Cleburne County extension agent honored for work
Cleburne County extension agent honored for work
Michelle Mobley wears many hats in her job with the Cleburne County Cooperative Extension Service, which is part of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. But it’s her role as adviser to the Cleburne County Master Gardeners that has won her special recognition.
Mobley, 41, was named State Master Gardener Agent of the Year for programs with 50 members or fewer. This honor was announced during the 2018 State Master Gardener Conference, which took place May 31 through June 2 at the Fort Smith Convention Center. Mobley is also the staff chair and county agent for agriculture in the local extension-service office.
“I was surprised by the honor,” Mobley said. “I did know in advance, but I was not able to attend the state conference. I was with our 4-H team that was competing at the 2018 Mid-America Grassland Evaluation Contest in Springfield, Missouri.
“They won it all … overall champion … winning over both FFA and 4-H teams from five states, including
Alice George ON MICHELLE MOBLEY, THE STATE MASTER GARDENER AGENT OF THE YEAR
Arkansas, West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio and Missouri,” she said. “I am extremely proud of them.”
Mobley, who coaches the 4-H team, said members of the team include Stephen and Luke Wilson, Spencer Beavers and Macenna Maciel, who are all home-schooled students.
“I am a gardener, too,” she said, laughing. “While I am the county Master Gardener agent, I am also involved in agriculture and livestock projects,” she said. “When you are in a small office like this, you wear many hats.
“I do like my job. I like people in the area and learning something new nearly every day. I love my Master Gardeners. They work very hard.”
Sharon Reynolds of Conway, Cooperative Extension Service district director for the 25 Ozark-region counties in Northwest Arkansas, which include Cleburne County, said, “Michelle epitomizes the University of Arkansas’ Division of Agriculture mission to strengthen agriculture, communities and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Clientele in Cleburne County consistently tell me that Michelle is very dedicated
Doesn’t matter if you are young, old or in-between; she is there to teach and help you to learn.”
to helping them. She is a valuable member of our Cleburne County Extension team.”
Alice George of Higden, a longtime member of the Cleburne County Master Gardeners program, calls Mobley “the go-to person in Cleburne County.”
“Doesn’t matter if you are young, old or in-between, she is there to teach and help you to learn about landscaping and gardening,” George said. “She teaches the science and art of gardening. She works to educate the young on horticulture by being in the schools working with Junior Master Gardeners, 4-H’ers and FFA students.
“Even if we are only a small part under her umbrella, she keeps us covered and makes MGs feel we are important to the county and to each other,” George said.
Cleburne County Master Gardeners President Mary Howard, also of Higden, said Mobley is “our superwoman agent.”
Mobley said the Cleburne County Master Gardeners currently have 13 projects, including maintaining a greenhouse, as well as plant beds at the Cleburne County Courthouse, Quitman City Hall, Heber Springs City Hall, the Greers Ferry Lake Welcome sign, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers parks and the Cleburne County Library. The group also has an annual plant sale and works at the Cleburne County Fair and with Junior Master Gardeners at Westside School in Greers Ferry.
“They are a busy group,” Mobley said.
Mobley grew up in Batesville, a daughter of Ronny and Barbara Sweet.
“I used to be Sweet before I married,” she said, laughing. “My mom was a Payne until she married.
“I have two sisters — Ronda Griffis of Cushman and Jennifer Sinele of Batesville. We all have some kind of unusual name. My name is not too unusual, unless you consider my middle name — Lea, which is not a common spelling.”
Mobley graduated from Batesville High School in 1995. She graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental soil and water sciences, with a minor in agronomy. In 2001, she received a master’s degree in agriculture from the U of A.
“I was undecided about my major for the first two years. I took all the tests to see what I might be suited for,” Mobley said.
“All I knew was that I wanted to be outside. Agriculture had always been a little part of my life, so I went in that direction. I took a soil and water sciences class and decided that’s what I wanted to major in,’” she said.
“By the time I graduated in 1999, I was married, and my husband, Luke, had taken a job in Alabama. I got a job as a county agent with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. I was an urban horticulture agent in Tuscaloosa County for six years. I worked with innercity projects, community gardens and other things more specialized for urban settings. I worked with minorities, atrisk youth and the elderly,” Mobley said.
“I loved that job. I got to work with so many different groups, but I wanted to come home,” she said.
“Luke is from Newark,” she said. “We were high school sweethearts. We got married in 1999, one month after I graduated from college.
“I moved back to Arkansas, and Luke, who is in agriculture, too, stayed in Alabama until we could sell our house there. We kept two houses for five years. He was there, and I was here. He’s an auctioneer and worked for a company there.”
Luke Mobley now has his own business — Mobley Auction Service. He provides professional auction services for real estate auctions, registered livestock auctions, equipment and machinery auctions, and estate auctions, as well as benefit and charity auctions. He also builds websites for ranchers and farmers and is a Realtor.
Michelle Mobley began her extension career in Cleburne County in 2008, when she was hired as the agriculture agent for the county. She has been staff chair for five years and currently oversees a staff of three: Sarah Metzger, a county agent who specializes in family and consumer sciences; Tracy Fall, a part-time program assistant for 4-H; and Lydia Guffey, the administrative assistant.
“I am the Master Gardener agent,” Mobley said.
Mobley is especially busy these days getting ready for the Cleburne County Fair, which will be held Sept. 4-8 at the fairgrounds in Heber Springs.
“I will be helping students who are showing livestock,” she said. “I am also involved in preparing the fair tabloid, which we sell as a fundraiser. I will help with the 4-H talent show and the 4-H Teen Leaders Club, whose members help with the talent show.
As staff chair, Mobley also speaks on agriculture awareness to various groups in the county and presents agriculture seminars and demonstrations. She helps with the community garden as well.
The Mobleys recently moved from Heber Springs to their farm in Batesville, where they have a small cow-calf operation.
Mobley said she welcomes calls from prospective Master Gardeners. For more information, call the Cleburne County Cooperative Extension Service office at (501) 362-2524.