Extension Office Connects Residents with Research, Testing, and Education

Published: 2022
By Jenn

If variety is the spice of life, it is certainly reflected in the agriculture calls to Teton County MSU Extension. This summer, the office received more than 130 citizen calls for support on topics in agriculture and natural resources, including wildlife interactions, weed and insect identification, crop pest problems, herbicide selection, agricultural economics, crop rotation, weed-seed-free forage certifications, feed value testing, plant disease diagnosis, private applicator licensing, and tree health issues. Additionally, we conducted more than 40 in-office forage nitrate tests. We have expanded our offerings so that beginning in 2023 we can facilitate soil testing and conduct livestock water safety screening using new pH and electrical conductance meters. As one of the stops on the annual Golden Triangle Cropping Seminar, Teton County will host specialists in January 2023 to discuss cereal grain varieties, pulse crop management, soil fertility, and estate planning. In response to the extreme drought in our county in 2022 and the corresponding increase in questions about tree health, Teton County MSU Extension hosted a Tree Workshop in November 2022. The event was well-attended and rated as excellent by 67% of attendees. The most common outcome (20%) reported by participants was a commitment to more effective watering practices to help mitigate drought stress, followed by an increased appreciation of the importance of soil testing and compiling cultural management information to aid in diagnosing tree problems. Over 90% of participants desired to attend a follow-up tree pruning seminar scheduled for April 2023.