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March-April, 2022
Volume 3, Issue 2
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Working to improve lives, communities, the environment, and economies throughout Pima County. |
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Sustainable Landscapes Expo
Saturday, March 19
It was November 2017 and the Pima Smartscape Program was showing off our new irrigation demonstration table at the Extension New Faculty BBQ. Taking an interest in the economic and environmental impact of Smartscape, Dr. Shane Burgess, Dean of the UArizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, suggested we hold a public event of our own. We knew a great idea when we heard it, and being gluttons for punishment, we jumped right on it and held our first-ever “Sustainable Landscapes Expo.” just four months later. We invited non-profits, green industry businesses – and all our fellow Cooperative Extension programs to participate. The response and attendance far exceeded our expectations, and it grew even larger the following year in 2019. We couldn’t have done it without the famous Extension collaborative spirit and the support of Tucson Water.
We are excited to share that after a two-year pandemic hiatus, we will be hosting our 3rd Sustainable Landscapes Expo this Saturday, March 19, 2022, from 10 am -2 pm at UArizona Pima County Cooperative Extension, 4210 N. Campbell. With over 30 exhibitors, the Expo has become a showcase and celebration of the many sustainability-oriented organizations across our community who creatively and passionately promote water conservation and environmental stewardship. It is a free, family-friendly event complete with raffles and hands-on activities for all ages, including make-your-own Lucy's Warbler nest box. Stop by to learn about efficient water usage and new ways to create sustainable landscaping in the Southern Arizona desert.
Come out and meet and join us!
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Director's Note
I would like to take a moment to thank our Pima County Cooperative Extension advisory boards. They provide essential input to help us achieve our PCCE goals and we appreciate their contributions. While UArizona advisory boards are not governing bodies, they help us build networks, work with us to secure financial gifts, and provide important perspectives on topics of interest. Our seven-member PCCE Advisory Board is appointed by the Pima County Board of Supervisors and holds open-to-the-public meetings on a quarterly basis. Currently, our board consists of Rick Frey (Chair), Celia Burkel, Héctor Campoy, Micaela McGibbon, Alana Mozar, and Amanda Ruboyianes; each one bringing different expertise and experiences from the agriculture, 4-H, and health arenas. Recently, the board has been exploring agricultural topics including the importance of field crops and ranching to our economy and local food sourcing issues brought to light by the pandemic. In addition to the PCCE advisory board, we are very fortunate to have a dynamic and engaged 17-member Tucson Village Farm Advisory Board. The TVF board includes a cohort of dedicated community members as well as several 4-H youth representatives. They work closely with 4-H Agent Elizabeth Sparks and Program Coordinator Leza Carter to guide and promote programmatic and financial sustainability for the Farm. We are very appreciative of the time and energy all our board members spend to help advise us and connect us to the community. Thank you!
--- Claire Zucker, Director, Pima County Cooperative Extension
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The Pima County Fair Returns in Full!
We are very excited to announce that the Pima County Fair is returning with all the bells and whistles, April 21 through May 1. This culmination event for 4-H youth will have more than 50 competitions, three project demonstrations, two optional fun courses, performance art demonstrations, and a hall full of handmade projects ranging from cake decorating to welding. Youths from all over Pima County have worked for over eight months on the projects that are displayed in the hall, or on raising the animals they show in competition hoping for a spot in the Auction. The Pima County Youth Auction takes place on both Saturday, April 30, and Sunday, May 1 as the final event at the Pima County Fair. To learn more about how you can support local youth and become a buyer at these auctions visit the Junior Livestock Sale Website. Information about the many competitions at the Fair visit the Livestock Page of the Fair Website. The first Pima County Fair was held in 1911 in an area that is near Rosckrudge School in Tucson. By the 1920s the Fair began to include animals, with chickens being some of the first to be bread and shown by youth. Now we have a 100-year tradition and countless youth and families that have participated over the years. We hope you will stop by, learn more about the Pima 4-H Club Program, and enjoy the show!
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Master Gardener
Spring Plant Sale!
Spring is upon us, which means the Pima County Master Gardeners are full steam ahead on all things gardening. The weather is warming up and it’s the perfect time of year to start visiting all the local plant sales at local nurseries, non-profits, and, of course, your local Master Gardener program! Twice a year, in Spring and Fall, we hold plant sales in Tucson, which are our primary source of program funding. We pride ourselves on seeing thousands of “plant babies” leave the propagation nursery to find new homes across the community. From 8 - 11 am on Saturday, April 2, you can join us at our Tucson demonstration garden (4210 N. Campbell Ave.), to find ornamental cactus, succulents, ground cover, and more to give your garden and landscaping a fresh look! Whether you are new to gardening, a seasoned horticulture expert, or a plant enthusiast, you don’t want to miss this great community event, and a chance to score some wonderful, locally appropriate, and beautiful plants. You can also pick up our recently released 5th edition Tucson Garden Handbook, soil probes, and compost, all with our University-trained, experienced Master Gardeners on hand to help!
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March is National
Nutrition Month
The PCCE Community Nutrition Program is celebrating National Nutrition Month and invites you to join in. You can start your nutrition celebration by giving your meals added color, flavor, vitamins, and fiber when you fill half your plate with fruits and veggies. For breakfast, try an oatmeal sundae topped with bananas, apples, raisins, cranberries, berries. Are you looking for a quick lunch or dinner? Start with a tortilla and add some roasted veggies, salsa, and cheese. Or have breakfast for dinner, by making an egg scramble or packing your omelet with veggies such as broccoli, squash, peppers, tomatoes, or onions. Eggs are a great source of protein and give your body a B12/B5 vitamin boost. Baked potatoes make a tasty base for adding salsa, beans, broccoli, cheese, chopped veggies, or chili. Or if you love pizza, try adding broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini, or artichokes. Let’s not forget dessert. Make yourself a banana split with berries, pineapple, and yogurt with a cherry on top! To make all this easier, keep washed and cut veggies and fruits on hand in your fridge and frozen veggies in your freezer for a quick tasty stir fry. We hope you share these tips and enjoy your nutritious March meals with friends or family, making mealtime a treasure of memories.
More Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) resources:
Sign up for the e-newsletter, the EFNEP Bite
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Learn About Water at the Water Resources Research Center
The UArizona Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) is looking forward to an exciting lineup of Brown Bag webinars and other special events. The WRRC is a unit of the UArizona Cooperative Extension and is also the federally authorized Water Resources Research Institute for Arizona. In addition to researching water resource issues important to the state and region, the WRRC engages in diverse outreach efforts to bring water information to the public.
On March 22 (World Water Day!), the WRRC will participate in a virtual "Teach-In" hosted by Pima County District 5 to discuss water challenges and solutions. In collaboration with the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University. On March 29, the WRRC will host Looking Upstream: An Upper Basin Perspective, focusing on current Colorado River issues. Four events are scheduled for April, touching on topics such as Indigenous rights, environmental justice, binational agreements on groundwater, and the EPA’s water reuse programs. Additional events in May include a discussion with Jim Enote, CEO of the Colorado Plateau Foundation, on Counter Mapping, an effort to create maps that bring an Indigenous voice and perspective back to the land. Each of these events will give you a personal look into the world of water management and resources in Arizona and beyond.
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Summer Camps at Tucson Village Farm
This summer 4-H Tucson Village Farm (TVF) is offering 14 different summer camp opportunities and registration is now open! TVF has a camp opportunity for every interest! Maybe you want to hone your cooking skills and use farm-fresh veggies to create a culinary masterpiece. Or maybe you want to spend time outside and enjoy everything the Big Farm, located at the 4-H Healthy Living Center, has to offer. Ready to get out of town for a bit? TVF also offers several opportunities for campers to travel outside of Tucson for some amazing adventures! Try your hand at surfing in San Diego, forge your own knife at a real blacksmithing shop in Flagstaff, or enjoy some cool times at the James 4-H Camp outside of Prescott amongst the pines. We believe in the transformative power of experiential learning and this summer your campers can experience it all. From farm and culinary camps to outdoor adventures, our friendly, seasoned educators will give kids an unparalleled camp experience full of fun, learning, and skills to last a lifetime. For teens or adults that would like to hone their leadership skills, apply to be a Camp Counselor or Counselor in Training. TVF is looking for young people ages 12-18 to join our team and help make that camp magic happen.
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PCCE Agents Take on
Statewide Leadership Roles
Last November, Assistant Agent in Horticulture Parker Filer accepted an additional role as statewide coordinator for the Arizona Master Gardener (MG) program. He is now convening monthly meetings of county-level MG programs across the state to share & coordinate best practices and new ideas. In this role, Parker hopes to start by helping program coordinators identify and achieve greater efficiency, consistency, and collaboration in implementing and tracking successful outreach programs.
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Pima Associate Agent Elizabeth Sparks was appointed as one of two statewide 4-H Leads under 4-H Cooperative Extension Associate Director Jeremy Elliott-Engel in January. In this role, she will be responsible for enhancing 4-H Youth Engagement across Arizona by working with other county 4-H professionals to build collaborations, assist with state 4-H efforts, and generate new ideas for 4-H program quality across Arizona. Building on over 21 years with Extension, Elizabeth brings a wealth of experience from her work creating and growing the 4-H Tucson Village Farm program at our Tucson office. |
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UArizona Pima County Cooperative Extension
Programs and Upcoming Events
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Agriculture and Natural Resources
Residents and growers have ready access to research-based horticultural information at PCCE. Get gardening answers from our Master Gardener experts and learn about water conservation, xeriscape, irrigation, and more through our Smartscape courses.
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Family and Consumer Health Sciences
PCCE health education helps people improve their nutrition, family dynamics, and lives. Parents and caregivers gain tools to enrich children’s lives through the Family Engagement Program. Find nutritional and life-skills education through the SNAP-Ed/Garden Kitchen and EFNEP programs.
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4-H Youth Development
Youth build lifelong skills and have great fun through Cooperative Extension 4-H. Become involved in one of our many clubs or projects, capped by participation at the County Fair. Enjoy seed-to-table programming at Tucson Village Farm, a working urban farm built by and for the youth of our community.
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Pima County Cooperative Extension
Main Office: 4210 N Campbell Ave., Tucson, AZ 85719-1109
Green Valley Location: 530 E Whitehouse Canyon Rd
South Tucson, The Garden Kitchen: 2205 S 4th Avenue
Our Main Office on Campbell is open M-F 8:30 - 4:30
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