Frequently Asked Questions

About UF/IFAS Extension

The Cooperative Extension Service is nationwide and was established by the Smith-Lever Act of 1914. It is a partnership between state land grant universities, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the county governments throughout the nation. All of these groups share in the planning, financing, and operation of extension programs. In Florida, the Cooperative Extension Service is administered by the University of Florida.

We provide technical assistance to Hamilton County residents in the following areas:

Commercial Agriculture and Home Horticulture

• Crop and Livestock Recommendations
• Gardening Advice
• Identification of Pests
• Pest Control Recommendations
• Plant Disease Diagnosis
• Restricted-Use Pesticide Training
• Soil Testing Information

Youth Development

• 4-H Club Organization
• 4-H School Enrichment Programs Organization

Community Development

• County Economic Development

Natural Resources

• Forestry
• Water
• Wildlife
• Other Natural Resource
  

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About Hamilton County

We are the only county in Florida that does not physically "touch" the state. We are surrounded on our eastern and southern boundaries with the famous Suwannee River. The Withlacoochee River surrounds us on our western side. We touch Georgia on our northern side.

We produce $14 million worth of agricultural commodities in the county. The forest industry, alone, generates over $9 million in the county annually.

We are the only county in North Florida that has a phosphate mine. This was started by Armand Hammer of the Occidental Corporation in the mid 1960's. Armand Hammer, the famed entrepreneur and millionaire who made his first million by selling pencils to the newly formed Soviet Union in the early 1900's visited the mine many times seeing how his pet project in North Florida was coming along.

Hamilton County is the easternmost county in the state that grows cotton.

Hamilton County was the summer home of Georgia Governor Lamartine G. Hardman (governor during the 1930's). He lived in the Stapleton House in Bellville (Northwestern part of the county). The Stapleton Mansion, restored in the 1990's, is one of the largest and one of the most prominent houses in the county.

Hamilton County has a river in the middle of it called the Alapaha River. It is known as the river of sand. The river is dry most of the year except when it receives a lot of water from Georgia. The river water flows underground to the Suwannee River for approximately 8 miles most of the year.

Jasper was the birthplace of world-renowned civil rights author Lillian Smith (born on December 12, 1897) and lived in Hamilton County until age 17. Her father was the minister of First Methodist Church in Jasper, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. International civil rights book awards are given out in her honor every year.

Hamilton County is the largest producer of flue-cured tobacco in the state. The quality of the tobacco is world-renowned.

White Springs, one of the 3 incorporated towns in the county, was a resort for its curative sulfur water of the White Springs in the late 1800's and early 1900's.  At one time, the town had 19 resort hotels. Today the historic Telford Hotel, built out of native limestone and brick is the only one that remains.

Hamilton County is the home of the one of the oldest established United Methodist churches in the state (Swift Creek Methodist Church founded in the 1820's).

Hamilton County is the second largest producer of field corn in the state(3,500 acres). Over 200 bushels of corn per acre are grown by some growers in the county every year.

We are one of the only counties in north Florida that grows carrots.

Even though Hamilton County is one of the northernmost counties in the state (we touch the Georgia border); it currently has 3 palm tree nurseries.

We have abundant wildlife, forests, and historic sites.

The county has over sixty (60) historic cemeteries. Many Civil War veterans, including some Union soldiers, as well as soldiers from the Indian Wars are buried here.

We are one of the smallest counties in terms of population in the state, we currently have 14,000 residents.

The county grows over 1,500 acres of a wide assortment of vegetables annually.

The county grows 3,500 acres of peanuts annually.

The turpentine industry (sap received from pine trees) was a major enterpise in the county (1800's to 1960).

The county ranks 43rd in the state in the number of beef cattle it has (5,000 head).

The town of Jennings was the home of 3 cotton gins until the early 1900's. The boll weevil and low prices caused cotton production's demise.