Growing Chatham N.C. Cooperative Extension - Chatham County - March 2023

Join us March 25 for Spring Ag Fest!

Did you know that March 21-27, 2023 is National Agriculture Week?

The Chatham County Spring Ag Fest is the perfect way to celebrate National Agriculture Week!

Congratulations to the Chatham County Horsekateers 4-H Club!

Club members competed at the North Central District 4-H Horse Bowl on Sat., Feb. 11th, 2023, at the Guilford County Extension Center and came away as first-place finishers for both the Senior Division and Junior Division. Led by coaches Mary Dickerson and Ruthy Vorder-Bruegge, all team members placed in the top five of the entire competition. We wish the Senior and Junior teams the best of luck as they move on to the State Contest on March 11th on the campus of NC State University.

Senior Team Members:

1st: Kyra Worth

2nd: Austen Stinson-Miller

3rd: Caleigh Gantt

4th: Victoria Smith

Junior Team Members:

1st: Hannah Oberman

2nd: Grace Matthews

3rd: Claire Stoekel

5th: Brooke Petterson

North Central District 4-H Rabbit Show

4-H North Central District is hosting a rabbit show! What is a rabbit show? Just like dog shows, horse shows, and other animal hobbies, rabbit fanciers benefit by attending regular meetings where they can interact with others in their area of interest. Shows are where you find hobbyists and breeders sharing and comparing the best practices for improving their breeds.

4-H Rabbit and Fitting and Showing Member Guide

Rabbit fitting and showing gives 4-H’ers the chance to compete with other members in their county or from other parts of the state and to be recognized for their accomplishments. In most rabbit shows, the rabbits are judged, not the 4-H’ers. In a fitting and showing contest, however, the judge evaluates exhibitors on the skills they demonstrate and their general knowledge of rabbits. This may include the participant’s knowledge of rabbit breeds, the care and fitting of his or her animal, and its condition, health and nutritional status. The judge also considers each participant’s presentation, attitude and behavior.

CHARTING CLIMATE CAREER PATHWAYS

March is a time of change transitioning from winter to spring, it is also a time to put into action about climate. Learn more about 4H'ers CHARTING CLIMATE CAREER PATHWAYS allows youth to learn about possible careers in the field of climate change.

Skype a Scientist is a website that connects real scientists to the public. It’s an excellent way to meet and talk to real climate change professionals. If this is something that sounds interesting, you can go through the Skype a Scientist website to schedule a meeting with a climate change professional in a science field. Be sure to ask your grownup before signing up, and make sure they are able to help you — participants must be 18 or older to fill out the Skype a Scientist form, so you’ll probably need an adult to do that for you.

How often do the grownups in your life ask what you want to be when you grow up? Ever have trouble coming up with an answer? Maybe a career focusing on climate change is right for you. There are several career pathways you can take to around topics of climate change. From careers in policy making, to clean energy automotive engineering and sustainable agriculture, there are different jobs to match your interests.

Health Rocks!® Poster Contest

We are excited to announce that we are holding a poster contest for any youth that has participated in Health Rocks!® programming this year! There will be 3 categories: OG Poster, Team Effort Poster, and Digital Media. Please share the information with anyone who may be interested. Contact local 4-H Agent, Bobbie McLean, for details.

March is National Craft Month

March is National Craft Month: As the seasons change from winter to spring, March brings with it observances that cover fun foods, educational activities, health awareness, environment causes, and more.

Check out the 4-H crafts below!

Grafted Heirloom Tomato Plant Sale

The Master Gardener℠ volunteers of Chatham County, in partnership with Grafted Growers of Raleigh, NC are launching an online grafted tomato sale while supplies last. Plants are $6 each and you can order now. Plants can be picked up by appointment at the Chatham County Agriculture and Conference Center on April 14th and April 15, 2023.

Extension Gardener Online Course Series

Become a Garden and Landscape Expert! Have you ever wanted to become a garden and landscape expert but don’t have the time or money to go back to college and get the degree? Now you can! NC State Extension Gardener program is proud to offer a fully online, asynchronous Garden and Landscape Course Series. It covers everything from soils to edibles, pests to weeds, herbs to trees, and everything in between. These are NOT Extension Master Gardener℠ certification courses. If you are interested in becoming a Master Gardener volunteer please contact the Extension Master Gardener Coordinator in your county for information on training requirements and volunteer opportunities. These courses include interactive forums, hands-on activities, and presentations from experts around the state.

Troubleshooting Strawberry Problems

The Strawberry Diagnostic Key is an integrated pest management that is a wonderful tool for diagnosing problems with strawberry plants. Check off symptoms that you have seen and narrow the list of potential causes. A great tool for troubleshooting in the garden.

The NC Extension Gardener Handbook has insect and disease prevention and management strategies for strawberries as well as symptoms, causes, and management recommendations. For more information see the NC State Strawberry Portal.

Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Environments Certificate

EARLY CHILDHOOD OUTDOOR LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS CERTIFICATE COURSE is targeted towards early childhood professionals and others interested in improving early childhood outdoor play and learning environments. Learners will gain the skills and knowledge required to plan, manage, promote, organize, and administer high-quality outdoor play and learning environments. The course will also introduce the participatory design process used by the Natural Learning Initiative in childcare settings. Although the primary audience of this program is early childhood professionals, educators working in other settings may be interested as well as technical assistants, extension agents, landscape design professionals, cooperative extension agents, and volunteers working in childcare settings. The overall course objective is to help participants understand how landscape design can support active lifestyles, promote mental health and wellbeing, encourage healthy eating, and motivate learning in, about, and through nature. Participants in this course are NOT expected to have prior experience drafting plans.

Can I plant the Seeds from my fresh produce?

NC FarmLink Connects Farmers to Land

NC FarmLink is a program of NC State Extension that connects farmers, landowners, and service providers across North Carolina, helping to grow the state’s agriculture industry. NC FarmLink maintains databases of available farmland and farmers looking for land, and works with landowners and farmers to ensure an appropriate and lasting match is made.

12th Annual Organic Commodities and Livestock Conference

Carolina Farm Stewardship Association in partnership with NC State will be hosting an all day conference dedicated to organic commodity crops and livestock. Sessions will include research updates, policy forecasts, panel discussions, and networking opportunities.

Honey Bee Vaccine

Beekeepers could soon have a new option for protecting hives from a devastating disease: the first vaccine for insects.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture gave conditional approval to a new product from Georgia biotech company Dalan Animal Health that targets a bacterial disease called American foulbrood.

It’s not a vaccine in the traditional sense — immunity is conferred by treating the queen, meaning no bees will be waiting in line for shots, says David Tarpy, a professor and Extension specialist in apiculture with North Carolina State University.

Call for Vendors at New Siler City Growers & Makers Market

The Siler City Growers & Makers Market is recruiting vendors for the 2023 season. The market is located at 202 W. Third Street in Siler City and is held every Tuesday afternoon from 4:00-7:00 p.m. March through December. The market will open on March 7th and will continue each Tuesday through December. The market opened in the summer of 2022.

ForestHer NC - All About Pollinators! Intro for Springtime

Want to catch the buzz about pollinators? In this introduction we’ll go well beyond honeybees to learn the astonishing diversity of native pollinators and the vital roles they play in healthy ecosystems. We’ll also cover some springtime projects that will help pollinators thrive on your land!

Presenters: Debbie Roos, Extension Agent, Agriculture - Sustainable / Organic Production, NC Cooperative Extension - Chatham County

Mike Dunn, Naturalist Educator

Next Level Marketing Strategies for Local, Niche Meat Businesses

Join NC Choices and industry experts from across the country for a one-day series of workshops focused on better, smarter, faster ways to sell local, niche meat and reach your profit goals. Topics will cover advanced marketing strategies for beef, pork, sheep, and poultry producers.

Last Chance to Schedule a Horse health clinic appointment!

Find your farmer. Fill your freezer.

Find local Chatham County producers by visiting MeatSuite!

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County provides MeatSuite to farmers and consumers in New York as a free service. CCE-TC has now partnered with NC Choices to release MeatSuite in North Carolina as well.

Origins of MeatSuite

Local foods systems provide several advantages. Buying locally strengthens regional economies, supports family farms, and provides delicious, "fresh-from-the-farm" foods for consumers.

This website, created by Cornell Cooperative Extension Agriculture Educators, is designed to increase “freezer trade” (the sale of whole, halves, quarters of animals and bulk bundles of meat). Our goal is to give you the consumer a platform to find a farm that fits your needs and preferences when sourcing locally raised meats. You can search for farms in your neighborhood or by species across the region. You will learn how each farm raises their livestock and about their farming practices; allowing you to choose the meats that meet your family’s wants and needs and, ultimately, Find your Farmer!

This website was made possible through a NE SARE Partnership Grant. SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) is part of the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. SARE offers competitive grants to projects that explore and address key issues affecting the sustainability and future economic viability of agriculture.

Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) is a non-profit community education agency. We are affiliated with Cornell University as part of the national land grant university system started in 1862. The Cornell Cooperative Extension System extends Cornell University's land-grant programs to citizens all across New York State.

North Carolina Beef and Dairy Cattle Identification Program

Protecting NC's agriculture by safeguarding animal health and productivity is vital to the people of NC. As a proactive move, the NCDA has established the Animal Disease Traceability Rule. This rule will not only help trace animals in the event of a disease outbreak but it will position producers to take advantage of many possible export markets. Tags can be used for breeding heifers cows and bulls but NOT for use in feeder cattle. In order to get your FREE RFID tags you must have a Premise ID for your farm.

Milk Safety and the N.C. Dairy Industry

North Carolina’s Fourth Quarter 2022 Standing Timber Prices Update

Dr. Robert Bardon, NCSU Extension & Professor of Forestry & Environmental Resources, noted that North Carolina standing timber prices trended upward in the fourth quarter 2022 for all major pine and hardwood products compared to the third quarter 2022. The upward trend in NC stumpage prices is in line with south-wide averages and seasonal norms.

WOODLAND STEWARDS WEBINAR SERIES:

Wildlife Considerations When Restoring Oak/Pine Woodlands

Tuesday, March 7th - 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Join this webinar to learn more about ways to restore oak/pine woodlands and improve wildlife habitat. Sunlight, overstory retention levels, fire, and vegetation structure and composition influence oak pine woodlands. In this webinar, these factors will be discussed in relation to improving habitat for a variety of wildlife species when restoring oak/pine woodlands. Oak/pine woodlands provide habitat for numerous wildlife species, including the two most popular game species in the Southeast: white-tailed deer and wild turkey.

Speaker: Dr. Craig Harper - Professor & Extension Wildlife Specialist, University of Tennessee School of Natural Resources

NC TREE FARM WEBINAR: Restoring Upland Oak Forests

Thursday, March 9th - 12:00 -1:00 p.m.

Regenerating oak is more of a process than an event. The probability of replacing an existing oak forest with a new one by just cutting it down and letting it grow back is zero or unacceptably low. It takes proper planning and a series of sequenced silvicultural treatments, including prescribed fire, to have any chance of restoring an existing oak forest. This webinar, offered by the N.C. Tree Farm Program, will address how to use a modified oak shelterwood system to restore upland oak and describe the prerequisites and necessary steps for success. The webinar is an introduction to a more intense two-day Restoring Upland Oak Forests field training that the N.C. Tree Farm Program will offer in September.

Presenter: David Halley RF, CF, ACF, Owner, True North Forest Management Services

Continuing Education Credits Offered:

Society of American Foresters - Certified Forester Education (SAF-CFE) - 1 hour Category 1 Credit [Credit applied for]

The Wildlife Society (TWS) - 1 hour TWS Category 1 Credit [credits applied for]

WOODLAND STEWARDS WEBINAR SERIES: Establishing and Managing Open Pine-Hardwood Stands

Tuesday, March 14th - 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Many commonly found natural forest stands are mixed with pines and hardwoods that have developed through forest succession. There are a range of management strategies that can help to establish and maintain open pine-hardwood stands. Learn more about the recommended approaches in this webinar.

Speaker: Dr. David Clabo - Assistant Professor of Silviculture Outreach, University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources

a traditional Irish dish

Colcannon

Have you ever heard of colcannon? Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish that brings mashed potatoes to a new level with a flavor and nutrient boost from cabbage or another leafy green. It’s a fairly quick dish to whip up and will likely be satisfying on a cool March day. While there are several regional variations of this dish, the staple ingredients are potatoes, cabbage or kale, butter and milk. Many recipes, like the one shared here, will add scallions but that’s not a requirement to enjoy colcannon’s simple and nutritious ingredients.

How to prepare Traditional Irish Colcannon

See this step by step video shows you how to create this traditional Irish dish. The recipe that's prepared in the video can be found below.

Eat Seasonally: Root Vegetables

Date: March 2, 2023

Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Topic: Eat Seasonally: Root Vegetables

Early spring in North Carolina means an abundance of root vegetables. Together, we will learn how we can enjoy these local, seasonal, nutritious delights.

This workshop is part of the 2023 "Extension at Home" series, brought to you by a collaboration of N.C. Cooperative Extension Agents. This series will feature a new topic each month related to Family and Consumer Sciences.

The recipes below will be demonstrated in the March "Extension at Home" series.

A 5-Week Series: High Blood Pressure?

High Blood Pressure? Eat to improve your blood pressure, learn cooking tips and skills to help you prepare healthy meals and snacks, and manage stress in a series of classes. We'll meet once a week for 5 weeks.

Each participant will receive weekly vouchers to buy fresh, local food at the Pittsboro Farmers' Market!

In addition to the small group classes with FCS Agent Tara Gregory, a Registered Dietitian, and market vouchers, you will receive kitchen gadgets to practice your new cooking skills.

In the Kitchen with Tara

Scholarships for College

As the class of 2023 starts to announce where they will be going to college, there is a lot of excitement, but many families have to start thinking about how they will pay for college. One option that students should be researching are all the local scholarships that are available.

Scholarships are a convenient way to help pay for your college education, but the whole process can be confusing. How is the money awarded, and what can you spend it on? Scholarships are financial aid awards designed to help students pay for an undergraduate or graduate degree. Sometimes a scholarship is a one-time check. Other school scholarships are renewable and provide money for students each semester or school year.

Scholarships are financial awards which differ from student loans in that they don’t need to be repaid. Some scholarships will give the money directly to the student, in other cases the money is given to the student’s school.

Scholarship Opportunity:

The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Administrative Professionals Association is made up of support personnel for Cooperative Extension, District Administrative Associates, and NC State University and NC A&T State University. We work together to perform community service and promote the efforts of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension.

About the Scholarship: $1,000 available for tuition and /or books for the winner of the state scholarship. The district finalists not chosen for the state scholarship will receive $250. The scholarship is open to students pursuing a college degree (Associate and/or Bachelors) in a business-related field of study or enrolled in a diploma program that results in a degree (Associate or Bachelors). Applicants must be legal residents of North Carolina. All eligible applicants will be considered. The privacy of all applicants will be protected. The application deadline date is March 10, 2023. Please turn in your completed application with all required attachments no later than 4:55pm on March 10, 2023. You can either (1) email brandi_king@ncsu.edu or (2) bring your completed application to the Cooperative Extension office by the deadline date.

I once was lost, but now I'm found

The lyrics from the hymn, "Amazing Grace" best describes the life of the "Kentucky Smokehouse" that is located just behind our offices.

If those smokehouse walls could talk, I can only imagine it saying this:

"Amazing grace how sweet the sound"

"I can hear the sound of sweet voices coming toward me!

"That saved a wretch like me"

"I've been sad and depressed for more years than I can remember. I've been forgotten, and left behind; I'm nothing but weak and unstable timber."

"I once was lost, but now I'm found"

"The trees, weeds, and vines hid me from view. I was now lost on a farm that I once knew."

"Was blind but now I see"

"With the help from the people who were determined to save me, I can now stand strong and once again see the beauty all around me"

Don't miss the Kentucky Smokehouse Dedication during Ag Fest on March 25, 2023!

The long awaited dedication will take place during Ag Fest. The dedication was originally scheduled to be held during Ag Fest 2020, but COVID changed those plans. Come out to Ag Fest to learn why the smokehouse is named the "Kentucky Smokehouse," plus more about its unique history.

Can't join us during Ag Fest but want to know more about the Kentucky Smokehouse? The link below will re-direct you to the Chatham County Historical Society's Preservation Projects page.

Daylight Savings begins March 12th

Just a reminder to move your clocks an hour ahead on March 12th, or in other words, "spring forward."

Daylight Saving Time 101 | National Geographic

"Daylight saving time is the practice of setting the clocks forward one hour during the spring and back again in the fall in order to take advantage of natural daylight. It has both benefits and negative consequences. This video helps you understand all of them." - National Geographic

Resilience: Food for All | Film Screening

March 23rd, 2023 | Raleigh, NC

In celebration of National Agriculture Week, the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners is partnering with Wake County, NC State Cooperative Extension, and the NC State College of Agriculture & Life Sciences to show the award-winning documentary, "Resilience: Food for All," and host a panel discussion with elected officials and local leaders at the James B. Hunt Library on March 23, 2023, to discuss food insecurity. This event is free, open to the public, and will have free locally-sourced food provided for attendees from 5-6 pm.

Resilience is a film that explores the challenges of food access in North Carolina and how heroes from all walks of life, including food growers, community volunteers, and county leaders, are working to strengthen food system resilience in local communities.

5:00 - 6:00 PM - Reception

6:00 - 8:00PM - Film Screening Followed by Panel Discussion

Celebrate Small Farms Week

Each year, Small Farms Week highlights the programs and activities conducted by Cooperative Extension at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University that support limited resource, small-scale, part-time and alternative-enterprise farmers.

Chatham Early Childhood Community Needs Assessment