Terry: We started the Extension Learning House last
year and we came up with the idea from Osceola
County who did something similar.
Our goal was try and involve the entire office
so that everybody had
some place to display their educational information
and promote their programs.
We have, for instance, business
information for those that are looking for
a job or trying to manage debt..
Ah, we've got
household cleaners so that people can try
and make their own cleaning supplies and cut
back on on money from that,
we have Four-H so we're appealing to the
youth and families..
For us, it's been great!
This is the second year we've used it so
we feel like it's been a good avenue getting
information across to the public as well.
This year, we're focusing on Florida-Friendly
Landscaping so we have each of the nine principles
that we have highlighted in the landscape,
we also have integrated pest management which
is one of those that were having a big display
also on that.
I think what makes it unique is the setting,
for one, we are at an agricultural fair
and we get a whole different group of clientele
that we normally would not have
so that makes it exciting from the standpoint
that we're exposing people to Extension that
would have never seen
information on our programs before.
Last year, we had about ten thousand people
come through
our goal was to expose the individuals that
were coming to the fair to the
University of Florida and their web site Solutions
for your Life.
That's one of the biggest
problems with Extension is that we're the
best-kept secret I think in the county
so the biggest thing that we can do is get out
there at events like this and to expose ourselves
so that people will become familiar with us.
Narrator: In the Northeast District, agents are focused
on improving their communities.
In Levy County, children take aim
at learning safety and respect
for firearms as part of the Four-H
Shooting Sports Program.
Once a week for twenty years, Albert Fuller and
Brenda Heberling have been bringing together as
many as seventy children of all ages
to learn the safe way to use air rifles,
bow and arrows, 
and shot guns.
But the real goal is to use these practice
sessions to teach these children life skills that
will help them become leaders within their community.
Melanie Thomas is helping residents in Baker
and Bradford Counties live healthier lives
with her Rural Lite Program.
Thomas teamed up with researchers from the University
of Florida College of Health and Human Performance
to develop this program that teaches residents
how making the right food choices,
getting regular exercise,
and being accountable at weekly weigh-in sessions can
help them lose weight and live better.
And in Taylor County, agent Clay Olsen is working with
local chicken farmers
and engineers to produce power
from farm waste.
His alternative energy program combines pellets
produced from manure
with the gasification process to generate
power.
The goal was to help farmers save money,
reduce the impact of farm waste on the environment
and help create a new industry within the
community.
