Newsletter | October 2022

Agriculture & Forestry Awareness Study Commission
The Agriculture and Forestry Awareness Study Commission has an upcoming meeting to study the Right to Repair Farm Equipment and will consist of group presentations and public comments to the commission.
What is the Right to Repair? Right to Repair gives equipment owners the property rights of the equipment they own to have the right to repair their equipment and/or to have their equipment serviced at an independent repair shop. In addition, Right to Repair gives equal access to information on manuals, diagrams, software, software updates, licenses, parts, tools, and more. If public members wish to leave a remark, there is a public comment section on the North Carolina State Legislature Website linked below.

Choosing the best apple for preserving
Fall is in the air! Shorter days, cool, crisp mornings and APPLES. Local orchards are bustling with folks wanting the freshest, sweetest (or tartest) apples to snack on, cook with and preserve. From homemade applesauce, to apple butter to dried apple chips, apples are one of the most versatile fruits for preserving. There are thousands of apple varieties around the world and over 100 varieties grown in the United States. Each apple variety has its own unique flavor, texture, color and cooking properties. Knowing the best apple to choose is key to preserving a quality product.

Master Gardeners
Preparing the Garden for Winter
This time of year is the most comfortable (weather wise) to work in the garden. It’s the time to clean up beds, mulch winter greens, and put on protective coverings against rapidly changing temperatures to come. All soils need replenishing, and fall is the ideal time to work on the fertility and soil health. October is a good time to get a soil test if you haven’t already done so (see Tyler at Extension office). A recent soil test will let you know how to amend your soil, and which areas need the most attention.

Lawns are smooth, living carpets that add beauty and recreational space to your home. The benefits of a healthy lawn go beyond the obvious. As your grass grows, it helps the environment by stabilizing soil and reducing air pollution, noise, heat, dust, and glare. Surveys show that an attractive, well-landscaped lawn can even add to the value of your home.

To reap the rewards of a handsome lawn, take great care in the selection, establishment, maintenance, and renovation of your lawn grass. By making the proper choices, you can create a durable lawn that will grow with minimal maintenance and pesticide use.

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Have You Seen the Largest Butterfly in the U.S.?
Every week (sometimes every day!) Extension Agents get asked to identify all sorts of interesting things. We get stopped on the street or queried through emails, social media, texts, calls, and/or office visits by folks wanting to know what is this plant, this bug, this snake, this insect egg, this crop disease, this…well you get the picture. It keeps us on our toes and actually for me is an enjoyable part of my job, especially if I get to learn something new.

A few years ago I started hearing from folks asking me to identify a large butterfly they had seen in their yard, one that they had never seen before. Even though I had never seen one in person it was so distinctive I knew it was an eastern giant swallowtail butterfly (Heraclides cresphontes), the largest butterfly in the U.S.!

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