UNH Extension - Merrimack County

10/08/2026

🍀 The new NH 4-H program year is here!

Members & Volunteers — it's time to re-enroll for 2026-2027! Log in at https://4h.zsuite.org/ to get started.

Thinking about enrolling as a member or volunteer for the first time? Complete this form and a member of our team will connect with you! https://unhoutreach.tfaforms.net/217735

Need help with enrollment? ZSuite has live chat & email support ready for you, directly in the web app. For additional support, please reach out to your local UNH Extension Office. 💚

10/02/2026

Keeping fresh produce safe means paying attention to food safety risks throughout the growing process, including what happens in and around the field.

New Hampshire and Maine farmers use practical strategies to reduce the risk of wildlife and other animals contaminating crops before harvest.

Through UNH Extension’s Jumpstart to Produce Safety mini-video series, local farmers share how they manage these risks on their own farms, offering practical examples for other growers and a closer look at the steps that help keep local food safe.

Explore the collection of short videos to hear directly from NH and ME farmers about produce safety in the field. Link in comments!

UNH Extension Food & Ag

10/01/2026

It’s officially spooky season, but don’t let the first frosts scare you out of the garden just yet. ❄️👻

Here are a few October garden tips from UNH Extension:

Plant garlic.

Put fallen leaves to work as mulch, add them to your compost pile, or leave some under trees and shrubs to break down naturally.

Clean up diseased plant material, but don’t overdo the fall cleanup. Healthy perennial stems, seedheads, and leaves can provide food and shelter for insects, birds, and other wildlife.

Clean and put away garden tools, containers, hoses, and irrigation equipment before freezing temperatures arrive. It’s also a great time to remove rust and sharpen pruners and loppers so they’re ready for winter pruning.

Dig and store tender bulbs and tubers like dahlias, cannas, and gladiolus once frost has ended their growing season.

To stay up to date on seasonal gardening tips, subscribe to our Granite State Gardening newsletter. Find the link in the comments!

09/22/2026

Join UNH Extension, the NH State Barn Committee, and project partners in celebrating the long-anticipated launch of the NH Barn Trail. This tourism/educational trail currently includes 31 historic barn properties across the state that welcome visitors of all ages to enjoy a variety of activities and offerings.

Check out the link for more information:
https://extension.unh.edu/event/2026/09/nh-barn-trail-launch-event

09/09/2026

Once a year, we take a moment to honor the exceptional people who make UNH Extension's work happen. This year’s awards went to three staff members who exemplify excellence at Extension.

Andy Fast receives the Excellence in Collaborations and Partnerships award for his outstanding work in the forestry industry, including helping create a new transload station in Whitefield and developing a forestry credentialing program that can serve as an onramp to careers in the field.

Jesse Wright receives the Exceeding at Extension award for her extraordinary dedication to New Hampshire farmers. From her peer-directed, expert-informed cut flower programming to her New Farmer School, Jesse meets farmers where they are and helps support their long-term success.

Jessica Descoteaux receives the Excellence in Support award for her exemplary work assembling complex information into clear reports, including a critical freeze response report that helped secure millions of dollars in disaster relief for New Hampshire growers.

These awardees were nominated by their peers and selected by a committee of Extension staff.

Congratulations, Andy, Jesse and Jessica! 🎉

Pictured: Jessica Descoteaux, Amy Loader, Andy Fast and Jesse Wright (L-R).

09/08/2026

08/27/2026

New Hampshire K–5 educators: bring more food, agriculture and nutrition education into your classroom with support from UNH Extension’s 4-H Farm to School Fellowship.

Throughout the 2026–2027 school year, 4-H Farm to School Fellows will use the Harvest of the Month curriculum to help students build food system literacy and learn more about nutrition.

Fellows will also receive professional development, monthly teaching resources and opportunities to connect and learn with other educators across the state.

Only 10 teachers will be selected for this year’s fellowship.

Applications close September 1. Learn more and apply to become a 4-H Farm to School Fellow at the link in the comments!

NH 4-H Program

08/26/2026

A Wildlife Habitat Management Walk at Messer Farm

🗓️ September 21, 2026
⏰ 5pm-7pm
📍 Messer Farm
✅ Registration Required

Join UNH State Wildlife Specialist Matt Tarr, Merrimack County Forester Tim Fleury, and Ausbon Sargent on an evening walk at Messer Farm. They will discuss wildlife habitat management, invasives and pollinators while walking along the edge of the agricultural fields. This will be a slow, easy walk on flat but uneven ground. Registration is required and will be followed by more details.

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Matt Tarr, UNH State Wildlife Specialist and Ausbon Sargent invite you to an evening walk at Messer Farm. We will discuss wildlife habitat management, invas ...

08/21/2026

Extension foresters help landowners achieve their goals and identify potential stewardship opportunities through site visits, workshops, educational materials, woods forums, and field days. We visit your property (approximately 10 acres or more) for free and help you achieve your goals for your property including forestry, recreation, wildlife habitat, water resources, scenic beauty, and more. Click the link in comments to learn more!

08/12/2026

Get ready to get your hands dirty! On September 23rd, join us for an all-day, outdoor workshop at the Grafton County Extension Office to learn all about the insects, diseases and pathogens impacting forest health in New Hampshire and Vermont.

Participants will rotate through seven hands-on stations, each will feature a unique set of insects, invasive plants, or diseases that a specialist will show you, let you handle, and then moderate a discussion of how these pests could influence your forest or habitat management.

Have a mystery pest or unusual forest damage? Bring it with you! Bring your own samples, photos, or examples of pests or damage you’ve spotted in the woods, and our experts will help identify them.

Think you’ve found something they’ve never seen? Bring it on. Come ready to learn, explore, and maybe even stump the experts! Click the link below to learn more and register.