UGA Extension Haralson County

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UGA Extension Haralson County Extension started as a way to bring agricultural research to farmers, however, we are here to help.

🚨 Here is the current tentative schedule for our upcoming Beef Cattle Bootcamp! There are still some spots left and ther...
10/13/2026

🚨 Here is the current tentative schedule for our upcoming Beef Cattle Bootcamp!
There are still some spots left and there is still time to register! Don't forget to call our office to sign up! Registration is required in order to make sure we have enough seats and food for everyone. Call 770-646-2026 to get on the list!

Times
9:00am - 9:45am "Coffee & Breakfast
@ Callaway Livestock Pavilion" Sponsored by Ellianos

9:45am - 10:00am Travel to White Hawk Ranch "5765 Hwy 27
Buchanan, GA 30113"

10:00am - 10:45am "Group A
Handling Cattle Safely
Norlethia Harris UGA
Chute Side Talk: Vaccines, Preg Checks, Record Keeping
Diego Gutierrez
White Hawk Ranch"
"Group B
Pasture Walk:
Stocking Rates, Grazing Management, Herd Health
Grace Addison UGA
Jason Duggin UGA"

10:45am - 11:00am Break

11:00am - 11:45am "Group A
Pasture Walk:
Stocking Rates, Grazing Management, Herd Health
Grace Addison UGA
Jason Duggin UGA"
"Group B
Handling Cattle Safely
Norlethia Harris UGA
Chute Side Talk: Vaccines, Preg Checks, Record Keeping
Diego Gutierrez
White Hawk Ranch

11:45am - 12:00pm Travel to Callaway Livestock Pavilion "1812 Macedonia Church Rd
Buchanan, GA 30113"

12:00pm - 1:00pm Lunch "Sponsored by
Haralson County
Farm Bureau"

1:00pm - 3:00pm "Classroom Instruction:
BQA Principles" Jason Duggin UGA

Beef Cattle Bootcamp Schedule
October 24, 2026

⚠ Disclaimer: Schedule is subject to change.

🌪️ HURRICANE ISAIAS PREPAREDNESS⚠️ Farmers, livestock producers, and homeowners: Now is the time to prepare!Hurricane Is...
10/09/2026

🌪️ HURRICANE ISAIAS PREPAREDNESS

⚠️ Farmers, livestock producers, and homeowners: Now is the time to prepare!

Hurricane Isaias is expected to bring periods of heavy rainfall and strong winds that could affect communities across Georgia through the weekend. Potential impacts include flooding, downed trees, power outages, and isolated tornadoes.

UGA Cooperative Extension encourages everyone to take precautions now to protect their families, livestock, homes, and farm operations.

🌾 FARMERS & LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS
🐄 Check livestock water supplies and ensure animals have access to safe areas away from potential flooding.
🌾 Secure hay, feed, fertilizers, chemicals, fuel tanks, and other materials that could be damaged by wind or water.
🚜 Park tractors, implements, and other equipment in secure locations away from trees and flood-prone areas.
🏚️ Inspect barns and sheds, and secure loose items before conditions deteriorate.
⚡ Prepare for power outages by checking generators and backup power supplies. Operate generators outdoors, away from doors and windows.
📋 Keep important farm records, emergency contacts, and livestock identification information in a safe, accessible location.

🏡 HOMEOWNERS
🔦 Prepare flashlights, batteries, drinking water, nonperishable food, medications, and charged cell phones.
🌳 Secure outdoor furniture, grills, decorations, and other loose items.
🔋 Plan for possible power outages and check on family members or neighbors who may need assistance.
🐕 Bring pets indoors and make sure they have adequate food, water, and shelter.
🌧️ Stay alert for flash flooding, falling trees, and tornado warnings.

⚠️ SAFETY FIRST
❌ Never drive or walk through floodwater.
⚡ Stay away from downed power lines.
🌪️ If a tornado warning is issued, move to a small, windowless interior room on the lowest floor or a storm shelter.
📱 Monitor the National Weather Service and local emergency management for the latest warnings and instructions.

Please complete preparations before severe weather arrives. Avoid unnecessary outdoor activities during dangerous conditions, and do not put yourself or others at risk trying to protect property or livestock during a storm.

For official updates, visit the National Hurricane Center at [www.nhc.noaa.gov](http://www.nhc.noaa.gov) and Georgia Emergency Management at gema.georgia.gov.

Stay safe, Haralson County! 💚

Announcing our next Speaker Spotlight, for our Beef Cattle Bootcamp on Saturday October 24! Don't forget to pre register...
10/06/2026

Announcing our next Speaker Spotlight, for our Beef Cattle Bootcamp on Saturday October 24! Don't forget to pre register! We still have spots available. Give our office a call: 770-646-2026

Norlethia Harris is an Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent serving Fulton County. She holds a B.S. in Animal Science from Louisiana State University and an M.S. in Animal Science from the University of Georgia. Norlethia works with livestock and equine producers, providing education and technical assistance to support healthy animals, productive pastures, and sustainable farm management. She is passionate about empowering producers with practical, research-based information that helps them gain confidence, strengthen their operations, and achieve their goals.

Haralson Hub Monthly NewsletterSeptember RecapBEEF CATTLE BOOTCAMP:Boots On. Cattle Ready. Let's Learn!Saturday, October...
09/29/2026

Haralson Hub Monthly Newsletter
September Recap

BEEF CATTLE BOOTCAMP:
Boots On. Cattle Ready. Let's Learn!
Saturday, October 24 • 9:00 AM–3:00 PM
📍 Callaway Livestock Pavilion • Buchanan, GA
Join Haralson County UGA Extension for a hands-on Beef Cattle Bootcamp designed to give producers practical skills they can take home and use.
We'll cover:
🐄 Hands-on cattle management 🌱 Grazing & forage strategies
💉 Herd health 📋 BQA principles
👢 Field-based learning 🎓 Classroom instruction with Jason Duggin, UGA Beef Specialist
$10 • Registration Required
📞 770-646-2026 to register

Livestock Update:
Georgia's cattle market continues to show strong prices heading into fall. The latest USDA Georgia Weekly Livestock Auction Summary reported 6,761 head for Sept. 20–26, with feeder cattle making up about 71% of receipts.

Feeder cattle were mostly $4–$10/cwt higher than the previous week, while slaughter cows and bulls were steady to $6 lower. Medium and Large 1 steers weighing 500–548 lbs. averaged $385/cwt, while 500–547 lb. heifers averaged $344.93/cwt.

Producer tip:
As fall calf sales get underway, consider calf health, weight, forage availability and your marketing goals when deciding when to sell.
Weather Updates:
September is winding down, but warm weather isn't quite finished yet! Expect warm, humid conditions early, with temperatures becoming more fall-like as we move into October.
A few showers and thunderstorms are possible toward the weekend. Use favorable weather to finish up fencing, pasture work, hay storage and other fall preparations.
Remember: Even as temperatures cool, livestock still need clean, accessible water at all times.
Local Ag News:
JORO SPIDERS
Seeing giant golden webs around your property? You've probably encountered a Joro spider (Trichonephila clavata). These spiders are especially noticeable in late summer and fall as they reach maturity and build their large webs.
The good news: You don't need to spray every Joro you see! UGA Extension recommends focusing control efforts on spiders creating problems around porches, walkways, doors and other high-traffic areas.
Physical removal of the spider and web can be effective. If chemical control is necessary, products containing pyrethroids such as bifenthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin or cypermethrin can kill spiders when applied directly.
Avoid broad-area spraying. These products can also harm pollinators and beneficial insects. Always follow the pesticide label.
Need Help?
Have a question about your cattle, pasture, hay, soil or farm?
Give the Extension Office a call!

Grace Addison
Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent
UGA Extension – Haralson County
770-646-2026
September 2026
An Equal Opportunity, Veteran, Disability Institution

🕷️ Joro Spider Season is Here! 🕷️If you’ve walked outside lately and thought, "There sure are a lot of spiders outside t...
09/28/2026

🕷️ Joro Spider Season is Here! 🕷️

If you’ve walked outside lately and thought, "There sure are a lot of spiders outside this year." you may have met a Joro spider (Trichonephila clavata).

Joro spiders are an invasive species native to East Asia. They were first detected in Georgia in 2014 and have since become well established across Georgia and much of the Southeast. Their numbers are especially noticeable in September and October, when mature females are out building those enormous, golden webs.

A few things to know:

🕸️ They are BIG. Adult females can have bodies over an inch long, with legs stretching up to about 3 inches.

🕸️ Their webs are impressive. Mature females can build strong, sticky, golden webs that may span 10 feet or more, with support strands stretching even farther.

🕸️ They are generally timid. Despite their intimidating appearance, Joros typically run away when disturbed, and UGA researchers report that they have not bitten people even when handled roughly.

🕸️ They eat insects. Like other spiders, Joros are predators that help consume insects. Researchers are still studying their impacts on native species and ecosystems, so there are still questions about exactly what their long-term effects will be.

So what should you do if they're in your yard?

If a Joro has built a web across your doorway, porch, deck, or walkway, you can remove it. A broom, rake, stick, or other long pole can be used to wrap up the web and spider and remove it from the area.

For Joros that are high up in trees or in areas where people don't regularly walk, the easiest option may simply be to leave them alone. UGA specifically recommends avoiding large-scale insecticide applications for Joro control because these products are broad-spectrum and can also kill pollinators and other beneficial insects.

However, UGA researches have tested readily available products for direct treatment of individual Joro Spiders.

The most effective product tested was Black Flag Spider & Scorpion Killer aerosol, containing lambda-cyhalothrin (0.03%) and prallethrin (0.025%), which killed 100% of treated spiders in the trial.

Zevo Insect Killer Spray for Ant, Roach & Spider was also highly effective in the trial, with more than 97% mortality.

Other products that were effective included ready-to-use Sevin spray containing lambda-cyhalothrin and Green Light Insecticidal Soap, both producing greater than 80% mortality in the trials.

And if you spot one, take a picture! Researchers are still tracking where Joros are being found. You can report sightings through Joro Watch or the EDDMapS app.

As always, your local UGA Extension office is here to help with identification and questions about managing pests in your landscape!

⭐️ Bonus Points to anyone that can post a picture of this years Joros in the comments!

THIS ISN'T YOUR TYPICAL CATTLE MEETINGWe're getting out of the classroom and getting our boots dirty.Join us October 24 ...
09/16/2026

THIS ISN'T YOUR TYPICAL CATTLE MEETING

We're getting out of the classroom and getting our boots dirty.

Join us October 24 for the Haralson County Beef Cattle Bootcamp!

We'll start the morning with coffee before heading to a local livestock production facility for hands-on instruction.

We'll cover practical topics like:
• BQA
• Grazing strategies
• Herd health
• Cattle management

Then we'll head back to Callaway Livestock Pavilion for lunch and an afternoon session with UGA Beef Specialist Jason Duggin.

Open to experienced to beginner cattle producers from ANY county.

If you've got cattle, are thinking about getting cattle, or just want to sharpen your management skills, we'd love to have you.

📅 October 24
📍 Callaway Livestock Pavilion + White Hawk Ranch
🎟️ Registration: $10 Call Haralson County UGA Extension Office

770-646-2026

Tag a cattle producer who needs to be there.

Speaker Spotlight! 🐂 Jason DugginWe’re excited to welcome Jason, UGA’s Beef Extension Specialist in Calhoun, GA, to our ...
09/09/2026

Speaker Spotlight! 🐂

Jason Duggin

We’re excited to welcome Jason, UGA’s Beef Extension Specialist in Calhoun, GA, to our upcoming Beef Cattle Bootcamp!

Jason serves the Department of Animal and Dairy Science, where he supervises the Bull Evaluation and Heifer Development (HERD) programs. He is also actively involved in beef education across Georgia, leading programs such as the Georgia Beef Challenge, Georgia Master Cattleman, Beef Quality Assurance, Top Hand Stockmanship & Stewardship, and the Georgia Livestock Emergency Response Program.

With 340+ invited speaking engagements, extensive livestock judging experience, and more than 200 published articles on beef cattle production, Jason brings a wealth of practical knowledge and industry experience to Georgia cattle producers.

His research interests include cow size and efficiency and the use of activity monitoring technology in beef cattle.

We’re looking forward to learning from Jason at Beef Field Day! 🐄

📅 Mark your calendar and join us!
October 24, 2026!

09/03/2026

🌱 Pasture mealybug has arrived in Georgia, with the first confirmed detection reported in the southwest corner of the state.

UGA Extension forage specialists have been working around the clock to track the newly arrived pest and establish the best management options for Georgia producers.

Here's what you can do:

▪️ Clean farm and hay equipment between fields or farms.
▪️ Avoid unnecessary driving through pastures.
▪️ Change footwear and clothing after visiting a suspected infestation.
▪️ Keep grazing records and avoid moving livestock into or through affected pastures.
▪️ Limit traffic onto farms when possible.

➡️ More at the link in the comments!

UPCOMING PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENTJoin Haralson County UGA Extension for a hands-on beef cattle field day designed to provide...
08/31/2026

UPCOMING PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT

Join Haralson County UGA Extension for a hands-on beef cattle field day designed to provide practical, real-world management skills you can take home to your operation. We’ll start the morning with coffee at 9:00 a.m. before heading to a local livestock production facility for boots-on-the-ground instruction led by UGA Extension Agents and beef industry specialists. Following the field portion, we’ll return to the Callaway Livestock Pavilion for a provided lunch and afternoon classroom instruction featuring Jason Duggin, UGA Beef Specialist.

Beef Cattle Bootcamp
Beef Quality Assurance (BQA)
Herd Health & Cow Evaluation
Live Cattle Demonstrations
Grazing Management Strategies
Pasture Walk
Proper injection Techniques
Low-Stress Cattle Handling
Herd Health Plan
Hands on cattle field day for experienced and beginner cattle producers
Saturday,
October 24th 2026
9:00am-3:00pm
Callaway Livestock Pavilion
1812 Macedonia Church Rd.
Buchanan, GA 30113
Limited Space!
$10 Registration
Call to get on the list: 770-646-2026
An Equal Opportunity Institution
Coffee & Lunch Provided!

Haralson HubMonthly Newsletter for all things Ag!Livestock Update:The cattle market remains strong by historical standar...
08/25/2026

Haralson Hub
Monthly Newsletter for all things Ag!

Livestock Update:
The cattle market remains strong by historical standards, although Georgia auction prices have softened somewhat from the extremely high levels seen earlier this summer.
The Georgia Weekly Livestock Auction Summary for the week ending August 22 reported 4,315 head, compared with 6,250 head the previous week and 7,449 head during the same period last year. Feeder cattle made up approximately 76% of the week's receipts.
Locally, the Carroll County Livestock Sale Barn in Carrollton reported 403 head at its August 17 sale. Compared with the previous week, slaughter cows and bulls were generally $5–$10 lower, feeder steers were $5–$10 lower, feeder bulls were $5–$15 lower, and feeder heifers were $3–$5 lower.
Even with recent softening, cattle values remain historically high. Producers should consider forage availability, expected weight gain, input costs and the current market when deciding whether to sell calves at weaning or retain them.
Producer Focus
Now is a good time to evaluate:
Fall marketing plans
Cattle body condition
Forage availability
Herd health
Hay needs for winter
Weather Updates:
August is certainly reminding us that summer isn't quite finished yet! Haralson County can expect continued warm, humid conditions with periodic afternoon thunderstorms as we move toward September.
For livestock producers, remember that heat and humidity can create significant stress even when temperatures aren't at their hottest.
Keep livestock comfortable:
Provide unlimited access to clean, fresh water
Make sure adequate shade is available
Avoid unnecessary handling during the hottest part of the day
Monitor cattle closely during periods of extreme heat
Thunderstorms can also produce highly variable rainfall across the county. Keep an eye on pastures, especially low-lying areas where heavy rainfall may cause standing water or muddy conditions.
Fall Forage Check
Now is a great time to walk your pastures and determine whether you have enough forage to carry cattle into fall and winter. Evaluate your pasture condition, hay inventory and supplemental feed needs now before you need them.
Local Ag News:
UGA Cooperative Extension is available to help Haralson County producers with livestock, forage, pasture management, soil testing, pesticide recommendations and other agricultural questions.
As we transition toward fall, take a few minutes to check:
Pasture condition and forage availability
Hay inventory and winter hay needs
Cattle body condition
Vaccination and deworming programs
Water sources and shade
Fences and livestock facilities
Fall marketing plans
Soil testing and fall fertilization needs
Need Help?
Have a question about your cattle, pasture, hay, soil or farm?
Give the Extension Office a call!

Grace Baughman
Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent
UGA Extension – Haralson County
770-646-2026

UGA Cooperative Extension provides research-based information and education to help Georgia farmers, homeowners and communities thrive.

Address

4266 Georgia Highway 120
Buchanan, GA
30113

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 12pm
1pm - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 12pm
1pm - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 12pm
1pm - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 12pm
1pm - 5pm
Friday 8am - 12pm
1pm - 5pm

Telephone

+17706462026

Website

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