Savannah Valley District

South Carolina Growers

Extension Agents Rob Last and Bruce Mclean Agricultural exploits continue in Orangeburg and Calhoun counties with the advent of the New Year. Recently, in Orangeburg, Extension Agents Rob Last, Bruce Mclean, I held a hands-on field day for muscadine pruning and fertility management. We were fortunate to have the local and technical college participate and […]

South Carolina Ag Book of the Month Program

Glenna Mason, 4-H Youth Development Agent Orangeburg and Calhoun County 4-H presents agriculture books and activities to kindergarten students at St. Matthews Elementary. The Book of the Month program is a literacy outreach program sponsored by Ag in the Classroom and the SC Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee. Monthly books were purchased and a lesson […]

Soil Sampling: When, How, and Why

Rob Last Area Horticulture Agent.  When? Whether you are a homeowner or commercial farmer, winter is a great time to take soil samples. When the lab reports the results, winter allows applications such as lime to adjust soil pH in plenty of time for the spring growing season. How? Step one: Decide on the number […]

Gluten Labeling

Christine Patrick, County Extension Agent Gluten has taken a big fall in the food and nutrient world in recent years. Some of the reasons for gluten aversion include celiac disease, gluten intolerance, and weight control. If you avoid gluten, the following labeling guidelines will help you make science-based choices when choosing gluten-free foods. What is […]

South Carolina to Issue Handy New Card for Ag Sales Tax Exemptions

South Carolina to Issue Handy New Card for Ag Sales Tax Exemptions SCATE Will Debut February 1, 2022 By Eva Moore, South Carolina Department of Agriculture In 2022, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture is rolling out a handy new card for farmers to use for agricultural sales tax exemptions. South Carolina state law offers […]

Calhoun/Orangeburg Newsletter

Janet Steele, Clemson Cooperative Extension Forestry Agent The Orangeburg-Calhoun Forest Landowners Association met in person on Thursday, September 30, 2021. The group’s previous meetings had been virtual since the Covid pandemic began in 2020. Mr. Jimmy Guthrie hosted approximately 30 members at his property in Neeses. A large picnic pavilion provided a picturesque location for […]

Cold Case: Seasonal Flu Illness

Christine Patrick, Clemson Extension EFNEP Agent With the flu bearing down on South Carolina, we are all looking for ways to avoid this miserable illness. Flu shots, washing hands, downing vitamins, drinking lots of water, regular exercise, and getting enough sleep are all ways to help build up your body’s immune system, especially during this […]

Modifying Holiday Recipes

Christine Patrick, County Extension Agent Enjoy a healthful guilt-free holiday by modifying the recipes for some of your favorite holiday foods to reduce the fat, sugar, and salt and to add fiber. These guidelines explain how to change certain ingredients and by how much. Fat You save about 120 calories for every tablespoon of oil […]

Plug-In Ingredients and Make Casserole

Christine Patrick, County Extension Agent Leftovers can be just leftovers, or you can jazz things up and turn them into something your family may start wanting more often. The idea is to plug ingredients into a casserole formula. You mix and match according to what you have in the refrigerator or on the pantry shelf, […]

Pie Fillings

Christine Patrick, Extension Agent The recipes for fruit pie fillings all use a modified food starch called Clear Jel®. This starch produces the correct thickening, even after the fillings are canned and baked. Other starches, such as cornstarch, break down and result in a runny filling. Clear Jel® must be used as the thickener in […]