[Dr. Nick Fuhrman/UGA Associate Professor,
"Ranger Nick"]
Well, if you've been watching the show over
the years, you know that I'm a big fan of
Cooperative Extension and the individuals
that make a difference every day on farms,
and in families, and with 4-H youth all over
Georgia.
Wherever you are in the country, you've got
an Extension agent, or two or three, to rely
on for help.
And I wanna introduce you to one today in
South Georgia that was a former student of
mine and that's helping out on a farm, Mr.
Colby Royal.
Colby, good to see
[Colby Royal]
Hey...how are you.
[Ranger Nick]
Had to put up with me as a teacher and things,
and I'm so glad he's joining me.
Colby, for the folks at home that may not
know what Extension is or what an extension
agent does, explain to me a day in the life
of Colby Royal.
What are you doin' as an agent here?
[Colby Royal/UGA Extension Agent, Southeast
District]
Well, as an extension agent, it is a very
diverse job.
We change day to day.
We uh, here today, we're out here with some
cattle, we're gonna work some cattle, do some
deworming, maybe, and maybe check on some
forage samples.
[Nick]
Excellent.
[Colby]
You know, and the extension agents also do
row crops, fruit and vegetables, and stuff
like that.
But today, we're gonna check on some cattle.
[Nick]
And I know very little about this, if the
folks at home can probably tell, I don't have
a lot of experience with cattle, and so I'm
relying' on Colby and the farmers here are
relying' on him too.
So I'd like to experience this deworming process
and some of these other things.
So let's do this together and show the folks
at home the benefits that this guy brings
to farmers here.
[Fast Upbeat Music}
[Ranger Nick]
Well, that was pretty cool gettin' to see
that process in place and we understand folks
at home probably know why deworming occurs,
but Colby, why are you here today in this
process?
What's your role?
[Colby]
Today, I'm here as pretty much just assistant,
being an extra set of hands, and kinda fallin'
in with the operation.
I usually work in row crops and watermelons.
[Nick]
Really, okay?
[Colby]
But today, we're gonna do some cattle and
I'm just here to help.
[Nick]
So, I mean, as a potential career, folks that
are looking' for diversity in a job, Colby's
passion, more of the vegetable side, but he's
out here as an extra set of hands.
Really, really cool thing to know, there's
that assistance, awesome.
[Nick]
Well, there's no doubt in extension work,
we say that we get in to what we do, sometimes
quite literally, Colby, and what we're about
to do is use these gloves, thank goodness
for the gloves, to check and see if a cow
is pregnant and Colby is one that would come
out to a farm to help do this and so we're
gonna demonstrate that for ya.
It's something I've never done before, once
in a lifetime, maybe one only time in my life
to do it, so let's experience this together
right now.
[Cheery Fun Music]
[Colby]
I would think you could feel it.
[Nick]
I feel something' hard, but it's off to this
side now.
[Colby]
More like bend.
[Nick]
Okay, I felt it.
Wow, holy cow.
So now I'm gonna ease out, sorry lady, can't
be good, wow that's so cool.
Holy cow, holy cow That's so neat, nice stuff,
wow.
[Nick]
Well, the gloves are off, my hands are clean,
we're talking about some wonderful lookin'
food here for those great cows we've seen
here at True Grit Farm.
One of the things that Colby does as part
of his role as an agent is make sure that
this kind of food is of good quality, cotton
seed and corn, but also the food behind us
is of good quality too.
Colby, what is your role in making sure that
before it gets to a bale like this, this stuff
is good enough for those guys to eat?
[Colby]
Well, during' the growing' season, we'll come
out here and scout for armyworms and other
pests and we'll have a spray plan put in place
if we need to and then we'll take a hay sample
from this and send it to UGA for testing'
and it'll tell us our TDN, total digestible
nutrients,
[Nick]
Ok
[Colby]
And our RFQ, which is relative forage quality.
[Nick]
Ok
[Colby]
And that'll tell the cattle producer the quality
of their hay.
[Nick]
And that's UGA, that's extension.
In whatever state you're in, you've got that
kind of service.
Colby, thank you so much for hanging' out
with me today
[Music]
[Colby]
Yes sir.
It's been a pleasure.
[Nick]
We had a good time.
Thank you, you did a great job.
Y'all, in your neck of the woods, in your
state, in your county, you've got an agent
like this.
My homework assignment for you, reach out
to 'em, introduce yourself to 'em, and make
sure you get to know 'em 'cause they can help
you and so often it's free service.
Well, y'all know what to do.
Hop online, check out the Georgia Farm Monitor
Facebook page, and while you're there, check
out the Ranger Nick Facebook page while you're
looking' up all those extension agents.
And for the Farm Monitor, I'll say, I'm Ranger
Nick reminding you, enthusiasm is contagious
so pass it on.
Y'all thanks so much for watching'.
We'll see you right back here when we get
back together again next month.
See ya.
