BURKE COUNTY CENTER
NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER
November 1, 2020
National Farm City Week
November 20-27, 2020

Long before the founding of the United States, farms and ranches have been an essential part of civilization. Generations of farms continue to provide economic, environmental, and health benefits.

Farmers contributions; from the crops and livestock we eat, to the textiles we use for clothing and shoes; supplement the economy with jobs while providing bountiful crops to feed our population. As a way to recognize farmers and ranchers, there will be educational forums, social media campaigns, and local events held during National Farm City Week.
 
Farmers also benefit the urban centers. Distributors, restaurants, grocers, producers, and more provide expanded utilization of farm products. Whether they're providing food, medicines, or textiles to consumers, farmers have an economic impact in their city as well as in the rural communities.
 
Be thankful for the farmers and ranchers in our country. They continuously seek ways to improve farming methods while providing safe and healthful products. While we consider where the food on our table comes from this Thanksgiving, think about the impact of farms on your life.

No matter where we live, on the farm or in the city, a farmer touches our lives. Use #FarmCityWeek to give a shout out to the farmers, ranchers, and merchants who support them.


Cold Weather Nutrition for Horses
With winter on its way, be glad that your horses don't have to deal with temperatures that consistently dip into the negative digits. However, do you consider your horse's nutritional needs and how they change with even mild North Carolina winters? Here are some ideas to consider when feeding your horses this winter.

The first thing you, as a horse owner, should do as we head into winter, is assess your horses' body condition score, or the amount of body fat they are carrying. By using a simple numeric system, ranging from 1 to 9, you can adjust your horses' diet to help them achieve the proper weight.  Body condition scoring will help you keep feed costs down and your horse in optimum condition.




Control Chickweed Now!
The beginning of winter may seem like a strange time to control weeds, but for tough winter annual weeds such as chickweed, this is the only time to get good control.
 
One of the most pesky winter annual weeds is common chickweed. Chickweed may be controlled in two ways. A pre-emergent herbicide can be applied in September which will keep the seeds from germinating; however now is the time to treat with post-emergent herbicides.

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Cattle Working Facilities
To properly manage a cattle operation, adequate handling facilities are a must. Having a fast, efficient means of safely working cattle benefits both the animals and the producer. The better a producer's working facilities are, the more they will be used. The more they are used, the better their management becomes.
 
The essential needs of a good facility include holding pens, crowding or sorting pens, a working chute, loading chute and a head gate or squeeze chute. The deluxe version may include scales, a palpation cage, and a calf tilt table.
 
Is Coronavirus a Food Safety Issue?
CDC and USDA are not aware of any reports at this time of human illnesses that suggest COVID-19 can be transmitted by food or food packaging. However, it is always important to follow good hygiene practices (i.e., wash hands and surfaces often, separate raw meat from other foods, cook to the right temperature, and refrigerate foods promptly) when handling or preparing foods. 

There is some concern among consumers about whether or not there is risk associated with take-out or drive thru food. Currently, there is no indication that take out or drive thru meals will cause illness. However, this option is a good risk management choice, especially for high risk and elderly groups because it helps maintain social distancing and reduces the number of touch points.
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4-H Horse Bowl
4-H Horse Bowl (youth quiz-bowl type competition for county, district, and state levels) opportunities will be kicking off shortly.

The horse bowl competition is for youth ages 8-18. Be watching for ways to participate, learn or even compete with others in our county, to form teams for District/State Competition. District is usually held in Feb and State in March.

For more information on 4-H Horse Bowl, visit NC State Equine Husbandry.

If you wish to COACH this year (20-21), contact Nicki Carpenter ASAP!  nicki_carpenter@ncsu.edu or call 828-764-9480.



November Lawn & Garden Tips
What to Plant
  •  Plant spring flowering bulbs now. Make sure and keep bulbs with similar heights and flowering times together.
  • Plant ball and burlap ornamentals after they go dormant. Wait until leaves have fallen before planting.
  • Most shrubs do well when planted in the fall. Plants can tolerate extremes in winter temperatures much better than extremes in summer temperatures.
Lawns
  • Keep fallen leaves from piling up on lawns, especially if newly established. Accumulations of leaves can smother newly seeded and established grasses.
  • Continue to mow cool season lawns as long as growth is present. Apply one pound of nitrogen per one thousand square feet of established cool season grass.
  • Make sure lawn power equipment is in good working order before storing for the winter. Sharpen blades and change filters now so that equipment will be ready to go in the spring.
  • When warm-season lawns go dormant, winter annual weeds can be treated with a selective herbicide.
Ornamentals
  • November is a good time to reapply mulch around trees and shrubs. It holds in moisture and provides winter protection for trees and shrubs.
  • Trim dead foliage off of perennials, taking care to mark any that need to be moved before spring.
  • Remove any damaged limbs from trees and shrubs to prevent hazards from accumulations of ice later in the season.
  • Do not fertilize landscape plants this late in the season. Plants need to be allowed to harden off before winter weather arrives.
Edibles
  • If blossom end rot was a problem on tomatoes, now is the time to do a soil test to check for incorrect pH levels in the garden.
  • Continue to harvest fall vegetables such as lettuce and greens. Protecting in a cold frame will prolong the harvest of these vegetables.
  • Clean debris from the vegetable garden. This will help prevent many diseases from overwintering in the garden.
  • Till organic material such as leaves into the garden for improved drainage.

Camp for Christmas!
Gift Certificates Available
Burke County 4-H will travel to the Eastern 4-H Center on June 20-25, 2021. The cost for this week-long camp with Burke County 4-H is $460, which includes transportation, lodging, meals, store money, and a t-shirt. A $50 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your spot! Spaces are limited.

Call our office for more information, payment options available.
828-764-9480

 
Read more N.C. Cooperative Extension - Burke County Center