May Is Mental Health Awareness Month

Happy Mental Health Awareness Month!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month — a great time to remember that small steps can make a big difference in how we feel each day. Taking a moment to pause, breathe, and reconnect can help you build mental wellness, especially when you feel stressed or overwhelmed.

Not sure where to start? Try one of these easy strategies to help you reset after a long day:

Box Breathing

1. Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 seconds. 
2. Hold your breath for 4 seconds.
3. Exhale slowly through your mouth for 4 seconds.
4. Hold again for 4 seconds.
5. Repeat this cycle a few times to feel calmer and more focused.

Why it Works: Slow, controlled breathing helps calm your nervous system and can reduce stress in the moment.

5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise

1. Name 5 things you can see around you.
2. Name 4 things you can feel (like your chair or your feet on the ground). 
3. Name 3 things you can hear. 
4. Name 2 things you can smell. 
5. Name 1 thing you can taste.

Why it Works: Using your senses brings your attention back to the present moment and can quickly reduce feelings of anxiety.

Name Your Feelings Check-In

1. Pause and take one slow breath.
2. Ask yourself: “What am I feeling right now?”
3. Name 1–2 emotions (for example: stressed, tired, frustrated, calm, hopeful).
4. Remind yourself: “It’s okay to feel this way.”
5. Decide one small, supportive next step (drink water, stretch, text a friend, take a short break).

Why it Works: Identifying emotions can help you better understand and manage them. This strengthens emotional awareness and resilience.

How else might you build mental wellness this month? Visit our website to learn more about behavioral health programs in Winnebago County.

Alfalfa Scissors Clip Starts May 18th

The Predictive Equations for Alfalfa Quality (PEAQ) Stick/Alfalfa Scissors Clip will begin on Monday, May 18, 2026, for Winnebago and Outagamie Counties. The program is conducted by the Outagamie Forage Council with the cooperation and support of many farmers and agricultural professionals. Samples are collected on Mondays and Thursdays when crop height and maturity indicate sampling should begin, with results posted on Tuesdays and Fridays or available by voicemail at 920‑832‑4769.

In addition, the Outagamie Forage Council will monitor the maturity and quality of winter cereal forages by collecting height and maturity data and reporting lab analysis results. This information helps producers identify the best harvest timing to maximize both yield and quality. Results will be posted on the PEAQ & Winter Cereal Forages Monitor webpage or shared through the State Alfalfa Scissors Clip results site.

Special thanks to participating farmers and consultants: Sugar Creek Farm (New London), Neighborhood Dairy (Kaukauna), Birlings Bovines, Larrand Dairy, Oneida Nation Farm, Knigge Farms, and Remer Farms, with collection support from Much Crop Consulting, Dairyland Seed Company, and Tilth Agronomy.

Be On The Look Out: Invasive Plant

Calling all citizens, be on the lookout for this invasive spring plant.

Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna), also known as fig buttercup, is actively spreading in southeastern Wisconsin and has begun appearing in new areas across our area. This low growing plant has shiny, heart shaped leaves and bright yellow flowers that emerge very early in spring. While it may appear attractive, lesser celandine spreads aggressively and forms dense mats that crowd out native spring wildflowers and damage natural ecosystems.

Because lesser celandine emerges so early and dies back quickly once trees leaf out, there is only a short window each spring to identify and report it. Now is the time when lesser celandine is actively flowering. Early detection is critical before populations become established and much more difficult to manage.

Community reporting plays a major role in slowing the spread of this invasive species. If you think you have found lesser celandine, please report sightings through the free EDDMapS reporting system or contact us at Extension.

Learn more about identification and management.

Report sightings in Wisconsin!

Your observations can help protect Wisconsin’s forests, wetlands, and native spring wildflowers.