Welcome!

Penn State Cooperative Extension-Elk and Cameron Counties invites you to learn, grow, prosper, develop leadership skills, make decisions, and build life skills through our offering of outreach educational opportunities.

We offer a broad range of educational courses, programs, and seminars to help you with agriculture, horticulture, and environmental issues; forest resource management; food safety; nutrition and health; and youth development among many other topics. Our programs bring Penn State's rich store of research-based information and expertise to individuals, families, youth, businesses, and communities.

There are so many ways we can help you to enhance the quality of your life. Please take time to explore the courses, programs, seminars, meetings, and tours listed in this catalog. Many of the programs and activities are free; some have a modest fee. We look forward to your participation.

Program Areas

Agriculture and Horticulture
(Classes)

Commercial Horticulture Enterprise Tours

Horticultural tours of fruit, vegetable, ornamental and greenhouse enterprises. Participants will learn optimal growing techniques, strategies of pest control and recommended plant varieties for diverse horticultural businesses in north central Pennsylvania.

County Town and Country Day-Free Family or Group Outing

A high level of understanding and good relationship between agricultural and nonagricultural sectors is vital for stable, healthy growth in our economy. Town and Country Day promotes this type of understanding as well as an awareness of agricultural entrepreneurship through tours of local farm and forestry enterprises. Four tours are planned.

Pennsylvania and New York Horticulture Producers Conference

To be held in February, the conference will focus on greenhouse continue to serve as the coordinator for the Ridgway, Emporium and DuBois Farmers Markets. It will continue to coordinate the annual reorganization meetings and will assist with promotional efforts.

Jefferson County Demonstration Site
A sweet corn Integrated Pest Management project and snap bean variety trial will be conducted on the Robert Cooper Farm in Falls Creek. Sweet Corn insect monitoring will be conducted by use of pheremone trapping and IPM strategies implemented to control the pest. Snap bean varieties will be compared based on yields, size, pest resistance and flavor.

The Elk/Cameron Integrated Crop Management (ICM) Demonstration Site
will continue. Vegetable, tree fruit and small fruit crop varieties will be evaluated on the basis of yield, insect and disease resistance, weed control, etc. New production practices will be tried and the results reported to growers at the 2003 winter fruit and vegetable meetings. Variety trial results will also be published in the December issue of North Central Horticulture

Creative Approaches to Direct Farm Marketing

Topics include community-supported agriculture, roadside marketing, farmers markets, organic and sustainable systems, newsletters, and more. Pesticide credits available.

Pro-Gardener Horticulture Series

A ten-session home horticulture series that focuses on soils and fertility, botany, plant pathology, entomology, intensive vegetable gardening, tree fruit production, small fruit production, landscaping with annuals and perennials, pruning ornamentals, and turfgrass management.

North Central Pennsylvania Vegetable Producers Conference

Results of local and Penn State variety trials, discussion of the 2001 growing season, and techniques of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Pesticide credits will be offered for licensed applicators.

Elk/Cameron Extension West Nile Encephalitis Program

Greg Burns will serve as Extension's contact and educational coordinator for the West Nile Virus program. He will conduct educational seminars and provide information to local media and the general public upon request. You can reach Greg at 814-776-5331.

Diet, Nutrition, and Health

Healthy Eating
follow U.S. Dietary Guidelines and the Food Guide Pyramid for easy meals and snacks at home and away from home.

Smart Food Shopping
to save money and maximize nutrition

Food Safety
for consumers, nonprofits, and food service establishments

Consumer Food Safety 101: (Class)

Find out how to handle food safely-not only in your kitchen but also at the grocery store and on summer picnics. Find out how to avoid common mistakes.

ServSafe Food Safety Certification Program: (Class)

This program provides the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's required 15 hours of instruction plus a one-hour examination. Individuals responsible for safe handling of food served to the public should attend. Participants must register at least two weeks before the start of classes. Attendance is required at each session. For brochure and program details, please call 1-800-356-6728 or 814-375-4715. Pre-register at least two weeks in advance.

Diet and Disease Prevention
-heart disease, cancer, hypertension, osteoporosis, etc.

Special Nutrition Topics
-fiber, soy, flax, beans, phytochemicals/antioxidants, whole grains/breads

The Joy of Soy: (Class)

Discover the many health benefits of soy. Prepare and sample a variety of soy foods, from tofu to soybeans, milk, nuts, and flour, as well as soy analogs that look and taste like meat.

Amazing Grains:(Class)

Grains are the foundation of the Food Guide Pyramid; about half of one's calories should come from this group. Explore the world of grains from rice, wheat, and corn to buckwheat, kasha, and quinoa. Find out how tasty these nutritious grains can be in this hands-on workshop.

Food Preservation
-freezing, canning, pickling, jelly making, drying, etc.

Cancer and Tobacco Education
-seminars, cancer resource library at local libraries

Healthy Eating through Nutrition Education Program (NEP)

NEP is a federally funded nutrition program for food stamp eligible clients in Elk and Cameron Counties. If you would like to learn more about these programs, please call Penn State Cooperative Extension for Elk County (814-776-5331) or Cameron County (814-486-3350). Popular NEP programs include:

Mission Nutrition
-cooking classes for adult audiences. Attendees participate in hands-on cooking, nutrition, budgeting, and food safety lessons.

Kid's Cooking
-classes for youth. Opportunities for children to have fun while learning basic cooking skills and preparing healthy snacks.

Food, Fun, and Reading
-classes for play groups and preschool children. Classes promote reading and healthy eating through fun books like If You Give a Moose a Muffin and The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

"Chef Combo"
the National Dairy Association puppet. Presentations for Head Start classes encourage children to try new foods.

Gardening for Optimal Nutrition
-teaches adults and children basic gardening skills and recipes for fresh produce and food preservation.

Food Bank Cooking Demonstrations, Newsletters, and Handouts-
provided quarterly to food bank participants. Recipes, cooking tips, and budgeting ideas are included with food distributions.

Management of Individual and Family Resources

Basic Money Management
-offers information on budgeting, credit, and how to get out of debt.

Advanced Money Management
-covers investments and using computer programs to manage money.

Where to Get Help When Your Income Drops
-a list of local sources of help for people who have lost their jobs.

Consumer Issues
-learn-at-home program.

Strengthen and Support Family Well-being

Better Kid Care Program for child care providers-
workshops, newsletters, and a lending library of books, tapes, puppets, and theme kits plus home visits by a Better Kid Care Coordinator.

Pick Me Up for Parents
binders at local doctors' offices listing Penn State parenting resources.

Off to a Good Start
-learn at home program for parents of newborns, given out at hospital

Toddler Topics
-learn at home program for parents of toddlers

Tween Topics
-learn at home program for parents of pre-teens

Balancing Work and Family
-learn at home program for busy working parents

4-H and Youth Development

All youth, ages 8 to 18 are invited to join.

4-H members are encouraged to live the club motto, "Learn by Doing." Club projects, programs, and activities furnish opportunities for young people to experience the joy of growing through their accomplishments. In the process, they can have fun, meet new people, develop new life skills, build self-confidence, learn responsibility, and set and achieve goals.

Club work combines hands-on learning and fun activities. Members can make new friends, learn games and songs, and attend business meetings that teach important leadership and organizational skills to members. Most clubs include field trips that are associated with the projects the club is working on. Each club provides at least one community service project per year.

There are more than 150 project areas that 4-H clubs can choose to work on, including forestry, horses, wildlife, public speaking, shooting sports, pet care, insects, woodworking, sewing, rocketry, and foods. 4-H also offers opportunities to participate in tours, school enrichment programs, camping, retreats, conferences, and county fairs.

Parents, community leaders, and extension staff all share their time and talents with 4-H youth, while volunteer leaders direct the activities of local clubs.

There's always a need for leaders. How about you? If you're interested in Leader Training, please call your local Cooperative Extension office and speak with the 4-H agent.

General Interest-Public Invited

Cameron County Cooperative Extension Annual Dinner Meeting and Program
The annual meeting of the Cooperative Extension Association of Cameron County at which officers for 2002 will be elected and an educational program conducted.

Elk County Cooperative Extension Annual Dinner Meeting and Program
The annual meeting of the Cooperative Extension Association of Elk County at which officers for 2002 will be elected and an educational program conducted.

New programs are added to our schedule every week! Be sure to add your name to the mailing list for announcements of upcoming programs in your area of interest. Please call Penn State Cooperative Extension for Elk County (814-776-5331) or Cameron County (814-486-3350).

Newsletters

Please call Penn State Cooperative Extension for Elk County (814-776-5331) or Cameron County (814-486-3350) for your free newsletter subscription.

North Central Horticulture
-a monthly newsletter for commercial producers of horticultural crops and Master Gardeners in Elk, Cameron, McKean, Potter, Clearfield, and Jefferson Counties.

North Central Family Connections
-quarterly newsletter with helpful information on money management, individual and family strengths, health and wellness, food safety, foods and nutrition, housing and home furnishings, plus a list of upcoming programs and workshops.

4-H Newsletter
-bi-monthly newsletter with news about projects and events from clubs across Elk and Cameron Counties.

Weekly Newspaper Columns and Radio Programs

Look and listen for Homemaker Hints and The Green Scene featured weekly in local newspapers and airing weekly on local radio stations.

Interactive Exhibits

Learn from a wide variety of interactive exhibits at health fairs, such as What's Your Nutrition IQ? and What's Your Sun Safety IQ?

Videotape Lending Library

The library houses more than 300 tapes in the areas of agriculture, family living, youth development, and community development. Videos are ideal for individual enrichment or group programs. Tapes may be borrowed for one week with a refundable cash deposit. Please call Penn State Cooperative Extension for Elk County (814-776-5331) or Cameron County (814-486-3350) for a complete list of available tapes.

Personal Assistance

Consumers may call with questions such as food safety, canning, spots/stain problems, home and garden bug identification, and lawn and garden programs. Soil test kits are available for lawn, garden, or field crop soil improvement recommendations. Land Atlas and Plat Books are also available for Elk County. Find out about Penn State distance education and independent learning programs and pick up a wide variety of educational bulletins and flyers at the Cooperative Extension offices.