UGA Extension - Wilkes County

UGA Extension - Wilkes County UGA Extension is the outreach portion of the land grant mission for Georgia. We provide unbiased research information for the citizens of the state.

UGA Cooperative Extension was founded in 1914 to take research-based agricultural information to the peop

08/14/2026

🌸 Join Us for the Great Southeast Pollinator Census! 🌸

Help us count pollinators and contribute to real research during the Great Southeast Pollinator Census! This annual citizen science project brings people across the Southeast together to observe pollinators, learn more about the important role they play, and help researchers track pollinator populations over time.

📅 Friday, August 21, 2026
📍 Meet at the Wilkes County Extension Office
(23 E. Court Street, Room 109, Washington, GA)

Count Times: 9:30 AM, 10:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, or 2:00 PM

Participating is easy! Just come to the office at one of the above times, and we’ll head to a nearby patch of flowering plants on the Downtown Washington GA Square, choose a flower to observe, and spend 15 minutes counting the pollinators that visit. Pollinators are recorded by category using an official tally sheet, and the observations are submitted to the Great Southeast Pollinator Census.

Can’t join us in person? You can count at home, too! The official Great Southeast Pollinator Census takes place August 21–22, 2026, and anyone can participate. Simply choose a flowering plant or patch of flowers at your home, garden, farm, or another location, observe it for 15 minutes, record the pollinators you see using the official tally sheet, and submit your count online. You can visit https://gsepc.org for more information on counting at home.

No experience is necessary, and everyone is welcome! Individuals, families, youth, clubs, and community groups can all participate.

08/14/2026

🌱Have a gardening question? Ask a Master Gardener! 🌱

We're excited to announce that beginning next month, one of our new Master Gardeners, Kibby Schipper, will be writing a "Ask a Master Gardener" column, which will appear once a month in the Journal Messenger newspaper!

Whether you're wondering about pests, plant diseases, vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs, or anything in between, we'd love to hear your questions.

You can submit your questions here: https://uga.questionpro.com/AskAMGEV

After you submit, your question will be answered directly by Allison Schindler, the Wilkes County Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent, or by one of our knowledgeable Master Gardeners. Then each month, we'll feature and discuss a few submitted questions in the newspaper column to help other gardeners in our community. All published questions will remain anonymous.

We hope you'll join us as we grow this new program and help make it a valuable resource for gardeners across Wilkes County!
If you have any questions, please contact the Wilkes County Extension Office at 706-678-2332.

🍀Wilkes County 4-H Alumni & Friends Spotlight: Mandy Marable🍀We are excited to kick off our Wilkes County 4-H Alumni & F...
08/14/2026

🍀Wilkes County 4-H Alumni & Friends Spotlight: Mandy Marable🍀

We are excited to kick off our Wilkes County 4-H Alumni & Friends Spotlight Series, and we truly couldn’t think of a better person to feature first than Mandy Burgess Marable!

A 1990 Wilkes County graduate, Mandy’s 4-H journey included District Project Achievement, judging teams, showing livestock, four years as a summer camp counselor at Rock Eagle and Camp Fulton, and representing Georgia as a Junior International Foreign Youth Exchange delegate in Europe.

But perhaps the most meaningful part of Mandy’s story is where that 4-H journey ultimately led her. She chose to make Extension her career. Today, Mandy serves as Associate State 4-H Leader and has dedicated 24 years to a career in Extension, continuing the work of helping young people grow through the same program that helped shape her.

Mandy’s story is a beautiful example of the lasting impact of 4-H. The lessons learned, relationships built, mentors encountered, and opportunities experienced as a young person can continue to influence the direction of a life and career for decades.

And while Mandy has gone on to accomplish so much, some of her favorite 4-H memories remain close to home—including working around Mrs. Branan’s dining room table on portfolios, traveling with 4-H, and having her parents come to State Congress to celebrate with the Wilkes County delegation.

We are so grateful that Mandy is part of the Wilkes County 4-H story—and even more grateful that she continues to be part of the Georgia 4-H story.

Thank you, Mandy, for being an incredible example of what it means to be 4-H for a lifetime. 💚🍀

Once a 4-H'er, always a 4-H'er!

08/13/2026

🍀Wilkes County 4-H is looking for ways to give back!🍀

This program year, we want to put our Heads, Hearts, Hands & Health into action by serving our community! 🙌

We are looking for community service opportunities for a group of 10–12 4-H’ers. Our goal is to complete one service project each month throughout the program year.

Do you know of a local organization, group, event, or community need that could use a helping hand from our 4-H’ers?

📣 Send us a message, comment below, or give our office a call at 706-678-2332 and let us know!

We’re ready to roll up our sleeves, make a difference, and put the 4-H pledge into action right here in Wilkes County! 💚🍀

08/11/2026

Discover how the University of Georgia CARE Center and local UGA Cooperative Extension agents are shifting sympathy into empathy, bringing vital resources, digital screenings and hope to families facing Alzheimer’s and dementia.

08/10/2026

💚 Thank You, Mike Thornton Trucking! 💚

Wilkes County 4-H is so grateful to Mike Thornton Trucking for their generous donation that helped make it possible for a local Wilkes County 4-H’er to attend **Jekyll 4-H Center** this summer! 🌊🍀

Because of the generosity of local businesses like Mike Thornton Trucking, our 4-H’ers get opportunities to experience new places, make new friends, learn new skills, and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Thank you, Mike Thornton Trucking, for investing in the youth of Wilkes County and helping make this experience possible! We truly appreciate your support of Wilkes County 4-H! 💚🍀

Ready to grow your farm with confidence?Join us this fall for the Journeyman Farmer Certificate Program, a two-part seri...
08/06/2026

Ready to grow your farm with confidence?

Join us this fall for the Journeyman Farmer Certificate Program, a two-part series designed to help new and aspiring farmers build a strong foundation for success.

Part 1: Small Business Course (September 22–October 1)
Learn the essentials of running a successful farm business, including market feasibility, financial management, risk management, marketing, technology, and business planning.

Part 2: Small Ruminant Production Course (October 6–20)
Develop the knowledge and hands-on skills needed for successful sheep and goat production, including nutrition, pasture management, predator control, herd health, parasite management, and meat production.

The program concludes with a hands-on training on October 22 (8:00 AM–12:00 PM) at Double Bridges Farm in Athens, GA.

Details:
• Classes meet Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30 PM
• Location: Lincoln County Ag Center
• Cost: $50 per course/part (Small Business and/or Small Ruminant)

Register by scanning the QR code on the flyer, or visit: https://register.extension.uga.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=3166084&selectedProgramAreaId=1022148&selectedProgramStreamId=1067475

Questions? Contact:
Robyn Stewart at [email protected] (Lincoln County) or
Allison Schindler at [email protected] (Wilkes County)

08/06/2026

🐴 The Mane Event
UGA Extension Equine Open House

Connect with local horse owners, trusted equine professionals, and UGA Cooperative Extension for an evening of interactive learning and networking!

What to Expect

✔️ Live horse demonstrations
✔️ Interactive educational stations
✔️ Seasonal horse management tips
✔️ Explore UGA Extension resources

📅 August 20, 2026
🕓 Drop in anytime between 5:30-7:30PM (Live demos at 6:30 and 7PM)
📍 Lincoln County Ag Center (2080 Rowland York Rd, Lincolnton GA)

Open House Format
Come when it's convenient! Visit at your own pace and stay as long as you'd like.

🎟️ FREE to attend
RSVP requested to help us plan. Walk-ins are welcome!
RSVP at: https://tinyurl.com/26ManeEvent

It's time for this week's featured Invader!This week, we're highlighting an invasive species I’ve featured before but wa...
08/05/2026

It's time for this week's featured Invader!

This week, we're highlighting an invasive species I’ve featured before but wanted to revisit since I’ve already started seeing them around: the Joro Spider (Trichonephila clavata). Native to East Asia, the Joro spider was first confirmed in Georgia in 2014 and has since spread throughout the Southeast.

🕷️ Joro spiders are easy to recognize by their large golden webs and their yellow, blue, and black bodies. Females can grow to nearly 3 inches across when their legs are extended and often build webs that stretch several feet between trees, shrubs, porches, and utility lines.

🕷️ While their size may be intimidating, Joro spiders are not considered dangerous to people or pets. They are generally non-aggressive, and bites are rare and typically occur only if the spider is handled. Like many spiders, they help reduce insect populations by feeding on flies, stink bugs, mosquitoes, and other insects caught in their webs.

🕷️ Researchers are still studying the long-term ecological impacts of this invasive species. At this time, there is little evidence that Joro spiders are causing widespread harm to native wildlife or displacing native spider populations. Because they are now well established in Georgia, eradication is not considered feasible.

If you'd like to learn more about invasive species in Georgia, please contact the Wilkes County Extension Office at 706-678-2332 or [email protected].

Address

23 Court Street Courthouse
Washington, GA
30673

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+17066782332

Website

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