By: Sarah Waddle, University of Minnesota Extension Educator

University of Minnesota Extension’s mission is to make a difference by connecting community needs and University resources to address critical issues in Minnesota. Here in Cook County, our local office serves as a bridge, providing educational workshops, technical assistance, and partnerships that meet the specific needs of our residents. Our work centers primarily on gardening, local food systems, natural resources, and family wellbeing.

What does that mean in action? We host programs, answer individual questions, coordinate volunteers, and collaborate with local community partners on system changes for a healthy, accessible food system. Our impact in 2025 was significant: we reached over 400 local participants through various events, responded to 81 requests for technical assistance, and trained 12 new Master Naturalist volunteers. Additionally, our 15 local Master Gardener volunteers provided 574 hours of service to educate the community on horticulture.

This winter is full of fresh ways to connect and learn! From gardening webinars and mental health training to farmer meet-ups, fruit pruning, and maple sugaring- there’s something for everyone to enjoy. During the week of February 15-20, a statewide webinar series titled Gardening from the Ground Up will air daily from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Each session covers a unique gardening topic and is free to the public. You can find registration information online at z.umn.edu/gardenup.

Extension is partnering with Cook County Public Health to offer local trainings for Changing our Mental and Emotional Trajectory, or COMET. This tool helps neighbors, friends, and colleagues feel more prepared to start vital conversations about mental health before a crisis occurs. Often, we want to support our friends, neighbors, and colleagues in times of need, but may not know how. COMET empowers us to be more prepared to support others’ mental health needs. A public training session will be held on February 24 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Cook County Higher Education. Register at z.umn.edu/COMET-COOK. If you are interested in bringing this training to your specific group or organization in Cook County, contact us at [email protected].

On February 27th, the annual North Shore Farmers Meet Up will be held at Cook County Higher Education. This day-long event offers connection and learning for local farmers of all experience levels. This year features a workshop on identifying and managing pests and diseases, along with discussion forums and a resource fair featuring agencies that support local agriculture. Registration is available at z.umn.edu/farmermeet.

Late winter brings opportunities for fruit tree pruning and maple sugaring. On Friday March 13th, we will host an apple tree pruning workshop from 1-3 pm. Participants will learn the basics of pruning and practice on trees at the Community Orchard. Register at z.umn.edu/pruningworkshop. On March 26th from 1-4 pm, we will offer an introductory workshop on Maple Sugaring. This hands-on session will cover the history of maple sugaring, the process of harvesting sap and making syrup, and best practices for maple sugaring with tree health in mind. Participants will tour a homestead scale sugarbush and learn from local sugarmakers. Sign up at z.umn.edu/mapleworkshop.

Is there a topic you’d like to see Extension cover in future sessions? Please do not hesitate to reach out to the Extension office at 218-387-3015 or via email at [email protected] with your ideas.

County Connections is a column on timely topics and service information from your Cook County government. Cook County – Supporting Community Through Quality Public Service.