2008 MASTER GARDENER COURSE!!
The Walker County Extension Office is proud to announce our 2008 Master Gardener Volunteer Training Course. This year's class will be held on Mondays from 10 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. beginning February 4, 2008. The class will be twelve sessions covering all aspects of home horticulture including plant propogation, home lawns, annuals and perennials, weed ID and control, native plants, backyard wildlife, landscape design, and many other topics. For more information contact the Walker County Extension Office at 205-221-3392. You can also download a Master Gardener Class Regisgration Form. The fee for the course is $100 that will include all instruction, course materials, and a Master Gardener Handbook. You can view a complete 2008 Master Gardener Class schedule by clicking HERE. Click here for more information about the Alabama Master Gardener Program.
Christmas Poinsettias
The Christmas Season is rapidly approaching. That means the stores and garden centers will soon be stocked with poinsettias. The Walker County Extension Office has information on How To Select Your Poinsettia. Also check out this information on How To Care For Your Poinsettia once you have purchased one. There are also a number of other Holiday Plants commonly seen during the holidays.
Fall Gardening Information Fall gardening season is definitely here in full force. The Walker County Extension Office is a great source for up-to-date gardenting information. If fall gardening is "your thing" then check out the following information on our Home Gardening Website. We also have information on Home Landscapes , Home Fruit and Vegetable Production , and Turfgrass in Your Home Lawn.
Soil Testing is the best place to start for fall, spring, or summer gardening, and fall is a great time to have your soil tested. The Walker County Extension Office also offers free soil test kits that you can pick up at our office on Airport Road in Jasper. A minimal $8 lab fee will cover the cost of getting your soil's nutrient content and pH analysed as well as a fertilizer and liming recommendation for the crop or plants that you are trying to grow.
PROBLEMS WITH FIRE ANTS?
Check out the latest information on controlling imported fire ants in the home landscape, pastures and hayfields, and other locations.
About Walker County
Walker County was formed in 1824 from parts of Marion and Tuscaloosa counties. It was named after John Walker, who represented Alabama in the U.S. Senate from 1819 until 1822. Jasper is the county seat and was named after Sgt. William Jasper, a Revolutionary War hero.
The county's population is 71,866 with 7 percent black and 92 percent white. Fifty-six percent of adults have completed high school. The county has 18 elementary schools, 15 middle schools, seven high schools, two technical schools and one two-year college.
Attractions include Lewis Smith Lake, Old York USA, the Old Harbin Hotel, and the Alabama Mining Museum, which traces the history of mining in the state from 1890 until 1940. Principal agricultural products in Walker County include poultry, forestry products, livestock and forage crops. Major employers include retail and service companies, Walker Baptist Medical Center and the Walker County Board of Education.
The local Extension staff consists of two full-time and three part-time employees. In addition to locally housed staff, Walker County Extesnion programs are also supported by 11 subject matter Regional Agents. Active programs include Master Gardener, Master Cattle Producers, Nutrition Education Program (NEP), Today's Mom, and youth judging teams in wildlife, horses and livestock. The 4-H program includes 1,200 young people. Our newest 4-H club is a community-based club for ATV safety.
