1. Locations

Polk County

What we do

Extension faculty, staff, and trained volunteers work alongside local partners to provide educational workshops, activities, and services tailored to the unique industries, natural resources, and people in our communities.

Oregon State University's land grant mission drives us to conduct research and share research-based education to improve economic vitality and promote personal and environmental health.

Highlights

Home Garden and Landscape / Master Gardeners

We provide research-based information for backyard gardeners and green industry professionals, including regional specific information.

Polk County

Mid-Willamette Valley Small Farms Program

The Mid-Valley Small Farms Program serves commercial small farm entrepreneurs as well as non-commercial small acreage landowners. Our focus embraces both organic/biological and conventional farming systems.

Polk County

Youth Activities

4-H empowers young people with hands-on learning experiences to help them grow and thrive. By creating a safe and welcoming environment, young people develop the skills needed to make a positive impact on the world around them.

Polk County

Forestry and Natural Resources

Our agents and specialists share knowledge about the latest techniques in natural resource management through educational programs and materials. We work with forest owners, foresters and other natural resource managers, educators (PreK-12), Christmas tree growers, loggers and forest workers, and others.

Polk County

Programs offered

  • Home Food Safety and Preservation Program: Food safety and preservation resources and classes, provided through the Oregon State University Extension Family and Community Health, ensures Oregonians have access to the most reliable information available. It is critical that those who prepare food and practice preserving and processing foods at home...
  • Mid-Willamette Valley Small Farms: The Mid-Valley Small Farms Program serves commercial small farm entrepreneurs as well as non-commercial small acreage landowners.
  • Oregon Season Tracker: Oregon Season Tracker (OST) is a project of Oregon State University that aims to link natural resource managers, educators, researchers and others in the community to the science they use through collaborative citizen science. We hope that together the OST partnership can improve understanding of weather...
  • Outdoor School: This is an exciting time for Oregon and for Oregon’s 5th and 6th grade students as OSU Extension works in collaboration with schools, partners, and communities to support and grow the statewide Outdoor School program, building on a legacy that began in 1966.
  • Polk County 4-H: 4-H empowers young people with hands-on learning experiences to help them grow and thrive. By creating a safe and welcoming environment, young people develop the skills needed to make a positive impact on the world around them.
  • Polk County Master Gardeners: A program that educates Oregonians about the art and science of growing and caring for plants. This program also facilitates the training of a highly educated group of volunteers. These volunteers extend sustainable gardening information to their communities through education and outreach programs.