By Nathan Eason
I’ve always felt that UGA Extension offers great value to Georgia. Our mission is to translate the science of everyday living for families, farmers, and communities to foster a healthy and prosperous state. It achieves this by sharing research, meeting face-to-face with commu- nity members, and developing programs to help people and communities thrive and create economic opportunities.
But how does having a county Extension office in White County benefit you? We are the hands and feet of a land grant university which was founded on the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. The interconnected partnerships between colleges and other public service and out- reach branches within UGA work together to provide non biased research based information that help Georgians to be successful.
Traditional services include soil, feed, and water testing, agriculture production recommendations from small farms to large scale operations. But what you may not realize is our connection to information on
start up business with UGA’s Small Business development center. Want to learn more about developing your own food product?
We’ll connect you to our Food Product Innovation and Commercialization Center. Concerned about mold, mildew and other harmful pathogens? The College of Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) can help you. Our FACS agents can also help with home food preservation and food safety tips. I haven’t even mentioned the 4-H program, Georgia’s largest youth organization in the state. We are proud of the programming that we provide in and out of school to help kids grow into productive citizens. We focus on financial management, soft skills, speaking skills, leadership and citizenship. And we strive to complement the school curriculum with hands-on learning opportunities for youth.
Extension connects everyday Georgians to resources that would otherwise cost them hundreds of dollars or more in consulting fees. I may not have all the answers, but I can put you in touch with someone who does. We have specialists who spend their whole careers researching specific topics. As taxpayers you are eligible to get that information for free. I’ve been told that Extension is the best kept secret for helping folks. I don’t want to be a secret, but we aren’t spending a lot of money on massive social media campaigns. Instead, we utilize those funds as effectively as possible in delivering quality information.
It has been my pleasure to serve White County for the past 12 years and I will continue to do so. As we approach a time of giving thanks, I’m thankful to a supportive county. While traditional agriculture has changed in North Georgia, it’s still my priv- ilege to serve every property owner who has a question that needs to be answered.
Nathan Eason is the White County Extension Agent.