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FRANKLIN COUNTY EXTENSION ACCOMPLISHMENTS FY 05
Kathy Borden – 4-H Program
YOUTH ENROLLED IN 4-H SCHOOL PROGRAM
East Franklin - 85
RMS - 112 (Russellville Middle School)
TJHS - 88
Belgreen - 103
Red Bay - 141
Phil Campbell (7th-12th) - 95
RES 97 (Russellville Elementary School)
Total 721
Mrs. Borden travels to each school at least 6 times during the school year and conducts an educational program. She often goes to these schools 2 to 3 times a month making follow-up visits.
COUNTY ROUND-UP PARTICIPATION APRIL 22:
Electrical Demo – 4
Public Speaking – 19
Bread Exhibit – 14
Dairy Demo – 9
Egg Demo – 6
Beef Cook-off – 13
Plant & Soil Science – 5
Wood Working Exhibit – 22
Photography – 29
Fashion Revue – 7
Total 128
REGIONAL ROUND-UP PARTICIPATION IN HUNTSVILLE JUNE 14
AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
16 Youth participated in the Northwest Alabama Regional 4-H Roundup
Awards earned by these youth at the Regional Roundup were as follows:
Sr. Bread – 2nd place
Jr. Lawn Tractor – 2nd place
Jr. Traditional Photography – 1st place
Sr. Informative Public Speaking – 1st place
Jr. Information Public Speaking – 2nd place
Jr. Beef Cook-off – 1st place
Jr. Plant & Soil Science – 2nd place
SUMMER ENRICHMENT TOUR July 24 – 30, 2005: Williamsburg, VA, Hershey, PA, and New York City
25 youth
19 adults
CITIZENSHIP WASHINGTON FOCUS JUNE 4- 11: Kathy Borden traveled with Phil Campbell student Caley Bishop for this weeklong learning experience.
4-H SUMMER CAMP IN COLUMBIANA JUNE 20 - 22: 5 youth and 3 adults participated. All the kids and adults attending the 4-H Camp learned different skills: managing money, leadership, communication, getting along with all ages of people, promptness, and physical games.
Wyatt Hutcheson was so impressed with this camp’s science program that he is recommending that fellow his fellow teacher at East Franklin School, Jack Hester, take a group of East Franklin students to the 4-H Center this fall to participate in the program.
4-H STATE CONGRESS IN AUBURN AUGUST 13: One senior winner in the Regional Roundup participated in the state wide competition at Auburn and placed second in the Breads Exhibit.
Karen Thompson – Health and Nutrition
Appalachian Regional Commission Grant-$10,000 –Diabetic Education Series- 2 in-depth classes were taught by certified diabetic educators (an RN and a dietitian) in three locations throughout the county approximately eight different times to an estimated 83 participants. Classes also included follow-up sessions at 3, 6 and 12 month intervals to monitor participant progress.
Northwest Shoals Community College Programming-
Conducted separate programs on stress, nutrition, & business etiquette to Professional Development classes each semester. I also do stress management classes for the Choices for Success, a displaced homemaker program at NWSCC.
Worked with the American Cancer Society in the county.
Hosted the survivors’ booth at the Relay for Life, worked with the “Look Good Feel Better” Program, and assisted with the “Quit for a Kid” Campaign (an anti-smoking effort).
Conducted joint programming in the spring and fall with other Family and Consumer Science Regional Extension Agents . “Manage your Weight and Your Diabetes” was the fall program and it was conducted in the Franklin County Extension office (25 contacts). The spring topic was “Sweet Solutions” which explained the various sugar substitutes and this program was conducted at the Phil Campbell Campus of Northwest Shoals Community College (10 contacts).
Hosted AU Nutritionist, Dr. Bob Keith’s visit to the county to do 2 civic programs and one TV program.
Facilitated monthly Franklin County Health Council meetings., an interagency council that networks to promote health care in the county.
Supervised Breast Cancer Educator, Judy Guyton to do programming in the county until the program ended in December 2004.
Worked with numerous county groups including, Evenstart, Headstart, Alfa Women’s Organization, area schools, local hospitals, child day care providers, DHR, 4-H program, and the local Hispanic Coalition.
Facilitated county radon programming, including distributing monitoring test kits and newborn hospital packets and answering client questions.
Provided significant assistance in preparing Dairy Program Grant.
Provided 6 newspaper articles related to health and nutrition
Handled numerous calls in the FCS area including some Food Preservation calls.
Tim Reed – Agricultural, Community Resource Development and Home/Commercial Horticulture Programs
Hosted 10 of 12 monthly meetings of the Northwest Alabama Small Farmers Improvement Association. and provided them with information about upcoming educational programs of interest to them. Also provided the group with an educational program during the April meeting that included information about the names and phone numbers of each of the 9 REA’s serving our county and their program area. I also updated the group on environmental regulations they should follow when applying poultry litter to land. Recruited REA’s to provide one program on cattle production and one program on home horticulture.
Worked with local poultry farmers and helped them with heating fuel risk management issues. I regularly provided poultry farmers with information about variables impacting propane prices during the year which helped farmers make decisions about forward pricing propane.
Helped poultry farmers comply with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management’s (ADEM) strict environmental regulations. Helped 6 poultry farms prepare for their required annual Qualified Credentialed Professional (QCP) inspections. Trained these farmers to keep accurate records as required by ADEM. Participating in these environmental educational programs allowed the 6 farmers (who operated concentrated animal feeding operations) to obtain a total of 18 continuing education units.
Helped 1 professional waste vendor (chicken house clean-out person) and 5 farmers complete the internet course and exam required to become a certified animal waste vendor (CAWV). When a CAWV removes poultry litter from a farm the poultry farmer is relieved of all liability associated with the litter. Made key people aware of the serious problems our farmers are having in complying with environmental regulations and made some suggestions about how these problems could be alleviated.
Worked with 8 row crop farmers to help them get litter to fertilize their crop land from poultry farms who needed a place to send their litter. To date, no farmers I work with have been fined for failure to comply with environmental regulations pertinent to litter.
Helped one poultry and one dairy farm become undesignated as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO’s) by assisting them in preparing for successful QCP inspections and helping them to confirm that they had complied with all the requirements placed on their farms earlier by ADEM.. These farms no longer must submit reports or undergo annual inspections.
Worked with REA Ronald Britnell and helped him advertise and conduct a wildlife food plot program at Phil Campbell Junior College. Eleven people participated in the program. Hosted Extension Wildlife Damage Control specialist Jim Armstrong for programs with two local civic clubs and a Channel 44 TV program. Wrote one newspaper article about keys to growing a successful wildlife food plot.
Procured a $2,000 Extension grant which will be used to assist a local farmer in installing a buried drip irrigation system on his farm this winter.
Responsible for the Pesticide Education Training Program in Franklin county. Assist individuals in completing the exam required to obtain Private Applicator Permits so they can purchase Restricted Use Pesticides. A total of 101 Franklin county residents have this permit and each year a third of them must complete the exam to renew their permit.
Prepared biweekly newspaper articles which provide useful and timely information related to agriculture and home horticulture.
Provided local row crop producers with marketing advice at critical times during the summer and recommended that they forward price a portion of their anticipated harvest. My efforts encouraged 6 farmers to forward price 95,000 bushels of corn at an average price of $2.41/bu and 10,000 bu of soybeans at an average price of $7.10/bu. Presently, (9/12/05) the price of corn and soybeans delivered in Decatur is $1.71 and $5.55/bu respectively. The net benefit of forward pricing a portion of their crop was $82,000.
Efforts to Support the local Farmers Market - Franklin County Extension Coordinator Tim Reed, has worked for several years to help the Franklin County/Russellville City Farmers Market to operate in a satisfactory manner. The Extension office played a key role in encouraging the City of Russellville to appoint a part-time city employee to serve as the market manager in 2004. However, during 2004 there continued to be some disagreement among farmers who sold produce at the market about the specific rules under which the market should operate.
The local Farmers Market provides over 50, mostly small farmers a place to sell about $25,000 worth of produce annually for cash. During 2005 the State Farmers Market Authority provided an additional $35,000 in vouchers to elderly county residents and WIC participants which could be exchanged for market produce.
CEC Tim Reed arranged for a meeting with the market manager and their supervisor (the Director of the City’s Park and Recreation Department) in the spring of 2005 to discuss the best approach to take to develop a set of rules for the market in 2005 which the majority of the participating farmers would approve. The decision was made to let the Extension office mail letters to all farmers who obtained a growers permit at the Extension office in 2005 and invite them to attend a meeting at the office to consider and approve a set of rules that would allow the tranquil and orderly operation of the market. Ten farmers, the market manager, the market manager supervisor and a concerned citizen attended the meeting. Tim Reed facilitated the meeting and allowed the farmers to vote on numerous proposed rules for the market. After all the rules the farmers felt were needed were approved the farmers also voted to require everyone who wanted to sell produce at the market to sign an agreement to abide by all the rules before they could sell at the market in 2005.
During the growing season Tim Reed continued to meet with the market manager and farmers and listen to their ideas about ways market operations could be enhanced. He also communicated regularly with Don Wambles, the Director of the State Farmers Market Authority and his employee James Wiginton about these concerns. Plans have been made to appoint a committee of farmers to review the rules for 2006 and to submit these rules to Mr. Wambles for his approval. Mr. Wambles has agreed to assist in helping the market manager to assume a more significant role in encouraging farmers to abide by this set of market rules in 2006. The Franklin County Extension office will continue to work to assure that the local farmers market continues to be a viable economic asset to the county by providing a location where small farmers can sell fresh and nutritious produce.
Efforts to Enhance College Scholarship Opportunities - Tim Reed served on the Franklin County Cattlemens Association board of directors and worked 4 days this year helping the group prepare and sell ribeye steak sandwiches for their college scholarship fund. This year the cattlemen provided twelve $500 scholarships to deserving high school seniors to help them pay college expenses. Tim presented 4 of these scholarships to winning students during the Russellville High School commencement. Tim also served on the Franklin County Farmers Federation Ag Scholarship Committee and helped them notify all Franklin county students enrolled in the College of Agriculture at Auburn University about their $500 college scholarship. He assisted the committee in selecting one of these students to receive the scholarship.
Efforts to Promote Biodiesel Production - Responded to requests by three investors and the Franklin County Commission and procured information about feasibility of establishing a biodiesel plant in our area. Attended Mid-South Farm and Gin Show in Memphis March 4-5 and talked with several individuals about biodiesel production in their region. Attended presentation given by Joe Jobe, executive director of the National Biodiesel Board on status and opportunities for increased biodiesel production in the U.S. Provided investors with information about status of biodiesel production in Alabama and Mississippi and gave them phone numbers of these operations. Procured and provided information about federal tax incentives for biodiesel production to these investors. Progress has been made by these potential investors toward acquiring property for the project.
Efforts to Maintain 4-H Youth Education Program in Franklin County – The Franklin County Extension 4-H Youth program is conducted primarily by an agent assistant that derives all of their salary/benefits/travel support from local funds. During recent years all local funding for the Franklin County Extension office has been provided by the Franklin County Commission. This funding has remained constant while funds required to maintain the 4-H agent assistant position have doubled in the last 4 years. Tim Reed initiated efforts in 2004 to generate additional funds that can be used to support the position. Letters have been sent to local city governments and other potential sponsors seeking additional funds. Tim has made a request for funding support at one city council meeting and is scheduled to make presentations at two more council meetings. Tim has asked people who have benefited from Extension program efforts to contact city council members about supporting the 4-H program. Additional funds totaling $5229 have been raised to date to support the position during FY 2006. These funds were provided by a county ag commodity group and the Franklin County Board of Education. Tim Reed recently visited with the Division Manager of Gold Kist operations in northwest Alabama and requested funding support. Prior to the visit Tim prepared a report that discussed Franklin County Extension program efforts to support the poultry industry in the area. Tim also provided a report about the current number of youth enrolled in the county Extension program and the number of youth who participated in different 4-H activities last school year. The Division Manager promised to make a concerted effort to try to find some monies to support this valuable, traditional program which is presently offered at every school in the county.
Barbara Hillman-EFNEP
80 participants enrolled in Adult Program
73 Graduates
7 Adults continuing in program
32 youth participants
32 youth graduates
3 Areas are taught:
I. Today's MOM, pregnant teens or adults with children up to one year of age
6 lessons taught
II. Food Smart
Adults with children from the age of one year old up to 19 years of age
10 lessons taught weekly
III. 4-H DOT(Diet's Our Thing)
Youth ages 6 to 19
6 lessons taught weekly
Each participants receives weekly food samples from recipes used in each lesson and their recipes.
Each participant receives a certificate of graduation when completing recommended number of lessons.
Each participant takes a pre and exit enrollment, food recall, behavior checklist as well as pre and post test on the youth level to measure improvements from beginning to end of program.
EFNEP has impacted this audience in many ways. From a Today's MOM using her certificate to show the courts that she is trying to improve her life skills by graduating form the Today's MOM program.
A Food Smart participant spending $8.00 for a box of cerea to prepare yogurt fruit crunch because she was introduced to the recipe and sampled the dish. While visitng her family overseas, she was willing to pay the high cost of cereal because she and her family enjoyed the recipe. Another Food Smart student shared the chicken salad recipe to other GED classes she was involved in after graduating this class.
4-H DOT kids told me "My mama don't fix tacos like this". Reluctant they tried our version of tacos and loved it. They all said they will take the recipes home and tell their families to make this dish with them. All of the groups have hands on experience in preparing the recipes to taste.
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