The Laurens County Extension Office is currently hosting a hybrid Master Gardener course. The Master Gardener course began on August 15, 2023 and will meet each Tuesday through December 5. This year’s course has 13 students.
Students in the course will complete 16 three-hour classes on subjects including lawn care, vegetable gardening, urban tree care, soils and plant nutrition, tree fruits and small fruits, and many more. Each class is presented by an Extension Agent or a Master Gardener graduate that has experience in the subject matter, which allows them to provide practical experience along with research-based information.
This year’s course is a hybrid model, which includes 8 in-person presentations and 12 presentations by video (20 presentations in total will be presented over the 16 week course). The hybrid model is an attempt to provide the same training to Master Gardener students across the State so they will all have the same base knowledge in the “Core” subjects. The in-person classes allow coordinators to tailor the course for each county’s needs by offering local topics most useful to their students.
After completing the course the students will provide 40 hours of community service over the next 12 months to become Certified Master Gardeners.
Water withdrawal intake on Lake Greenwood. Image Credit: Heather Nix
Water is often taken for granted, but we depend on it for nearly everything, such as drinking water, growing food, producing electricity, recreating, and for industrial purposes. Several state agencies are working hard behind the scenes to help ensure we continue to have clean, plentiful water for future generations. If you’re interested in learning more about water withdrawal regulations or water use, please see Clemson’s recently published series of articles:
With help from the Greenwood Soil and Water Conservation District and the Upper Savannah Land Trust, our program titled “The Future of Your Farm” was held on April 20th, 2023, at the Connie Maxwell Oasis Farm in Greenwood, SC. This program was developed due to the current issues the agricultural community in South Carolina is facing. The number of farms has been decreasing and the average age of the farmer has been increasing for years. However, due to the current economic climate, housing developments and land prices have been increasing at a rapid pace in certain rural areas of the Piedmont Region consuming farmland in the process as heirs sell inherited land and assets from relatives who have passed on. The Future Of Your Farm had these goals in mind: informing farmers and landowners of the current climate in the real estate market, about land easements and other conservation programs, and about agricultural taxes and how to transition the land from one owner to the next. Our speakers Lonnie Gillespie (Greenwood Soil and Water Conservation District), Wade Harrison (Upper Savannah Land Trust), and Adam Kantrovich (Clemson Cooperative Extension) did a great job informing the audience of the current issues and how to protect their land and resources for future generations. We had a great turnout at our first meeting with twenty-eight people attending from five counties in South Carolina. Be on the lookout for the next meeting of this series coming later this year.
Lucas Clay with Clemson Extension presenting to the Laurens Forest Landowners Association on Carbon Markets.
The last few months have been a busy time in Extension. I have offered numerous programs, field days, and visited with many landowners. Our programs have ranged from timber taxes, carbon credits, field tours, and many other current issues concerning natural resources. Office visits and landowner visits have ranged from vegetable garden problems, pine beetles, nuisance wildlife, and ponds. I always enjoy this time of year since there are more one on one landowner visits to discuss better ways to manage our natural resources.
The Laurens Forest Landowners Association has hosted three meetings this year. Our first meeting was held Tuesday, February 28, 2023, at the Laurens County Farm Bureau Office. At this meeting David Jenkins from the South Carolina Forestry Commission spoke on Insects and Diseases of the South Carolina Forest. We had 29 people in attendance at this meeting. Our second meeting was held on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at the Laurens County Farm Bureau Office. Todd Mahan from AgSouth spoke on programs available to forest landowners through AgSouth. We had 31 people in attendance at this meeting. Our third meeting of 2023 was held on August 22, 2023, at the Laurens County Farm Bureau Office. We had 28 people in attendance to hear Lucas Clay with Clemson University speak on carbon markets. We also recognized Matt Stewart, with Quail Pines Tree Farm LLC, with the Woodland Owner of the Year Award at the Spotlight on Ag.
Mr. Bennie Hallman showing the Newberry Forestry Association how he grafts buds on root stock to grow desirable trees.
The Newberry Forestry Association has hosted two meeting and one field tour this year. Our first meeting was held at the Stoney Hill Community Center on Tuesday February 14, 2023. Dr. Adam Kantrovich presented a program on timber taxes, we had 28 people in attendance. Our second meeting was held on May 9, 2023, at the Pomaria Community Center, where Lucas Clay from Clemson University presented information on Carbon Markets. We had 30 people in attendance for the meeting. We hosted a field tour on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, at Hallman Farms Wildlife Nursery. We had 18 people in attendance to learn about how Mr. Benny Hallman grafts trees such as persimmon, apple, and pear. These trees are then grown and sold to landowners interested in providing quality fruit trees for better wildlife habitat. At this meeting, we also presented William Folk with the Newberry Forestry Association Scholarship of $500 to continue his education.
Cam Crawford with the Forestry Association of South Carolina speaking at the 2023 Newberry Forestry Focus Program.
This year I was also able to offer Forestry Focus again after taking 2021 off due to covid. The program was hosted on March 4, 2023, and had 63 people attend the program. Topics at this program included SC Landowner Issues, Hardwood Management, Local Market Impacts, Wildlife Food Plots, and Herbicides in Pine Management. There were 39 evaluations completed which showed that 15,789 acres owned, and 43,399 acres managed could be potentially impacted by this program.
The Forestry and Wildlife Team hosted another hybrid Master Tree Farmer program this spring. After completion of the virtual part of the program we hosted several field days across the state. On April 21, 2023, we held a field day at Mike Meetze’s tree farm to visit various sites and see numerous timber practices being put into place. We had a good turnout at this field day with 17 in attendance.
Mike Meetze presenting at the Master Tree Farmer Field Tour.
The Indian Creek Quail Restoration Committee held a field day on Friday June 16, 2023. This field day allowed participants to see what private landowners and the US Forest Service has done to improve quail habitat management. We visited old agricultural fields converted over to pollinator habitat, completed prescribed burns, and timber stands where herbicides had been used to control invasive weeds. We had 23 people in attendance for this field day.
I also had the opportunity to take the 4-H Shooting Sports trailer to the Newberry Camp Conservation. Campers had the opportunity to learn about gun safety while learning how to shoot air rifles. There were 30 plus campers in attendance at the camp.
Jake McClain, the South Carolina Quail Focus Area Coordinator, leading a field tour for Indian Creek Quail Restoration Committee.
As summer turns into fall, festivals and fairs will pick up along with site visits. The Union Extension Office had the opportunity to set up a booth and demonstration at the Environmental Art and Music Festival at the Piedmont Physics Garden on April 25, 2023. Participants were able to see the Forged in 4H program, Home and Garden Information, Natural Resource Information, and Rural Health Information. You will also be able to find us some of the upcoming events like the Union County Antique Farm Show and the Union County Agricultural Fair. Make sure to check out the upcoming events in our newsletter to see what is coming this fall and winter.
Champion continental calf from the 2023 Laurens County Youth Livestock Show shown by Dacey Abruzzino of Enoree, SC.
The Laurens County 4-H Program in conjunction with the Laurens County Cattlemen’s Association hosted the annual Youth Livestock Show on August 24-26. The show is traditionally held at the Exchange Club Building on Fairgrounds Rd, but due to renovations, this year’s event was held at the Laurens County Park.
The show began on Thursday evening with a youth dog show, featuring a costume class, showmanship, obedience, agility, confirmation, and rally. Maureen McKowen of the Greenville Kennel Club served as judge.
Friday night was the Junior Beef Show, judged by Greg Anderson of Marion, NC. Besides showmanship classes, there were bucket calf, steer classes. There were also breed classes for British, Continental, and Crossbred heifers.
In addition to the beef show, Friday was the night of our youth rabbit show. Due to the heat, this was held at the Joe R. Adair Outdoor Education Center in Laurens. Showmanship and breed classes were judged by Alicia Grondski and Tina Reif.
Our Junior Dairy Show was held on Saturday morning, including a costume class, showmanship, and breed classes featuring Holstein, Jersey, and Brown Swiss. Our dairy judge was Glen Easter of Laurens.
Saturday afternoon saw our Junior Meat Goat Show closing out the day. Noah Henson of Canton, NC served as judge and following costume and showmanship classes, we had SC4ME, open SC Meat Goat Project, and open market wether classes. The show concluded with our market doe classes.
The Laurens County 4-H program thanks all sponsors, volunteers, and parents for their support and assistance with making this a successful opportunity for our 4-H youth. We are especially grateful for the cooperation with the Laurens County Parks and Recreation Department that helped make the show possible. We would also like to congratulate all participants and winners on a job well done.
In January, I always look forward to judging the 4-H Wildlife Food Plots that were planted by 4-H’ers in the fall of the year. This year I visited Newberry, Laurens, and Saluda Counties to judge six different food plots. The 4-H Wildlife Food Plot Project gives participants a bag of seed to plant a certain size food plot. The participants then monitor that food plot through a specified time frame and complete a record book with their findings. Many participants set up game cameras, bird houses, and blinds to monitor the wildlife that visit their plot. They also monitor rainfall and document nutrients added to soil to help the pot grow. If you know of youth between the ages of 5 and 19 that maybe interested in the 4-H Wildlife Food Plot Project have them contact their local 4-H Agent at Clemson Extension. The Laurens Forest Landowners Association and the Newberry Forestry Association both hosted meetings in November of 2022.
Laurens Forest Landowners Association Meeting
The Laurens Forest Landowners Association meeting focused on vegetation management for the landowner, while the Newberry Forestry Association learned how to calculate and measure seedling survival on a newly planted stand. Wood Magic Forest Fair is a program hosted by the South Carolina Forestry Commission. This is a great program that teaches fifth graders from across the state about forestry. This year I had the opportunity to present at the gifts stations during the Harbison Wood Magic Forest Fair. For more information this program please visit: https://www.scfc.gov/education/wood-magic/
October is always a busy time in Union, because the Clemson Extension Office is actively involved in the local fair. We manage the livestock shows, home economics department, agronomy department and the poultry department. On Thursday of the fair, we invite all the 5K classes throughout the county to visit the fair and to come learn about agriculture in Union County. Through this field trip, the students get a tour through the barn and learn about crops, bees, horses, dairy cows, beef cows, pigs, and chickens.
Drew Jeffers Horticulture and Natural Resource Agent
The South Carolina Certified Landscape Professional Program (SCCLP) is an online, self-paced certification program that provides high-level horticultural education and training to green industry professionals and operators. The program launched in 2020 and has offered spring and fall courses for the last three years. Over 385 professionals have been certified and represent nearly every county in the state. Starting in April of 2023, the course will go fully on-demand to better serve the professionals’ needs.
The course has also been incorporated into the Spartanburg Community College’s Horticulture Capstone course, providing a model for other colleges to integrate the SCCLP into their horticulture programs. We are also in the process of bringing the program to high school classrooms. The goal of the high-school integration is to grow the green industry’s shrinking workforce pool. Clemson Extension also partnered with the SC Department of Corrections, where 37 soon-to-be-released inmates were certified and were given trade skills to renter the workforce. The program will continue if funding is available to further add to the workforce pool.
The significant impact of this program has been its ability to reach a large audience relatively quickly. Many folks have asked if the state requires the certification, but we tell them we hope it will become so ubiquitous that it doesn’t need to be a requirement by law but by demand by the consumer and hiring managers.
Andy Rollins Upstate Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Agent
Currently, I’m holding all of my yearly production meetings. At my peach meeting, we had 81 in attendance, with 61 different farms represented.
Along with another agent, we hosted the first meeting of the SC Small Fruit Growers Association. I assisted Bob Hall in helping to establish the group with representation from across the state. The production meeting featured a blueberry specialist from out of state, with 50 growers in attendance.
The strawberry production meeting is coming up at the end of February, and the vegetable meeting will be in March.
I will be working on a bloom-thinning product again this year for an on-farm demonstration and I also plan to showcase my on-farm grape work this fall.
Greenville Horticulture Agent, Mary Vargo, discusses leafy green plants with Growing Health participants.
Growing Health is entering year 2! Growing Health is a program that was developed by the Greenville County Rural Health and Urban Horticulture Agents to help beginner gardeners in Greenville learn to grow their own vegetables and incorporate these vegetables into a healthy diet. In order to help beginner gardeners, learn about vegetables that can be grown throughout the year, Growing Health is presented in accordance to growing seasons – spring, summer, and fall. Those who participate in the program receive information and growing materials to take home.
Participants in Growing Health have the opportunity to learn how to grow and cultivate different seasonal plants, how to create healthy recipes with the items grown in their garden, experience hands-on activities, and taste tests, and receive items to take home to help them implement the material they just learned.
We held three programs in correlation with the growing seasons in 2022. Six individuals attended all three program dates and there has already been significant interest in the program for 2023. The 2023 Growing Health program will continue to emphasize growing your own food and how it impacts your health but will also offer an opportunity to showcase some of the work that other Agents are doing in Greenville County and how their expertise can link with gardening and health.
Our collaboration with the Greenville State Farmers Market has allowed the program to be hosted at a lower cost and has allowed us to begin thinking about opportunities for the growth of the program. This year, we will offer programs on April 1st, June 17th, and August 26th from 11am-12pm at the Greenville State Farmers Market. Interested individuals can sign up at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/327485827927 or contact Melissa Bales at mbales@clemson.edu or 864-365-0635.
Ellie Lane, Statewide Rural Health and Nutrition Extension Agent
The Rural Health and Nutrition Team’s free health programs are expanding! We have listened to your feedback and are currently developing a program designed to keep you strong and healthy for life. Practical Strength will launch Summer 2023! The goal of the Practical Strength program is to emphasize sustainable, functional fitness. We will help you develop the strength to do whatever you want throughout life safely and efficiently. The program will be appropriate for all ages and mobility levels and will be hosted weekly through live, online classes. Certified fitness professionals will lead participants through a strength training workout appropriate for all bodies. Recordings will be available for those that cannot make the lives classes and for participants that want to practice their favorite sessions again.
Why is strength training important? We need our muscles in any activity we do throughout the day – whether it is walking, getting out of a chair, grocery shopping, enjoying your favorite hobby, or chasing the grandkids. For us to keep those muscles as strong as possible, we need to challenge them on a regular basis. We do this through strength training. We need at least two days per week of strength training with enough resistance to challenge our muscles to stay healthy lifelong. Benefits of strength training include preserving muscle mass we lose as we age, strengthening bones to prevent injury and osteoporosis, reaching and maintaining a healthy weight, improving quality of sleep, increasing energy, lowering stress levels, and boosting confidence, among many others.
We know that strength training can seem intimidating – it is possible that by training your body with improper form or pushing your limits too quickly, you could experience injury or burnout. Practical Strength will set you up for success in reaching your fitness goals by demonstrating proper form and offering modifications to meet your body where it is each week. We will keep you at an appropriate pace for sustainable muscle building and emphasize consistency in healthy behaviors over intensity.
Join us this summer to stay accountable towards your health goals and keep your body functioning smoothly and lifelong!
Drew Jeffers
The Rural Health and Nutrition Team’s free health programs are expanding! We have listened to your feedback and are currently developing a program designed to keep you strong and healthy for life. Practical Strength will launch Summer 2023! The goal of the Practical Strength program is to emphasize sustainable, functional fitness. We will help you develop the strength to do whatever you want throughout life safely and efficiently. The program will be appropriate for all ages and mobility levels and will be hosted weekly through live, online classes. Certified fitness professionals will lead participants through a strength training workout appropriate for all bodies. Recordings will be available for those that cannot make the lives classes and for participants that want to practice their favorite sessions again.