Savannah Valley District

Staying Safe in the Summer Sun: Avoiding Heat Stress and Heat-Related Illness

Marion Barnes, County Extension Agent Working outside is a daily reality for those who make their living farming. This can mean long hours in the hot, humid summer growing season. To protect themselves, farmers should be familiar with heat stress and heat-related illnesses and take proper steps to prevent them. What is heat stress? The human […]

Emerging Opportunities in Ecosystem Services Markets for Timberland Owners and Managers

Janet W. Steele, Area Forestry and Wildlife Agent Ecosystem services, or the additional benefits provided to humans by forests other than manufactured products, include clean air and water, carbon sequestration, and intangible benefits such as natural beauty. Recent opportunities have become available or are being developed in South Carolina to generate income for timberland owners […]

Chainsaw Use Considerations Among South Carolina’s Female Forest Landowners and Managers

Janet W. Steele, Area Extension Agent – Forestry and Wildlife Female forest landowners are gradually increasing across the southeast as lands transition from one generation to the next or from husband to wife. As more female landowners become involved in the day-to-day operations of their property, the need for practical training on equipment such as […]

Downy Mildew in South Carolina

Rob Last, Horticultural Agent – Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, and Hampton Calling all cucurbit growers in South Carolina. Downy Mildew has been confirmed in South Carolina this week. For more information, please use the QR Code. Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, […]

Farm Safety & Health: May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Marion Barnes, Senior County Extension Agent May is Mental Health Month, which can be a difficult subject to talk about with agricultural community members. Farmers carry heavy loads that can become whelming at times. Being a farmer in today’s world means wearing many, many hats. They have to be meteorologists, accountants, business managers, mechanics, soil […]

Around the Countryside: Eastern Tent Caterpillars Invade the County

Tent Caterpillar Nest

Marion Barnes, Senior County Extension Agent Spring has definitely arrived in the low country. Home gardeners are working in their gardens; azaleas and dogwoods have been blooming for several weeks. Tent caterpillars are making their appearance on the foliage of our trees and shrubs. The eastern tent caterpillar, Malacosoma americanum is a native pest of […]

Fertilization of Plants

Rob Last, Horticultural Agent – Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, and Hampton Fertilization for plants can be essential to ensure optimal growth, development, display (for ornamentals or yields of fruits, nuts, and vegetables. In a nutshell, fertilization relies on four principles referred to as the four R’s. The Right Rate of the Right Product at the Right […]

Center Pivot Irrigation System Efficiency

Center Pivot Irrigation System

Rebecca H. Davis, Area Water Resources Agent Center Pivot irrigation systems are the most used irrigation systems for row crop growers in South Carolina. Frank Zybach invented the center pivot in 1948 in Colorado. His design was to replace the use of labor-intensive irrigation pipes with a self-propelled system that rotates around a central tower […]

Around the Countryside Does My Garden Need Lime?

Marion Barnes – Senior County Extension Agent Does my garden need lime? If you live in the southern part of the state, the answer is most likely maybe! This is because our southern flat woods soils are characteristically acidic, low in organic matter, and have low nutrient-holding capacities. Over time our soils become acidic because […]

What is Rural Health at Clemson Extension?

Source: Clemson Extension Rural Health

Michelle Altman Rural Health Agent – Hampton County At Clemson Cooperative Extension the Vision is: Clemson Extension will be the trusted source of unbiased, research-based information relating to agriculture, community, environment, food, health, and youth in South Carolina. The Rural Health Extension Program Team of Clemson Cooperative Extension offers scientifically supported initiatives and programs to […]