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.
Evaluating Fungicides for Reducing White Mold in Peanuts in Bulloch County
Bulloch County planted 25,768 acres of peanuts in 2023 with a farm gate value of $28.3 million. The impact of soilborne disease on peanut production in Bulloch County and the southeast has been a problem that needs to be addressed with on-farm research. The best control strategy to combat white mold includes the selection of resistant varieties and use of fungicides. Peanut diseases such as leaf spot and white mold require growers to use foliar-applied fungicide programs to reduce severity and increase yield potential in commercial fields.
In 2023, the county agent conducted a study in a white mold infected commercial peanut field planted in single row Georgia-06G peanuts in Bulloch County.? Research protocol included ten different fungicide treatments including: Absolute Max, Alto, Aproach Prima, Bravo, Convoy, Elatus, Excalia, Fontelis, Lucento, Miravis, Priaxor, Provost Silver, Provysol, Umbra, Vantana, and Tebuconazole. The trial contained four replications in a standard block design. The agent rated the plots for soilborne and leaf spot diseases. After the peanuts in the field were inverted the plots were assessed for incidence of white mold.? The agent also rated multiple strips (200 ft. each) in each plot for disease.
There continues to be a negative relationship between yield and incidence of white mold, though less obvious in 2023. There was a 615-pound per acre yield difference between the highest and lowest yielding fungicide programs. In 2023, the performance of the 4-block Tebuconazole and Bravo program was like many other programs (white mold, leaf spot and yield). The 3-block Vantana fungicide program was the top yielder at 5972 pounds per acre. Even though the pressure from white mold and leaf spot was low in 2023, trying to improve profit by reducing rates of fungicides for white mold control was unsuccessful. The increase in yield applied to the acres planted to peanuts in 2024 would provide a $3.1 million increase in profits for Bulloch County peanut producers. ?
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GROWING 4-H THROUGH HOMESCHOOL COMMUNITIES IN BULLOCH COUNTY
While many families turned to homeschooling out of necessity during the pandemic, homeschooling is becoming more popular as a choice for parents.? The U.S. Census report indicates that 4/7% of all K-12 students, on average, were homeschooled in Georgia.? That equates to 79,000+ homeschool students in Georgia during the 2023-2024 school year.? And the number of home-educated students is continuing to grow in the United States.? The Bulloch County 4-H staff has observed an increase in the county homeschool population over the past three years.
With the number of homeschool students continuing to grow, the Bulloch County 4-H Agent worked to increase the scope of the county program, while meeting the needs of a growing sector of youth in the community through 4-H homeschool programming.? The 4-H Agent also solicited assistance of homeschool 4-H parent volunteers to market 4-H programming to local homeschool cooperatives throughout Bulloch County.? Having 4-H parents and volunteers involved that have previously had or currently have children in the various 4-H age classifications of Cloverleaf, Junior and Senior, was crucial to ensuring success within the local homeschool community.? Conversations with these active parents/volunteers helped identify key issues that may need to be communicated with homeschool parents.? Such issues included the need for a higher level of parental involvement than 4-H staff may be accustomed to, need to allow younger siblings to tag-along for monthly meetings, staff understanding of the dynamics of homeschool families, and the understanding the diverse range of student’s social development and experiences.
Today, 4-H homeschool club meetings are being held monthly with prospective new families visiting on a regular basis.? Bulloch County 4-H has 34 homeschool students enrolled in the county program, as compared to 26 members in 2020.? This equates to a 28% increase in homeschool membership. Of the current homeschool members, 59% have participated in multiple district and state 4-H contests and programs outside of the county program within the past year:
Forestry Judging: 15
Cotton Boll & Consumer Judging: 14
Poultry Judging: 11
Project SAFE:? 5
Summer Camp:? 6
Livestock Programming:? 3
Project Achievement:? 9
Kiwanis Fair Projects:? 11
4-H Officers:? 7
Leadership in Action:? 1
District Board:? 1
In addition to increased student participation, 3 parents have become certified volunteer leaders and actively serve as volunteer chaperones during day trips, competitive events, and summer camps.? One of the homeschool project achievement participants advanced to State 4-H Congress and received 2nd place in their project.? Three homeschool students have mastered in Forestry Judging, with two of them receiving double master status as both Team and Individual overall winners.? In addition to their 4-H accomplishments, these students are also learning valuable social and life skills.? They have had opportunities to connect with other students from across the county, district, state, and nation through 4-H.? They are learning how to navigate structured programming and participate in organized groups.? Several of them had their first ever school bus ride with 4-H travelling to a district competition.? The growth that some of them have experienced socially is tremendous.? Two students began this program with their parents always remaining 5 feet from them.? Two years later, their parents drop them off at activities with no question.? Not only do the students feel safe and welcomed at 4-H activities, but the parents feel safe letting their children be supervised and supported by 4-H staff and volunteer leaders.
The growth of the Bulloch County homeschool 4-H program continues to rise at a small, but steady rate.? Continuous communication between 4-H staff and homeschool families will help this section of a very large program continue to thrive and grow new 4-H leaders.