Cargill recently presented a Cargill Cares Volunteer Award to Jerry Mullins of Bainbridge, Ga. for outstanding volunteer service to Houston County 4-H, and they contributed $1,000 to the Houston County 4-H livestock judging program in his honor.

Mullins volunteered more than 300 hours this year with Houston County 4-H livestock teens who became the 2008 State Champion 4-H Livestock Judging team in July. They will represent Alabama 4-H at the national event in Louisville, Ky., in November.

The Shoals Summer Technology Institute was developed through a grant from Rural Alabama Initiatives to provide a two-week professional development experience for middle and high school math and science teachers and counselors that increases their knowledge and understanding of technical education and the vast and lucrative career opportunities available to those with technical skills.

Alabama Cooperative Extension System Regional Agent Ruth Brock was awarded the August 2008 Programs that Work Award by the City of Birmingham Mayor's Office-Division of Youth Services. Brock received the award for her presentation of Extension’s Reality Check program.

For nearly three-quarters of a century, agri-tourism has been popular in Chilton County. Travelers on the main thoroughfares have stopped at local u-pick operations to pick peaches, visit one of many open-air markets or pick up a basket or two of peaches for the beach. In the past few years, fruit and vegetable markets have branched out from simply selling fresh produce to selling foods prepared from fresh peaches. This trend is known as culinary tourism.

According to the International Culinary Tourism Association, culinary tourism is defined as the pursuit of unique and memorable eating and drinking experiences. An article in the Indianapolis Business Journal noted that a national study found that about 16 million Americans plan their vacations around food and spend an average of $1,271per trip.

While many kids are vegging out in front of a television or computer during summer vacation, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System's St. Clair County office has been working hard to get those kids off the couch and back into the classroom - the 4-H Clover Classroom that is!

Studies show that students traditionally lose ground during the summer when school is out. Research also indicates that out-of-school time programs can make a difference.

With the rising cost of foods, people across Cullman County are going back to preserving their own garden vegetables and fruits.

Elaine Cole, Alabama Cooperative Extension System Coordinator for Cullman County, has checked the accuracy of more than 100 pressure canner gauges in the past few months.

The first Take Pride Statewide Conference focusing on litter prevention was last week at Samford University in Birmingham. The event was sponsored by Auntie Litter, Inc. with many partners including the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Jackie Ramsey, Joann Wissinger and Bridgett Helms from the Jefferson County Extension office assisted with the overall planning, registration and educational exhibits. Several other state and county Extension personnel also participated in the two-day event.

There is an increased interest in growing blueberries in Talladega County. This became evident when 56 people showed up for a Blueberry Workshop at Craft’s Blueberry Farm in Eastaboga on July 18.

Chip East, a regional agent with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, demonstrated step-by-step instructions on growing blueberries from site preparation to pruning and fertilizing.

Alabama 4-H and its partner Operation: Military Kids will host workshops Aug. 9 and 10 in Montgomery for Alabama children whose parents are military personnel. The Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program will be from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Conference Center in downtown Montgomery. The program is sponsored by the National Guard and is designed to assist returning deployed personnel re-integrate into family and community life.