SAN LUIS VALLEY — Colorado State University Extension believes every person from every walk of life can experience their healthiest, happiest, most productive life if they continually engage in lifelong learning.  

At SLV Area Extension, everything we do is designed to foster healthy youth and families; prosperous farms, ranches, and businesses; and strong, resilient, proud communities. We offer a myriad of educational opportunities to SLV citizens, where they live, work, and socialize. 

Here are a few things that have just happened, and a few that are coming up: 

4-H re-enrollment deadline for existing members is rapidly approaching, Jan. 26. New members are encouraged to join as soon as possible but may enroll until March 31. If you have questions about the SLV 4-H program, need a list of the many 4-H projects or have questions about the different 4-H clubs in the SLV please call Mollie Wells, 4-H Specialist, at 719-852-7381. 

Our school outreach programming will begin in the next few weeks in Saguache and Conejos counties. Our program coordinator, Barbra Macias, and ASU Intern, Kallie Shawcroft, will be busy doing STEM projects with these different classes. If you are a school in the SLV wanting our 4-H youth coordinators to come in and teach a 6-week program. Please give us a call. 

Do you have kiddos 5 to 7 years old and not quite old enough for 4-H membership? Then our Cloverbuds program, which is designed with quick, fun, younger age-appropriate projects, is for you. Come make a snowman with our Cloverbuds on Jan. 24, at 5:30 p.m. at the Monte Vista Extension Office. 

The monthly Fair board meeting is Jan. 13, 7 p.m. at Ski-Hi and District 8 4-H Leadership Council meeting is Jan. 14 at the Extension office.  

Jan. 25 through 27, Cody Groff, 4-H specialist, will be travelling to the state capital with five of our senior 4-H members to attend the Leadership Development Conference. 

Carol Gurule, Juntos 4-H Specialist, will be leading a Strengthening Families 10-14 prevention program at North Conejos School District beginning in February. This program is for youth ages 10-14 and their parents. Families learn how to communicate more effectively with one another, and youth learn to stand up for themselves when facing peer pressure. 

The SLV Area 4-H Livestock Judging Team recently made a strong showing in Arizona. Details and results will be published soon. 

The 43rd annual Southern Rocky Mountain Ag Conference is just around the corner. Jennifer Vandiver, office manager, Madeline Wilson, Ag production Systems Specialist, and Larry Brown, Ag Business Agent are all feverously finalizing details of the 51 educational sessions. We are also helping ag producers of all sizes, consultants, and ag industry professionals get registered. The conference theme is: Holding Our Ground; Securing the Future of Our Water, Land, Businesses, and Families. Featured sessions include Ag Business Succession and Estate Planning; United Potato Business Summit; Legislative and economic updates; the latest in potato research from the SLV Research Center; Calf and Lamb Survival from Birth to Weaning; Small Farm/Ranch and Greenhouse topics; Key Principles for Revegetating Dried Up Fields; Characteristics of a Good Direct Marketer; Personal Wellbeing – Your part in the balancing act; Weed Management; Irrigation Supply Outlook; and an Update on Aquifer Sustainability, to name a few.  Register by calling or stopping by the Extension Office, or online at www.agconferencesrm.com. Spanish/ English Interpretation will be offered throughout the conference. 

I am also hosting an Annie’s Project, Feb. 20-22 at Ski Hi, and the 4th annual, Ag Business Enterprise Budget Workshop is March 12-13. The Annie’s Project program was developed and named after a farm woman who was widowed and suddenly had to take over all farming operations. It is specifically for all women in ag, and focuses on a dozen areas of financial, production, and risk management. 

Janae Naranjo, Family Consumer Sciences Specialist, is teaching an on-line Cottage Foods Class on Jan. 23, and a Servsafe class for restaurant and commercial kitchen staff Jan. 31. She is also planning the first annual SLV Celebrating Aging Conference for May 9, so save the date. Janae has coauthored a new curriculum, Living a Hope Centered Life, and will soon announce the first-ever presentation in the SLV. 

Mollie, Madeline, and Janae are joining forces to offer the first, SLV Small Acreage Workshop to be held later this spring, so watch for more information in next month’s column. 

Please join us. To learn more about any of these events and opportunities call Jennifer Vandiver or Sara Seger at our office, 719-852-7381, as they are the wranglers who keep all this going for us.  

Colorado State University Extension is an equal opportunity provider. Colorado State University does not discriminate on the basis of disability and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations. CSU’s Office of Engagement and Extension ensures meaningful access and equal opportunities to participate to individuals whose first language is not English.