ISU Extension and Outreach - Delaware County

10/14/2026

🍂🍁 Fall in Iowa = leaf season! 🍁🍂

Before you break out the rake, here's some good news... you don't have to bag every leaf! 🙌

✅ Leave leaves in garden beds to help insulate plants, improve soil, and support pollinators.
✅ Mulch leaves into your lawn with a mower when possible.
✅ Remove leaves that are smothering grass or debris from diseased plants.

Sometimes the best fall cleanup is doing a little less!

🌿🐝🍂 Learn more from Aaron Steil and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: extension.iastate.edu/news/managing-fall-leaves-home-landscape

🍂🌳🍁

AMES, Iowa – Gardeners don’t need to rake every leaf this fall. A more selective approach is often better for plants, wildlife, soil health and next spring’s growth, according to Aaron Steil, consumer horticulture extension specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach."One of t...

10/13/2026

🍽️ ServSafe® Certified Food Protection Manager Course – November 10

Delaware County is offering the ServSafe® Certified Food Protection Manager Course on November 10 in Manchester.

This nationally recognized certification program helps food service managers build their knowledge and skills to support safe food handling practices and protect the people they serve.

📅 November 10, 2026
📍 Delaware Extension County Office, Manchester
💲 $175, including the manual, 8 hours of class time, and the national certification exam. *** discounted rate of $125 for Iowa Restaurant Association members.

📝 Registration deadline: October 20!

Register online at: extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/servsafe

Questions? Contact our office at 563-927-4201.

10/13/2026

🚨 When disaster strikes, strong community connections matter.

This summer, we were proud to participate in the pilot Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) training, helping strengthen local relationships and disaster preparedness in Delaware County.

A special thank you to the Delaware County Disaster Coalition and Delaware County Emergency Management for their leadership and coordination of this effort. 💚

📖 Read the full story:

Image When disaster strikes, it takes a network of connections for a community to chart a path toward recovery.

10/12/2026

🚨 Don't Miss Parasite Patrol on October 15! 🚨

Are parasites impacting the health and productivity of your sheep or goats?

Join Iowa State University Extension and Outreach - Delaware County for Parasite Patrol, a hands-on workshop designed to help producers make informed parasite management decisions.

Learn practical, research-based strategies for:
🐑 FAMACHA scoring
🐐 Parasite monitoring and management
💊 Strategic deworming practices
✅ Reducing parasite resistance
📈 Improving flock and herd performance

Whether you're a new producer or have years of experience, you'll leave with tools you can put to use right away.

📅 October 15
📍 Dyersville, IA
🔗 Register today: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/delaware/event-details/a0OUO00000dheVD2AY/Parasite%20Patrol

Don't miss this opportunity to learn from Extension specialists and connect with fellow sheep and goat producers. We look forward to seeing you there!

10/08/2026

🍂 7 weeks.
🌳 21 participants.
🥾 Miles of woodland trails explored.
📚 Loads of learning along the way!

The Master Woodland Stewardship Program wrapped up this fall, but the impact is only beginning to grow. 🌱

A huge thank you to our hosts, presenters, and partners who shared their expertise, properties, and passion along the way. This program wouldn't be possible without you!

🌲 Iowa Department of Natural Resources
🌳 Iowa Woodland Owners
🍃 Clayton County Conservation
🌿 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
🦅 Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
🏞️ Backbone State Park
🌲 Osborne Nature Center-Clayton County Conservation

👏 Special shout-out to our Extension Forestry Field Specialist-Emma Kerns and Iowa Department of Natural Resources Foresters-Alex Hoffman and Dave Asche, who joined participants all seven weeks and shared their expertise throughout the entire program.

👏 Thank you also to our presenters, hosts, and landowners, including Steve Meyer, Patrick Nachtman, Tom Brown, John Pearson, Trent Stuchel, Bruce Blair, Brian Sauer, Brian Fankhauser, Jim & Jody Kerns, and Jim & Connie White.

📸 Check out the photos from the program!

📰 Read the full story at https://www.extension.iastate.edu/delaware/twenty-one-complete-master-woodland-stewardship-program-clayton-and-delaware-counties

Clayton County 4-H & ISU Extension and Outreach

10/08/2026

Looking for a fun way for your child to learn valuable babysitting skills?

Whether they're already babysitting younger siblings or are hoping to start babysitting in the future, our Babysitting Basics Day Camp is a great way to build confidence, learn important safety skills, and get hands-on experience caring for children!

Delaware County Extension and Outreach is hosting this one-day camp for youth currently in 3rd-6th grade, packed with practical skills, activities, and learning they can use both now and in the future.

Youth will learn about:
-Hands on childcare tasks
-Household routines
-Decision-making under pressure
-Basic first aid and CPR
-Effective communication
-And some much more!

We hope to see you on November 25th!
Ready to sign up? Click the link below to register!!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScveD_Dk1AaZ007SlECoryyCggFJ3MFujmGUz0X_vFwYpBBmQ/viewform?usp=header

10/06/2026

Over 225 7th graders from Edgewood-Colesburg, Maquoketa Valley, and West Delaware schools came together at the Delaware County Fairgrounds for Progressive Agriculture Safety Day!

Students rotated through six safety stations, learning from incredible local partners:
🚜 PTO & Grain Safety – Lon Warnecke, River Valley Cooperative
🛠️ Lawn & Yard Equipment Safety – JJ Davis, City of Manchester, Iowa
⚡ Electrical Safety – Christie Remley & Jeff White, Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative
🚔 Roadway Safety – Trooper Boyd Eser, Iowa State Patrol
🚒 Fire Safety – Delaware County Firefighters Association Delaware County Iowa Emergency Management
💉 Stop the Bleed--Basic First Aid- Mary Ries & Krystle DeShaw, Delaware County Public Health, Regional Medical Center Manchester

🚁 And we got a special visit and inside look at University of Iowa AirCare Team out of Waterloo!

Shout out to Delaware County Economic Development, Manchester Iowa for providing lunch for our presenters and adult volunteers!

And the Delaware County Fair for hosting this event!

A huge THANK YOU to all the volunteers, presenters, sponsors, and community partners who made this event possible.

💛 ISU Extension and Outreach Delaware County is proud to help provide education, training, and resources to keep our kids and communities safe!

10/06/2026

🐑🐐 Sheep and Goat Producers: Are Internal Parasites Impacting Your Herd?

Internal parasites can reduce animal performance, impact health, and even cause death. With many traditional dewormers becoming less effective, it's more important than ever to use monitoring tools and science-based management strategies.

Join us for Parasite Patrol, a hands-on workshop where you'll learn: ✅ Integrated parasite management strategies
✅ How to perform f***l egg counts
✅ Practical monitoring techniques for your flock or herd

📅 October 15, 2026
⏰ 1:00 - 4:30 p.m.
📍 FarmTek, Dyersville

Learn more and register: https://go.wisc.edu/PP2627

Questions? Contact Jade Schneider at 563-927-4201 or [email protected].

Parasite Patrol is a workshop designed to give sheep and goat producers a deeper understanding of what is happening inside their animals and how to respond effectively.

10/06/2026

Head over to the Delaware County Iowa 4-H page and VOTE for your favorite hay bale!!

We love having this friendly club competition each year and decorating the county to show our 4-H week spirit!! 🍀🍀🍀