Think salads can’t be filling? Think again! Join us for a Lunch & Learn focused on building main-dish salads that are hearty, flavorful, and satisfying enough to stand alone as a meal.

WITS Workout Baby Steps is a playful program featuring activities loosely inspired by all things baby-related, from developmental milestones to nursery themes. Through fun, engaging challenges, participants learn practical memory tips and techniques that can be applied in everyday life. The training component provides strategies for improving memory retention and recall, helping participants strengthen their cognitive skills one step at a time.

This session emphasizes proactive financial strategies for maintaining economic security and independence. Managing financial matters during aging, including budgeting, retirement planning, asset protection, consumer protection, saving strategies, and responsible credit use

Join Anthony Reardon, Horticulture - Small Farms Extension Agent, for Reducing Weeds in Vegetable Gardens. Explore the science of how weeds impact your garden’s growth and productivity, and learn effective strategies to prevent and control them. This session covers weed identification, life cycles, and practical management techniques to help you maintain a healthier, more productive vegetable garden.

Join Anthony Reardon, Horticulture – Small Farms agent, and Chelsea King, Nutrition, Food Safety, and Health agent, as they discuss growing okra at home, its culinary uses, and nutritional benefits.

Learn how to turn everyday yard and kitchen waste into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. This program covers what to compost, how to build and maintain a pile, and how to use finished compost in your garden. Perfect for beginners looking to reduce waste and improve soil health. Attendees who live in the City of Merriam will also be eligible for the city’s compost bin rebate program. (Merriam compost bin rebate is exclusively for Merriam residents and they must attend one of the two dates—either May 20th or August 12th.)

Our Kitchen Restore Project strives to improve the nutrition, food safety awareness, health, and quality of life of Johnson County residents through the provision of basic kitchen items to those with minimal or no resources for cooking. Our goal is to provide kitchen essentials such as pots and pans, dishes, and utensils to help enable individuals to prepare nutritious meals at home.

Do you have kitchen items to donate or work with individuals who are in need of these items and could benefit from our project?

This class will cover the deconstruction of a tie, how to wash and the use of stabilizer. Participants will choose 4 ties (provided by instructor) and receive some quilt block patterns. This class covers skills and there will be no sewing.

Learn about the process and documents involved in preparing your future medical care. Discover how to be prepared if you become unable to speak for yourself. 

Discover easy ways to love your heart! In this class, we’ll explore simple swaps, tasty recipes, and everyday habits that make heart-smart eating both delicious and doable. 

This session will introduce gardeners to the core principles of Permaculture, emphasizing sustainable garden design strategies that work in harmony with natural systems. These principles are being applied to the Food Forest on the campus of Johnson County Community College (JCCC), providing a firsthand look at how these principles have been applied locally. Practical methods for integrating these concepts into home gardens will also be explored.

Kansas City is welcoming the world in 2026, and this cooking class does the same in the kitchen. Join us as we explore foods inspired by countries playing in a 'little' soccer game here in Kansas City, learning simple techniques, bold flavors, and unique foods. This class is designed for all skill levels and celebrates connection through food.

Our Kitchen Restore Project strives to improve the nutrition, food safety awareness, health, and quality of life of Johnson County residents through the provision of basic kitchen items to those with minimal or no resources for cooking. Our goal is to provide kitchen essentials such as pots and pans, dishes, and utensils to help enable individuals to prepare nutritious meals at home.

Do you have kitchen items to donate or work with individuals who are in need of these items and could benefit from our project?

WITS Workout Forget Me, Not! is a vibrant program where flower-themed activities bloom into lessons about how our brains remember and forget. Through creative challenges inspired by botanical themes, participants explore procedural memory—the type of memory that helps us remember how to do things automatically. The training component addresses why we forget and provides insights into strengthening the memory processes that help us retain important skills and information.

Discover six unforgettable gardens on the 2026 Public Garden Tour Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13, 2026. Each garden is owned and maintained by one of our Extension Master Gardeners. Tickets will be available for purchase online and in our office on March 15th until we sell out.

Discover the role protein plays in overall health, muscle maintenance, balance, and recovery from illness, with realistic strategies to meet protein needs through everyday foods.

Join Anthony Reardon, Horticulture – Small Farms agent, and Chelsea King, Nutrition, Food Safety, and Health agent, live and in person as they discuss the essentials to home gardening and making the most out of your produce in the kitchen.

Wonders of Discovery is a free event for all ages hosted annually by the Johnson County Extension Master Naturalists. There will be exhibits on Kansas native plants, gardening for wildlife, pollinators, such as native bees and bats, and other nature related displays. Games and activities are planned for children, so this will be a fun and educational event for the whole family.

Our Kitchen Restore Project strives to improve the nutrition, food safety awareness, health, and quality of life of Johnson County residents through the provision of basic kitchen items to those with minimal or no resources for cooking. Our goal is to provide kitchen essentials such as pots and pans, dishes, and utensils to help enable individuals to prepare nutritious meals at home.

Do you have kitchen items to donate or work with individuals who are in need of these items and could benefit from our project?

Do you think salads can’t be filling? Think again! Learn how main dish salads can support heart health, blood sugar control, and weight management. We’ll explore nutrient-dense ingredients, easy prep tips, and budget-friendly options that make salads a realistic and delicious everyday meal.

Our Kitchen Restore Project strives to improve the nutrition, food safety awareness, health, and quality of life of Johnson County residents through the provision of basic kitchen items to those with minimal or no resources for cooking. Our goal is to provide kitchen essentials such as pots and pans, dishes, and utensils to help enable individuals to prepare nutritious meals at home.

Do you have kitchen items to donate or work with individuals who are in need of these items and could benefit from our project?

How to Prepare Your Garden for Fall is a presentation that helps gardeners think ahead to autumn while summer is still in full swing. Participants learn research-based, season-timed strategies for soil care, pruning, planting, and pest management that set the stage for a healthier fall and winter garden. The session blends timely horticultural guidance with an engaging, playful theme to make proactive garden planning approachable and memorable.

Beat the heat with some Tasty Summer Treats! Learn how to make refreshing summer snacks and desserts using fresh, seasonal ingredients—perfect for staying cool this summer!

WITS Workout America's Pastime features activities loosely inspired by sports—primarily baseball—and anything involving balls, though no specific sports knowledge is required to participate. Through accessible, playful challenges, participants discover how physical movement and exercise directly benefit brain health and cognitive function. The training component emphasizes the powerful connection between staying active and maintaining a sharp, healthy brain at any age.

Our Kitchen Restore Project strives to improve the nutrition, food safety awareness, health, and quality of life of Johnson County residents through the provision of basic kitchen items to those with minimal or no resources for cooking. Our goal is to provide kitchen essentials such as pots and pans, dishes, and utensils to help enable individuals to prepare nutritious meals at home.

Do you have kitchen items to donate or work with individuals who are in need of these items and could benefit from our project?

You are never too young or old to get started training your brain. Participants will take part in interactive activities designed to exercise the brain to maintain and enhance cognitive function and memory. A session will consist of a pen and paper activity and an educational topic on memory, brain health, or health and wellness.

Most older adults wish to remain in their homes and live independently for as long as possible. Making the house a safer and more comfortable place to live is possible by making changes around the house. Learn how to age in place, assess, and modify homes for safety at no cost or at low cost. 

Installing a native garden or prairie stand can seem overwhelming. But, with the right guidance, you’ll be growing your own prairie in no time. Introducing Backyard Prairie, the 4-part series intended to help guide you through an entire year of prairie garden maintenance. Join Patti Ragsdale, president of the Kansas Native Plant Society, and Executive Director of the non-profit, Botanical Belonging, as she discusses what tasks need to be done each season and what to plan for in the future. Unable to attend all four classes? Not a problem! Patti will answer all your questions regarding establishment and maintenance.

Discover the joy of growing and using fresh herbs in this engaging, handson session! Gardening and Cooking with Herbs introduces participants to the basics of cultivating common culinary herbs. The session also includes a delicious culinary component: simple demonstrations and tasting opportunities that highlight how fresh herbs can elevate everyday meals.  

Our Kitchen Restore Project strives to improve the nutrition, food safety awareness, health, and quality of life of Johnson County residents through the provision of basic kitchen items to those with minimal or no resources for cooking. Our goal is to provide kitchen essentials such as pots and pans, dishes, and utensils to help enable individuals to prepare nutritious meals at home.

Do you have kitchen items to donate or work with individuals who are in need of these items and could benefit from our project?