VCE - Scott County

VCE - Scott County Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S.

Department of Agriculture, and local governments, and is an equal opportunity employer.

Scott County 4-H members, Emma Darnell, Amira Farmer, Emerson Hood, and Robbie Stapleton, attended the 2026 4-H State Co...
06/19/2026

Scott County 4-H members, Emma Darnell, Amira Farmer, Emerson Hood, and Robbie Stapleton, attended the 2026 4-H State Congress this past week at Virginia Tech. The mission of Virginia 4-H State Congress is to provide competitive and non-competitive educational experiences to Virginia teens and the adults who work with them, helping them to develop life skills and leadership abilities to become contributing citizens in their communities.

Emma Darnell and Amira Farmer competed as members of the Golden Girls 4-H Food Challenge team (with other members from Lee and Wythe Counties) and placed 2nd in the state! One picture included shows Robbie Stapleton after participating in the color run on Wednesday. Youth enjoyed themselves at the event!

Brandi Pettey, Lee and Scott County Family Consumer Science Agent, was invited to present Cultivating Intergenerational ...
06/18/2026

Brandi Pettey, Lee and Scott County Family Consumer Science Agent, was invited to present Cultivating Intergenerational Connections poster at the National NECDEP Conference in Wichita, KS. The poster highlighted a program piloted in fall 2025.

Scott County FCS and 4-H Extension Agents partnered with FCCLA advisors in four schools (Gate City Middle and High, Twin Springs, and Rye Cove) and MEOC to cultivate intergenerational opportunities between youth and older adults. Soctt County Extension Office provided older adults (ages 65+) and youth (ages 14 - 18) an opportunity to socialize and learn from one another in August – September 2025. Youth were trained by community partners and Extension faculty, then tasked with developing a workshop for older adults in content areas identified as community needs. Trained students had two weeks to prepare workshop content then travel to a local MEOC (local Area Agency on Aging) Senior Connection Site to lead the workshop for older adults. Participants shared a meal prepared by the culinary classes at the Scott County Career and Technical Center (SCCTC).​

The program served 124 students,14 older adults and involved nine community partners (listed below). Numerous comments involving a change in preconceived perceptions of age groups were made to the Extension professionals; the older adults remarked that youth were more caring and respectful than anticipated, and the youth commented that the older adults were more fun and enjoyable than expected. Regarding the workshop content, surveys revealed 100% of teen respondents stated they learned something new and 95% of older adults, demonstrating the shared learning through connections and interactions.100% of teens and older adult respondents found the sessions to be helpful or valuable to them.

The program received $4,150 ($2,400 internal and $1,750 external) in monetary donations and $964.59 gift in kind. In addition to funding, the program received national recognition: Program of Merit distinction from Generations United. Generations United annually recognizes outstanding intergenerational programs connecting younger and older people in the United States; the Program of Merit recipients are recognized as excelling beyond the minimum standards of effectiveness.

Scott County Extension plans to continue this program during the 2026- 2027 academic year.

Community Partners:
Special Agent Travis Howard, High Tech Crimes Division in the Virginia State Police
Tina Hayes, Certified Forest Therapist Guide and Yoga therapy instructor
Misty Lee, Community Relations Consultant, Anthem HealthKeepers Plus
Kristen Rutherford, Director of Nutrition and Senior Employment Services, MEOC, Area Agency on Aging
Susan Addington, Twin Springs High School, FCCLA Advisor
Tammy Cassell, Gate City High School, FCCLA Advisor
Reagan Kerns, Rye Cove High School, FCCLA Advisor
Beverly Musick, Gate City High/Middle School, FCCLA Advisor
Kyle Mason, Scott County Career and Technical Center, Culinary Instructor

A few of our Scott County 4-H Camp Volunteers gathered last week for a leathercraft workshop and to decorate clipboards....
06/17/2026

A few of our Scott County 4-H Camp Volunteers gathered last week for a leathercraft workshop and to decorate clipboards. We are excited for camp July 6 - 10!

Tick numbers seem to be high this year, so regular inspection of cattle for ticks, particularly the Asian Longhorn Tick,...
06/12/2026

Tick numbers seem to be high this year, so regular inspection of cattle for ticks, particularly the Asian Longhorn Tick, is important. According to Theresa Dellinger, Diagnostician at the Insect Identification Lab at Virginia Tech, large numbers of the Asian longhorned tick on cattle can reduce herd health and possibly spread disease. Managing the ALT can be very difficult because this tick spends most of its life on the ground off the host. ALT also reproduces without mating.
The ALT is small, the size of a sesame seed, and can be easily missed if not looked for. Check the animals head and neck, but also check the flanks and back, armpits and groin, and under the tail of the animal.
A single pesticide application method may not be fully effective against ALT. Consider using abamectin or beta-cyfluthrin ear tags along with back rubbers and other devices, and pour-on dewormers for control. Follow all label dosage instructions for these pesticide products.
If you have collected ticks and would like identification, you may bring them to the Extension Office located at 369 Gateway Plaza, Suite 102 in Gate City or call Scott Jerrell, Agricultural Extension Agent at 276-452-2772.

Additional information can be found at:
Common Ticks of Virginia
https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/2906/2906-1396/2906-1396.html
Asian Longhorned Tick
https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/ENTO/ENTO-282/ENTO-282.html
Managing the Asian Longhorned Tick: Checklist for Best Management Practices for Cattle Producers
https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/ENTO/ENTO-382/ENTO-382.html

The young people and adults in these photos worked hard on Saturday for the Farm to Table Dinner. Thank you so much to c...
06/09/2026

The young people and adults in these photos worked hard on Saturday for the Farm to Table Dinner. Thank you so much to community support for the RCHS FCCLA and Scott County Extension! We raised a good profit for FCCLA and 4-H National competitions! A special thanks to Appalachian Sustainability, Micah Nida from the Cluck Truck, Food City of Weber City, Lee County 4-H Agent and Volunteer, Mann Farm and Ziegenwald Dairy for donation of supplies and time to this event.

Scott County 4-H created sun art with summer school participants this week at Nickelsville Elementary, Shoemaker Element...
06/05/2026

Scott County 4-H created sun art with summer school participants this week at Nickelsville Elementary, Shoemaker Elementary and Duffield Primary school. Youth learned about colors that absorb or reflect heat and about UV rays from the sun.

Scott County 4-H created sun art with summer school participants this week at Nickelsville Elementary, Shoemaker Element...
06/05/2026

Scott County 4-H created sun art with summer school participants this week at Nickelsville Elementary, Shoemaker Elementary and Duffield Primary school. Youth learned about colors that absorb or reflect heat and about UV rays from the sun.

Scott County 4-H created sun art with summer school participants this week at Nickelsville Elementary, Shoemaker Element...
06/05/2026

Scott County 4-H created sun art with summer school participants this week at Nickelsville Elementary, Shoemaker Elementary and Duffield Primary school. Youth learned about colors that absorb or reflect heat and about UV rays from the sun.

06/04/2026

Poison Hemlock is a common poisonous w**d in Virginia! It looks a bit like Queen Anne's lace or wild parsnip (be careful foraging!) but can grow 6-10 feet tall and has stems spotted or streaked with red or purple.

Poison Hemlock is an herbaceous biennial flowering plant in the carrot family. It grows 6 to 10 feet in height with a smooth green stem often spotted or streaked with red or purple. The leaves are finely divided and lacy, up to 20 inches long by 16 inches wide. It has white flowers that grow in small erect clusters. Each flower develops into a green, deeply ridged fruit that contains several seeds. All parts of this plant have an unpleasant odor. While Poison Hemlock is usually biennial, in favorable locations it may be perennial.

Where it may be found:
Poison Hemlock is a non-native that is very common in Virginia and across the United States. It grows along fence lines, ditches, wet roadsides and meadows.

What part(s) of the plant are toxic:
All parts of Poison Hemlock are extremely poisonous, emit a foul odor and contain the toxin coniine what acts exactly like ni****ne. The juice can cause severe skin irritation. Often, internal poisoning occurs after the victim confuses the Hemlock root with Wild Parsnips, the Hemlock leaves with Parsley, or the Hemlock seed with Anise.

More info on all poisonous plants in Virginia: https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CNRE/CNRE-13/CNRE-13NP.html
More info on poison hemlock: https://extension.psu.edu/poison-hemlock

Registration is open for the 2026 Beef Expo.
06/02/2026

Registration is open for the 2026 Beef Expo.

Address

369 Gateway Plaza, Suite 102
Gate City, VA
24251

Opening Hours

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

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when VCE - Scott County posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to VCE - Scott County:

Shortcuts

Share