with any questions.