What is Leadership Clay County?

Leadership Clay County is a community leadership development program.  Its mission is to enhance the leadership skills of local residents for community and economic development.  Through education, awareness, and networking, Leadership Clay County will help lay a foundation for the development and growth of leadership potential.

What does the program include?

Sessions will be conducted on the third Thursday of each month, typically from 8 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. from January thru May.  Sessions will include presentations on leadership, tourism, hospitality, public speaking, County Service Agencies, and financial planning, among others.

Who can participate in Leadership Clay County?

To represent a cross section of the community, Leadership Clay County brings together a diverse group in terms of race, sex, and occupation.  Participants need not share a common lifestyle or career – only a vision for “Leading with Diversity”.  Participants must be at least 18 years of age.

How are participants chosen?

Applications are available at the Chamber of Commerce office and the Extension office, and will be accepted through January 4th by mail or drop off.  Download Leadership Clay County application:  Leadership Clay County Application (52) Applications should be returned to The Clay County Chamber of Commerce, P. O. Box 85, Lineville, AL 36266 or The Clay County Extension Office, 93 County Rd. 31, Ashland, AL 36251.  The cost of the program is $100 per participant and is due by January 12.  The program’s steering committee members will review all applications and select participants representative of Clay County’s geographic areas and professional categories.

What are you asked to do?

Program participants will attend the January through May sessions and must not miss more than one session in order to graduate from the leadership program.  Participants must also participate in a group project, which includes written and verbal presentations.

For more information concerning the program, contact:

Tonya Tomlin at the Clay County Extension Office – 256-354-5796, or

Mary Patchunka-Smith at the Clay County Chamber of Commerce – 256-396-2828

2012 Clay County Leadership Schedule:January – May the 3^rd Thursday of each month
8am – 2:30pm
Lunch will be provided

The first meeting will be at the Clay County Chamber of Commerce office in Lineville.

January 19^th

February 16^th

March 15^th ~ Legislative Day (Montgomery)

April 19^th 

May 17^th ~ Graduation

Leadership Clay County – Application – Deadline January 4, 2012

October 28 and 29, 2011

Organic Farming Workshop Set for October 2011.

A fall organic farming workshop will identify challenges to continued growth of the organic produce industry in Alabama and propose solutions. Set for Oct. 28 through 29 at Tuskegee University, the conference is sponsored by Tuskegee University, Auburn University and Alabama A&M University in partnership with the Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network (ASAN) and the Federation of Southern Cooperatives. Funded by USDA’s Organic Farming Program, the workshop will identify marketing, policy, production and research challenges that organic growers face in Alabama and propose options for alleviating the constraints. “There will be a number of research, Extension, and farmer panel discussions along with useful updates on organic producer associations in other states and on produce marketing,” says Dr. Ayanava Majumdar, a vegetable entomologist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the state coordinator for Sustainable Agriculture at Auburn University. The workshop will be held at Tuskegee’s Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center. The workshop is open to all, and organizers would like a diverse audience. In addition to farmers, scientists, retailers, restaurant owners and representatives of key institutions such as local school boards hospitals, nursing homes, farmers markets and policy makers are encouraged to attend.

The event is free to the public but pre-registration is required to attend. Pre-registration information for the meeting is posted on the ASANwebsite (http://www.asanonline.org). For additional information, contact Kokoasse Kpomblekou at (334) 724-4521 (kka@mytu.tuskegee.edu), Jan Garrett at (334) 844-2124 (garrecj@auburn.edu), or Regine Mankolo at (256) 372-4689 (Regine.mankolo@aamu.edu).

North Alabama Beekeeping Symposium
Saturday, Aug 13, 2011
8:00 am to 3:45 pm
Calhoun Community College
6250 U.S. Hwy 31 North
Tanner, AL 35671

Visit this website to learn more and to register.
http://www.k4vb.com/Regional%20Associations/Events/Limestone%20Symposium%202011.htm

The Chilton Farm, Home and Wildlife Expo is August 6th, from noon to 5 p.m., at the Chilton Research and Extension Center in Clanton, Ala. The annual event is open to the public.

Samples of peaches, figs, apples, pears, grapes and melons, as well as fruit desserts and ice cream will be available. Attendees can also view research plots, robotic lawnmowers, milking demonstrations and more.

Go to the Chilton Research and Extension Center website ( http://www.ag.auburn.edu/aaes/outlyingunits/chilton.html ) for more information.

Course Opportunity Presented by the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service.

August 10 & 11, 2011
9:30 am to 3:30 each day.
At Bald Rock Lodge at Mt. Cheaha State Park

Cost: $125.00 – includes book, testing and course materials. (lunch on your own)

Register online and receive a $5 discount or contact your instructor for mailing instructions. The cost is $125 for classroom instruction, text book, and exam. No refunds. Please register at least 2 weeks prior to class. http://www.aces.edu/fcs/fspp/ServSafeflyer.php

For more info, contact:
Patti West, 334-844-8090
westpat@auburn.edu

Plant Propagation Workshop
Hosted by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Clay County Extension Office
93 County Road 31
Ashland, Alabama
8 a.m. to 12:00 noon

LEARN HOW TO PROPAGATE PLANTS SUCCESSFULLY!
WE WILL BE DISCUSSING: DIVISION, LAYERING, SEEDS, CUTTINGS, BUDDING, AND GRAFTING.
PROPAGATING YOUR OWN PLANTS MAY BE THE ONLY WAY TO GET THAT HARD TO FIND OR SENTIMENTAL PLANT TO SHARE WITH FAMILY MEMBERS..

Seating is limited; you are encouraged to register early!

To sign-up or for more information, contact the Clay County Extension office at (256) 354-5976 or download the registration form here: Plant Propagation Workshop Registration (214)

Cost is $5 per person. Additional seminars in Russell, Coosa, Elmore and Autauga counties.
Pre-Registration and Payment is required by Friday, August 5th

I’m getting a lot of questions about pest management on fruit crops. I thought some of you may have the same questions so I am sharing this link to some great information – the 2011 Alabama Pest Management Handbook.

http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0500-B/

Let me know if you need anything else.

Chip East, Regional Extension Agent – eastwil@aces.edu

Commercial Horticulture

Office 256-354-5976

cell 256-846-0314

Are you interested in knowing about commercial vegetable & fruit production?
How about pest management in fruits & vegetables?
Do you want to know more about backyard vegetable production and pest management? What about fundamentals of organic crop production?

If you answered any of these questions with a ‘YES’ then this WEB CONFERENCE is for you!

Mark your calendar for May 4th 2011 for the 3rd Annual Fruit & Vegetable WEB Conference that will feature over six speakers on various crop production and protection topics. The event will start at 9:00 am and end at 11:30 am on May 4th.

This is a Web conference so you don’t have to travel and you can invite your clientele to listen and interact. Note that this event is open to farmers, crop advisors, Regional Extension Agents, County Extension Coordinators, Extension specialists, Program Coordinators/Administrators, plus anyone interested in vegetable production! Please follow the instructions below on how to join via Panopto (streaming video), Scopia DeskTop software (interactive video conferencing) or PolyCom stations (interactive TVs reserved statewide).

HOW TO JOIN THE WEBCONFERENCE

We will be using both the Scopia interactive videoconference system, and the Panopto system to stream and archive. Basically, if someone just wants to watch the presentation, they will connecti via a weblink to watch by Panopto (see below). If participants want to fully interact, they will connect via Scopia from their PolyCom or computer with Scopia software installed ahead of time.

Panopto link: http://www.aces.edu/go/150 (there will be no sound or picture at these links until 15 minutes before the meeting)

Scopia Interactive Desktop link: go to http://scopia.acesag.auburn.edu/scopia?ID=6788&autojoin.

For other options including connecting with presentation only or watching the webcast, go to http://scopia.acesag.auburn.edu/scopia?ID=6788.

We recommend you install the desktop client beforehand. To install the client, go to http://scopia.acesag.auburn.edu/scopia?client.
PolyCom System at Extension Offices: please dial 6788 and connect!

Past two meetings are archived at https://sites.aces.edu/group/crops/peanut/IPM%20Web%20Conference/ipmwebconference.aspx
For any further questions, please call Dr. A at 251-331-8416 or email bugdoctor@auburn.edu. Thank you for your support.

Solve Your Fire Ant Problems with Help From the Experts

Got fire ants? Got questions on how to deal with them?  An upcoming webinar featuring scientists from several land-grant universities may be just what you need.  “Solve Your Fire Ant Problems with Help from the Experts” is slated for Thursday, April 21 from 10 am to 11 am (Central Daylight Time).

The webinar will present the information that you need to know to control fire ants.  The webinar’s moderator Dr. Kathy Flanders of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System says it is actually easy to kill the fire ants that are bothering you once you understand how they live.

“Participants will learn how to apply the integrated pest management tactics that are as economical and environmentally friendly as possible,” says Flanders.

This interactive session will provide an opportunity to communicate directly with fire ant specialists and to ask questions related to specific problems you may be encountering.

Topics

• How Can You Tell if You Have Fire Ants?  – Dr. Jason Oliver, Tennessee State University
• Understanding the Biology and Behavior of Fire Ants Makes it Easier to Control  Fire Ant – Dr. Timothy Davis, Clemson University
• Managing Imported Fire Ants – Dr. Bastiaan Drees, Texas A&M University
• Biological Control of Fire Ants – Dr. Fudd Graham, Auburn University

How to Participate
Log in as a guest at http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/fireant.

This webinar is sponsored by the Imported Fire Ant Community of Practice, which is part of eXtension.org. eXtension.org is the online information delivery program of the Cooperative Extension System. eXtension is an educational resource you can trust to take the best university-based research and turn it into hands-on, practical information you can use to solve today’s problems and develop skills to build a better future.

The Imported Fire Ant Community of Practice (see http://www.eXtension.org/fire+ants) involves fire ant research and Extension educators from all fire-ant-infested states. Through the power of the Iinternet and social networking efforts, this group provides practical solutions to imported fire ant problems representing the consensus of best management practices.

Chip East

Regional Extension Agent

Commercial Horticulture

Office 256-354-5976

cell 256-846-0314

Muscadine Workshop
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Chilton Research and Extension Center, 120 Co. Rd. 756, Clanton, AL  35045

Registration will begin at 1:30 pm and meeting will end around 4:00 pm.

Topics and Speakers:

• Muscadine Grape Production: Robert Boozer, Extension Horticulturist
• Muscadine Grape Variety Trial Updates: Dr. Elina Coneva, Extension Specialist
• Muscadine Grape Diseases and Management Updates: Dr. Jim Jacobi, Plant Pathologist
• Muscadine Pruning Demonstrations: Jim Pitts, Superintendent, Chilton Research and Extension Center

If you plan on attending, please contact the Chilton County Extension Office at (205)280-6268 by Friday, March 18th to pre-register.

Chip East (eastwil@aces.edu)
Regional Extension Agent
Commercial Horticulture
Office 256-354-5976
cell 256-846-0314