Month: January 2021

During the months we have been working remotely I have remained in contact with my forestry and wildlife clients in Laurens by phone, text and email.  Answering a wide array of questions including several about dying pine trees with beetle issues, identifying unknown trees, and identifying a snake.  Several questions about controlling pond weeds.  Other questions like what is the foam coming out of my red oak tree (slime flux), and how do I grow Christmas trees.  There were some traditional forest management questions too.  Particularly on how can I get a forest management plan done, and what type of site preparation work do I need to do before replanting pine trees.  I was able to walk over some timberland properties and provide advice about thinning or final harvesting the timber.  There was one occurrence of an unusual disease affecting a tract of timber.  Pine tree needles were fading and dying in early spring, but the trees were not dying.  After consultation with SC Forestry Commission, Forest Pest Forester, it was confirmed to be a needle blight fungus infecting the trees.  Most all the trees put on new growth and recovered.

Trees infested by Ploioderma needle blight.  Photo Tom Brant.

Several virtual program announcements were sent to my client list.  The announcements included program topics on invasive plants, invasive insects, pesticide credit classes, and on timber tax issues.  One directed specifically to women was the Women Owning Woodlands program.

I have remained in contact with the Laurens County Forest Landowners Association Board members concerning their quarterly meetings and what their plans for these meetings would be.  The current Board members were asked and agreed to remain in place moving forward to 2021, to provide continuity in leadership for the Association.  I also worked with a group of other Agents to provide Virtual Association programs to Association members.  We presented programs on Fall Wildlife Food Plots, and on Controlling Privet in Your Woodlands.

I assisted with a series of demonstration plots installed on the John de la Howe school property in McCormick County.  Separate plots on chemically controlling both, kudzu on timberland and controlling understory competition in timber stands, were set up and treated.  The goal was to have in person tours, for timberland owners in the surrounding counties, of the resulting treatments.  But issues around the COVID virus prevented those form taking place.  A virtual program discussing the results is being created.

View across several kudzu control demo plots.  Photo Tom Brant.

Understory vegetation being affected by treatment in hardwood demo plot.  Photo Tom Brant.

The Laurens County Extension Office is still closed to the public at this time to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.  However, to better serve you we have installed a soil sample drop box on the front porch of the Laurens Extension Office.  This is to allow non-contact sample drop off to protect everyone from the COVID-19 spread.

We are currently accepting the following sample types in the box:

Soil Samples
Hay Samples
Forage Samples
Compost Samples

These are all non-time-sensitive samples – if they stay in the box a day or two, there will be no change in the samples.  PLEASE DO NOT PLACE PAYMENT IN THE BOX!  We have a holder on the left of the box with self-addressed envelopes.  Take one and mail your check to us made out to “Clemson University” for the samples you drop off.  We do not want to leave payment in the box for security reasons.

We are NOT accepting the following sample types in the box, since they are time-sensitive and will degrade quickly.  You should mail these samples directly to the Clemson Ag Service Lab or Clemson’s Plant Problem Clinic:

Manure Samples (mail to the Ag Service Lab)
Weed ID Samples (mail to the Plant Problem Clinic)
Insect ID Samples (mail to the Plant Problem Clinic)
Nematode Samples (mail to the Plant Problem Clinic)
Leaf Tissue Samples (mail to the Ag Service Lab)

(We have forms and instructions in the green tote beside the drop box for time-sensitive samples that should be mailed directly to the Ag Service Lab or the Plant Problem Clinic, including the address for the Lab and the Clinic for each type of sample.)

When you drop off your soil or forage samples, please include the completed sample form with your samples.  We have blank forms in the green tote beside the soil sample drop box; you may prefer to print them out at home before you come.  If you do, the links to the forms are:

Soil Sample Form:
https://www.clemson.edu/public/regulatory/ag-srvc-lab/soil-testing/soil.pdf
(Your soil code should always be “4”)

Crop Codes to tell us what you are growing:
https://www.clemson.edu/public/regulatory/ag-srvc-lab/soil-testing/crop-codes.html

Forage Sample Form:
https://www.clemson.edu/public/regulatory/ag-srvc-lab/feed-forage/feed.pdf

You can also just go to https://www.clemson.edu/public/regulatory/ag-srvc-lab/index.html , click on “Soil Testing” or “Feed and Forage” on the left side, then click on the form on the right side of the next page.

Costs – Standard soil samples are still $6.00 each.  If you would like the results mailed to you instead of emailed, add $1.00 to the entire order (not $1.00 per sample).  Standard forage samples (test for ADF, NDF, Crude Protein) are still $16.00 each, and also add $1.00 if you prefer it to be mailed.  If you would like to add other items to be tested in a sample, please add the listed price beside the additional items.

If we are in the office when you bring your soil samples, we can accept your check then in a non-contact way.  Knock on the door, and when we come to the door put your check for payment in the black mailbox.  We will walk out and retrieve both samples and check when you leave to keep the transaction non-contact.  DO NOT leave the payment in the mail box if we are not there – please mail it in to us instead.  This is for your protection – we do not want your payment to mistakenly be picked up by a mail carrier.  (Bryan Smith is in the office most days, but please call first to confirm we will be in the office if you need to leave your check while there.)

If you have questions on filling out the form, or simply need pricing help, please call Bryan Smith at 864-705-1101 (office direct line) or email wsmth@clemson.edu.

We hope to be able to take credit card payment for samples over the phone later this year.  At this time, though, payment can only be made by check.

Thank you for your continued support.  If you have a Facebook account you may want to “like” our Facebook pages.  We post opportunities, meeting announcements, and ideas there throughout the year:

Laurens County Extension Office:
https://www.facebook.com/LaurensCountyClemsonExtensionService

Laurens County 4-H Program:
https://www.facebook.com/4Hlaurenscounty

Bryan Smith, County Coordinator
wsmth@clemson.edu
864-705-1101

During the months we have been working remotely I have remained in contact with my forestry and wildlife clients in Greenwood by phone, text and email.  Answering a wide array of questions including several about dying pine trees with beetle issues, how to prevent peach bores in my trees, would installing a retaining wall be a detriment to my oak tree, and would wood pellet ash be good fertilizer.  Several questions about stocking fish ponds and controlling pond weeds.  Other questions about managing pecan orchards, and on controlling insects and diseases on pecan trees.  There were some traditional forest management questions too.  Particularly on how can I get a forest management plan done, and how do we go about getting trees replanted after the prior harvest.  I was able to walk over some timberland properties and provide advice about thinning or final harvesting the timber.  I also assisted a landowner in southern Greenwood County with documenting and submitting some State champion and co-champion trees on his property to the SC Champion Trees database.

Several virtual program announcements were sent to my client list.  The announcements included program topics on invasive plants, invasive insects, pesticide credit classes, and on timber tax issues.  One directed specifically to women was the Women Owning Woodlands program.

I have remained in contact with the Greenwood County Forestry Association Board members concerning their quarterly meetings and what their plans for these meetings would be.  The current Board members were asked and agreed to remain in place moving forward to 2021, to provide continuity in leadership for the Association.  I also worked with a group of other Agents to provide Virtual Association programs to Association members.  We presented programs on Fall Wildlife Food Plots, and on Controlling Privet in Your Woodlands.

I assisted with a series of demonstration plots installed on the John de la Howe school property in McCormick County.  Separate plots on chemically controlling both, kudzu on timberland and controlling understory competition in timber stands, were set up and treated.  The goal was to have in person tours, for timberland owners in the surrounding counties, of the resulting treatments.  But issues around the COVID virus prevented those form taking place.  A virtual program discussing the results is being created.

For more information on Forestry and Natural Resource related issues and programs, please contact Tom Brant by email at jbrant@clemson.edu or phone at 864-465-5030.

Gina Gilbert is a Nutrition Educator with EFNEP (Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program) and Clemson University Extension in Greenwood County.   Gina delivers nutrition education to youth & adults with limited resources in four core areas: diet quality and physical activity, food resource management, food safety and food security.  She believes that education empowers people to live healthier and more gratifying lives and she is passionate to share her knowledge and skill set with others.

She has successfully graduated over 400 students in the Saluda County district school system and over 25 adults since November of 2018 and is looking forward to expanding those numbers here in Greenwood County.  She holds a B.A. in the field of Interdisciplinary Social Science from the University of South Florida and in her spare time, she is currently seeking certification as a nutritionist through NASM (National Association of Sports Medicine).

For more information on EFNEP related issues and programs, please contact Gina Gilbert by email at gmgilbe@clemson.edu or phone at 864-223-3264.

This year has been different than any other year. We have all had to learn new things and learn how to do things virtually. In March when everything started the 96 Horse Club 4-H Hipplogy and Horse Bowl Group had been practicing and were ready to go to their competition. Their in-person competition was canceled, and they had the very first SC Hipplogy and Horse Bowl Virtual Contest. The group of junior girls excelled in the competition. This competition was the first for most of these girls.

During the summer, the Lakelands Region (Greenwood, Abbeville, McCormick, and Anderson) put together virtual summer camp packs. We had a Wildlife pack, a Healthy Lifestyles Pack, a Mad Scientist Pack, and a Pollinator Pack. These packs were distributed throughout the Lakelands Region. We sold over 150 packs! During this time, we also gave out 100 packs during a food box giveaway.

The Lakelands Group also has summitted a grant to help us make 1000 of these kits to give out in South Carolina to children in school. These kits will be given to groups of children in the 3^rd-5^th grade. This grant is going through National 4-H!

For the Students Christmas break we put together a Wildlife box. In this box the 4-H’ers got to give back to nature a little. They made wildlife friendly garland and made birdseed ornaments. All the 4-H’ers had fun and the wildlife loved it.

For more information on 4-H related issues and programs, please contact Lucy Charping by email at lucyw@clemson.edu or phone at 864-889-0504.

Since assuming my role in August of 2020, I have been working towards increasing public awareness of the Cooperative Extension activities and services available in Greenwood County. The Index Journal has granted me a weekly column for educational outreach. In the column I have covered topics ranging from recommended garden tasks to environmental education and I have included program announcements. I also created the Greenwood County Cooperative Extension Facebook page for our office to update our community on our activities and to share timely information and educational posts. I have assisted the Home Garden Information Center in updating online fact sheets for crops such as Begonia and Coleus.

In my role as Master Gardener coordinator, I have connected the Lakelands Master Gardener Association with two new projects. The first new project will be in conjunction with the Piedmont Agency on Aging using their greenhouse and raised bed gardens for educational activities and potentially housing their annual fundraising plant sale. The second new project is the rehabilitation of the Eleanor Rice Elementary school Roots and Shoots Garden. I am also part of the committee creating the new statewide Virtual Master Gardener course that will be held online on Wednesday mornings beginning in January 2021. Four individuals from Greenwood plan to take this new course and become Master Gardeners.

I created and sent out an assessment to local stakeholders in Greenwood County to identify needs and gather suggestions for programs. Respondents provided comments on areas of concern, desired programming, and suggested activities for Clemson Extension. Stakeholders commented on the need to engage youth and to educate both consumers and professionals on a variety of topics including conservation, integrated pest management, agricultural practices, health and nutrition, and more. I’m looking forward to addressing these areas and others in conjunction with interested community members, partner organizations, and my Cooperative Extension colleagues.

For more information on Horticulture related issues and programs, please contact Stephanie Turner by email at stepht@clemson.edu or phone at 864-889-0541.

Health Extension is proving to be an active and helpful resource in the Greenville County community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As a member of this team, Ellie Lane is continuing to offer chronic disease prevention and self-management health education programs to wide audiences online through Zoom. Ellie has been directly involved with delivering the Health Extension for Diabetes, Diabetes Prevention, and Hypertension Management programs since switching to virtual delivery. In addition, she has continued to produce creative and educational content focused on healthy behaviors in the form of videos, fact sheets, infographics, and social media posts.
While working from home, Ellie has:
• Graduated two online Health Extension for Diabetes cohorts (13 participants) in September and October
o Participants received weekly follow-up from Ellie to check in with their progress in the program and receive personalized health coaching to help them reach their goals.
• Continued virtual learning with one Diabetes Prevention Program cohort that began in-person in February (9 participants)
o Participants are showing excellent results at the 6-month mark as many have already met weight loss and physical activity minute goals for the program. They are also showing increases in physical activity, improved diet, lowered blood sugar levels, and improved self confidence with making healthy changes. 4/9 participants have reported lowering A1C values out of the prediabetes range at just half-way through the program.
o Participants receive a weekly follow-up from Ellie to check in with their progress in the program and receive personalized health coaching to help them reach their goals.
• Began one online Hypertension Management Program (5 participants) in October
o The next HMP cohort is scheduled to begin early November.
o Participants receive a weekly follow-up from Ellie to check in with their progress in the program and receive personalized health coaching to help them reach their goals.
• Produced HGIC blog posts and fact sheets for general public related to healthy behavior change
• Recorded physical activity videos (yoga, cardiovascular, strength-training, and resistance band workouts, etc.) for RHN and 4-H programs such as Walk SC, Diabetes Prevention Program, and 4-H Healthy Movers
• Worked with RHN team to identify appropriate sites for COVID-19 testing across SC
• Developed Food Insecurity Training curriculum for healthcare professionals and coordinated with local food pantries to connect food insecure individuals with vital resources
• Worked with PRISMA Partners to establish framework to deliver Hypertension Management Program 100% virtually

Health Extension Agent Melissa Bales is hard at work delivering the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) to citizens of Greenville County. When their in-person classes were stopped due to COVID-19, the program adapted by moving all existing groups to a virtual format. All four of Melissa’s DPP groups, a total of 38 participants, that were meeting in-person have transitioned to meeting either through Zoom or a conference call, whichever method the group decided on for continuing with the program. As of October 2020, one group graduated from the program while virtual with a retention rate of 66.7 percent, and another group is scheduled to graduate next month.

Melissa worked with Rural Health and Nutrition Program Team Leader, Michelle Parisi, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish the necessary framework for Extension to offer DPP 100 percent virtually and begin working towards national recognition for Extension’s program. Now, two groups have been started following this framework, with a total of 11 participants enrolled. A third, 100 percent virtual group will begin at the end of October. All three groups meet through Zoom.

In addition to transitioning groups to a virtual format, participants receive a weekly phone call, email, or text to check in with their progress in the program. Participants have reported increases in physical activity, improved diet, lowered blood sugar levels, and improved self-confidence with making healthy changes.

Melissa also worked with another Greenville Health Extension Agent, Danielle McFall, to lead a group of the WalkSC program. This program enrolled 74 participants with 71 completing the program, and helped them become more active through a private Facebook group. Participants in this program reported increases in activity and improved diet.
Melissa has also written several fact sheets and blogs for the Home and Garden Information Center regarding topics such as prediabetes, eating healthy at restaurants, and burnout.

Danielle McFall is a Health Extension Agent on the Rural Health and Nutrition program team, who primary program focus is the Health Extension for Diabetes (HED) program. Since COVID-19 prohibited in-person program delivery, the HED program shifted to 100% online delivery in April 2020. As a result, program enrollment expanded beyond normal enrollment. In four months, the program enrolled 86 participants, nearly a year’s worth of program participants! Program participants receive graduation boxes upon successful completion. About 70 participants have recently graduated from HED and received one of these boxes to help encourage them to continue making healthy lifestyle changes. The boxes include items related to nutrition fact label reading, physical activity, blood sugar monitoring, and more!

In addition to online program delivery, new program referral methods and partners were established to improve program awareness. The increase in program numbers allowed for the expansion of additional Health Extension Agents to deliver additional cohorts. Three additional agents were able to be trained for future program delivery to meet community needs in Greenville County.

As information has emerged related to COVID-19, the Rural Health and Nutrition program team has stayed up-to-date with relevant information to be posted on social media and shared with community members. This has also included fact sheets and blogs on the Home and Garden Information Center’s website. Check out these relevant posts about COVID and mental health during the pandemic:

COVID-19: The Science Behind the Mask: https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/covid-19-the-science-behind-the-mask/
Let’s Face It: Proper Mask Hygiene: https://hgic.clemson.edu/lets-face-it-proper-mask-hygiene/
Burnout: https://hgic.clemson.edu/burnout/
Zoomed Out: https://hgic.clemson.edu/zoomed-out/
Coping with Stress and Mental Health: https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/coping-with-stress-and-mental-health/

Patricia Whitener has been happily serving the Greenville Community for the past 6 years. Her connection with families, schools, recreation sites and non-profit organizations has helped her transition to delivering virtual programs over the past 9 months. Despite the changes in how we all work and live that Covid-19 pandemic has wrought, Greenville County 4-H has continued to engage and educate youth ages 5-18 with hands-on learning. 4-H clubs may not be meeting in person but since March, Greenville 4-H’ers have participated in and completed independent project learning in healthy lifestyles, embryology, Small Garden project, Tomato project, 4-H Flower project and the Wildlife Food plot project. Several of our volunteer led community clubs have transitioned to virtual meetings including Stablemates, Robotics, Teen Council, 4-H Forest Explorers, Chess, and Pleasant Valley Connection. Over the summer, 113 campers received materials and curriculum in mailed kits to utilize while at home. The virtual day camp “Journey to Mars” program aimed to enhance computational thinking skills and promote computer science literacy. In August, 4-H once again partnered with the state-wide Clemson Extension School and Community Gardening team to deliver transplants and supplies for over a dozen gardens. These gardens provide learning for 271 students. Whitener is currently training volunteers and teachers, as part of an online course, to install 4 additional school gardens. These outdoor classrooms have led to partnerships with researchers in the College of Behavioral, Health and Social Sciences where Patricia is working closely with other graduate students to develop an Ag.STEM curriculum as part of her doctoral research. This winter, over 50 youth received a regionally specific natural resource materials as part of our Winter Wildlife Activity kit. Spring is off to an exciting start as the Poultry projects and Pollinator project kick off next month. For more information about how you can support, engage, and participate in 4-H, please contact your county agent, Patricia Whitener, by emailing pwhiten@clemson.edu or calling (864)365-0627.