Extension Trends: Nez Perce County

EXTENSION TRENDS: NEZ PERCE COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Nez Perce County • www.uidaho.edu/nezperce

2019 Impact

2019 By the Numbers • 977 direct contacts • 428 youth participants • 83 volunteers • 3,712 volunteer hours • $10,619 extramural funding

UI Extension Educators Kathee Tifft 208-799-3096 ktifft@uidaho.edu

Doug Finkelnburg 208-799-3096 dougf@uidaho.edu

UI Extension Area Educator Doug Finkelnburg developed presentations for a pesticide recertification course and co-authored several publications and abstracts in 2019. He hosted one cereal school and planned, organized, and evaluated the second Northern Idaho Collaborative Field Day, a joint event co-sponsored by UI-LCS Cereal Seeds and CHS Primeland Cooperatives. He also co-organized the Healthy Soils, Healthy Region workshop in Oregon; spoke on soil acidity mitigation in dryland cropping systems in Montana; presented a liming exercise in Washington; presented on herbicide resistance management at the Prairie Area Crop and Conservation Tour in Lewis County; delivered a presentation on soils, fertilizer, and composting in Kamiah; delivered updates on the glyphosate (RoundUp) situation in Coeur d’Alene, Sandpoint, and Bonners Ferry; and organized an interstate working group of weed scientists, producers, and key stakeholders to address regional herbicide resistance problems. He continues to evaluate an on-farm applied research demonstration site evaluating soil liming response and collaborate on two alternative forage production trials in Idaho and Lewis counties.

Several food preservation classes were offered by UI Extension administrative assistant/master food safety advisor Shawna Reilly at the Lewiston City Library and Nez Perce Reservation. Topics included research-based processes for dehydrating, pickling, fermenting, and pressure canning a variety of foods. Word-of-mouth marketing has generated requests for additional food safety and preservation classes.

UI Extension horticulture associate Mary Busch coordinated the Diagnostic Plant Clinic and supervised Idaho Master Gardener volunteers in identifying and diagnosing plant problems encountered by area gardeners. Master Gardeners also presented about seed starting and growing tomatoes to community audiences. Busch and UI Extension Educator Kathee Tifft provided the Banana Belt Backyard Gardener program to participants from six communities in Idaho and four communities in Washington on composting, climate change, and growing herbs. A networking segment gave area residents an opportunity to learn about food system related agencies and services available in the region.

Tifft led a participatory action research project where rural residents used GIS software on their smartphones to document with photos and anecdotal notes their individual perceptions of barriers and supports for healthy eating and physical activity options in their home community. A photo map audit of community resources will be generated through a GIS network analysis depicting the data in illustrative maps. Communities receive a summarized report to use in guiding the development of action teams working toward community goals.

4-H in Nez Perce County Enrollment in the UI Extension, Nez Perce County 4-H program has steadily increased the past few years with 439 youth members and 67 volunteer leaders in 2019. 4-H coordinator Judy Floch collaborated

with Asotin and Whitman County 4-H programs to provide Youth Livestock Field Days for 4-H and FFA clubs throughout north central Idaho, southeast Washington, and northeast Oregon. Beyond the knowledge and skill practice the 250 participants received, UI and WSU agriculture students were given experiential learning opportunities assisting in teaching classes and demonstrating quality care and handling of livestock. Flip chart survey questions documented youth perspective on the most challenging and the most rewarding parts of their livestock projects as well as advice they would give youth just starting projects. 4-H members organized spaghetti feeds, enchilada sales, local catering, and holiday wreath sales to raise funds to attend the National 4-H Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) program in Washington, DC. CWF is a three-year project in Nez Perce County with opportunities for youth to learn how to be citizen leaders and make a difference in their communities. This group will make their trip to the nation’s capital in June 2021.

On the Horizon Finkelnburg will continue to emphasize pesticide applicator training and recertification opportunities as well as herbicide resistant weed mitigation efforts. He is pursuing grant proposals to work on food grade winter pea integration into cereal production systems, cover crop integration in cereal production systems, and community-based herbicide resistance management.

Tifft is developing a family and consumer sciences program on healthy aging. AIM (aging with intent and meaning) will be a series of classes focused on helping people make informed decisions on important financial, physical, legal, and social aspects of life that impact aging. She is a member of the Idaho Design Team working on a three-state project, Western Community Action Network, that is currently evaluating and redesigning assessment programs to more effectively assist rural communities in addressing contemporary challenges and change.

Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Nez Perce County: Tom Conklin, Betty Peters, Carol Thompson, Janis Forsman, Bill Furstanau, Phil Shinn, Maria Garvey, DeWayne Ward, Nancy Hasenoehrl, Diane Burnham, Sandy Martello, Mike Mount and Joan Mount.