Penn State Extension | The Pennsylvania State University

Lifelong learning you can trust

Practical knowledge to work the land, develop skills, grow your business, serve your community, steward the environment, and raise healthy families.

Learn when, where, and how you need

Choose from thousands of in-person workshops, online courses, publications, and onsite consultations on topics that matter to you. 

Solve Problems

Got an issue? Let’s work together to identify and solve the most important challenges impacting your business, home, or health.

Develop Skills

Expert resources to develop competencies for the workforce, build your business, pursue a hobby, or follow your passion.

Earn Certificates

Professional credentials you need to demonstrate that you are safe, competent, and qualified.

Featured Online Courses

  1. Ag101: Introduction to Agriculture
    Online Courses
    Ag101: Introduction to Agriculture
    Sections 9
    Length 11 hours
    Learn the basics of farms and farming, including crops, livestock, and natural resources, common to Pennsylvania and other Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states.

    $99.00

  2. Landscaping Safety: Pesticides
    Online Courses
    Landscaping Safety: Pesticides
    Sections 6
    Length 4 hours
    Learn about pesticide labels, regulations, and application. Follow procedures for storage, spills, emergencies, and safety precautions. Earn PCH credits.

    $19.00

  3. Employee Landscape Training: Planting, Mulching, and Watering
    Online Courses
    Employee Landscape Training: Planting, Mulching, and Watering
    Sections 2
    Length 1 hour, 30 minutes
    This course helps landscape businesses train beginner and seasonal employees to inspect and handle nursery stock, dig, edge, mulch, water, and stake trees. Earn PCH credits.

    $19.00

  4. Grant Writing: How to Find Funds and Write a Winning Proposal
    Online Courses
    Grant Writing: How to Find Funds and Write a Winning Proposal
    Sections 4
    Length 4 hours
    Write a successful grant proposal. Learn about the grant review process, organizational missions, and public and private funding sources.

    $99.00

  5. Healthy Grilled Vegetables
    Online Courses
    Nutrition 101: Healthy Eating Guidelines and Meal Planning
    Sections 6
    Length 6 hours
    In this online course, learn the basics of nutrition, and practical suggestions for creating healthy food choices to improve and maintain your health.

    $69.00

  6. Forest Taxation: Forest Finance and Timber Tax Education
    Online Courses
    Forest Taxation: Forest Finance and Timber Tax Education
    Sections 13
    Length 8 hours
    Tax professionals and forest landowners learn about finance, taxation, and timber sales and taxation in order to save money on taxes. Earn 8 CFEs or 8 CPEs.

    $160.00

  7. Rhododendron in bloom
    Online Courses
    Pruning Ornamental Trees and Shrubs
    Sections 5
    Length 3 hours
    This online course for beginning landscapers and home gardeners covers pruning basics: how trees and shrubs grow, when and how to prune, and safety and tools.

    $39.00

  8. Growing Raspberries and Blackberries: From Planting to Harvest
    Online Courses
    Growing Raspberries and Blackberries: From Planting to Harvest
    Sections 3
    Length 7 hours, 30 minutes
    This course prepares you to grow berries, from choosing varieties, to planting, to handling pests and diseases. Growing can be rewarding and profitable.

    $99.00

  9. Private Wells and Water Systems Management
    Online Courses
    Private Wells and Water Systems Management
    Sections 5
    Length 4 hours
    Learn how to identify the proper location, construction, maintenance, testing, and treatment of a water well, spring, or cistern

    $39.00

  10. Farmers Market Food Safety
    Online Courses
    Farmers Market Food Safety
    Sections 7
    Length 4 hours
    Selling food at farmers' markets is popular and profitable. This online course teaches vendors and producers about food safety and preventing foodborne illness.

    $39.00

  11. Orchard Management: Site Planning and Preparation
    Online Courses
    Orchard Management: Site Planning and Preparation
    Sections 4
    Length 3 hours
    This course is designed for beginning and next-generation commercial tree fruit growers. Learn to choose an appropriate orchard site, address climate considerations, and prepare for planting.

    $89.00

  12. Plant Health Diagnosis: Assessing Plant Diseases, Pests and Problems
    Online Courses
    Plant Health Diagnosis: Assessing Plant Diseases, Pests and Problems
    Sections 4
    Length 2 hours
    Learn a process for diagnosing plant health problems, including signs and symptoms of diseases, pests and insects, and environment or management issues. Earn 4 Category 6, 7, 18, 23, or Private Category credits and a certificate of completion.

    $39.00

  13. Totally Veggies
    Online Courses
    Totally Veggies
    Sections 6
    Length 8 hours
    Vegetables are crucial to your health. In this course, learn shopping and storage tips, cooking techniques, helpful videos and handouts, and easy recipes.

    $39.00

  14. Pond Management for Rural and Farm Pond Owners
    Online Courses
    Pond Management for Rural and Farm Pond Owners
    Sections 6
    Length 8 hours
    Learn basic pond maintenance and how to address common pond issues including excessive plant and algae growth, nuisance wildlife, and fishery management.

    $99.00

  15. Woodland Stewardship: Management Practices for Landowners
    Online Courses
    Woodland Stewardship: Management Practices for Landowners
    Sections 8
    Length 12 hours
    Learn about forest ecosystems, management, and stewardship practices, as well as wildlife, water, tree identification and measurement, and legacy planning.

    $99.00

  16. Food for Profit
    Online Courses
    Food for Profit
    Sections 9
    Length 4 hours, 30 minutes
    In this online course, small-scale food business entrepreneurs learn how to create a business using marketing, pricing, financing, and risk management tools.

    $279.00

You May Also Be Interested In...

Filter by
Filter By
Previous
Next
Frontiers in Forest Health: Managing Spongy Moth
Your Money Matters: Developing a Budget
QPR Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Training
Let's Cook at Home: Weight Management
Mental Health First Aid
Cooking for Crowds: A Volunteer's Guide to Safe Food Handling
Land Use Webinar Series

Extension by the Numbers

People, resources, and ideas advancing the extension mission.

320+

Subject Matter Experts

1,500+

in-person and online events per year

6,000+

articles, publications, and fact sheets

Trending Topics

Extension offers the latest information and resources on topics impacting Pennsylvania today.

Avian InfluenzaAvian Influenza

Avian Influenza

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI): Poultry Owners Should Be On High Alert.

Develop Skills

Expert resources to develop competencies for the workforce, build your business, pursue a hobby, or follow your passion.

Spotted LanternflySpotted Lanternfly

Spotted Lanternfly

Learn how to slow the spread of the invasive Spotted Lanternfly.

Latest News

  1. Protection of early green tissue is needed against apple scab. Photo: K. Peter, Penn State
    News
    3/27/2024
    2024 Disease Update: Apple Scab Infection Predicted March 27–28
    Despite cooler temperatures, an apple scab infection event is forecasted for March 27–28 for those with green tissue on their apple trees. Protection is necessary for this event.
    $0.00
  1. If not already completed, dormant fungicides need to be applied as soon as possible on peach and nectarine trees to limit peach leaf curl infection. Photo: K. Peter, Penn State
    News
    3/4/2024
    2024 Disease Update: Dormant Copper Sprays and Orchard Sanitation
    Early season disease management for the 2024 season should be underway. Consider dormant applications of copper to manage fungal and bacterial diseases on fruit trees. Sanitation is critical for limiting fruit rots in the orchard.
    $0.00

Our Vision

We believe that all people should have access to science-based information. 

Penn State Extension is a modern educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities. We provide access to face-to-face and online education to our customers—when they want it, where they want it, and how they want it—to help them address problems and take advantage of opportunities for improvement and innovation. Partnering with and funded by federal, state, and county governments, we have a long tradition of bringing unbiased support and education to the citizens of Pennsylvania. We make a difference locally through focused engagement, and more widely to customers connecting in the digital landscape.

You May Also Be Interested In...

Featured Articles

  1. Spotted Lanternfly Management Guide
    Articles
    Spotted Lanternfly Management Guide
    Publication providing comprehensive details on the spotted lanternfly, including identification and life cycle; quarantine and distribution; host range, phenology, and damage; and management.
  2. Image: bigstock/Flynt
    Articles
    Best Practices for Managing and Moderating Community Social Media Groups
    By Sarah Cornelisse
    This article discusses reasons people join local community social media groups and provides best practices for those who manage and moderate those groups.
  3. Photo: Rivertowne Brewing, Export, PA
    Articles
    Beer and Spirits: Supplying the Craft Beverage Boom with Local Ingredients
    By Heather E. Manzo, Maria L Graziani, Molly Berntsen, Rachel Hair, Thy Le An Ngo
    Penn State Extension conducted research in 2017 to assess current and future production levels and supply chain actors and identify future potential for local and regional sourcing of ingredients
  4. Mulching Landscape Trees
    Articles
    Mulching Landscape Trees
    By David R. Jackson
    Mulches are materials placed over the soil surface to enhance landscape beauty, improve soil conditions, protect plants from foot traffic and lawn equipment, and suppress weeds.
  5. Photo: Holly Raguza, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
    Articles
    How You Can Comply with the Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine Regulations
    By Emelie Swackhamer
    Some tips to help you avoid spreading Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) and be in compliance with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) regulations.
  6. Tree of heaven leaves. Credit: Bigstock
    Articles
    Tree-of-Heaven
    By David R. Jackson, Art Gover, Sarah Wurzbacher
    Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is an invasive tree and noxious weed in PA. This article displays images to assist with identification and provides recommendations for control, including a management calendar and treatment and timing table.
  7. Choosing a Qualified Pest Management or Lawn Care Company
    Articles
    Choosing a Qualified Pest Management or Lawn Care Company
    By Sharon I Gripp
    When you discover a pest problem in or around your home, such as the spotted lanternfly, the first step is to identify the pest.
  8. Common Drinking Water Problems and Solutions
    Articles
    Common Drinking Water Problems and Solutions
    By Bryan Swistock, James Andrew Clark
    A listing of symptoms in water (color, smell, taste), the common causes, and possible solutions to common drinking water problems.
  9. Pennsylvania Native Plants for the Perennial Garden
    Articles
    Pennsylvania Native Plants for the Perennial Garden
    By Constance Schmotzer
    Herbaceous (nonwoody) perennial plants add year round interest to any landscape and are a popular choice of plants among gardeners.

Upcoming Workshops

  1. Streambank Restoration Using Live Stakes
    Workshops
    Streambank Restoration Using Live Stakes
    When Multiple Options Available
    Length 3 hours
    Discover the background of Beaver Creek Dam, Chester County Water Resources Authority's water management, and the process of live stake installation.

    Free

  2. Small Grains Field Day
    Workshops
    Small Grains Field Day
    When Multiple Options Available
    Length 3 hours
    Gain insight into the selection of crop varieties, precise fertilization techniques, vigilant pest management, and the strategic application of growth regulators.

    Free

  3. Veggie Series: Vegetable Gardening Basics
    Workshops
    Veggie Series: Vegetable Gardening Basics
    When 04/03/2024
    Length 1 hour, 30 minutes
    Learn the fundamentals of home vegetable gardening, including selecting beginner-friendly plants, fostering healthy and productive growth, and managing common pests and diseases.

    $10.00

  4. Women Rooted in Agriculture: Goot Essa Cheese Tour
    Workshops
    Women Rooted in Agriculture: Goot Essa Cheese Tour
    When 05/02/2024
    Length 4 hours
    Tour Goot Essa's cheese-making facility and sample handcrafted, European-style cheeses! Attendees will also learn about cheese-making and value-added dairy products.

    $15.00

  5. Let's Cook Charcuterie Boards
    Workshops
    Let's Cook Charcuterie Boards
    When Multiple Options Available
    Length 2 hours
    Learn to make charcuterie boards as a fun addition to any occasion with friends and family!

    $30.00

  6. Renewable Natural Gas Opportunities Short Course
    Workshops
    Renewable Natural Gas Opportunities Short Course
    When 04/04/2024
    Length 2 days
    Consider economic issues and constraints while exploring tools and strategies to transform potential into tangible projects.

    $150.00

  7. LIFT (8 Weeks)
    Workshops
    LIFT (8 Weeks)
    When Multiple Options Available
    Get motivated, energized, and inspired while increasing your strength, flexibility, and enthusiasm! LIFT's group-based strength-training program can help you gain confidence and improve your body and life.

    $60.00

  8. Everybody Walk Across Pennsylvania
    Workshops
    Everybody Walk Across Pennsylvania
    When 04/01/2024
    Join Penn State Extension in a free virtual walking program. Walk at a time and place that is convenient for you!

    Free

  9. ServSafe®
    Workshops
    ServSafe®
    When Multiple Options Available
    Length 2 days
    Upon successful completion, participants can receive their ServSafe® Food Protection Manager Certificate, which meets the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture requirements for the Food Employee Certification Act.

    $165.00

  10. Tree Climbing School
    Workshops
    Tree Climbing School
    When 06/10/2024
    Length 4 days
    Learn the fundamentals of tree maintenance and how to safely climb trees in this three-day in-person course.

    $400.00

What our customers are saying

Everything we do is centered around animal welfare and food safety. However, we needed the science. It's all that partnership and education. I've learned so much through the years working with extension. It's been a great thing.

Frank Connett

Manager of Flock Services at Kreider Farms

Management of forest invasives has been a very large problem for me, and I've managed to keep on top of it, but I found the resources offered by extension have been very valuable in that. It is very helpful because if you talk to the professionals who do it, you get a very different view point and in many cases you could be wasting thousands of dollars in doing the wrong thing, or the right thing at the wrong time. I found that having the resources from extension has aided me in many ways.

John Hoover

Bald Eagle Tree Farm

The extension programs have given me reference making me a much better steward of our property and a better understanding of how the ecosystem fits together. Since I've been managing it, we've seen a return of fishers and beavers to our stream so we are getting back pieces to the ecosystem that have been missing.

Susan Shoemaker-Benedict

Beartown Family Limited Partnership

Penn State has been an integral part of the business since I’ve been here. We do about 3.5 million pounds of fresh sausage a year. We’ve relied on Penn State many times because we do not have the budget to have a full-time person here that deals with food safety or research and development.

Len Caric

President/CEO Uncle Charley’s Sausage Co.

We work very closely with Penn State Extension, and that has been instrumental in developing best practices and new processes and technologies, both in the orchard and the packhouse.

Danijel Lolic

Rice Fruit Company

I really appreciate the instructors from Penn State Extension mostly because they serve as a really good resource. They're well-spoken and very clear. They'll take subject matter and dumb it down–so to speak–so that on every level, you understand it.

Ester Betley

Dining with Diabetes Participant

Penn State Extension and the University have provided us uncounted resources when it comes to the education of our employees.

Byron Shaffer

Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance at Kreider Farms


Volunteer with Penn State ExtensionVolunteer with Penn State Extension

Volunteers are the backbone of extension

Join a highly engaged team that supports Master Gardener; Master Watershed Steward; 4-H; and Nutrition, Health, and Wellness programs.

Learn more about volunteer opportunities

Learn more about Pennsylvania 4-HLearn more about Pennsylvania 4-H

Pennsylvania 4-H: Transforming kids through doing

4-H is the state's largest youth development organization, with clubs in rural communities, small towns, and big cities–including a club near you. Members tackle projects that build life skills, explore careers, and help young people find their passion in life.

Learn more about Pennsylvania 4-H