Publications

Authors: Rachel Bayer - Sara Arnold - Donielle Axline - Kelly Nichols - Catherine Sorenson - Razan Sahuri - Haylee Staruk

The Kids Growing with Grains Virtual Field Trip offers interactive lessons for students about the importance of grains in nutrition and the environment. Each lesson features a 5 to 15-minute video, a student worksheet, and family engagement pages in both English and Spanish. The program includes four sections: Grain Science, Grains and Nutrition, Grains and the Environment, and Grains and Animals. A pre-field trip student workbook is also available for additional resources. Teachers can select lessons based on their needs and can reach out to Kelly Nichols, UME Ag Educator, for assistance. Authors: Rachel Bayer, Sara Arnold, Donielle Axline, Kelly Nichols, Catherine Sorenson, Raza Sahuri, and Haylee Staruk; Title: Kids Growing with Grains Virtual Field Trip (WB-2).

Authors: NC Cooperative Extension - Rachel Rosenberg Goldstein

Los cierres de edificios durante una pandemia reducen el uso de agua, generando agua es-tancada dentro de las tuberías. Esta agua puede ser insegura para beber o para otros fines per-sonales o comerciales. Los CDC y la EPA recomiendan que los administradores y propietarios de edificios se informen y tomen las medidas necesarias para limpiar las tuberías del edificio antes de reabrir.

Authors: Margaret Hartman

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is an important forage crop for dairy and beef cattle, swine, poultry, sheep, and horses. In Maryland, alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), occasionally cause significant damage on susceptible cultivars. Author: Margaret Hartman; Title: Alfalfa Weevil-A Pest of Early Season Alfalfa (FS-1096) Alfalfa weevil was first detected in Utah in 1904, and has since spread throughout the contiguous United States. It was first detected in Maryland in 1951. Efforts to suppress alfalfa weevil populations in Maryland have been largely successful because of biological control, but continued monitoring and management programs are vital to avoid localized pest outbreaks. Author: Margaret Hartman; Title: Alfalfa Weevil-A Pest of Early Season Alfalfa

Authors: Jamie Morris - Neith Little - Alexander Chan - Andrew Kness - Jesse Ketterman

A recent innovation in faculty retention has been to encourage tenure-track faculty who will be going up for tenure together to form a cohort that will work together throughout the tenure process. This cohort serves as a support network and a professional community of practice. The 2021 Cohort of University of Maryland Extension and authors of this brief found that the initiation of the cohort and the dedication and commitment of the cohort members are both necessary to make the cohort model a success. This fact sheet documents the group's plan of action through year 1, provides lessons learned and helpful hints and a highlight for year 2. It is intended to help future tenure track cohorts navigate a similar path and perhaps lessen the stress along the way. Authors: Jamie Morris, Neith Little, Alexander Chan, Andrew Kness, and Jesse Ketterman. Title: A Tenure Track Cohort Case Study (FS-1103)

Authors: Andrew Lazur

Septic systems, also referred to as onsite wastewater treatment, are a well-established and effective tool for treating waste for homes, businesses, churches and small communities. If you are one of the 420,000+ homeowners in Maryland with a septic system, then you are responsible for maintaining the system to ensure effective operation and prolong its life. This folder contains information that will help you maintain your septic system properly.

Authors: Mayhah Suri - Samantha Ammons - Rachel Rosenberg Goldstein

Due to increasing stress on existing water resources, many farmers are considering alternative water sources to maintain the long-term sustainability of production. One option is recycled water, highly treated municipal wastewater that is then used for agricultural and other beneficial purposes. Farmers have expressed interest in recycled water but want to know if consumers would buy products made with it. This document is a summary of results from economics experiments on consumer willingness to pay for agricultural products made with recycled water, including how different types of information affect consumer willingness to pay for these products.

Authors: Elaine Long Bailey

How does a 4-H youth select which livestock project to complete for their first experience? There are many considerations for children in families who have no livestock background when youth take on their first 4-H livestock project. Some of the first questions to answer before committing to a project animal include “Which species and type of project do I select?,” “Where do I find my project animals?,” “What kind of facilities do I need?,” and “How do I take care of my animals?” This factsheet will present answers to these questions.

Authors: Mayhah Suri - Rachel Rosenberg Goldstein

Farmers need water to grow their crops. But what happens when the freshwater sources farmers rely on become stressed or unavailable? Learn about an innovative partnership between a farmer and a nearby wastewater treatment plant that uses water reuse to safely and efficiently grow crops on one Maryland farm.

Authors: Rachel Bayer - Sara Arnold - Sheryl Bennett - Chris Rein

This factsheet highlights that public speaking is one of the most common fears among adults in the United States. However, it is also considered one of the most valuable life skills that young people can acquire through their involvement in 4-H. The Maryland 4-H Public Speaking contest is an excellent opportunity for youth to hone their public speaking skills. This publication contains valuable information about the contest and includes worksheets that can assist youth in the development of their speeches. Authors: Rachel Bayer, Sara Arnold, Sheryl Bennett, and Chris Rein; Title: Public Speaking-Making a Great Speech (FS-1135).

Authors: Dhruti Patel - Erin Jewell - Amy Rhodes

Mindfulness Activity Guide for Adults provides guidance and encouragement to people who wish to embrace mindfulness practice in their work and personal lives. As educators, we noticed a need for resources that might help both novice and advanced mindfulness facilitators implement mindfulness activities in group settings. By using the guide, we hope the facilitator will gain confidence and feel at ease leading these practices. The guide provides in-depth instructions for adapting the surroundings, duration, participants' postures, facilitator's script, and other activity components to fit diverse environments or audiences' needs. We truly hope you find the resource useful, as it was solely created to help you create mindful moments for yourself and others you wish to help. The publication price is $25 per hard copy.