New ag extension agent eager to help solve problems
By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News
The new agriculture and natural resources extension agent for Larimer
County, Karen Crumbaker, feels quite at home in northern Colorado. That
could be because she earned two degrees at Colorado State University: a
bachelor's degree in animal science and a master's in extension education.
She and her family have also owned a home in Glacier View Meadows for five
years. As a resident there, Crumbaker served on the ecology committee,
combating noxious weeds in the large subdivision. Her new position with
extension also involves the never-ending job of fighting noxious weeds.
Crumbaker, an Illinois native, arrived at the extension office in mid-August.
She wears two hats in the Larimer County Extension office, but that's a
small order compared with her previous position.
For the past three years, Crumbaker was director of extension for Custer
County southwest of Pueblo, a much smaller office than her current post.
In addition to the director's job, she was also in charge of natural resources
and the entire 4-H program.
Here, Crumbaker will focus on small-acreage issues such as weeds, bark
beetles, wildlife issues and plant identification. She will work with the
agriculture advisory board for the county and will likely get involved
in economic development issues for rural Larimer County. The latter is
an area with which she is quite familiar, since she worked hard in Custer
County on marketing the county's attributes to potential tourists.
Land conservation and management have been prime interests for Crumbaker
for many years. She was employed by The Nature Conservancy for five years
in the 1990s. While with TNC, she worked at the Colorado Natural Heritage
Program based at Colorado State University. Scientists with the program
study and monitor rare and endangered species and ecosystems within Colorado.
Crumbaker especially looks forward to helping county citizens solve problems.
"I really enjoy working with people and helping them find answers to their
questions," she said.
At present, part of Crumbaker's job is learning more about other organizations
in the county, so she can steer problem-solvers in the right direction.
"I look at myself as a resource, to help people gain information," she
said. "Then, they can make their own decisions."
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