Livingston County Gets Growing at Spring Gardening Series

Bringing Knowledge to Life! / Partner Report /
LivingstonCounty
2300 East Grand River Avenue, Suite 111
Howell, Michigan48843-2432
Phone: 517-546-3950 / E-mail:
Fax:517-546-5154
Web:msue.msu.edu/livingston
July 2009

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Livingston County gets growing at Spring Gardening Series

Livingston County MSU Extension horticulture educator Gretchen Voyle offered the annual Spring Gardening Series in April, Mayand June. All classes filled to capacity.

Bill Ten Eyck, vice president of theLivingston County MSU Extension Counciland a local landscaper, served as guest speaker for a session titled, “Rhododendrons for Home Gardening.”

The tough economy has renewed residents’ interest in vegetablegardening, Voyle focused three classes on the “ModernVictoryGarden” with sessions on traditional and organic vegetable gardening, including planning, planting and maintenance, and an additional class focusing on specific, individual vegetables.

The ever popular “Plant CSI” (plant diagnostics) gave Master Gardeners a chance to learn more about lawn and garden pests, diseases and other problems. The series concluded in late May with the, “Crazy Fast Plant Exchange,” a free plant exchange open to the public.

The horticulture program has seen a substantial increase in demand for classes, plant diagnostics, and soil tests, as gardening has seen a boost in popularity in these troubled economic times.

New car seat technicians will help ensure more safe kids in Livingston County

Safe Kids Livingston County, an initiative housed in the Livingston County MSU Extension office, in partnership with Safe Kids Washtenaw, hosted its first “Car Seat Safety Technician Course” at Hartland Fire Department in April. The class of 20 students all successfully completed the 32-hour training.

The nationally standardized curriculum consists of four, eight-hour days of lecture and hands-on training, followed by a public car-seat check event. Training covers many topics, including the vehicle crash dynamics, occupant safety features of vehicles and proper use, installation and selection of child restraints.

LaFontaine Automotive Group in Highland hosted the car seat check event on April 25. At the completion of training, students are certified as child passenger safety technicians and are certified to check car seats in their community. Technicians return to their communities and careers, certified and ready to help children ride safer.

Nutrition education makes Connection

Staff members from MSU Extension’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education partnered with The Connection, a local teen shelter and service agency, to offer a six-part nutrition education series for at-risk teens.

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Nutrition education—continued

Teens enrolled in The Connection’s life skills group attended weekly classes with MSU Extensionfamily and consumer scienceseducator Carrie Shrier to learn about healthy eating and cooking. Every class began with a food preparation demonstration, and included hands-on activities such as practice meal planning with store circulars.

The teens, many of whom are currently living independently with the support of The Connection, were attentive and enthusiastic participants, asking many questions and expressing an interest in learning how to prepare healthy, low-cost meals.

Mentor program helps troubled youths gain “Forward Focus”

MSU Extension’s Forward Focus Mentor Program currently has nine matched pairs of mentors and youth with three more that will be matched in the next few weeks. The first pairs are nearing their six-month review. They can choose to stay with the program for another six months, provided the youth participant in the pair is still under court jurisdiction, or they can choose to end their match.

Pairs meet weekly for two hours on their own and mentors check in at scheduled intervals with program staff. In addition, the pairs can participate ingroup activitieslike bowling, fishing trip or visiting the Fowlerville Fair.

In August the participants we take part in a park clean-up and family picnic event. They will cleana local park and then enjoy a picnic and recognition ceremony for the mentors. Mentors, mentees and their families are invited to participate in this event.

The program is being promoted to community groups and organizers have had a positive response thus far. They hope to have more pairs matched in the near future as well as offer additional mentor training.

Jackson Equine Animal Welfare Workshop

On June 24 the Livingston and Jackson County MSU Extension office teamed up with campus-based MSU faculty members to provide animal control officers from across Michigan with a technical workshop on horse handling and welfare at the Jackson County Fairgrounds.

Livingston County 4-H educator Roxanne Turner provided the participants with a broad ranging discussion of basic equine breed types, markings and characteristics.

District dairy educator Dean Ross outlined the concepts and application of Michigan’s Right-to-Farm Act as it applies to equine owners and the impact that this legislation can have on animal ownership. Retired children, youth and familyeducator Su Porter offered a presentation about anger and how to cope with it.

The highlights of the day’s program came with group discussions on welfare assessments with Janice Swanson and Cammie Heleski from MSU’s animal welfare and behavior program. Karen Waite, MSU youth equine specialist and MSU Extension regional livestock educator Matt Shane provided hands-on sessions using horses brought to the fairgrounds by Jackson County 4-H’ers. Workshop participants learned how to determine body condition score and were provided opportunities to develop skills in catching, handling and leading loose animals in a safe manner for both horse and officer.

The workshop participants came from seven counties and municipalities in southern and western Michigan. These animal control officers represented jurisdictions that respond to more than 1,370 livestock and horse related calls annually. The information they internalized and will return to their local jurisdictions will have a significant impact on the ability of these units to better provide public safety.