Organic mat-ter is the key

ingredient for improved

soil health By Jennifer Werlin, Teton County Extension Educator

What is something that humans create daily that can be trans-formed into a resource? The an-swer is food and yard waste! A decade ago, I started a home gar-den compost pile and a few years later, I added an indoor worm bin to transform my food and lawn waste into a resource. Hon-estly, at the time, most of my mo-tivation was to simply reduce the effort and money I spent hauling waste to the transfer station. As my appreciation and knowledge of soils has grown, I now value this “everyday waste” more than I ever could have imagined.

As a gardener, no matter what state your soils are in, you can improve soil fertility and tilth by adding organic matter back into the landscape. Through compost-ing, you can take advantage of

nutrients tied up in food scraps, weeds, and other landscaping plant waste. The benefits may be greater than you imagine. For instance, improving the root health of field crops just 2-4%, will increase crop yields by 200-400%! Even if you live in a small space, there are ways to use your organic waste and transform it into black gold.

Adding organic matter to your

soil through methods like com-posting has numerous benefits, including improving water hold-ing capacity and soil structure, increasing food for microbes, bal-ancing soil pH and temperature,

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Office Closed Thanksgiving & Christmas Weeks

Thank you

The University of Idaho is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educational organization. We offer our programs to persons regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability.

Highlights Organic matter and soil health ....... 1

Idaho Ag. Outlook Seminar.............. 2 Farm & Ranch Management School ...... 2

Holiday Wishes ................................ 3

Is a Small farm in your future? ........ 4

Starting Your Sustainable Small Farm ......................................................... 4

Master Gardening Program ............. 4

4-H leader Information, deadlines & announcements .............................. 5

Extension Save-the-date

Food & Farm Coalition November 29th @ Teton Extension office, 9-10:30am (Meeting canceled in December and will resume to 4th Wednesday of the month in January)

Master Garden Classes January 23– May 2, 2018 1-4pm @ Teton Extension office (12 weeks)

Is a Small Farm In Your Fu-ture?: An introduction to small farming December 15th @ Teton Extension office, 10am-3pm

Starting Your Small Sustaina-ble Farm Course January 8th 7-8pm (online webinar) January 13, February 3 & March 3, 10-5pm @ Teton Extension office

Teton County UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO EXTENSION UPDATE

235 S. 5th E., Driggs, ID. 834232

(208) 354-2961 teton@uidaho.edu November & December 2017

and helping to reduce plant susceptibility to disease.

One of the easiest ways to compost is to start an outdoor composting bin. Besides a simple heap, the most com-mon design is a three-bin composting unit so that you can build one pile while the other piles finish the com-posting pro-cess. You can easily make one out of wood scraps, pal-lets, or wires. In our cold and arid climate, however, this simple way of composting is a bit more challenging since your bin may not get hot or moist enough to kill weed seeds. In that case, I expect to wait longer for finished compost and prefer to not compost any weeds that have flowered or gone to seed. For farm-ers, this is less of a problem because they typically have larger volumes of composta-ble waste which help to get the temperature of their compost pile to the ideal 135- 160 de-gree F range that kills pathogens and seeds.

Composting plant ma-terials can take several weeks to over a year. With regular turning of the pile, ample air flow,

adequate moisture, and a balanced mixture of layered “greens and browns,” you can speed up the compost-ing process. A simple way to look at the “green and brown” compost recipe is this—view the greens as nutrient-rich nitro-gen freshness (juicy greens) like food scraps, coffee grounds, manure, and fresh

plant prun-ings, and the browns as carbon-rich crunchies like dried leaves,

sticks, paper, hay, straw, cardboard, and ash. If your pile be-comes too wet or stinky, it has too much nitrogen (the greens) and needs more carbon (the browns). Make sure your bin is cov-ered with a good car-bon layer to not attract wildlife/pets.

Worm composting (known as vermicom-posting) is another great composting method that can be done year-round, in-doors, and in small spaces. I will cover the basics of worm com-posting in a future col-umn. If you would like to learn more, please stop by our office or give us call.

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University of Idaho Extension page 2

University of Idaho Extension page 3

Season’s Greetings! Thank you all for your support of local food system and agriculture education and 4-H youth develop-ment in Teton Valley. We had a great year planting the seeds to grow a Teton County Community Food System program—from helping to expand the Uni-versity of Idaho Cultivating Success™ small farm and ranch programs in Eastern ID to the facilita-tion of the “Teton Food & Farm Coalition,” it is clear that there is a wide interest in the local food and agriculture movement and food security efforts in our community.

Our Teton County 4-H programming also continues to grow and prosper! This excellent youth development program wouldn’t be possible without the stalwart volunteers (33) and youth (150+) who participate in and promote 4-H in our county. We have greatly enjoyed getting to know many of our 4-H youth and families and are excited to see new 4-H clubs beginning to form for the 2018 year.

Remember to enroll your child online (https://idaho.4honline.com/) and pay dues before Feb 15th to take advantage of reduced 4-H annual fees. Also, feel free to give us a call or email teton@uidaho.edu if you have any questions. Thank you to all of our volunteers and partici-pants! We also were fortunate to hire Chris Miller as our 4-H Coordinator in 2017. She works two days a week, year-round, which has really helped with 4-H planning. The new 4-H Adviso-ry Council also was a great addition to the 4-H program and our office. Thank you volunteers!

As we move into 2018, please consider a year-end donation to our Teton County 4-H endow-ment fund. Your tax-deductible donations go towards our county 4-H youth scholarships, vol-unteer and youth trainings, and other 4-H programming. Your financial support enables us to keep our 4-H participant fees low and affordable, helping us to reach a broad spectrum of our valley.

Many thanks for your support, and we wish you a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season!

Warm regards,

Jen Werlin, UI Teton County Extension Educator

Tammy Sachse, UI Extension Assistant

Chris Miller, 4-H Coordinator

You can help fight hunger in Teton Valley! It is the time of giving! We invite every 4-H family to bring in a couple of cans of food/nonperishable items to give to the local

food bank. Please bring in your donations by December 15th. Imagine how much 4-H can help the needy during the holidays if

we all chip in. Thanks and happy holidays!

University of Idaho Extension page 4

The purpose of the UI Master Gardener Pro-gram is to develop a network of trained volunteers who can provide our commu-nity with research-based horticultural education and tech-

nical assistance with gardening and home horticultural problems. Master Gardeners re-ceive 12-16 weeks of college-level lectures and hands-on training with UI Extension Spe-cialists, faculty, and local experts. After com-pletion of the training, Master Gardeners are required to provide a minimum of 30 hours of volunteer service back to their community. Areas of training include:

Volunteer service examples include helping

with plant diagnostic clinics, public outreach

at fairs and festivals, farmers’ market educa-

tional booths, working with community gar-

dens, and helping with public gardens. Vol-

unteers also work with neighbors, churches,

schools, senior centers, and other organiza-

tions requesting help. Volunteers must meet

course requirements and volunteer hours to

receive a certificate, name badge, and field

magnifier. The cost is $125 per person, which

includes a $50 refundable deposit. Certified

Master Gardeners will be refunded their $50

deposit upon successful completion.

Classes begin on January 23, and are held every Tuesday 1-4pm for 15 weeks at the Teton County Extension Office. To register for the Master Gardener Program please call or stop by the Teton County Extension office at: 208-354-2961 or email jwerlin@uidaho.edu.

Teton Valley Master Gardener Program Enrollment is Open!

CALENDAR

November

NOW— Enrollment is open at

4honline.com

27th 4-H Operation Christmas Card Making and writing. 3:30-5pm at Ex-tension Office.

December

Youth Gift Making (There are small material fees for each class)

4th Pillowcase making workshop 3:30-5pm Limited space

5th Hot pad making workshop 3:30-5pm Limited space

6th Christmas bulb painting workshop 3:30-5pm Limited space

7th Soap making workshop 3:30-5pm Limited space

January

8th 4-H /Teton County Extension Open House, 5:30-7pm

22nd 4-H Leather craft, must be enrolled. 3:30-5 pm

27th 4-H Leather craft, 3:30-5 pm

OTHER

March 10th Beef Weigh-In 9-10am fairgrounds

April 30 Swine Weigh-In 4-6 pm at fairgrounds

May 10 Horse ID., Breeding livestock, Dog, Poultry and Rabbit paperwork due 5 pm at Extension Office

May 29 Sheep/Goat weigh-in 4-6 pm at fairgrounds

University of Idaho Extension page 5

By Chirs Miller, 4-H Coordinator

This past November 13th, we held an annu-al Leaders Training and leaders social. One of the main talking points at the meeting was the resources available to 4-H leaders through the University of Idaho Extension. The 4-H Family Handbook outlines the goals of 4-H and all the life skills youth can gain from a successful 4-H experience. The core of 4-H is the model of “Learning by Doing.” The principal is that youth will learn by experience, with minimal guidance from an adult. They will discover answers and knowledge, versus being told the an-swers. This is a helpful manual to foster and share the spirit of 4-H.

The 4-H Youth Development Policies and Procedures document is re-viewed and distributed through the U of I every two years. These are rules, policies and regulations adopted by the program. This is available to answer any questions or concerns about eligibility, requirements, and management, and much more.

Finally, we have our county Rules for 4-H Families that was implement-ed this past summer. This document contains much of the same material that is in the Eastern Idaho State Fair Rules, as they pertain to 4-H pro-jects and participants. Some items were adapted to better serve Teton County. Leaders and parents have been offer a number of opportunities to give input regarding this document in it’s draft form, and now in it’s second year. Writing, revising and clarifying has been an on-going effort.

I encourage leaders, volunteers, parents and all interested persons to read these resources. It will truly give you a better understanding of how 4-H has evolved through the years, while remaining the same at the core. The U of I resources are available online and at the Extension Office. The Teton County Rule book will be available this spring for the 2018 Teton County Fair. Thank you!

Operation Christmas Cards Overseas

Monday, November 27, 2017 3:30-5 pm at the extension office.

4-H youth are invited to write holiday cards to soldiers that are serving overseas. Bring a friend to join the fun and comradery. What a great way to get in the SPIRIT! Pa-per and card making supplies will be avail-able; you bring the creativity! Participants are welcome to bring a light snack to share.

November/December 2017 University of Idaho Extension page 6

$10,000

$30,000

Our Goal $50,000 Year End 4-H Giving Options

1. Give to the Teton County 4-H Endowment Fund

Go to http://www.idcomfdn.org/Homepage

Hit Give Tab

Hit Give to an Existing Fund

Fund name is “Teton County 4-H Endowment Fund”

2. You can give directly to Teton County 4-H by sending a check or dropping off Cash or Checks at our 235 S. 5th E. Driggs, ID. 83422 office.

All donations will be used to better the Teton County 4-H program!

Teton County Extension sincerely thanks you, and hopes you have a great holiday season!!

Help us reach our goal.

Youth Gift Making Week December 4 - 7, 2017 3:30-5

Pillowcase Monday: Limited to 10 youth, $5.00 fee. Make

your own pillowcase for your self or give away for the holidays.

Participants will learn basic sewing skills, while creating a cute

useful pillowcase. Participants should bring their own fabric.

Supply list available.

Hot Pad Tuesday: Limited to 10 youth,

$5.00 fee. Participants will use fabric scraps and repurposed denim to

create functional hot pads. The class will explore basic quilting con-

cepts. All supplies will be provided.

Christmas Bulb Painting Wednesday:

Limited to 15 youth, $8.00 fee. Participants will use acrylic paints on

glass Christmas Tree Bulbs. Paint a beautiful snowy mountain scene,

your favorite super hero or an abstract design. The choice is yours!

Soap Making Thursday: Limited to 10 youth, $8.00 fee. Participants

will make glycerin soap with molds and local plant ingredients to create

this very special gift.

These classes are open to youth ages 8 and older. Invite a friend, even if they are not yet in

4-H. Sign up at the extension office by November 30th and make sure you pay the fee to

hold your spot! We can’t wait to see the amazing gifts to be created!

Record books, state projects, posters, EISF premiums and your ribbons will be-long to the 4-H office if not pick up by the end of November.

Leaders Needed: There are a

number of clubs that are in need of leaders. Teen Leaders club is in need of an adult ad-visor. It is very possible that we will need another swine leader. Gardening/Beekeeping club is looking for someone to share leader duties. New clubs that have been requested but have no leader are Fish-ing, Cooking, Piñata Making, Wildlife Stud-ies, and Theater. If you know of someone with special talents, please encourage them to share with kids in the 4-H setting. We will find them support! Thank you.

State 4-H Leaders Forum

Tammy and Chris attended the State 4-H Volun-teer Forum on November 3 - 4 in Pocatello. 4-H leaders, coordinators and administration from all over the state spent two days sharing stories, ac-complishments, goals and ideas. Chris made it a personal challenge to come away from each workshop with: a.) One thing to be thankful for that Teton County does well, and b.) One thing that we could work on, that needs improvement.

The resounding item that she was thankful for and that we do well is... the quality of leaders and volunteers we are able to get and retain.

The one thing she took away as something we can improve on is making sure 4-H participants know what opportunities are available to them. Staff attended a number of workshops led by teen ambassadors, which is another area of 4-H that offers training in public speaking, leader-ship, and civic initiatives. We listened to some of these teens talk about everything that they have accomplished, and what a confidence builder it had been. Several spoke of how they felt safer and more comfortable to participate in the 4-H programs rather than at their high school. For whatever reason, one teen said that she felt “passed-over” at school for the debate team. Only after winning an award at the state level in 4-H, did the debate coach find time to talk to her! That was just one story.

Our Teton County Teen Leaders are still looking for an adult guide. Please consider contributing in this way if you are especially interested in Teens. There are so many opportunities for them through 4-H that we need to share. Feel free to call Chris our 4-H coordinator to chat about it.

Looking for Two New 4-H Advisory Council Members

Teton County 4-H Advisory Council is looking to add two more members to it’s board. If you are interested, please submit a one page letter outlining why you’re in-terested, what skills you can bring to the board, and a little about yourself. Please submit before December

15th. We are excited to have more members and look forward to all the things we can accomplish.

Fair Photo of the Month

During the next several months we will need reminded of our beauti-ful summer and the amazing Te-ton Valley Fair!

Remember Allan’s laps around the arena with intern, Liz and the Te-ton Valley Rodeo Royalty!

New

Judging Livestock Club

You will learn to study beef, sheep, goats, swine and horse.

Learn basic judging, scoring and reason giving.

Limit space

Starting in January