4-H Online 2.0

What is 4-H Online 2.0? 4-H Online 2.0 is a web-based system used to enroll youth members and adult volunteers in the North Carolina 4-H Youth Development Program. 4-H Online 2.0 is designed so that each family has an online family profile and every youth and volunteer has an individual profile under their family profile. 4-H Online 2.0 is a fully integrated management system that brings together all levels of the 4-H experience. Whether it’s a member logging in to manage his or her record, a club leader printing mailing labels, or a county agent approving a member’s enrollment, 4-H Online 2.0 brings the 4-H community together and keeps everyone involved.

Can I enroll my child in 4-H without having to sign up on 4-H Online? No; 4-H Online is the only way youth and adult volunteers can sign up for clubs and events that's offered through 4-H.

My child is not a member of 4-H and currently is not interested in joining a club, but would like to participate in a 4-H activity. Do I still have to register my child through 4-H Online? Yes; you will still need to complete 4-H Online for your child to participate in any 4-H Event.

Do I have to re-register my child on 4-H Online every year? Your child's information has to be updated yearly. You would simply log into your family's 4-H account and update your child's information.

We have created a tutorial, "How to Navigate 4-H Online." Feel free to view the video so that you will know what to expect when you complete 4-H Online.

Current and future 4-H Club Treasurer's, Don't Miss This Opportunity!

Are you the Treasurer for your 4-H Club? Are you interested in becoming your club's Treasurer in the future? This spin club is for you!

4-H State Horse Show

Chatham County was represented at the NC State 4-H Horse Show on July 7-11, 2021, by several members of the Horsekateers 4-H Club.

• Caleigh Gantt showed in the very large Hunter Division and placed 10th in hunter over fences.
• Ava Williams showed in the Intro Dressage Division. She placed third in Intro A, first in Intro B, and won the high score award for the division. Ava and her horse also won 6th in a costume class, with Ava as a dragon and her horse as a princess.
• Horsekateer Alumni Caitlin Gantt borrowed her sister's horse and competed in the 4-H Alumni Showmanship class. Normally, Showmanship is a very serious class, but this year 4-H Alumni showed their creative side by getting sponsors and dressing up in crazy costumes to raise money for NC 4-H!

A fun week was had by all, with friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.

4-H Youth Stepping FOURward

Over the last several months, the 4-H Youth Stepping FOURward Program has been meeting to discuss leadership, citizenship, and plan/implement a local service-learning project. Youth in the program recently completed their service-learning project for Chatham County.

In a cooperative effort, the group was able to amass 331 pounds of food benefitting the CORA Food Pantry and the West Chatham Food Pantry. Recipients from the food pantries were delighted with the donations and efforts made by the 4-H Youth Stepping FOURward Program.

A BIG thank you to everyone who donated and accepted donations from their churches, family, and community. This goal could not have been reached without the help of our community and local partners.

Empowering Youth and Families Program Webinar: Youth Opioid Misuse and Alternative Pain Management

In this webinar, Dr. Celeste Crawford, a professor in the Department of Addiction and Rehabilitation studies, discusses prescription opioid misuse in youth and alternative pain management outside opioid use. As a former middle school counselor and the current Director of the Navigate Counseling Clinic, Dr. Crawford has considerable experience when it comes to working with youth suffering from addiction. She discusses what paths can lead to opioid misuse as well as warning signs caregivers can be on the lookout for and strategies they can use should their youth be struggling with substance misuse. Dr. Crawford offers alternative ways to manage pain which include meditation, cryotherapy, acupuncture, and biofeedback.

Cool Season Crops for Vegetable Gardens

Extension Gardener Webinar

Join Matt Jones (Extension Horticulture Agent) and the Master Gardener℠ volunteers of Chatham County for a webinar targeting home and community gardeners on how to grow cool-season vegetables. Participants will learn about planting techniques and timing, best varieties, common problems, and harvesting methods for broccoli, cabbages, carrots, kales, lettuces, onions, peas, potatoes, and turnips.

NC State Extension Publications

Vegetable Gardening: A Beginner's Guide

Vegetable gardening is becoming more popular—both as a pastime and a food source. We experience satisfaction in planting a seed or transplant, watching it grow to maturity, and harvesting the fruits of our labors. In addition, vegetable gardening offers a good source of exercise, with the added benefits of healthy snacks and food for the table.

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.

Collard Greens: Grow It, Eat It

Collard greens grow as a loose bouquet rather than a tight “head” like other cabbages. Packed with vitamins and minerals, they are one of the most popular garden vegetables in the South and are rapidly becoming a delicacy in northern states as well.

Lettuce

Head lettuce is the most important salad vegetable grown in the United States. Per-capita consumption exceeds 25 lb annually. Lettuce is adapted to cool growing conditions with the optimum temperatures for growth of 60 to 65°F. At 70 to 80°F, the plants flower and produce seed. Lettuce can tolerate a few days of temperatures from 80 to 85°F, provided that nights are cool.

Lettuce seed will germinate at 35°F, but optimum germination is 70 to 75°F. If the plants are sufficiently hardened, they will withstand freezing. Repeated exposure to subfreezing temperatures, however, can seriously injure or kill the crop.

Lettuce has a relatively high water requirement. Soil moisture shortage rainfall will seriously stunt growth and head quality. Irrigation greatly reduces risk of crop failure.

Considerable differences exist among lettuce varieties in heat tolerance. These differences are the primary reasons some lettuce varieties can be grown in warmer climates.

In North Carolina, the crop can be grown as both a spring and fall crop in eastern North Carolina and even during midsummer in western North Carolina at elevations over 3,000 feet. In the Piedmont, lettuce is intermediate in season and probably is best as a late spring and early fall crop.

Romaine has requirements similar to head lettuce, except it can stand more heat. Butterhead and leaf types can stand even more heat and have a longer season of production.

Backyard Muscadine Production

This is a webinar via Zoom

This webinar will be offered twice on the following dates:

Wednesday, August 11 from 10:00 am -11:30

Saturday, August 14 from 10:00 am -11:30 am

If you’d like to grow a few muscadine vines in your garden, or if you have some and aren’t sure how to care for them, this virtual workshop is for you. The workshop will cover variety selection, planting, trellising, pruning, fertilization, and ongoing care for your vines. Led by Chuck Blethen, Jewel of the Blue Ridge Vineyard (Marshall, NC), and Mack Johnson (NC Cooperative Extension, Robeson County, NC).

Making Muscadine Wine at Home

This is a webinar via Zoom

This webinar will be offered twice on the following dates:

Wednesday, August 18 from 10:00 am -11:30 am

Saturday, August 21 from 10:00 am -11:30 am

Topics include the special characteristics of muscadines for wine, varieties to use, and quantities needed, along with the essentials of home-winemaking, including equipment needed, the basic process, and techniques to make the best wine possible. The session is oriented both towards novice and more experienced home winemakers. Led by Chuck Blethen, Jewel of the Blue Ridge Vineyard (Marshall, NC). He is the Executive Director, Southern Appalachian Viticulture Institute, and an experienced wine judge and speaker on wine related topics.

Take a Virtual Tour of the Pollinator Paradise Garden

Pollinator Paradise is a Demonstration Garden created by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Chatham County Center. Agriculture Agent Debbie Roos designed the garden to provide forage from early spring to late fall for pollinators such as native bees, honey bees, butterflies, flower flies, hummingbirds, beetles, and other beneficial insects. The garden features over 225 unique species of perennials, 85% of which are native to North Carolina.

The garden is a great teaching tool and is used to conduct workshops and tours for hundreds of folks each year. When tours and workshops were suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I started creating virtual garden tour videos so folks could continue enjoying and learning from the garden.

Debbie just posted TWO virtual tours, from May and June!

In-Person Pollinator Garden Tours have Returned

Debbie resumed in-person tours of the pollinator garden in mid-May. You can view a list of the tours and register for future tours when they are posted. The summer tours are all full, but Debbie will be posting dates for the fall tours soon.

What’s in Bloom at the Chatham Mills “Pollinator Paradise” Demonstration Garden?

The list is updated bi-weekly. Currently, there are over 70 species in bloom!

NC Commercial Blackberry and Raspberry Growers 2021 Field Day

Save the date for the NCCBRGA Field Day and Annual Meeting

Where: Lewis Nursery & Farms, Rocky Point, NC

When: Friday, September 24, 2021.

This event is FREE to NCCBR Association Members, but will be $20 for Non-Association Members. Event fees will be collected the morning of the event. 2021 NCCBRA Annual membership dues are $50 per farm. If you have not already renewed your membership, dues will also be collected on the day of the event for any unpaid members. These monies are vital to the continued success of the association and its members. Click here to download the membership form: NCCBRGA Membership Form

Farm Visit Snapshots: In Good Heart Farm

Debbie visited In Good Heart Farm outside Pittsboro in mid-May and again in mid-July. Ben Shields and Patricia Parker started their farm in Clayton, NC in 2010 then moved to Chatham County in 2016 to farm the land once known as Ayrshire Farm after farmer Bill Dow passed away in 2012. Ayrshire Farm was North Carolina’s first certified organic farm. Bill built a lasting legacy and everyone was thrilled when In Good Heart Farm moved here to farm the soil that Bill worked so hard to improve over the years.

Farmer Ben Shields and the crew grow over 100 different crops year-round on about five acres total using organic practices. Crops include vegetables, flowers, herbs, small fruits, and tree fruits. They market through farmers’ markets, to restaurants, and also offer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares.

Visit our Chatham County Farmers’ Markets!

Now is a wonderful time to visit one or all of our Chatham County farmers' markets!

You'll find amazing flowers and foods like strawberries, green garlic, cheese curds, greenhouse tomatoes, gorgeous greens, meats, eggs, plants, and so many other wonderful locally grown products.

Pesticide Safety V Credit Classes

We will be hosting two V credit classes. Both of these classes will be at the Chatham County Ag Center.

2.0 V credit for pesticide license recertification.

Dates and Time:

Where:

Both of these classes will be at the Chatham County Ag Center

Youth Livestock Team on the Moo-ve!

On July 15th, the Chatham County Youth Livestock Team teamed up with the Alamance County Youth Livestock Team to visit a local beef producer and practice livestock judging. The members were able to judge three classes and receive feedback on their placings. This event helped prepare the team for their first competition coming up at the end of July. Huge thanks to the Scarlett family for hosting this beef judging practice!

Heat Stress in Your Herd

Summer time brings beach days and waves, but it also brings high temperatures that can negatively affect your livestock. These increasing temperatures can not only be uncomfortable for the animal, but it can also affect fetus development, semen quality, and average daily gains. Some symptoms of heat stress include:

• Increased breathing rate
• Restlessness
• Increased standing time
• Excessive drooling or foaming at the mouth
• Isolation

Some ways to make sure your herd is staying cool this summer is to ensure adequate shade for each animal and provide extra water sources. Continuously check your water sources to ensure proper flow. When at all possible, avoid transporting and processing animals especially during the hottest parts of the day. When necessary, work or transport animals in the early morning while also ensuring a low stress environment. Observe the herd regularly to monitor any abnormal behavior.

Sources: Michigan State University

NC Dairy Producer Needs Assessment Survey

As we move towards getting back to face-to-face programs, the NC State Extension Dairy team would love to have some input from our North Carolina Dairy Farmers! We always strive to put on high-impact programs for our farmers and dairy industry clientele. This is your opportunity to let us know what you or your employees would like to learn more about in the upcoming months and years. Let us know what you have enjoyed in the past AND maybe, what wasn’t so great. This is just one step in our effort to reach the needs of the North Carolina Dairy Industry.

Thanks for taking a few minutes of your time!

Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (DBII)

2021 DBII Grants

Existing and prospective value-added dairy businesses in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky that develop, produce, market, or distribute dairy products are now eligible to apply for funding through the Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (DBII), an effort supported by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. Eligibility information, frequently asked questions, application materials, and more are available through the main DBII website.

NC State Extension, along with N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, want to support your effort to submit a successful application, so the sooner you let us know you are working on an application, the more likely we will be able to answer any questions you have and/or point you in the direction of resources.

Information Session on DBII Grants

Heard the rumor about grant funds for value-added dairy processing? It’s true! If you haven’t already taken a look at the application, FAQs, and other resources for the Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (DBII), please do!

For those interested in more information about the current grant cycle, we will host an information session via Zoom on Wednesday, August 18, 2021, from 11:30 a.m.– 12:30 p.m.

Sawtimber Prices in North Carolina Increased Substantially in the Second Quarter, 2021

In the second quarter of 2021, both housing and lumber markets started plummeting from the record high levels. In May 2021, US housing stats were down about 3% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of about 1.68 million units, which is still about 35% up from last year. The lumber markets also started dropping significantly in the last few weeks. The Forest2Market’s southern yellow pine (SYP) lumber price index on July 2, 2021 was $566 per thousand board feet, down 53% from the record high in mid-May, 2021.

Sustainable Forestry Land Retention Project Webinar

Cost Share Programs: Preparing Landowners to Make Application

When: August 25, 2021

Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Federal and state governments offer financial incentive programs for woodland owners. Several of these programs provide cost sharing payments that reimburse landowners for various timber management activities. This webinar is to guide landowners in preparation to apply for forestry cost-share programs with USDA, NC Forest Service, and farm loans through USDA Farm Service Agency. Woodland owners will have the opportunity to hear from agency experts on the various cost share programs and application processes.

The Chatham County Cooperative Extension Center Pony Express

Have you ever wanted to enter items into the NC State Fair for judging, but thought “I just don’t have time this year,” or “it will take most of my day to travel to Raleigh?” The Chatham County Cooperative Extension Center Pony Express provides early and quick entry for community members!

Are you a craftsman, artist, seamstress, food preserver, beekeeper, etc…

adult or youth and wish to enter your items in the North Carolina State Fair?

Participation is Easy!

Location for Item Drop Off: Chatham County Cooperative Extension Center

1192 U.S. 64 West Business, Suite 400

Pittsboro, NC 27312

Date to Drop off Items by: October 4th and 5th from 8:00am-6:30pm

No live exhibits or perishable exhibits will be accepted. This includes, but is not limited to, flowers, livestock, cakes, etc.

• Bring your non-perishable items to the Extension Office, wrapped & packed securely for transport. Please label your box with your name and phone number. Please tape a copy of your online receipt from your NC State Fair registration showing the items being sent have been entered online. (Please be mindful of registration deadlines as many are in the month of September.)

• Your entries will be picked up at the Chatham County Cooperative Extension Center by Kaley Lawing, CRD/ 4-H Extension Agent, and transported to the North Carolina State Fair for judging and display.

• Only items picked up on the Chatham County Pony Express will be returned by the Pony Express. No items will be added to the return list of items that are dropped off by exhibitors at the fairgrounds after the Pony Express has run.

• Items will be returned to the Chatham County Cooperative Extension Center after the fair by October 26th and held until Friday October 29th for pick up. After October 29th, items that have not been picked up will be discarded.

• Any prize money will be mailed directly to you. (Must provide Social Security number / W-9 to receive payment.)

This is a free service provided to you by the Chatham County Cooperative Extension Center. Chatham County Cooperative Extension Center is not responsible for damaged items or missing items entered into the NC State Fair.

Upcoming Events

Roasted Summer Squash

Roasted summer squash is oven-easy and super tasty! Rounds of squash are seasoned and topped with a crispy crumb topping. This is Tara's favorite way to prepare squash and she is excited to share this recipe with you. Coated in a seasoned breading and roasted until golden brown, this summer squash will be a new family favorite!

Honeydew Blueberry Salad

1 cup honeydew melon

1/3 cup blueberries (or more!)

Half a lime, juiced (add more lime juice to taste)

fresh mint, roughly chopped *optional

Other ways to add a twist:

- add a couple tablespoons of feta cheese

- add zest from the lime before juicing

- add a teaspoon of honey for added sweetness and flavor complexity

Back to School Shopping

August is the month that we think of when it comes to back to school shopping. You will see lots of store sale flyers posting great deals; knowing what the regular prices for those items are will help you know if that flashy sales ad is really giving you a good deal or not.

• Before you head out shopping, make sure to do your research on those school supplies. This will help you save money and know when a sale is really saving you money.

• When you see a good sale and you know it is a good deal, try to shop on Sunday or Monday for that week’s sale prices. This will help make sure you get the deal before the supplies run out. If you do get to the store and they are out of that item, see if they have a rain check policy so you can come back to the store and get that price when they get the item back in stock.

• Watch for coupons for brands like Bic, Kleenex, and Post-It. They always have coupons during this time of year. So even if you do not need these items right now, it is a good time to stock up. Many of these items you can purchase at the Dollar Tree and get your item for free. Make sure to check the coupon policy at your favorite store to make sure you can use them.

By looking at the school supply list and making a game plan on how to purchase all those items at the best price, you should earn an "A" on staying under budget.

From Tractors Past

Modern tractors have changed the way farmers farmed their land. Tractors have allowed farmers to do twice the amount of work in a shorter amount of time. The modern day tractor had its own problems, too, such as being too heavy and sinking in the mud causing frustrations and long delays. Some folks questioned if the tractor would have any staying power. Some farmers claimed that mules and horses did better than tractors because tractors could be unpredictable. Other farmers said the benefit of the tractor is that they did not worry about a tractor escaping like a mule or horse would, plus tractors did not have to be fed or have to take breaks to rest. Below is a clip from the Siler City Grit from February 9, 1916, that highlights why farmers may have been hesitant about purchasing a new tractor.

Did You Know?

Did you know that if a five acre area was plowed by mules or horses with the farmer walking behind them, that the farmer would have walked approximately forty miles when the plowing was completed? From: The History Channel Series, Machines that Built America

Reminiscing in 1954 About Childhood and driving a tractor

Call NC 2-1-1: There's Always an Answer

United Way partnered with the Chatham County Health Department to bring NC 2-1-1 to Chatham residents. 2-1-1 is an information and referral service accessible by phone and online at www.nc211.org. It is a free, confidential, multilingual resource that connects Chatham residents to health and human services.

Plant A Tree for Chatham 250

Plant a tree to celebrate Chatham County’s 250th anniversary and preserve a unique piece of Chatham County’s history in your own backyard!

Chatham 250 is excited to be partnering with Century Farm Orchards to offer a special Chatham 250 bundle of heirloom old southern Apple Trees. Each bundle will include one Aunt Rachel tree, a rare local variety of apple tree that originated in Chatham County and is deeply tied to the legacy of heirloom old southern apple trees expert and late Chatham County resident, Lee Calhoun, and one heirloom old southern pollinator apple tree of the purchaser's choice (subject to availability).

The Chatham County Public Health Department COVID-19 Updates