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Fort Valley conference promotes faith, farming and families in 21st century

by Russell Boone

Posted on Mar 22, 2017

Members of the Twiggs County Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter, show home-grown bunches of collard greens and cabbage given away as door prizes at the Farm, Home and Ministers Conference Feb. 21.

Free sessions concerning farming, health, wellness and technology took place Feb. 21 during Fort Valley State University's 40th Farm, Home and Ministers Conference Feb. 21.

The theme for the 2017 conference, sponsored by FVSU’s Cooperative Extension Service, is “40 Years Celebrating Faith, Farming and Families.”

From 9 a.m-6 p.m., more than 200 participants filled the C.W. Pettigrew Center to attend breakout sessions covering a variety of subjects ranging from credit repair to accessing programs sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). More than 27 vendors and representatives from various agencies held seminars and displayed their products.

Terralon Chaney, FVSU’s Twiggs County extension agent, and chairperson for this year’s conference, said the event was a huge success. “We centered it (the conference) on the needs of the community, to run more productive farms, homes and families,” Chaney said.

Brenda Maddox (left), Fort Valley State University’s Marion County extension agent, poses with 2017 Family and Consumer Sciences Family of the Year awardee Mary King (center) and members of the King-Taylor family at FVSU’s Pettigrew Center Feb. 21.

Brenda Maddox (left), Fort Valley State University’s Marion County extension agent, poses with 2017 Family and Consumer Sciences Family of the Year awardee Mary King (center) and members of the King-Taylor family at FVSU’s Pettigrew Center Feb. 21.

In addition to the breakout session and demonstrations, FVSU Cooperative Extension employees presented the Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) Family of the Year Award and the Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) Farm Families of the Year Award. Mary King and the King-Taylor Family are the 2017 winners of the FACS Family of the Year Award.

King, a 1974 graduate of then Fort Valley State College, is currently an educator at South Georgia Technical College.

Maddox said she nominated King and the King-Taylor family because of their huge support of FVSU’s Extension programs and her work tutoring people to earn their GED diplomas in Marion County.

Leon Porter (center) FVSU’s Houston County program assistant, poses with 2017 Agriculture and Natural Resources Farm Family of the Year Awardees Marsha Moore (left) and Paulette Lemons of Connections on the Parkway at FVSU’s Pettigrew Center Feb. 21.

Leon Porter (center) FVSU’s Houston County program assistant, poses with 2017 Agriculture and Natural Resources Farm Family of the Year Awardees Marsha Moore (left) and Paulette Lemons of Connections on the Parkway at FVSU’s Pettigrew Center Feb. 21.

Paulette Lemons and Marsha Moore of Connections on the Parkway located in Warner Robins, are the 2017 winners of the ANR Farm Family of the Year Award.  Connections on the Parkway is a non-profit organization in Houston County with the mission to promote healthy living for families and communities.

Leon Porter, FVSU’s Houston County program assistant, said he nominated Connections on the Parkway for the award because Lemons’ has a genuine concern for the community as well as young people.

For more information about Cooperative Extension Programs at FVSU visit ag.fvsu.edu.

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