[{"id":2833,"date":"2026-11-09T20:50:47","date_gmt":"2026-11-09T20:50:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/?p=2833"},"modified":"2026-11-09T20:50:48","modified_gmt":"2026-11-09T20:50:48","slug":"growing-community-connections-at-the-fair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/growing-community-connections-at-the-fair\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cGrowing Community Connections at the Fair!\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Akendra Garrett, Berkeley and Charleston EFNEP Nutrition Educator and
Berkeley County Coordinator<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Between the rides, food, and festivities, Clemson Extension brought a little education to the fun at the Coastal Carolina Fair in Ladson! As Berkeley County Coordinator, I set up an exhibit to introduce fairgoers to our office location and the programs, services, and resources available to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With so much land being cleared and so many newcomers calling Berkeley County home, we felt this was a timely opportunity to connect with our growing community. From agriculture, horticulture, gardening, and soil testing to 4-H Youth Development, the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), and rural health, we wanted residents to know that Clemson Extension is here to help.\u00a0 Whether you\u2019re new to the county or have called it home for years, we invite you to discover what your local Extension office can do for you!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sex, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Akendra Garrett, Berkeley and Charleston EFNEP Nutrition Educator andBerkeley County Coordinator Between the rides, food, and festivities, Clemson Extension brought a little education to the fun at the Coastal Carolina Fair in Ladson! As Berkeley County Coordinator, I set up an exhibit to introduce fairgoers to our office location and the programs, services, and resources […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4162,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13303,69613,905,69305],"tags":[72614,15606,72616],"coauthors":[114923],"class_list":["post-2833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-4-h","category-efnep","category-horticulture","category-rural-health","tag-berkeley","tag-charleston","tag-dorchester"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2833","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4162"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2833"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2833\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2836,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2833\/revisions\/2836"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2833"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=2833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2829,"date":"2026-11-09T20:25:52","date_gmt":"2026-11-09T20:25:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/?p=2829"},"modified":"2026-11-09T20:25:53","modified_gmt":"2026-11-09T20:25:53","slug":"pet-waste-stinks-help-protect-our-waterways","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/pet-waste-stinks-help-protect-our-waterways\/","title":{"rendered":"Pet Waste Stinks! Help Protect Our Waterways"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SAMANTHA PORZELT, WATER RESOURCES AGENT FOR BERKELEY, CHARLESTON, AND DORCHESTER COUNTIES<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Did you know that pet waste is more than just an unpleasant mess? It can also contribute to water pollution in our local waterways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bacteria is the most frequently listed water pollutant in South Carolina, and pet waste is one source of bacterial pollution. When pet waste is left on the ground, rain can wash harmful bacteria into storm drains, creeks, and rivers through stormwater runoff. Unlike wastewater, which is sent to a treatment facility, stormwater runoff is generally not treated before reaching our waterways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just how much pet waste are we talking about?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Carolina has an estimated 1,423,000 dogs, and the average dog produces approximately 0.75 pounds of waste each day. That amounts to more than 1 million pounds of dog waste deposited across the state every day!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>
\n

What Can You Do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news is that preventing pet waste pollution is easy. Whether you’re walking your dog around the neighborhood or letting them out in your backyard, a few simple habits can make a difference:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Clean up after your pet every time. This includes both your yard and public spaces, including sidewalks, trails, and parks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Always bring a bag! Keep waste bags handy when walking your dog so you’re prepared to clean up.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Dispose of pet waste properly. Place bagged pet waste in the trash. Pet waste should never be used as fertilizer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Picking up after your pet is a small action that can have a big impact on protecting local water quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Pick Up a Rack Card!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Want to share this information with your neighbors, community members, or event attendees? Our Pet Waste Stinks!<\/em> educational rack card is available at the Charleston County Clemson Extension Office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you would like copies for an upcoming event or community outreach activity, reach out to Samantha Porzelt (sporzel@clemson.edu<\/a>) or Bea Calhoun (beatris@clemson.edu<\/a>) at the Charleston County Extension Office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Together, we can help keep pet waste where it belongs and protect the waterways we all enjoy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Learn more about stormwater with Carolina Clear and the Ashley Cooper Stormwater Education Consortium at clemson.edu\/extension\/carolinaclear\/regional-consortiums\/acsec<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sex, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    SAMANTHA PORZELT, WATER RESOURCES AGENT FOR BERKELEY, CHARLESTON, AND DORCHESTER COUNTIES Did you know that pet waste is more than just an unpleasant mess? It can also contribute to water pollution in our local waterways. Bacteria is the most frequently listed water pollutant in South Carolina, and pet waste is one source of bacterial pollution. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4162,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[70041,70314,70572,70898,71463,71749,72047],"tags":[72614,15606,72616,13275],"coauthors":[114923],"class_list":["post-2829","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-allendale","category-bamberg","category-barnwell","category-beaufort","category-colleton","category-hampton","category-jasper","tag-berkeley","tag-charleston","tag-dorchester","tag-water-resources"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2829","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4162"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2829"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2829\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2832,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2829\/revisions\/2832"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2829"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2829"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2829"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=2829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2801,"date":"2026-11-05T16:44:20","date_gmt":"2026-11-05T16:44:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/?p=2801"},"modified":"2026-11-05T16:44:22","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T16:44:22","slug":"chfff-fabulous-fifth-graders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/chfff-fabulous-fifth-graders\/","title":{"rendered":"CHFFF Fabulous Fifth Graders:"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

    Patti Chapman, Beaufort County EFNEP Nutrition Educator<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
    \n
    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
    \n
    <\/div>\n\n\n\n
    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
    \n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    The fifth-grade students pictured here are busy working on filling half of their plates with fruits and vegetables – making sure to get three servings of fruits and five servings of vegetables each day.  Also pictured are students looking at the nutrition facts labels of drinks and measuring out how much added sugar is included. These two activities are just a few of the hands-on exercises that are done during the “Choose Health: Food, Fun, and Fitness Program.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Patti Chapman, the Beaufort County EFNEP Nutrition Educator, has worked diligently for the past few years to build relationships with the PE teachers at elementary schools in the county. She provides free nutrition education from the Choose Health: Food, Fun and Fitness curriculum to the students during their PE classes. Students love Patti’s classes and getting to try new foods and recipes. Patti also facilitates new games and activities that promote moving well and she encourages students to engage their whole families in fitness activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Civil Rights Statement<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Patti Chapman, Beaufort County EFNEP Nutrition Educator The fifth-grade students pictured here are busy working on filling half of their plates with fruits and vegetables – making sure to get three servings of fruits and five servings of vegetables each day.  Also pictured are students looking at the nutrition facts labels of drinks and measuring […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3978,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[70898,69613],"tags":[],"coauthors":[114926],"class_list":["post-2801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-beaufort","category-efnep"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2801","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3978"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2801"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2801\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2804,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2801\/revisions\/2804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2801"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=2801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2796,"date":"2026-11-04T18:56:41","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T18:56:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/?p=2796"},"modified":"2026-11-04T18:56:43","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T18:56:43","slug":"winter-chores-for-the-home-gardener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/savannahvalley\/winter-chores-for-the-home-gardener\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter Chores for the Home Gardener"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

    Marion Barnes – Senior County Extension Agent – Clemson University<\/h2>\n\n\n
    \n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

    Many gardeners have mixed feelings about fall, some may be a bit sad to see all the fresh warm season vegetable production come to an end but at the same time, glad to get a much-needed break from watering, weeding and the numerous chores it takes to keep a garden. If you did not plant a fall garden, it\u2019s a great time to inspect, clean and repair your tools before you put them away for the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As a gardener, there are few things more frustrating than to pull out the gardening tools in the spring and find hoes and other hand tools broken or rusty, a tiller that won\u2019t start or hoses that are cracked and leaking. Gardening tools are expensive, but with a little maintenance, care and forethought, you can make your tools last from season to season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The following is a short checklist for storing gardening tools for the winter:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Hoes, shovels and other hand tools:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n