July 2023
July 2023
Growing Chatham
Growing Chatham
Chatham County Center
Chatham County Center
General Updates
Listen to the
Podcast
Podcast
Notice of Office Closure:
July 4th, 2023
Please be advised that our office will be closed on July 4th, 2023, in observance of Independence Day.
Check out our NEW podcast, Growing "UP" Chatham
Pittsboro’s Summer Fest takes place Sunday, July 2, 2023, from 3 to 8:30 p.m. It features live music, tons of kids’ activities, a pie contest, a BBQ contest, a decorated bike parade, a watermelon seed spitting contest and more.
Visit the Facebook page for details too!
Explore Nearby Food and Events with the Visit NC Farms App!
Looking for a way to discover local foods and events in your area? Download the Visit NC Farms App today. With this app, you'll be directed to the nearest local food source and events. You can easily download the app from Google Play or the App Store.
4-H Adventure Summer Day Camp:
An Unforgettable Experience for Chatham County Youth
4-H Adventure Summer Day Camp: An Unforgettable Experience for Chatham County Youth
What's summer without a good old summer camp? The 4H Adventure Summer Day Camp was an absolute blast for the youth of Chatham County. The camp featured an array of daily activities that included reciting the 4H pledge, singing songs, engaging in arts and crafts, indoor and outdoor games, and swimming. But that's not all – the camp also offered STEM-themed activities that promoted learning, growth, and most importantly, fun!
During the week-long camp, participants enjoyed a range of activities that included learning about the library and theme-related books, a two-day Nature Theme led by the Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, and farm animal education. The Nature Theme was particularly exciting, with youth experiencing educational mini-lessons and activities related to pollinators, soil and insects, leaf morphology, terrarium building, and turtle education. The camp also encouraged recycling and saving marine life, with activities that included creating wind chimes with recycled wipe containers.
The farm animal day was another fun-filled activity, where youth were educated on calves, sheep, and rabbits. They even got to create pom-pom sheep and handprint googly-eyed chickens! The camp also featured a day where participants got to interact with local first responders from the Pittsboro Police and Chatham County Sheriff Department, Silk Hope Volunteer Fire Department, and First Health Emergency Responders.
The day camp was not just about learning, but also about forging lasting friendships. The youth had a great time catching up with old friends and making new ones, creating dozens of lifetime memories in the process. We're eagerly looking forward to next year's Summer Adventure Day Camp, where we will "Make the Best Better".
Chatham County 4-H Successfully Hosts 4-H District Activity Day
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Chatham County 4-H proudly hosted this year's 4-H District Activity Day, which was a huge success! NC A&T University also played a key role in making the event a triumph by providing us with an excellent space to hold the event. We are grateful for their support, as we couldn't have done it without them. We would also like to express our gratitude to the staff and volunteers of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension North Central District, whose dedication and hard work made our event a huge success!
The Chatham County 4-Hers have once again proved themselves as an outstanding group, taking home awards and securing several spots in the next 4-H State Level competition. Congratulations to all the winners! We are incredibly proud of each and every one of you. Your hard work, talent, and intelligence have paid off. Keep up the fantastic job!
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5 - 7 year old's
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From the 4-H North Central District Activity Day: 4-H Entertains
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Duke Energy Foundation Provides North Carolina 4-H Summer Camp Scholarships for Youth in Need
The NC 4-H Camp program announced it is partnering with the Duke Energy Foundation to provide 10 camp scholarships valued at $5250 for vulnerable youth from counties in eastern North Carolina to attend camp this summer. The NC 4-H Camps program is a state-wide summer camp scholarship program that provides summer camp experiences for youth from vulnerable populations, including youth from low-income families, youth of color, youth from military families, youth residing in foster care, and youth experiencing challenges with mental health and well-being. Since the program’s inception in 2019, NC 4-H has provided more than 500 young people the opportunity to go to camp at one of our three 4-H camps and centers.
Quick and Healthy Recipes for Youth
Summer is a great time to try out some new recipes! Try your hand at one of these four, easy to make recipes and share with friends.
What’s the Matter With My ‘Mater?
Diagnosis and Management of Pests and Diseases of Tomatoes
7/5/2023
9:00 -11:30 a.m. (In-person)
6:00-7:30 p.m. (ONLINE)
Access to fresh tomatoes is among the most rewarding aspects of home vegetable gardening, and at time the most challenging. Warm nights, high rain and humidity, and resulting pest and disease pressure can frustrate even experienced gardeners. Join Matt Jones (Extension Horticulture Agent) for a workshop and webinar on identifying and managing the most common pests, diseases, and physiological disorders of home-grown tomatoes. When feasible, organic management options will be emphasized. In the workshop, we welcome you to bring tomato samples for Master Gardener Volunteers to help you identify and manage! Otherwise, the content of the lectures will be identical in the online and in-person versions.
Ticks Found to Withstand Extreme Temperatures
Implications of the research are far-reaching, considering the public health impact of tickborne diseases.
Blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) are notorious carriers of pathogens responsible for various diseases, including Lyme disease. (Photo by Erik Karits on Unsplash)
PULLMAN, Wash. — Tick season is here, along with the increased danger of Lyme disease, and it turns out the tiny arachnids are even tougher than scientists previously thought.
A recent study in Ecological Monographs shows blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) are actually really good at surviving extreme cold and heat in nature. Previous lab research suggests that even short periods of especially warm or cold conditions should easily kill ticks, but the Washington State University-led analysis reveals this is only the case for larval ticks in the environment. Instead, nymph and adult ticks weather the hot and cold times with little impact, dying when they apparently run out of energy. The findings could ultimately provide valuable insights into the spread of Lyme disease and other vector-borne pathogens.
Tomato Issues
Early Blight of Tomato
Vegetable Pathology Factsheets
Septoria Leaf Spot of Tomato
Vegetable Pathology Factsheets
Connecting People and Plants
Save the Date for September 8
Landscaping for Pollinators Workshop & Native Plant Sale!
Just in time to plan for the fall planting season, the Chatham County Center of North Carolina Cooperative Extension will offer a workshop on Landscaping for Pollinators and Other Wildlife on Friday September 8, 2023. This all day workshop will be held at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center in Pittsboro.
Chatham County Agricultural Extension Agent Debbie Roos will share her 15 years of experience designing and managing the popular Pollinator Paradise Demonstration Garden in Pittsboro.
Visit Cooperative Extension's Growing Small Farms website for more details.
Register Now for July CCP Virtual Meeting About Snakes of Chatham County
The July CCP Virtual Meeting Will Be About Snakes of Chatham County!
The July Chatham Conservation Partnership (CCP) meeting will focus on Snakes of Chatham County. The webinar will be on Thursday July 20 from 9:00-11:30 a.m.
Whether you are fascinated or repulsed by snakes, this webinar will present an amazing opportunity to learn from two of our state’s top snake experts with decades of experience between them!
The webinar will cover Basic Snake Biology, Snake Awareness & Safety, Snakes of Chatham County, How to Identify Venomous Snakes, Snake Conservation and Monitoring, and Snake Resources. Presenters will be Jeff Beane (North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences) and Jeff Hall (North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission).
Visit Cooperative Extension's Growing Small Farms website to register for this free webinar.
It's Planting Season at
Rocky River Hemp is located in southern Chatham County. Sam Brownfield and his dad Rick have been growing hemp since 2018 and produce their own line of CBD gummies, oil infusions, salves, lotions, dog treats, and more. Mid-June is planting season for hemp; Sam propagates all his own hemp from mother plants in his high tunnel. You can find Rocky River Hemp at the Thursday afternoon Pittsboro Farmers' Market.
Register Now for a Summer Tour of the Pollinator Paradise Garden!
Summer tours of North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s Pollinator Paradise Demonstration Garden in Pittsboro start in early July!
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. The tours tend to fill up quickly so don’t delay in registering if you really want to attend.
Taking the Leap: Livestock Agent's Decision to Explore the World
Creating a Profile on NC FarmLink’s Database
— Written By Hannah Bundy
At NC FarmLink, we have resources for farmers seeking land, and for farmers and landowners in need of a farm succession or stewarding plan. One of those resources is our database. Land seekers can set up a profile for themselves, and landowners can set up a property listing. Once a profile has been created, the other profiles are able to be viewed and contacted.
Learn more NC FarmLink’s Database
"Explore the world while you are young" – an age-old piece of advice that many young adults don't fully grasp until they've gained more experience. However, our livestock agent, Kristina Britt, decided to take this wise counsel to heart. When presented with the opportunity to travel, she knew that this was a chance she couldn't pass up. Although leaving her Extension family, livestock farmers, and Youth Livestock Team was difficult, Kristina was eager to embark on this new adventure.
Interested in learning about the interactions of soil, forages, and animals on your farm? Webinar recordings from our recent Producer Pastureland Ecology Webinar Series can be found by clicking HERE. These webinars highlight the important concepts of managing soil health, improving forage quality, and ensuring animal nutrient requirements are met.
2023 Eastern US Production Ram and Ewe Sales
Looking for a new ram or some replacement ewes? Check out this summary of production-oriented seedstock sales this summer!
Access the 2023 Ram Sales Flyer.
As Kristina begins a new chapter in her life, we want to express our sincerest best wishes. She will be greatly missed!
Have questions about livestock, equine, or forages? Our team is here to help! If our office staff can't provide you with the information you need, don't worry. We have a vast network of resources and contacts that we can tap into to get you the answers you require. Don't hesitate to reach out to us.
Project Learning Tree Explore Your Environment K-8 Workshop
Wednesday, August 2, 2023
9am - 3:30pm
Agape Center for EE
Fuquay-Varina, NC
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, July 26
Registration Fee: $20
To Register: go.ncsu.edu/ncplt_agape
Questions? Mir Youngquist-Thurow ACEed@agapekurebeach.org
Join other K-8 classroom and nonformal educators as we explore activities in the newly released Project Learning Tree Explore Your Environment K-8 Activity Guide. Every participant will leave the workshop with a copy of this guide that includes 50 hands-on, multidisciplinary activities to connect children to nature and increase young people’s awareness and knowledge about their environment. This guide includes revised favorites and new activities. The activities in this resource are supported by a robust Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) correlation guide. CEU renewal credits are available. This workshop qualifies for Criteria I or II in the EE Certification Program (K-8).
The PLT activity guides are provided free of charge to participants through support from the NC Forestry Association. If the cost of this workshop is a barrier for you, please reach out to the the NC PLT Coordinator, Renee Strnad, at renee_strnad@ncsu.edu.
This event is scheduled for July 18, 2023 12:00 pm
How did COVID-19 pandemic
affect the timber industry,
forest-based employment and
the overall forest management
in the U.S. South?
Results suggest that mandatory lockdown orders for all individuals led to a decrease in round wood prices and employment in the aggregate forest sector. Similarly, researchers found the increased engagement of forest landowners with management and planning, and a greater appreciation of landownership. In this webinar, researchers will also briefly discuss their ongoing regional forest landowner survey about the forest management in the post-pandemic period.
Learn more about the webinar and register today.
HELP SAVE OUR TREES!
The spotted lanternfly and Asian longhorned beetle are two insect pests that threaten North Carolina. While the Asian longhorned beetle has not been found in NC yet, a spotted lanternfly infestation has been confirmed in Forsyth County.
Safe Plates for Food Managers
Class & Exam August 2023
Please note that the registration deadline is August 8, 2023.
Internet Cost Assistance Through
the Affordable Connectivity Program
The Internet is often called the “information highway” connecting you to recipes, stores, people, and so much more. Now there’s a program to assist eligible households with the monthly cost of an Internet connection.
If you are a recipient of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), this information is for you. No matter if you receive $200 or $23 worth of SNAP benefits, you may be eligible for help with internet costs.
The Affordable Connectivity Program is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program that helps connect families and households to more affordable internet service. This benefit provides up to $30 per month discount for internet service; up to $75 per month discount for households on qualifying Tribal lands; and a one-time discount of up to $100 on the purchase of a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet through a participating provider.
Read more to find out two ways to qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program.
Exploring the Versatility of Herbs and Spices
with Family and Consumer Sciences Agent Tara Gregory
From the University of Georgia Extension
When Your Income Drops Series
Part 3: Planning your Spending
A family spending plan is always a good idea. When your income drops, developing a realistic family spending plan is not optional—it is necessary. Though the process of developing your first family spending plan may be uncomfortable, it is not a punishment. It is an essential tool for getting ahead and staying ahead.
First, list all of your financial obligations, along with your best estimate of the cost per month and the amount of money you have to work with. It is often helpful to go through your bank and credit card statement(s), checkbook and other records you may have to make sure you include everything. At this point, it is better to list everything you can think of and to over-estimate the cost. Later you will take a look at how to lower the cost of particular expenses.
Once your list is complete, consider what happens when you stop paying for each item. Stop buying food, and eventually, your family goes hungry. Stop paying your rent or mortgage payment, and you end up without a place to live. Thinking about your expenses this way helps you to really come to terms with what is and is not important.
Once you have listed your obligations and thought about the importance of each, rank your expenses from most to least important. Feeding your family and providing shelter from the elements (including utilities and your rent or mortgage payment) should be among your most important expenses. Transportation is another critical expense. The importance of your remaining expenses depends on you and your situation.
Looking Back at Looking Forward
When I joined the N.C. Cooperative Extension team in 2015, we were preparing to relocate to a different building in just nine months. However, as is common with construction projects, there were several delays, and we didn't move until January 2017. Although I miss certain aspects of our old building, such as the convenience of walking to lunch and the spacious closets, there are some advantages to the new location. For instance, the absence of stairs has made it easier to transport equipment and materials, and the conference center can hold over 220 people.
Since our move to the "NEW" Chatham County Agriculture and Conference Center, we've experienced some staff turnover due to new job opportunities or retirement. As a result, only three of us have worked at both the old and new locations, while the rest of the team is only familiar with the "New" Ag building.
In December 2015, we visited the building site of the "New" Ag building to check on the progress and determine when we would be moving into our new space. During our visit, I recorded a walkthrough video and took photos to document the process. Let's take a step back in time to compare how our space looked then versus now.
