Mitchell COUNTY CENTER 
Extension E-News              September 2020

 
Mitchell Giving Gardens Project Becomes a Reality!

On August 31, a small group of volunteers led by a team from The Quartz Corp built 16 raised garden beds for a community garden in Spruce Pine. The garden joins the many existing "gardens that give" in Western North Carolina, which share food without cost to people in their communities and help people raise their own fruit and vegetables.
 
Conversations about Mitchell Giving Gardens began in fall of 2019, when a group of community members gathered around a common goal: bringing people together to grow and share food locally. The organizers believe that everyone in Mitchell County should have access to fresh and healthy food, and that growing and sharing food together can make our communities stronger. Produce from the garden will be distributed through existing organizations such as food banks. Mitchell County Cooperative Extension is coordinating the county-wide initiative, with technical assistance from the MAY Coalition. Dig In! Yancey Community Garden is sharing what they've learned and participating in community meetings and design events.
 
The garden beds are located at the west end of Riverside Park, in a site that the Spruce Pine town council unanimously approved for this use last February. Construction was one of this year's Quartz Corp volunteer projects. Quartz Corp provided materials, equipment, and expertise, and volunteers from the community also participated. For more information and to get involved, please contact Eve at 828.688.4811 or [email protected].
Mitchell County Extension Advisory Council 
Meeting - 5:30pm, Tuesday, September 8

The next regularly scheduled Extension Advisory Council meeting will be held at 5:30pm, Tuesday, September 8th via Zoom. Council members will find Zoom link in their email inboxes soon!


AMY Wellness Foundation Grant Awarded!



Blue Ridge Partnership for Children in cooperation with Mitchell County Extension and a number of local agencies have been awarded an AMY Wellness grant to create a regional approach to provide parent education for children prenatal to 18 that offers a full continuum of information, education and support. More details are forthcoming but, for now, please contact Eve at 828.688.4811 or [email protected] for more information.

Pesticide Classes



Are you a private pesticide applicator? Is your certification soon to expire? Did you miss the August trainings we offered? If yes, please register for one additional class to be offered from 4-8pm, on September 22 ("V" and "X") at the Mitchell Senior Citizens Center but this will have limited spaces available, too, so don't delay!  Registration is required. You can register from the NC Cooperative Extension, Mitchell County Center's website events page (through Eventbrite) or you can call 828.688.4811 and a staff member will register you for the training. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, registration is limited to the first ten (10) participants.
 
Recertification through earning continuing education credits must be completed by September 30 of the year in which certification expires. Should you have questions or need additional information, please call Eve Kindley, County Extension Director, at 828.688.4811 or email [email protected].




































































Hay Testing

When driving around the county, it's not an uncommon sight to see hay in the fields. While many know how to grow and bale hay, you may not be aware of the quality of its hay. To properly discover the quality of hay, you must conduct a forage test.

Why?

While hay may look "right" and that can be fine for some people, others want a more detailed description of what the product will provide for livestock. If this is the case, take a forage sample of your hay for analysis. You will receive a forage report that provides key information about what your hay will provide to livestock. If selling hay, knowing this may encourage potential buys to purchase and become repeat customers.

HOW?

The NCDA&CS North Carolina Farm Feed Testing Service will accept forage samples and analyze them for you. Best results are obtained if you use a hay core sampler, available at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension - Mitchell County Center. If this method is used, take cores from 10-15 bales and fill a gallon size bag with the pooled samples. If sampling from square bales, take the sample at the end; if sampling from round bales, take the sample from the side. Each "lot" of hay should be sampled with the "lot" being defined as hay from the same field and same cutting and stored under the same conditions.

COST?

This is a free service if you just want your forage analyzed for nitrates, aflatoxins or mycotoxins. A complete analysis-moisture, protein, fiber, minerals, etc.-will cost $10.

IS MY HAY GOOD or BAD?

In forage reports, nutrients are reported in an "as-fed" and a "dry matter" form. All interpretations should be based on the "dry matter basis" column since this allows you to balance and compare rations more easily. Ideal dry forages should have a moisture content of 18 - 22% to prevent the chance of hay fires and mold when storing. Interpretation of your analysis, and whether you can call your sample good or bad, really depends on what animals you are feeding. Animals that have lower maintenance requirements may be able to get away with being fed a lower protein or TDN hay; pregnant and lactating animals will have different and higher quality requirements. Also, species determine whether your hay will provide all necessary nutrients.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

Contact Michelle South at the NC Cooperative Extension Center - Mitchell County Center at 828.688.4811 for assistance with hay sampling or interpretation of your analysis.

Please click here for the ForageForm

This article was originally written by Stefani Sykes and edited/ updated by Michelle south 


Fall 4-H Activities




Calling all teachers, homeschool families and educators who want to spice up your fall education plan!

Announcing Nature Adventures, a virtual learning program aligned with NC State teaching standards on NC ecology and the natural sciences.

Nature Adventures is a 7-part series of 45-minute educational sessions for the fall semester developed and taught by professional Environmental Educators from North Carolina's premier 4-H Camps. This program is provided for FREE for teachers and families. Check out the session schedule here. All programs are aligned with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and are presented live over Zoom. Can't make the live event? Register for the recording and go at your own pace!
While we can't gather together to highlight your talents, you CAN participate virtually in the NC 4-H Showcase of Talent! COVID-19 doesn't stop you from dancing and singing or showing others your special gifts! So...read all the rules here and just do it! Remember, the registration deadline is Friday, September 18. Enter today and start practicing!
A.L.I.V.E Program
Active Life-Skill Instruction and Vocational Exploration 




Time Management
Time Management skills are essential for youth and can be hard to handle under normal circumstances much less while we continue to navigate through strange times. Virtual learning can be difficult and confusing to manage but having effective time management skills can help reduce the anxiety surrounding these circumstances. The following activity can help youth create a schedule and better manage their time.
EVENTS  |  View Upcoming Events
NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C. Cooperative Extension.

Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made 
to Eve Kindley (828) 688-4811 [email protected]