Month: February 2024

With the demand for beef up, more dairy producers are crossbreeding heifers or less productive cows with beef.  With this shift and an increased interest in local grown beef, several livestock and 4-H agents are piloting a beef on dairy youth project to allow youth opportunities to grow and show these animals.

This project will allow youth who do not have beef or dairy cattle of their own or are looking for a shorter-term project than the current dairy heifer project an opportunity.  Milky Way farm is willing to provide animals needed for this project and share with us the list of individuals that currently buy these animals from them.  They do not currently raise enough steers to fill the orders for meat that they have requests for.

Youth who sign up for the project will need to have the ability to care for and raise an animal up to 1000 pounds. Application process will give priority to those who do not have cattle of their own. Youth will sign up and pay $500 for these animals that will be randomly drawn in May.  Youth will then feed, care for and show these animals for one year. These animals will be able to show at several local shows and the South Carolina State Fair during the dairy show.  This is a terminal project and all will be sold for beef in October of the following year.

This project will give more youth the opportunity to learn about animal agriculture and may be a bridge for these youth to the beef or dairy heifer project.  It may also provide more siblings to participate in a cattle project should a family reach the maximum of two youth per family if there is a shortage of dairy project heifers.

Contact:

TINA HORN
LIVESTOCK AND FORAGES AGENT
STATE DAIRY PROGRAM COORDINATOR
York County Cooperative Extension
Clemson University
120 North Congress St.
York, South Carolina 29745
w 803-944-2089
thorn@clemson.edu 

Alana West, Newberry County Coordinator

Newberry County Clemson Extension is blessed to have a supportive Extension Advisory Committee. The committee is comprised of around 15 members who serve 2-year terms. Members are representative of the communities served by Extension, including but not limited to education, agriculture, forestry and land ownership, and community government. The committee’s latest meeting was held in November of 2023 with 12 members and 6 agents present.

Prior to meetings, all members receive a survey via email asking their input on areas of interest covered by Extension programming. Answers from the survey are then used as talking points at meetings. Points of interests from the latest meeting are:

• how to promote Extension as a whole so that the public knows and understands what we offer,
• developing and implementing programs within the community and in schools that offer exposure and growth focusing on animals, farming, woodwork, etc. with the goal of sparking youth interests in different professions,
•  the possibility of hosting a livestock show in Newberry County,
• placing soils sample kits in locally owned businesses throughout the county.

Meetings are held at least once annually, with additional meetings held as necessary.

Amie Mabe, 4-H Youth Development Agent

Forest Explorers Ready To Explore Again

The Forest Explorers 4-H Club of Greenville County are used to adventuring outside for their monthly meetings. During the past couple of months when the weather has been too cold to be outside, members met at the Greenville County Extension Office to continue their outdoor education. Members, ages 5 through 14, crafted “Bug Hotels” for insects overwintering as well as windsocks and rain gauges to learn about the weathers effect on nature. Although fun was had indoors, members are excited that the remaining meetings for the season will be held outdoors at Table Rock Center and Conestee Pollinator Garden.

Shark Camp in Greenville

Designed for young marine enthusiasts during Greenville County School’s breaks in March, students can embark on an oceanic adventure at Shark Camp! Join us for a jaw-dropping experience featuring canvas painting, shark info stations with rotating tales and facts, a thrilling shark glider contest, and exciting rounds of Shark games. Cap off the day by crafting your own shark bait to enjoy later. Don’t miss out on this fin-tastic journey into the world of sharks! Secure your spot today and make a splash with us at Shark Camp! Secure your child’s spot now for a day filled with shark-filled fun and discovery! Don’t miss out on the excitement—reserve your tickets for Shark Camp Adventure today! 🦈🌊

Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shark-camp-tickets-824220274027?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

My name is Dylan Mott and I am happy to be continuing with Clemson Extension as the Rural Health and Nutrition Agent in Greenville County. I am a Greenville native and love Upstate SC! 

I received my BS in Health Science from Clemson University (Go Tigers!) and just graduated with my Master of Public Health from MUSC.  My experience with the Rural Health and Nutrition team began as an undergraduate intern turned part time program assistant working with social media, outreach, and programming. Some of my hobbies include: cycling, hiking, reading, and trying new recipes!

I am looking forward to continuing with the team in this capacity by serving the residents of my home county and teaching them more about Extension and the health of the county and state.

Ellie Lane, MS, E-RYT, CPT

Rural Health and Nutrition Extension Agent, Clemson Cooperative Extension

Clemson Extension’s Rural Health and Nutrition Team educates South Carolinians on diabetes self-management practices through the Health Extension for Diabetes program (HED). HED is a 4-month diabetes self-management and support program for individuals diagnosed with diabetes. Participants receive diabetes education and support for improved self-management from a trained Health Extension Agent. Biweekly education sessions are facilitated traditionally and online that include risk-reducing practices (e.g., healthy eating and physical activity), medication and blood glucose management, and health resource navigation.

HED curriculum follows the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommendations for adults to reach at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week, while prioritizing a balance of aerobic, strength, and flexibility training. However, organized local and national physical activity programs are often expensive and offered infrequently. Inability to access physical activity support programs made it difficult for HED participants to maintain diabetes self-management behaviors. In response, our team developed three online physical activity support programs for HED participants and other stakeholders in South Carolina: (1) WalkSC, (2) Yoga for Every Body, and (3) Practical Strength.  

The WalkSC program was developed to satisfy recommendations for adults with diabetes to reach at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. Launched in spring 2020, the program encourages participants to increase their step count and time spent walking each week through weekly walking challenges. WalkSC comprises weekly step challenges across a span of 12 weeks—the end goal: to “virtually” walk South Carolina’s 500-mile Palmetto Trail. This program has been widely successful and has gained popularity locally and nationally. 

Health Extension for Diabetes recommends people with diabetes reduce stress to better manage blood glucose levels, and the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans suggests adults with diabetes reach 1-2 days of balance and flexibility training each week. Yoga for Every Body (YEB) was launched in spring 2021 to address these recommendations; the program’s goals are to offer a consistent and accessible yoga practice facilitating stress management and increased physical activity across all age and health categories.

Lastly, it is recommended for adults with diabetes to reach 2-3 days of strength training per week to better manage blood glucose levels. Practical Strength was launched in summer 2023 to provide HED participants and SC stakeholders with a safe and effective strength training program appropriate for all ages and mobility levels.

Rural Health and Nutrition Team physical activity programs have reached wide audiences within South Carolina, and beyond, emphasizing their stand-alone value for health promotion and management. Importantly, these programs also facilitated cross-pollination of participants across Health Extension programming including HED. For example, at least 208 HED participants participated in one or more of the physical activity programs from 2020-2022, empowering them to continue to strive for sustainable diabetes self-management goals. Finally, the physical activity programs have increased HED recruitment, likely through targeted marketing of shared health goals. We conclude that increasing accessibility of physical activity programs within Extension has promoted chronic disease awareness, prevention, and management statewide and nationally.

The Fairfield County 4-H Take-Home Kits include instructions and supplies for simple STEM and art activities each month. They have been an ongoing project since Fall 2022 to give students opportunities to design and create at their convenience. They also provide links to further explore the topics. Kits will be available at the Fairfield County Library on a first-come first-served basis starting January 3rd. They are targeted for ages 8-13, but are free to any Fairfield student K-12. Get a sneak peek of the activities below or follow the links to get an early start!

• September: Zipline
       Extension – STEM Minute to Win It
• October: Paper Pumpkin
       Extension – Leaf Chromatography
• November: DIY puzzle
       Extension – Crossword Puzzles
• December: Stained Glass Trees
       Extension – Pasta Snowflakes
• January: Coding Games
       Extension – Scratch Cards
• February: String Art Valentines
       Extension – DIY Pompoms
• March: Vision Board
       Extension – Word Cloud
• April: Flower Pressing
       Extension – Nine Man Morris
• May: Summer Journal
       Extension – Vacation Planner

Check out these learning opportunities available statewide from South Carolina 4-H!

STEM Challenge Day

Mark your calendar for the 2024 Engineering Challenge on April 24^th at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds. Team and Individual Challenges for youth ages 9-18 will include Mystery, Robotics, Bridge Building, Coding, Visual Arts, Rocketry, and a new Agri-Science Poster Contest. Youth ages 5-8 may enter the Visual Arts Challenge. To find out more, connect with the Chester County Agent: Abigail Phillips atimmon@clemson.edu | 803-385-6181.

Physical Activity Project

New for 2024! South Carolina 4-H has created a physical activity project to encourage healthy bodies and minds. Participants log their exercise and connect with other students and learn proper techniques from experts! The project runs from March 4^th to May 31^st. There will be an Eventbrite link to come for registration.

Also keep your eyes peeled for registration for the Small Garden, Pullet Chain, and Honey Bee Project this spring!

In case you missed it, here are some events that took place this January:

Horse Bowl, Hippology, and Creative Contests:

SC 4-H Horse Bowl and Hippology contests were held Saturday, January 20^th at the Anderson County Clemson Extension Office. This annual event allowed South Carolina 4-H members who are 9-18 years old to show off their horse knowledge among their peers. Members with a passion for horses who were looking to improve their skills were able to express it through art in the SC 4-H Horse Creative Contest as well. Categories included drawing, photography, poetry and more!

Pinckney Leadership Roundup

The Pinckney Leadership Roundup was held January 20^th at the Brookland Baptist Conference Center in West Columbia. Registration included breakfast, lunch, a t-shirt, and a day of interactive workshops. Through this event, students could connect with like-minded individuals, learn from experienced leaders, and gain valuable insights to enhance their leadership skills. This opportunity was designed to empower middle and high school students to take charge and make a positive impact in their personal lives.

Discover the benefits of using Silvopasture Systems and register for the upcoming Webinar Series and Field Day.

Webinar Sessions

The two-part webinar series will address the establishment, management, and economics of implementing silvopasture systems.

Session 1 – March 7, 2024:

• 1:00 PM – “Introduction to Silvopasture Production Systems” by Dr. John Fike, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech University.

• 2:00 PM – “Animal Health and Environmental Benefits of Use of Silvopasture Systems” by Dr. Bruno Pedreira, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.

Session 2 –  March 14, 2024:

• 1:00 to 3:00 PM – A roundtable with agricultural professionals, producers and Extension personnel will discuss relevant topics and share experiences and challenges related to silvopasture systems in South Carolina and the Southeast region.

Field Day

You can also join Extension specialists and agents for a
Field Day on April 11, 2024 from 8:30 AM to Noon.

The field day will focus on topics about the establishment and management of woodlands and forage systems and the challenges and successes in using a silvopasture system for commercial livestock production. This event will be held at Varnville, SC.

Register for these events:

• Webinar Series (free of charge)

• Field day (cost: $15)

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.

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

Participants will receive:

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

Registration is required, so sign up today!

                          Register Here

Do you rely on a private well for your drinking water source? With more than 20% of South Carolinians falling into this category, it is essential that these wells are properly maintained in order to ensure safe drinking water.  Maintenance of the well is the responsibility of the well owner and can often get overlooked. If you feel overwhelmed when it comes to all the different well components, water quality testing, and treatment options, then you are not alone! The Clemson Extension Water Resources team recently developed numerous resources to help well owners on these very topics as part of the Be Well Informed program. This includes a three-part HGIC factsheet series – Residential Drinking Water Well: Well Components, Water Quality, and Water Treatment Options.

For a more in-depth overview for well owners, check out the new Be Well Informed Online Course. Here well owners are able to dive into three modules covering SC water resources, well maintenance, and water quality. This course is free for all and is self-paced! For more information and to sign up for the online course, Click Here.

If you have any questions regarding your well or other water-related questions, please contact:

Charly Greenthaler charlym@clemson.edu | 803-520-1679