Extension Agent Ralph Blalock is set to retire Sept. 1, after more than 26 1/2 years working within Edgecombe County.

As a livestock agent who began working here in January 1982, Blalock, 55, said Edgecombe "has been an awful good county to work in."

Blalock will be the first of three retirements that'll reshape the county's Extension Service. On Oct. 1, Extension agents Connie Sherrill and Joe Dickens will take their 60-plus years of experience with them into retirement.

Before he headed back east to Edgecombe, Blalock spent three years as an Extension agent in Western North Carolina in Catawba County, from 1978-81. In his early 20s, the Wilson County native had a year's experience managing a herd of cattle. It was that experience and know-how with cattle, that caught the attention of his future boss when they went to college together at N.C. State University.

James Pearce, who retired in November as the county's Extension director, said when he met Blalock at N.C. State, "I could tell then that he was somebody who was gonna be really good at either raising livestock or helping people with livestock."

Pearce said that because of his skills sizing up and judging livestock, Blalock's expertise "is particularly sought after" by people from across the southeastern United States and beyond.

"There's a certain amount of confidence for being able to give reasons on the spur of the moment as they have to do in livestock. It takes an awful lot of maturity and poise, and that's something you don't see a lot of," Pearce added about the unique qualities he sees in Blalock's abilities as an Extension agent.

And when it came to helping clients in Edgecombe and beyond, Pearce said that Blalock was not bound by a schedule.

"He started out many days at daylight, finished many days until the wee hours. He made himself available to the livestock owners when they needed him, not just during office hours," Pearce said.

"He certainly was proof that Edgecombe County citizens and North Carolina got a lot more than what they paid for. It's been a real honor to work with Ralph."

Blalock said that he took on 28 credit hours his last semester in college in 1978, so that he could get his degree as fast as possible and start to work.

"I made the Dean's List that semester, actually," he added about the time he took on the exceptional course load.

Blalock also spent all of his career in Edgecombe working with the youth in 4-H animal and livestock judging, including current Extension Director Art Bradley.

Bradley said that it was through 4-H that "I really got to know Ralph. He's always been extremely helpful with kids, teaching them about animals and developing their skills.

"A lot of the Edgecombe kids have gone on to the state level for those competitions" in judging different types of livestock, thanks to Blalock's efforts, Bradley added.