Happy Trails

By: Eddie Ayers, County Extension Agent

April 1st 2019 I will begin a new chapter in my life. I will be retired. Saying those words is something I did not feel that I would ever say, as I do not feel old enough to retire, but the clock says otherwise. I have had the pleasure of being a County Extension Agent for over 34 years and the last 22 I have enjoyed working with the County Commissioners, Board of Education, and citizens of Fannin County.

I could not have made it this far if it were not for several groups of people. First of all my family. They have supported me through several moves across the state of Georgia. I have also missed some of their events as I was working out of town, at summer 4-H camp, or at a training. I am looking forward to making up some of that lost time in retirement.

I definitely could not have made it without co-workers. Here in Fannin County we have a wonderful team that not only helps the public, but each other. Becky Ratcliff wears many hats, as she is the first one that most people talk to when they call or come by. Because I have been working in Gilmer County for the last 7½ years, she has taken on more responsibility for the office and the 4-H program.

We are fortunate to have an AmeriCorps member run the 4-H program. Currently Amanda Foster is the member. She has been doing a fantastic job. McKenzie Owenby served in the role for the previous three years and did a great job. Before we had AmeriCorps members we had five program assistants that did an outstanding job. They were Pat Tucker, Phyllis Davis, Tammye Beck, Marie Traylor, and Kim Cheeves.

In addition to my co-workers, another group that has been a pleasure to work with is the North Georgia Master Gardeners. First, they completed and passed a 10-week program and have continued to volunteer to assist the Fannin County UGA Extension Office. I don’t have the space to list all of their projects, but to name a few, they have assisted in the office, developed the Mineral Springs natural trail, conduct an annual plant sale, and host nature walks for the public. I was also very fortunate to work with Barbara Ferer in the beginning of Feed Fannin and am amazed at how far that program has come in 10 years.

The Smith-Lever Act signed in 1914, established Cooperative Extension. The purpose of Extension is to provide unbiased research based information to the citizens of the state. With this in mind, this makes for a fantastic career. Working with farmers, homeowners, and 4-H youth has been very rewarding. Seeing and helping apple growers improve pest management and watching the wine grape industry grow are just two examples that make this career special. Another has been the opportunity to work with the Chamber of Commerce in their Leadership Fannin program. As one of our specialists has quoted on numerous occasions, “Extension is the greatest job that a person could have.” There is nothing more rewarding than working with young people as they improve their confidence in public speaking and decision-making. The feeling you get watching a young person see a skyscraper or the beach for the first time is hard to explain. There are so many people and groups that I have enjoyed working with through my 22 years in Fannin County that I am sure I have left some out.

Two challenges that I had to overcome was writing a weekly newspaper column and recording a daily radio program. It has taught me to be prepared and meet deadlines. It also taught me to do research so that I could provide up to date information to everyone. I grew up in 4-H and my family depended on the County Agent and I never imagined that I would be in a position to help others. I hope that I have been able to help the citizens of Fannin County, but as I mentioned earlier I could not have done it without help. Thank you for welcoming me into your county and I hope to see you around the county in the future.

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Organization