Month: February 2022

Carolyn Dawson
Forestry Agent

Carolyn Dawson is our new Area Forestry Extension Agent for Cherokee County. Although she has been with Clemson Extension for over 10 years, her responsibilities recently expanded to include Cherokee and Spartanburg counties.

Carolyn received her Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Florida in Forest Resources and Conservation. She started her career in Florida as the Duval County Forester under the Florida Division of Forestry. She then accepted the position of Southern Pine Beetle Forester in Asheville, NC with the North Carolina Forest Service.

In 2011, she joined the Clemson Extension team. Her work includes assisting private forest landowners with timber management, teaching forestry camps, giving presentations to HOAs and other groups or organizations, and working closely with the South Carolina Forestry Commission on the Firewise program. Her main area of interest is Forest Health. Her latest accomplishment involved helping the non-profit organization Carolina Hemlocks get started. Their mission is to locate and treat hemlock trees on private lands in order to save the Hemlock trees of South Carolina. Carolyn is a registered forester and a certified arborist. She looks forward to working in our county and getting to know you and the area.

Carolyn Dawson is the new Area Forestry Extension Agent for Spartanburg County. Although she has been with Clemson Extension for over 10 years, her responsibilities recently expanded to include Spartanburg and Cherokee counties.

Carolyn received her Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Florida in Forest Resources and Conservation. She started her career in Florida as the Duval County Forestry under the Florida Division of Forestry. She then accepted the position of Southern Pine Beetle Forester in Asheville, NC with the North Carolina Forest Service.

In 2011 she joined the Clemson Extension team. Her work includes assisting private forest landowners with timber management, teaching forestry camps, giving presentations to HOAs and other groups or organizations, and working closely with the South Carolina Forestry Commission on the Firewise program. Her main area of interest is Forest Health. Her latest accomplishment involved helping the non-profit organization Carolina Hemlocks get started. Their mission is to locate and treat hemlock trees on private lands in order to save the Hemlock trees of South Carolina. Carolyn is a registered forester and a certified arborist. She looks forward to working in our county and getting to know you and the area.

We are very pleased to announce that Mr. Colin Crippen has accepted the offer to become the 4-H Youth Development Agent for Spartanburg County, and he is very excited to join the 4-H family!

He is originally from Illinois and moved to South Carolina in 2019. He has been married to his wife Brittany for five years. Together, they have two dogs, Zoe and Max. Before accepting this role, he was a certified classroom teacher for six and a half years, working with students from kindergarten through fifth grade. In his spare time, he likes to exercise, explore new areas, spend time with Brittany and the dogs, and write. He has a passion for helping others and providing exciting opportunities for youth of all ages. He is looking forward to this new adventure!

Faith Isreal
Food Systems & Safety Agent
Fairfield, Kershaw, Richland Counties

Canning is an important and safe method of food preservation if practiced properly. The canning process involves placing foods in jars and heating to a temperature that destroys organisms that could be a health hazard or cause the food to spoil.

Participants will be engaged in hands-on activities utilizing current USDA recommended techniques for preserving foods for home use.

Person with or without experience are encouraged to attend any workshop.

Participants will receive:

• Resource Guide
• Handouts & printed materials
• Knowledge of home canning materials
• Item prepared in class

View flyer for more information!

Workshops:

To register for workshops, click here!

Andy Rollins
Upstate Commercial Fruit & Vegetable Agent

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.

I am 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.

I held a regional blackberry meeting in Savannah, Georgia, with over 50 participants. My peach meeting was on January 22, 2022, and successfully attracted over 50 participants. My strawberry meeting will be on February 24, 2022, and my vegetable meeting will be 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.

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

Heather Nix
Upstate Water Resources Agent

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 cost-effective evaluation of the irrigation uniformity to help safe 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 @ 8:30am 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.

Chris LeMaster
Livestock & Forages Agent
Cherokee, Spartanburg, & York Counties

Who would have thought that would be the headline of an Extension program? Over the past two years, we’ve seen significant technology adoption by all of our clients as we adapted to COVID protocols. While this provided some unique opportunities to bring in outside speakers and an “anywhere and anytime” form of Extension, there has also been burnout of on-demand and online learning opportunities. While we seek to find a balance, we’ve realized the personal face-to-face aspect of our workshops and farm visits cannot be replicated or replaced by virtual learning.

This fall, I worked to provide opportunities for both learning styles. The online Fall Fescue Workshop was well-attended due to the convenience of logging on via smartphone during lunch. However, the hands-on, in-person Fence Construction Workshop was my favorite. Producers from across the state attended a day-long workshop with class time and hands-on demonstrations to learn the newest and most cost-effective fencing methods. The focus of the workshop was planning and laying out the most efficient fenceline to maximize pasture and minimize efforts for gathering animals, watering, grazing, and distributing nutrients. Participants left the workshop knowing how to properly construct a brace, tie hi-tensile knots, post and select wire, and much more. This program was a success from the generous help of industry sponsorship.

This winter, I plan to keep this balance of virtual and in-person programs through the Backyard Poultry Workshop, Equine Forage, Online Forage Focus, Cattlemen meetings, and the partnership with 4H in the Down on the Farm Day and the Cherokee County Spring Livestock Show. Our livestock team continues to generate numerous learning opportunities that can be found on the Clemson Extension Livestock and Forages Facebook page. As always, be sure to check Clemson’s Land Grant Press for peer-reviewed articles on various livestock topics. I hope to see you this winter, whether virtually or in-person, at a workshop or farm visit.

Laura Haddon
Cherokee County 4-H Agent

Cherokee County 4-H has continued its partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Upstate by providing STEM activities to the clubs located in Cherokee County.  Youth at Blacksburg, Draytonville, Luther Vaughan, BD Lee, and Limestone-Central Elementaries have experienced Biology and Chemistry through hands-on activities.  During the month of October students dissected Barn Owl pellets to discover which animals make up the Barn Owl’s food chain.  In November, they had a tasty introduction to Chemistry as they made “Pumpkin Pie in a Bag”.

Cherokee County 4-H community clubs used their “hands for larger service” over the holidays by collecting non-perishable food items for the Salvation Army, crafting Christmas ornaments for residents at Brookview Healthcare Center, and baking Christmas cookies for Meals on Wheels.  They have also been busy learning about all the opportunities that 4-H has to offer them!

Third grade students at Corinth Elementary have been learning about how to make healthy choices by learning to read nutrition labels and how many servings of fruits and veggies they need to eat each day.  Students made and enjoyed Fruit Smoothies and a salad with a rainbow of vegetables and a low-fat Ranch dressing.  They have also learned about GO, SLOW, and STOP drinks and are ready to make healthier choices in 2022!

Looking ahead to a busy spring, Cherokee County 4-H is preparing for its First Annual Spring Livestock Show on March 11^th and March 12^th.  Youth may exhibit market hogs, beef cattle, and rabbits.  Sponsors are needed for this show to be a success.  Please contact Laura Haddon (lhaddon@clemson.edu) for more information or to offer your support!

The first annual “Down on the Farm Day” is scheduled for this spring too!  On Friday, April 1^st second graders from across the county will be bussed to Sarratt Farms where they will be introduced to agriculture, both plants and animals!  This event was made possible by a Cherokee County Community grant as well as partnerships between Clemson Extension, Cherokee County Farm Bureau, SC Farm to School, and local farmers.