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Catawba County Cooperative Extension Service
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Upcoming Workshops and Activities
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Advanced Gardener Program 2019
Patrick Beaver Memorial Library - 2nd Thursday of the month from 6-7 PM
Newton Library - 3rd Tuesday of the month from
6-7 PM
Maiden Library - 4th Tuesday of the month from 6:30-7:30 PM
Master Gardener Program 2019
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Feb., 9th 2019
8:30 am-2:30 pm
Free Educational Conference and Trade Show for Small and Beginning Farmers
Iredell Cooperative Extension
444 Bristol Dr. Statesville, NC
This third annual agricultural conference and trade show was designed to meet the economic and environmental needs of small farmers and beginning gardeners.
Keynote Speaker:
Carol Coulter from Heritage Homestead Goat Dairy
Three Concurrent EducationalTracks
Livestock, Alternative Crops, Small Farms
Lunch available from The Fusion Mexican Grill Truck
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Market Gardener Class 2019
Classes meet four Saturdays in March and April 2019 for four hours
March 9 & 23, and April 6 & 20, 2018, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
In this four- day intensive course, you will learn how to take the step from gardener to growing for market. Our classroom will be in the field, where we will grow four different crops, harvest and prepare to sell.
Contact April Vigardt at alvigard@ncsu.edu or call 828-465-8243 for more information
Class Cost is $100
includes thum drive of farmer resources
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C
atawba Valley Cattlemen's Association
Meeting 
February 12 (2nd Tuesday of the month)
We welcome all people interested in our educational topic.
Visitors eat free.
Location
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Agricultural Resource Center 1175
South Brady Ave. Newton, NC 28658
Speaker: Tom VanDyke, DVM, State Extension Vet
Educational Program Topic: Pinkeye - Basics & Control
6:00
Supper is served.
6:45 Business Meeting
7:00 Educational Program
Visitors eat free but need to initial the attendance sheet.
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Home Horticulture Classes!
Visit the
horticulture webpage
to find out more information about classes and to read articles about home landscaping topics.
Donate non-perishable food in honor of our local, small farmers. Now through March 30.
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New 4-H Clubs for 2019 
We have some new 4-H Clubs starting. Check out these options and make plans to get involved in a club that works for your family.
* Dog Club -
Meeting the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month at 6:00-7:00 p.m. at
the Agricultural Resources Center (1175 South Brady Ave, Newton). This club grew from a dog series offered in the Fall. All children ages 5 and older with an interest in learning about dog topics and/or training dogs are invited to attend. The next meeting is Feb. 4. Leader: Nancy Dick.
* Hiking/Wildlife Club -
This new club will have their first meeting on Monday, February 25 at 4:30 p.m. at Riverbend Park, located at 6700 NC-16, Conover. The club will be meeting on the 4th Monday of each month from Feb. - November at 4:30-6:00 p.m. Meetings will rotate mostly between Riverbend and Bakers Mountain county parks. Come ready for a mile (or more) hike each month with some outside wilderness survival and nature programs. Members will be recording their learning and working toward completing a nature project book for 2019. Recommended for ages 8 and older and children should be accompanied by an adult. Leaders: George Place and Emily Kanupp.
* Wrench Turners 4-H Club
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This new SPIN club (short term, special interest) is for youth ages 8-18 and will offers lots of hands-on activities that will let you explore mechanics, from bikes to engines. The club will be meeting on the 4th Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm at the Agricultural Resources Center. $10 membership fee to cover the cost of program materials. The first meeting is planned for March 28. Leader: Jason White.
If you would you like to join any of these clubs, enroll using 4-H Online at https://www.4honline.com/. You may also email donna_mull@ncsu.edu to let the office know of your interest, attend a club meeting to check it out, and then complete your 4-H online enrollment.
There is a complete list of 4-H clubs posted on the Cooperative Extension website at https://catawba.ces.ncsu.edu/
Excited about these new additions!
Hope to see new faces in new clubs for 2019.
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4-H Plant Sale
Strawberries: $15 for 25 or 4 bundles of 25 for $40
Chandler - Large berry with conical shape, very sweet and a good yield. Southern favorite.
Jewel - #1 mid-season variety, recommended for commercial growers and home gardeners. Large berries with superb quality and flavor.
Performs well over a wide range
of growing conditions. Consistent performance. Plants have moderate winter hardiness.
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Blueberries: Gallon containers $10/plant
Climax - An early producer! Savor loads of large, sweet, early ripening blueberries. Great on cereals or baked into muffins, these southern blueberries are gaining in popularity! These pest-free shrubs reach 6 to 10 feet. Foliage turns fiery red in au
tumn.
Tifblue - The most universally outstanding rabbiteye blueberry grown to date. The fruits are large, light blue and ripen late in the season. The bush is vigorous and very productive. More cold hardy than most rabbiteye blueberries varieties.
Powder Blue - Medium to large size fruit, darker blue in color; sweet taste. Upright highly productive plant; good foliage. Blooms late in season.
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Blackberries: Gallon containers $10/plant
Arapaho - Thorn-less, earliest producing berry, ripening in mid-June. Requires no trellis, grows into a bush. Sweet berries with small seeds. New canes shoot up from roots to increase productivity.
Apache - Largest thorn-less, upright berry available. Sweet, cone shaped berry. Ripens late season. Cold hardy and high yielding.
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Raspberries: Gallon containers $10/plant
Heritage - Known for producing large crops of very large and sweet berries that are dark red in color. Good for freezing as well as making jellies and jams. Ripen in summer and fall.
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Asparagus: $10/bundle of 10
Jersey Giant - Known for its heavy yields, thick spears and outstanding flavor. Attractive dark green spears with purple bracts are large. Uniform and succulent. One of the most
frost hardy varieties.
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Auxin Herbicide Training is required for all persons planning to apply dicamba (Engenia, FeXapan, or XtendiMax) to Xtend cotton or soybeans or 2,4-D (Enlist Duo or Enlist One) to Enlist cotton or soybeans. Take a look at the full schedule of training sessions around the state. 1 CEU for pesticide licenses N, D, O, X will also be given.
Soybean growers have a new tool from the Official Variety Testing (OVT) that takes place throughout NC. Take a look at this variety selector tool.
Are you interested in growing
Industrial Hemp? We are scheduling a tour for farmers of a hemp processor in Catawba County for Feb 12. Contact George - 828-465-8247 if you are interested.
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Family Consumer Science (FCS) -
Food and Nutrition
"Farm to Fork" Recipe Page
Visit the "
Farm to Fork" recipe page for recipes and resources to help you prepare produce that you grow or purchase at local farmers markets.
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Attention - Aspiring Food Business Entrepreneurs:
Click on the link below for answers to questions regarding starting a food business. Whether you are interested in selling value-added products at a farmers market or starting a
food truck. You will find information to help you, including agencies that regulate food businesses.
Need help with food preservation?
Stop by the Extension office and pick up a complimentary guide with instructions on how to can and freeze selected fruits and vegetables. For your convenience, the guides have been distributed to several local libraries but supplies are limited.
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Help Us Improve Our Customer Service To You!
In 2 minutes you will help us to improve how we serve Catawba County.
This survey is completely anonymous
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Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination statement
North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, or veteran's status. In addition, the two Universities welcome all person without regard to sexual orientation. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.
Persons with disabilities and persons with limited English proficiency may request accommodations to participate by contacting Catawba County Extension Director, George Place, at (828) 465-8240 or gtplace@ncsu.edu or in person at the County Extension Office at least 14 days prior to the event.
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