County extension

[Mountaintown Creek Ranch]

When I was young I don't remember my pop going to extension agent for anything... maybe there was not one in our area.
I have heard it said many times on CT " ask your extension agent".
When I went by the other day there was no agent present for weed identification so 2 days later I followed up with an email and phone call to ask when an agent would be there and could I get some assistance with pasture management. I have been told there isn't one for our county.
I have not heard back from them.
I am taking 5 soil samples in next week.
It appears that our county extension is more for underprivileged and poor assistance. There is no agricultural posters or information that seen while I was there. But the walls are covered in assistance programs.
However they do have a Master Gardener program.

 

[Brute 23]

We have a county agent but they are not very useful. They tend to just mess with show animals, or try to get lease land, or secure hunting jobs on ranches for after retirement.

A land owner we lease from contacted ours back when we were setting up the lease. She wanted to get an idea for the going rate. He told her some thing crazy like $20-$30/ac. She even commented how he phrased it as... I lease land and I would pay.... This is like 20ac/pair land, no pens, that's like 60% brush, 40% open. She even said the numbers didn't make sense.

He got me on another place, though. He went in and offered a real high number to get it over me. We know the people real well and I told them to jump on it if they can get it but be prepared because the price he is paying is not sustainable. He will be asking to lower it in a couple years. Sure enough, three years later he wanted to lower it. She told him to stick to his original number or she would lease it to some one else (me). He is in year 5 now and has taking a whooping with these dry years. She said he made a comment again this year and she told him the same, pay up or get off.

 

[TCRanch]

Our County Extension is pretty involved. They work with producers and even cost-share on waterways, spraying, improvements, etc. Few months ago, one of the agents was out here 4 times, touring the property and identifying which weeds to target and what chemicals would get the best results when we ariel spray next spring. He also coordinates with the pilot. There's always an agent on the Watershed Board and I'm assuming other boards as well. And they work with the local Kansas State Extension office. Maybe we're the exception instead of the norm?

 

[sstterry]

When I was young I don't remember my pop going to extension agent for anything... maybe there was not one in our area.
I have heard it said many times on CT " ask your extension agent".
When I went by the other day there was no agent present for weed identification so 2 days later I followed up with an email and phone call to ask when an agent would be there and could I get some assistance with pasture management. I have been told there isn't one for our county.
I have not heard back from them.
I am taking 5 soil samples in next week.
It appears that our county extension is more for underprivileged and poor assistance. There is no agricultural posters or information that seen while I was there. But the walls are covered in assistance programs.
However they do have a Master Gardener program.

I would contact the State Extension Office. With changing times, County Extention has changed too. Your state specialist should be able to assist you.

 

[crossbredcalves]

We have an Ag agent and a FACS (Family and Consumer Science) agent in my county. They are both very involved. The Ag agent is a resource for farmers and ranchers. She has worked in so many different areas of agriculture that she is able to help with livestock, pasture management, and crops. She also helps with the livestock shows at our county fair.

 

[Ky hills]

Our local extension office, has several different agents. I can't think of the exact titles but I think the one for general farm is called agricultural and natural resources agent. Then we have horticulture agent, and a family and consumer science agent.
In the past I've known the ag and nr agents pretty well, they change fairly often sometimes, and I don't know the current one and have yet to meet him.

 

[Travlr]

In college I had to take many of the same courses any competently trained extension agent would have taken. But they were geared more to plant agriculture.

I'm sure extension programs vary greatly from state to state, and agents are just as likely to vary. Some can't be bothered and some are proud of their abilities and helpful. It helps to speak their language and to establish a relationship. I've been fortunate to get good information most of the time. It might help to contact the state office and ask for contact information for other agents if yours is not working out.

 

[bird dog]

Mine plays the cowboy to the hilt. He's never seen in public without a dip in his mouth or his hat on his head. Has a Gooseneck brand trailer, a horse of course, a few black cows, a Ford truck, and a John Deere tractor, all on about 15 acres. BC the poster on here has forgotten more than he knows. You ask him a simple question on infrastructure, his standard answer is "let me check with our engineer". Ask him about grass or weeds, "check with a chemical dealer". Cows, "ask your vet". He does know when the next government holiday is though.

 

[CowboyRam]

The one here is about as useless as tits on a boar. I tried once a few years ago to get an idea what to charge for some custom haying. After talking to him I still didn't know.

 

[Warren Allison]

When I was young I don't remember my pop going to extension agent for anything... maybe there was not one in our area.
I have heard it said many times on CT " ask your extension agent".
When I went by the other day there was no agent present for weed identification so 2 days later I followed up with an email and phone call to ask when an agent would be there and could I get some assistance with pasture management. I have been told there isn't one for our county.
I have not heard back from them.
I am taking 5 soil samples in next week.
It appears that our county extension is more for underprivileged and poor assistance. There is no agricultural posters or information that seen while I was there. But the walls are covered in assistance programs.
However they do have a Master Gardener program.

We used to have them here. An extension agent that handled the farm stuff and 4H livestock exhibits, and a home economist that handled the girl's 4H projects, and the food , handcrafts, etc exhibits at the fair. They still have actual ag major extension agents in middle and south Ga.

 

[4hfarms]

Went to see ours for forest management of what we had. Maybe advice on a decent select cut logger, or pasture management.
He wanted to clear it all and plant hardwoods...... It already is mixed hardwoods. He never saw it.
He also told me I can get a loan and a grant if get 30 or more head on the property year round or hay at least 100ac.

 

[greybeard]

I have heard it said many times on CT " ask your extension agent".

you never heard that from me for sure, as every time I tried to get in contact with my extension agent he was off on some trip, 'out of the office' with no explanation when or if he would ever return and if I went over to his office, his secretary would simply point to a dusty rack of brochures or tell me "you can just go online' and look for the TexasAgrilife page and someone there can probably help you".
Mostly what extension agents in Texas do is mess around with FFA, and they'll tell you exactly that...well, actually, their SECRETARIES will, the agent themselves aren't there to tell you.

 

[RustyTub]

The one here is about as useless as tits on a boar. I tried once a few years ago to get an idea what to charge for some custom haying. After talking to him I still didn't know.

Sounds like we have an extension agent that commutes between Wyoming and Oklahoma. Has to be the same person.

 

[SmokinM]

We have had some really good ones thru the years but a few duds. Growing up the one here was and still is a pillar of the community. He coached me for years thru 4H and cant tell you how much he has helped me in life. Unfortunately it is a job with very long hours and very low pay. A good one is truly priceless.

 

[jltrent]

The local lady we have tries her best and will help you in anyway.

 

[Dave]

They are individuals. So some good ones and some who are completely useless. Also there are different programs within extension. So you could go looking for the answer to an ag problem and find the only extension agent in you county to an expert on home canning or 4H. It is what your county will support financially and who you have.

 

[10-e-c-dirtfarmer]

If you farm the way your daddy & granddaddy farmed you will lose your butt.
If you do everything the state/county extension service recommends, you will lose your butt quicker!

 

[Dave]

Got sent to a workshop of some sort some years ago. One of the speakers was a retired extension agent out of Minnesota. He said when he retired he drove around to see the farmers who he had advised over the years. Said it was a shock to him that they had all gone broke.

 

[CowsRcuddly]

When I was young I don't remember my pop going to extension agent for anything... maybe there was not one in our area.
I have heard it said many times on CT " ask your extension agent".
When I went by the other day there was no agent present for weed identification so 2 days later I followed up with an email and phone call to ask when an agent would be there and could I get some assistance with pasture management. I have been told there isn't one for our county.
I have not heard back from them.
I am taking 5 soil samples in next week.
It appears that our county extension is more for underprivileged and poor assistance. There is no agricultural posters or information that seen while I was there. But the walls are covered in assistance programs.
However they do have a Master Gardener program.

We had one in our county when I was growing up. His name was Joe Legg. He would go on crop walks, be in the office to examine plants brought in, lead county meetings on ag related information, help at county fair, ect. He went to other countries to tour their crops and animals and was a wealth of information. The dynamics has changed, but we do have a "person" in Agriculture to call. Our county now shares that person within our region. Take a look online for your state and county.

 

[greybeard]

Take a look online for your state and county.

Yep, dats what the secretary told me...