The St. Charles County, Missouri University Extension is offering some great programs this winter.

Developing Effective Farm Leases: Insights for Owners and Tenants - Farm tenants and property owners are encouraged to participate in weekly programs on effective agricultural leasing in Missouri. Ten online and on-demand sessions, Tuesdays from 7:00 to 7:30 p.m., January 10 - March 14. Topics will include Jan 1: Leasing – transfer of property rights; Jan 17: Types and components of leases; Jan 24: Cash lease – basics; Jan 31: Cash lease – calculating the rent; Feb 07: Crop share leases; Feb 14: Flexible leases; Feb 21: Land leasing to energy companies; Feb 28: Livestock lease; Mar 07: Hunting lease; Mar 14: Leasing business impacts. The cost is $100 for all ten weeks. Contact: Ray Massey, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 573-884-7788. To register, visit www.extension.missouri.edu, and click on the events tab.

First Impact - For parents of soon-to-be driving teens, the Extension offers a great program to teach parents about Missouri’s Graduated Driver's License law. First Impact is a program that prepares new drivers for the road ahead and provides parents with the tools to monitor, coach and support their new teen driver. The next First Impact class will be on Wednesday, January 18, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the University Extension Office, 260 Brown Road, St. Peters, MO, 63376. To register and find more information about the program, visit www.medicine.missouri.edu/offices-programs/first-impact or call 573-884-3463.

Selling at the Farmers Market - Producers selling local foods at the farmers market can learn more about pricing foods, sales tax, state regulations, and how to boost their sales through fruit and vegetable incentive programs in this five-part online series in January. “This series will help farmers and other food producers gain knowledge to help them sell their food products at farmers markets,” said Leslie Bertsch, member of the MU Extension Food Systems Network.

Participants will hear from extension faculty, representatives from the Missouri Department of Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, and representatives for MarketLink and the Mid-America Regional Council. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and exchange ideas.

The five sessions are held via Zoom from 12-1 p.m. from January 23 through January 27. Topics covered each day:
January 23 - Learn to price food/products and understand sales tax at farmers markets and the resources available to producers from MU Extension and the Missouri Department of Agriculture.
January 24 - Learn to accept the Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP) and participate in Double Up Food Bucks.
January 25 - Learn the state regulations you need to know to sell meat and eggs at the farmers market.
January 26 - Understand the changes to Missouri’s cottage food regulations and learn the regulations you must follow to sell your cottage foods.
January 27 - Attend a training so that you can accept vouchers from the Missouri Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program and WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program.

The cost is $10 for all the sessions. All sessions except Friday’s session will be recorded and available for a period of time after the event. To accept vouchers for the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program and WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program, you must attend the live training on zoom on Friday, January 27 or another live session organized by the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Register at www.extension.missouri.edu and search Selling at the Farmers Market. For questions, contact Leslie Bertsch at 314-400-7397.

The Selling at the Farmers Market Series is presented by the MU Extension Food Systems Network and sponsored in part by the Missouri Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (SARE.)

The Garden Hour with the MU Extension - The third Wednesday of each month, from noon to 1 p.m. on Zoom or YouTube Livestream at www.youtube.com/user/MUIPM. This FREE program allows MU Extension Horticulture Specialists from across the state to answer your gardening questions. Topics include vegetables and flowers, lawns, fruits, ornamentals, houseplants, trees and landscapes. To register, for more information or questions, visit www.ipm.missouri.edu/townhalls. Once registered, you will get a weekly reminder email from the MU Extension Horticulture.

2023 Home Gardening Webinar Series - The Home Gardening Webinar Series will assist beginning home gardeners in growing a vegetable garden successfully. Learn all the basics from planning the garden, seed starting to diseases and insects. All sessions are from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., beginning Feb 2 - Session 1: Planning the garden; Feb 9 - Session 2: Cool season crops; Feb 16 - Session 3: Warm season crops; Feb 23 - Session 4: Soils; Mar 1 - Session 5: Diseases in your garden; Mar 8 - Session 6: Insects in your garden; Mar 15 - Session 7: Weeds in your garden. Registrants will receive an email the day before each session with the Zoom link. The cost is $50. Contact Debi Kelly, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 636-797-539. To register, visit www.extension.missouri.edu and click on the events tab.

For more information about the St. Charles County MU Extension, visit www.extension.missouri.edu.