UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION

Summit County

Newsletter

February 2023

Welcome, New Faculty & Staff!

We are excited to welcome two new members of the Summit County USU Extension team. Kenzie Richins is our new staff assistant in the Coalville office, and Wesley Crump is our new horticulture faculty in our Heber City office.

Kenzie grew up participating in 4H and is grateful for her experiences in the program. Later, she graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelor's degree in Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science. She has worked for the Summit County Weeds and Stormwater departments, helping people receive supplies to eliminate the noxious weeds in the area and mapping the county storm drain system to improve water quality. She is excited to be working with the Summit County USU extension office.

When she isn't working, she enjoys working on her family's ranch or spending time outdoors.

Wesley is a Utah native, having grown up along the Wasatch Front. He earned a BS in Genetics from Brigham Young University, working with Penstemon, and an MS in Horticulture from Washington State University, working with Sweet Cherries. His interests (not necessarily his strengths!) include plant breeding, gardening, fruit trees, and most things home-horticulture-related. He is coming to USU Extension from the controlled environment agriculture sector and is excited to get his hands back in the soil.

Our office is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4 pm.

It is best to call beforehand to schedule an appointment with the person you need to meet with because we often work out in the community away from the office.

4H - Samantha Krieger 435-336-3219

Home & Community - Jared Hawkins 435-336-3218

Agriculture & Natural Resources - Elizabeth Cohen 435-336-3216

Staff Assistant - Kenzie Richins 435-336-3222

Horticulture - Wesley Crump 435-657-3236

AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES

Range Management & Beef Production Workshop

Monday, February 27th, 2023

6:00 – 7:30 PM

Ledges Building, Coalville UT

Join USU Extension's Rangeland Management Specialist, Dr. Eric Thacker, and Beef Specialist, Matt Garcia for dinner and a workshop.

Registration is FREE but REQUIRED.

Click to Register

Why Aren't My Chickens Laying Eggs Right Now?

Egg production may decrease for many reasons; however, the most common cause this time of year is fewer hours of daylight during the winter. Egg production is activated by the chicken's pituitary gland and is affected by the amount of light the chicken experiences. During winter nights, when there are fewer hours of light, hens will produce fewer eggs. One method to alter this natural cycle is to provide a light on a timer in the coop to provide additional light. The ideal number of hours of light for egg production is 14 to 15 hours.

Click for More Information

Click to RSVP

Red Books for 2023 have arrived and are available at the Extension office. Please call 435-336-3216 to reserve one.

GARDENING

Master Gardener Registration is Now Open!

Class times are T/Th 5 pm to 7:30 pm March 7th-April 18th, 2023

Lectures will be live via Zoom and will include time for Q&A. We will also offer hands-on workshops throughout the growing season.

The cost for the Summit & Wasatch Counties Master Gardener Training Program is $160 until February 20th. After that date, the price goes up to $200.

Click to Register

Urban and Small Farms Conference

February 21st-24th, 2023

Tuesday, February 21st to 24th, 2023

9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

The conference will be held virtually. Registration is FREE but it is required.

This conference is perfect for specialty crop producers engaged in direct marketing including CSAs, farmers' markets, and other outlets as well as commercial growers that are seeking the most up-to-date research on crop production and pest management.

We will also have workshops for beginning farmers and those who are deciding what they want to grow and how to develop their own marketing strategy and business plan.

More Information

HOME & COMMUNITY

Kitchen appliances are available for checkout!

Summit County residents can check out/reserve our appliances and sewing machines by calling our office at 435-336-3217. Check out what is available below.

Visit our Website

2023 Marriage Celebration

Come join us for an evening of online education from speakers across the nation.

Virtual Event: Friday, February 10, 2023 | 6-9:30 p.m. MT

In-Person Event: Saturday, February 11, 2023 | 6:30-8 p.m. MT

Where: Ogden Eccles Conference Center

Get Tickets

Get Your Taxes Done for FREE!

It's officially tax season! We are offering the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which provides FREE tax preparation and filing for those who make under $60,000. We provide this program virtually and at our office, the Kamas Library, and the Park City Library! Contact Kenzie at 435-336-3222 to learn more and schedule an appointment.

Click for More Information

Parenting Podcast Club

We're starting a parenting podcast club! Parents will come together to discuss a podcast episode on a difficult parenting topic. If you are interested in joining our discussion on Tuesday, February 21st at 7pm, please contact Kenzie at 435-336-3222.

We are seeking paid volunteers to teach traditional Family and Consumer Science classes such as cooking, sewing, quilting, and other skills. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Jared Hawkins at 435-336-3218, jared.hawkins@usu.edu.

USU Extension Summit County

45 E 100 N Coalville, UT 84017

extension.usu.edu/summit/