As a Vegetable Extension Specialist at UConn, Shuresh works with commercial vegetable growers to create and disseminate information regarding vegetable production practices and integrated pest management (IPM). Shuresh utilizes vegetable growers’ field reports with his own scouting reports to create weekly pest alerts from May to September every year for wider audience that include other vegetable producers, urban farmers, community gardeners, and Extension peers. UConn’s vegetable IPM program emphasizes healthy soils, balanced plant nutrition, pest and beneficial identification, scouting and monitoring techniques, preventative management strategies, and resistance management. In collaboration with UConn Extension team and stakeholders, Shuresh has developed an online vegetable production certificate course to benefit beginner vegetable producers. The goal of the certificate course is that the participants would learn answers to the basic questions about farm business planning, planning and preparing for vegetable farm, warm and cool-season vegetable production techniques, season extension, identification of biotic and abiotic issues, and marketing. In addition to working as a vegetable specialist at UConn, when hemp became a regulated agricultural crop in CT, he started working with hemp growers to create and disseminate information regarding hemp production practices and IPM.

Shuresh obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degree in agricultural science from Tribhuvan University in Nepal. Shuresh completed his Ph.D. in Horticulture (2015-2018) from Washington State University where he studied biodegradable plastic mulches for vegetable production. Prior to working in Washington, Shuresh was a Horticultural Development Officer for the Department of Agriculture in Nepal (2010-2015), where he worked extensively with farmers conducting trainings and plant clinics and created extension publications and technical reports. Shuresh also served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Horticulture at the Himalayan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology in Nepal. 

MacKenzie White is the new Diversified Livestock Extension Field Based Specialist with UConn Extension. MacKenzie earned her Associates of Applied Animal Science from UConn Ratcliffe Hicks School of Agriculture, a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Natural Resources from UConn College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, and a Masters of Agriculture in Agricultural Science with an integrated resources management specialization from Colorado State University.

MacKenzie is no stranger to working for UConn Extension or when it comes to being out in the barn working with livestock. Growing up on a small farm in southern Maine is where the passion and interest for livestock and production agriculture started. MacKenzie’s new role with UConn Extension involves planning, implementing, and evaluating impactful extension programs primarily related to commercial livestock production. Livestock species include but are not limited to beef, sheep, swine and goats. Prior to working at UConn Extension, she was an Agriculture Marketing & Inspection Representative with the CT Department of Agriculture and before that she supported multiple successful UConn Extension programs as an Educational Program Assistant. Outside of work, she owns and operates a small farm in Eastern Connecticut with her family. MacKenzie is most excited to meet and work with Connecticut producers from all different backgrounds and operations.

Kip’s major clients include the University of Connecticut Extension, American Farmland Trust (AFT), the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Connecticut Farmland Trust, and the North Central Conservation District. Much of the focus of his recent work has involved efforts to improve land access and affordability, and provide technical services to new and beginning farmers. He serves on the UConn Extension Solid Ground Farmer Training cadre, where Kip provides training, one-on-one consultations, and site assessments on land access, soil health, and climate change. In addition, he worked on AFT’s recent National initiatives Farms Under Threat, Farmland For The Next Generation, and Climate Change initiatives. Kip also assists the CT Department of Agriculture with the Farmland Restoration Program to sustainably bring additional lands back into production, and the CT Farmlink Program, a farm access posting-matching service. Formerly USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service State Soil Scientist for Connecticut and Rhode Island, where he worked extensively with farmers, educators, government and nonprofits to help them protect farmland and wetlands, and use soils information to make better-informed land-use decisions. He is a recognized regional and national speaker on soils and land use planning, farmland protection, climate change adaptation, and farmland access. Kip is the Co-Chair of the Working Lands Alliance and a member of the Connecticut Council on Environmental Quality. In addition to this wealth of professional experience, Kolesinskas is an avid fisherman, cook, gardener and local foods advocate.

Upon receiving an A.A.S. in Plant Science from SUNY Cobleskill, Kolesinskas received a B.S. in Soil Science from Cornell University and completed additional coursework at Texas A&M and Lancaster University and Schumacher College in the United Kingdom.

Becca Toms works with the UConn Extension  programs Solid Ground, Climate Smart Adaptation Strategies, and Grown ConNECTed as a Communications Specialists.  She has worked with these programs on branding and marketing and has also worked at other farms and non-profits on various areas of marketing/branding including: website development, social media management, logo creation and design, product design, etc.

She also works at a small farm in Woodbridge CT to help grow herbs, cut flowers, and veg but has had experience working with livestock, educational farms, maple syrup operations, and fiber farms. Becca ran the recently retired social media account heartCTgrown and currently manages the marketing for the Grown ConNECTed program. In all the different programs that she has managed and assisted with she has brought on new followers, customers, and has helped to create cohesive approaches to how the community interacts with them.

Shannon Raider-Ginsburg (s/hxr) works with the UConn Extension's 'Put Local on Your Tray' as the special project coordinator and Farm Laision supporting direct connection between growers and school buyers.  Demystifying the process (hint: it's not as complicated as it seems) Shannon has supported farmers in understanding farm to school purchasing from food safety, marketing and communication, logistics, invoicing and more.

Shannon has extensive experience aligning local agriculture, food justice, and education. As a farmer, Shannon has worked all manner of farms from larger certified organic CSA operations to 450-acre Christmas tree farms, to community gardens and urban agriculture. She has developed farmers markets, mobile markets, run her own small farm business and managed agricultural education programs. Shannon has worked with Extension on developing and implementing Farm to School procurement resources since 2017. Meeting the growing school market is a great way to scale up your farm business. Please reach out to learn more!