Liberty County’s own Texas AgriLife Extension Agent, Jason Bowen, is the guest on this week’s episode of Bluebonnet News Headlines and Heartlines. If you’ve ever wondered how to protect your hay crop through a wet winter, what’s new in the 4-H program, or how AgriLife helps families prepare for disasters, this conversation is packed with timely information and local insight.
Bowen began with an issue currently occupying many local farmers and ranchers — hay crops.
“Right now, most of your farmers and ranchers are probably working on their second cutting unless they were unfortunate to work with the weather and they’re still working on their first cutting. But one of the things they need to be doing is trying to make sure that they have everything with a good stable wrap to make for the winter,” Bowen said. “We may have a possible wet winter this year so they want to keep it undercover to keep it fresh and have more nutrients for their animals.”
Another major focus for Bowen is the Liberty County 4-H program, which has been steadily expanding into new areas.
“This year in Liberty County, we’ve kind of opened up a few more things. We’ve actually got a performing arts group that wound up going to state this year. Then we’ve also had some fashion design stuff coming in. Last year we focused a lot on non-traditional 4-H, and this year we’re trying to pull more livestock back in as well and do a couple more things with leadership. We’ve got a lot of fresh interest coming into our 4-H groups,” he explained.
Bowen emphasized that today’s 4-H is about much more than livestock. Students can explore everything from STEM and robotics to art, while still staying connected to the program’s agricultural roots. Membership remains affordable, with annual dues at $25 per student, and Clover Kids programs available for children 8 and younger at an even lower cost.
For families, the benefits go far beyond projects and competitions.
“I’ve had families tell me that when they moved into this area, their 4-H club became their family,” Bowen said. “The kids become so self-networked that they have a better friend base, they learn leadership, they have goals, and just having livestock in their projects alone teaches them responsibility.”
Many may not realize that the Texas AgriLife Extension Service extends well beyond farming and ranching. In addition to crop production, soil health, water conservation, and land stewardship, AgriLife also provides:
- Emergency management resources — including plans for relocating livestock and pets during disasters such as hurricanes and wildfires.
- Nutrition and food safety education — programs that help families make healthier choices and keep food safe.
- Parenting and child development resources — workshops and tools aimed at strengthening families.
Bowen said these programs are designed to serve the broader community, and he looks forward to sharing more about them in a future Headlines and Heartlines podcast.
Bowen shared that one of the most rewarding parts of his work is watching students blossom through 4-H.
“I have seen some of my students that have been very shy, and over the course of a year, actually be able to get out and go in front of people and do speeches. To see that excitement in their face when we’re doing our educational programs at TVE or Cleveland, and to hear them talk about their project — to see them come out of that shell and see the growth they’ve made over a year, it’s amazing.”
From hay fields to 4-H meetings, and from classrooms to disaster planning, Jason Bowen’s work with Texas AgriLife touches nearly every part of life in Liberty County. And there’s more to come as Bowen plans to return in a future episode to dig deeper into AgriLife’s many programs, including nutrition education, food safety, and parenting resources.
To hear the full podcast with Jason Bowen, click this link for Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Ljno4oU94cvE38DZ4xix7?si=c4d43fe532bb4c13
The episode will also air on KILE FM Radio 94.9 on Tuesday, Sept. 30, and Friday, Oct. 3, starting at 10 a.m. To hear the broadcast on your computer, listen live by clicking this link: https://www.kilefm.com/