Employee Appreciation Week
Grow Your Own Way
Grow Your Own Way: A Sustainability Gardening Series for UConn Faculty & Staff
The UConn Department of Human Resources’ engagement and wellness unit, in collaboration with UConn’s Spring Valley Student Farm is pleased to continue Grow Your Own Way in 2024, as an educational series for employees. “Grow Your Own Way” is a 10 month, cohort-style, educational program where employees from across the University have the ability to connect and engage outside of their day-to-day responsibilities and official roles at the University. The purpose of this educational series is to introduce concepts about gardening and sustainability. Additionally, it is an opportunity to learn about programs across the University and larger community.
Grow Your Own Way focuses on the basics of gardening and reaches beyond producing fruits and vegetables to also focus on sustainability, community, nutrition and so much more. The cohort will meet at least once a month and may have other opportunities for additional activities throughout the year. Those who complete all the components of the course, will receive a certificate of completion, a lifelong skill, and connections with colleagues that may not have happened without this opportunity to engage.
Most sessions will be scheduled in the evenings and dates have been set for most of the sessions. As dates are confirmed the schedule will be updated and communicated with participants. Generally, classes will be scheduled for the last Wednesday of the month. Employees will be required to use their accrued time to attend in-person instruction if it falls during their scheduled working hours. Virtual lessons may be recorded for viewing at the employee’s convenience.
Program eligibility includes non-temporary, full-time, and part-time (20-plus hours per week) staff and faculty employees at the Storrs and regional campuses (temporary-special payroll or foundation employees are not eligible).
| Month | Course Description | Modality/Location |
|---|---|---|
| January | Welcome to Grow Your Own Way Welcome to Grow Your Own Way! Our first class will allow us to get to know one another, setting personal goals and accessing gardening resources. We'll also provide an overview of the series, including class expectations and learning resources. |
Wednesday, January 31st, 2024 5:30 pm-7 pm UConn Department of Human Resources 9 Walters Ave. Storrs, CT |
| February | Soil Health Healthy soil is the foundation of a productive garden! In this class, we will learn basics of soil fertility, soil testing and amendments, and at-home composting. Our instructor, Dawn Pettinelli, will also share information about the many fantastic resources UConn offers to home growers. Dawn Pettinelli is the Director of the UConn Home and Garden Education Center and Director of the UConn Soil and Nutrient Analysis Lab. |
Wednesday, February 28th, 2024 5:30 pm-7 pm UConn Department of Human Resources 9 Walters Ave. Storrs, CT |
| March | Beginning the Season at Spring Valley Student Farm (SVSF) In our first outdoor class, we will tour UConn's Spring Valley Student Farm and practice several methods of seed starting with the student farmers. After planting peas together at the farm, each participant will take home pea seeds to plant in their own garden. |
Wednesday, March 27th, 2024 4:30 pm-6 pm Spring Valley Student Farm 104 Spring Manor Road Storrs, CT 06268 |
| April | Pots to the Ground For this class, we'll practice transplanting, as well as discuss seed and garden planning. |
Wednesday, April 24th, 2024 4:30 pm-6 pm Spring Valley Student Farm 104 Spring Manor Road Storrs, CT 06268 |
| May | Just Food and Sustainability: A Social Analysis Just food, or food justice? In this class, we will explore the racist and unequal roots of farming both historically and currently and then explore ways that academics and communities are both theorizing and practicing creating food and sustainability justice. Dr. Phoebe Godfrey is a Professor in Residence of Sociology at UConn, and co-founder of CLiCK. |
Wednesday, May 29th, 2024 5:30 pm-7 pm UConn Department of Human Resources 9 Walters Ave. Storrs, CT |
| June | Common Garden Pests and Diseases In this class, we will learn to identify a range of common garden pests and diseases. Our instructor, Dr. Nick Goltz, will share information about the plant diagnostics resources available at UConn. Participants can bring a photo or sample of plant tissue to practice diagnostic triage skills together. Dr. Nick Goltz is the Director of the Plant Diagnostics Lab. |
Wednesday, June 26th, 2024 5:30 pm-7 pm W. B. Young Building Storrs, CT |
| July | Gathering the Harvest Harvest season is here! In this class, we will practice harvesting techniques for summer vegetables at Spring Valley Student Farm and discuss resources and tools for sourcing local produce from nearby farms and farmers markets. |
Wednesday, July 31st, 2024 5:30 pm-7 pm Spring Valley Student Farm 104 Spring Manor Road Storrs, CT 06268 |
| August | Processing and Preserving the Harvest In this class, we will practice some methods of processing and preserving our garden produce, as well as options for what to do with surplus! We will tour the Commercially Licencsed Community Kitchen (CLiCK) in Windham and learn more about their offerings to the community and impact on the local food system. |
Wednesday, August 28th, 2024 5:30 pm-7 pm Commercially Licensed Community Kitchen (CLiCK) 41 Club Road Windham, CT |
| September | Preparing for the Winter It's time to put the garden to bed for the season. In this indoor class, we will disucss resting soil beds, preparing for winter, and fall soil testing. Instructors from Plant Science and Landscape Architect will answer any questions about soils and compost that may have come up during the growing season. |
Wednesday, September 25th, 2024 5:30 pm-7 pm UConn Department of Human Resources 9 Walters Ave. Storrs, CT |
| October | Celebrating the Growing Season In this final class of the year, we will celebrate the end of the growing season by using local and preserved foods for holiday cooking and gifts. |
Wednesday, October 23rd, 2024 5:30 pm-7 pm Commercially Licensed Community Kitchen (CLiCK) 41 Club Road Windham, CT |
| November/December | Completion Celebration | TBD |
Healthy Huskies Walking Challenge
Fall Walking Challenge Kicks Off on Monday, October 21st!
Registration is no longer required, create or update your profile now on the Wellness Portal.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to register for each challenge if I’m already a member of the MS Teams Healthy Huskies Walking Challenge page?
Due to exciting improvements on the Healthy Huskies Wellness Challenge Portal, employees no longer need to preregister for each Walking Challenge. Upon logging onto the portal, you’ll be prompted to create your profile, or confirm it if you’ve already participated in a challenge before. With the upgrades made, you can enroll in a Team, as an individual, change your status from an individual to a Team, switch teams, and create teams.
Can one team member sign up an entire team?
No, all employees must set up their profile separately.
How many people can be on my team?
Each team must have a minimum of two members; there is no maximum.
Why do my miles for my team not reflect our miles walked on the Rankings board?
Each team ranking is determined based on the average number of miles walked per person on a Team. All total miles walked by the team are divided by the number of team members registered.
Why can I not find my name or Team on the rankings board?
If your profile is set as a Team Member, you will be on the Team Member rankings. If your profile is set as an Individual and not part of a Team, you will appear on the Individual rankings.
What can be logged on the Healthy Huskies Wellness portal?
All steps, walk, jogs, and runs for each day during the challenge, logged in miles.
Human Resources Wellness Fair
Human Resources is pleased to announce the inaugural Human Resources Wellness Fair, an event dedicated to promoting holistic well-being and fostering a healthier, happier workplace. This collaborate initiative brings together representatives from each Human Resources area and our valued partners who provide a range of wellness services.
This inaugural event aims to empower our university community by providing access to valuable resources, information, and services that contribute to overall well-being. We recognize the importance of fostering a healthy work environment and supporting our faculty and staff in achieving their wellness goals.
What to Expect:
- Information booths representing each Human Resources unit
- Meet and interact with our esteemed wellness partners
- Access to valuable resources, tips, and tools for enhancing wellbeing
We encourage you to actively participate and engage with your Human Resources colleagues and our wellness partners, and take advantage of the wealth of knowledge and services that will be available.
As we embark on this journey towards a healthier and happier workplace, mark your calendars and join us at the Human Resources Wellness Fair. Your well-being matters to us, and together, we can create a positive and supportive workplace.
Check back here for a full list of wellness partners, activities and demos taking place at the event.
We look forward to seeing you there!
CignaHealthCare
College Benefits Group
Colonial Life
Empower
Life Purpose Lab
Lincoln National - EFP, Inc.
Quantum Health
Student Health and Wellness on behalf of Health Promoting University
Tails Of Joy
The Lexington Group, Inc.
The Wellness Collective
UConn Dining Services
UConn Extension Financial Education
UConn Health Center on Aging
UConn Health Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center
UConn Health Population Health Department offering Blood Pressure Screenings
- Engagement and Wellness
- Absence Management
- Communications, Training, and Development
- Benefits
- Employee Resource Center
- HR Information Systems (HRIS)
- Workforce Solutions
UConn Ombuds Office
UConn Rainbow Center
UConn Recreation
UConn Speech and Hearing Clinic offering Hearing Screenings
UConn’s mission highlights our aspiration to promote the health and well-being of all citizens of the state and beyond, and our workforce is the essential component towards achieving this mission. Every October, UConn celebrates Work/Life Month, which includes events to support our workforce and promote a healthy relationship with our work and personal lives.
At the October Work-Life Expo, we gather university and state-sponsored partners who provide benefits, wellness services, and other information and resources for employees. The Expo is an opportunity to reconnect with familiar colleagues, learn something new about work/life, and promote the well-being of you, your family, and our community.