OSU Extension-Linn County offered and was involved in a wide variety of activities in Linn County, according to the annual “Investing in Linn County 2025 Impact Report,” issued recently by the department.
The complete report can be viewed at https://extension.oregonstate.edu/county/linn/news.
Below are some highlights by department:
4-H Youth Development
Participation in 4-H totaled 656 youth members assisted by 165 volunteer leaders. Some 570 kids exhibited at the annual fair in July and the annual livestock auction brought in more than $1.6 million.
- Caden Foley, a Sweet Home High School student and Lebanon resident, represented Oregon 4-H at the national congress in Atlanta, Ga.
- Twenty youths from Linn County were among 100 young people who participated in the High Desert Leadership Retreat in Redmond.
- 280 students and teachers took part in the Lafayette Elementary School field day in Albany.
- A total of 300 students from 12 Linn County classrooms took part in the 4-H embryology project, a 21-day program that enables young people to investigate the life of a chicken and participate in activities that teach animal needs, genetics, technology, physiology, record keeping and more.
- A total of 144 young people completed the tractor safety class, a 22-hour program that meets the requirements of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. For more on the class, visit https://extension.oregonstate.edu/4h/youth-tractor-safety-certification.
- Thirteen teen ambassadors in grades 7-12 representing Linn County and 21 Linn County 4-H’ers attended the Four Rivers 4-H camp and 39 kids, ages 5-8, participated in the Cloverbud Explorers Club.
Master Gardeners
- A total of 41 certified Master Gardeners and 13 interns volunteered 6,078 hours, valued at more than $211,000, in 2025. More than 1,700 pounds of garden produce was donated to area food pantries.
- Nearly 100 people attended the 11th annual BEEvent Pollinator Conference and seven cocoon harvesting classes were held.
- Master Gardeners participated at Farmers Markets, mobile plant clinics, the demonstration garden at the Fair & Expo Center, community seed swaps and the Linn County Fair.
- Six Seed to Supper classes taught by five volunteers were held in Scio.
Small Farms
- The Willamette Women’s Farm Network has 296 members; the Regional Farmer Network has 489 members; the monthly Small Farms Newsletter goes out to 871 homes monthly.
- The program conducted eight farm tours, 10 workshops, the Living on the Land Series, six Veteran Farmer-focused events, two dry farming project field days, and more than 900 people attended the annual Small Farms Conference.
Family/Community Health
- Family and Community Health with Small Farms, worked to increase local food access for 40 low-income families.
- $10,000 was used to purchase fruits, vegetables and organic meat from local farms.
- Forty-three family and older adults participated in the Walk with Ease program developed by the Arthritis Foundation to reduce pain, build confidence in being physically active and improve overall health. 180 contacts and OSU Extension hosted the Linn County Juvenile Department’s Pathways to Success program.
- Master Food Preservers tested 109 pressure canner gauges, held six public workshops and answered 32 hotline calls in Linn County.
Forestry and Natural Resources
- Several skill-building workshops were held, including the fall woodland weed workshop, Stop the Bleed Training, for farmers and rural landowners and a basic forestry short course.
- County working groups included an Emerald Ash Borer survey and monitoring; Emerald Ash Borer task force; Linn County Noxious Weed Committee, Linn County Community Wildfire Protection Plan Advisory Committee.
- The Extension Service conducted four tree farm tours and gatherings with woodland owners and co-educators, three workshops and four classes presented at conferences.
Wildfire Preparedness
Regional Fire Specialist Dr. Kayla Bordelon of the Extension Service helped land a successful $8.9 million federal grant, headed by Sweet Home Fire, to strengthen wildfire resilience in eastern Linn County along the Highway 20 and South Santiam River Corridor, including Lebanon. Bordelon also co-founded the Mid-Willamette Valley Prescribed Burn Association, that has 146 members representing landowners, land managers and volunteers.
Groundwater Health
A $49,999 grant in partnership with Crossroad Communities provided 103 Linn County households with coliform bacteria, arsenic and nitrate well water tests. The Extension Service held numerous free nitrate screening events at communities and events throughout the county.
Livestock and Forage
Some 213 people participated in the monthly livestock webinar series with themes ranging from “Buying and Selling Livestock” and “So, You Want To Have a Milk Cow” to “Pasture Nutrition” and “Managing Mud and Manure on Your Farm.”
The Extension partnered with the Oregon Forage and Grassland Council to host an inaugural two-day symposium, featuring speakers from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and New Zealand. There were 135 participants.
Field Crops
- The Mint Pest Alert Outreach newsletter has been distributed for 12 years, and is credited with improving pest control and decreasing pesticide spray use.
- Some 384 people attended crop and pest management meetings in September and January.
- Pesticide education programs focused on improving pest control and using fewer pesticide sprays.
Extension Resources for Public
Resources accessible by Linn County residents include:
- OSU Extension youth portal, providing educational resources by subject and by grade level at: extension.oregonstate.edu/families-health/youth.
- Food Hero budget-friendly and nutritious recipes at: foodhero.org.
- Extension experts in family and health, community development, food and agriculture, coastal issues, forestry, programs for young people, and gardening at: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/ask-extension.
- Extension publications and more at: catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu.
- Monthly Linn County E-News at: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/newsletter /linn-county-e-news.
- Bi-Monthly GROWING newspaper at: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/newsletter/g rowing.