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March-April, 2023
Volume 4, 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 Draws over 1000
On March 11, over 1,200 people visited Pima County Cooperative Extension (PCCE) for the 4th annual Sustainable Landscapes Expo. A crowd of people having fun, sharing ideas, and learning. Kids were hopping like bunnies in time to Mr. Nature’s songs and Tucson’s own rainwater harvesting expert, Brad Lancaster, gave some excellent presentations. Hosted by Pima Smartscape, Tucson Water, and the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, and sponsored by Civano Growers and Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply, this event just keeps getting bigger and better. This year, over 40 exhibitors shared information and tips about efficient water usage, sustainable landscaping, desert-adapted gardening, invasives control, and more. Many people took advantage of the Living Streets Alliance bike valet and chose to arrive on a bike via The Loop. The PCCE Master Gardener booth reported that over 900 people stopped by to learn about desert-adapted gardening and many, especially kids, enjoyed their scavenger hunt in the demonstration garden. Many people picked up giveaways such as low-flow showerheads from Tucson Water and low-water-use trees from Civano Growers to help build shade at their homes. These activities as well as on-site food trucks and entertainment made the Expo an outing for the whole family. Visit the Pima Smartscape Website to learn about Smartscape programs including the HOA Landscape Transformation Program and various rainwater harvesting and irrigation classes. We will post videos and pictures on the site and through social media over the next few weeks.
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Needs Assessment Results for Arizona and Pima County
Last Fall, many of you helped us by filling out the Cooperative Extension Statewide Needs Assessment. You shared your thoughts about many topics including health and community well-being, education and youth development, agriculture, natural resources and the environment, and community and economic development. Thank you for taking the time to fill it out! I am excited to let you know that the Statewide Needs Assessment Report has been published, giving us a better understanding of what matters to people across the state and in our county. One highlight is that water is clearly of great concern both statewide and in Pima County. Statewide respondents placed water conservation, water quality, and water-efficient farming as three of the top 6 issues with education and child abuse prevention filling out the top-6 list. Drilling down to the county level, you can see how Pima County's top priorities vary somewhat from issues identified statewide, but not when it came to water concerns – they are still top issues. In addition, the site offers a fascinating Pima County Data Report showing demographic, economic, education, health, agriculture, and natural resources data for our county. This report gives us insight into who we are as a county and will help us focus our programming going forward. Kudos to the UArizona Community Research, Evaluation, and Development team at the Norton School of Human Ecology, for developing these great resources for all of us.
Claire L. Zucker
Director, Pima County Cooperative Extension
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4-H Livestock Show Gets Kids Ready for the Fair
During the first weekend in March, Arizona 4-H held its second annual livestock show at the Pima County Fairgrounds. At this show, members of 4-H and FFA exhibited their projects, which included poultry, rabbit, cavy, pygmy goat, swine, cattle, lamb, and goats. This year, we were proud to have over 200 youth participating in the show. Not only did these youth compete in market and showmanship classes, but some also competed in knowledge contests such as the horticulture and livestock skill-a-thons.
Many of Pima County 4-H’s members claimed impressive titles at this show such as Grand Champion Senior Showman, Reserve Champion Junior Showman, Grand Champion Market Goat, Grand Champion Market Beef, Best of Breed in Rabbit, and the list goes on! It is safe to say that Pima County’s 4-H members sure do know their way around a show ring! We look forward to our next upcoming show - The Pima County Fair, where many of the same exhibitors will be participating with their animals. Come see them in action at the Pima County Fair April 20th- 30th! The livestock show schedule is coming soon to our 4-H Website. These kids will be sure to impress!
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Mindfulness Designs for Urban Settings
Community gardens have some obvious health benefits like supplying us with fresh produce and herbs, but they often also serve our other health needs. This has been the case for the more than 30 gardens in Pima County that The Garden Kitchen supports. Even when garden space is not able to be used to grow fruits and vegetables, as is the case with our partners at the Veteran’s Administration (VA) hospital, it can be beneficial in different ways. For example, The Garden Kitchen collaborated with the VA to create a Zen garden in an area that is unsuited to gardening because it is completely shaded. Instead, participants collaborated on messaging and painted rocks for the garden, resulting in a beautiful space to practice mindfulness. Gardens oftentimes are a space for socialization, as with our partners at Barrio Viejo senior living. The seniors collaborate with us on what will be planted and share stories about their heritage gardening methods and the culturally significant foods grown. The garden can also serve as a place for emotional regulation, as with Ili Uusim Mahtawapo, Pascua Yaqui’s Head Start. They have done a wonderful job of incorporating mindfulness and emotional regulation into the area for young children. For more information on how to start a garden at home, attend one of our Saturdays at The Garden Kitchen!
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The Master Gardener’s Home Garden Tour and Plant Sale are Coming up!
The Pima County Master Gardeners have been busy bees for the last couple of months! Preparations are in full swing for the Home Garden Tour, and we are so excited to welcome the public to four beautiful homes on April 1, 9 am - 3 pm! This is our 22nd annual event and tickets can be purchased for $20 on Eventbrite, at local nurseries, and at PCCE. Master Gardeners have also been busy propagating and growing plants for the spring plant sale. We always have an amazing selection of plants with everything from edibles, succulents, and cacti to various shrubs, flowers, trees, and bulbs. We will also be selling compost, garden art, soil probes, used gardening books, and The Master Gardener Handbook. Please check the Pima County Master Gardener website in early April for a complete list of available plants and then join us for the plant sale on April 15th from 8 - 11 am at PCCE offices, 4212 N. Campbell Ave, Tucson, AZ 85719. As with past plant sales, feel free to bring your own cart, or we can provide transport assistance with our carts. For your safety, no dogs or strollers are allowed in the sales area. We accept cash, check, or credit/debit cards. Trained master gardeners will be on hand to educate visitors on the best gardening and planting practices and you can also enjoy our beautiful demonstration gardens to give you great planting ideas.
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Kids Learn About Ranch Stewardship Bar V Ranch
In February, the 4H Ranch Education Program hosted its first event of the year. Despite the cold and wind, we had 27 attendees on the range for the day! We began the morning with a tour of the Bar V Headquarters, historic Bosco Bunkhouse, and Auddie Murphy barn. Afterward, the group walked through the corral to examine the system and learn about holding pens, lanes, and the mechanical squeeze chute. We were fortunate to have Ashley Wright, Cochise County Livestock Agent, provide a great overview of livestock handling, body condition scoring (BCS) of a cow, and how to observe overall herd health by training your eye and knowing what to look for! A big thanks goes out to Floyd White, Bar V Ranch Manager, for bringing a few cows in for the group to watch a demonstration of effective stockmanship and learn about animal flight zones. Pima County Natural Resources Parks and Recreation hosted a fun and informative lesson about native and non-native grasses one might see on the range along with a wildlife table showing tracks, skulls, and wildlife scat! The day concluded with a hike up to Mescal Springs where the cows were grazing, the sun finally made a tiny break through the clouds and everyone smiled at the views. Bar V Ranch will be hosting its Annual Calf Sale on June 10, where 4H and FFA youth can shop for a steer or heifer for their livestock projects. For more information about the 4-H Ranch Education Program and upcoming events please e-mail hannahluz@arizona.edu.
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Invasive Species Outreach Is Underway
While many of our programs focus on growing plants that we DO want, PCCE now has a program to tackle plants we DON'T want. Invasive plant species, such as buffelgrass, pose a severe threat to the Sonoran Desert and its ecosystem, with the power to transform our saguaro cactus forests into savannah grasslands. By learning how to identify and effectively treat these desert invaders, we can prevent greater damage from taking place. Buffelgrass is one of our most difficult invasives because it grows fast, loves to germinate in disturbed ground, and burns hot. You can learn more about Buffelgrass through the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum’s excellent website: Save our Saguaros. In partnership with Pima County Natural Resources Parks and Recreation, Pima County Cooperative Extension is now providing invasive species education. We are beginning by helping Pima County with its Department of Forestry and Fire Management grant by working to educate and empower communities adjacent to Tucson Mountain Park. Invasives outreach education will include presentations, neighborhood visits to identify problem areas, home visits, and a variety of invasive pull events including working with the Sonoran Desert Weedwackers. As part of our outreach, we will be developing an Invasives Neighborhood Ambassador program to help bring people together and coordinate their efforts. To learn more about our Invasives program contact Ben Tully at bentully@arizona.edu.
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National Nutrition Month Inspires Us To Eat Right!
There are so many ways we can celebrate National Nutrition Month! Here are five of the 50 Ideas to Get Involved in National Nutrition Month®. If you try these tips during March, see which ones become part of your everyday routine. Visit EatRight.org for more ideas and great resources!
1. As a family, commit to trying a new fruit or veggie each week.
2. Give family members a role in meal planning - pick out different recipes to try.
2. Plan to eat more meals together as a family.
3. Organize a virtual or in-person healthy potluck. Have each person cook their dish and eat together through an online video platform or in the cafeteria. Make sure each of the food groups is represented.
4. Start a “walking club” with coworkers and take a stroll during scheduled break times.
PCCE’s Community Nutrition Program contributes to the health of Pima County by providing nutritional and health education to low-income families to help them improve their nutritional well-being. Join one of our classes today!
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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.
Master Gardeners | Smartscape
Master Gardener's Home Garden Tour, April 1, 9 am - 3 pm
Master Gardener's Spring Plant Sale, April 15, 8 am - 11 am
Become a Master Gardener, Registration is Open
Online Gardening Talks: Various dates/times
Demonstration Garden Tours: Wednesay and Saturday Mornings 9 am (until June)
Campus Arboretum: Virtual and other tours of the University campus
Visit the Online Plant Clinic, or visit the PCCE plant clinic, Mondays 11 am - 1 pm, starting February 6 if you have a gardening or plant question
Pima Smartscape:
Smartscape Residential and Rebate Classes
Smartscape Homowners Association Landscape Transformation Program
Smartscape-Trained Professionals Directory
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Pima County Cooperative Extension
Website | 2021 Annual Report
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
Email: pcce@arizona.edu
Our Main Office on Campbell is open M-F 8:30 - 4:30
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