UF IFAS Extension Flagler County

10/19/2026

We had a great first walk of the Let's Walk Florida Environmental Education Walks series at Betty Steflik Preserve last Thursday! The next one is just south of us in Ormond-by-the-Sea, so enjoy the drive down A1A and join our Sea Grant agent to learn about coastal dune plants and enjoy exploring a new park!

Join us for a free environmental education walk at Michael Crotty Bicentennial Park at Ormond by the Sea this Thursday, October 22 at 5:30 pm! We will start out beachside and learn about the coastal dune plants, then walk on the path through the park to the intracoastal to learn about our estuaries! Find all of the details and register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lets-walk-florida-environmental-education-walks-series-tickets-2000272544025

10/07/2026

The Florida Sea Grant program at UF/IFAS Extension Flagler and Volusia Counties hosted a Living Shorelines for Practitioners course last week. This two-day course was attended by 20 individuals representing private industry, community organizations, local government, and state agencies. Course participants gained valuable knowledge and skills that will help them be able to plan, permit, and implement living shorelines in our communities, helping to make our region more resilient.

A big thank you to all of our program collaborators, especially our co-instructors from FWC, FDEP, and ACOE who took the time to share their expertise with program participants, and Tomoka State Park for supporting our site visit.

Want to learn more about living shorelines? Visit www.FloridaLivingShorelines.com for more information about living shorelines as a whole and check out the Florida Sea Grant Living Shoreline Program at https://www.flseagrant.org/workforce-training/living-shorelines-program/ for information on upcoming educational opportunities around the state.

10/06/2026

Do you have a disaster plan?

Whether you're preparing for hurricanes, power outages, flooding, or other emergencies, the UF/IFAS Disaster Handbook is a valuable resource packed with tips to help keep you and your family safe.

Take a few minutes to review this free guide and be ready before disaster strikes.

📘 Download the handbook: View the Disaster Handbook herehttps://branding.ifas.ufl.edu/downloads/uploads/Disaster%20Handbook/Extension/Disaster-Handbook-compressed-2020.pdf

10/05/2026

Come learn and explore with UF/IFAS Extension Flagler and Volusia Counties!

Improve your physical and mental health while learning about our local ecosystems and getting together for a community walk.

Each week will feature a different Flagler or Volusia County park and include an interactive educational presentation focused on the local ecosystem followed by a 1-2 mile walk. These programs are free and open to the public, but pre-registration is requested. Find all of the details for each location and register online at https://LetsWalkFlaglerVolusia.eventbrite.com

October 15 from 5:30-7pm at Betty Steflik Preserve in Flagler Beach, focused on estuaries and estuarine plants

October 22 from 5:30-7pm at Michael Crotty Bicentennial Park in Ormond Beach, focused on dune plants and estuaries

October 29 from 9-10:30am at Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve, New Smyrna Beach, focused on inland forests

November 5 from 9-1:30am at River to Sea Preserve, Marineland, focused on the rocky intertidal zone and beaches

10/05/2026

Thinking about starting your own home-based food business?

Join me, Flagler County FCS Agent and Volusia County Ag Agent Ashley S. on October 16 for Introduction to Cottage Foods in Florida at UF/IFAS Extension Volusia County! We'll discuss what foods can legally be made and sold under Florida's Cottage Food Law, which foods are not allowed, labeling requirements, and other important regulations for operating a compliant home-based food business.

Whether you're interested in selling baked goods, spice blends, jams, or other approved products, this class will help you understand the rules and get started with confidence.

To register visit: https://IntroCottageFoodFlorida.eventbrite.com

How can you start your own home-based food business? What types of foods fall under the Cottage Foods law in Florida? What types of foods do not? These questions can be answered for you and many others. Join Ashley for a class on October 16th!

To register: https://IntroCottageFoodFlorida.eventbrite.com

10/05/2026

Get into the spooky season with a webinar on bats in Florida and learn why bats are actually an important part of Florida's ecology!

Find more information and register online for this free program at https://www.floridasee.org/events/florida-see-webinar-living-with-bats-in-florida

Bats are a mystery in the night to many, but they don’t have to be! Join us to learn about bat biology and ecology, common myths and misconceptions about bats, legal protections, dealing with unwanted bats, bat house building, habitat management, and how you can help support bats.

Wednesday, October 21 at 7pm online

This webinar is free and open to all, but advance registration is required: https://www.floridasee.org/events/florida-see-webinar-living-with-bats-in-florida

10/01/2026

It's not too late to register for the Let's Walk, Florida! Virtual State Challenge. The challenge starts next week Monday, October 5th.

09/22/2026

There are only TWO more weeks to sign up for Let’s Walk Florida!

Ready to get moving and make walking part of your routine? Join the Let’s Walk Florida! Virtual State Walking Challenge and walk your way across Florida—no matter where you live!

Email 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Reddit 0 X Linkedin 0 Stumbleupon 0 As the weather cools, it’s the perfect time to join an easy, supportive way to become more active. Let’s Walk Florida!, hosted by Florida Cooperative Extension, is a statewide virtual educational program designed to help Floridians...

09/18/2026

Safety Today, Success Tomorrow: National Farm Safety and Health Week

September 21–25 is National Farm Safety and Health Week, an annual opportunity to raise awareness about the health and safety of farmers, agricultural workers, farm families, and rural communities.

This year's theme, “Safety Today, Success Tomorrow,” highlights the importance of making safety and health a priority today to protect the people who make agriculture possible for generations to come.

Each day of the week will focus on a different agricultural safety and health topic:

Monday, September 21: Equipment and Rural Roadway Safety
Tuesday, September 22: Health and Wellness
Wednesday, September 23: Generations of Florida Farming
Thursday, September 24: Confined Spaces
Friday, September 25: Cancer Prevention

The National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS) will offer free webinars and resources throughout the week. We encourage our partners and stakeholders to join us in recognizing National Farm Safety and Health Week and sharing resources that can help protect agricultural workers, families, and communities.

Learn more and access National Farm Safety and Health Week resources

National Farm Safety and Health Week 2026 Webinar registration is below

Each day during National Farm Safety & Health Week will feature webinars related to the daily topic of focus. Tickets are free for all of the daily topics!

09/15/2026

This Fall, Discover the power of daily movement!

Join Let's Walk Florida! a fun 8-week statewide physical activity challenge bringing together participants from communities across Florida!

Not a walker? No problem! Whether you enjoy walking, biking, swimming, dancing, exercise classes, or other forms of physical activity, this challenge is designed to help you stay motivated, build healthy habits, and connect with others working toward similar goals. All fitness levels are welcome.

Participants will receive weekly encouragement, educational resources, and opportunities to engage with their local UF/IFAS Extension or FAMU office while joining a larger statewide movement toward better health.

DATES: Monday, October 5-Monday, November 23, 2026
TIME: 12 PM-12:45 PM EDT Virtual Class

For registration to the Let's Walk, Florida! Virtual State Challenge visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lets-walk-florida-a-statewide-physical-activity-challenge-tickets-1999046640314

Additional in-person opportunity: Join our Let's Walk Environmental Education Walks series with Sea Grant Agent Carolyn Kovacs. Walks will take place throughout October and November in Flagler and Volusia counties. Pre-registration is requested for the in-person walks. Please see the flyers for dates, locations and pre-registration for the in-person walks.