By Katie Martin – Smith County Extension Agent
Did you know that March is Extension Month in Tennessee? Extension is a national educational program supported by USDA through the nation’s land-grant universities and administered with funding from state and local governments. UT Extension has an office in every county in Tennessee, staffed with professionals who are knowledgeable in areas such as agriculture, families and health, and youth development. As an “extension” of the University of Tennessee, we bring research-based information from the University into local communities.
Throughout the month of March, UT Extension- Smith County will be working to highlight how we provide Real. Life. Solutions. to farmers, families, and 4-H’ers in Smith County every single day. During this month alone, our 4-H program, led by Rachel Petty, is working with after-school activities like horse judging, livestock judging, and archery. 4-H’ers in their in-school clubs will be competing with their Demonstrations and Interactive Exhibits, and we will be working hard to raise funds for Jr. 4-H Camp. Our Family & Consumer Science program, coordinated by Mary Draper, will have programs like Tai Chi, Walk with Ease, and Yoga for Kids happening throughout the month. In Agriculture & Natural Resources, I will be helping facilitate a farm tour, celebrating Tennessee Tree Day, and hosting a Wildlife program.
As you can tell, March will be a busy month for UT Extension. We invite everyone in the community to help us celebrate Extension Month by participating in events, following us on social media, and sharing how Extension has benefited your life. When you think of Extension you may only think of farmers or 4th graders, but that is truly only scratching the surface! We hope you will take Extension Month as an opportunity to see how the friendly faces at your local Extension Office can benefit you!
For more information about all the wonderful opportunities UT Extension-Smith County has to offer, please drop by our office at 125 Gordonsville Hwy, Suite 300 in Carthage, find us on Facebook at UT Extension-Smith County, or give us a call at 615-735-2900.
