Growing Chatham NC Cooperative Extension - Chatham County - Sept. 2022

CHATHAM COUNTY 4-H LIVESTOCK SHOW

Saturday, Sept. 10th, 2022

Chatham County Ag & Conference Center Arena

1192 US 64 W Business, Pittsboro

Heifer & Steer Show - 9:30am Start Time

Lamb Show - 1:30pm Start Time

Come out and enjoy the fun as youth from across central NC take part in the annual 4-H Farm Credit Showmanship Circuit Show! Free admittance to the public. Food truck on site that day: Tacos Paraíso will join us with their delicious cuisine, so come hungry!

STATE FAIR ENTRY DEADLINE FAST APPROACHING

The NC State Fair will be here before you know it (Oct. 13 - 23), so don't forget that most exhibit entries (4-H crafts, entomology, photography, etc.) have a deadline date of Sept. 15th, and pre-registration is REQUIRED. You can view the premium book online by clicking on the button below.

Exhibits will be accepted in the Fairgrounds Education Building on Sat., Oct. 8th and Sun., Oct. 9th from 8:00 am - 6:00 pm and Mon., Oct. 10th from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm. If you have questions, please contact the NC State Fair Entry Department at (919) 839-4513.

2022 SOUTHERN REGIONAL HORSE SHOW RESULTS

The Chatham County Horsekateers were well-represented at Southern Regionals in Perry, Georgia, where the culmination of many weeks of studying and hard work (and lots of fun!) paid off in a tremendous way! The NC Horse Bowl Teams placed 1st and 2nd, the NC Hippology Teams placed 1st and 2nd, and the NC Horse Judging Teams placed 1st and 2nd as well! We send a hearty congratulations to Sara Richardson, Kyra Worth, and Samantha Durham for a tremendous job well-done.

Also, Victoria Smith competed in a team presentation with Union County 4-H'er, Olivia Hill, on “The Science Behind the Seat,” and they placed first. Congratulations, Victoria & Olivia!

Additionally, Chatham County Horsekateer 4-H Club Member, Kyra Worth, showed at the event and placed 5th in Pole Bending and 9th in Stake Race. Congratulations, Kyra!

Chatham County 4-H & YouthVoice 2022

Written by: Deon Bailey

I learned a lot of things from youth voices multiple life lessons and countless tips from county commissioners from all over the state of North Carolina. But there were two main things that kept repeating number one the importance of reading people's emotions and gaging what True Color they are, and the importance of all forms of leadership. From county commissioners to heads of state.

A critical thing in the first workshop was learning about emotional intelligence, the ability to gauge a person's emotion and take information about how they are feeling and use it. Emotional Intelligence can be kinda like the Intelligence quotient in because they both have a certain number attached. But the big difference is that it is rare to boost IQ based on studies. Emotional Intelligence can be boosted and even taught to those willing enough.

I’ve found out that leadership comes in all shapes and sizes through this informational slide show. Great people like George Washington and Winston Churchhill started leadership just like the rest of us, but look where they ended up. I learned that just for showing up we got what it takes to be one of the greats in our own community.

A quick little shout out to all county commissioners because of the hard work that you do and the tough choices you make daily. I tried to step in those shoes but it was just too much. We played a budgeting game and in each round, we’d have to take funding out of a core system in our county. Then explain to the press why and they would be this one adult who would always complain about our decisions. Thank you for this opportunity I will never forget this!

Summer Camp Fun at The Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Educational Center

The Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Educational Center is North Carolina 4-H’s premier camping institution in the state, serving over 7,000 young people every year. Nestled on nearly 200 acres of forests, lakes, streams, and fields in the North Carolina Piedmont, the Center is proud to provide research-based educational experiences that help develop and promote the life skills necessary for youth to become productive members of society.

Located in Reidsville, NC, the outdoor retreat and education facility was given to the citizens of North Carolina by Betsy Penn, who constructed and then donated the facility to North Carolina 4-H in 1964 in honor of her late husband, Jefferson Penn. BJP is owned and operated through North Carolina State University.

BJP’s mission is to provide youth with opportunities to develop critical life skills using the experiential learning model. Learning by doing means that all youth that visit our center gain knowledge through hands-on learning that prepares them for the challenges and opportunities of a modern, global society.

Fourteen Chatham campers attended with 62 other youth from surrounding counties for a fun filled summer camp experience at BJP. BJP overnight camp offers programs for campers age 8-14, with Leader-in-Training (LIT) programs for older campers age 15-17. Information for 4-H residential camp for Summer 2023 will be published in March 2023.

Doug Tallamy to Speak in Burlington 9/29/2022

Growing Fall Vegetables in Containers Webinar

Join Chatham County Horticulture Extension Agent Matt Jones for a free webinar on growing fall vegetables in containers.. Learn the principles of container gardening in any season, including choosing appropriate containers, growing media, light and water requirements, and nutrient management. We’ll also discuss the cultural practices, pest management and cultivar selection for common fall vegetable crops, including beets, bok choy, carrots, green onions, kale, radishes, and lettuce and other leafy greens. The webinar will be hosted on September 15th, from 5:30-7:00pm and will be recorded.

Home Worm Composting: A Two Part Webinar and Workshop

Join Matt Jones and Shannon Culpepper for a two-part webinar and workshop on home worm composting. Worm composting is an easy way to convert food waste into a valuable soil amendment. The live webinar, which will also be recorded, will occur on October 13th from 5:30-7:00 pm. Participants can also participate in the hands-on workshop on October 20th from 5:30-7:00 pm, where you will learn how to build (and take home) a worm bin! The workshop costs $25.

Fall Pollinator Garden Tours

Fall tours of North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s Pollinator Paradise Demonstration Garden in Pittsboro start in September!

The garden features over 225 species of perennials, trees, shrubs, vines, and grasses, and 85% of them are native to North Carolina. This is a great opportunity to visit the popular gathering spot for honey bees, native bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and beneficial insects in addition to their human admirers! The tours are led by Chatham County Agriculture Agent Debbie Roos.

There is no charge for the tour but registration is required to limit group size.

Registration Open for Sustainable Agriculture Conference

Since 1986, Carolina Farm Stewardship Association’s annual conference has drawn folks from across the food system — farmers, foodies, researchers, educators, and activists — for a celebration of innovation in local sustainable agriculture. This year's conference will be November 5-6 in Durham and will feature 80+ workshop sessions, on-farm intensives, a trade show, local food, and networking opportunities, and much more!

ForestHer Webinar to Focus on Conservation in Practice

The September 8th ForestHer webinar will be about Conservation in Practice. This is the third in a four-part ForestHer NC Conservation Webinar Series.

Presenters will discuss conservation practices that create and maintain healthy soil, water, plants, and wildlife. Forest Landowners will share their experiences converting pastures to native prairie, controlling invasive plants, thinning pines, conducting prescribed burns, and creating pollinator habitat.

Early Summer Snapshots from the Pollinator Paradise Garden

Debbie posted some of her favorite photos from early summer in Extension's Pollinator Paradise Garden on the Growing Small Farms website. You'll find insects and other critters and the blooms they all love and depend on in the article below.

Cool Season Grasses in Your Pastures

As we start into the fall season, it's a perfect time to plant cool season grasses in your pastures. If you're interested in planting this fall, check out the NC State Planting Guide for Forage Crops as you make decisions.

After you have selected the forage or forages you want to plant, it's time to put it in the ground! If you don't have a drill, Chatham County Soil and Water has two no-till drills available for rental. Learn more about the drills and how to rent them.

As you take assessment of your pastures this fall, make sure you take time to identify any weeds present in the pastures. Learn more about weeds and identification.

Small Ruminant Handling Facilities Webinar

Learn about options for handling facilities for small ruminant production.

Thursday, September 22, 2022

7:00 PM – 8:30 PM EDT

If you have small ruminants, at some point you will need to work with them. Many common husbandry practices require close contact with individual animals, such as castration, vaccination, parasite control, and injury care.

Properly designed and maintained handling facilities can improve safety and reduce stress for both humans and animals. Understanding sheep and goat physiology and how the animals perceive their environment help us better predict their movements and reduce potential issues within facilities. Considering common pitfalls and concerns can help producers of all sizes, whether you are planning a new facility or making improvements to existing ones. Evaluating and improving animal handling facilities can help save time, labor, and frustration.

2022 Tri-County Livestock & Pasture Management Field Day

Join us for a day of learning the latest in Pasture Management, Equipment, Forage & Pasture Analysis, Hay Quality, Grazing Sticks & Weed ID.

Thursday, September 22, 2022

9:00 AM – 3:00 PM EDT

Van and Edna Ellis Farm

9517 Hampton Road

Rougemont, NC 27572

Join us for a day of learning the latest in Pasture Management, Equipment, Forage Analysis, Pasture Analysis, Hay Quality, Grazing Sticks, Weed Identification, and more. No matter what species you raise (cattle/horses/sheep/goats/swine), if they eat grass, then this field day can benefit your operation.

The event is FREE and lunch will be provided for anyone who RSVPs!

Participants should expect a moderate amount of walking.

(RAIN DATE- Friday, September 23, 2022)

*Lunch will be provided for anyone that registers.

Fire Ant Management Workshop

Join us for an informational workshop about fire ant control in lawns, pastures, and fields.

This workshop will provide an introduction to fire ants in North Carolina, methods of control (lawn, pastures, fields), and include a fire ant bait spreader demonstration (part of an NC AgVentures Grant). The workshop instructors will be Lauren Langley, Livestock Extension Agent and Mark Danieley, Retired Horticulture Extension Agent.

Pesticide Credits are available for:

L: 1 hour

O: 1.5 hours

N, D, X: 2 hours

The workshop will be held at Buster Sykes Demonstration Farm (come through the gates to the Wildlife office/shop area).

Questions? Contact Lauren Langley at lauren_langley@ncsu.edu or 336-570-6740.

Upcoming Webinar

Invasive Forest Pests: Who are they and what can we do about them?

Invasive threats can impact tree health and degrade forest environments. Join Dr. Kelly Oten, NCSU Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist - Forest Health, as she covers the most prevalent invasive threats to North Carolina's forests and includes some "up and comers" to keep watch out for as well.

This webinar will be recorded and posted back to the Webinar Portal for on-demand viewing within a week. CEUs are available for on-demand webinars when applicable.

TIMBER PRICES DOWN SLIGHTLY FOR SECOND QUARTER OF 2022

Read more as Dr. Rajan Parajuli, NCSU Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist - Forest Economics, discusses how lumber markets have followed the slight downward trends of the U.S. housing markets in the southern and western regions in recent months.

CHATHAM COUNTY FORESTRY CONTRIBUTION IMPACTS

NC State Extension Forestry has recently published forestry data for each of North Carolina's 100 counties for 2020. Each county fact sheet provides information on ownership, timber inventory, timber growth versus harvest volumes, economic contribution of the forest sector, and a map indicating mills in the county. In addition to the 2020 series, you will find data on a biennial basis back to 2012. Fact sheets for each county are available online at: https://forestry.ces.ncsu.edu/economic-impact-data/.

You can find forestry impacts specifically for Chatham County by clicking on the button below.

With an estimated 263,062 acres of privately owned timberland within the county, the forest sector had a total economic contribution of approximately $297 million in industry output to the Chatham County's economy. Additionally, the forest sector in this county supported 1,247 total jobs with a payroll of approximately $63 million.

Citation:

Chizmar, S., S. Teague, R. Parajuli, and R. Bardon. 2022. 2020 Forestry Contributions by County in North Carolina [100 County Fact sheets]. North Carolina State Extension Service, Raleigh, NC. [https://forestry.ces.ncsu.edu/economic-impact-data/]

Affordable Housing Advisory Committee

Mission-

Relaunched in fall 2017, the Chatham County Affordable Housing Advisory Committee will make recommendations to the Chatham County Board of Commissioners for procedures and policies around affordable housing. The Committee will be instrumental in implementing the Chatham County Affordable Housing Strategy Toolbox, as well as administering the Housing Trust Fund application review and award process.

Charge and Responsibilities:

Reviewing affordable housing policies and procedures and providing recommendations and comments to advise County leadership.

Understanding the Chatham County Affordable Rental Housing Strategy Toolbox and helping to implement its priorities.

Providing feedback and assistance in developing additional strategies to support affordable rental, homeownership, supportive, and transitional housing in Chatham County.

Helping to promote opportunities related to affordable housing like fair housing workshops, RFPs, and surveys.

Submitting an “Advisory Committee Summary Annual Report” to the Chatham County Board of Commissioners.

Participation in the Housing Trust Fund application and awarding process.

Committee Membership:

The Committee consist of 8-12 residents. Full terms are three years. The committee especially seeks members with expertise in the areas of real estate & development, social services, public health, transportation, finance, economic development, design & architecture, urban & regional planning, property management and faith-based service providers. The town boards of Goldston, Pittsboro, Siler City have designated seats. Each member of the Board of Commissioners also has an appointment for their district.

In accordance with the county’s conflict of interest policy for advisory committees, members and organizations members are associated with cannot benefit from decisions or recommendations made by the Committee.

Current members are:

Susan Levy, Chair

Richard Poole, Vice Chair

Linette Tyson

Anita Badrock

Carolyn Huggins

John Foley

Alirio Estevez

Kyle Shipp, Commissioner with Town of Pittsboro, serving as At-Large Member

Pamela Baldwin, Commissioner, representing the Town of Pittsboro

Chip Price, Mayor, representing the Town of Siler City

Vacancies

1 - At Large

1 - District 5

1 - Town of Goldston

Interested in being involved?

Please reach out to Lindsay Ray at lindsay.ray@chathamcountync.gov to submit an application. If there is an opening or vacancy we will reach out to all interested applicants.

Meetings:

The committee is currently meeting on the first Thursdays of the month unless specified otherwise on the calendar below. Typically months like July, September, and January, have adjusted meeting dates to the second or third Thursday of the month. Please email staff in the event that if you are unsure.

Per the Open Meetings Laws of North Carolina, all AHAC meetings are open to the public. There is a dedicated section of each meeting agenda for public input.

Affordable Housing Resources:

Information on affordable housing resources in Chatham County and the region, including assistance finding affordable housing and contacts for groups that may be able to help with needed home repairs. The source list also includes information on the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants.

AHAC Staff Contacts:

Stephanie Watkins-Cruz, Policy Analyst, Chatham County, stephaniew.cruz@chathamcountync.gov

Erika Brown, Planner II, Triangle J Council of Governments, ebrown@tjcog.org

The next AHAC meeting is scheduled for September 8, 2022, in the Holmes Meeting Room at the Chatham County Library in Pittsboro starting at 5:30pm.

Simple & Nutritious Lunches

School is back in session and so are school lunches! If your child eats lunch at school as part of the National School Lunch Program, there are some great benefits linked to this program. Meals served through the program follow nutrition requirements that were updated in 2012 to include more fruits and vegetables, whole grains and less sodium. Research shows us that kids who eat the program's lunch or breakfast at school have an overall better diet quality than kids who do not have school meals with higher consumption of whole grains, milk, fruits and vegetables. That's a lot of nutrition!

If you find yourself packing a lunch each day or just on occasion, this simple guide will show you the components to a nutritious lunch for you or the kids.

Home Canned Foods

Have questions about canning at home? Contact Tara and she will be happy to assist you!

Finding Ways to Save on Packing School Lunches

As guardians start to prepare for the new school year, the daunting thought of having to pack a school lunch and how to budget for that cost can be a little overwhelming. This could be a little less stressful by taking some time to plan ahead, which then could mean savings throughout the year. Making sure to involve your kids in the process will help teach them about healthy food options and help you to pack things they are more likely to eat, which means less food waste coming home in their lunch box or ending up in the garbage in the school cafeteria.

4-H Spotlight from August 1970

Mr. and Mrs. Horace Mann

A Few Past Members from the Dry Creek 4-H Club