The Claiborne County Extension Office, located in a small space next to the Claiborne County Courthouse in Tazewell, is well-known but sometimes under-utilized.
Extension provides education and outreach that stems from the University of Tennessee, broken into different departments: 4-H and Youth Development; Agriculture; Family and Consumer Sciences.
“We cover everything from animal science to anything around the home that may be agriculture related,” said Matt McGinnis, agriculture and 4-H agent for the county.
One of the many programs offered by Claiborne County Extension is an Advanced Master Beef Producer class that is traditionally held annually to meet the needs of people who have producers for years as well as new producers.
“Some people who are retired lean toward farming, and we can help them learn,” said McGinnis.
Extension will offer Master Sheep Producer and Master Goat Producer classes in the fall, he added. Those classes will be held as needed.
“We don’t have many in this county and not many in surrounding counties right now,” he said, “but this is another opportunity to expand with diversity in county.”
Extension agents also make home and farm visits to help with everything from pasture management to problems with an apple tree, he said.
“We provide education, as not everyone has time to go through classes,” he said. “We are a resource that the public can use to learn a few more things.”
Claiborne County was once a very big tobacco producing county, but tobacco is now somewhat a thing of the past.
“For East Tennessee, Claiborne is doing well as far as number of acres of tobacco,” he said, “we have a good amount of acreage, but it’s declining. Most who are still doing it have done it all of their life and they enjoy it.”
For those acres and acres of farm land that used to be tobacco fields, farmers have been forced to turn to other means of making it profitable. There are many uses, but many have gone to beef cattle and have made the fields into hay or pasture.
McGinnis wants everyone to know that the local Extension Office is there and available to them.
“There are a lot of folks who don’t realize we’re here for them; I want them to know we’re here to be of assistance regarding anything related to agriculture.”
“We’re here for the entire population as related to what we can do,” he said. “Our jobs depend on them, we want to help and give them information they need, whether farm or home related.”
Education is a big part of what Extension does, and Carol Brandon, Family and Consumer Science Agent, has been busy with several programs.
One program includes Micro Clinics.
“The philosophy for this program is contagious health, encouraging participants to practice the four M’s to manage their health: Meals (eating healthy), Movement, Maintenance – knowing your numbers (blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, etc.) and Medication – taking as directed,” she said.
Another program is Adventures in the Kitchen.
“Students in fifth through eighth grades at Powell Valley have participated in a six-session program to teach them basic kitchen safety and cooking skills,” she said.
Staff at the Claiborne County Extension Office includes: Tom Rison, Agriculture Agent and County Director; Carol Brandon, FCS Agent; Matt McGinnis, Agriculture and 4-H Agent; Kallie Hopper, 4-H Agent, Jackie Payne, program assistant in the TNCEP nutrition program; Brandi Davis, administrative assistant.
“Folks are welcome to come in and talk to us any time,” McGinnis added. “We’re here to meet the needs of our community within the structure of what we do.”
The address for the Claiborne County Extension Office is 1732 Main Street, Suite 4, Tazewell. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., closed from noon until 1 p.m for lunch. The phone number is 423-626-3742.
Reach Marisa Anders at 423-254-5588 or on Twitter @newsgirl88.
