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Extension Educational Programs & Services
Dallas County, Arkansas

The Cooperative Extension Service offers a host of educational programs and services.  If you do not see what you are looking for below, please contact our county Extension Office for assistance.

Mayor of Sparkman & Agent - Fire Ant Control Demo

We Are Agriculture & Natural Resources - Improving profitability for agricultural business while protecting the environment.

Highlights

  • Bangs vaccination clinics (spring and fall) with a savings of $1200 to the producers.
  • 15 farm pond evaluations conducted resulting in better water quality and fish production.
  • Conducted one Aquatic Herbicide demonstration educating the owner to use herbicides properly resulting in a cost savings of $400.
  • 8 Herbicide Weed Control demonstrations conducted resulting in 90% control with potential cost savings of over $200,000 in five year period.
  • 2 Fire Ant Control demonstrations using bait products, Amdro and Advion, resulting in 95% control on one site and major decrease at other site.
  • Educational programs conducted at cattlemen’s meetings: Johnsongrass Weed Control Using Herbicides; Nuisance Wildlife Control & Illegal Baiting; Dutch Oven Cooking; Timely Topics
  • Conducted 80 soil test evaluations and worked with over 100 home gardeners to improve their soil fertility and vegetable production resulting in cost savings of over $1400.
  • 2 demonstration gardens erected at the Fordyce Walmart during their Garden Center Grand Opening. The gardens were built to educate the public on square foot and container gardening.  
  • Raise bed garden installed at Sparkman Elementary school at request of classroom teacher.  Plantings in summer and fall with plants donated by Fordyce Walmart.
  • Pea sheller/thrasher constructed and demonstrated at local farmers market. Two producers constructed their own using plans saving $1300.
  • 4 Herbicide Nutgrass Control demonstrations conducted with 85% decrease in population and 25% increase in vegetable production.
  • Multi-county Roadside Right of Way Herbicide Control demonstration and program conducted for county judges and road foremen. Two counties have implemented a program as a result of demonstration.
Photo: Mayor of Sparkman and county agent at city park, site of fire ant control demonstration.
Cloverbud 4-H'er holding winning county fair poultry project.

We Are 4-H Youth Development - Building tomorrow's leaders.

Want to join 4-H in Dallas County?  Register for 4-H events

Highlights

  • Annual Awards Banquet, County Workshops/Camps
  • Nutrition, food preservation, etiquette and  sewing workshops conducted for approximately 40 youth.
  • Competitions/Contest: WHEP, Regional & State O-Rama, County/District/State Fairs,  District, State, Regional Horse Shows, Poultry Chain.
  • 2 State O-Rama winners.
  • Community Service: Rabies Clinic, Beautification at Sparkman City Park, County Fair Educational Booths, Interpretative Event, Trash Pickup, Nursing Home Visits, Community Garden, Elderly Yard Clean-up, Health Fair Volunteers, Teenage Drinking Campaign, One Day Service Project, Sunshine House Ornaments and Easter Egg Hunt.                
  • 3 clubs currently active. 
  • 4-H promotion activities include parade float entries, community service activities, 4-H month activities including cookies made and delivered to supporters, educational exhibits displayed at county fair.
  • Assist with AGFC Shooting Sports junior and senior teams organized and in second year of competition through Fordyce High School.                    
  • Dutch Oven Cooking demonstration presented for 20 youth during Multi-County Outdoor Day activity.
  • Cooking Matters for Kids and Kids 4-Health programs conducted educating approximately 40 youth.       
  • Raised Bed Gardening education for approximately 50 youth with 2 raised bed gardens erected.  One at Sparkman Elementary School and one at Fordyce Head Start.
  • GPS education program conducted for approximately 150 youth.      
  • Farmers Market 4-Kids Day activity highlighted by one youth demonstrating pea sheller.
  • Educational tour to Clinton Library and Witt Stephens Nature Center for approximately 12 youth.   
Photo: Dallas County Cloverbud 4-H'er holding his county fair, prize winning, poultry project.
Community garden produce delivered to senior center.

We Are Community Development - Helping communities to build a vibrant future.

Highlights

  • The Dallas County Farmers Market continued its success with 20 vendors offering many varieties of vegetables, craft items, monthly demonstrations, big grand opening activities.
  • Community Garden continued its success with over 2900 pounds of produce grown and distributed to the elderly and local citizens, a savings of $4000. Matching funds of $4000 were secured from around the county to hire an AmeriCorps worker to take care of the garden and manage the Farmers Market. Gardening education programming provided to over 350 youth and adults.
  • Conducted a Rabies Vaccination Clinic with 185 dogs and cats vaccinated. ($4625 savings to county residents.)
  • Produce from the DASH Community Garden was harvested by CES staff member and delivered to the Senior Center at Sparkman to be cooked for the Senior Citizens as a means to promote healthy lifestyles. 
  • Demonstration kitchen and meeting room constructed by agent, staff and volunteers saving county approximately $7500. Kitchen used for numerous activities including First Pickins' Luncheon fund raiser for community garden and farmer's market. Over $350 raised.
  • County agent recognized and honored as "Community Service Home Town Hero" at annual Chamber of Commerce banquet.
  • Collaborated with health department on grant to provide 15 raised bed gardens for the community, especially the elderly and low income.
Photo: County agent delivers produce, harvested from community garden, to the Sparkman Senior Center to promote healthy lifestyles.
Cooking Matters for Diabetics happy class participant.

We Are Family and Consumer Sciences - Teaching families about nutrition, money and health.

Highlights

  • Extension Homemakers - 4 Clubs/29 Members
  • EHC Volunteers/Value of Volunteer Hours ($28,593)
  • Lap Throws/Prayer Shawls/Cancer Pillows/Alzheimer's Blankets constructed, sewn for patients.
  • EHC CASA/Ronald McDonald House Projects
  • EHC leader trainings conducted on resource management topics: Credit Management; Home Repairs; Transfer of Non-Titled Property; Decorating on a Budget, Organizing Important Papers.
  • Food preservation, nutrition education, sewing classes conducted for youth and adults in new kitchen/meeting room. 
  • 12 food preservation, nutrition education/etiquette, sewing classes conducted for special needs classes.
  • Sparkman Senior Exercise Class/Fit in 10 (14 Participants)
  • 18 Cooking Matters and Cooking Matters for Diabetics classes conducted for 18 adult participants.
  • 5 Cooking Matters classes conducted for 6 youth participants.
  • 4 Shopping Matters store tours conducted resulting in nutrition education and cost savings for participants.
  • 5th Annual Women's Health Tea and Program
  • Multi-County Estate Planning Workshop conducted. 
  • Recipes in DASH/EHC/Cattlemen's Newsletters (110 Participants)
  • First Step School Outdoor Education Day conducted for 12 young adult participants.
  • Dallas County Health Fair Educational Displays and materials for over 325 attendees.
  • Organized and assisted volunteers with First Pickins' Luncheon which raised over $350 for the farmer's market and the community garden.
  • Birthday bags for 100 youth at Sparkman Elementary School.

Photo:  Happy Cooking Matters for Diabetics class participant.

 

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