|
Extension E-News
March 2020
|
2020 Spring Plant Sale - Place Your Order Now
Spring is just around the corner (we promise!) and Mitchell County Extension is preparing for the 2020 Annual Spring Plant Sale! All plant varieties are suitable for growing in our area and planting guides are available for the plants we sale.
This year the following apple tree varieties are offered: American Golden Russet, Goldrush, Gala, Newtown (Albemarle) Pippin, Stayman Winesap, Summer Banana, Virginia Beauty, Wolf River and Yellow June. Also offered are Allstar, Earliglow and Jewell (June-bearing) as well as Albion
and
Seascape (ever-bearing) varieties of strawberries. Two varieties of grapes (Concord and Niagara) are for sale. And asparagus (Jersey Knight), blackberries (Triple Crown thornless), blueberries (highbush and mixed for proper pollination), and black (Jewel) and red (Heritage) raspberries round out the offerings!
Please click
here to review this year's order form. If you choose to place an order, return completed form and check made payable to: Mitchell County General Fund to Mitchell County Cooperative Extension, PO Box 366, Bakersville, NC 28705. Note the Friday, March 13, 2020 deadline.
|
|
Q. What is NC State Day of Giving?
NC State Day of Giving is a daylong fundraising event taking place March 25, 2020. For 24 hours, the entire Wolfpack community will come together and maximize its collective impact through challenge matches and competitive spirit. NC State Day of Giving is also a way to show the world the strength of the Wolfpack. It's going to be extraordinary.
Q. How does my gift help Mitchell County?
Mitchell County Cooperative Extension has a number of accounts housed on NC State's campus! You can designate your funds to go to any (or all!) of them! Stay tuned - there will be a live link between midnight and 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on March 25, at dayofgiving.ncsu.edu. You will choose the area of support that is most meaningful to you.
Q. How do I make my gift?
Between midnight and 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on March 25, go to dayofgiving.ncsu.edu and choose the area of support that is most meaningful to you. You may also give to multiple areas.
Q. Is there a minimum gift amount?
For gifts processed through our Day of Giving platform, the minimum gift amount is $10.
|
Mitchell County Extension Advisory Council Meeting - March 10th
The next meeting of the Mitchell County Extension Advisory Council is scheduled for Tuesday, March 10 from 6-8pm at the Cooperative Extension Center, 10 S. Mitchell Avenue, Bakersville, NC.
If you are not a member of the Extension Advisory Council but would like to learn more about this group, please contact Eve Kindley, County
Extension Director, at
[email protected]
|
|
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
What: Pesticide Class
Where: NC Cooperative Extension, Mitchell County Center
10 South Mitchell Ave.
Bakersville, NC
Dates and Times: March 24, 2020 April 7, 2020
2PM or 6PM 2PM or 6PM
2 category (V) credits
Call (828)688-4811 to register for these classes
What: Grafting Workshop
Where: NC Cooperative Extension, Yancey County Center
30 E. US 19 E.
Burnsville, NC 28714
Dates and Times: March 10, 2020 March 12, 2020
9AM-12PM or 6PM-9PM 9AM-12PM or 6PM-9PM
Cost: $15, which includes your rootstock, scion wood, and education materials
Call (828) 682-6186 to register
What: Respirator Fit Test
Where: NC Cooperative Extension, Avery County Center
661 Vale Rd.
Newland, NC 28657
When: March 24, 2020
Time: 8:30AM-5PM
Call (828) 733-8270 to set up an appointment to take the test.
|
|
The What, When and Why of Grass Tetany
Grass Tetany or Hypomagnesemic Tetany, is the lack of adequate magnesium in the blood of animals. This low concentration of plasma magnesium leads to muscle spasms, convulsions (seizures), respiratory distress, collapse, and eventually death. This dietary requirement of absorbed magnesium is stored and utilized in the animal's bones and muscles for movement and lactation. Grass Tetany occurs when the magnesium requirement for these actions is not met. Animals constantly lose magnesium through their urine, feces, and milk. To make up for this loss, animals demand a daily ingestion requirement. When animals are grazed on lush green pastures that are low in magnesium, Grass Tetany is likely to occur. Pastures in mountainous areas are considered high-risk due to the common swings in temperature making grass grow in short spurts. Also, it can occur when high levels of potassium and nitrogen are ingested, such as when fields have been recently fertilized with nitrogen or potassium fertilizers. Grass Tetany can affect any animal, but most commonly it is seen in adult lactating small and/or large ruminant animals (Cattle, Goats, Sheep).
Animals that are affected by Grass Tetany may appear to be grazing normally but will suddenly begin to bellow and gallop around the field blindly. Then animals will start seizure-like activity. Death usually follows within a few hours after convulsions begin. In most instances, producers will find animals dead in the field with no knowledge of any previous sickness.
Treatment of Grass Tetany includes a licensed veterinarian giving combined solutions of the proper amounts of calcium and magnesium. A daily oral supplement of magnesium oxide can be offered and is highly suggested during the danger periods (early spring). Most commonly, this comes in the form of a "High Mag" (high magnesium) loose mineral that is given through free choice. It is suggested that producers provide an unlimited amount of quality hay with the mineral for proper digestion.
If you have any questions or concerns about your animals or pasture, please contact Michelle South, Area Agent, Agriculture-Livestock at the Mitchell County Cooperative Extension Center by calling (828) 688-4811 or email [email protected]. If an animal is presenting signs of Grass Tetany, contact your local veterinarian immediately and seek treatment.
|
|
Spotlight on 4-H
|
|
|
4-H is FUN! I have made lots of new friends at my sewing class. You get to learn new things. I got to be in a fashion show and a talent show. I have enjoyed helping the elderly people by bringing in canned food and making aprons for walkers. I like helping people and it makes you feel good inside.
by Ciara Silvers Age 9
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
|
|
|
|
 |
4-H Youth Designs and Builds a Rube Goldberg Machine
Mitchell County 4-Her, Luis Garcia, son of Beatrice Garcia of Spruce Pine represented Mitchell County at the 4-H Race to Space Challenge. The Challenge held at North Carolina A&T State University on Sat., February 8th targeted youth 12-14, where they utilized the engineering design process to design and build a Rube Goldberg machine. A Rube Goldberg machine is built to perform a simple task in an overly complicated way. The challenge was to create a machine that would plant a seed and water it, using at least 4 simple machines, such as, an inclined plane, a pulley, a lever, and the wheel and axle. The machine had to have at least 8 separate steps that conveyed motion and used common items in an unconventional way. Luis's team, Big Bosses was coached by Jennifer Guerrero, 4-H ALIVE Coordinator with Cooperative Extension. Winners of the challenge received a full scholarship to attend a week of Space Camp at the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL this summer. The Big Bosses' machine placed third in the competition with a consistent machine that planted and watered the seed almost simultaneously. Luis will travel to Space Camp as an A&T delegate with 15 other youth from across North Carolina. Also, Jennifer received a coaches' award for "Outstanding Support". A BIG congratulations to Luis and Jennifer.
|
4-H Helps Youth Gain Knowledge in STEM
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math are disciplines collectively known as STEM. According to the US Department of Education, in our increasingly complex world it is more important than ever to prepare youth by helping them build skills to solve problems, make sense of information, and learn how to gather and analyze evidence to make decisions. Future leaders need to understand and solve the problems and challenges of today and to think futuristically about tomorrow.
STEM is not just for geeks. STEM education teaches problem solving, analytical thinking, verbal and written communication, record keeping and teamwork. These are just some of the skills that employers call "soft" skills and are necessary for most worker's success. These "soft" skills are the same life skills that 4-H uses as a building block to help youth acquire knowledge from informal and formal activities and experiences. These are competencies that help young people manage their lives successfully and accomplish their ambitions.
Mitchell County 4-H offers a robotics program that focuses on desirable STEM skills while teaching many life skills also. Science concepts are taught by providing a real world challenge that the youth address. The youth then use critical thinking to identify a problem in their community and create a proposed solution. The engineering design process is taught as kids design and build a robot and technical skills are developed as students learn to program a robot to accomplish set missions. Teamwork and communication is a major part of the success of a competitive robotics team.
Mitchell County 4-H offers many programs that help youth acquire and master the competencies that improve their quality of life. Youth ages 5-18 gain public speaking skills through presentations while club participation teaches citizenship, leadership and community service. It is easy to see the diversity of programs offered by Mitchell County 4-H can provide an outlet for all youth.
Volunteers are the backbone of 4-H and serve an important role in our county. We always need volunteers and mentors to guide our youth and we especially need them with our robotics program right now! You don't have to be an expert in STEM to serve! If you have an interest in making a difference in the lives of our youth, please call the Mitchell County Extension Center at (828) 688-4811.
|
Medicare Information Consultations
Did you know Mitchell Cooperative Extension Center serves as a resource for medicare-eligible individuals? Vonda Vaughn, Cooperative Extension Administrative Assistant, works with the Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) - a service offered to assist those who will enroll in medicare for the first time or for those who need to make changes in their medicare plan.
Interested individuals must schedule an appointment with Vonda on the following days/times: 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month from 1-4PM
|
|
|
|
|
|
