What is a County Extension?

[RatherbeBassin']

I have always heard of the place but have never fully understood what their purpose is. Our's is tucked away in the basement of one of the oldest courthouses in the midwest. (In Carthage, MO home of Marlon Perkins, Janet Sellers-Kavandi, Otts salad dressing and Precious Moments/Sam Butcher)

What services can they offer us that operate LCO's?

[MASTERMOWER]

The extension service you speak of is probably the best kept secert for our line of work. Pay them a visit and walk out the door with handfulls of publications, usually free of charge, on horticulture related information.

[hardboiled]

Would this be a good description? Departments/labs that are parts of the area university(s) that do research on your local growing conditions, pests, disease, and their prevention and cure, etc.

[RRS]

The extension office is usually in the same place as the county government and courts. At least here it is.

Most extension offices offer a Master Gardener course. From what I've heard some of the programs leave little to be desired, but the one I took was very informative for the money. Plus, I made a lot of good contacts and once you begin doing your volunteer work you pretty much have full access to all the extension office resources which is priceless.

[RatherbeBassin']

Thx guys. I need to go wash the Jeep in a bit and have some old tokens for the carwash in Carthage. Gives me a legit excuse to go to Carthage and legit biz miles too.

[Ric]

Would this be a good description? Departments/labs that are parts of the area university(s) that do research on your local growing conditions, pests, disease, and their prevention and cure, etc.

Hardboiled

Yes good description. However "The County Extension Agent" is a man with a degree in Horticulture or Agriculture. He generally is paid by the Land Grant University of that state and his office is part of that Land Grant University. The Office was original set up as part of a program to help educate farmer. Land Grant University are A & M Universities that were set up as Agriculture Mechanical Schools by the federal Government to help the American Farm with his crops and machines. Today they also include Horticulture as part of their program. The Federal government provides funds for these Land Grant Programs, however are not the sole support of them. The Employees are hired and paid by the State.

[lawnmuncher]

Before starting my business I worked in the local County Extension Office. They have a large amount of free information for LCO's. They also have full time Extension Agents who work for the state land grant university (ex. Kansas State University, University of Nebraska, University of Missouri, etc.) and are specialists in many fields including turf grass and lawn care. All the information they give is free of charge and they can be a major help. In addition they have programs as in my county where they will do soil tests for a very reduced charge and many large companies will have taken advantage of this for their customers. If you are applying any kind of chemicals to a lawn you owe it to your customer to do a soil test and they may cost as little as $1. Please go to your local extension office and get acquainted.

[Ric]

Before starting my business I worked in the local County Extension Office. They have a large amount of free information for LCO's. They also have full time Extension Agents who work for the state land grant university (ex. Kansas State University, University of Nebraska, University of Missouri, etc.) and are specialists in many fields including turf grass and lawn care. All the information they give is free of charge and they can be a major help. In addition they have programs as in my county where they will do soil tests for a very reduced charge and many large companies will have taken advantage of this for their customers. If you are applying any kind of chemicals to a lawn you owe it to your customer to do a soil test and they may cost as little as $1. Please go to your local extension office and get acquainted.

LawnMuncher

In my County Our County Extension agent is not the Best and I don't mind if he knows that I say it. However the next county South has a Black Jamaican born County Agent who is really Sharp and runs a fine Educational Program. I am on the mailing list for 4 county Extension services and will travel to their seminars depending on what might be offered. I attend very few in my own county.

Yes There is a lot of good free information and the Land Grant system was set up to provide that education for free to anyone.