Jeff Davis 4-H members with Marcus Evans of the Georgia Peanut Commission.

Georgia Peanut Tour attendees were able to learn about an educational program in Jeff Davis County which is helping to teach youth more about peanuts and the importance of this crop to their local economy. Jeff Davis County Extension Agent Sheila Marchant decided to organize this educational program after peanut acreage in the county increased from 1,700 to 10,120 acres in a two year period. 

The program seeked to raise awareness of peanuts as a cash crop among Jeff Davis County youth, utilize the maturity classification procedure and its impact at harvest time and classify uses of peanuts for human consumption and processing. To meet these objectives Marchant held a series of activities to raise awareness regarding peanuts in the county for children (pre-school to 6th grade) enrolled in the local home school program. Classes were held for the Home School using hands-on activities to teach the value and uses of peanuts. Students learned how to determine peanut maturity, made Old Fashioned peanut butter and created a peanut exhibit for the local county fair. 

Fifteen students created and displayed six exhibits at the Jeff Davis County Agricultural Fair that were seen by 5,000 visitors during the week.  The display, “Peanuts to Peanut Butter” received Best of Show Award at the fair. The display focused on the quantity of peanuts grown in Georgia and how they are used in making peanut butter.

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