Farm, Home and Wildlife Expo at Chilton Research and Extension Center

As a Shelby County Master Gardener, I have many opportunities to volunteer in a variety of horticulture-related ways. One of the big events for Shelby and Chilton County Master Gardeners is the Farm, Home and Wildlife Expo that is held every August at the Chilton Research and Extension Center in Clanton, AL. The center is part of the Alabama Cooperative Extension Center, and here they focus on fruit and vegetable crop research. With several acres to play with, they have large areas planted with kiwi, grapes, figs, persimmons, strawberries and more.

In a way the Expo is a very specific and specialized event, but there are a variety of activities to keep everyone in the family busy, and there were huge crowds of people there. More than 200 varieties of peaches are grown at the station, and at least 50 of those were available to taste in the fruit tasting tent. Many of the varieties were still in the experimental stage and not yet named. Watermelon, grapes, heirloom tomatoes and figs also had a spot in the tent. I manned the fig sampling station where we had 12-15 varieties of figs, including some unique ones that were supposed to have a lemon flavor. While the lemon flavor was debatable, many people, including myself, agreed that the best is the good 'ole brown turkey variety that many people have growing in their yards.

There was also a dessert tasting area with many types of breads and cakes made with peaches, blackberries, figs, muscadines and blueberries. The peach fried pie was delicious, as was the peach cobbler. The homemade blackberry, strawberry and muscadine ice cream were also very good.



There was an expansive area filled with tractors, trucks and other lawn and farm equipment, such as these plows.



There were too many other demonstrations and events throughout the day to name them all, but this area demonstrated turf grass management for various types of turf. Thrilling, right? There was also a talk on Alabama's 10 worst invasive weed species. Kudzu has to be on that list.



The goats and cow were a little more interesting. They were on hand for anyone who wanted to give them a pet and to demonstrate milking practices. Corn shelling and fritter frying, food preservation, blackberry culture and trellising, home fire ant control, growing and pruning crape myrtles, cage fish culture, stir fry cooking, kiwifruit production, gun and drug dog demonatrations and hoophouse culture were just a few of the other topics being demonstrated or discussed at regular intervals throughout the day. Although we did not partake in the fun, everyone who attends the event has the opportunity to hang around and enjoy free hamburgers and entertainment at the end of the day.