We are happy to announce that Mrs. Lauren Smith has accepted the Laurens County 4-H Agent position. Her first day was March 3, 2025.
Lauren has a B.S. in Animal and Veterinary Sciences from Clemson University. She has spent the past several years working as the Outdoor Program Manager with the Girls Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands (based in Spartanburg), providing over 40 programs each year as well as hiring and training seasonal staff.
We are excited to have her in Laurens County. Welcome, Lauren!
Beyond the Surface is a water-themed art exhibition featuring work from 25 artists. The diverse artwork highlights the challenges to and beauty of South Carolina’s waters.
The project is a collaborative effort by Clemson Cooperative Extension, the SC Sea Grant Consortium, the SC Water Resources Center, and Tiger Strikes Asteroid Greenville.
Tiger Strikes Asteroid Greenville, 201 Smythe Street, Greenville, SC 29611. The exhibition is available through March 22, 2025, Saturdays (11am-5pm), free admission. https://www.scseagrant.org/beyondthesurface/
Photograph: Beyond the Surface team members included (L-R) representatives from Tiger Strikes Asteroid Greenville (Brooks Stevens, John Cummings), Clemson Cooperative Extension (Masha Bokar, Heather Nix), S.C. Sea Grant Consortium (Brooke Saari, Lola Renauer, Nora Walker), and the SC Water Resources Center (Jeff Allen, PhD). Image Credit: Noah Stillman, S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
Bryan Smith, Area Extension Agent-Agricultural Engineer
This fall a huge number of Fall Armyworms invaded Laurens County. Fall Armyworms are usually in our county in some small number each year, but this year’s numbers created quite a bit of damage in landscapes, pastures, and hayfields.
Fall Armyworms migrate northward each year from the Gulf coast and may arrive in Laurens County as early as August. There may be as many as three “waves” of armyworms each year depending on many factors. The Fall Armyworm life cycle is typically 30 days in the summer, with the larval or caterpillar stage being the destructive one. Fall Armyworms remain in the caterpillar stage for 14 days and are most destructive during the last 4 days of that stage. They then pupate and emerge as moths, which feed on nectar from various flowers and are not destructive.
Fall Armyworms seem to prefer bermudagrass, crabgrass, johnsongrass, millet, and sorghums. They will ignore other grasses such as fescue and bahia while sufficient quantities of their preferred foods are present. However, if those food sources are exhausted before they pupate they will move to less desirable species and decimate them as well. This happened in 1977 in Laurens County when Fall Armyworms killed entire pastures of fescue after they had eaten their preferred crops.
Rainfall does encourage the growth of fungi that are detrimental to Fall Armyworms, but it does not kill them. Clemson Extension recommends that insecticides be used to control them when growers see 3 armyworms in a one square foot area. If Fall Armyworms are found in a hay crop we recommend that the hay be harvested if it has enough growth to do so – Fall Armyworms eat green growth and will not eat cured hay. Local Extension Offices can provide a list of insecticides labelled for use in lawns, pastures, or hay fields.
Fall Armyworm damage in a home lawn. Remaining green areas are fescue or bahia. Image credit: Bryan Smith
New Online Course! Seasonal Pond Management If you own or manage a freshwater pond, the Seasonal Pond Managementcourse is for you! For $15, you’ll receive on-demand access to course materials for 365 days. The course focuses on actions throughout the year that can help maintain a healthy pond.
Water Chats
We are wrapping up another successful season of the Water Chats program with final sessions in September and a student-focused session in October. This partnership between Clemson Extension, S Sea Grant Consortium, and the SC Water Resources Center, has helped educate professionals across the state on a range of water quality issues and solutions.
Missed a webinar that you you wanted to see? Let us know (nix4@clemson.edu) and we’ll provide access to the recordings, when available.
Summer has arrived.
With it comes dry weather, high temperatures, insects, and fungal
diseases. All can stress our plants and
lead to more site and office visits to look at stressed and diseased
plants. This summer has been no
different. I always enjoy talking with
clients and trying to help them identify their problems and find ways to help
them. Below are some of the interesting
programs I have been associated with over the last few months.
Site Visits/Office Visit You never know what may come through the door at the office or what you
might expect to see at a site visit. We
receive a lot of questions on small gardens throughout the summer. These can range from blossom end rot, to
stink bugs, to powdery mildew, and many other common pests and diseases found
in the garden. I also get tree calls
from around the area. These have ranged
from lichen, dying oak trees, pine beetles, and numerous other insects and
diseases that affect our trees. Aquatic
weeds in ponds also become more of a problem in summer, and I do numerous
identifications and treatment options for landowners. I
always enjoy the specimens that clients bring in. There is always an
opportunity to learn about new insects and diseases that I have not seen
before.
Camp Conservation Camp Conservation is hosted by the Newberry Soil and Water Conservation District. I have participated in this camp for the last several years by taking the 4-H Shooting Sports Trailer. I normally take the trailer on the Friday of the Camp (June 28). Participants learn about gun safety, parts of the gun and how to shoot. The youth then get to shoot air rifles as they rotate through the different stations for the day.
Women Owning Woodlands On April 12, I assisted in a field tour for Women Owning Woodlands. This tour was held at a tree farm in Laurens, South Carolina. At the field tour they learned about wildlife food plots, soil sampling, how to interpret a soil sample, prescribe fire, pine management, and various other topics. Women Owning Woodlands aims to educate women in the stewardship of the land by connecting them to resources and trusted professionals.
Lynches Woods
Trail Hike On August 17, I led a hike at Lynches Woods in Newberry, South
Carolina. Newberry Parks and Recreation
hosted the hike on National TRACK Trails Day.
Participants learned about tree identification, keeping forests healthy,
and various other plant related topics as we walked the trail.
Newberry Forestry Association The Newberry Forestry Association hosted meetings in May and August. The May meeting featured a presentation by Jake McClain, a wildlife biologist with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. Jake presented on creating and managing quail habitat. The August meeting featured a presentation by Scott Danskin with the SC Forestry Commission on the current status of timber markets and mills in reference to the area. The Newberry Forestry Association also gave out three $500 scholarships to local students who will be majoring in a field that benefits forest landowners.
Laurens Forest Landowners Association
The Laurens Forest Landowners Association hosted meetings in May and
August. The May meeting featured a
presentation by Jake McClain, a wildlife biologist with Pheasants Forever and
Quail Forever. Jake presented on
creating and managing quail habitat. The
August meeting featured two presentations.
Matthew Wannamaker from the Farm Service Agency presented on the agency’s
forestry related programs. The second
presentation was by Holly Welch and Devin Orr on potential free stewardship
management plans for landowners in Laurens County.
Broad River Conservation
Partnership In March of 2024, the Broad River Conservation Partnership hosted their
first landowners meeting. Landowners
attending the meeting heard testimonies from those who have benefited from
working with land trust to help conserve their properties. This is a program that is spearheaded by SC
Department of Natural Resources, with the help of numerous other
organizations. The goal is to conserve,
protect, and elevate the importance of our natural resources in the Broad River
Watershed.
Clemson
Experimental Forest Southern Pine Beetle Tour
Unfortunately, there is currently a Southern Pine Beetle outbreak in the
Clemson Experimental Forest. The
Forestry and Wildlife Team toured numerous spots on Friday August 9, 2024. This was a great opportunity to see how the
Experimental Forest was managing the problem.
The team was able to see active spots, controlled spots, and a salvage
harvest.
South Carolina Society of American Foresters Annual
Meeting The South Carolina Society of American Foresters held their annual meeting
in Newberry, SC June 12 through June 13.
I assisted in the planning and hosting of this meeting. On June 12, we had a tree farm tour with a
social. June 13 was classroom sessions
that focused on forest markets and the projected outlook.
Woodland Clinic Woodland Clinic is a forestry skills competition held at Connie Maxwell
Children’s Ministries property in Greenwood, South Carolina. High schools from across the state are
invited to attend and compete.
Participants compete in tree measurement, forestry tools, compass and
pacing, and forest pest identification.
I have helped for numerous years in the compass and pacing
competition.
Master Tree
Farmer Tour On May 10 we held a Master Tree Farmer Tour for participants of the class
at Mike Meetze’s tree farm in Newberry, SC.
Participants were able to see a typical pine rotation from planting to
harvest. They were able to see a stand
marked for pole harvest along with an operation sawmill on the property.
Upcoming Events:
Union County Farm Show – September 21, 2024, Union County
Fair Grounds
Union County Agricultural Fair – October 15 – 19, 2024,
Union County Fair Grounds
5K Day at the Union County Agricultural Fair – October
17, 2024
On April 2nd, 2024, the Greenwood County Extension office and the Greenwood Soil and Water Conservation District held a Winter Forages Field Day at the Henderson Farm in Ninety Six, SC. Planning for this event began in the fall of 2023 with the planting of a winter annual variety trial. In total, twenty-three different varieties of small grains, ryegrasses, and legumes were planted. Variety trials give producers a side-by side comparison of different forages, so they are more educated about their choices of forages before they purchase seed for themselves. Planting was conducted in late October on a plot of two acres. The field day began with a showcase of the forage variety trial given by Greg Henderson (Greenwood County Soil & Water Conservation District board member and retired Clemson Extension Agent), Dr. Liliane Severino da Silva (Forage Specialist, Clemson Extension), and Reid Miller (Livestock and Forages Agent, Clemson Extension). The next section of the field day was a pasture soil fertility discussion over an intensively grazed pasture of winter annuals given by Greg Henderson and Reid Miller. The last part of the program was an NRCS cost share program update given by Myra Jones with American Forest Management. In total, we had forty people in attendance from Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Abbeville, and Edgefield Counties, and all producers involved in the Climate-Smart program received credit for their attendance.
Cicada damage to an oak tree. There will be no lasting health effects for the tree. Image Credit: SC Forestry Commission
Bryan Smith, Area Extension Agent-Agricultural Engineer
Cicadas are extremely noisy insects that hatch once every 13 or 17 years depending on the brood. There are more than 20 separate broods, with most of them being 17-year broods. The United States had two broods of cicadas hatch this spring across the country, Brood XIII, which is a 17-year brood, and Brood XIX, which is a 13-year brood. Thankfully only one brood, Brood XIX, was predominate in Laurens County. Even so residents endured considerable noise from the huge numbers insects as they emerged from the ground, bred, and laid eggs that later hatched and returned into the ground for another 13-year hiatus.
After the cicada noise subsided many residents became concerned with what they thought might be an oak tree disease. Oak trees across the county showed signs of small branches or twigs near the outer edges yellowing and dying. This was not a disease of oak trees, but a part of the cicada life cycle.
After cicadas breed they lay their eggs in the young stems of hardwood trees. Eventually those stems die and break off, falling to the ground. The cicada eggs then hatch and the young move into the ground. This does look like a disease issue for the tree, but it does not cause any health concerns for healthy trees. So the yellowing of small branches are not a cause for concern – they are just the parting act of the cicada.
Winners of the 2024 SC 4-H Showcase: Miss 4-H Hennelly Gavin, Miss Junior 4-H Brooklyn New, Miss Cloverleaf Dixon Freeman, and Miss Cloverbud Hannah Dye.
On Saturday,
January 13th the Laurens County 4-H volunteers presented the 2024 SC
4-H Showcase at the Gilliam Center for Performing Arts on the campus of
Thornwell Charter School. The 4-H Showcase is a unique fundraising event that
is meant to highlight the achievements of 4-H’ers across South Carolina. This
is accomplished while building confidence, improving public speaking skills,
and instilling a sense of pride in the hard work of our contestants.
Our 16 contestants competed in three onstage divisions:
business wear, 4-H project wear, and formal wear. In addition, our Junior and
Senior contestants participated in an interview with the judges earlier in the
day. This was a great opportunity for them to gain self-confidence.
We were pleased to welcome three outstanding judges for
the event:
Erica Eadicicco – former Laurens County 4-H’er, Presidential
Tray recipient, and native of Kinards, SC.
Courtney Stonell – Keep Laurens County Beautiful
affiliate coordinator with the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce.
Haleigh Tomlin – former Greenville County 4-H’er and the
current Miss Newberry.
Matthew Brownlee of Laurens served as our Master of
Ceremonies. This was the fifteenth year that Laurens County has presented this
program, so in honor of that occasion we were pleased to welcome the very first
Miss 4-H, Mrs. Anna Crowder, ag teacher at Laurens District 55 High School, to
assist in the crowning of our winners.
The winners will go on to represent 4-H in their local
communities and at various state events during the year. The winners of the 2024
SC 4-H Showcase were:
Miss Cloverbud – Hannah Dye of Chester County
Miss Cloverleaf – Dixon Freeman of York County
Miss Junior 4-H – Brooklyn New of Laurens County
Miss 4-H – Hennelly Gavin of Lexington County
Congratulations to all our winners and participants in
this year’s 4-H Showcase. Thank you to our dedicated volunteers without whom
this event would not be possible and thank you to our sponsors, the Laurens
County Water and Sewer Commission, Piedmont Rural Telephone Cooperative, and
the Laurens/Greenville 4-H Dairy Club. Also, a special thanks to Thornwell for
allowing us the use of their facilities.
While it is commonplace for producers in the upstate region of
South Carolina to grow fescue as their primary forage crop, many producers
utilize cool-season annuals to help get them through the winter. Cool season
annuals are great for sodseeding into warm-season perennials like bermudagrass
and for decreasing dependency on feeding hay. Cool-season annuals include a
variety of small grains, ryegrasses, legumes, and some brassicas. In ideal
conditions (adequate rainfall and extreme heat is gone), planting can begin in
late September to early October. The earlier the planting the better your
chances of being able to graze in the fall and early winter. Of course, the
transition from summer to fall in this state can oftentimes be unpredictable
with lingering heat and drought conditions. In the case of a late planting in early
December, you may provide enough forage to carry cattle from spring to summer. Be
sure to let forage grow to at least 6” in height before grazing, and do not
graze below 2-3” in height. These parameters will allow the forage to develop a
root system to promote drought tolerance and to sustain itself over the long
term. The month of February is a great time to apply a second round of fertilizer
regardless of whether you’re growing fescue or cool-season annuals. Remember to
refer to your soil sample results when applying fertilizer. This is also a good
time to evaluate the condition of your forage after the heavy frost events we
received within the last month. The extent of the damage may determine whether
it is worth fertilizing (regrowth must occur to justify fertilizer), replanting
heavily damaged areas, or feeding hay until warm season grasses take over. To
help our local clients gain some perspective on how cool-season annuals
perform, we have a variety trial in place in Ninety-Six, South Carolina. We
planted twenty-five different varieties including oats, wheat, ryegrasses,
clovers, and other specialty forages. We hope to present the trial in the
coming months if all goes well. Contact your local Clemson Extension office for
more information.
Jeff Fellers Area Forestry & Natural Resource Agent Chester, Laurens, Newberry, Union, & York
One thing I love about working for Clemson Extension is the
diversity of work throughout the seasons.
Rarely do we have the same tasks day after day. It often changes with the season. The fall
and winter seasons bring about fairs and festivals, along with our normal
activities.
Union County Agricultural Fair October is all about the fair in Union County. The Union County Extension Office is heavily
involved in managing the livestock, poultry, agricultural products, and home
economics sections. We also operate the
Union County 4-H Shooting Sports Trailer throughout the week of the fair. On Thursday of the fair, we also host a 5K
day where all the Union County public schools bring their kindergarten classes
to the fair to learn about livestock and agriculture. I always enjoy presenting on the crops
section for this field trip. If you have
never visited the Union County Agricultural Fair I highly recommend coming by
and seeing us.
Kids in the Parks Track Trail I
had the opportunity to lead a trail hike for the Newberry County
Recreation Department for their grand opening of the Kids in the Parks
Track Trail. This trail is located at Lynches Woods in Newberry
County. I really enjoyed spending the afternoon with the children and
helping them identify some trees and shrubs, along with learning about
growth rings on pine trees. The Newberry County Recreation Department
has a nice kiosk with brochures that help educate those who take the
hike.
Wood Magic Forest Fair Wood Magic Forest Fair is a free field trip for fourth graders, hosted by
the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
The program provides a learning experience about the forest industry in
South Carolina that meet fourth grade school standards. Volunteers from around the forest industry
come together to teach fourth graders all about forestry. This year I had the opportunity to teach the
Gifts of the Forest station at the Harbison State Forest location. For more information on Wood Magic visit: https://www.scfc.gov/education/wood-magic/.
Learn to Burn In November, I had the opportunity to assist with a Learn to Burn program in Union County. This program was hosted by the Piedmont Prescribed Fire Cooperative at a private landowner’s property. Participants were able to actively participate in a burn on a mature pine stand. They were able to see the process from planning, preparation, execution, and mop up. Learn To Burn provides a great educational experience to landowners that are wanting to learn how to implement prescribe fire on their property.
Newberry Forestry Association The Newberry Forestry Association had their last quarterly meeting in 2023
on November 14. We met at Mt. Pleasant
UMC. Eddie Reese, with NRCS, presented
on forestry cost share programs. Our
next meeting will be February 13, 2024, and our topic will be estate
planning.
Laurens Forest Landowners Association
The Laurens Forest Landowners Association had their last quarterly meeting in
2023 on November 28. We met at the
Laurens County Farm Bureau Office. Chris
Gordy, from West Fraser, presented on local and statewide mill updates. Our next meeting will be February 27, 2024.
Grand American This was the first year that we took the Union County 4-H Shooting Sports Trailer down to the Grand American in Orangeburg, SC. Along with Forged In 4-H, we set up a display to help raise funds for the two programs. Just like at the Union County Agricultural Fair, the trailer is set up for participants to have fun shooting air rifles. For those less experienced shooters, we spend a little extra time helping them learn the basics of shooting. Forged In 4-H also provided forging demonstrations, while selling some of the items that were made through the program. The Grand American provided an excellent venue to advertise our program and educate participants about what great programs we have to offer.
4-H Food Plots One of my favorite activities in this job is judging 4-H Food Plots. We typically do this in January, so the weather is normally not cooperative. This year however, we had a very nice day to be out in the woods. We judged 1 in Newberry County and 2 in Union County. For more information on the 4-H Food Plot Project visit the following link: https://www.clemson.edu/extension/4h/program-areas/natural-resources/wildlife-food-plot-project.html.
New Online Course! Seasonal Pond Management If you own or manage a freshwater pond, the 
On April 2nd, 2024, the Greenwood County Extension office and the Greenwood Soil and Water Conservation District held a Winter Forages Field Day at the Henderson Farm in Ninety Six, SC. Planning for this event began in the fall of 2023 with the planting of a winter annual variety trial. In total, twenty-three different varieties of small grains, ryegrasses, and legumes were planted. Variety trials give producers a side-by side comparison of different forages, so they are more educated about their choices of forages before they purchase seed for themselves. Planting was conducted in late October on a plot of two acres. The field day began with a showcase of the forage variety trial given by Greg Henderson (Greenwood County Soil & Water Conservation District board member and retired Clemson Extension Agent), Dr. Liliane Severino da Silva (Forage Specialist, Clemson Extension), and Reid Miller (Livestock and Forages Agent, Clemson Extension). The next section of the field day was a pasture soil fertility discussion over an intensively grazed pasture of winter annuals given by Greg Henderson and Reid Miller. The last part of the program was an NRCS cost share program update given by Myra Jones with American Forest Management. In total, we had forty people in attendance from Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Abbeville, and Edgefield Counties, and all producers involved in the Climate-Smart program received credit for their attendance.
