CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 06/18/19

Annual 4-H camp attracts 240 participants

By Clint Thompson

More than 200 Georgia 4-H members from 14 counties in south Georgia learned about the importance of water and why they need to treasure the natural resource during the annual 4-H2O camp, which was held June 11 to 13.

The annual camp was hosted by the University of Georgia C.M. Stripling Irrigation Research Park (SIRP) and Mitchell County Extension office and attracted the most participants in its 12-year history with 240 4-H members and leaders attending.

“We are overwhelmed by the interest that youth from our fellow Southwest District counties show for water conservation, use efficiency and the overall importance of water. These youth are learning valuable information about a major natural resource, as well as increasing their STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) skill set which they can utilize during their regular school year,” said Danielle Simmons, Mitchell County Extension 4-H public service assistant.

Students from Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Crisp, Decatur, Dougherty, Lanier, Lee, Lowndes, Mitchell, Sumtery, Terrell, Tift and Worth counties attended the three-day camp.

The camp was held at different locations each day. On Tuesday, the group met at the Blackshank Farm Picnic Area located on the UGA Tifton campus. Wednesday’s session was held at Stripling research park in Camilla, Georgia. On Thursday, the children enjoyed a visit to Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta, Georgia.

“This camp allows us to stress the importance of water and why it’s important to this part of the state and why we need to conserve it,” said Calvin Perry, Stripling research park superintendent. “We want these kids to know why it’s important for our crops, but also to animals and us as humans.”

Each educational station offered at Stripling research park focused on a different component related to water.

Kasey Bozeman, UGA Extension 4-H specialist in Athens, Georgia, and Sylvia Davis, Mitchell County Extension Family and Consumer Sciences agent, talked to the 4-Hers about drinking water to sustain their bodies throughout the day. Cale Cloud, UGA Extension area water agent for the Southwest District, spoke about irrigation and its significance in agricultural production. This session was a student favorite for the 4-H’ers who got to cool off under the irrigation pivots.

David Hall, UGA Extension water educator for the Southeast District, showed the group how water moves through different soils. John Snider, an associate professor at UGA-Tifton, taught the students about plant life and how plants use water to grow. Julie Shutters with Golden Triangle RC&D emphasized the importance of cleaning up streams.

The camp came on the heels of a three-week drought experienced throughout south Georgia in May.

“I think the farmers who use surface water were starting to get pretty worried. They were having to irrigate thirsty crops from a limited water source without rain in the forecast. That started to get very serious,” Perry said. “It’s important to relay that type of information to these kids to help them realize water is not an unlimited resource and we need to treat it as such.”

This is the 11th year that Stripling research park has teamed with Mitchell County Extension to host the camp. The first year was hosted solely by Mitchell County.

To learn more about Stripling research park, a state-of-the-art irrigation research and education center, see https://striplingpark.org.

Clint Thompson is an agriculture writer based in Tifton, Georgia.

Authors:
Clint Thompson
Experts/Sources:
Calvin D. Perry
Danielle Simmons
4-H student Jacob Moore enjoys getting cooled off from the irrigation pivot during the 4-H2O camp at Stripling research park on June 12, 2019.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
Nathan Tesfayi on the roof of the Geography Geology building. CAES News
NASA internship launches student’s exploration of novel solutions to water and climate issues 11/07/24 Cole Sosebee
Nathan Tesfayi’s story is about resilience and big ambitions. Born in State College, Pennsylvania, to Ethiopian parents, his life journey has taken him from studies at the University of Georgia to research with NASA and more.
Seth McAllister and farmer Mark Daniel discuss crop production and agritourism. CAES News
UGA Extension supports agritourism through expert advice and collaboration 10/24/24 Emily Cabrera
On a sunny day with bright-blue skies, I arrive at Mark’s Melon Patch in Sasser, Georgia, and immediately spot the familiar white University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pickup truck, the Terrell County Extension logo prominently displayed on the door. Seth McAllister, the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Terrell County, greets me with a broad grin and a firm handshake. Terrell County alone has 60,000 acres of row crops, half in cotton. But what McAllister loves most about his role as an Extension agent is the diversity of his work.
Ropes course at Georgia 4-H camp CAES News
Campers create lasting memories of summer at Georgia's 4-H centers 10/07/24 Josie Smith
By the end of his first week at 4-H summer camp, fifth grader Cooper Hardy already had many memories of new and exciting experiences. “That was the first time I got in a canoe,” Hardy said. “It was a big deal for me.” Now, 10 years later, Hardy serves as a Georgia 4-H camp counselor at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton, Georgia. It’s a dream he’s held since the first time he set foot on the sprawling, wooded 1,500-acre campus as a camper.
Caroline Hinton is the director of experiential learning for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. (Photo by Peter Frey/UGA) CAES News
Director of experiential learning herds students toward new fields of education 10/02/24 Averi Caldwell
Caroline Hinton wants to foster a love of learning for all students who walk through her door. As the director of experiential learning for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Hinton helps students connect with their fields of study outside of the classroom. “I find joy and excitement in getting to watch students experience different parts of agriculture and find a place in our state’s own agriculture industry,” she said.
The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel saw some damage from the winds and rain of Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker/UGA) CAES News
UGA weathers Hurricane Helene 09/27/24
The University of Georgia’s main campus was fortunate to emerge relatively unscathed after Hurricane Helene barreled through the state early Friday morning. However, the impact was more significant at our extended campus locations. While the UGA Griffin campus reported no major damage, UGA-Tifton was hit much harder, with dozens of downed trees and power outages, as well as flooding in several buildings. Damage to farm operations across south Georgia appears to be extensive.
Most of Georgia’s vegetable crops are grown in the southern part of the state, which, similar to California, faces drought risks. However, as the climate warms, the area is expected to receive slightly more rainfall than usual, according to CAES economist Jeff Mullen. If vegetable production in California decreases and prices rise elsewhere, Southeast producers may consider shifting from row crop to vegetable production. CAES News
Georgia vegetable production may expand as a result of climate change 09/17/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Changing weather patterns are influencing cropping systems and where certain crops can be successfully grown. Researchers in the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences recently published a study in the journal Sustainability examining the feasibility of expanding fresh vegetable production in Georgia as increased temperatures and more frequent and extreme droughts threaten producers in the Western United States.