Our Impact
Making A Difference in Our County
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is working hard for its constituents. The following are examples of Extension’s impact in the county over the past year.
4-H Youth Development
Engaging young people in their community helps build social capital.
Turner County 4-H gave young people the opportunity to give back by hosting a Holiday Stocking Decorating Contest. They expressed their creativity while pledging their “hands to a larger service.” Over 200 stockings were created and filled with donated hygiene items to the local nursing home residents, the Easter Seal housing resident and to Ruth’s Cottage, a shelter for women and children. Youth-adult partnerships provide a natural mentorship and community connectedness – expectations and interactions that promote trust, respect, value and collaboration.
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Fusarium wilt is a widespread issue for Georgia watermelon producers that costs growers major losses in production. Turner County Extension conducted on-farm watermelon research trials to evaluate the efficacy of utilizing Carolina Strongback and other rootstocks to combat fusarium wilt in Georgia watermelons. By utilizing this technology on Turner Counties’ 1,677 acres used for watermelon production annually growers could increase total county net returns for this crop by (1,677*918.50 =) $1,540,324.50.