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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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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. Figure 1. Japanese barberry in a Pennsylvania wooded landscape. Photo: Tim Abbey, Penn State
    News
    4/5/2024
    2024 Green Industry Current Issues for April
    One of the common themes throughout the Green Industry Team's April discussion was the extent to which plant growth was advanced in area landscapes.
    $0.00
  1. Spongy moth. Photo Credit: USDA APHIS, Bugwood.org
    News
    3/20/2024
    Forest Snapshot March 2024
    This bi-monthly article is a collection of forest health observations, plant and animal phenology, important upcoming dates, and hunting season changes.
    $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

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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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

Dairy Biosecurity Plan Development for Bovine Influenza A (HPAI)
Workshops
Dairy Biosecurity Plan Development for Bovine Influenza A (HPAI)
When Multiple Options Available
Length 1 hour, 30 minutes
Craft your dairy farm's biosecurity plan with PA guidelines to combat Bovine Influenza A. Join our open-house event for expert guidance.

Free

Streambank Restoration Using Live Stakes
Workshops
Streambank Restoration Using Live Stakes
When 04/24/2024
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

Color and Texture in a Four-Season Garden
Workshops
Color and Texture in a Four-Season Garden
When 04/29/2024
Length 2 hours, 30 minutes
Learn about plant selection, diverse perennials, shrubs, and small trees for year-round color, and the importance of crafting unique plant-filled spaces with complementary accessories.

$10.00

Watershed Teaching Tools for Educators
Workshops
Watershed Teaching Tools for Educators
When Multiple Options Available
Length 2 hours, 30 minutes
Free workshops enhancing water education for 6-12 grade educators. Curriculum kits and training provided. Earn Act 48 Hours.

Free

Equine First Aid Workshop
Workshops
Equine First Aid Workshop
Length 5 hours
Learn the signs to determine when your horse has a health emergency, an overview of conducting routine health monitoring, proper leg wrapping techniques, and the essentials to have in a horse first aid kit.

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

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

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

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

$165.00

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