By Marlee Jackson

Austin Blankenship’s calendar is jam-packed.

The Lawrence County 4-H agent may plant vegetables with Junior Master Gardeners before hopping in a combine to harvest soybeans with his father. He’ll shoot across Moulton to coach the state champion archery team before winding down at a Farmers Federation meeting.

“It’s how my family’s always been,” said Blankenship, 31. “If you see something that needs to be done, do it. I guess whenever you start speaking up and taking on opportunities, other people say, ‘OK, they’re a go-getter. We’ll let them go get.’”

Selfless service, shared through a heartfelt presentation, earned Blankenship the top spot in Alabama Farmers Federation’s Excellence in Agriculture contest. He’ll showcase the thread of agriculture woven through his life in January during the national competition.

Born and raised in Moulton, Blankenship first left north Alabama to study agriscience on the Plains of Auburn University. There, he met countless leaders, including Alabama Extension now-Director Dr. Eve Brantley. She said Blankenship’s cheerful countenance and professionalism remain authentic a decade later.

“Austin is a phenomenal 4-H leader,” Brantley said. “We are so lucky to have him as part of that positive youth development culture. His passion for agriculture really reminds us that the investment we make in people today impacts the future of Alabama agriculture.”

After graduation, Blankenship earned a slot in Extension’s inaugural internship program. He then crafted Extension initiatives in neighboring counties and worked a stint as a soil conservationist for the National Resources Conservation Service clear across the state before receiving a long-awaited call:

The Lawrence County 4-H position was open.

Since March 2025, he’s worked closely with Lawrence County Extension Director Donna Shanklin, who underscored Blankenship’s creativity, compassion and kindness.

“His work may have taken him away from Lawrence County, but he came back to Lawrence County,” she said. “He’s passionate about this place and wants to make it better than it is already. The 4-H motto is ‘To Make the Best Better.’ I feel that’s his mission in life.”

Blankenship’s programs play to students’ passions through the four Hs — head, heart, hands and health. That’s especially evident in 4-H Archery Club, where membership is near capacity and teens learn about conservation, hunter education and the mechanics of shooting a bow.

“Kids learn best when they’re not just sitting at a desk,” he said. “They need to be busy. I like to think if you get your hands dirty, that means you’ve learned something.”

Blankenship is a lifelong learner, too, and has taken on leadership roles in Torchbearers, Lion’s Club and Farm-City.

He credits success to those in his circle, giving special thanks to the Farmers Federation.

“Being involved in Alfa has really helped me grow my leadership skills and my ability to just speak with people,” said Blankenship, who has presented at state and national Ag in the Classroom workshops. “I work with a lot of fourth graders through 4-H, and thinking back to when I was in fourth grade, I never thought I’d be an educator, someone who gets up and speaks in front of crowds. Here I am showing what a testament it is to be invested in by other people.”