Blount County Extension Office

Alabama Extension Agents Buoyed So Far by Crop Planting Conditions

About Blount County

Blount County is located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains on the Cumberland Plateau, and was created by the Territorial Legislature in 1818. Oneonta is the county seat, with a population of approximately 6,000.  Blount County is part of the Birmingham Metropolitan Area, and has more than 51,000 residents - 92.1% white, 1.2% Black, 5.5% Hispanic, and 2.7% other.

The major agricultural product is poultry, and it is home to a Tyson Poultry processing plant.  Other agricultural products include timber, cattle, fruits and vegetables.  Over a ten-year period, the fastest growing industry was construction, which increased at an annual rate of 11.8%.

Blount County is known as "The Covered Bridge Capitol of Alabama."  Of the eleven covered bridges in Alabama, three are in Blount County.  Of all covered bridges in the United States, the Horton Mill Bridge in Blount County is the highest above water.

Dan Porch is Coordinator of the Blount County Extension Office, Paula Mayo is Administrative Associate, Nancy Graves is Regional Extension Agent (REA) for 4-H, Danna Standridge is 4-H Agent Assistant, Shonna Carranza is the Urban NEP Agent and Ruth Brock is Regional Extension Agent (REA) for Consumer Science and Personal Financial Management.  Nine Regional Agents who are housed in other counties serve Blount County.

Extension programs are open to the public, and are usually presented with little or no cost to participants, according to materials needed.  Programs presented in 2008 include The Master Gardener Program,   Relatives as Parents Program (RAPP),  Sew Safe Program, Nutrition Programs, Vegetable and Fruit Production Programs, and 4-H Junior Leadership Program.  Agents also participate in many county-wide events such as the Special Day at the Farmers Market and the County Fair.