July 3rd is National Eat Your Beans Day!
Eating more plant-based protein, like beans or legumes, is a small step you can take towards following the Mediterranean pattern of eating, or eating the Med Way! Mediterranean-style eating patterns are remarkably well-linked with lifelong good health and decreasing the risk of many chronic diseases including some forms of cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Beans and legumes are lower in calories and higher in fiber than other sources of protein, meaning that they are more likely to provide a sense of satiety and fullness. They can also be a very budget-friendly alternative to meat based sources of protein.
Try these tips to save some calories and eat more beans:
- Replace half of the ground meat in your recipes with beans and vegetables to decrease the meat while still enjoying familiar flavors.
- Cook beans and legumes in bulk to use in the next few days or freeze for later use.
- Use hummus: as a bread spread for sandwiches in place of butter or mayonnaise, or as a dip for snacks in place of cream-based dips.
- Choose 'No Salt Added' canned beans or rinse canned beans before using to reduce about 30% of the sodium added for packaging.
- Use a slow cooker or pressure cooker to cook dried beans.
- To reduce gas, soak beans for 48 hours and cook until very soft.
Try this Med-friendly Black Bean Salsa recipe as a refreshing side for your 4th of July festivities!
Ingredients: 
- 1 (15-ounce) bag of frozen white corn (or white and yellow mixed)
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes
- ½ cup chopped Vidalia onion
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Cook the frozen corn according to package directions and chill.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Serve immediately (with chips, or as a condiment), or chill until serving.
Nutrition Information per Serving: (Based on ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper)
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Vegetables: ¾ cup
- Fruits: 0 cups
- Calories: 320 calories
- Carbohydrates: 45 grams
- Fiber: 11 grams
- Protein: 11 grams
- Fat: 13 grams
- Sodium: 214 mg
For recipes and more information on the Mediterranean Diet, visit medinsteadofmeds.com and keep an eye out for upcoming Med Instead of Meds programming with N.C. Cooperative Extension in Burke County.
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**Pest Watch**
Spotted Lanternfly
Report a find to your local plant pest specialist or to badbug@ncagr.gov.
The plant pest specialist that covers Burke, Catawba, Cleveland, McDowell, and Rutherford counties is Amanda Cook. You can reach her at 828-443-1289.
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Burke County 4-H Summer Fun!
Outdoor Cooking Day
Friday, July 12th
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Join us for a trip to Crowder's Mountain State Park where we will experience some outdoor cooking of various types. We will even enjoy some ice-cream made in a bag! Lunch is provided. Register at our office Monday - Friday from 8:30 - 4:30.
Cost of the Class is $25 (plus one-time registration fee of $10)
Class is limited to 12 participants
Ages 10 & up
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When most horse owners think of controlling flies, they think of sprays. But, there are other options that deserve consideration.
First and foremost is sanitation. It takes up to two weeks for a fly egg to hatch and molt into a mature fly capable of reproducing. Breaking the life cycle by composting manure and cleaning up piles of wet, rotting hay helps reduce the number of flies to control.
For light fly pressure, you may be able to reduce them by hanging sticky fly tape around the barn. If populations increase, spray the barn walls where flies rest during the night hours. Spraying an insecticide like Countdown, Grenade or Atroban EC will knockdown fly numbers while minimizing your horse's exposure to pesticides.
Using fly baits can be effective if used in a safe manner. Cutting open old milk jugs or soda bottles and hanging them from barn eaves where they are out of children and pets reach is effective.
Horses spending most of their time on pasture can get good protection with insecticide impregnated strips tied to the halter or with a light string around the neck.
Finally, there are a number of good insecticides for spraying the horse or wiping on with a light rag. Some are designed for daily use and others are designed for use on horses that are handled less. Be aware that no insecticide will control every fly.
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Empowering Youth & Families Program
Empowering Youth & Families Program (EYFP) is a 12-session special interest club for youth ages 10-14, in partnership with their caregivers, to improve family relationships and communication, develop civic engagement skills, provide service learning opportunities, and combat the opioid crisis in our community.
EYFP focuses on family relationships and communication and will build on the strong foundation already in place, but the goal of the program is much larger than just learning and growing as a family.
At the end of the twelve sessions, a retreat for youth and their families is held at a campground. Youth and families from each county join with families from other counties to design community outreach events to engage people in their counties in the conversation about opioid prevention. After the retreat, youth and their caregivers continue with service learning to stage their community event. Youth and their families in the program will reach and teach their counties to help prevent opioid misuse through knowledge and healthy behaviors.
Our next program begins in September. For more information please contact Spring Williams-Byrd at 828-764-9480 or email her at spring_williams@ncsu.edu.
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Burke County 4-H Summer Fun
Giddy UP! 
Tuesday, July 16th
8:30 am - 3:00 pm
Saddle up and ride with us for a day of beginning horseback riding, crafts and games at LambFarm Horses. Closed toe shoes and signed waivers are required. Please bring a bag lunch and drink.
(plus one-time registration fee of $10)
Class is limited to 12 participants
Ages 8 to 16
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Hot weather brings a variety of problems to the homeowner and gardener and one of these problems is out in full force right now: the millipede. Even though they can invade in huge numbers, they do not bite, sting or harm clothing or wood. The most common of these is the garden millipede. These one inch long creatures curl up into a "''C'' shape when disturbed and give off an unpleasant odor for protection. Often mistaken for a centipede, millipedes have two pairs of legs per body segment while centipedes have only one pair of legs per body segment.
Most homeowners do not like having them inside their houses and basements even if they are harmless. They usually live in dark, cool spots such as compost piles, heavily mulched areas or under logs or lumber. They go unnoticed until hot, dry weather forces them to find moisture or extremely wet conditions send them to higher ground such as concrete sidewalks, driveways and foundations. Millipedes are also migratory which means they move in large numbers in the late summer and fall, searching for places to overwinter. Millipedes can live for several years.
Insecticides are only a temporary solution to the millipede problem. Emphasis should be directed at getting rid of the conditions that attract them. Remove piles of compost or mulch that might be located close to the house. If mulch is present up close to the house, rake it back away from the foundation at least six to twelve inches. Remove leaves, grass clippings, rocks, boards or anything that is lying on the ground close to the foundation.
To keep the millipedes out of the house, make sure all cracks are sealed. Install door sweeps on all exterior doors and make sure that expansion joints are sealed. Once millipedes are inside the home they do not live long because of the lack of access to moisture. Perimeter sprays of insecticides on the foundation and ground can give some temporary relief but care must be taken to saturate the soil.
Millipedes are a nuisance but a short lived one. They will soon be on their way but it is always best to take steps to prevent another infestation before next year.
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4-H Summer Fun
Learn, Grow, Eat & Go! 
Youth will engage in hands-on plant and food activities using the Junior Master Gardener curriculum. Program will include gardening basics, healthy snacks and physical activity, outdoor exploration and more.
Wednesday, July 17th from 9:00 am - 12:00 noon
Cloverbud Day for ages 5-8.
Cost of the Class is $5 (plus one-time registration fee of $10)
Class is limited to 12 participants
Thursday, July 18th from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
For Ages 8 & Up.
Cost of the Class is $10 (plus one-time registration fee of $10)
Class is limited to 12 participants
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Burke County 4-H Summer Fun
Let's Go - LEGO!
Wednesday, July 17th
1:00 - 5:00 pm
Enjoy an afternoon of engineering empires and creating a building block society. Independent and team challenges will be encouraged. Participants will receive a take home activity.
Cost of the Class is $15
(plus one-time registration fee of $10)
Class is limited to 15 participants
Ages 8 & Up
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Burke County 4-H Summer Fun
County 2 County Food Challenge
July 25th & 26th
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Day 1 of our challenge, we will travel to and meet with Gaston County 4-H to visit their local farmers market and spend time learning some kitchen and cooking basics. Day 2 of the challenge, Gaston County 4-H will meet us here in Burke County and we will participate in team and independent cooking competitions.
Please bring a bag lunch and drink.
Cost of the Class is $50
(plus one-time registration fee of $10)
Class is limited to 12 participants
Ages 9-13
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 4-H Update
July
Burke County delegates will attend the 72nd Annual 4-H Electric Congress on July 9-11, 2019 at Western Carolina University.
Members of Burke County 4-H will be attending 4-H Congress on July 20-23, 2019 in Raleigh. Two will be competing in presentations competition.
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Burke County 4-H Summer Fun
T-Shirt Quilt Making 
July 29 - 31
9:00 am - 12:00 noon
Pick 12 of your t-shirts you would like to stitch into a keepsake quilt and join us to learn how to sew it together. Basic understanding of sewing and use of sewing machine is recommended. Machines, additional fabric and supplies are provided.
Cost of the Class is $20
(plus one-time registration fee of $10)
Class is limited to 8 participants
Ages 10 & up
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NC State Extension is committed to positive action to secure equal opportunity and prohibit discrimination and harassment regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, political beliefs, family and marital status, sex, age, veteran status, sexual identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, or disability.
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