Morel mushroom workshops were held in Harrison and western Pottawattamie counties, as well as other counties across the state. The workshops were conducted by Mark Gleason, ISU plant pathology professor, as a response to the change in Iowa law requiring people to be certified to sell morel mushrooms. More than 200 individuals have been certified statewide through the workshops.
Other highlights from Harrison, Pottawattamie, Mills, Montgomery, Fremont and Page counties:
- Check It Before They Chomp It
Check it Before They Chomp It is a program offered by Nutrition and Health Program Specialist Barb Fuller as an educational opportunity for child care providers. The classes offered nutritional information to several child care providers, which enhanced their nutrition background and also provided nutrition credits for licensing requirements. - First Lego League
Five of the seven county offices offer these 4-H clubs to provide up to 10 youth, ages nine to 14, with the opportunity to learn to build and program robots to complete specific missions around a theme. Several teachers have noticed students becoming more interested in math and science as a result of their participation. It is hoped that these programs will increase interest for women in science and engineering as they attend college. - Farm Leasing Meetings
Tim Eggers, farm management program specialist, conducted summer meetings for landowners and tenants to receive the latest information on leasing land. As commodity and land prices continue to rise to new highs, landowners want the latest information on leasing contracts. The impact of updating leases provides a better relationship between landowners and tenants as well as providing landowners with increased income. - Flood Recovery
Hundreds of homes and thousands of acres of land were flooded by the Missouri River in 2011.Extension staff stepped up to the plate by offering research-based resources on mental health, food safety and cropland recovery. People affected by the flooding have greatly appreciated the information provided by Extension and Outreach including new attempts at using social media, such as Facebook pages, to distribute the recovery information. - For more information, visit: Harrison, West Pottawattamie, East Pottawattamie, Mills, Montgomery, Fremont and Page county webpages.