OSU Extension was a Great Career

August 28, 2014

Ohio State University Extension is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. Since I decided to make a career of working with Extension for about 35 years, celebrating this anniversary is of special interest to me.

Over the years, Extension has changed, as most organizations have to, because the changes in society, including agriculture, home making, technology, jobs and more, have really been amazing. Keeping up with those changes has been one of Extension’s challenges.

Actually, my Extension career goes back to my years as a 4-H member in Trumbull County. The 4-H program has been a part of Extension all these years.

In 1951, I graduated from The Ohio State University and was appointed associate county agent in Summit County, working with the 4-H and dairy educational programs. At that time, Extension was known as The Agricultural Extension Service, which included agricultural, homemaking and the 4-H programs. .

In 1952 or ’53, Extension’s name was changed to the Cooperative Extension Service. The change indicated the cooperative funding arrangement of local, state and federal funds channeled through Ohio State, the land grant university.

My years in Summit County were enjoyable and I still remember some of the 4-H members with whom I worked.

In 1954, I was appointed county agricultural agent in Ashtabula County. I replaced Ross Milner, a respected county agent who had been promoted to work as a farm management specialist statewide.

Early 1950 through 1959 were turbulent times in Ashtabula and other counties in northeast Ohio. It was an area of many small dairy farms. Milk prices were low and many farms too small to make a reasonable living. Dairy farmers were ready to look at any idea that they though would improve milk prices.

A small group thought a dairy farmer’s union was the answer. They were aggressive and caused turmoil among their neighbors. As a new, young county agent, I tried to stay neutral, which was difficult.

One of Extension’s principles is to start where people are. We did this by working through committees that helped decide the educational programs we conducted. A good, strong dairy committee helped me during difficult times in the county.

During my 10 years in the county, I held many dairy marketing and farm management classes. There was a strong group of grape growers with whom I worked. In cooperation with Lake and Geauga counties, we held many grape, tree and small fruit programs.

I served on the 4-H Camp Whitewood board of directors and negotiated the purchase of the 225 acres of land from owner Tom White. Four-H members and advisors worked hard and paid off the camp property purchase in four years.

My family and I enjoyed Ashtabula County very much. Again, times change. After 10 years, I was appointed to an area dairy specialist position working out of the Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster. It was another enjoyable job. But after four years, I was moved to an area Extension supervisor’s position in northeastern Ohio.

The position involved working closely with county agents and their educational programs. With constant changes, there were many challenges. Then, I worked statewide as assistant to the director of Extension before retiring.

Extension’s name is now The Ohio State University Extension Service and the county agents appropriately renamed to county educators.

After retiring, I took a special assignment in Geauga County working in the dairy industry and helping the Amish community re-organize its cooperative and build its new cheese house.

Looking back, the first county agent in Ashtabula County was E.C. Sleeth appointed in 1917. Geauga’s first one was E.L Allen in 1913; Lake’s was J.J. Riggle in 1919; and Trumbull’s was M.O. Bugby, who was from Kingsville, in 1914. All were early pioneers in agricultural education.

During my years in Extension, I worked with many fine people I enjoyed very much. It was a great career.

Parker is an independent agricultural writer.