| Wednesday, April 7, 2004 Extension Service serves more than farmersBy CAROLYN CARY The Fayette County Extension Service has been a viable organization for over 50 years. It is a cooperative service with the University of Georgia and the United States Department of agriculture. Don’t let the name fool you; it is in place to serve everyone, not just farmers. If you have a small garden or a dairy farm, the organization is here to answer your questions, whether about ground soil or a strange creature that just bit you. Aubrey Varner served as the county agent from 1955 to 1981. The 4-H program is dedicated to providing youth in grades 5-12 opportunities to learn leadership, citizenship, and life skills. When Varner came on board, more children lived on farms than in the city and the Kiwanis County Fair offered many contests for them to enter, such as best calf or pig. Girls could enter in a number of home economic contests such as jellies and sewing. The 4-H members have an opportunity to share skills and knowledge gained through county, district, state, and national competitive events. Currently there are 2,000 Fayette students enrolled in the program. Agriculture and natural resources covers traditional agriculture, as well as home horticulture and industrial grounds. The current agent, Sheldon Hammond, and staff stand ready to help out with home lawns and shrubs, back yard fruit and vegetable production as well as work with Fayette citizens on water quality and conservation. Hammond makes over 300 home visits a year. Other services available include plant identification, insect, identification, soil testing, and water testing. A phone call will bring an agent to your home or an office visit let you pick through hundreds of brochures on many different topics. The Fayette offices handles over 9,000 phone calls a year. There is also a Home Environment program to educate individuals and families on ways to meet the needs of contemporary living. Information is available on foods, nutrition and health, family resource management, and housing and human development. The Fayette office has digital diagnostic capability and if you bring in that strange spider that just bit you or a snake you killed to keep your children safe, a photo can be sent by computer to the University of Georgia agricultural department and identified with 3 to 4 hours. Previously it had to be physically mailed and a reply might take over a week. Hammond came to Fayette County in 1990 and had been research assistant at Purdue University. The Extension Service is at Suite 209 at the Stonewall county government complex. It can be reached at 770-460-5730, ext. 5412.
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