Tuscaloosa County - Alabama Extension

Have you planted your garden yet? Whether you have or haven't, we encourage you to plant a little extra and participate in the Grow More Give More 250lb. Challenge. As part of Auburn University's 250 celebration of America, Alabama Extension's goal is 250 pounds of fresh produce donated in each county between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Food insecurity remains a serious issues across Alabama, affecting approximately 2 million residents, including 1 in 4 children. Will you be part of the challenge and make a difference in your community? Every pound counts.

Learn more about the challenge and how you can get involved here: https://www.aces.edu/go/6066

The Tuscaloosa County Extension Office is closed today due to emergency maintenance issues being repaired. We will re-open on Wednesday June 3.

Blight is the most common disease affecting tomatoes in Alabama and typically begins appearing from late May through June, especially during warm, wet conditions caused by frequent rainfall or overhead irrigation.

The key to managing blight is starting early before the disease has a chance to spread. Learn how to identify blight symptoms and explore management options to help protect your tomato crop. https://www.aces.edu/go/6390

One of the last in-person classes in our area for the year. If you have been putting off the online class, this one is for you.

Cottage Food Law Safety Training

~ Understand the law
~Understand where foods can be sold
~Recognize labeling requirements
~Basic food safety practices

August 6, 2026
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Hale County Extension Office
701 Hall Street
Greensboro, AL 36744

For more information, contact Alice Moore at (334) 216-0738.

$25 Certification Fee

Registration link: www.aces.edu/go/cottagefoodbusiness

Due to unforeseen circumstances that are beyond our control --
The Dystocia / Calving Simulator Training scheduled for tonight in Butler, AL is being rescheduled to a later date. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. We will release an updated flyer with a new registration link and information at our earliest opportunity.

Thank you in advance for understanding.

“Recently, I dropped off a computer for service. The customer service representative shared the repair may be delayed because of Labor Day. He caught his error and said, “I mean, whatever the holiday is coming up.” I restrained myself, simply saying, “You mean Memorial Day.”

Major General John Logan, head of the Grand Army of the Republic, a Union veterans’ organization, in 1868 said “Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.”

This long weekend is the unofficial beginning of summer and the beginning of the busiest time of the 4-H year. 4-H professionals and volunteers will fill the following months with activities, camps, and competitive events to celebrate youths’ 4-H accomplishments. As we speed towards our summer filled with activity, I hope each of us can pause and remember the meaning of Memorial Day. Originally established as Decoration Day following the Civil War, it serves as a solemn time to honor and remember the brave women and men who made the ultimate sacrifice in our nation’s armed forces.

Let us be thankful that there continue to be Americans who give so much of themselves to make our communities, our states, and our country better. This Monday and every day, let us reflect and remember those who sacrificed more than their time, money, or other gifts, to make our country better. Thank a Gold Star family. Put out an American Flag (and raise it to full-staff at noon). Enjoy a cook out, some time on a body of water in our beautiful state, perhaps with friends you haven’t seen in a while. Enjoy and celebrate the freedoms we have because of those who have given for us on this Memorial Day.

4-H camp counselors preparing for camp may gather at a flagpole somewhere and share:

“There are many places in the world where a way of life that allows for basic freedoms, much less for activities like 4-H, does not exist. Countless service members have paid the ultimate price for us to enjoy our way of life.

In our eagerness to exclaim “and my world” in our 4-H pledge, let’s remember not to rush past what comes before—“for my Club, my Community, my Country.” We want and will change the world, but let’s not forget the loyalty we owe our United States and those who sacrificed all.”

Pause, reflect, and remember; our federal government encourages us to do so at 3:00PM on Monday.

On March 14, 2026, Maj. John A. Klinner of Auburn, Ala; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, of Covington, Wash.; Capt. Seth R. Koval of Mooresville, Ind.; Capt. Curtis J. Angst of Wilmington, Ohio; Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt of Bardstown, Ky.; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons of Columbus, Ohio died in support of Operation Epic Fury.

These six Airmen join the million Americans we remember who died in military service since Crispus Attucks died in the Boston Massacre.

Enjoy a safe Memorial Day and I look forward to a successful summer in Alabama 4-H—Casey

Casey D. Mull, Ph.D.

Assistant Director of Extension, 4-H Youth Development

State 4-H Leader/Director, Alabama 4-H

Office: (334) 844-5540
Email: [email protected]

Coming up on this month's Smart Yard Webinar Series: Soft Landings—Small Natural Plantings that Support Native Wildlife brought to you by Jason Somerville, Home Horticulture agent.

Register to receive the Zoom link and mark your calendars for upcoming dates: https://www.aces.edu/go/2414.

Extension's Home Horticulture team brings this online series to you on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Topics include common gardening information, home pests, fruits, vegetables, wildlife, and much more.

Register NOW - Filling Up Fast!