Savannah Valley District

Lend a Helping Hand to Bluebirds

Marion Barnes, Senior County Extension Agent Clemson University With all the winter weather conditions of late, it is not too early to be thinking of spring! The Eastern Bluebird is one of South Carolina’s most colorful year-round feathered residents and is often referred to as a harbinger of spring. Early settlers called them the “blue […]

Ready. Set. Grow: Healthy Habits That Start with Your Plate

Roxane Cummings, Rural Health & Nutrition Agent Spring is a season of fresh starts. Gardens are planted, days grow longer, and many of us feel ready to reset routines that may have drifted during the winter months. When it comes to nutrition, spring is the perfect time to focus more on small habits that can […]

Leaking Ponds: Causes and Troubleshooting

Molly Jones, Regional Water Resources Agent Ponds are not typically a natural occurrence in the state of South Carolina. Our state’s specific geological and hydrological characteristics are not conducive to the natural occurrence of lakes or ponds due to a few factors: flat topography; the majority of South Carolina is a coastal plain, which does […]

4-H Clover Contact

Dawn Stuckey, Senior Agent 4-H agents in neighboring counties are working hard to keep 4-H going in multiple counties as we fill vacant positions. We appreciate the work of our retired agents, Shannon Herndon (Bamberg & Barnwell Counties) and Gayle Williford (Berkeley County). They have a huge pair of shoes left to fill. Please continue […]

Creating Backyard Wildlife Habitat

Marion Barnes, Senior County Extension Agent – Clemson University Wildlife viewing is becoming a very popular activity among homeowners and wildlife enthusiasts. According to the US Fish & Wildlife Service 2022 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting & Wildlife-Associated Recreation more than 148 million U.S. residents, 57%  of the U.S. population 16 years old and older […]

In‑Line Fumigation: A Safer Solution for South Carolina Growers

Zachary Snipes, Assistant Program Team Leader-Horticulture, Area Horticulture Agent Zach Snipes, along with other agents from Clemson University’s Food Crop Horticulture Team, has been conducting on-farm demonstrations showcasing in-line fumigation techniques. The emergence of new pests, limited crop rotation options, and the buildup of diseases have led growers to consider fumigation as an essential addition […]

How to Decode Food Labels: Sell-by, Use-by, and Best-by Explained

Jessica Hardiman, Food System and Safety Agent “Best if Used By”, “Sell-By”, “Use-By” …what is the difference between these phrases, and do you have to throw away all those forgotten products in the back of your pantry? Food manufacturers put these dates on packages to let retailers and consumers know when food is at its […]

The Mystery of Storm Drains

Beatriss Calhoun, Water Resources Extension Agent  In your day-to-day life, you may rarely hear people say, “Have you seen that storm drain lately?” Ideally, stormwater managers would love to hear the response, “Yes — and it’s working and looking great!” However, the truth is that most storm drains go unnoticed. As development continues to expand […]

A Basketful of Muscadine History and Legacy 

Anna Sara Hill, Horticulture Extension Agent Fall is a great time to make jelly and work on holiday wreaths or other craft decorations. One of my favorite multipurpose vines and fruits is a southeastern native, the Muscadine. Muscadines belong to the subgenus Muscadinia within the genus Vitis, and they are the most unique member of […]

Things We Need to Plan For

David Mansfield, Agribusiness Extension Agent Farming is a business built on uncertainty. Each year brings new challenges—weather extremes, changing markets, rising input costs, and unexpected personal events. While no one can predict the future, we can prepare for it by understanding and managing risk in five key areas: production, market, financial, legal, and personal. Production […]