Program Impacts
People in Extension
In June, a new position of County Coordinator was filled by Kristen Burr. Kristen will oversee and enhance the broad range of programs offered in Pershing County, Mineral County, and Churchill County. Colby Burke is the community-based instructor who oversees the 4-H Programs offered in Pershing County. Additionally, Andrew Waaswa is a Statewide Extension Agriculture Educator, whose role includes providing progressive agricultural education and diagnostics to address farmers’ needs in Pershing, Mineral, and Churchill Counties (host counties) and across the state. He will develop exciting agriculture education programs based on identified community needs and coordinate Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) with stakeholders, groups, tribes, and other interest groups.
Pesticide Applicator Training
Pershing County farmers/ranchers identified a significant need for more knowledge about how to safely, and economically manage pests. Pershing County Extension developed a comprehensive pest management program that addressed local and statewide audiences.
Inputs/Outputs: This year, the Extension office in Pershing organized, hosted and presented a four-hour pesticide CEU training session, for Pershing County pesticide applicators, with the collaboration of Nevada and National Extension Educators/Specialist. Also, 8 hours of CEU training was offered by statewide training through interactive video.
Farm Ranch Management Education through Traditional Media
This year the Pershing County Extension office published forty-two educational news articles and three featured articles published in the local/regional weekly newspaper, which were distributed throughout Pershing, Humboldt and Lander counties (circulation ~8,500). Eight articles were published in a statewide trade journal, Nevada Rancher Magazine (circulation ~2,000) and two articles were published in the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association Newsletter, Sage Signal (circulation ~2,000).
4-H Youth Development
Pershing County 4-H has a total of 105 members, with clubs now including Arts and Crafts, Baseball, a Horse Club, Photography Club, Shooting Sports, Cooking, Sewing, Livestock Club (Chicken, Goat, Beef, Swin, Sheep, Rabbit) Community Club, Softball, the Show Skiing Club, Self Defense, a Dog Club and Hot Air Balloon Club, Garden Club, Record Book Club. Colby has also started two 4-H Community Clubs (Imlay and Lovelock).
Our 28 volunteers continue to be the foundation of the Pershing County 4-H program. They volunteer numerous hours to better the lives of Pershing County youth. They do this by sharing their knowledge and passion for the various clubs with the youth that they lead. The goal they all share is helping the youth learn about reliability, loyalty, healthy lifestyle, leadership, and community service. Some of the members are in several clubs. These same leaders lead over 19 clubs here in Pershing County with a focus of “Making the Best Better.”
Pershing County 4-H was excited to be at the State 4-H camp at Lake Tahoe during the third week of July 2023. The camp theme was Wild, Wild West. Campers decorated their cabins and participated in skits using the theme. Pershing County was represented by 14 campers, 1 teen camp counselors and 2 adult chaperones. The 4-H campers learned about living with fire, animal health, constructing rockets, teambuilding, where your food comes from, animal byproducts, and archery. Swimming each day in Lake Tahoe is always a favorite activity among all campers.
In October 2023, Pershing County sent 8 youths and 39 exhibits to the Nevada State 4-H Expo held in Churchill County at the Rafter 3C Complex. Pershing youth had a good showing and did very well. We had several Grand or Reserve Champions and mostly blue ribbons. A nice job done by our youth.
SNAP-ED and Healthy Aging
Organwise Guys – Pick a Better Snack
Organwise Guys is a SNAP-ED Nutrition Education program the Pershing County Community Based Instructor, Colby Burke brought to over 52 Lovelock Elementary School third grade students. This program utilized a combination of virtual teaching aids, workbooks and integrated taste tests to teach students about nutrition and healthy living. With support from the newly hired teacher as well as the new Lovelock and Imlay Elementary School Principal and the long-standing Food Service Manager students were able to eat the fruit or vegetable that correlates with the lesson, teaching kids to “Pick a Better Snack”.
Summer Programming was provided to the Lovelock Paiute Tribe teaching 24 youth with eighty-eight educational opportunities. These lessons also included food tastings each lesson and educational handouts on the selected fruit or vegetable with recipes.
Healthy Aging
Two hundred monthly newsletters for Healthy Aging were obtained and delivered to the Pershing County Senior Center as well as the new addition of the Lovelock Paiute Tribe. They were then handed out at the center as well as sent with the homebound senior’s meals. The newsletters were also posted at restaurants, the library, and the post office. Billboard materials were provided to both the Pershing County Senior Center and the Lovelock Paiute Tribe.
Pershing Extension Expenses
State - $48,319
Federal - $18,581
County - $42,984
Grants - $49,305
Gifts - $179
Other - $5,003
Total - $164,372
County Funds Summary
Opening Balance - $194,797
Revenue - $69,014
Expenses - $59,605
Ending Balance - $204,206
