Cheshire County UNH Cooperative Extension

⭐ Let’s Build the Community We Want: Starting at 4-H Day of Service: Register by May 22nd!⭐

Communities don’t improve by accident — they improve because people like you get involved.

Friday is your last chance to join the NH 4‑H Day of Service and help create the kind of New Hampshire we all want to live in: caring, connected, and full of possibility.

Take action. Make change. One step at a time.

Mark your calendars, spread the word, and get ready for a day of service, community, and FUN.
https://extension.unh.edu/event/2026/06/4-h-day-service-walk-68-miles-end-68-hours-hunger

It's Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Awareness Week (May 17 - 23rd)! We encourage you to learn about signs and symptoms of EAB, how to prevent the spread, and what you can do to help.

5 Resources for Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week 2026 Keep an eye out for EAB, from May 17—23 and beyond.

Thinking about No-Mow May? Here’s what you should know.

Letting the lawn grow in May can offer short-term support for bees and other pollinators, but the bigger benefit comes from how we manage our landscapes all season long. 🐝🦋

A few simple ways to create better habitat beyond May:

Mow less often: Consider mowing every other week.

Leave a small section of your yard unmown all season.

Eliminate chemicals.

Reduce the lights: Outdoor lights impact bird migration and prevent fireflies from seeing each other’s flashes.

Clean up less: Fewer clean-ups provide food and shelter for all kinds of creatures.

Good stewardship provides much-needed habitat for pollinators, insects, birds, amphibians and other animals, while rewarding us with more biodiversity in our own yards.

Read full article at the link in comments.

April 30 (Thursday) Explore Vernal Pools and Caterpillars! 🐛🔬🐸
10:00am - 1:00pm
Distant Hill Nature Trails
66 March Hill Road
Alstead, NH
Discover larvae of many types and environments with experts from the Caterpillar Lab and 4-H Natural Science program! Exploring "nature's best-kept secret" at Distant Hill Nature Trail in Walpole, get ready to touch slimy and hairy things and see nature coming back to life — up close and personal — after a long winter. Register:

Explore Vernal Pools and Caterpillars! Come explore vernal pools and caterpillars at Distant Hills Nature Trail.

The (603) Challenge Last Day!
TODAY, every donor who makes an online gift will get an equal portion of $40,000 added to their gift — regardless of gift size, if they have not already made a gift during this year’s challenge!
Thank you to all those who have already donated!!
https://give.unh.edu/schools/UniversityofNewHampshire/the-603-challenge-2026/pages/unh-extension

🦋 Ever wonder how the butterflies you see in New Hampshire compare to those in other places?

Join us for "Across Regions & Seasons: Comparing the Butterflies of New Hampshire and Texas” on April 22 (4:00–5:15 PM, online)!

Discover how species overlap across regions, which ones look alike (but aren’t!), and how geography shapes the butterflies we see throughout the year. With over 750 butterfly species in the U.S., you might be surprised how connected our local sightings are to places far beyond New England.

Whether you're a seasoned butterfly enthusiast or just curious, this engaging webinar is for you — no experience needed.

👉 Register here: https://www.nhbutterflies.org/event/2026/04/across-regions-seasons-comparing-butterflies-new-hampshire-texas

The first 2,000 donors who make a gift with the numbers 6, 0, 3 in any order (and who have not already given during The (603) Challenge) will have $20 added to their gift. This means, a gift of $3.06 or $603 all earn the same bonus!

If we reach 450 donors, Branch Hill Farm and an anonymous donor will give Extension $20,000! https://give.unh.edu/.../the-603.../pages/unh-extension

If the 4-H Foundation of NH gift fund receives 100 donors in the next 2 days, Ed McAllister (our former assistant director) will give an additional $2,500! https://give.unh.edu/schools/UniversityofNewHampshire/the-603-challenge-2026/pages/4-h-foundation-of-new-hampshire

We appreciate your support!

Learn how nature can be used as a tool to help alleviate some of the mental and physical symptoms associated with changing seasons.

Finding Light in Darker Days: How Nature Supports Winter Well-Being Winter’s shorter daylight hours can negatively affect mental health, with many experiencing fatigue, mood changes, and in some cases, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a more severe depressive condition. Reduced sunlight impacts serotonin levels and disrupts circadian rhythms, but spending time o...