Community Outreach
The purpose of the Community Council is to assist the Georgia Mountain Research & Education Center of the University of Georgia and its College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in expanding its service to the North Georgia Mountain region. This community-based organization is in partnership with the faculty of UGA to provide funding for new programs and activities consistent with the mission of CAES.
The Community Council offers seminars, lectures, field trips, projects, and special events for adults and youth (K-12). It also sustains preservation/restoration projects. To make the GMRE Center of greater service to the people of Union, Towns and Fannin counties in Georgia, and Clay and Cherokee counties in North Carolina, the Community Council utilizes the expertise of UGA faculty and other resource persons in the region to offer a wide range of programs and activities.
The GMREC Community Council
Chairperson- Jared Ogden
Preservation Chairperson- Glen Henderson
Education Chairperson- Denise Atkins
Member- Pat Smith
Member- Stephen Weaver
Programs
Adult Outreach Program
The Outreach Committee of the Community Council plans seminars and workshops for adults from the surrounding communities. Seminars and workshops are held at the Georgia Mountain Research and Education Center and are offered free or at low cost to the public. Speakers are experts in their field with the ability to convey this knowledge to their audience. The University of Georgia researchers, faculty and authorities from other agencies have been included in the presentations.
Regular seminars do not require registration, but are limited to the first one hundred in attendance. Seminars are typically under two hours in duration. If you would like to receive seminar notices by email, send your online request, name and phone number to gmrec@uga.edu.
Resources
For over 20 years we hosted thousands of children for our annual Johnny Appleseed program. That program has now moved off campus to a facility that is easier on our volunteers and our guests. Below are some links to the lessons that we shared for our future farmers.
A Visit With Johnny Appleseed - He comes out of the orchard to tell his story of planting orchards.
Storytime in the Orchard with retired educator Carolyn G.
In the Bee Hive - Pollinators are crucial for apples. This video takes you inside the hive here at GMREC.
GMREC Apple Production - The GMREC team talks about apple production basics.
Teacher Resources (pdf) - History of Johnny Appleseed, Activity Sheets, and more.
