We teach, learn, lead, and serve, connecting people with the University of Wisconsin and engaging with them in transforming lives and communities.

Ready to start your farm succession planning? Virtual workshop series to connect you and your family wherever you are

Join our UW-Madison Division of Extension Farm Management Specialists, Joy Kirkpatrick, Steph Plaster, Kelly Wilfert, and Kevin Bernhardt as they lead discussions and activities during the Cultivating Your Farm’s Future workshop series. This program will provide tools and resources for farmers who want to start their succession plans.

The program will explore the three-step process of planning your business succession:

Where are you now?
Where do you want to be?
How do you get there?

This workshop series will prepare you to shape and communicate your ideas about the future of the farm and business as well as save time by having these crucial conversations before visiting with professionals.

Save a Calf, Save a Cow

The University of Wisconsin Division of Extension is offering a Save A Calf, Save A Cow workshop series for dairy and beef producers, and dairy workers (in Spanish). This workshop provides information and techniques to boost your confidence in preparing the cow for calving, obstetric techniques and newborn calf care. From transition cow diets and body condition to recognizing key signs of labor and handling difficult deliveries with precision, this program equips you with practical strategies to support both cow and calf health. Whether you’re seasoned or new to livestock care, you’ll gain hands-on expertise to approach calving with assurance, improve outcomes, and enhance the well-being of your herd.

Topics covered during the virtual (Zoom) classroom include:

Getting newborns off to a good start: neonatal calf care and colostrum management
Cow nutrition and management pre- and post-calving health and reproductive success (breakout into either beef or dairy)

During the in-person session, participants will learn and practice:

Stages of labor and signs to watch for – when to call for help
Calving equipment options and function/sanitation/cleaning
Worker Safety – cow & calf handling/ needles/ PPE/ biosecurity

The series costs $20/person. To attend the in-person session, you must have attended a prior Zoom session. For your convenience, you may choose an late morning or evening ZOOM and an in-person hands-on combination that fits your needs:

Zoom Sessions:

November 5th, 6:30-7:30pm
November 6th, 11am-12pm (English and Spanish)

In-person Sessions:

Gays Mills: November 12th, 11am-12:30pm (English and Spanish)
Gays Mills: November 12th, 6-7:30pm
Darlington: November 13th, 11am-12:30pm (English and Spanish)
Darlington: November 13th, 6-7:30pm

Registrations are due November 1 for the English sessions and October 6th for Spanish. Register online at https://go.wisc.edu/6605sn. Don’t wait to register, participation is limited to the first 20 paid participants per in-person session.

Got questions about farmland leases?

Join UW–Madison Extension this October for Ag Leasing seminars across Wisconsin! Each seminar covers:
— Rental rates
— Legal risks
— Communication tips
— Ending a lease
…and more!
📍 Locations: Dodgeville, Juneau, Chippewa Falls, Wausau and Manitowoc
💲 Cost: $25 includes materials + a free leasing guide
📅 Register now: go.wisc.edu/farmleasing25

Egg Substitutions for Baking

With the high (and increasing) cost of eggs, here are a few ideas of egg substitutions to try in your favorite baking recipes!

Click for a printable copy of the Egg Substitutions sheet!

Pesticide Applicator Training Information

If your pesticide applicator certification is expiring, it’s time to start thinking about renewing your certification for next year. There are several options for completing the training/testing process. Please visit our Pesticide Applicator Training information page for details!

Badger Dairy Insight Series

Join the University of Wisconsin-Madison – Division of Extension’s Dairy Program on the third Tuesday of each month from 11am-12 pm CST for the Badger Dairy Insight webinar series. New this year, we are switching our webinars to a monthly platform. We are featuring your local Extension Dairy Program Educators and UW Specialists as they present on current dairy topics. Take the opportunity to learn from and discuss with experts on the dates below. To learn more about Badger Dairy Insight and the Extension Dairy program please visit https://dairy.extension.wisc.edu

There is no charge to participate in the sessions, however pre-registration is required to allow access. Register online at go.wisc.edu/bdi2324

Extension Horticulture & Gardening Resources for You

Do you have a question relating to horticulture or gardening? Iowa County does not have a dedicated Horticulture Educator, but the UW-Madison Division of Extension does have an online form that you can fill out. Simply provide basic contact information and ask your question, and your inquiry will be responded to by an Extension staff member or a Master Gardener Volunteer in your area. You can even upload up to three photos to submit with your question!

Here is a link to the online submission page: Ask Your Gardening Question – Wisconsin Horticulture. Click for an instruction sheet that details how to fill out and submit the online form.

Extension Information Kiosk Now Available for Public Use

The Iowa County Extension Office is excited to announce the addition of an Information Kiosk to the lobby area of our office. This computer is available at no charge to the public for Extension-related use, including accessing the Extension Iowa County website, registering for 4-H or other 4H Online activities, signing up for ag programs, submitting questions to the “Ask Your Gardening Question” site, access to the UW-Madison Insect Diagnostic Lab, and much more!

We hope this will be a useful tool for those with limited or no Internet accessibility at home, allowing them to take advantage of Extension programming.