8/25/21 @ 4:00 p.m. - Today, concrete was poured for the new County Extension Facility which is being constructed at 85834 Miner Rd.in Yulee. The 2,000 square foot facility will serve as the administration office for the Extension staff and will features classrooms for lawn, agriculture, and family consumer classes and training rooms for the master gardeners and extension agents. The property will also feature demonstration gardens, a nature trail with learning stations, an orchard, and an aquatic pond for pond maintenance training. It is anticipated that the overall project will be completed within the Spring of 2022.

To view additional videos of the concrete pour, please visit our YouTube Channel.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Contact:
Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer
(904) 530-6010
srobertson@nassaucountyfl.com
 
County Extension Office Welcomes New Director
 
Nassau County, Florida, August 5, 2021 – We are excited to announce that the County Extension Office has a new Director, Dr. Taylor Clem. Dr. Clem brings with him extensive knowledge in agriculture, horticulture and planning and we are excited to have him join our team.
 
Dr. Clem’s work history includes a Graduate Teaching & Research Assistant Position at the University of Florida; Parks Planner for the City of Farmington, New Mexico; and most recently, an Environmental & Community Horticulture Agent II and Master Gardner Volunteer Coordinator for UF/IFAS Extension Office in Gainesville.
 
Dr. Clem has two degrees in landscape architecture: a Bachelors Degree from the University of Kentucky and a Master’s Degree from the University of Florida. Dr. Clem also has a doctorate in Horticulture Services from the University of Florida. In addition, Dr. Clem has numerous certifications including, but not limited to: Certified Florida-Friendly Landscaping Professional; Green-Industries Best Management Practices Instructor Training; and Teaching and Learning in Agriculture and Life Sciences.
 
Dr. Clem stated, “My family and I are excited to move to Nassau County and I am grateful to join UF/IFAS Extension Nassau County. Our goal is to continually bring science-based recommendations to every citizen of Nassau County regarding agriculture, natural resources, and horticulture through our education and 4-H youth development programs. I look forward to working with all our community stakeholders to address Nassau County’s social, environmental, and economic needs through the lens of extension.”
 
The County Extension Office is a Joint Partnership between the University of Florida and the Board of County Commissioners made possible by the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 which established land-grant institutions at Florida A&M University and the University of Florida. As such, Dr. Clem is a faculty member for the University of Florida and was ultimately selected for the position by Dr. Eric Simonne, Director of the Northeast Extension Office in Gainesville.
 
Dr. Simonne stated, “Taylor has a unique combination of perspective from his doctoral training at UF, his government experience in New Mexico and his successes as an environmental horticulture agent and master gardener coordinator in Alachua county. Taylor has been keen in taking a multi-facet approach to teaching the principles of Florida friendly landscaping to homeowners, HOAs and elected officials through the recruitment, training, and retention of Master Gardeners. Taylor’s vision will be an asset in a developing county like Nassau County. Three candidates applied to the Nassau County Environmental Horticulture and Master Gardener Coordinator and County Extension Director position. The screening process identified one suitable candidate who was interviewed at the state and county levels. Taylor accepted our offer”.

If you have any questions, please contact the County Manager’s Office at (904) 530-6010 or email contact@nassaucountyfl.com.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

5/14/21 @ 1:15 p.m. - We are excited to announce that the County Extension Office will be hosting 4-H Adventure Camps this summer! This virtual summer program will navigate through healthy living, leadership and science based programs through an array of fun and educational adventures.

Each 4-H Adventure has been designed by 4-H agents and specialists from around the State. Some involve regular scheduled meetings while others can be completed at the participant's own pace.

Programs include:

Creator Guild: July 5 - July 30
Ages: 13-18
Build your appreciation for music, theater, writing, visual arts or all of the above. You do not need to be an artist of have any talent to participate. All you need is a love of arts!

Seed to Food/Plant to Plate: June 3 - July 29
Ages: 5-13
This program focuses on exploring plant science by investigating functions of each plant part; determining the role plants play in our lives; and encouraging mastery for growing plants.

Exploring Veterinary Science Camp: June 21-June 25
Ages: 11-18
This camp provides insight into the world of veterinary science starting in small, large and exotic species.

Virtual Tailgate Camp: June 14-July 3
Ages: 11-18
Learn about the Florida 4-H Tailgating Contest and explore food and fire safety, equipment, meat selection, seasonings, and create your own recipe graphic designs.

US/Iraq Cultural Exchange: June 7-July 14
Ages: 14-18
Engage in a six-week virtual exchange program with students from Florida, Kentucky and Iraq in increasing the understanding of your own culture while exploring the culture of others. This program requires an application to enroll.

Intro to Animal Sciences: June 14-June 18
Ages: 8-18
Learn more about owning your own cow, pig, chicken, goat, lamb or steer, including how to feed the animal, basic healthcare for animals, and recognizing a healthy animal.

Culinary Arts Virtual Camp: June 14-June 17
Ages: 8-18
This program provides educational videos introducing food safety, kitchen skills, kitchen safety, recipe preparation and recipes youth can prepare at home (under adult supervision of course)

Exploring 4-H Cloverbud Adventures: June 14-June 18
Ages: 5-7
This program will engage youth on a journey that leads them through a variety of fun and educational activities related to an assortment of 4-H project areas. Topics include animals, clothing and textiles,

Please click here for detailed information about each program, as well as information on how to register.

If you have any questions, contact the County Extension Office at (904) 530-6353.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

2/11/21 @ 1:30 p.m. -

The Nassau County Extension Office is offering free income tax assistance at their Yulee and Callahan Offices. See the attached flyer for full details. Please note that appointments ARE required. Contact Meg McAlpine at (904) 570-5713.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

1/6/21 @ 12:50 p.m. - On December 23, 2020, 4-H Development Agent, Kelsey Irvine, shared the below story about a recent awards ceremony held to recognize this year's 4-H participants on their achievements. Kelsey was creative in coordinating an in-person event while following COVID guidelines to ensure safety of everyone in attendance.

Kelsey Irvine's post to the UF/IFAS/County Extension Blog:

How We Did It
Ms. Kelsey, Mr. Ted, Mrs. Laura, & Ms. Holli started the discussion of how to have a safe in-person event after the Nassau County 4-H Association pushed for more in-person 4-H activities. We decided to merge our postponed awards celebration with our annual holiday party.

Following both county and UF guidelines our team made the following plan:

1. Be outside to comply with UF policies for larger gatherings. We put our event in the UF portal early just in case we needed to make any adjustments to our planning.
2. Set an absolute maximum capacity of 75 people, which would include all supporting staff, guests, and non-member attendees. We also had a touchless sign-in.
3. Require pre-registration through Eventbrite.
4. Separate families by having a clearly (and festive!) pre-marked large 12 x 12 foot space for each family that was also 6 feet apart from another family group; allowing families to sit together without needing masks.
5. Families brought their own comfort items which reduced risk by using shared tables/chairs set up by others.
6. Make picking up awards easier by allowing winners to select their award instead of being handed one.
7. Still providing a tasty celebratory treat by purchasing individually packaged cupcakes.
8. We added a little extra cheer by giving everyone individually packaged jingle bells.
9. Enjoyed time as a group by watching The Grinch under the stars.
   
   

Awards & Honors

Project Books
Project and Record books are a chance for 4-H members to demonstrate their mastery of a specific subject area over the course of the year. These books are submitted and graded each year by agents. Youth can receive awards for completion of project books or progress made toward their goals. This year we had a record-breaking 19 submitted books!
The Following youth completed the Horse Record Book:

• Raelin Tew– Blue
• Danyelle Bell– Blue
• Lainey Walters– Blue
• Lauren Walters– Blue
• Kimberly Forster-Red
• Jack Norstrem-Red
• Emily Pilcher-Red
• Charlie Norstrem– white
• Emma Norstrem earned 1 blue ribbon for her horse record book and 2 certificates of progress for the goat and horse project books.
• Kai Laurendine earned 2 blue awards for both the Horse Record book and his sheep record book.
• Kee Laurendine earned 2 blue awards for completing the Horse Record book and sheep record book.
• Tucker Williams earned a blue ribbon for his swine record book
• Tristan Shannon was being recognized for his progress in his Crank it up project book.
• and finally Peyton Brown earned  2 red awards for her lamb and swine record books.

Volunteer Awards
Club Leader of the Year: Patti Walker
Volunteer of the Year: Amanda Stevenson
School Enrichment Volunteer of the Year: Madison Stevenson
Youth Volunteer of the Year: Emma Norstrem
Outstanding Community Partner: Nassau County Florida Farm Bureau

4-H’ers of the Month

• August – Ethan Hatton
• October- Charlie Norstrem
• November- Kaitlyn Malott
• December – Olivia Zabatta
• January – Raelin Tew
• March- Natalie Stevenson

4-H’er of the Year: Kaitlyn Malott!

Giving Back
This year we collected so many items for three different animal rescue organizations!
Our staff & members also created more than 40 letters for first responders!

Faces of Resiliency

Please enjoy some of the friendly faces from our event! All unmasked moments were in compliance with guidelines. Thank you to everyone who braved the cold to celebrate with us!

12/9/20 @ 12:40 p.m. - The County Extension's 4-H division has two holiday programs currently underway.

The first is the Howliday Drive. For this event, they will be collecting animal supplies such as treats, collars, food, blankets, grooming tools, toys, etc. for Nassau County Animal Services, Ark and Empowerment Ranch. All donations can be dropped into the collection box outside the Callahan Extension Office located at 543350 US Highway 1.

Nassau County 4-H is also collecting Letters for Service for members of our community who often have to work during the holidays such as policemen, firefighters and other first responders. Cards can be dropped into a mailbox that has been set up outside the Callahan Extension Office. They will also be collected at the Extension Office's Holiday Awards Event.

If you have any questions about either of these programs, please contact the Extension Office directly at (904) 530-6353.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

11/24/20 @ 9:45 a.m. - Have you recently moved your elderly parents to Nassau County but are unsure what steps to take now that they are here? The County Extension Office offers the following:

1. Contact Social Security 1 (800) 772-1213 to update their Florida address; bank account information (social security checks are typically direct deposit)
   

 
2. Find out what type of Medicare Coverage they have: Original vs Medicare Advantage Plan

• If they have Original Medicare, you do not need to do anything
• If they have a Medicare Advantage Plan you will need to switch either to Original Medicare or an Advantage Plan based on new zip code
• Contact local Medical Providers to inquire if they are accepting new Original Medicare patients and ask what Medicare Advantage Plans, they accept

 
3. Contact their Medicare Drug Plan to let them know they have moved to Nassau County and inquire if they need to change to a different plan due to relocation
 
4. Get a list of their medications (name, dosage and quantity)
 
6. Find out if they have a Medicare Supplemental Plan “Medigap Policy” and notify the policy of their new address.  Moving to a new zip code can impact the amount of their monthly premium.
7. Learn about their financial situation – if they have little liquid assets and modest income they may qualify for State and Federal Subsidy programs to pay for Medicare premiums, drug costs, medical and hospital co-pays and deductibles
 
8. Contact Nassau County Council on Aging (904)261-0701 for information on Case Management, Home Health Care, Subsidized Housing, Transportation, etc.
 
9. Consider having Power of Attorney (form that is completed by you and your parent and notarized) so you can speak on their behalf to medical providers, pharmacy, Social Security, community agencies, etc.
 
10. If they are receiving food assistance and/or Medicaid from another state, inform that state they have moved to Florida.  You will need to apply for food assistance and Medicaid with the State of Florida through the DCF Access Florida website https://dcf-access.dcf.state.fl.us/access
 
If you would like assistance with Medicare, Medicaid and/or Food Assistance please contact the University of Florida, Nassau County Extension Service, Meg McAlpine (904)570-5713 for Unbiased information.
"Extension programs are open to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, age, disability, religion, or national origin."

Housing Information for seniors with moderate to low incomes.

FERNANDINA BEACH:

• Housing Authority of Fernandina Beach
  1300 Hickory Street, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034
  904-261-5051
• Buccaneer Villas (2 bedroom townhouse)
  1100 Lime Street, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034
  904-277-0000
• Countryside Apartments
  1105 South 13th Street, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034
  904-277-2103
• Murray Hill Apartments (2 and 3 bedrooms only)
  1655 Lime Street, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034
  904-261-2937
• Peppertree Village Apartments (65 year old and/or disabled)
  1200 South 15th Street, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034
  904-261-6600
• Post Oak Apartments
  996 Citrona Drive, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034
  904-277-7817
• Sandridge Apartments (65 year old and/or disabled)
  2021 Jasmine Street, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034
  904-277-8722

YULEE:

• Green Acres
  280 U.S. Highway 17 South, Yulee, FL 32097
  904-225-0168
• Yulee Villas

     122 U.S. Highway 17 South, Yulee, FL 32097
     904-225-5810

11/19/20 @ 9:30 a.m. - The Nassau County Extension Office offers a variety of youth development programs through its 4-H division. Its 4-H Youth Emergency Training (YET) Program is receiving special recognition due to the brave actions of one of its past members.

High School Senior, Annie Iannotti, was doing chores when she noticed smoke coming from her neighbor's house. She grabbed her medical kit that she received during her two years of YET training and sprung into action by tending to animals that were removed from the home by rescue personnel.

Annie credits the YET Program for providing her life-saving skills and confidence that she was capable of making a difference. The YET Program consists of 25 hours of training over three months, taught by local emergency personnel. Participants receive a variety of hands-on training and practice through simulated emergency situations such as fires, search and rescue, CPR, etc. At the completion of the program, participants share their new skills with the community by doing a public outreach presentation or creating a public service announcement video.

For additional information about 4-H Programs, including YET, contact Kelsey Irvine, Extension Agent I/-H Youth Development, at (904) 530-6353 or via email at kelseymirvine@ufl.edu. You can also find information here on the County Extension's website.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

Note: All photos taken prior to national guidelines for face coverings and social distancing