As the largest county, by area, in the State of Nevada, Nye County is vast, diverse and unique.  To best reflect the work of Northern and Southern Nye Extension offices, this annual report is divided into two sections:  Program Impacts of Northern Nye County and Program Impacts of Southern Nye County.

Program Impacts of Southern Nye County 

Personal & Family Development:  4-H Community Groups 

Helping just one child stay healthy and be successful in school can save well over $20,000 in estimated educational, medical and incarceration costs.  We continue offering quality programs with new, innovative delivery methods.

• 119 youth participated in 4-H educational programming
• 706 group enrollments
• 119 member enrollment in clubs facilitated by 14 volunteer leaders 

Highlighted Clubs

Bullseye Shooting Sports meet regularly to teach youth safe handling and operation of firearms including

• archery
• muzzleloader
• .22 rifle

Cloverbuds youngest group of 4-H’ers participate in a wide variety of topics from Mindfulness to STEAM. Members from other active clubs often share activity with Cloverbuds.

Community Club

• run their own business meetings and offer support for all other 4-H clubs, whilst demonstrating preferred good leadership skills
• donated school supplies for 600 students 
• help local worthy causes during December holiday season
• participate in Paper Clover Drive fundraiser at Tractor Supply

Dog Den with members 9-19 years old: 

• work with their dogs to be skilled on and off leash in areas such as obedience, agility, rally commands, showmanship and everyday situations
• many members earned their first certificate in K-9 good citizenship and are working on achieving their second

FIRST LEGO League Explore program for 6-10 years old

• club enjoyed the First Energize challenge this year with idea builds and coding
• focus on fundamentals of engineering and design, creating unique solutions
• showcased their project at FLL Explore Spring Festival at Thomas & Mack in Las Vegas

FIRST Tech Challenge Awkward Silence is a competitive Robotics Team with members aged 15-19. 

• Achievements in this season of Powerplay include

• • 1st place in Southern Nevada regular MeetPlays, top score in State for January
  • 2nd place in Southern Nevada League Championship, Connect Award
  • 2nd place in Southern Nevada League Championship, Inspire Award
  • 4th place in State Championship and Innovate Award

• MeetPlay hosted at Rosemary Clarke Middle School with other Southern area FTC teams provided opportunity for local outreach and engagement
• Open House held for recruitment purposes
• Annual Gala fundraiser, with debut of Powerplay game play
•  Team participated in field trips to Valley Electric Association to learn about solar and energy
• Robotics display at Pahrump Fall 2022 Festival generated interest and enthusiasm with visitors.
•  Newly created space in Bay 3 Annex offers permanent installation for equipment

Kids in the Garden tend their garden on site with guidance from club leader as they learn about growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Garden related crafts are also enjoyed indoors.

Livestock

• teaches safe and healthy care and upkeep of livestock with hands-on learning on variety of animals including goats, dairy cow, swine, turkeys, ducks, pigeons, doves and rabbits
• built their own obstacle course on site to utilize during goat showmanship practice
• displayed goats and rabbits for community engagement at Pahrump Fall Festival 2022
•  horse club very popular with hands-on learning, with meetings often held at Rodeo grounds, horse ownership not necessary to attend

Paper Clover at Tractor Supply members create posters which are displayed in-store as fundraiser.

Reptile and Bug Club

•  relationship formed with Ash Meadows to observe native habitat of indigenous species and invited to contribute data collected on bugs and reptiles observed locally

Word Play Café Creative Writing

• Club’s Story Walk in the Extension Demonstration Garden continues to be enjoyed by visitors
• Open day held to showcase extraordinary talents of club members

Pahrump Office

• office is open for walk-in services Monday through Friday, 9am – 2pm.
• small conference room seating up to 20 is available for eligible agencies to use
• other Extension Programs available to Nye County residents, hosted by Pahrump office included: 
  • • Cattlemen’s Update (12 via Zoom)
    • Radon Education (35) attended in person presentation
    • Radon Education (50) free radon test kits distributed
    • Dept. of Agriculture Food Safety Basics (9)

Horticulture

The Extension Horticulture program is very important to the residents of Southern Nye County, that have come to rely on the education and expertise provided by their local help desk. 

Trained Master Gardener staff and volunteers distribute research-based Extension Publications to advise homeowners on best gardening practices for the unique Mojave Desert climate in Pahrump.

• 18 Pahrump Master Gardeners volunteered 3695 hours which reflects a financial contribution to the community, valued at $110,665.25 for FY22-23 ($29.95 volunteer hourly rate per Independent Sector) 
• Pahrump Farmers’ Market is hosted and managed by Pahrump Master Gardeners.  
  • Offered year round, with 1405 vendor booths participating
  • Attended by estimate 21,000 local residents and visitors

Produce Vendors required to hold Nevada Producers’ certificates. Cottage Food vendors required to register with the NV Dept. of Health to follow safe recommended preparation, handling, packaging and labeling practices. Market is held in parking lot of Tractor Supply, 900 E. NV Hwy 372, Pahrump and features produce, eggs, honey, cottage foods, hand-made soaps and crafts, ensuring access to fresh local food for area residents and visitors.

• Pahrump Master Gardeners hosted and judged the Food & Horticulture Exhibits room at Pahrump Fall 2022 Festival, volunteering 155 hours over 7 days, whilst facilitating intake and judging of 129 Food/Horticulture entries. 1196 public visitors thru the Exhibit room were welcomed. 176 free gardening publications were given to support questions received. Contact made from 45 residents who expressed interest in Master Gardener Training classes.
•  Horticulture Education is the foundation of the Master Gardener program. Gardening workshops with total 292 in person attendees include:  

• • Master Gardener Training (new style statewide Home Horticulture Level 1 and 2, with total 3 students, resulting in 1 certified and 2 active interns
  • Beekeeping (31)
  • Demonstration Day in the Garden (90)
  • Seasonal Tree Care at Celebration of Lights (100)
  • Pruning Fruit Trees and Palms with ML (34)
  • Tree Chat with ML (12)
  • Pomegranates (8)
  • Pine Tree Recycling - 92 trees chipped created mulch for Demonstration Garden

Horticulture Education Zoom classes attracted total 263 Nye County attendees:

• IPM Series (53), Soil Series (70), Grow Your Own, Nevada! (80), Growing in Small Spaces (5), Gardening Under the Stars (55)
• Community Events with Pahrump Master Gardener in person participation include

• • Adopt-A-Highway
  • Earth Day
  • Pahrump Fall Festival 2022
  • Rotary Spooky Eye Trunk or Treat
  • Wild West Extravaganza

Program Impacts of Northern Nye County

Extension efforts and impacts address the community identified four critical needs, with primary efforts on Community & Economic Development and Personal & Family Development program areas, and Agriculture.  

Personal & Family Development:  4-H Community Groups

All children face risks as they grow and develop, and most children can benefit greatly from positive interactions with caring adults. Children who have strong interpersonal skills and support are less likely to participate in risky behaviors.

• 2,400+ Contacts with Youth:  Our professional staff created and delivered 4-H youth programming, in the form of group and club meetings, community events, special interest activities, and day camps.  Below are details regarding the programs Extension delivered to the Round Mountain and Tonopah communities:

• • Cloverbuds:  for our youngest youth ages 5-8 years old.  This 4-H program inspires curiosity in our young learners, encouraging exploration, creativity and cultivating a spirit of community service.
  • Keeping Fit & Healthy:  helping youth understand the importance of eating healthy and being active. Placing the youth on the right path to healthy habits.
  • Visual Arts:   offers creative outlets for youth to express their feelings and emotions through many mediums.  Youth get hands on opportunities to create and display their works.
  • Vet & Horse Science:  for older youth interested in a rigorous science-based program that teaches animal anatomy, dissection, prevention and care of sick or injured domestic animals and medication administration.

• • College Days and FAFSA Nights:  energizing days and FAFSA evening workshops
  • Post-Secondary Planning Workshops:  inspire possibilities and future planning
  • Career Day Fair:  large event exposing students to diverse professions and pathways
  • Babysitting Training:  providing knowledge and skills for child care

• • Geology Day Camps:  providing first hand principles of geology
  • Festival of Trees:  winter wonderland of beautifully decorated trees
  • Arbor Day:  celebrating the importance of trees in our lives
  • Family Bingo: bringing family and community together for fun

Community & Economic Development

Community development is the foundation for all economic development.  The residents in and around Tonopah, through conversations with 125 individuals, including 50 agencies and organization, collectively identified three critical needs:

1. No Hospital/Lack of medical services
2. Lack of housing
3. No licensed child care (in-home or center-based)

Meeting these needs is crucial to the stabilization and future growth of the community.  The median ages in Nye County (51.7y) and Esmeralda County (51.5y) are significantly higher than the state median age of 36.9 years.  Northern Nye County has been experiencing a reduction of families and working age people.  Creating an action plan to address critical community identified needs, simultaneously serve as both 1) prevention strategy for community trends, societal issues and at-risk behaviors and 2) talent-retention strategy to support recruitment and retention of critical professionals (medical providers, teachers, scientists) and families.

Where appropriate, Extension efforts support the community in addressing these critical needs.

• Game Night! Series:  a 6-part community engagement series, in partnership with local businesses and agencies, bringing people together through fun and games
• Rural Partners Network Member:  in partnership with the USDA and Nye County to develop funding proposals for projects addressing local medical and child care needs
• Northern Nye Housing Development Summit:  partnership with Southwest Central Regional Economic Development Authority and UNR College of Business, where participants co-created a 5-year plan to address local housing needs
• Child Development Center Funding Proposal:  in partnership with Nye County and Town of Tonopah, Extension provided technical assistance in creating a $1,000,000 funding proposal, that was awarded and funded through Congressional appropriations
• Child Development Champion:  provides local and state recommendations, while advocating for funding and assistance in “child care deserts”
• Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows:  provided leadership and outreach to bring before and after school care to Tonopah, the first and only program for local school age children
• Capacity Building:  Child Development Associate, Babysitting Certification

Agriculture

Every year the country, and state, experience a loss of farmers and ranchers.  Alarmingly, more producers are leaving the agricultural industry than there are entering it.  With agriculture identified as a national security issue, it is growing increasingly important to support and expand the industry to meet future demand.

• Western AgrAbility Conference:  coordinated and directed farm tours for this regional agricultural conference to provide education and support to our area producers about accessibility within the ag industry, including mental health and adaptive technology
• Agrivoltaics:  the numerous utility scale solar project permit applications have alarmed citizens and concerned the county.  Shared land use strategies, such as agrivoltaics, provide potential benefits that may be of interest to the public, counties and state.  Agrivoltaics could be leveraged to increase new agricultural production and retain existing producers at the county and state level