People In Extension

Heather Nield joined the team as county coordinator for Lander and Humboldt counties on June 24, 2024. She is from Battle Mountain, where she taught high school agriculture classes. In that position, she started and developed the Battle Mountain FFA chapter and built and utilized a greenhouse to help students grow bedding and vegetable plants and hanging baskets to sell to the community.

Her primary role as Extension County Coordinator is to work with community members to identify community-based educational needs and bring in programming that meets those needs in the areas of agriculture, children, youth and families, horticulture, community development, natural resources, and health and nutrition. Another role of the position is to supervise the Lander and Humboldt County Extension offices and staff to ensure programming meets community needs.  

“Working in extension provides me an opportunity to continue providing resources to community members. It is my hope that, by working in Extension, I can provide resources within the Lander and Humboldt communities for all ages and backgrounds and create positive community relationships through Extension services.”    She looks forward to reaching a broader audience and introducing valuable programs tailored to the unique needs of each community.

Nield holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture education from Utah State University in Logan, Utah, and a master’s degree in agriculture education from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Program Impacts 

Partnerships  

Partnerships have provided Extension with opportunities to impact the community in matters of public health and safety, substance abuse education, weed abatement, wildlife enhancement projects, public recreation events and activities and more.

High School Duck Pond Renovation Project

Extension has partnered with many agencies throughout Lander County. Lander County Extension played a pivotal role in Lander County School District receiving a NORI Grant in the amount of $75,000 to improve the High School Duck Pond. This renovation will significantly benefit youth, elderly, and disabled persons in the county and the first phase of the project has been completed. Extension participated with the local Conservation District, Bureau of Land Management, Recreation District, Battle Mountain General Hospital, Nevada Department of Wildlife, and Lander County School District to help make the duck pond renovation a reality.  Part of the renovation process included 2 clean up days, a day for fish relocation, and a second day for fish stocking of the pond. There were approximately 20 individuals at the fish relocation and restocking pond events and 15 community members at the community clean up days. With this renovation, it is hoped that 4-H activities can be hosted at the High School Duck Pond and help members learn more about the ecosystem and the health benefits of the pond.

4-H Youth Development

Shooting Sports: 3

Shooting sport club members learned and demonstrated safety and skills learned in archery, air pistol, shotgun and muzzleloader. Club members spend time at the shooting range and participate in club competitions.

Clover bud: 7

Clover bud participants were able to participate in a variety of activities. Some clover buds participated in the art day where they learned how to weave a paper fish and paint with sponges. Others participated with small animals and were able to participate in the Tri County Fair to show their animals.

Small Animal: 8

The Small Animal Club consists of rabbits, chickens, and cavy animals. Members culminated the year with an exhibition at the Tri County Fair. The club also participated in Lander County’s Fall Festival by hosting a petting zoo for the community. Community members were able to feed and pet chickens, rabbits, goats, pigs, and baby calf.

Large Animal: 2

The large animal club consisted of members learning and showing market lambs and steers. Animals were shown at the Nevada Junior Livestock Show in Reno, NV in May and at the Tri County Junior Livestock Show in Winnemucca during Labor Day weekend.

Theatre: 7

The theatre club learned and practiced the power of non-verbal communication, improve, and stage design. They also practiced lighting and videoing skills. The club produces simple plays for their families.

Art: 4

Art club members unleashed their inner creativity by learning to weave and color combinations. In addition, they were able to dabble with paint and the influence of color mixing.

Photography: 10

The photography club members learned and practiced basics of photography including black and white photography and taking selfies! They also learned about equipment, lighting, photo composition and practiced these techniques by taking pictures around town.

4-H Overnight Camp: 6

Lander 4-H members attended the Northern Area Central 4-H camp in Lake Tahoe, NV in June. Attendees participated in hands-on, experiential learning activities that offered adventure, friendship, and fun. These activities helped make him or her a better person by developing self-awareness and character-building skills, working with others, problem solving and decision-making skills. This camp included kids from the Central Area, which includes Churchill, Elko, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing and White Pine counties.

Summer Youth Challenge:

This year Lander County worked hard to encourage activity throughout the summer in hopes kids would get out and enjoy some of the local points of interest and exercise. It was the third year of the 4-H Summer Challenge. The Summer Challenge is a series of activities kids check-off as they complete them. The challenge sheets were available for pick up from the 4-H office, the library, and the rec center. There were 10 completed challenges submitted and two winners were randomly chosen to win gift baskets with 4-H and summer swag.  

Outreach & Education

Living With Fire

Lander County Extension was also instrumental in connecting Battle Mountain FFA to the Living With Fire Program. As a result, Battle Mountain FFA students were able to compete in and win a Living With Fire Youth Wildfire Preparedness Challenge. This initiative helped inspire young people to take action and prepare for wildfire.  The challenge was a great opportunity for youth to develop skills, gain knowledge, and become wildfire preparedness advocates in their neighborhoods. As part of the challenge, FFA members identified defensible space needs on the TS Ranch where they cleared dead vegetation and installed a water line to better protect the areas from wildfires. “It was amazing to see the difference and progress we made…we provided a safer living environment that will help prevent fires,” said FFA member Ella. The program winners received a cash prize sponsored by NVEnergy Foundation that they will use to help in their FFA chapter.

Beginning Farmer & Rancher Program 

The Beginning Farmer & Rancher Program (BFR) can help and offers additional assistance to beginning farmers and ranchers. USDA considers anyone who has operated a farm or ranch for less than ten years to be a beginning farmer or rancher. The program helps individuals get started or grow their operation through a variety of programs and services, from farm loans to crop insurance, and conservation programs to disaster assistance. The BFR program provides a support network, marketing strategy development, implementation of sustainable agricultural management practices, and entrepreneurial, business, and financial management skills. The aim of the program is to help new farmers and ranchers the tools to own, operate, and sustain their agricultural operation. Lander county had 2 individuals complete the BFR program within the 2023-24 year.

Radon Program

Radon test kits are available to the public and are located at the Extension Office. It is important to note that program staff wasn’t in the area during the reporting period. Although there was limited staff, Lander County was able to have two tests completed. With new staff hired, it is anticipated that the number of tests handed out and completed should increase.

Nevada Economic Assessment Project

The Nevada Economic Assessment Project (NEAP) is a statewide program with the mission to develop and maintain an extensive data archive with timely, meaningful, and consistent characteristics and a set of analytical tools used to provide Nevada’s communities with research and analysis of emerging issues through outreach and engagement. NEAP Webpage: https://extension.unr.edu/neap/default.aspx NEAP Contact: EconDev@unr.edu

Rural Housing Baseline Assessments

Housing affordability and availability is an ongoing issue in Nevada. Housing data is often scattered across many sources with varying reliability and consistency, making it challenging to navigate. NEAP and Nevada Rural Housing have worked together since late 2022 with the goal of gathering and analyzing data to present the current housing situation in the counties and communities across the state. These tools are intended to inform decision-making by local leaders and private partners interested in contributing to rural Nevada's housing solutions. Baseline data collection and initial analysis were performed for Lander County. Reports and fact sheets will be available in FY25 around December 2024.

Foundational Public Health Services

NEAP and NACO conducted a survey of public health infrastructure across Nevada's rural and frontier counties.  A national Foundational Public Health Services (FPHS) framework describes the baseline level of services that should be offered through all governmental health departments. The results of the survey will help guide future public health advocacy and investment, including the development of regional public health services. The survey asks participants to provide expertise, capacity, and implementation ratings for each of the Foundational Areas and Capabilities, and also provide free responses on services/programs they know about in each Area and Capability at the county, state, and community partner level. Surveying for Lander County was conducted. The in-person community review and verification workshop was conducted March 13, 2024. The statewide report will be available in FY25 around October 2024. County fact sheets will be available in FY25 around the end of 2024.

Fiscal Summary

FY 24 Lander County Expenses

State: $23,373

Federal: $1,304

County: $63,449

Gifts: $664

Other: $17,287

Total: $185,373

FY 24 Lander Funds Summary

Opening Balance: $475,867

Revenue: $94,767

Expenses: $101,858

Ending Balance: $486,776