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We Grow Durham County NC Cooperative Extension, Durham County Center

Fall 2021

We Grow Stronger Veggies

Grafting great tasting tomato varieties onto rootstocks that are resistant to soil-borne diseases such as southern blight and bacterial wilt is a sustainable way to grow your favorite tomatoes in disease infested soils.

Over the past few years, Extension Master Gardener℠ volunteers in Durham County experimented with tomato grafting methods to develop information that will help any gardener graft their favorite tomato variety successfully. In addition to pulling together a resource list, volunteers created videos that walk you through the grafting process. The results of their project are shared in the video below.

In recognition of their efforts to support sustainable gardening education, Master Gardener volunteers in Durham County were awarded first place in the research project category of the 2021 David Gibby International Master Gardener Search for Excellence!

The David Gibby International Master Gardener Search for Excellence is the recognition program for outstanding Master Gardener volunteer work across the United States, Canada, and South Korea. Held every other year, the awards program invites Master Gardener volunteers to submit educational, group projects that result in significant learning in seven different categories. The program selects 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place recipients in each category.

The winning team, from left to right: Ashley Troth, Lalitree Darnielle, Sara Smith, Kathryn Hamiltion, Bev Tisci and Ann Norris

***Reproduced with permission from the EMGV portal

We Grow Today's Leaders

Each year, Kids Voting Durham offers youth aged 14-24 the opportunity to apply to participate in a unique summer internship program. Through the program, youth leaders create materials and resources that are used and valued by youth, educators, and leaders in the Durham community. They create the Kids Voting Durham Election Guide, civic education materials, and other creative products while learning new skills and deepening existing ones.

This summer's interns had to stay virtual due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this challenge, 18 young people had a dynamic, confidence-boosting, leadership-skills- building summer experience. Watch this video to learn a bit more about the Kids Voting Durham internship experience from three of our 2021 summer interns.

We Grow Food Security

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 - October 15, Durham County Cooperative Extension would like to thank our partner organizations led by Hispanic/Latinx community members, and to share some of their amazing work. Among the many organizations and individuals who have contributed to supporting our Latinx community are El Centro Hispano and Iglesia Emanuel.

Over the past year and a half, Cooperative Extension has had the honor of coordinating Durham County’s Food Security efforts. El Centro Hispano and Iglesia Emanuel have played a major part in making sure that all of our neighbors have access to healthy food. Both organizations received grants through Durham County to provide culturally appropriate food to Latino households experiencing food insecurity. El Centro Hispano is a Latino nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the community, building bridges, and advocating for equity and inclusion for Hispanics/Latinos in the Triangle Area of North Carolina. With the start of the pandemic, El Centro Hispano immediately stepped into action, increasing their services in a wide variety of areas, including providing COVID-19 tests, vaccines, and increasing their food support for families. In partnership with the County, El Centro Hispano was able to provide food to 300 Latinx families who were experiencing food insecurity.

Iglesia Emanuel is a small Hispanic Presbyterian Church in Durham. The church has operated a Free Food Pantry for 12 years, serving about 60 families a week. However, during the pandemic demand has grown, and so have the Food Pantry’s services. The pantry, under the leadership of Pastor Julio Ramirez-Eve and his wife Martha Ramirez, is currently providing nutritious groceries to over 500 families each week with the support of community volunteers, sister churches, and Durham County.

Durham County Cooperative Extension is so honored to be able to serve alongside such giants in our community. If you’d like to join our efforts to support food security in our county, please visit https://durham.ces.ncsu.edu/durham-county-food-security/ to learn how you can volunteer or share a donation.

Check out this video from the Iglesia Emanuel Free Food Pantry to learn more about their work.

We Grow New Farmers

While many of us take for granted the delicious produce and meats that end up on our dinner tables, for a determined group of North Carolina farmers, surviving the day to day of caring for animals, planting crops, and hosting agritourists can seem overwhelming. This is particularly true for new farmers, who are just starting to figure out both the business and the science of production.

“Learning to farm can be a daunting task even for the most tenacious new farmer. It takes serious physical effort and also business acumen to succeed,” shared Emily Walker, a Durham Farm Owner and Farm School Attendee.

Thanks to the annual North Carolina Farm School, learning the ins and outs of running an agriculture enterprise is much easier. This Fall, Durham County Cooperative Extension has had the honor of hosting the Farm School at our campus.

The eight session program is taught by extension specialists, agents, and experienced farmers over a four-month time frame. In addition to classroom-based instruction, the program also includes five field trips to working farms and visits to participants’ farms for individualized support. Graduates are matched with a successful farmer mentor to keep the learning going after the course ends.

Thanks to these many supports, new farmers feel ready to prosper and succeed. As Emily Walker said, “NC Farm School places unparalleled informational resources in the hands of new farmers and gives them concrete business analysis tools as they start or diversify their local farm enterprises. In addition, the extension agents and local farmers offer practical advice and genuine encouragement.”

Durham County Cooperative Extension will be hosting Farm School again in the spring for classes running from February to June 2021. We will be accepting applications soon. Consult our website in the near future for more information.

Volunteer Spotlight

Selena Magazzi

Welcome Baby and Food Security Volunteer

When the pandemic struck, Durham County Cooperative Extension quickly had to find new ways to provide services to our community. As an organization grounded in evidence-based programming, we didn’t want to pivot without having data to inform any changes. Volunteer Selena Magazzi stepped in to help us collect and analyze the information we needed.

Selena, a master’s student at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, was well-suited to help us fill the information gap. She studies Applied Child and Adolescent Development, with a specialization in Infancy and Early Childhood Mental Health. Using her excellent research skills, Selena investigated the impact of COVID-19 on child development and mental health for our Welcome Baby program.

“Thanks to Selena’s research, the Welcome Baby program is able to better help our families respond to the stresses that the pandemic is placing on children,” shared Patience Mukelabai, Welcome Baby Program Coordinator.

Upon finishing this initial project, Selena dove in to support Durham County’s Food Security efforts by providing research, data entry, and additional logistical support.

While Selena’s studies have taken her far away, she is a Durhamite through and through, having spent half of her life here. She makes it a priority to share her time and talent with local organizations like the Arts for Life program at Duke Children’s Hospital where she is a volunteer; the Hunt Institute, where she is a research intern; and the YMCA, where she works as a Membership Engagement Specialist.

Selena’s heart for service makes her a special asset to the Durham community. As she shared after being named Durham County Cooperative Extension’s Volunteer of the Quarter, “I love being able to help the community I call one of my homes!”

Employee Spotlight

Matias Murano

EFNEP Educator

Durham County Government and NC Cooperative Extension are doing their part in addressing health in our community with the creation of several new positions focused on supporting food security, nutrition, physical activity, and safe food practices. This quarter, we are excited to introduce yet another new team member who is providing nutrition education, Matias Murano.

Matias joined Durham County Cooperative Extension as an employee of NC A&T State University in the role of Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Educator. EFNEP is the nation’s first nutrition education program for low-income populations.

As a nutrition educator, Matias works with pregnant women to help them learn how to use nutrition to take care of themselves and their babies during and after pregnancy, thus reducing the risk for mother and infant mortality and illness.

Originally from Argentina, he brings his knowledge and experience as a physician to his work, along with his passion for change. “I enjoy seeing that my job has an impact on a population that needs help.”

Matias’s background attests to this passion, after working as a General Practitioner for five years in his home country, he travelled across Latin America working as a volunteer physician with indigenous populations. He landed in North Carolina after marrying a native Durhamite in Argentina and returning to her hometown. The two had their first child, Amaí, in January of 2021, so Matias had a chance to apply his nutrition expertise at home with wife Maria and their baby girl.

Matias is kicking off his first Table for Two class in Spanish this month for new or pregnant mothers. To join the class, to learn more about his programs, or to receive individual nutrition support, contact him at mmurano@ncat.edu.

NC State University and N.C. 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, sex (including pregnancy), gender identity, sexual orientation and veteran status. NC State, N.C. A&T, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.

North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Durham County Center 721 Foster Street, Durham, NC 27701* (919) 560-0525

Created By
Christa Gibson
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Credits:

Created with images by HansLinde - "chili pepper fruit plant" • kie-ker - "tomatoes vines water droplets" • kahawkinson - "bags paper shopping" • Skitterphoto - "corn field farm clouds"