Our Mission: North Carolina Cooperative Extension partners with communities to deliver education and technology that enrich the lives, land and economy of North Carolinians.
Cabarrus County 4-H
Summer Fling in Full Swing
We are off to the races with summer programming. Junior Leaders are trained and classes have started. Summer is the busiest time of the year. We have several overnight experiences for teens such as Citizenship Focus, Congress, Electric Congress, and Youth Voice. We also have all our Summer Fling programming for youth ages 5-13 years of age. We also are sending 16 youth to residential camp! This summer would not be possible without the help of our wonderful Junior Leaders, Volunteers, and Summer interns Emilly and Tom! Thank You!
Please contact 4-H Agent, Molly Kleman with any questions.
Cabarrus County Horticulture
Walk in the Garden
Walk in the Garden
Cabarrus County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers hosted three garden tour last month. They were able to share both the Extension Pollinator Garden and the Native Plant Demo Garden at All Saints Episcopal Church.
If you'd like to learn more about Extension Gardens or schedule a tour with a master gardener volunteer, please email Tracy LeCompte.
Working Hard
Maintaining beautiful gardens is a lot of work. Our Extension Master Gardener Volunteer dedicate many hours working in the gardens. We thankful for all that they do to help make the world a better place. These gardens are a great way to learn about pollinators, native plants, and household plants.
If your interested in learning more about garden tours or joining Cabarrus County Master Gardeners email Tracy LeCompte or call 704-920-3310.
Cabarrus County Family and Consumer Sciences
Healthy Summer Snack Ideas
"Healthy Summer Snack Ideas " was taught at the Head Start Parent's Meeting ,at their center on Kerr Street, for their last program of the school year! Parent's enjoyed helping assemble snacks for children, and sampling new snack ideas that had been prepared in advance of the workshop. Recipe handouts were included and parents shared they will prepare these new healthy snacks for their children during the summer months!
What's the Buzz at Extension
Our Cabarrus Extension and Community Association (ECA ) recently enjoyed an educational program called "What's the Buzz at Extension" presented by Master Gardeners in the Atrium and Outside Pollinator Garden.
The Fat That's Good For You
"The Fat That's Good For You " was recently taught as a Leader Training for our ECA members to share with their local clubs.
Food Preservation
Summer Food Preservation season has arrived! To be ready to preserve the summer bounty, residents are reminded that their dial gauge pressure canners need to be tested for accuracy each year before pressure canning. The Dial Gauge Testing Station is set up in our Extension Kitchen and residents are invited to call 704-920-3310 to schedule a testing time . Testing takes about 10 minutes and ensures safe home food preservation.
Summer Food Preservation Hands-on-Workshops are being offered at the Extension Kitchen. The Basics of Home Canning has been offered which includes using a Pressure Canner and Boiling Water Bath Canner. Pickle Making has been offered using a Boiling Water Bath that filled our Kitchen with delicious aromas! Tomatoes and Salsa Hands On Workshops will be offered next! All the Extension Food Preservation Classes use locally raised produce purchased at the local Farmer's markets in Cabarrus County!
ECA State Foundation Grant
We want to congratulate Debbie Mullis, Country Neighbors ECA member, who wrote requesting an ECA State Foundation Grant! We are thrilled to announce that the Country Neighbors Educational and Community Association (ECA ) was awarded a $1,000.00 Grant to provide fabric and notions for Fidget Aprons for Alzheimer's patients and elderly residents , and Holiday Stockings for returning US soldiers! Several sewing workshops have already been held and other ECA Club members have attended and helped with the sewing and cutting!
National Volunteer Outreach Network
Several Cabarrus County ECA members will be attending the upcoming NVON ( National Volunteer Outreach Network ) meeting in West Virginia in July.
Cabarrus County Fair
ECA members are also excited to be preparing educational Fair Booths for the upcoming Cabarrus County Fair! The ECA Fair Booths will be timely, outstanding and educational and can be viewed in Gold Hall during the September Fair.
If you have any questions about nutrition, health, food safety, or food preservation please contact Extension Agent, Family and Consumer Sciences Pamela Outen or call 704-920-3310.
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Cabarrus County Agriculture
Reproduction Efficiency Workshop
What better way to start a Saturday morning than pregnancy testing cows?? Thank you Porter Farms Inc for allowing us to come out and use your facility and cattle! Our Livestock Agent, Mackenzie Luther partnered with other agents, NC State Beef Extension Specialist, Dr. Felipe Silva and NCSU Extension Veterinarian, Dr. Tom Van Dyke and local veterinarian, Dr. Jeff Broadaway to put on this Reproduction Workshop for Beef Cattle. Participants learned about different methods of pregnancy testing cattle and were allowed to practice drawing blood and running different pregnancy blood tests.
Poultry Judging
We have a junior team of four individuals. Who have been studying and practicing over the last two months. They have gone over what makes an egg a great one, different types of cuts of chicken, processed products, as well as how to tell the difference between a good layer and a bad layer. They also have learned how to present and be confident in their decisions. They will be competing in Raleigh at the State competition on July 19th. We wish them good luck and are proud of what they have done and will do.
For more information about Cabarrus County Cattlemen's Association please contact Extension Agent, Agriculture - Livestock and Field Crops Mackenzie Hallor call 704-920-3310.
Cucumber Downy Mildew Found in Lenoir County in North Carolina
When observing the upper side of the cucumber leaves, chlorotic lesions were seen. On the underside of the leaf, the characteristic dark gray sporulation of cucurbit downy mildew was present (Figure 1). Both of these are all typical symptoms and signs of CDM, respectively.
Clade 2 isolates in North Carolina have a host preference for cucumbers as well as cantaloupes. Clade 1 isolates have a preference for watermelon, squash, and pumpkin. Currently, this means that cucumber and cantaloupe crops are most at risk of CDM.
Since this pathogen (P. cubensis) has the potential of becoming resistant to fungicides, it is critical to have a strong spray program. A program should alternate fungicides with effective modes of action as well as protective chemistries. This will decrease the risk of Iisolates becoming resistant to fungicides.
Cucumber and cantaloupe growers are strongly encouraged to take immediate action to protect their crops with effective downy mildew fungicides in North Carolina.
Read more at:
https://plantpathology.ces.ncsu.edu/2023/06/cucumber-downy-mildew-found-in-lenoir-county-in-north-carolina/?src=rss
Upcoming Events
RALEIGH – The N.C. Forest Service will begin accepting orders July 5 for its annual tree seedling sale. With an average annual production of 16 million seedlings, the NCFS Nursery Program produces enough native and genetically improved tree seedlings to plant roughly 30,000 acres of land each year.
"The importance of healthy trees and forests cannot be overstated as they provide countless benefits to our state’s environment as well as to each of us," said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. "I strongly encourage landowners to take advantage of both the quantity and quality of tree species produced right here in our state by the North Carolina Forest Service."
Conifers and hardwoods are sold in units as low as 10 and as high as 100. For those wishing to submit larger orders, the nursery sells tree seedlings by the hundreds and thousands. Genetically improved stock is available for loblolly, longleaf, shortleaf and white pines as well as other species. These seedlings offer better volume growth, tree form, disease resistance, straightness, and other characteristics needed to produce healthy woodlands and quality forest products. Customers interested in knowing more about our long list of tree species and available inventory can speak with NCFS Nursery staff, as well as reference the ordering website or seedling catalogs.
How can you order tree seedlings from the NCFS Nursery Program?
Tree seedlings can be ordered from the online seedling store at www.buynctrees.com.
Tree seedlings can also be ordered by phone at 1-888-NCTREES (1-888-628-7337) or 919-731-7988.
Tree seedlings can be ordered using the order form found in our FY23-24 Nursery Seedling Catalog. Complete the form and mail to Seedling Coordinator, 762 Claridge Nursery Road, Goldsboro, NC 27530.
A user-friendly online catalog will soon be available at https://www.ncforestservice.gov/nursery/NurseryandTreeImprovement.htm. Seedling catalogs will also be available at local NCFS offices beginning in July. Within the catalog, landowners can find information about the types of tree species, quantities, and cost to order. Each species description includes information about ideal planting locations and whether a species is typically used to benefit wildlife, restore forest habitats or as marketable timber.
Accepted methods of payment are check, money order, Mastercard, and Visa.
Distribution of orders occurs from January through March, depending on weather conditions. Seedling orders can be shipped to one of 13 distribution centers statewide for a small fee or via UPS for a charge. Seedling orders are also available for pickup from the NCFS Claridge Nursery in Goldsboro or the Linville River Nursery near Crossnore.
For information on planting trees, customers are encouraged to contact their local NCFS county ranger. Contact information for the NCFS county office and nursery locations is available at www.ncforestservice.gov/contacts.
Credits:
NC State University and NC A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity and prohibit discrimination and harassment regardless of age, color, disability, family and marital status, genetic information, national origin, political beliefs, race, religion, sexual identity (including pregnancy) and veteran status. NC State, NC A&T, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating. Created with images by NC Cooperative Extension - Cabarrus County Staff