As we embrace the arrival of spring this April, we also celebrate the designation of this month as National Volunteer Month and share in grateful appreciation for the positive roles volunteers play in the lives of 4-H youth across the state of Delaware.

Drought conditions experienced in Brazil in 2023 could mean a lower-than-expected soybean harvest. If you are outside mainstream agricultural production, you may rightly wonder whether this information has anything to do with you. Not directly, perhaps. But, thanks to international trade, events in other parts of the world can have a telling impact on populations thousands of miles away. In the specific case of soybean, given Brazil's recent status as the largest exporter, reduced production levels, in addition to other factors, could present an opportunity for higher prices for American soybean farmers in international markets, which is welcome news.

Did you know Extension has a group of volunteers that work across the state to support health and wellness? We do! They are called Master Wellness Volunteers, and they are champions in the community for health! Each volunteer has received training and is equipped with knowledge about health equity, youth and adult partnerships, and social determinants of health. Master Wellness Volunteers serve as Walk Club Leaders, Community and School Garden Coordinators, Mindfulness and Well-being Educators and Food Educators - serving the community in a variety of ways. Leaders of walk clubs are there to support individuals looking to improve their wellness through walking while connecting with others.

After ten years the drone market has become fairly reliable, but it may still be confusing when deciding what kind of drone you may want. There are several types of drones available, with the most common being a quadcopter, which could be considered a micro-helicopter with four propellers (Figure 1a). Other options include a fixed-wing (airplane, Figure 1b), hybrid, or coaxial. A hybrid will take off like a quadcopter by flying like an airplane, helping land in tight spaces but using less battery during flight. Both fixed-wing and hybrids are better for field mapping useful in reconstructing whole fields for precision agriculture applications. For field scouting, the best option is the standard quadcopter, particularly as it can hover overtop of the field, stop at the edges, and land on the back of a truck.