Back in 1936 Mr. J. G. Rossman, known as “Mr. Joe”, began by helping a nearby beekeeper, gaining knowledge and experience about bees. Mr. Joe formed a partnership, Rossman & Long, with a gentleman from Ohio who brought his bees each year to winter in South Georgia and supplied customers in the northern states with packaged bees and queens for use in the production of honey. In 1952 the partnership was severed and the business became known as Rossman Apiaries. In the late sixties the company was incorporated by Fred and Phillip Rossman. Mr. Joe has since passed away, and Phillip has retired. Fred and his wife Ann now own and operate the business. In 1987 they expanded to the manufacturing and selling of bee supplies. Fred and Ann Rossman took over the business in 1987 becoming the premiere choice for many Apiaries. Fred's expertise in manufacturing and supplying Cypress Wooden ware and Ann's ability to speak with customers about their beekeeping needs set the path for future owners. Fred and Ann have both retired; however, they left the business in great hands. Rossman Apiaries continues to spread knowledge and quality resources to aspiring beekeepers.

Lindy grew up in Mitchell County, Georgia- Perry in Thomas County. Perry was a banker for 20+ years and then a cattleman for 25+ years. In 2015 when Lindy retired from a federal law enforcement career spanning 30+ years, they decided to return to their roots in Mitchell and Thomas counties, where they own two small farms. Part of their plan was to bring their farms back to life, so to speak, and give back to their communities through the development of alternative niche, yet sustainable agricultural commodities. After researching everything from pomegranates to persimmons and lychee to crawfish, they decided citrus was the best fit for them and a commodity that would stimulate growth in Georgia’s agricultural economy. Lindy and Perry planted a commercial citrus grove in Thomas County and a test plot in Mitchell County. They now sell fresh farm-grown Satsuma oranges, seedless tangerines, lemons, grapefruit, navels, mandarins, blood oranges, thornless limes, and kumquats to the public right off their homestead called JoNina Farm near Ochlocknee, Georgia. In addition, Lindy and Perry started Georgia Grown Citrus LLC, (GGC), a commercial tree nursery hub partnering with four other commercial nurseries which propagate citrus trees for sale to commercial growers and homeowners. Among the available varieties GGC sells is the University of Georgia’s patented seedless, cold hardy citrus varieties found on the Specialties tab. Over the last six years, citrus has become the primary topic of table discussions with family and friends. As we continue to grow our website and our business, we will be introducing you to our family members and friends in the business, so come back to visit us often.

Our Impact Making A Difference in Our County University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is working hard for its constituents. The following are examples of Extension’s impact in the county over the past year. THOMAS COUNTY 4-H AT A GLANCE The Thomas County 4-H Program is grounded in the belief that young people learn best by doing. In our county, 4-H members complete hands-on projects in areas like civic engagement, agriculture and health and science, in a positive environment where they receive guidance from adult volunteers and mentors and are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles. Thomas County 4-H’ers are fortunate because they can concentrate on one focus area of their choice or they can try a variety of programs throughout their 4-H experience. Through participation in Georgia 4-H Project Achievement, 4-H’ers choose a project area of interest, research that topic, then write and present to a group of their peers. Through this experience, 4-H’ers develop public speaking, leadership, record keeping and many other skills. This opportunity empowers young people with skills that will last a lifetime. Challenging, encouraging, exploring and discovering is what the Thomas County 4-H Program is all about. AGRICULTURE: Sydni's Ag Update Sydni’s Ag Update is a radio program conducted by the Thomas County Extension Ag and Natural Resources Agent which airs on WPAX/WTUF, Georgia’s third oldest radio station which has been on air since 1922. This program covers agricultural news and information for growers, agribusinesses, and the general public. There is so much agricultural news for the public to sift through that there should be an unbiased voice for the community to hear. There are also nearly 300 licensed pesticide applicators in Thomas County who are presumably directly involved in the production of an agricultural product. With 44,451 Thomas County residents, this means that less than one percent are directly involved in production agriculture. Growers, agribusinesses, and community leaders need timely information on various topics in order to make critical management decisions. Radio reaches over 95% of almost every portion of the population, making it a far-reaching educational opportunity. To increase agricultural awareness through the radio program, the agent worked with Chris Hurst, one of the radio station employees at WPAX/WTUF to produce these programs. Currently the program reaches throughout several counties in South Georgia and North Florida and represents a total Farm Gate value of $1,388,215,194. From its start in April of 2019, the relationship grew and so did UGA Extension’s reach within the area. Since that time FACS and ANR have been able to share programs weekly. Sydni’s Ag Update has had an estimated audience of 20,000 listeners each week.