Extension work contributes to farmers market success
Picture a day in the life of the Alexandria Farmers Market at Big Ole Central Park on the banks of Lake Agnes and Lake Henry:
Robin Trott, Extension horticulture educator in Douglas County, is on her way from doing a radio show.
Master Gardener volunteer Pauline Trandahl answers questions about Japanese beetles and recent challenges with lilacs.
The cheesemakers from Redhead Creamery, who were inspired to make cheese during their days in Minnesota 4-H, have Garlic Cheddar, Henry’s Havarti and fiery Red Temper cheeses for sale at a table along with their cheese curds.
Many other vendors tempt customers with sauces, pickles and chutneys, all made safer thanks to their participation in Extension food safety courses for cottage foods producers.
Ron Branch of Berry Ridge Farms, who recently participated in Trott’s Flower Farming Series, sold out of flowers. But because he’s also a Master Gardener volunteer, he wanders over to help Trandahl during the busy times at the market.
Highlights
- Aquatic Invasive Species Detector volunteers spot-checked 25 access points on 19 Douglas County lakes during Starry Trek events in 2025, identifying a new banded mystery snail in one lake.
- Master Gardeners in Douglas County offered a low-cost Beyond the Backdoor educational event about homegrown produce. This program explores key topics, including season extension, seed starting, composting and succession planting.
- Extension’s agricultural business management team delivered farmland rent workshops in Alexandria.
- The entire suite of Onsite Sewage Treatment Programs has been offered in Alexandria. Maintaining Onsite Septic Systems Workshops, for example, provided an overview of system management and the federal regulations for land application of septage, and prepared attendees for the MPCA Maintainer exam.
- U of M Farm Family of the Year: Krohnfeldt Family Farms
- The Moe 4-H Club, as part of the 4-H Food Partner Challenge, made birthdays happier for those who couldn’t afford a celebration, delivering cake kits to their local food shelf and United Way.
- The Climate Adaptation Partnership is making available new resources on future groundwater and soil moisture conditions for Douglas County, allowing communities to address issues like irrigation needs and drinking water availability based on long-term precipitation changes.
Douglas County office
Extension has 14 regional offices supporting all 87 counties in Minnesota.
Douglas County partners with Extension to deliver practical education and research you can use at home, at work and in your community. More about Extension in our county.
About the Minnesota 87 project
Spend time in any Minnesota county, and you will almost certainly encounter University of Minnesota Extension. Our faculty and staff, volunteers, participants, alumni and partners are woven into the fabric of rural, urban and suburban Minnesota life. This project showcases Extension in action through photos, stories and a sampling of the many ways Extension has touched the lives of people in every county.