This feature ran in the last issue of The Cullman Tribune’s “Community Matters” magazine.
From tending a small home garden to earning a Ph.D. and leading agricultural education efforts across Cullman County, Dr. Kira Sims’ journey in horticulture has come full circle. Today, as director of the Cullman County Extension Office, she channels that lifelong passion into helping others grow, both in their fields and in their communities.
While her “formal” education began in her high school Future Farmers of America (FFA) program, her passion was rooted in family. She gained hands-on experience working in her uncle’s plant nursery and learned the basics of gardening alongside her grandmother, planting her first garden while still in high school.
It was here, even before she knew it, that her future in Extension work was quietly taking root in her life.
“My grandfather was a researcher for Auburn in horticulture and he worked up here at the Cullman experiment station a lot,” Sims recalled. “My grandfather passed when I was little, but when I applied for my current job, my grandmother was thrilled I’d be working in the same county and with some of the same people he did.”
She added, “I still meet people who knew him. It is neat to have that connection.”
That mix of family influence, early hands-on work and classroom exposure propelled her toward Auburn University, where she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in horticulture.
“My father worked at Auburn and my uncle knew a lot of the professors in horticulture because of his business and his time as a student in the Agronomy department,” she shared. “That decision was the only one that made sense. Continuing to graduate school for a master’s degree was mostly because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I knew what I didn’t want to do: mowing grass for the rest of my life. I had an internship with Alabama Extension after graduating, and that started to steer my course into Extension.”
But Sims wasn’t done yet. With plans to one day return to Auburn as a professor and a Ph.D. student position opening up, she decided to take the next step in her academic journey — only to realize the classroom wasn’t where she was meant to stay. “As a graduate student, I taught a few classes and realized that’s also not what I wanted to do the rest of my career,” she said. “I love teaching, but I wanted something that gave me the freedom to teach what and when I wanted. Extension fits that desire.”
She went on to complete her Ph.D. at North Carolina State University, studying under Extension specialist Dr. Katie Jennings, who became one of her most influential mentors. “Dr. Jennings is the reason I came back into Extension,” Sims shared. “She worked to serve the growers in North Carolina. She sought funding, networked, presented — all to better vegetable growers — and she loved it.”
It was during her time in North Carolina that Sims’ experience as an Extension agent truly took hold. The daily work of answering questions, serving her community, and learning how the system functioned from the ground up gave her a deep appreciation for the role — one she continues to carry into her work in Cullman today.
Today, as Cullman County Extension director, Sims leads a program that is as diverse as the people it serves. No two days look the same. “Some days I’m in my office writing articles or creating flyers, taking phone calls or helping walk-in clients. Other days I’m teaching a class, helping with a community event or going to 4-H Summer Camp,” she explained. “This job gives me the opportunity to teach, to network and to serve. When I think back on other jobs or roles I’ve enjoyed, those three things were always present.”
That variety and the type of role she plays also bring great responsibility. A part of Alabama Extension’s mission is all about “taking the university to the people,” something Sims fully believes in. “It’s not just about growing gardens; it’s about ensuring families and farmers alike have access to trustworthy, research-backed knowledge. There is a lot of misinformation out there, primarily on the internet,” she said. “Extension is that connection between solid information and the people who need it. I am certain we have saved lives when we tell people how to properly preserve their produce, and most certainly have saved people money when we advise them on their soil reports, plant problems and financial matters in the home. The researchers do a great job, something I have been a part of before, but what they do doesn’t matter if we aren’t here to help apply that knowledge.”
Dr. Sims in one of her natural habitats, teaching and leading from the front of the classroom (Cullman County Alabama Extension)
But according to Sims, the Extension’s strength lies in hands-on learning. Whether teaching Master Gardeners or working with 4-H students, she makes sure people don’t just hear about the work, they experience it for themselves. “Most people are visual learners. If they can see it, hear it, do it, they get it,” she said. “I can tell someone how to prune all day long, but until they get out there and cut on that rose bush themselves, they don’t fully understand. Youth are the same way — they need to grow the sweet potatoes and watermelons to realize the reward of harvesting the fruits of their labor.”
Through those kinds of lessons, Sims has seen students grow in confidence and skill year after year, especially through programs like the 4-H Outdoor Adventure Club. After two years together, Sims was amazed at how much the students had grown. “They could start a fire on their own, unload and load our kayak trailer with little instruction, could take the lead on hikes and worked as a team to set up the tents,” Sims shared. “I was so proud of them and how much their skills had advanced. It makes me excited to start the club over next year, bring on new members and watch them grow, then let the old members help teach.”
While horticulture and agriculture remain core pillars of the Extension, Sims emphasized that the mission stretches much further. “Extension has something for everyone,” she said. “We’re known for our farm and garden information and our work with 4-H, but we also have resources in health and nutrition, personal finance, food preservation, family and child development, business and community development. Our information is true, backed by science and it’s free. We are the experts, and we are here to serve Alabama.”
But beyond the technical expertise, Sims hopes her students and the Cullman community see something deeper. “I hope the people I work with see kindness and a servant’s heart,” she said. “But I also hope they see reality and practicality. Everything doesn’t need to be sugar coated; in life, we have to make hard decisions and we have to do hard things. When they have to act in those hard moments, I hope they choose to do so out of humility and think of others first.”
Now several years into her leadership role, Sims sees a bright future for Cullman County Extension. “As I settled into my role, which one can only say after being in Extension for at least three years, I look forward to strengthening the partnerships we currently have and seeking new ones that have been on my radar,” she said. “I have a fantastic staff, and I want to offer them opportunities to develop and grow — both within themselves and their programs.”
For Sims, the path that began in a small garden with her grandmother has fully bloomed. What started as a personal passion for plants has grown into a lifelong calling to serve others through education, outreach and community connection. “Extension allows me to do all the things I love — teach, serve and build relationships,” she said. “And every day, I get to see the impact it makes right here in Cullman County.”
