Good To See Youth Involved In Agriculture
Brian Triplett
Well, we are halfway through 2008 now and just about average on rainfall for the year. We are fortunate in East Texas that we have been getting some moisture, as most of the state is experiencing drought-like conditions. Texas farmers are already stressed by high fuel and fertilizer bills and we sure don’t need drought stacked on top of these other major issues.
This past week was very busy agriculture-wise in Smith County.
I had the opportunity to help with the judging at the Tyler Farmer’s Market Fruit and Vegetable Contest again this year. This contest is open to farmers and youth in Smith and the surrounding counties.
When the blue ribbons were tallied, Smith County farmers swept the competition. Mrs. L.E. Harris won bragging rights with the best harvest basket, Daniel Baker earned sweepstakes honors with the most blue ribbons in the show and Wells Berry Farm received best-of-show designation for its blackberry entry. The best-of-show and sweepstakes awards in the youth contest were both won by Colton Kadlecek of Cherokee County.
It is good to see youth involved in production agriculture. We had a good number of youth this past week participating in the FAMACHA small ruminant parasite control workshop and the youth market goat workshop taught by Dr. Frank Craddock of San Angelo. It is estimated that there are around 1.4 million sheep and goats in Texas, and from the attendance at the FAMACHA training, it is safe to assume that a sizeable number of them call our area home.
We celebrated Independence Day this week as well. America turned 232 years old Friday and it may be worth noting that Thomas Jefferson, the principle author of the Declaration of Independence, was an accomplished horticulturist who cultivated more than 170 varieties of fruits at Monticello. George Washington, in addition to being the first president, was also a farmer and commercial fisherman. America and farming go back a long way, and it is in our nation’s best interest that we keep this relationship thriving long into the future.
Texas 4-H, the youth development organization of my agency, has its roots deeply planted in agriculture. Early county Extension agents decided to teach kids new farming and home economics techniques when they could not get the parents to listen to them. Boys in the corn clubs were soon out-producing dad at harvest time, and girls in the tomato club were turning out canned goods of exceptional quality to preserve the summer garden’s bounty for the winter.
This year 4-H is celebrating its centennial in Texas, and although we still teach agricultural and consumer sciences skills, you don’t have to plant a garden or raise livestock to be in 4-H today.
Today’s 4-H members are learning about animal husbandry, horticulture, natural resources management, nutrition, being a wise consumer, public speaking, fashion design, leadership, careers, character education and citizenship. Youth can become members of 4-H when they turn 9 (or 8 and in the third grade), and can stay a member until they turn 19. 4-H even has curriculum enrichment programs and activities that teachers can use in their classrooms to reinforce the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) that students must master.
In fact, 4-H even follows many of its members to college and beyond. This past month the Texas 4-H Foundation, through the generous support of its contributors, awarded $2 million in scholarships to youth pursuing formal education beyond high school.
Smith County 4-H was proud to have three youth receive a total of $26,000 toward their future college education. Krystal Peterson of Tyler received a $5,000 Courageous Heart Scholarship and a $1,000 scholarship from the Texas Extension Education Association. Samuel Giles of Lindale and Dianna Fisher of Tyler each received a $10,000 scholarship donated by the Richard Wallrath Educational Foundation.
For more information about 4-H in Texas, visit http://texas4-h.tamu.edu. To find a 4-H club close to where you live, contact your local Texas AgriLife Extension Service office. 4-H is open to everyone, find out what it can offer your kids today.
Brian Triplett is the Smith County Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources. He can be reached at 903-590-2980 or via e-mail at b-triplett@tamu.edu or on the Web at http://tceblogs.tamu.edu/mt/smith or http://smith-tx.tamu.edu.
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