CSU Extension believes every person from every walk of life can experience their healthiest, happiest, most productive life if they continually engage in lifelong learning. At SLV Area Extension, everything we do is designed to foster healthy youth and families; prosperous farms, ranches, and businesses; and strong, resilient, proud communities. We offer a myriad of educational opportunities to SLV citizens, where they live, work, and socialize. 

Here are a few things that have just happened, and a few that are coming up: 

Our entire SLV Extension team, working together, has just completed two of the major educational events of our year: Southern Rocky Mountain Ag Conference, and Ag Fest for fifth graders. Last week the three-day Ag Conference served approximately 480 ag producers, consultants, industry professionals, and 4-H and FFA youth.  This week approximately 220 students and teachers from around the Valley participated in the three-day Ag Fest.  

We want your children and grandchildren to join 4-H. 4-H is one of the most highly recognized and revered youth development programs in the nation. Youth ages eight to 18 years of age join a club where they learn leadership, networking, and public speaking skills, learn the value of volunteering, and perform community service projects. Members choose one or two hands-on projects that really interest them from a list of more than 200 project options. Many are STEM and work-force preparedness projects, ranging from rocketry to robotics, cake decorating to quilting, electricity to welding, gardening to canning, and veterinary science to livestock and crop production. The motto is “Learn By Doing”.  Most members will display their finished projects at the SLV Fair in August. Members of all ages also have opportunities to travel with our specialists to age appropriate, advanced leadership development conferences. 

Again, we want your children and grandchildren to join 4-H and be a part of this incredible experience.  New member registration is now open, and time is of the essence. Clubs are already meeting, and members are starting their projects.  New enrollments must be in by March 31.  To register your kiddos or to learn more, call our office at 719-852-7381. 

Here’s more about our youth development work. Mollie Wells, Carol Gurule, and Cody Groff, our youth development specialists, are teaching two Strengthening Families classes. One is in Center and the other in La Jara. These are free and are for parents and youth ages 10-14 to learn how to communicate better with one another, and their peers. Participation is open to the public, and I encourage you to participate.  They are also taking registrations for “Youth Fest Leadership Camp” which will be March 28-30 in Pueblo, with the theme “Set Sail on New Adventures.” This is for enrolled 4-H members ages 11-13.  Deadline to register for this camp is March 13, so call now. 

Barbra Macias, our Saguache County Youth Program Coordinator and Kallie Shawcroft, our ASU intern and Conejos County Youth Program Coordinator are now delivering our Extension STEM education every week in the schools in their respective counties. If you are a school in the SLV wanting our 4-H youth coordinators to come in and teach a 6-week program, please give us a call. For the little brothers and sisters of 4-H members, ages five to seven, we have a fun starter program called Clover Buds. These kiddos decorated cupcakes and sewed hearts on Feb. 14 for Valentines Day, and on March 14 they will do a simple and fun leathercraft project. We would love to have your family join us. 

Our 4-H livestock judging team has been practicing diligently every week. They are learning and getting extremely good. They will be traveling to a judging competition in Loveland on March 25. Good luck SLV Team! 

Moving on to adult education, Janae Naranjo, Family Consumer Sciences Specialist is hosting three OLLI classes Feb. 20. OLLI stands for Osier Lifelong Learning Institute, which provides general interest, virtual classes presented by community and campus experts. These three are: The Irish Potato Famine; Understandable PC Security Guidelines Plus Methods to Unconstipate Your PC; and William Still-Father of the Underground Railroad. 

In February, Janae began presenting the first of six weekly classes on “A Hope Centered Life.” This is a new curriculum Janae developed. It is designed for people of all ages and is open to the public. The classes are from 10 a.m. to noon at Tri-County Senior Center in Monte Vista. Feb. 27 Janae is teaching a Cottage Foods class, open to everyone as well. We do ask for preregistration for these programs, so please call our office right away if you are interested. Janae is also working on this first-ever, SLV Celebrating Aging Conference, which will be held March 9, at Ski Hi. This is an opportunity for participants to come learn about many important topics, and for agencies and businesses that provide services and products for Seniors to display to and network with participants.  Be watching for much more on this event next month. 

And finally, our Ag Production Systems Specialist, Madeline Wilson, and I are hosting a women in ag program called Annie’s Project. This is a nation-wide program developed for and named in honor of a “farm wife” who was widowed and overnight had to become the farm manager. The curriculum and networking are designed to help ag women be the strongest possible management partner, or sole manager, whichever the case.  The class is at Ski Hi in Monte Vista, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Feb. 20 and 21, and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 22. The cost is $75, and we do have a couple of scholarships available.  This is open to all women, but participation is limited to 25, so please call in immediately. Our Annie’s Project is financially sponsored by Farm Credit of Southern Colorado. 

March 12 and 13 our fourth annual, Ag Business Workshop held at the Rio Grande Water Conservation District meeting room in Alamosa. March 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. Madeline will discuss best management practices for revegetating dried-up farm ground, including native and non-native seed mixes.  We will also develop together with participants an estimated cost analysis. March 13, with Jeff Tranel, CSU Extension Regional Economist, we will update and present SLV specific enterprise budgets for potatoes, barley, alfalfa, cover crops, and cow-calf enterprises. Open to producers, consultants, lenders, and industry professionals, the cost is $20. Please call our office to preregister.   

Contact Madeline, madeline.wilson@colostate.edu, to receive the zoom link and join our bi-weekly, open forum, revegetation group.  The next session is Feb. 20, 8 to 9 a.m.  And save the dates for her, Mollie’s and Janae’s small acreage, “Homestead: Community Skill Share” series which will be May 3 in Antonito, May 10 in Alamosa, and May 17 in San Luis.  More details next month. 

Please join us! To learn more about any of these events and opportunities call Jennifer Vandiver or Sara Seger at our office,719-852-7381, as they are the wranglers who keep all this going for us.  

Colorado State University Extension is an equal opportunity provider. Colorado State University does not discriminate on the basis of disability and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations. CSU’s Office of Engagement and Extension ensures meaningful access and equal opportunities to participate to individuals whose first language is not English.