May 2007 Archives

When they leave Iraq to return home in July, 2, 600 Minnesota men and women will have taken part in the longest brigade-level deployment in the history of the National Guard.

Their prolonged absence has already taken a toll on their families. During this 22-month deployment and beyond, Minnesota 4-H, through its partnership with Operation Military Kids, is helping to deliver recreation and social and educational programming to the children of military personnel across the state.

Thanks in part to the University of Minnesota, you can now add "wine trail" to your list of Minnesota trails to explore. Simply follow the Three Rivers Wine Trail to enjoy locally-produced wines, tour wineries and view riverside scenery. Minnesota's first wine trail involves six wineries in the St. Croix, Mississippi and Cannon river valleys.

Look around Minnesota and you see signs of a continuing shift to renewable energy production. Already, 895 wind turbines, 16 ethanol plants and three biodiesel plants are popping out of the landscape. That's only the start. University of Minnesota scientists are discovering the science that will drive the next generation of renewable energy.

More than four decades ago, Hubert Humphrey declared, "I believe that each of us can make a difference. That what is wrong can be made right. That people possess the basic wisdom and goodness to govern themselves without conflict." Those words continue to ring true today as people from all walks of life work together to tackle complex issues such as globalization, access to technology and changing demographics. As issues hit close to home, Extension's U-Lead participants are stepping up to make a difference.

For a century, Extension has connected university research with rural Minnesota. Today, Extension programs also thrive in urban settings like the Twin Cities metro, home to 60 percent of the state's population.

While it's hard to think about winter as temperatures soar, summer is the perfect time to do projects that will prevent ice dams, reduce energy costs and increase comfort next winter.