Seeds come in all different shapes and sizes. Think of a strawberry which is covered with lots of little tiny seeds. Now think of an avocado which has one big seed in the middle. Despite the difference in size each of these seeds has the same basic parts. cotyledon: the seed leaf; the first Read More…
Get Growing! Gardening with Kids
Spring is a great time to get outside and start a vegetable garden! The next few weeks we’ll be exploring different activities that kids can do to get excited about growing things! It is never too early for a child to be out in the garden! From the youngest age, you can involve them in Read More…
It’s Nesting Season!
Spring is a busy time for birds as they build nests, lay eggs, and care for their young. Here is a great way to get outside and help with some important research. NestWatch is a nationwide citizen science project that is designed to track status and trends in the reproductive biology of birds. It is Read More…
Look Up!
The Trees are in Bloom! When you think about trees, flowers aren’t usually the first thing that come to mind. But right now, ash, maple, and a plethora of other trees, are in full bloom. Their tiny flowers often go unnoticed, but if go outside and look up you will notice that many trees are Read More…
Every Kid Outdoors!
Tomorrow is the first day of spring! Take advantage of the warmer weather and get outside! As you start to make your summer plans, there are so many outside activities to take advantage of here in the Hudson Valley and throughout New York State. One thing to consider is visiting a National Park. Although there Read More…
It’s Agriculture Literacy Week!
There are over 50,000 farmers in New York State. They run over 30,000 farms on over six million acres of land. They produce vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs, milk and so much more. Here in Orange County there are about 1,000 farmers running 600 farms on over 80,000 acres of land. Not from Orange County, check Read More…
What’s not to lichen?
When you are outside this week, looking up, down, and all around, see if you can find some lichen. Lichen can be found growing on anything from trees to fences to rotting logs. There are over 13,000 species of lichen in the world and they come in a wide-range of colors and have very varied Read More…
Look for Signs of Spring!
The nights are still chilly, but the days are getting warmer. The snow is melting. By the end of the month the days will be longer than the nights, some trees will have started to leaf out. There will even be some flowers in bloom. The coming of spring follows a similar pattern each year. Read More…
Bring Spring to You!
It might not seem like it, but spring is on the way! The days are getting longer, the snow is beginning to melt, and the maple sap has started to flow. But maybe you are getting impatient, so why not bring spring to you? So how does one bring about spring? Well, one way is Read More…
Celebrate Black History Month!
In celebration of Black History Month, in addition to our weekly prompts to Get Outside, every Wednesday in February, we will be exploring the history of 4-H and Black History. 4-H and Black History For over 100 years 4-H has served black youth in the United States. This February, the National 4-H Council is celebrating Read More…