Using Web-Based Surveys to Evaluate Field Day Open Houses: The Great Tomato Tasting Evaluation

The Great Tomato Tasting event was developed to expose residents to Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station research and Cooperative Extension and to educate them on gardening, local agriculture, and nutrition. More than 7,400 attendees have participated in this event from 2000 to 2011. A Web-based survey of attendees was created to evaluate the impact of this event, replacing previous on-site paper evaluations. The results of the survey implemented in 2010 and 2011 revealed attendees overwhelmingly agreed the event gave them a better understanding of Extension and that they were more likely to take advantage of programs being offered

Proactive Planning to Address Budgetary Shortfalls: The Rutgers Cooperative Extension Experience

The Cooperative Extension System has experienced significant fiscal challenges during the past three decades, necessitating proactive responses to enhance revenue received from federal, state, and local funding sources. This article presents an overview of Extension budgetary challenges and the work of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) Revenue Enhancement Task Force (RETF). The RETF was charged with developing guiding principles and recommendations with respect to cost recovery and revenue enhancement and tools to help RCE employees think and act like intrapreneurs. The article concludes with lessons learned and recommendations for Cooperative Extension organizations planning similar revenue enhancement initiatives

Modifying and Supplementing Annie\u27s Project to Increase Impact in New Jersey and Beyond

Annie\u27s Project is a widely known risk management program emphasizing five areas of risk and creating support networks for women in agriculture. Designed as an 18-hr course delivered through a series of face-to-face classes, it can be adapted to meet the learning needs and time constraints of the target audience and instructors. This article describes modifications and additions to the traditional program delivery that were implemented by the Annie\u27s Project New Jersey team: synchronous learning at multiple locations, archived video-recorded classes, condensed 1-day workshops, a supplemental program about estate and farm transition planning, archived webinars, and international adaptations of the program

The Wiki as a Time-Saving Mentoring Tool

An important step in the acculturation of new Extension professionals is a mentoring process that includes the input of experienced Extension colleagues. The wiki is a technology tool that can be useful by providing an online venue for Mentor Team communication and a place to share articles, curricula, and other critical tenure documents. This article describes the role of a wiki in the mentoring process and identifies four steps to establish a wiki that can enhance Mentor Team communication