FINAL GOAT TAGGING DAY
We had a great turnout for the 4-H/FFA Goat Show meeting on June 23. We have approximately 20 students who are registering to participate in the State and County Goat Shows this year. That means there will be approximately 40 goats in this year’s county show.
If you are a 4-H or FFA member who plans to participate but missed the meeting, please mark your calendars for the final tagging day for goats. It will be held at the Coffee High School Animal Science Building on Tuesday, July 12, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Remember, this is the last chance to get your goats tagged for this year’s shows.
Some important show dates are: Bring on the Heat Jackpot Show in Nicholls on Saturday, August 13; Coffee County 4-H/FFA Goat Show in Nicholls on Saturday, September 24, and the Georgia State 4-H & FFA Goat Show in Perry on Thursday, October 6, thru Saturday, October 8.
For more information, please contact the 4-H office at (912) 384-1402, or any of the Coffee County School System agriculture teachers at Coffee Middle, Coffee High, or George Washington Carver Freshman Campus.
UGA EXTENSION: WHAT DOES OUR OFFICE OFFER?
A lot of people have no clue what the University of Georgia Extension program offers and what our role is in the community. Well, let me share a few things that we do for Coffee County.
Our County Extension Agent for Agricultural and Natural Resources offers educational trainings for farmers to update them on crop production, from cotton, peanuts, tobacco, to blueberries, watermelons, and other commodities. He also works with specialists and producers to put in research plots to help test new products or techniques. He is also a trouble shooter. For example, if a farmer has a problem with his peanut crop, the County Agent will work with the farmer to help determine the cause of the problem and come up with a solution. He also assists home owners with problems with their lawns and ornamental plants.
The UGA Extension office also offers testing services like water, soil, and forage analysis to name a few. For example, if you have problems with your water, you can contact our office for the procedure to collect a sample to send to the lab. Testing services will incur a fee.
Although Coffee County does not have a County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences, we can still assist individuals with their needs in this area. We have publications available on many subjects and agents in nearby counties who can assist as well.
Coffee County Extension was recently selected to house a SNAP-Ed Program Assistant who is working to educate families about low-cost, healthy eating. The six week course is free and provides samples of demonstrated recipes. Participants also receive prizes for completion of the course.
The 4-H program is also a unit in the UGA Extension. 4-H offers educational opportunities to students in 4th through 12th grades. In-school club meetings are held with fifth and sixth grades and older 4-H members meet bi-monthly at the 4-H office after school. The 4-H program works to instill mastery, generosity, belonging, and independence in each member. These life skills are learned through involvement in programs like Project Achievement, judging events, livestock programs, target sports programs, camps, conferences, and community service events.
If I were to include everything about the UGA Extension program, it would fill a whole newspaper. What you should remember is that the UGA Extension program is a cooperative effort with USDA, the State of Georgia through the University of Georgia, Coffee County Board of Commissioners, and the Coffee County Board of Education working together to provide educational resources for the citizens of Coffee County.
If you have questions about the Coffee County Extension or 4-H program, please feel free to contact the Coffee County Extension office at (912) 384-1402. Remember, we are YOUR local connection to the University of Georgia.
– Submitted by Kevin Tatum, Coffee County Extension Coordinator