2006 Annual Report

The Shelby County Extension Office as well as Regional Staff recorded greater than 70,000 county contacts during 2006. Each contact assisted a Shelby County resident in some manner.

Shelby County has 12 Regional Agents in addition to 3 county based staff serving client needs.

The mission of Extension is to provide university based educational resources and assistance to all citizens.

Extension Program Areas include:

• Agronomic Crops
• Animal Science and Forages
• Aquaculture and Recreational Pond Management
• Poultry
• Family and Child Development
• Community Resource Development
• Consumer Science and Personal Financial Management
• Farm Management and Agricultural Enterprise Analysis
• Food Safety, Preparation, and Preservation
• Forestry, Wildlife, and Natural Resource Management
• Commercial Horticulture
• Home Grounds, Gardens, and Home Pests
• Human Nutrition and Health
• 4-H and Youth Development
• EFNEP(Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program)

Program Highlights for 2006

• Completed Cotton Variety Trial of 26 Round-up Ready varieties for area producers. Trail was not completed due drought.
• Hosted 2 local Cotton Producer meetings for area producers.
• Monitored Soybean plot for Asian Soybean Rust.

• Completed REINS Program (Oct. - Nov.).
• Hosted Price Risk Management meeting for local Beef Producer.
• Conducted Drought related Winter Feeding meeting & Premises ID registration for Beef owners.
• Hosted Beef Producer Short Course.
• Assisted Beef Producers with marketing opportunities.
• Assisted Cattlemen with Beef Cattle Improvement Association data collection.

• Promoted local businesses to utilize Auburn Engineering and Technical Assistance Programs.
• Worked with local Cattlemen and Civic Clubs to promote County Fair and Rodeo
• Provided a public awareness campaign for the negative health effects of Radon.
• During 2006 Shelby County Extension assisted in securing RC&D grants totaling $12,500.

• Conducted 2 "Reality Check" programs for county youth. (Wilton and Kings Ranch)
• Serve on the curriculum development committee for the Shelby County Children’s Policy Council.

• Work with local schools and counselors with parenting information.
• Conducted workshop for Shelby County Neighborhood Association and Kid’s First Awareness Coalition.
• Presented program for Shelby County Parent’s Day in Chelsea.
• Conducted Relationship Smarts program for area High School Students.
• Conducted "Scams and Crimes: On Home Grounds" for elderly and senior adults.

• Conducted 2 ServSafe classes for restaurant workers.
• Conducted 2 Food Safety programs for local 4-Her’s.
• Conducted "Take Charge of your Health" program with co-worker at the North Shelby County Library.
• Answered many questions regarding safe canning and preserving methods.
• Provided free pressure canning testing to the general public.

• Promoted Area Wildlife Habitat Management Meeting at the Botanical Gardens.
• Conducted Landscape work shop.
• Conducted Urban Forestry workshop.
• Assisted in 8 Pesticide Training Workshops.
• Conducted numerous Television and radio programs for the Metro area.
• Worked with local hunting clubs in habitat management methods.
• Assisted forest land owners with resource management planning.
• Worked closely with the Environmental Training Center development at the North Shelby County Library. ($500,000 in improvement grants)

• Promoted numerous area meetings including sod, peaches and nursery and greenhouse crops.
• Worked with the City of Columbiana to diagnose disease problems.
• Worked with Local Vineyards, Sod farms and Nurseries to address problems, expand marketing and develop agricultural tourism.
• Worked with Indian Springs School to develop hydroponic/greenhouse vegetable production demonstration.
• Assisted numerous producers with management decisions utilizing farm visits and phone call thought out the year.

• Assisted clients in a wide range of areas including soil fertilizer, weed, disease, insect control, plant I.D. and lawns and landscapes maintenance.
• Hosted and completed Master Gardener Training program.
• Conducted the following programs : Flower gardening, vegetable gardening, Home Lawns, Backyard composting, container gardening and Soil testing.
• Implemented Master gardener Help-line for regional clients.

• Conducted "My Pyramid" and the importance of living a healthy lifestyle program for students at the Shelby County Juvenile Detention Center.
• Conducted "Take Charge of your Health" program with co-worker at the North Shelby County Library.
• Conducted training for Child Nutrition Program workers for Oak Mountain High School.
• Trained the faculty of Montevallo High School on the 2005 Dietary Guidelines.
• Prepared Exhibit for Vincent High School Health Fair regarding healthy eating.

• 290 youth enrolled in 20 Clubs (16 volunteer led).
• Local 4-H'ers competed in County, District and State 4-H Congress.
• Attended 4-H Camp.
• 4-H teams competed in Shooting Sports, Wildlife and Meats Judging activities.
• Youth Livestock Exhibitors competed in shows exhibiting Beef Cattle, Meat Goats, Dairy Goats, Dairy Cattle and Horses.
• Conducted Volunteer Leader training for county volunteers.
• Conducted Shelby County 4-H awards Banquet.
• Created 4-H Archery Club.
• Created YMCA 4-H Club.
• Assisted in the establishment of the "Norman and Sonya Lefkovits 4-H Citizenship Award"

The Shelby County Extension Office is dedicated to serving county residents and improving their quality of life.

We thank you for your support and look forward to the challenges ahead.