Author: kdllrd

For a very long time, Clemson EFNEP has been The best-kept secret, not anymore. More and more people know about EFNEP programming now. Either because they have participated as learners or because word of mouth is out there. We have successfully recruited and taught adults for the Eating Smart Being Active series. We continue providing these teachings online. In that way, we are confident that everyone stays safe.

Although in-person classes are still not permitted within the school districts, due to the non-visitor policy, we are now trying different routes to reach and provide the Nutrition Education portion to home-schooled youth. In this way, we can offer these lessons to one child at a time.

In Spartanburg County, several groups of learners throughout the second part of 2021 completed and graduated from their Eating Smart ~ Being Active classes.

As we continue tirelessly working to see the numbers of COVID-19 cases decrease, we are thankful for the opportunity to serve the Spartanburg Co community.

If you or someone you know would like to receive these 100% FREE Nutrition Education Lessons, please reach out to us. We would love to hear from you.

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.

Spartanburg Urban Horticulture Going Hybrid

As the state begins to rebound from COVID-19, Horticulture Agent Drew Jeffers is adapting programming to the community’s needs. Data collected from program evaluations showed that stakeholders want options for extension programming. In January 2022, Jeffers began offering multiple platforms to view his extension programs. He has adapted several programs for hybrid delivery, delivering in-person and via webinar simultaneously. Further, Jeffers has developed several on-demand programs for commercial and consumer audiences. Jeffers has also worked with several agents to build a recurring free webinar series to help landscapers learn about current issues called the Landscaper’s Guide to Customer Care.

Online Courses:

• South Carolina Certified Landscape Professional Spring 2022 Course
• South Carolina Certified Landscape Professional Fall 2022 Course

Hybrid Programming: Consumer

• 2-3-2022 – All About Vegetable Gardening
• Date to be Determined – Nuisance Wildlife Pest Management

Hybrid Programming: Commercial

• 2-17-22 – Urban Tree Health Management
• Private Pesticide Applicator Exam Training – May 5, 2022
• Commercial Pesticide Applicator Exam Training – May 11, 2022

On-Demand Webinar: Consumer

• All About Vegetables
• Dealing With Drainage and Excess Stormwater
• Nuisance Wildlife Pest Management

On-Demand Webinar: Commercial

• Commercial Pesticide Applicator (Core and Category 3) Exam Training Course
• Right of Way Pesticide Applicator Exam Training
• Aquatic Weed Identification and Management

Consumer Webinars:

• 3-8-22 – Growing Great Annuals
• 3-15-22 – Growing Great Perennials
• 4-5-22 – Annuals for Pollinators
• 4-12-22 Perennials for Pollinators

Commercial Webinars:

• Landscaper’s Guide to Customer Care Series

Summertime for a livestock agent means early morning farm visits under shade trees and retreating to the air-conditioned office during the hot afternoon. Working on publications for the Land Grant Press and our blogs was an excellent way to escape the oppressive summer heat. The much-appreciated office time also allowed me to develop several rental kits to promote better use of resources for livestock and forage producers. I put together a rotational grazing toolbox containing all the necessary but uncommon components to begin better grazing methods. These kits have served as a gateway for farmers “on the fence” about using temporary electric fencing in a rotational grazing system. Other kits include a small legume spreader to promote the establishment of clovers, a GPS guidance system to promote the more accurate application of fertilizer, herbicides, seeds, and pesticides, and a plot sprayer for small, new farmers. Aside from providing a piece of equipment, the most significant benefit is developing a relationship with clients and a foothold for adding another improved practice to their farm. The necessity of these tools became apparent with the “zoom boom” or the influx of people moving into the area to escape the cities and try their hand at farming. Many of the necessary farming tools are cost-prohibitive for small or beginning farmers, and this was an excellent opportunity to meet their needs and offer an educational opportunity.

While I’m excited to see the summer heat fade away to fall, I’m even more excited about our upcoming livestock and forage programs. I look forward to seeing everyone at the Cattlemen Association meetings and anticipate good attendance for our hands-on fencing workshops. In addition, I’m offering a hay marketing workshop and a fescue fertility workshop. I’ve been working with other agents for several months to put together a course that outlines the fundamentals of beef cattle production. This course targeted beginners and those that have had cattle for a while. This is a direct response to requests from our new farmers, but I know many veteran cattle producers will find it helpful to evaluate some of the foundations of our beef industry.

Thank you so much for being so supportive, and please reach out to me with any feedback so that we can continue to develop a program to serve our county better.

Chris LeMaster, Cherokee-Spartanburg-York Counties Livestock & Forage Agent

The Spartanburg Office has a new soil sample drop box for after-hours sample drop-offs. Our new drop-off box was installed during the pandemic and has proven to be a long-awaited tool to the public. The station has soil sample bags and all needed forms. Payment for samples can be submitted with samples, mailed in separately, or taken over the phone. If you wish to complete the form before drop off, Soils sample submission forms are available here.

Drew Jeffers, Horticulture and Natural Resources Agent

The pandemic has prompted Clemson Extension to look at alternative deliveries for future programming. One aspect is to make needed pesticide license training more accessible to stakeholders. Persons wishing to prepare to take the Commercial Pesticide Applicator Exam can now attend prep courses in an online and on-demand format. Before, this class was held in person twice a year in Spartanburg County. Horticulture Agents Drew Jeffers and Paul Thompson teamed up with Clemson Online to develop an exam preparation course that served our clients’ needs and be completely on-demand. The target audience is ornamental landscapers (Core and Category 3: Ornamental and Turf Pest Management).

The course itself is 20 modules comprised of video presentations as well as practice exams. The practice exam allows the users to answer similar questions to better prepare for the actual exam. Users have 60 days of access with the purchase. We have been able to evaluate user knowledge gain by comparing the pre-test scores versus practice exam scores. Since its launch in Spring 2021, a total of 43 persons have participated in the online course. This course has laid the foundation for developing future training courses for categories of the commercial pesticide applicator exams. For more information on this course, click here.

Drew Jeffers, Horticulture and Natural Resources Agent

During the pandemic, Clemson Extension and the Clemson Department of Pesticide Regulation modified operations and services. Social distancing guidelines limited delivery options for crucial programming such as Private Pesticide Applicator License Training and Exam. These classes allow farmers to become licensed to handle pesticides necessary to grow their crops and make their living. These classes were severely limited in offerings due to regulations on taking the exam.

Horticulture agent Drew Jeffers piloted an on-demand version of the Private Pesticide Applicator Training. The Department of Pesticide Regulation then developed into an online course offered every 1st and 3rd week of the month. This new program version serves as an opportunity when the in-person class is not available. Over 20 participants have completed the course since its launch in late spring 2021. The program continues to serve this   critical need to farmers throughout our state. For more information on this course, email Katie Moore at kcrouch@clemson.edu.

Drew Jeffers, Horticulture and Natural Resources Agent

This Summer, 4-H had a fantastic opportunity of working at six different Boys & Girls Club sites. Eva Earle taught several lesson topics to youth, ranging from cooking skills to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Every site well with each lesson, and the children were eager to participate. Several children told Earle they tried some of the cooking and craft lessons at home. 4-H also held the second Master Chef Cooking Camp. Although the attendee count was small, the impact success was immense! Earle covered three recipes each week in July, some plant-based others inspired by different cultures. Campers went home with several recipes and impressive skills to show their families on the last day. All outreach efforts were highly fulfilling for Earle, but more importantly for all campers and students!

Spartanburg County 4-H had to get creative this past year to reach youth in safe and engaging ways. 4-H included two new virtual clubs, seasonal 4-H activity kits, school embryology, gardening, Spartanburg Boys and Girls Club visits, and summer cooking workshops. We also had 4-H members participating in statewide projects, summer camp, and leadership programs throughout the year.

In September 2020, we launched two new virtual 4-H clubs focusing on Healthy Lifestyles and Sewing. Members in the Healthy Lifestyles Club cooked dinner for their families twice a month while learning new skills in the kitchen. They also participated in the State 4-H Healthy Lifestyles Monthly Video Contest and Skill-A-Thon. The Golden Needles Sewing Club started from the beginning learning how to thread a needle. It progressed to using a sewing machine and making stuffed animals for family, friends and donating to local children’s hospital patients. Members from both clubs learned life skills like public speaking, record keeping, community service, and mentorship of younger members.

Because of the limitations on meeting in person, Spartanburg 4-H offered activity kits for families to pick up and do at home. We allowed families to borrow incubators throughout the year, which resulted in 58 families hatching chickens at home to add to their backyard flocks. In November, we also offered a thankfulness kit to encourage youth to participate in family activities over the holidays by contributing a side dish at Thanksgiving dinner. We also provided a Winter Break, Exploring 4-H, Pollinators Kit, Gardening, and Butterfly Kits throughout 2021. Ninety-five families took advantage of these 4-H kits from September 2020-June 2021.

Although our regular school programs take place, year-round school visitation policies prevented typical classroom visits. However, our school partners still wanted to offer chicken embryology to their students. We were able to loan out incubators and provide fertile chicken eggs to 58 classes this spring, resulting in almost 500 chickens being hatched in classrooms and raised locally in Spartanburg County. Some birds being part of the State 4-H Laying Flock Project. We also had twelve school gardens participate in seasonal transplants and classroom gardening activities.

Each year, Spartanburg 4-H’s most significant outreach efforts are having recurring lessons at the Boys and Girls Club After School and Summer Sites. These programs focus on teaching youth in 2^nd -5^th grades about STEM and Healthy Lifestyles. 4-H provided nearly 170 hours of programming to youth at six school sites and four summer sites in Spartanburg County. This program also offered two college interns employment throughout the school year and summer. This school year, this program is looking to expand for the 4^th year, adding new after-school sites and reaching more youth throughout the county.

As COVID-19 number began to drop this summer, we offered a summer workshop series every Wednesday in July. Youth participants came to the Spartanburg Extension office. They learned new cooking skills while preparing lunch with Interns Eva and Taylor, part of the State Healthy Lifestyles Walmart Grant to teach youth about making healthy choices and preparing food for their families.

One final staple of 4-H involvement has always been individual projects, summer camp, and leadership activities. Although our numbers were slightly down from the previous year’s participation, members still took advantage of poultry, beef, swine, goat, bees, small garden, food plot, and healthy living projects. In June and July, we also had 4-H members attend both 4-H camps Bob Cooper and Camp Long, finishing out the year with two young leaders attending the Pinckney Leadership Camp Program.

We look forward to all the 4-H activities and projects 2021-2022 have to offer to the youth and families in Spartanburg County. At least two county clubs regularly meet this coming year, including a horse and home school 4-H group.

It’s not unknown that the times we currently are unprecedented, uncertain, and in no way easy. However, the Clemson Extension Services in Spartanburg County certainly has not stopped serving our Community.

As we continued to get used to what we know as “the new normal,” we could see people being less anxious, the businesses opened their doors, and the economy started improving. Our county offices are open to the public, and we, the EFNEP Nutrition Educators, finally got the approval to start in-person sessions (classes).

As the Nutrition Educator for Spartanburg County, I have gained more confidence in virtually delivering our programming. Online teaching allows me to reach out to more learners. I make my schedule and myself very flexible to offer them the opportunity to fit our classes into their busy schedule, delivering lessons often after regular work hours not to feel the need to drop out.

Although in-person classes are now permitted, we also offer our learners a choice to learn online. I can assure you that we never let our guard down and continued our practices of wearing a face covering, social distancing, washing hands, continually encouraging our clientele to do the same. At the same time, we were promoting the COVID-19 vaccine among current and former learners through Facebook EFNEP Group.

In Spartanburg County, several learners completed and graduated from their Eating Smart ~ Being Active classes throughout this year. Another group, large also, is about to graduate.

It is always rewarding seeing them acquiring knowledge, making better choices; like one of the learners said, “no matter how much you think you know, with the ESBA lessons, you can always learn something new.” It is gratifying hearing their “wows” when learning things that we may take for granted, like reading Nutrition Facts Labels or the amount of fat and sugar present in the foods they eat and amazed by how simple it can be to “Make a Change.”

Although recruiting youth learners during the pandemic was and continues to represent a challenge, knowing that parents and guardians are betting for a healthier lifestyle is somehow a relief because adults oversee grocery shopping and meals preparation. In other words, while the adults are learning, they’re passing on that knowledge to their children, which means the benefit is for the whole family.

Now, with the raising of the COVID cases, a good percentage of Spartanburg County residents hesitates to get vaccinated for COVID-19; Clemson EFNEP in

Spartanburg County is assisting with the Extension COVID Immunization Training and Education (EXCITE) grant. The purpose is to hear the barriers our Hispanic Community finds, the reason not to get vaccinated. Acquiring this information firsthand, directly from them, will help the USDA better understand these challenges and join the fully vaccinated population.

With the arrival of the 2021-2022 school year, EFNEP Nutrition Educator in Spartanburg Co keeps getting back into the school districts to reach the youth. The purpose is to teach our children what is better for them when selecting foods. Choosing nutrient-dense foods instead of empty calories is always a challenge, but we know that “what is learned well is never forgotten”.

We continue not just dreaming but working hard to see the number of COVID-19 cases decrease and wish for a safe world; let’s believe it will be a reality shortly.

I can say I am appreciative of my job’s opportunity to help others by delivering vital information towards a healthier lifestyle.

Finally, I would like to share a quote I find very inspiring. “We don’t grow when things are easy; we grow when we face challenges.” This past year has undoubtedly made us face challenges, therefore, helped me grow as a person and an educator.

Evelyn Santana

EFNEP Multicultural Nutrition Educator

Spartanburg County