I’ve been busy helping several new small-sized farms across the upstate get established and prepare for planting next spring. I have also assisted with a nematode survey of all the upstate peach farms in conjunction with Churimani Kanal, Ph.D., and his graduate student and will continue this work next year.

As the principal investigator in a trial looking at a frost freeze protection product from Washington State University. It is a cellulose nano-crystal product intended to protect the fruit from freezing temperatures. It has been shown to protect cherry trees from temperatures of 10⁰F to 13⁰F, which could be revolutionary if the technology can be adapted to peach production here in the upstate.

An annual regional blackberry meeting was held in Savannah, Georgia, with over 50 participants and a peach meeting was held on January 22, 2022 that successfully attracted over 50 participants.  Also, my annual strawberry meeting will be on February 24, 2022, and the annual vegetable meeting will be held on March 24, 2022. I have also co-organized a statewide peach meeting held online on March 10, 2022. I am very thankful for all the farms in the upstate counties I serve.

Andy Rollins, Upstate Commercial Fruit & Vegetable Agent

Two years ago, a retired US Forest Service ranger named David Hedden entered my office and politely asked if anyone was doing anything to save the hemlock trees in the Upstate. In case you were not aware, there is a tiny insect named the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid (HWA) that is threatening the existence of the Eastern and Carolina Hemlocks trees. Prognosis for the trees is not good. Luckily for David, he stumbled into the right place, and the seed was planted to turn concern and passion into actions.

With the help of Clemson Extension, David and his wife Carla recently formed a non-profit organization called Carolina Hemlocks. The goal of Carolina Hemlocks is to bring together governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, private landowners, practitioners,, and other stakeholders to maintain, re-establish and enhance the Hemlock tree population in the South Carolina landscape through outreach, resource sharing, collaboration, and applied learning.

To date, this non-profit has treated close to 1000 private home/landowner trees. Partnering with Clemson Extension, we continually hold educational programs, presentations, and outdoor workshops. Recently, we treated over 500 Hemlocks in the Greenville Watershed. We have also been cleared by several agencies to treat all trees along the SC Foothills Trail.  We have partnered with South Carolina Forestry Commission, USFS, SC State Parks, Foothills Trail Conservancy, Duke Energy, and Greenville Watershed to locate, treat, record, and monitor existing hemlock populations. We have trained and utilized volunteers to help treat hemlock trees.

To keep updated on the latest scientific treatment methods we attend workshops and presentations held by the Tennessee Dept. of Forestry, UGA, Georgia Forestry Commission and often consult with Dr. Elizabeth McCarty,  a current expert in the treatment of HWA.

If you have hemlocks trees, know of trees that need treating, or would like to volunteer to help treat, please contact Carolyn Dawson, Clemson Extension Forestry Agent, at dawson4@clemson.edu.

The Water Resources Team continues to provide a variety of resources for SC residents. While questions about ponds may slow down over the winter, maintenance continues to be important. For example, aeration can protect fish by helping prevent your pond’s surface from completely freezing over (see picture). During the last few months, we also expanded our series of Land Grant Press articles related to ponds: Ponds in South Carolina, Recreational Ponds in SC, An Introduction to Stormwater Ponds in SC, and Pond Weeds: Causes, Prevention, and Treatment Options. Dates for the 2022 Upstate Healthy Pond Series should be announced soon. Please keep an eye on the Clemson Extension Events Calendar for more information.

The Water Team also developed several programs to inform and empower residents throughout the state. If you rely on a septic tank to manage your household’s wastewater, the Be Septic Safe website offers a wide range of information on maintenance and repairs. For agricultural water users, the Center Pivot Irrigation Test (CPIT) program offers a cost-effective evaluation of the irrigation uniformity to help save money, maximize crop yield, and efficiently utilize natural resources.

Upcoming events include the official launch of the CPIT program at the Irrigation Workshop and Tradeshows (Free! 2/14 @8:30am in Blackville, SC; and 2/22 @ 8:30 am in Florence, SC) and a Stream Restoration Workshop and Training ($20, April 19-20 in Columbia area). Our free Adopt-A-Stream volunteer water quality monitoring training is available on various dates. Registration for the Spring 2022 Post-Construction BMP Inspector certification and re-certification will be announced soon.

Heather Nix, Water Resource Agent

The Greenville County 2022 Master Gardner Volunteer Training Class is off to a beautiful start already after our first class on February 1! We have a lively bunch of 17 students eager to learn more about horticulture and gardening. Each of them is incredibly passionate about making a difference in their community. The Greenville County 2022 Master Gardener Volunteer Training Class is off to a beautiful start already after our first class on February 1! We have a lively bunch of 17 students eager to learn more about horticulture and gardening. I lucked out, and I have the best students in the state’s program, each of them so unique and diverse in their background and interests.

I am looking forward to seeing these students go through this program and reach their goals.

Mary Vargo, District Extension Director

We are pleased to announce that Alex Thompson has accepted the offer to become the Area Food Systems and Safety Agent-based in Greenville County with Clemson Cooperative Extension. He is a graduate of Clemson University with a B.S. in Food Science and Human Nutrition. Born in Greenville, Alex has been interested in Extension since he and his mother began watching Making It Grow weekly when he was a child. Alex’s primary professional background is in craft brewing. He has worked as a brewer in an Upstate brewery and has also conducted research into bacterial contamination and prevention for microbreweries. He has a passion for food safety and microbiology, food chemistry, and fermentation science. Alex is also a United States Army Veteran and served in Operation Enduring Freedom.  Alex begins his position on March 1.

George M Dickert, District Extension Director

Excited about 2022? So are we! Check out the latest goings-on from Greenville County 4-H, meet Quinn, our intern, and reflect on the past year’s accomplishments with us by viewing the  Greenville County PSA County Impact Report 2020-21 ADA Final[3]. We’re busy getting ready for Spring and growing with our school and community gardens!

It’s An Exciting Time For 4-H

FCL membership is growing in Union County!

The mission of the South Carolina Family and Community Leaders is “to improve the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities thru fellowship, dedication, education, and service.” In Union County, that’s exactly what they do.

FCL has been an active organization in Union County for years. There are four clubs in the county, the Santuc Club, Patchwork Quilters, Twisted Stitches Crochet, and Mailwatchers.  As with most organizations, membership numbers go up and down. Union County FCL is coming in strong for 2022 with over 10 new memberships.

The Union County FCL uses the meeting room at the Union County Extension office. Their clubs have monthly educational lessons, workshops, they do fundraisers, service projects, and more.  Some of the money raised provides funds for their annual educational scholarship, which is available to one local youth or adult. They have also made items such as lap quilts, diapers, and hats and donated them to local senior centers, hospitals, and charities across the world.

In keeping with community service, Union County FCL is a big supporter of Union County Extension and Union County 4-H. For example, the extension office handles the agricultural and home ec entries during the local fair, and the FCL members are always there to help. They have also provided monetary donations to assist the local 4-H youth and programs. Some of these donations have helped 4-Hers attend programs outside the county. Without their help, they may have not been able to participate.

With their growing membership, they will have the numbers to continue their mission “to improve the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities thru fellowship, dedication, education, and service.”

Thank you Union County FCL!