Extension News: June 2008 Archives

We've noticed more lawns and backyards sprouting tomatoes, beans and zucchini this year.

Even small gardens can produce an overabundance of vegetables at the peak of their harvest season. Preserving the overflow can help you store high-quality food for later use.

Canning, freezing, drying, and common storage are the four main methods of preserving homegrown food. The method(s) you choose will depend on whether you can find safe preservation guidelines for the foods you want to preserve, whether you have the equipment and space needed to process and store your garden crops, how much it will cost, and whether you and your family like the preserved products.

If you have questions about preserving food safely, call our toll-free Into Line (1-877-398-4769), or check the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

If you plan to can any vegetable but tomatoes, pressure canning is the only safe method.

Pressure canners that have a dial gauge should be checked for accuracy yearly, and most have a rubber gasket that needs periodic replacement. You can have your dial gauge checked at the Family, Home & Garden Education Center in Manchester or at most county Extension offices.

Beginner basics and more

Who needs to understand the basics of geographic information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS) and how to use them?

"Everyone," says Shane Bradt, Cooperative Extension's geospatial specialist and head of the Durham-based Geospatial Technologies Training Center. "Everyone should have basic skills and understanding of geospatial technologies, because these technologies influence the way that people look at the world today and make decisions about it."

"Geospatial technologies include software and hardware that receive, integrate, store, edit, analyze, share, and display spatial/geographic information," says Bradt.

"Most data have locations. A GIS can contain all kinds of data that relate to a location, providing you with a context for asking questions about your environment and how things in the natural environment and society are changing around you. Geospatial technologies are used extensively in forestry, agriculture, marine science, criminal justice, public health, marketing, transportation planning, site design, pandemic planning, disease tracking, disaster management, conservation planning, even cultural anthropology--scientists recently used geospatial tools to study the topography of fossil teeth of early humans to determine their diet.

Follow these links to learn more and to register for our July workshops:

The GPS & You series allows people to acquire GPS skills without taking up an entire day and to choose topics based on their own interests. Workshops cover using GPS to navigate, using GPS to map features in your community, and using GPS to make interactive maps that display digital pictures. You don't need your own equipment to participate, although you may use your own.

GPS & You I: GPS Basics July 1 - 5:30pm-8:30pm

GPS & You II: Pictures, Points & Places - July 10 - 5:30pm-8:30pm

GPS & You III: Tracks & Routes - July 23 - 5:30pm-8:30pm

Community Mapping July 7-11 & 14-18 - 8am-4pm A 10-day course designed for educators and others interested in exploring natural and societal resources using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology.

GIS on Pennies a Day - July 23 - 9am-4pm Learn GIS basics and explore a variety of GIS programs you can get for little or no cost (for PCs and Macs).

Introduction to ArcGIS 9.2 July 28-30 - 9am-4pm Learn the basics of working with ArcGIS 9.2 in a hands-on learning environment; 3-day course useful for people who have no prior GIS experience, as well as those who have used ArcView 3.x, but are new to ArcGIS 9.2.

Photo credits: Shane Bradt
Top photo: With GPS, you can find your way in the world and collect information about your community.
Lower photo: GIS allows you to bring to together photos, maps and GPS data to create custom views of any place in the world.

Tree Farm Program a strong component of New Hampshire forestry

The American Tree Farm System has recognized six UNH Cooperative Extension educators for their significant contributions toward sustainable forestry on private lands.

Phil Auger received the Tree Farm Silver Hard Hat award for having certified 50 new Tree Farms. Jon Nute, Sam Stoddard, Nory Parr, Matt Tarr and Karen Bennett received the Tree Farm Bronze Hard Hat award for certifying 25 new Tree Farms.

What's a Tree Farm?
A Tree Farm is a privately owned forest managed to produce timber, with added benefits of improved wildlife habitat, water quality, recreation, and scenic values. Some municipal watersheds, school forests and other public ownerships are also certified as Tree Farms.

The oldest, most successful forest conservation program in the nation, the American Tree Farm System was founded in 1941 to encourage private forest owners to actively manage their forests in a sustainable manner for multiple values.

To qualify as a Tree Farmer, a landowner must:

• Dedicate at least 10 acres to growing and harvesting forest products.
• Have a written plan for the future management of their forest.
• Follow management recommendations prescribed by a licensed forester.
• Demonstrate a commitment to stewardship of their forest for multiple values.

These Tree Farmers contribute every day to the timber production New Hampshire needs to help meet the increasing demand for forest products. The do so while caring for our wildlife, protecting water quality, and providing recreational and scenic resources. Learn more about the New Hampshire Tree Farm Program.

UNH Extension offers forest landowner education
Forestry is the primary land use in New Hampshire, with 84 percent of our land base in trees. Private landowners own 75 percent of our forested landscape.

Since 1925, UNH Cooperative Extension's Forestry and Wildlife Program has provided statewide forest landowner education, with a licensed forester in each county Extension office, and three specialists housed at UNH's Durham campus.

County foresters educate landowners about woodlot care, long-term planning, timber sales, wildlife habitat, land protection, current-use taxation, and more. They work with communities through support to town boards, public officials, and community organizations. And they support a healthy, working forest landscape by offering the state's 1400 loggers, 250 licensed foresters, and 100 sawmills a broad range of information and technical assistance.

To learn more about managing your woodlot, call your county Extension office and ask for the forester.

Photo: Marty Boisvert of Pittsfield receieves his Tree Farm sign from Karen Bennett, UNH Extension forest resources specialist