Extension Report

Baldwin County Extension Office

302A Byrne Street

Bay Minette, AL  36507

Susan Wingard

County Extension Coordinator

March 17, 2009

We welcome a new staff member to our office.  Leisa Myles is an agent assistant working with the Master Environmental Education Program and assisting with other Extension programs.

Master Environmental Education

Are you concerned about our environment?  If so, you may be interested in becoming a Master Environmental Educator.   Master Environmental Educators (MEE) are volunteers that are trained to teach environmental awareness in our county. The program was developed in 1995 by Emily Kling with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.  This program was developed so Baldwin County residents would have an understanding for the environment in our own backyards. 

The volunteers participate in two days of training in August.    Training for the program will provide you with the information and resource materials you will need.  The volunteers will be trained on these topics:  aquatic nuisance species, groundwater pollution, household hazardous waste, recycling, nonpoint source pollution, and water cycle. Previous teaching experience or environmental knowledge is not required.    The only pre-requisites for a Master Environmental Educator are the ability to communicate in front of groups, the ability to relate to children or adults, and a willingness to learn new information. Once trained the volunteers are asked to donate 20 hours of time a year to teach one or more of the lessons in the community. To request a MEE application, contact the Baldwin County Extension Office at 937-7176 or 943-5611/928-0860, extension 2222 or visit our website at www.aces.edu/counties/Baldwin.

Alabama in Motion (AIM)

Eight individuals and six teams across our county are participating in this year’s AIM eight-week fitness program.  After the first week of reporting, a total of 322 miles have been walked.  The participants are off to a good start to the program.

Home Food Production 101

A series of basic home food production classes is being offered by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.  This series is open to anyone with an interest in home food production on a large or small scale and new land owners.  The programs will be at 6:00 p.m. at the Jon Archer Agricultural Center, 1070 Schillinger Rd., Mobile.  The cost is $25 per class or $150 for the entire series.  The dates and topics for the classes are:

April 16             Introduction to Extension, historical perspective of food

                         production, soils and equipment requirements, usages,

                         calibration and demonstration

May21              General economics of producing your own food, farm safety

                         and sun safety

June 18            Backyard poultry, egg and rabbit production

July 23              Home vegetable production

August 20         Home beef, pork, lamb & goat, production and processing

September 17   Home fruit production

October 15        Food preservation and safety

Please pre-register by calling 574-8445 by April 1.

Email address:swingard@aces.edu

Phone: 937-7176 or 943-5611, 928-0860, ext. 2222

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture is an equal opportunity educator and employer.