Category: Fairfield

Martina Wicker 4-H Youth Development

As we embrace the start of 2025, we are excited to share some wonderful updates and accomplishments from our Fairfield County 4-H program. The fall of 2024 brought new opportunities, clubs, and enthusiastic youth working hard to make a difference. Here’s a look at the latest highlights and events that are shaping the future of 4-H in our community. 

Cookie Co-Op Series – September 2024 

In September, four talented young ladies participated in the Cookie Co-Op Series, a program designed to sharpen baking skills and build teamwork. After a series of workshops and practice sessions, these young bakers entered the South Carolina State Fair Cookie Competition. Their hard work and creativity paid off, as the group earned impressive results: two red ribbons and two blue ribbons! This achievement is a testament to their dedication and baking expertise. Congratulations to all participants – we are so proud of your accomplishments! 

Gingerbread Competition – December 2024 

In December, Fairfield County 4-H hosted the Gingerbread Competition at Christmas, where families came together to compete in decorating the most imaginative and festive gingerbread house. The event was a fun-filled evening of creativity, laughter, and holiday cheer. A special congratulations to Benjamin Lewis, the winner of the competition, for his impressive design and attention to detail. Thank you to all the families who participated – your teamwork and holiday spirit made this event a memorable one! We cannot wait to host the competition again next year!  

Richard Winn Shooting Sports Achievements 

We are incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication shown by our youth in the Richard Winn Shooting Sports program. This team continues to excel, with many participants achieving new personal bests and showing impressive growth in their skills. 

In addition to improving shooting accuracy, our young athletes have demonstrated leadership, responsibility, and sportsmanship in all their practices and competitions. These achievements speak to the perseverance and commitment of our youth, and we look forward to seeing even more progress in the coming months. 

Looking Ahead to 2025 

As we look ahead to the spring and summer, we are excited for all the upcoming events and opportunities for our members. Be sure to stay tuned for more details on upcoming workshops, 4-H camps, and special events. Whether your child is interested in animals, STEM, sustainability, or leadership, there’s a place for them to thrive in Fairfield County 4-H. 

Thank you to our volunteers, mentors, and families who continue to make Fairfield County 4-H a thriving community. Your support is crucial in helping our youth achieve success and reach their full potential. Together, we are shaping the leaders of tomorrow and making the best, better!  

Stay connected, stay involved, and let’s continue to make 2025 a year of growth and achievement for our Fairfield County 4-H members! 

Jackie Jordan Urban Horticulture

Jackie has served as the horticulture agent and Master Gardener Coordinator for Kershaw, Fairfield, and Richland Counties for the past 11 years and serves as a resource for local plant nurseries, flower farmers, Christmas tree farms and homeowners in Fairfield County. Jackie recently partnered with the Council on Aging to offer a hands-on microgreens workshop.

For the past five years, Jackie has partnered with the Camden Library to offer a monthly garden program. Topics are based on the season with input from the attendees on what they wish to learn. The programs are offered the second Tuesday of the month at 2:00pm.

Some favorite topics (in alphabetic order) are: Beds and Walkways, Caring for the Winter Garden, Container Gardening, Drought-Tolerant Perennials, Peace through Gardening, Sound and Touch (Sensory Gardens), Permaculture Basics, Pollinator Gardening, Plant Propagation, Rejuvenating Soil, Seed Starting, Selecting and Planting Trees, Succulents and Cacti, Summer Cut Flower Gardens, Tomatoes, Water Gardens, Xeriscaping, Rock Gardens, and Vegetable Gardening.

Charly Greenthaler Water Resources

Are you a pond owner who always seems to struggle with algae or other aquatic weeds? It can seem like an ongoing battle each year that rears its head at the first sign of warm weather. Fortunately, there are strategies you can employ to help manage aggressive plant growth! Step one is always IDENTIFICATION! With a correct ID of the species(s), your local Extension agent can help match management strategies for you!

 To learn more about seasonal strategies for pond management, check out Clemson’s Seasonal Pond Management Online Course.

Also, make sure to check out the new Harmful Algal Blooms Online Course, to help better understand how to recognize, prevent, and treat these algal blooms that can often interfere with water use and pose potential harm to people, pets, livestock, and wildlife.

Lastly, a Pond Management Workshop will be held on April 2nd at Sandhill Rec as a part of the SC New and Beginning Farmer Program Advanced Workshop Series! Click here for more information or to register. 

If you have questions regarding your pond or other water-related topics, please contact Charly Greenthaler at charlym@clemson.edu or (803) 520-1679.  

Elizabeth Parker Rural Health and Nutrition

Ask anyone with a diagnosis of diabetes, and they’ll tell you that blood sugar management is a full-time job. Doctor visits, medications, blood sugar monitoring, and diet are just some of the pieces that make up living with diabetes. Diabetes is also a condition that can feel isolating and lonely and can lead to burnout. However, a strong, positive support network can help those with diabetes live a longer, healthier life.

Studies show that diabetes support groups improve understanding of both diabetes and participants’ mental health. Social support for diabetes has also been found to improve participants’ capability, confidence, and control in managing their blood sugar. Having a strong social network can help individuals make and maintain the lifestyle changes necessary for long-term diabetes management. Diabetes support groups also provide local resources that can help lead to better diabetes self-management, such as food assistance programs and exercise opportunities. Many support groups welcome the friends and family members of participants so they can better support you with accurate information on managing diabetes.

Clemson Extension offers a free diabetes self-management and support program called Health Extension for Diabetes. Health Extension for Diabetes is specifically designed for those living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and is offered online or in person. Through this program, participants learn about self-care behaviors and lifestyle changes they can make to better self-manage their blood sugar. For more information about all programs offered by the Clemson Extension Rural Health and Nutrition team, visit Clemson.edu/extension/health.

Robert Carter Forestry and Natural Resources

Silvopasture is a land management system that combines trees, forage, and livestock to produce income from livestock and trees while providing environmental benefits. The livestock or poultry can provide short-term income while the trees provide long-term income. This can be established as a new stand of trees or existing stands can be thinned for silvopasture. Enough sunlight is permitted to reach the ground for planted or natural forage to prosper while shade is provided for animals. The shade reduces heat stress on the animals and reduces soil evaporation providing for green forage for a longer period of time. 

For More information, visit Silvopasture Systems: an overview of components and establishment of woodland systems – Livestock and Forages.

Rob Last Commercial Horticulture

The days are beginning to warm up with increasing daylight levels to dispel the depths of winter. With the changes in the year, our thoughts as commercial growers or as home gardeners turn to thoughts for the upcoming year.

From either perspective, February is a great time to start vegetable transplants or to sow more cold, hardy crops directly. Of course, while browsing the glossy seed catalogs, it is a good time to review crop rotations and where we had successes or failures.

For home gardeners, The HGIC factsheet, Planning a Garden, can be a valuable resource for crop rotations, planting times, and depth of planting for seeds.

The South Eastern 2025 Vegetable Crop Handbook is available electronically only.

Some useful commercial fruit and vegetable resources:

MyIpm Apps for both fruit and vegetables are available free of charge from Google Play and the Apple Store.

Also, look into the South Carolina Grower blog and Podcasts where there are a large number of resources, including fruit and vegetable meetings.

Spring Registration Now Open!

Are you ready to savor the taste of fresh fruits and vegetables year-round? Join us this spring at the Midlands Food Preservation Workshops, where you can learn the art of canning from farm-to-table. Our unique, hands-on workshops offer the perfect opportunity to dive into the world of home food preservation, whether you’re a seasoned pro or a complete beginner.

What to Expect

Participants will engage in hand-on activities using the latest recommended techniques for preserving foods at home. You’ll leave with the items you’ve prepared, a comprehensive resource book, printed materials, and the confidence to safely preserve food at home.

• Cost: $35 per workshop
• Class Size: Limited to 10 participants (minimum of 5)
• What to Bring: Your own snack/lunch and closed-toe shoes

Workshop Schedule

March: York County – Pressure Canning

• Dates:
  • Friday, March 7th, 10 AM – 2 PM
  • Saturday, March 8th, 10 AM – 2 PM
• Location: York Extension Office, 120 North Congress St., York, SC
• Registration Close Date: Friday, February 28th at 12 PM

March: Kershaw County – Pickling

• Dates:
  • Friday, March 28th, 10 AM – 2 PM
  • Saturday, March 29th, 10 AM – 2 PM
• Location: FCL Homemaker’s Building, 634 W Dekalb St., Camden, SC
• Registration Close Date: Friday, March 21st at 12 PM

June: Kershaw County – Jams, Jellies & Soft Spreads

• Dates:
  • Friday, June 27th, 10 AM – 2 PM
  • Saturday, June 28th, 10 AM – 2 PM
• Location: FCL Homemaker’s Building, 634 W Dekalb St., Camden, SC
• Registration Close Date: Friday, June 20th at 12 PM

Don’t miss the chance to learn valuable skills that will benefit you and your family. 
Reserve your spot today and embark on a delicious journey into the world of food preservation!

Fall is a time for football, pumpkin-flavored everything, and pond management! The fall is a great time to plan and prepare your ponds for the coming year. Liming is often a technique that is implemented in the fall, but how do you know if your pond needs lime? Also, how much will it need? Don’t fret – Clemson is here to help!

Clemson’s Irrigation Water Analysis is an excellent tool for all pond owners! Submit a water sample to get baseline data on the pond, including pH, alkalinity, and hardness, all of which are important factors in herbicide applications and fish health.

Another great tool for pond owners is the Pond Bottom Sample. This is a soil test for your pond! Results will tell you if and how much lime is needed specific to your pond!

Make sure to check out the new Seasonal Pond Management Online Course, where you can learn more about these topics and other seasonal pond management strategies.

If you have questions regarding your pond or other water-related topics, please contact:

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

Want to get your kids involved with hands-on experiences that engage them AND develop their leadership skills? 

Register them today for a Fairfield County 4-H Club. 

The 2024 – 2025 4-H year began on September 1^st, and with the start of a new year comes new opportunities. Fairfield County 4-H is proud to announce their new clubs for the upcoming year. 

Fairfield County 4-H Clubs:

Horse Club – Hosted by Joyner Family Farms – Focusing on Horsemanship, Hippology, and Horse Care.

Farm Animals & Sustainability Club – Hosted by Set In Stone Sustainability Farm – Focusing on raising farm animals and other farm projects, specifically showmanship with hogs.

Homesteading Club – Hosted by Crazy Chic Heritage Farms – Focusing on farm and homesteading projects.

Homeschool Club – Hosted by Mrs. Martina – including STEM, agriculture, healthy living, and civic engagement.

Life Skills & Farming Club – Hosted by Da Spott – Focusing on best practices in farming and life skills, such as plumbing, electrical, etc.

A 4-H Club is a group of youth that get together on a regular schedule to “learn by doing”. The club can either have a central focus or be based entirely on the group’s interest, but they all work towards completing a project. Since the primary focus in a club is to “learn by doing”, kids also develop leadership skills by working with other youth to help facilitate the club.

Over the next few weeks, we will be showcasing our clubs for the upcoming year on our Facebook page, so keep checking in for more information. You can also view and register for our clubs at 4-H Online or contact Mrs. Martina for more information:

Martina Wicker: mewick@clemson.edu | 864.985.2904

Fairfield County welcomed Martina Wicker as the new 4-H Agent this spring.

Martina was born and raised in the Midlands of South Carolina where she now resides with her husband and two beautiful children. She graduated from Newberry College with a Bachelor’s degree in Middle Level Education in 2018. Since graduating she has taught English and Mathematics in the Elementary and Middle School settings. Her hobbies include spending time with family, gardening, reading, and canoeing down the Saluda River.

Her initial goals were to introduce herself to the county, begin building relationships, and start establishing partnerships, which are essential in a 4-H program. While building those relationships, she discovered how wonderful the residents of Fairfield County truly are. She has been welcomed with open arms, hearts, and minds and has been enjoying her time learning about Fairfield and 4-H.

Mrs. Martina hosted a successful and sold-out STEM Camp on July 30^th. It was a fun day filled with learning and exploration. Beyond the STEM camp, she has successfully completed the SC TEACH School Gardening Course and Seed Library Course, attended the South Carolina 4-H Congress Banquet, volunteered at the South Carolina State Horse Show and Lauren’s County Livestock Show, learned about poultry at the Midlands Poultry Clinic, helped with a Floral Arrangement Class, and shadowed 4-H Youth Development Agents from around the state. All of her experiences have helped her to gain insight and knowledge in developing a program. We are looking forward to great things for Fairfield County 4-H.

Check out the 4-H Monthly Calendar for all the upcoming clubs and events.