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 […]

Urban Horticulture Updates: New Agent Announcement & Course Enrollment

Christiana Huss, Urban Horticulture Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator Please welcome Christiana Huss as the new Urban Horticulture agent and Master Gardener Coordinator for Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester Counties. Christiana will be teaching the Master Gardener course this Fall to train the next class of horticulture volunteers. Applications will begin in May of 2026. If […]

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 […]

Post-Construction BMP Inspector Certification Course

Beatriss Calhoun, Water Resources Extension Agent  Clemson Cooperative Extension would like to announce registration is now OPEN for our spring 2026 certification and re-certification courses! Registration deadline is Sunday, March 8 for certification and Sunday, March 15 for re-certification. The purpose of Post-Construction BMP ( Best Management Practices) Inspector program is to train professionals in methods and strategies for conducting routine […]

Getting the Most Out of Your 4-H Experience

Tawanah Reeves-Ligon, Dorchester County 4-H Agent Of course, you know by now that 4-H is the nation’s largest youth development program and has been striving “to make the best better” for over a century! Our “learn-by-doing” model allows youth to experience the learning process while allowing for discovery and self-determination that may not take place in other environments. From clubs (like livestock and shooting sports) to camps (like Camp 4-H20) […]

Healthy Ponds, Healthy Communities

SAMANTHA PORZELT, WATER RESOURCES AGENT FOR BERKELEY, CHARLESTON, AND DORCHESTER COUNTIES Join Clemson Extension, SC Sea Grant, and the ACE Basin NERR for the Charleston Area Stormwater Pond Management Conference! Are you passionate about sustainable pond management, community resilience, and protecting our local waterways? Mark your calendar for Wednesday, March 11, 2026, and join stormwater […]

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 […]