Growing Chatham N.C. Cooperative Extension ~ Chatham County ~ April 2023

How was the Chatham County Spring Ag Fest? We want to hear from you!

Did you make it out to Pittsboro for the Chatham County Spring Ag Fest this year? We hope you did! We had a wonderful time with community members in between the spring showers and beautiful sunshine during the afternoon. The Spring Ag Fest is a celebration of Chatham County’s agriculture, forestry, and natural resources. Visitors enjoyed over 75 indoor and outdoor exhibits highlighting local farms, farmers’ markets, sustainable agriculture, agricultural support and advocacy, agribusiness, beekeeping, livestock, forestry, green industry, wildlife, conservation, and much more. Visitors enjoyed watching several events at the Livestock Arena, including a Parade of Breeds for Beef and Dairy Cattle and Sheep and Goats, a barrel racing demonstration, and games for the kids.

This event was made possible by the collaborative efforts of the Chatham County Center of N.C. Cooperative Extension, Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center, Chatham County Farm Bureau, Chatham County Government, Chatham County Soil & Water, Farm Service Agency, and the NC Forest Service.

To help us plan for future events, please take a couple of minutes to provide feedback by accessing the survey link below.

Chatham County 4-H Achievement Celebration

On Saturday, March 4, 2023, Chatham County 4-H held their annual 4-H Achievement Celebration at the Chatham County Agriculture and Conference Center. This year’s theme, “4-H Grows Here,” truly represents the unique and diverse programs that 4-H offers for youth and adults to grow and expand. The celebration was the first in-person awards ceremony since 2019 due to the pandemic. We were excited to have this year’s Awards Celebration in person! A self-serve deli style luncheon was provided by The Old Place Catering with the generous support of the local United Way.

This year, we were able to celebrate the accomplishments of four of our clubs/teams: Clover Creators, Horsekateers, Leatherworks, and the Youth Livestock Judging Team. Each club leader was honored and recognized, for their years of service and dedication, with a plaque. Leatherworks leaders Ric Harber - 1 year, Robert Bergmueller - 5 years, and Linda Bergmueller - 4 years; Clover Creator leaders Lindsay Shore-Wright - 5 years and Jazmin Mendosa-Sosa - 5 years; and Horsekateers leaders Mary Dickerson - 16 years, Ruthy Vorder-Bruegee - 4 years, Scott Dickerson - 16 years, Lisa Dickerson - 4 years, and Laura Dickerson - 4 years.

Award winners and accomplishments for the 2022 4-H year were phenomenal! Monetary awards were presented to youth who participated in the North Central District Activity Day in Wilkes County and the NC State Presentations Competition in Raleigh. For their efforts, members received monetary awards ranging from $50-$100.

4-H Points of Success was used again this year for members to be recognized for their work in 4-H. Points ranged from 190 to 2150! Members received certificates and “clover bucks,” ranging from $10 to $30, in which they can redeem for 4-H registrations and activity fees associated with Chatham County 4-H programs, pins, medals, and trophies.

Project Record Books/Portfolios county winners received ribbons for their efforts. Their books were sent to the state where they will be judged along with other NC 4-H member PRB and portfolio entries.

Also recognized were our 4-H graduating and aged out members including the following: Samantha Durham, Caleigh Gantt, Santos Vazquez Quiquivix , Lilly Webster, Jaydn Clark, and Hannah Williams.

We were honored to have our North Central District Teen Advisors Meredith Kreeger and Sarah Maddry, along with Alex Pope, our District Vice-President and Emily Gobble, our District Secretary/Treasurer, join us for the day. In addition, Arleth Chavez-Juarez served as a translator for the day's festivities.

The celebration ended with each member receiving a 4-H Chatham County water bottle as a gift.

Chatham County 4-H County Activity Day Coming in May!

Chatham County Activity Day is an opportunity for All 4-H youth ages 5-18 to share their talents and interests. This is a competition learning experience that starts at the county level and continues up to the state level, for ages 8 and up, and to the national level in some categories. Those who want to compete at the district level must participate in our County Activity Day where they will experience what district competition is like, receive feedback on their presentations, and meet other youth in our county. Youth are encouraged to prepare an oral presentation with a visual aid such as a PowerPoint, trifold/poster, or prop, and will need to speak for 5-12 minutes in front of a panel of judges. County Activity Day also showcases participants entered in 4-H Entertains. Youth are encouraged to showcase any talent such as performing arts (singing, dancing, or playing an instrument), handmade crafts, clothing and fashion, cooking, pets, and photography! Youth participants will need to review the categories, listed on the registration form, and signup for the topic that looks most interesting to them.

Deadline is May 1, 2023

Save-the-Date: 2023 4-H Summer Camp Registration Opens in April

Day and residential camp opportunities are coming to Chatham County 4-H once again this summer! We’re excited to offer these fun educational learning opportunities from June through August, and thanks to the continued generous support of the United Way of Chatham County, need-based scholarships will be offered to community members on a first come, first serve basis to assist with registration fees for county- and state-level camps. Registration will occur through 4-HOnline, so if you haven’t yet enrolled (or re-enrolled) in 4-H for the 2023 programming year, please do so now! Check out our 4-HOnline Resource Page for more information.

North Central District 4-H Rabbit Show Registration Due April 6th

The 2023 North Central District 4-H Rabbit Show will be held on Saturday, May 6, at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Cattle Barn. Check-in will begin at 10:30am, and the show will begin at the conclusion of the poultry show. Youth must provide their own rabbit and register before April 6th. A $5 registration fee will be due.

Spring Semester 4-H School Enrichment Programs

Spring Semester 4-H School Enrichment Programs begin in classrooms all across Chatham County during the month of April. Stay tuned to see updates from local educators and students participating in the 4-H Embryology Program and 4-H Butterfly Project for 2023!

4-H Horsekateers Volunteer Club Leader Selected for the NC 4-H 2022 Young Alumni Award

Ruthy Vorder-Bruegge (middle right) was selected as a recipient of the NC 4-H 2022 Young Alumni Award! This award recognizes her “outstanding contribution to 4-H, our community, and the next generation of leaders in North Carolina.”

Ruthy embodies the core spirit of 4-H! As a 4-Her, she participated in just about every opportunity that 4-H had to offer. She currently acts as the co-leader of the Chatham County 4-H Horsekateers and has dedicated countless hours to the club’s programming and the NC 4-H horse program as a whole. She is an amazing teacher, mentor, and role model who inspires kids to get involved in the 4-H Horse Program Educational Contests. We are very proud to have her as one of our most dedicated volunteer leaders.

2023 NC State 4-H Horsebowl Champions Crowned

The 2023 NC State 4-H Horsebowl Contest was held on March 11, 2023, in conjunction with the State Hippology Contests. One hundred and thirty-three youths competed on a total of 30 teams in the Junior, Senior, and Mixed divisions. In addition, 16 Cloverbud youth, ages 5-7, completed four rounds of play. Sponsors for this year’s contest were the North Central and Southeast District 4-H Horse Councils, and the Wake County 4-H Horse Program.

Senior team honors went to the undefeated team from Chatham county. Team members Kyra Worth, Austen Stinson-Miller, Victoria Smith, Caleigh Gantt, and Lily Webster combined to score 136 points throughout the day. Chatham county volunteer leader Ruth Vorder Bruegge coached the team. Kyra Worth repeated as the high-scoring individual in the Senior Division.

Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program

Extension Master Gardener℠ volunteers work with NC State Extension to provide gardeners with unbiased, science-based information on sustainable garden, lawn, and landscape practices. Under the guidance of N.C. Cooperative Extension Agents, volunteers complete an intensive (but fun), hands-on training program, pass an examination, and complete a 50 hour internship with N.C. Cooperative Extension in Chatham County. To remain active in the program volunteers must log a minimum of 30 hours of volunteer service and 10 hours of continuing education each year. To help you decide if you should apply to become an Extension Master Gardener volunteer, consider these questions: Do I want to learn more about growing many types of plants? Am I eager to participate in a practical and intense training program? Do I look forward to sharing my knowledge with people in my community? Do I have enough time to attend training sessions and to serve as a volunteer? No previous training is necessary to become an Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, just a passion for gardening and a desire to volunteer in your community.

Central North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs

Central North Carolina is a wonderful place to garden. Almost any type of vegetable or fruit can be grown successfully provided you choose appropriate varieties and plant at the right time. The climate, the season, and potential pests all affect the selection of what and when to plant.

Extension Gardener Webinar:

Warm Season Vegetable Gardening 101

Date: April 18, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Webinar will be recorded if you cannot attend live.

Vegetable crops are classified as either ‘warm-season’ or ‘cool-season’ according to their optimum planting time. Warm-season crops are generally planted after the last frost in spring and harvested by the first freeze in autumn, but vary in the specific horticultural practices needed for optimum production. Join Matt Jones (Extension Horticulture Agent) for a webinar targeting home and community gardeners on how to grow warm-season vegetables. Participants will learn about the basics of vegetable gardening, including site selection, types of beds, and fertility management. We will also cover planting techniques, best varieties, common problems, and harvesting methods for cucumbers, okra, peppers, eggplant, southern peas, and tomatoes.

This workshop is part of the Extension Gardener series of workshops that are open to everyone. It is also part of the Extension Master Gardener℠ program. More information about becoming a Master Gardener volunteer in Chatham County.

31 Farms on the 26th Annual Piedmont Farm Tour

Date: April 22-23, 2023

The 26th annual Piedmont Farm Tour will be Saturday and Sunday, April 22-23, from 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. both days. Once a year these scenic and sustainable farms in Alamance, Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Johnston, Orange, Person, and Wake Counties open to the public to raise awareness of local agriculture and raise funds for Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA).

The farm tour is a great opportunity for kids, foodies, locavores, gardeners, new or aspiring farmers, locals, and visitors to connect with our farmers and gain a better understanding of what it takes to produce vegetables, fruits, meats, flowers, local foods, and value-added products that we all enjoy purchasing at local farmers’ markets.

This year’s farm tour features 31 farms, eight of which are on the tour for the first time.

Queen Rearing Workshop for Beekeepers

The North Carolina State Beekeepers' Association (NCSBA) is offering a Queen Rearing Workshop on April 22 in Greenville, NC.

The workshop features an instructional format complemented with demonstration and hands-on practice. Classroom instruction will be held to familiarize the students with the components and processes employed for cell building and mating colony management. Live bees and the specialized colonies used to raise queens will be on site for demonstration, inspection and instruction. The students will be able to examine colonies that are actively producing cells or laying queens. Grafting instruction will include hands-on practice with live honey bee larvae. The Born and Bred team has published a detailed instructional manual that covers every step of the queen rearing process.

Recording of ForestHer Webinar:

All About Pollinators

The March 16 ForestHer Webinar was All About Pollinators! Close to 200 NC landowners attended the live webinar to hear Chatham County Sustainable Agriculture Agent Debbie Roos and Naturalist Educator Mike Dunn talk about the diversity of pollinators, their role in the ecosystem, spring blooms and spring chores to help pollinators, and all about the importance of caterpillars to our ecosystem. This was the first of three webinars about Pollinators.

View a recording of this webinar and all past ForestHer webinars on the ForestHer YouTube channel.

She Farms Apex Tour April 15

Seven women-owned farms in Apex are opening their doors to visitors from 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. on Saturday April 15, 2023.

Participating farms include Farrells Creek Farm, Jordan Lake Christmas Tree Farm, Pack House Farm, Sun Star Farm School, Jean’s Neighborhood Market, Cloer Family Vineyards, and Apex Flower Farm. Visitors will see freshly picked berries and flowers, produce, outdoor experiences, farm school, Christmas trees, vineyards, and more.

The Shepherd Boot Camp Recap

The Shepherd Boot Camp just finished up on March 10th. This program was for beginning sheep and goat farmers and consisted of a online training and a demo day. Topics discussed and practiced were hoof trimming, lambing and kidding, terminology, fecal egg count testing, restraint, halters and tying, and ear tagging and the FAMACHA©, which is a system that aids in selective deworming, minimizing the use of dewormers and slowing the rate of drug resistant parasite population development. After the participants completed the online training, they attended a demo day on March 10th at the NC A&T Pavilion to learn more and practice the skills they learned.

WOLFPACK ROUNDUP

Pasture Weed ID Workshop:

Location: Chatham County Ag Center

1192 US 64 West Business

Pittsboro, NC 27312

Producer Pastureland Ecology Webinar Series

Women's Tractor & Truck/Trailer Workshop

N.C. Eggs

Did you know the average North Carolinian consumes more than 250 eggs per year? Check out this video to learn more about eggs and their many uses

Exercise Caution When Burning Yard Debris

The N.C. Forest Service is urging residents to practice caution and prioritize safety when burning yard debris. Spring weather draws people outdoors to work in their yards and many choose burning as a method to dispose of leaves and other yard debris. March through May can be peak months for wildfire activity across the state, and fires left unattended can spread quickly.

For those who choose to burn, the N.C. Forest Service recommends the following tips:

• Consider alternatives to burning. Some types of debris, such as leaves, grass and stubble, may be of more value if they are not burned but used for mulch instead.
• Check local burning laws. Some communities allow burning only during specified hours. Others forbid it entirely.
• Make sure you have a valid permit. You can obtain a burn permit at any N.C. Forest Service office or authorized permitting agent, or online at www.ncforestservice.gov/burnpermit.
• Keep an eye on the weather. Don’t burn on dry, windy days.
• Local fire officials can recommend a safe way to burn debris. Don’t pile vegetation on the ground. Instead, place it in a cleared area and contain it in a screened receptacle away from overhead branches and wires.
• Household trash must be hauled away to a trash or recycling station. It is illegal to burn anything other than vegetative material.
• Be sure you are fully prepared before burning. To control the fire, you will need a hose, bucket, steel rake and a shovel for tossing dirt on the fire. Keep a phone nearby, too.
• Never use kerosene, gasoline, diesel fuel or other flammable liquids to speed up debris burning.
• Stay with your fire until it is completely out.
• These same tips apply to campfires and grills as well. Douse burning charcoal briquettes or campfires thoroughly with water. Drown all embers, not just the red ones. When soaked, stir the coals and soak them again. Make sure everything is wet and that embers are cold to the touch. If you do not have water, mix enough dirt or sand with the embers to extinguish the fire, being careful not to bury the fire. Never dump hot ashes or coals into a wooded area.
• In addition to the rules above, a fire line should be plowed around the area to be burned when burning agricultural residue and forestland litter. Large fields should be separated into small plots for burning one at a time. Before any burning in a wooded area, contact your NCFS county ranger for technical advice on burning.

Forestry and Natural Resources Webinar:

NEW PESTS, NEW PROBLEMS

Non-native insects are a major forest health threat across the U.S. These pests can easily be moved through infested materials, and due to global trade and travel, they continue to spread across the southeast. Recently, two new pests have been found in North Carolina: the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula), discovered in June 2022, and the elm zigzag sawfly (Aproceros leucopoda), discovered in August 2022. Both species originate from parts of Asia and can now be found in several states across the U.S. Spotted lanternfly is a phloem feeder that causes damage to agricultural and ornamental plant species. Elm zigzag sawfly is a defoliator that targets elm species. What challenges will these invasive pests cause across the southeast? In this webinar, Dr. Kelly Oten will discuss these new pests and the problems they may cause.

Date: April 26, 2023

Time: 1:00 p.m.

Presenter: Dr. Kelly Oten (NCSU Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist)

Missed a recent Woodland Stewards webinar?

In the spirit of tax season, perhaps you want to catch up on the Forest Tax Webinar Series?

Wildfire Risk Reduction Success Story: Anderson Creek Park, Harnett County

NCFS Harnett County Ranger Buren Fulmer discusses wildfire activity, the local longleaf pine ecosystem and the role prescribed fire has played in wildfire risk reduction and ecological restoration for Anderson Creek Park and the surrounding area.

Learn About Food at Your Library

These classes are made possible by a food literacy grant from the State Library of North Carolina and are in partnership with Chatham County Public Libraries. The Chatham County Public Health Department is also offering a variety of classes about food through June 2023 as well. Please see the library websites and Facebook groups for more details (Wren Memorial Library in Siler City; Goldston Public Library in Goldston; Chatham Community Library in Pittsboro)

Home Food Preservation Classes

Spring is just around the corner, and with spring comes an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables!

Have you ever wanted to learn how to preserve your abundance? Just interested in food preservation as a hobby? Either way, we’ve got you covered.

Starting in April, N.C. Cooperative Extension will have a variety of home food preservation classes available to you.

A team of family and consumer science agents from our region have teamed up to offer a series of free online home food preservation classes covering the following topics: Introduction to Canning, Water Bath Canning, Pressure Canning, Freezing, Sweet Spreads, and Fermentation. See details below.

In the time frames between these online classes, Family and Consumer Science agents Tara Gregory and Elisa Phillips (Alamance County) will be offering hands-on workshops, for beginners, in Alamance and Chatham counties that correspond to the online classes. We encourage you to attend the corresponding online class if you plan to attend an in-person workshop.

See the flyer for details on location and cost.

Challenges of Adjusting and Living on a Fixed Income

Join FCS Agents Shameca Battle (Guilford County) and Sonya Patterson (Caswell County) as they guide you through the challenges of adjusting and living on a fixed income.

April is Financial Literacy Month

Financial Literacy Month is meant to be an educational experience and a personal challenge. It is an excellent time to take a moment to look over your finances and find ways to improve one’s financial knowledge. It is also a time for us to take a good look at our finances and reflect on the state that our personal finances are in (and try to find ways to improve them). It is never too late to learn about saving and improving your financial situation. One of the goals of the National Financial Literacy Month is to encourage people to find the weaknesses in their financial plan and find ways to improve them for the future: develop budgets, increase financial knowledge, and learn about saving programs. These are just a few different ways to improve their finances.

A few topics to reflect on:

• Identifying needs vs. wants
• Tracking spending habits
• Exploring checking and savings accounts
• Creating a budget and savings plan
• Exploring the true cost of credit card use
• Critically thinking about media and advertising in marketing and financial promotions

Take advantage of free resources to increase your financial literacy:

These programs can can help you enhance your financial skills through interactive games, podcasts, and game-based learning with separate tracks for adults and teenagers.

1979

4-H

You Light Up My Life

&

the BloodMobile

Remember 1979? Debbie Boone's 1977 hit song, You Light Up My Life, was still a popular song two years later. On April 26, 1979, the song was performed live, but not by Debbie Boone. Helen and Deann White performed their version of this song during the Annual 4-H talent show. I wonder if there's a recording? What was so special about this song? Not only was it still popular, the 4-H'ers were also kicking off their Red Cross Bloodmobile Event. What better way to "Light Up My Life" or someone else's life by donating blood? That's exactly what these 4-H'ers did! These kids planned and promoted the Red Cross Bloodmobile blood drive throughout the month of May, but did anyone donate blood? Follow the Bloodmobile timeline below for the outcome.

Bloodmobile Event Timeline

• On April 26th, during the Annual Talent Show, 4-H'er, Jane Harmon (Pendergrast) spoke about volunteering to give blood.

• From the May 10, 1979 edition of the Chatham Record, there was a press release announcing the event.

• Chatham County 4-H Demonstration Day focused on their Bloodmobile event. The youth are encouraged to ask friends and family to donate blood and to spread the word throughout the community.

• June 4, 1979: The day of the Bloodmobile Event. The 4-H'ers had a successful event with 50 people donating blood.

The impacts of donating blood

The Chatham County Council on Aging is sponsoring VITA this spring. This is volunteer income tax assistance, from the IRS, that offers free tax return preparation for those who qualify. Services are offered in Pittsboro and Siler City. For more information, you may contact Linda Saum via email linda.saum@chathamcountync.gov or by phone 919-542-4512.

Friends of the Chatham Community Library Spring Book Sale