Alexander County Center
March 2021
Inside this Issue
The Alexander County Center is now open to the public. To prevent the spread of COVID-19 and ensure the health of county employees, citizens who are sick or running a fever should not visit these facilities. Citizens who do visit are required to wear a cloth face covering and maintain social distance of at least six feet.  The county still encourages business to be conducted via phone or email when possible, but realizes that in-person interaction is necessary in some cases.  Agents are still available, so please call them at 828-632-4451 or email.  For a list of email addresses click the following link:  
marchlivewellmonthMarch is National Living Well Month
The National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Science has declared March as Living Well Month. Living well is more than just being illness-free; it's about all the different ways we can increase our overall quality of health from our physical state to our mental wellbeing. This year's theme "raising kids, eating right, spending smart, living well" was created to provide people with the education and information they need to "live well." Click on the following link for five tips around living well to consider:


growingagardener

mastergardener


Extension Master Garden Series

Do you want to increase your knowledge of horticulture and gardening through fun, hands on experience?  Do you have time during your daytime schedule to attend this experience?  Well the nationally known Extension Master Gardener Program might just be for you.  The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service-Master Gardener Volunteer Program is an educational program designed to enhance public education and assistance in horticulture in our communities.  It provides a comprehensive 12 session educational program to its participants.  

As a participant you will receive 40 hours of training in all aspects of Horticulture including:  Botany, Soils & Fertilizers, Vegetable Gardening, Lawn Care, Plant Pest ID & Control, Tree & Small Fruits, Plant Propagation, Landscape Design, Weed and Native Plant ID, Pesticide Safety and more!  

If you wish to receive the official certification of "Master Gardener" and name badge, at the end of the training you will be asked to provide up to 40 hours of volunteers service with others either by judging 4-H gardens, community or public gardens/landscaping, or assisting with educational programs through the N.C. Cooperative Extension-Alexander County Center.  

Plans are underway for the 2021 series of Master Gardener classes.  Classes will meet on Wednesdays from 1:00-4:00 p.m. beginning March 24 and running until June 16.  

If you would like more information regarding this class please call the N.C. Cooperative Extension-Alexander County Center at 828-632-4451.

fooddrive



fourhupdateAlexander County 4-H Update
The month of March the Alexander 4-H Newsletter was sent out with all 4-H events and updates.  If you would like to see the Alexander 4-H Newsletter click the learn more link below.  If you would like to receive the Alexander 4-H Newsletter each month please email DJ Salyer at dj_salyer@ncsu.edu, or when you visit the link below, click on the Join Our Email List button at the top.  

Make sure to check out the photos at the bottom of this newsletter of participants from the February 4-H Monthly Subscription Contest.  Participants were asked to color or draw a bird, since the theme for February was bird watching. 
soilreportWhat Does Your Soil Report Say?
If your answer is "I don't have a soil report", then you need to get one now.  Soil testing has just entered the free sample analysis time period (generally April through November) so there is currently no charge for soil reports and the ground is still soft.  Now is the time to get those done! 

Soil tests are important and can save you money.  For example, a local producer purchased a small farm a couple years ago.  The land had not been managed well for many years and he knew it would need some attention.  Obviously poultry litter was the first option due to convenience and providing quick nutrient sources that could be quickly utilized by the soil.  6 months after application of poultry litter he took soil samples.  Of course this is not the ideal order of events but we all know how farming works sometimes.  After receiving the results, he was shocked to learn that in some areas his Phosphorus levels were 6 times higher than the optimum level (P-Index 50 ppm) needed to produce optimum forage yields. 

So here is the lesson.  If he had completed a soil test first, he would have only needed to apply nitrogen and not a complete fertilizer or poultry litter in this case.  Only applying a nitrogen source would have saved him money, added to his bottom line and be a step in the right direction to improving the health of the soil.  Many times farmers apply complete fertilizers (ex: 10-10-10) when they are not needed and then end up not applying enough nitrogen to achieve forage yield goals.  Very often if you apply fertilizer to meet your soils Phosphorus or Potassium needs, you're shorting yourself on Nitrogen.  Nitrogen recommendations for forages are 120-200 lbs/acre for a complete year.  Obviously you would not apply all of that at one time but use split applications to meet your forage growth needs.  For cool season grasses that would be in the spring and fall. 

For specific recommendations, soil sample supplies or help interpreting your soil report, contact your local Extension Agent for help.
                                                                                                 Ranges for most row crops and forages.
Soil Test Level
Expected Yield Potential
P
K
 
Very Low
<65%
<16
<61
Low
65-85%
16-25
61-90
Medium
85-95%
26-35
91-130
Optimum
100%
36-50
131-175
Above Optimum (High)
100%
>50
>175
Plant Sale Reminder.....
Reminder if you ordered plants through us, the plants need to be picked up on Thursday, March 18.  Please hold this day.  We will be calling to give you special instructions for picking your items up.  
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.

Persons with disabilities and persons with limited English provided may request accommodations to participate by contacting Julie Campbell at 828-632-4451, or julie_campbell@ncsu.edu or in person at the N.C. Cooperative Extension-Alexander County Center at least 14 days prior to the event.