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By Tana Shealey

Alabama Cooperative Extension System

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Lowndes County office has been busy! Just take a look and make plans to join us for our many learning opportunities.

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Lowndes County office partnered with the Alabama Forestry Commission, giving free trees to almost 100 Lowndes County residents on Feb. 28 in front of the courthouse in Hayneville. WSFA featured our event on their morning show, “Today in Alabama,” at 5:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.

Urban Regional Extension Agent Roosevelt Robinson, Ed.D. taught a series of classes on birdwatching to seniors at the Hayneville Senior Center and to senior citizens meeting at the White Hall Town Hall building.  In February, Dr. Robinson is teaching senior citizens about native species. Seniors will soon build bird feeders to place at the center and at their homes.

4-H Youth Development Coordinator Beth Fair and some Lowndes County students had a day filled with excitement and developing SPARKS! Our Lowndes County 4-H and FFA Livestock Judging Team took a chance and did something new on March 6. The students participated in the SLE Livestock Judging contest, and they are locked in.

If you want to join in all of the 4-H fun, call 334-548-2315 and talk with Mrs. Fair!

The 4-H Cloverbuds made paper bag animal puppets. The activity focused on being creative with materials provided and thinking ‘outside of the box”. Also, 4-H students in Mosses discovered their “green thumbs” growing food in container gardening beds.  If you want your child to join all of the 4-H fun in Lowndes County, please call Mrs. Fair at 334-548-2315. 

Our February severe weather preparedness workshop was well attended at Snow Hill Christian Church in Mt. Willing.  Helenor Bell of Ace Hardware in Hayneville, Stacey Woodley with Alabama Cooperative Extension System TES and Reverend Dr. Dale Braxton from Snow Hill Christian Church distributed 30 NOAA weather radios to residents. The radios were donated by ACE Hardware, Hayneville. 

Presentations were made by representatives of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, American Red Cross, South Central Alabama Development Commission and the Governor’s Office on Volunteer Services, which provided items for residents’ severe weather preparedness kits.

Regional Extension Agent Janet Johnson taught a ServSafe Class in early February in Lowndes County. 

Extension will host a Food Entrepreneur Conference April 9-10. Stay tuned for more information.

Regional Extension Agent Synithia Flowers visited Hayneville Middle in February teaching students about the dangers of vaping. For more information about the program, Escape Vape, or to schedule Flowers to speak with your students, please contact her at 205-325-5342.

A Wild Pig Management seminar is scheduled for April 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Southern Sportsman Hunting Lodge. Register at www.aces.edu/event/wild-pig-workshop/ or call Lynn Dickinson at (334) 303-8360 for more information.

Extension is will sponsor a Pro Bono Elder Law Clinic at the Whitehall Town Hall on April 18 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for senior adults 60 years of age and older. Appointments are reserved in 30-minute intervals per individual or couple. To register, call 334-548-2315.

On April 25, join us for All About Eggs. Dr. Brigid McCrea, Alabama Cooperative Extension specialist in small flock poultry, will conduct her second backyard poultry class in Lowndes County. 

The class, All About Eggs, will be held at the Lowndes County Commission Meeting Room in the basement of the Charles Smith Courthouse Annex Building, 205 East Tuskeena Street, Hayneville, from 10 a.m.to 12:00 p.m.

Please register for this FREE class by calling, 334-548-2315.