Log In


Reset Password
Southwest Life

Nicole Clark
Position: La Plata County Extension Office

Date marking on food is misleading, but the nose knows

There comes a time in every kitchen when you’re faced with the question, “Does this smell bad?” Without hesitation, I feel my yuck face take shape and a strange combination of dread and curi...

Celebrate food to nourish the mind, body and soul

While it doesn’t get the attention of holidays like St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween or April Fool’s Day, March is National Nutrition Month. How could this special occasion go unnoticed when we ...

A fond farewell after 17 years

I never dreamed of being a horticulturist and I’m not sure I knew what Extension was until graduate school. But somehow those two worlds collided and I found myself sitting in a back desk at...

Steps to follow in a case of stolen identity

True story. Last week, I received a debit card in the mail, which was odd because I hadn’t applied for credit. First red flag. At first, I wondered if it was related to recent insurance chan...

Old school vs new school - raised beds

I wonder if ‘old school’ gardeners are anything like ‘old school’ skiers, or bikers, or even students. You know, they start every sentence off with “when I was (enter hobby/profession/age), ...

Spend, eat too much over holidays? Time to regroup

By now, evidence of the holidays is down to a pile of evergreens at Santa Rita Park, a random sparkle of glitter and the occasional piece of tape stuck to your floor. Settling back into life...

Restless teens rely on melatonin to initiate sleep, but should they?

It’s December. Darkness engulfs us 11 hours a day. It’s not even 5 p.m. and the world’s biggest light bulb retires for the night. This should leave plenty of time for our eyes to communicate...

With holidays upon us, what are you wishing for?

We are about halfway between the two holidays celebrated in our house – Thanksgiving and Christmas – and I am somewhat torn about what to write about: what I am thankful for or what’s on my ...

Consider nutrition security when donating to a food drive

Somewhere out there, a handbook has been passed down from generation to generation advising that parents instruct their kids to clean their plate. The carrot on the stick was that you got to...

Batten down the hatches: Deer are in their fattening-up stage

I live smack dab in the middle of Durango – Test Tracks five minutes away; Fairgrounds 10 minutes; downtown 15. I appreciate that we share our neighborhood with old-time Durangatangs, new fa...

What the future holds may improve your mental well-being

Choosing the topic of pumpkins or Halloween for this month’s “From The Extension Office” seems too predictable. It may be relevant, but predictable nonetheless. Now, where’s the excitement i...

When it comes to green chiles, can you take the heat?

Forgive me if I’ve said this before, but my dad likes to eat green chile that burns your face off. Or maybe that’s just how I like to remember the story. Or maybe he still like his chile hot...