Master Gardener certification classes will be held at the McCulloch County AgriLife Extension office and will be a combination of virtual training provided by Extension experts, in-person training provided by local Extension personnel and Master Gardeners, and field trips.

The training classes will meet on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., beginning September 2 through November 4.  The course fee is $175 for those who agree to complete the requirements to certify as a Texas Master Gardener.  A discount is offered for couples who agree to share the handbook, making the fee $270 for both. The course fee for anyone who does not agree to complete the TMG requirements is $200 with no discount for couples.  If paid with a credit card through Square, there is an additional fee to cover the processing charges and can be paid at this site.

If you are interested in applying for the upcoming classes contact the Brown County Extension Office at 325-646-0386.  The deadline is August 20.

Texas A&M Sheep and Goat Field Day marks 48 years

The 48th annual Sheep and Goat Field Day will be held Aug. 20 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in San Angelo at 7887 U.S. Highway 87 N.

This will mark the 48th year of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Sheep and Goat Field Day in San Angelo. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Steve Byrns)

The free event will start at 7:30 a.m. with on-site registration. The program will be from 8:30 -11:30 a.m. and will feature Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialists highlighting the work done at the center, as well as the latest innovations, information and technology related to sheep and goats.

In addition, AgriLife Extension’s 2021 Texas Sheep and Goat Expo will follow the field day and run Aug. 20-21 at the First Community Credit Union Spur Arena, 4722 Grape Creek Road in San Angelo.

Field day schedule

The first portion of the program will involve groups rotating between four outdoor tour stops with presentations on these topics:

• Preconditioning Goats to Eat Cedar ‐ Doug Tolleson, Ph.D., AgriLife Research range management specialist, San Angelo.
• Economics of Multi‐Species Grazing ‐ John Walker, Ph.D., AgriLife Research range specialist, San Angelo.
• Hi‐A Corn Cobs in Lamb Finishing Diet ‐ Dan Quadros, Ph.D., AgriLife Research livestock nutrition specialist, San Angelo.
• Choosing the Right Forage Variety ‐ Reagan Noland, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agronomist, San Angelo.

The second portion of the outdoor program’s four stops and presentations will be:

• Technology to Aide in Livestock Guardian Dog Management ‐ Bill Costanzo, AgriLife Research livestock guardian dog specialist, San Angelo.
• Breeding Sheep for Parasite Resistance ‐ Jake Thorne, AgriLife Extension sheep and goat program specialist, San Angelo.
• Ticks of Sheep and Goats ‐ Samantha Hays, Ph.D., AgriLife Tick Research Laboratory manager, Bryan-College Station.
• Near Infrared Spectroscopy Test Services for Sheep and Goats ‐ Jordan Moody, AgriLife Extension graduate research assistant, San Angelo.

The field day will wrap up with an indoor program, “100+ Years of Wool Research at Texas A&M,” which will feature guest panelists and moderators Ronald Pope, Ph.D., AgriLife Research animal fiber scientist, and Dawn Brown, M.D., Bill Sims Wool Lab manager, both of San Angelo.

Contact  the AgriLife center at 325-653-4576 with any questions about the Texas Sheep and Goat Expo or field day.