|
Follow us on facebook for daily updates, tips and timely information.
|
May is National Strawberry Month
These delicious red fruits are great for your heart. They increase HDL (good) cholesterol, lower your blood pressure, and can guard against cancer. Packed with vitamins, fiber, high levels of antioxidants, strawberries are a sodium-free, fat-free, cholesterol-free, low-calorie food that makes a great snack or a fresh addition to any meal. Check out these tips for safely storing, preserving, and enjoying strawberries!
-
At the store, Select strawberries that have a bright, glossy appearance and maximum red color development. Avoid fruit with signs of spoilage, shriveling, mushiness, or a dull appearance.
-
Optimum storage for strawberries in the home is 32 - 36 degrees at 90-95% humidity. Store fruit in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator to prevent water loss and shriveling.
-
Do not wash berries until right before eating or preserving. Washing will add moisture and cause berries to spoil more rapidly.
-
To wash, rinse strawberries thoroughly under cool running water, drain in a clean strainer, and pat dry with a clean paper towel. For maximum cleaning, gently rub each berry under the running water.
-
Try out this recipe for a delicious and heart healthy serving of strawberries!
|
This workshop will show different methods for landscaping on unlevel sites. Plant and hardscape materials will be discussed. Even the weekend gardener can make their home landscape into an attractive and inviting venue.
Join Donna Teasley for this webinar on April 30, 2020 from 6:30 - 8:00 pm. Register for this free workshop on Eventbrite.
|
Increasing Honey Production
Using Queen Castles
The Watauga County Beekeepers Association and Watauga Cooperative Extension invite you to join George McAlister of the Mecklenburg Beekeepers Association, for an informative online presentation on Increasing Honey Production Using Queen Castles for your own queen rearing.
The meeting will be hosted via
Zoom on Thursday, May 7, at 6:30pm.
Register on
Eventbrite.
|
|
We're excited to announce that registration is open for the NC 4-H Summer CAMP OUT! 2020.
Join us for a completely new and virtual camping experience in June! FREE and open to any family that wants to have an outdoor summer camping experience with virtual connections and learning to make it FUN, this one week experiential event will feature some of your favorite 4-H camping traditions like a dance party, slide show, trivia night, Arts & Crafts, and more. Space is limited so register early.
|
|
May 7, 2020 @ 6:30pm on Zoom
Extension Agent, Donna Teasley will show participants how they can grow a garden without using a lot of space. If gardeners are willing to be creative they can create bountiful gardens in almost any space. We'll look at different types of gardens, the most suitable plants and how to maintain them.
|
Get Your Pesticide Credits Online
I
n response to current COVID-19 gathering restrictions, N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is allowing N.C. Cooperative Extension to host live online classes for providing pesticide applicators continuing education credits. It is important to note that a webcam or smartphone with camera is required for attendance.
|
Start growing your own salad garden
Germinate and sprout a colorful variety of veggies to harvest a delicious mix for a Garden Salad!
During the workshop, youth will plant seeds to begin germination, learn about hardening the sprouted transplants and the next steps for continuing the salad garden outdoors. We will discuss germination and maturity/harvesting dates for planning gardens.
Registered youth participants will receive seeds (
via mail or pick up
) to participate during the scheduled online workshop.
May 20, 2020 @ 6:00pm via
Zoom
|
Dealing with Pinkeye in Cattle 
Pinkeye or infectious boveine keratoconjunctivitis was first diagnosed in 1889, and remains an economically important disease in cattle today. Caused by the bacterium, Moraxella bovis, with the source the eyes of carrier cattle. The carriers do not necessarily exhibit symptoms but serve as the source of bacteria for the rest of the herd. Face flies are the most prominent vector in the spread of pinkeye. The greater amount of face flies, the higher the risk of pinkeye. Calves are more likely to be infected than adults. Calves born to heifers have more problems than those born to mature cows. Weather conditions may affect the amount of ultraviolet light the animal's eyes are exposed to. Summer and fall are the height of infection, due to increased light intensity and fly populations. Wind, dust and pollen irritate eyes, making pinkeye more likely. Vaccinating cattle with IBR virus or any modified live vaccine during fly season, may result in increased susceptibility to pinkeye.
Excessive tearing of the eyes and squinting to sunlight is the first sign, and when treatment should start to be most effective. Within 24 to 48 hrs an ulcer will appear, and if left untreated, severe scarring, and ultimately blindness can result.
Long acting tetracyclines are the only labeled treatments for pinkeye. One injection of this product will generally result in fast healing, however, 2 injections are better, as they reduce bacterial load in the eye, limiting the spread of bacteria. Glue on eye patches are also useful, as they protect the infected eyes from sunlight, dust and fly travel, and will fall off on their own in about 10 days.
|
Tent Caterpillars
They Look Worse Than They Are
Our office is getting calls about the caterpillar webs in the trees. These are tent caterpillars and they are an annual event. As ominous as they might look, tent caterpillars are entirely harmless. They don't normally defoliate the trees or ruin the landscape. They simply hatch, crawl around for a couple of weeks and then burrow in the ground where they grow into adult moths.
Folks want to spray them but that is a futile task. Pesticides can't penetrate the webbing so no caterpillars are killed. If the nest can be reached, a pole can be used to tear open the nest. Then birds will feast on the newly hatched caterpillars, but even that isn't necessary.
They come and they go and that's about it. They don't bite, sting, transmit diseases or take up residence in our homes. They definitely aren't pretty and I don't want one crawling on my shoulder either, but other than the scare factor, tent caterpillars are here today and gone tomorrow.
If you are determined to treat them with a pesticide and if you can get the nest torn open, an application of carbaryl (Sevin) should do the trick.
|
Did you know?
The United States population grew 9.7% between 2000 and 2010, from 281,421,906 to 308,745,538.
Your Response Matters
|
4-H Discovery Nights - ONLINE!
4-H Discovery Nights are for all Burke County 4-H'ers and 4-H families. It is a time to gather, share and have fun. We will have a 4-H Discovery Night once a month. Topics are not limited to but may include 4-H Project areas such as: animal science, archery, butterflies & bees, STEM and science experiments, plants and gardening, sewing, vermicomposting and more. Discovery nights may also be a time to learn about 4-H Project Record books, 4-H Presentation skills, building and strengthening family communication, joining our exclusive Teen L.I.P (Leadership Internship Program), Community Service and Citizenship, and much more. Clubs can inquire about showcasing their work, sharing experiences and finding ways for our program to grow.
The May 4th Discovery Night will focus on 4-H Presentations
Register on Eventbrite at
|
Do you have land that you would like to do something with? Would you like to learn what you can do with it to make some extra income? If you are considering starting to farm, the Beginner Farmer Online Series is a great way to get started in the process.
This series will address what to grow, how and where to sell it, and where you can find help. This workshop is intended to assist those with little to no experience in getting started with a small farming operation.
Sessions will be held weekly at 10 a.m. beginning May 13, 2020. There is no charge for the workshops, but registration is required. You can register for one or all of the workshops. Click the link for each session below to register.
The series will be held through the
Zoom platform
. If you have any questions about the series or using Zoom, please
email Sara Drake
, Extension Agent, Livestock & Forage Crops in Davidson County.
|
Take Control - Saving Time and Money at the Grocery Store. 
I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe and healthy during this time of "Stay at Home" ordinance. It seems like overnight, the nation was thrown into this situation where we've had to make some drastic changes in the way we work, live, eat, and enjoy life. Many are experiencing difficulty being able to buy their necessities because of shortages or because of lack of money. One thing is for sure, we have all been stretched in one form or another and have had to make some adjustments in many aspects of our lives.
Today, I would like to offer some tips on how to be budget minded and help you stretch your dollar, your food, & your time when it comes to nutrition and well being. Hopefully this will be beneficial to you now and once things are back to normal...whatever that may look like going forward.
Read More..
This information is provided by the SNAP-Ed Steps to Health - Take Control Program
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
