Caldwell County 
CALDWELL COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION CENTER HAPPENINGS
February 2019
Caldwell Seed Library Opening 
When: Saturday, February 2 at 10 am
Where: Caldwell County Public Library- 120 Hospital Ave, NE, Lenoir

A celebration with seeds, a raffle, and live music! See flier and spread the word. 





V Pesticide Training
When: Tuesday,  February 5, 5:30 -7:30 pm and Tuesday, February 26, 1-3 pm
Where: NC Cooperative Extension- Caldwell County - Room 2

Please call 828.757.1290 to register.

Cost: Free

Rev. Joyner - The Reluctant Farmer  -- NOT TO BE MISSED!
When:  Wednesday February 6, 2019 at 6 pm
Where: Caldwell County Meeting Rooms- Lower Level- 120 Hospital Ave. NE, Lenoir NC 28645

As part of its Black History Month Celebration, the Caldwell County Public Library, the Caldwell County NAACP, and the N.C. Cooperative Extension - Caldwell County Center, are honored to host Rev. Richard Joyner, more commonly known as, "The Reluctant Farmer" on Wednesday, February 6th from 6-8pm at the Caldwell County Meeting Rooms, located in the lower level of the library building at 120 Hospital Ave., Lenoir, NC.

Rev. Joyner, Pastor and Executive Director of the Conetoe Family Life Center in Conetoe, NC, has spent the last decade working to bring his community back from the brink of death literally and figuratively. With a population under 500, this small community in Edgecombe County had 25% of its citizens living below the poverty line, and dying from health related illnesses in huge numbers.

What Rev. Joyner did for his community had received national recognition. Starting as a summer program for children has grown to encompass five different plots that together total 21 acres. Vidant Edgecombe Hospital, the Edgecombe County school system, and a number of area restaurants pay in advance to secure salad greens, peppers, broccoli, strawberries, and other crops. The center's 150 bee hives generate $10 jars of honey, as well as an alternative income stream from local farmers renting the pollinators. Participants on the farm prepare beds, select seeds, tend crops, sell produce, and track digital data - all imparting valuable lessons in science, technology, economics, math, and nutrition. As a result, visits to the emergency room have decreased by 75 percent. Collectively, the 250-member congregation spends $4,000 less on medication per quarter than it did a decade ago. Graduation rates grew from 50 to 80 percent.

This presentation is part of the library's month long Black History Month celebration that includes the exhibit, "Distant Echoes: Black Farmers in America" which is on display throughout February.      
This program is sponsored in part by the Caldwell County NAACP, the N.C. Cooperative Extension-Caldwell County Center, and the Friends of the Caldwell County Public Library.



NC Agritunity Educational Conference and Trade Show
When:  Saturday February 9, 2019
Where: NC Cooperative Extension-Iredell County Center

NC Agritunity is a regional one-day conference and tradeshow aimed at small farms and any farmer looking to expand into new enterprises. 

NC Agritunity 2019 will feature 3 educational tracks: livestock & field crop production, pest management, and small farm start-ups, provided by N.C. Cooperative Extension specialists, agents, farmers, and individuals from agricultural organizations.   

For more information and registration info, see:  website.




Growing Herbs at Home
When: Tuesday,  February 12 - 5:30 pm- 7 pm
Where: NC Cooperative Extension- Caldwell County, Room 2

Learn about growing different herbs and spices in the home garden, as well as techniques for propagation. Open to the Public. Prior registration required.  Register by calling: 828-757-1290  

Cost: Free

Forage Recovery Plan
When: Wednesday, February 13, 2019- 2:00 pm
Where:  Piedmont Research Station, Salisbury

Featured Topic - Management Strategies for Early- and Late-Plantings of Cool-Season Forages in North Carolina, Miguel Castillo, Forage and Grassland Management, NC State University

Cost: Free





Caldwell County Beekeepers Association Beekeeping Workshop 2019
When: February 16th, 21st and 23rd
Where: Caldwell County Meeting Rooms, 120 Hospital Ave, NE, Lenoir

This course is designed for beginners and is a great refresher for current Beekeepers to enhance their general beekeeping skills. Our knowledgeable instructors will cover the history of beekeeping, getting started, seasonal management, and the treatment of pests and diseases. 

**Door prizes: 5-frame nuc, bee equipment and several other prizes (must be present to win.)** Pre-registration is not required but is recommended, as space is limited. To reserve a spot in this workshop contact: 

Doug Galloway 828-612-1531 
Sara Kennedy 952-334-1014 or 

Email your name, email address and phone number to CCNCBA@yahoo.com 
Cost:  $50.00 Includes course materials, textbook and one year membership to: Caldwell County Beekeepers Association and North Carolina State Beekeepers Association **FREE for students attending with parent or guardian at full price.

Firewise Landscaping Class
When:   February 19 from  11 am - 12:30 pm
Where: NC Cooperative Extension- Caldwell County, Room 2


Speaker:
Christina Newhouse
Firewise Project Manager
Carolina Land and Lakes RC&D

Come and learn how to make your home and community Firewise with landscaping and home maintenance techniques.

Cost: Free and Open to the Public



Blueberry Pruning Workshop
When: Tuesday, February 19th, 2019- 1:00 - 3:30 pm outside Where: Campbell's U-Pick Blueberry Farm, Located off Hwy 127 in Bethlehem NC GPS Address: 27 Tracy Bolick Lane, Hickory NC
Who: Bill Cline, NC State Blueberry Specialist 

This afternoon on-farm session will entail a discussion and hands on pruning demonstration for different age blueberry plants. Proper pruning at planting, followed by pruning techniques on young bushes, then on older bushes will be discussed and performed. Other blueberry management practices will be discussed in detail. Don't miss this local opportunity to see, hear and learn from the most tenured and knowledgeable blueberry specialists in our multi-state area. Registration is required: Register by contacting Julie Campbell at julie_campbell@ncsu.edu or 828-632-4451 

If you have a disability or desire for any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact Alexander County Cooperative Extension at 828-632-4451 during business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at least two weeks before the event to request accommodations.
Cost: Free, but registration is required.


NC Cattlemen's Conference 
When:  February 21-23
Where: Hickory Metro Convention Center , Hickory 

68TH ANNUAL NORTH CAROLINA CATTLEMEN'S CONFERENCE February 21 - 23, 2019 Hickory Metro Convention Center (1960 13th Avenue Drive, SE - located off I-40 at Exit 125) Hickory, NC NCCA Welcomes the 68th Annual N. C. Dairymen's Conference Visit our  website.

Cost: See website above

Foothills Ornamental Workshop
When: Thursday, February 21
Where: NC Cooperative Extension - Burke County, 130 Ammons Drive, Morganton, NC 28655

The Foothills Ornamental Production  Workshop is designed to provide updated  information on ornamental plants, production  practices, and pest identification and control  for the nursery and landscape industry in the  Southeastern US.
For more information, click on the  registration form..  Direct questions to  Amanda Taylor at 828-475-2915 or amanda_jo_taylor@ncsu.edu.





Caldwell Nurseryman's Scholarship Opportunity
The Caldwell County Nursery Association will award $500 scholarships to deserving students enrolling in a horticulture program at a North Carolina college during the 2019-2020 term. The scholarship is open to any student from the counties of Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, McDowell, or Wilkes. Interested students should fill out the  application . Applications must be postmarked by March 30, 2019.

A fillable pdf is available online  here. The deadline is March 30. Please contact Amanda Taylor with any questions at Amanda_jo_taylor@ncsu.edu.

$750.00 Scholarship Offered to Business Students
Nominations are being sought for a $750 scholarship offered by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Administrative Professionals Association (NCCEAPA). The scholarship is available to North Carolina residents pursuing a college degree (Associates and/or Bachelors) in business or a business-related field of study. Applicants must be enrolled to attend classes at a college during the 2019-2020 school year. 

The scholarship is awarded annually to honor the work and dedication of Edith Herter and Frances O'Neal, co-leaders in forming the NCCEAPA in 1973. Qualified applicants interested in applying for this scholarship can obtain an application packet from the financial aid office at their local community college or click below.

 Additional information can be obtained by contacting the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, Caldwell County Center, at 828.757.1290, or by visiting the Center at 120 Hospital Ave, NE Suite 1, Lenoir NC 28645. Deadline to apply is March 22, 2019.

Click on the  news article for more information.



Caldwell Beekeepers Association
When:  The third Thursday every month at  6:30pm.
Where: Caldwell County Public Meeting Rooms

The beekeepers meet monthly for educational programs and to conduct club business. For more information contact Doug Galloway at 828- 612-1531 or Mickey Hollar at 828-312-5003.

To learn more about the Beekeepers Association visit their  website or  Facebook page.

February Gardening Tips

  • Plants in Flower
  • Wintersweet, Breath-of-Spring (Winter Honeysuckle), Lenten-Rose (Helleborus), Trailing Arbutus, Crocus, Violets, Winter Jasmine, Snowdrop and Japanese Flowering Apricot.
Fertilizing
  • Shade trees can be fertilized.
  • Fertilize emerging spring flowering bulbs.
  • Spread wood ashes around the vegetable garden, flowering bulb beds and non-acid loving plants if the pH is below 6.0.
Planting
  • First week in February start broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower plants inside your home.
  • Plant English peas, onions, Irish potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, spinach, kale, turnips, and carrots the last week of February.
  • Plant asparagus crowns when soil is dry enough to work.
Pruning
  • Prune Hydrangeas during last week of month.
  • Prune bunch grape vines this month.
  • Trim ornamental grasses like liriope, mondo grass, and pampas grass.
  • Cut back any overgrown shrubs.
Spraying
  • Peach and nectarine trees need to be sprayed with a fungicide to prevent leaf curl.
  • Spray all fruit trees with dormant oil to help eliminate some insects.
Lawn Care
  • Cool season lawns like tall fescue should be fertilized. Follow soil test results.
  • Control wild onion in your lawn with spot sprays of a recommended herbicide.
Propagation
  • Divide perennials like daylily and shasta daisy when the ground is dry enough.
  • Hardwood cuttings of many landscape plants like Crape Myrtle, Flowering Quince, forsythia, hydrangea, juniper, spirae, and weigela can be taken this month.
Specific Chores
  • Clean out bluebird boxes.
  • Order flowers for your sweetheart - Happy Valentine's Day!
  • Develop a vegetable and landscape plan for your home grounds.
  • Order strawberry & blueberry plants.
  • Repair and clean equipment, such as mowers, sprayers, and blowers.
  • Order new pots and markers.
  • Temperatures can drop to freezing this month; annuals that can take the chill include pansies, viola, and dianthus.
  • Clean your annual and perennial flower beds. Add compost to the soil and add more mulch to the beds.      Bulbs can still be planted. Water well and apply mulch for protection. Try dahlias!
  • Continue to deadhead flowers, such as pansies.Put down mulch across all garden beds to control for weeds.
  • Divide and replant crowded perennials after they emerge.
  • Fertilize spring-blooming bulbs.
  • Finish planting shrubs and trees. Fertilize.
  • If not done in January, fertilize established fruit trees now.
  • Prune dormant trees. Avoid pruning citrus until the spring.
  • Prune shrubs now; wait to prune spring-flowering shrubs until after they bloom.
  • Fertilize established fruit trees. Continue planting dormant fruit trees.
  • Plant more vegetables, such as lettuce, cabbage, collards, onion sets, brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, spinach, kale, mustard greens, radishes, turnips, peas, and beets.
  • Plant Irish potatoes now! Plant 3 inches deep.
  • Plant asparagus.
  • Replenish mulch on strawberries.
  • Start your indoor seed boxes of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and cauliflower indoors.
  • Prune roses to remove damaged canes. Then fertilize and apply mulch for protection.
  • Divide and transplant perennial herbs.
  • Seed herbs for April planting.
  • You can fertilize your houseplants with a water-soluble fertilizer when they show new growth.
  • After temperatures rise to 65 degrees F for 4 to 5 days, apply a pre-emergent weed killer to prevent warm-season weeds.
  • Regularly mow your lawn at recommended heights (St. Augustine and Bahia: 3 to 4 inches; Centipede: 1.5 to 2 inches; Dwarf St. Augustine: 2.5 inches).

Mark your calendars for future
events & meetings . . .


Growing Paw-Paws
When: Monday, March 11 2019- 5:30 pm- 7:30 pm
Where: NC Cooperative Extension- Caldwell County, Room 2

We are thrilled to announce that Craig Mauney, pawpaw expert and enthusiast, will be teaching a 2-hour class about one of our native tree fruits, the pawpaws here at the Caldwell Extension Center! This class will cover the history and biology of pawpaws, and provide valuable information on successful cultivation. We will be selling pawpaw trees during our annual Edible Plant Sale (pickup date: March 15, 2019)- those interested in purchasing pawpaws are highly encouraged to attend this class.

Craig Mauney has worked as an Extension agent for the NC Cooperative Extension for over 20 years.  He is presently the Extension Area Specialized Agent in commercial vegetable and fruit production in the 39 Western most counties of North Carolina. His special interests are woodland botanicals and unusual edibles like pawpaw. He grew up in the mountains of Western North Carolina in Cherokee County where he had a small sustainable farm for many years. He now has a small forest farm in Zirconia, NC - Shady Hollow Farm.

Cost: Free


Piedmont Regional Beef Conference
When: Thursday, March 7, 2019- 8:30 am
Where: Guilford County Extension

Featured Topic -  Stockmanship Principles and demonstration, Dr. Ron Gill, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension



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