Temple Grandin Guest Speaker at Seminar

It was standing room only Monday at the Concord Holiday Inn as Dr. Temple Grandin talked about improving animal welfare.

Dr. Grandin was the featured speaker at the Livestock Risk Management seminar and trade show sponsored by UNH Cooperative Extension, N.H. Young Farmers and the USDA Risk Management Agency.

“Calm animals are the easiest to handle,” Dr. Grandin told the crowd. “They know when people yell at them. Most agitation is caused by fear,” she noted. “When you introduce something new, make sure it’s a good experience for the animal.” New things are attractive when an animal is allowed to voluntarily approach, and scary when they are suddenly introduced.

Dr. Grandin is a designer of livestock handling facilities and a professor of animal science at Colorado State University. In North America, almost half of all beef cattle are handled in a center track restrainer system designed for meat plants by Dr. Grandin. Her curved chute and race systems cattle are used worldwide and her writings on the flight zone and other principles of grazing animal behavior have helped many people to reduce animal stress during handling.

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Strafford County Educators Back in Business

UNH Cooperative Extension has undergone a critical review and reorganization of programming and funding models over the past year. In addition, the Strafford County Commissioners and delegation members reconsidered and approved the request to fund UNH Extension in the county for the coming year.

We appreciate the commissioners and county delegation's dedication in helping youth, families and communities through educational outreach programs in Strafford County.

Click on this calendar of Extension events relevant to Strafford County residents.

One exciting program already underway is Strafford County Extension's "Kids Can Grow 2012" summer gardening program. We invite youth 8-12 to join us.

Strafford County Extension educators are shown in front of the county Extension office, from left to right, Sue Cagle, Extension field specialist, youth and family; Kelly McAdam, Extension field specialist, food and agriculture; Jim Grady, assistant to the dean and director of Extension; David Leonard, Extension program coordinator, food and nutrition, and Andy Fast, Extension field specialist, natural resources. Not shown is Lynn Garland, who has been helping with Strafford County Extension's 4-H efforts.

UNH Cooperative Extension Soils Lab Reaches 20,000 Samples

UNH Cooperative Extension reached a milestone April 11 – it processed its 20,000 soil sample.

Since the early 1900s, UNH and UNH Cooperative Extension have provided soil analysis and nutrient recommendations to researchers, farmers and homeowners.

Current Services

The current services, a collaboration between UNH Extension and Penn State, began in April 2005 when the Analytical Services Lab run by the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, closed its doors.

Extension continued to offer the service by working with the Analytical Services Lab at Penn State, which uses the same testing methods, ensuring continuity with the results. The Extension program began with a Commercial Turf sample from a rugby field in April, 2005. The 20,000th sample was submitted in April on the newly-offered High Tunnels form.

A Variety of Recommendations

In addition to soil fertility information for homeowners, the soils program also offers specific fertilizer and lime recommendations for commercial fruit and vegetable farmers, commercial corn, forage and pasture, non-commercial hay and pasture, commercial landscape, commercial turf, commercial greenhouse and container grown crops, biosolids, compost, and Christmas trees.

New High Tunnel Form

A new high tunnels form initiated in 2012 gives specific recommendations for growing in high tunnel greenhouses. The soil testing procedures used are best suited to typical New England soil types. Lab results are reviewed by an Extension state or field specialist and the report is then sent to the client. The recommendations are based on the latest research conducted in New Hampshire and the northeastern states.

The annual seven-year average number of soil samples processed is close to 3,000. The majority are submitted by New Hampshire residents looking for fertilizer and lime recommendations for vegetable gardens and lawns.

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