Tim Daly is new to Henry County’s extension office, but he isn’t new to the job in general.

Daly spent 16 years with University of Georgia Extension before coming to Henry two months ago. Most of that time was in Gwinnett County, where he was the ANR agent (agriculture and natural resources). He now holds the same position here.

“The work I had [in Gwinnett] was nice and I liked it but this just gave me some new opportunities,” he said. “Some new audiences down here. There is a little more traditional agriculture going on in this county than there was in Gwinnett. They’re growing houses more than anything else up there.”

According to the Extension Office’s website, the goal of the ANR division is to assist and educate local farmers, businesses, homeowners, gardeners and Master Gardener Extension Volunteers with information about plant identification, plant diseases, insect identification, pest control, and soil and water testing. The office offers monthly Lunch & Learn classes, private and commercial pesticide licensing, a weekly farmer’s market, soil and water lab analysis, and consultations with a UGA Agriculture agent.

Daly left UGA in 1987 with a degree in horticulture and spent 13 years in commercial landscaping before going back to graduate school because he “decided I wanted to switch gears and learn something new,” as he put it.

The work of his office varies from county to county. For Daly, in Gwinnett it was a bit more urbanized whereas in Henry there are more things like vegetable farms, cattle and goats. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with the Cattlemen’s Association and really enjoyed that,” he said.

Both counties have water conservation and water quality initiatives, and he has extensive experience in those areas. “Sometimes I work with lakes and ponds trying to reduce water pollution,” he said.

In all, it adds up to finding something different to do nearly every day he goes to work.

Daly’s office works with people of all ages. Recently there have been some programs operating in various county schools, and he is looking forward to seeing more outreach for young people, possibly in conjunction with the existing 4-H program.
While still commuting from his home in southern Gwinnett, he likes what he has seen of Henry County so far.

“I love it down here. It’s a great place,” he said. I joke that it’s twice as far and less than half the traffic.”

But he is learning about his new work surroundings and noting its unique features. It is similar in some ways [to Gwinnett] and different in others,” he said. “Each county’s extension office is different. There are no two of them alike.”