November E News

Buy A Local Fraser Fir

Christmas Tree selection is approaching quickly and hopefully you will purchase a quality locally grown N.C. Fraser Fir. A sound decision for a few of the following reasons, the biggest is

supporting our local farmers which puts dollars back into the local economy. The Fraser is also superior in needle retention and offers the buyer less clean up versus other tree varieties. Another physical feature that makes our local fir stand apart is the ability to withstand an indoor

environment without drying out rapidly. Smell, yes smell after COVID what better way to celebrate the holidays than by filling the home with that soothing fir smell. These trees are available and in stock, no problems with logistics or the supply chain.

Frasers like all trees live or artificial require attention. The Fraser benefits from having a fresh cut made to the base of the trunk which exposes fresh tissue that allows for better water uptake. Do not add anything to the water and remember to water frequently to prevent drying out. Also, keep the tree away from heat sources which could cause problems and yes this could happen with an artificial tree as well. Please make sure that lights and cords are in good working order
and free of damage.
So go purchase a local Fraser Fir and make a holiday memory.

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November FCS News

Here we are in November, and for this Family Consumer Science agent November is a very busy month!

Pre-schoolers in Mitchell County will begin Color Me Healthy lessons in November. Color Me Healthy is a program developed to reach children ages four and five with fun, interactive learning opportunities on physical activity and healthy eating. I will be doing weekly sessions with each class at Roan View and Intermountain Children's Place. I am really excited about getting to meet the future kindergartners of our county!

Our free exercise program, L.I.F.T. (Lifelong Improvements Through Fitness Together), currently offered at the Buladean Community Center, has been a huge success and will be continuing this month. This 8 week, 16 session class was developed by Virginia Tech and has 30+ years of evidence based results. It is a simple class, and all you need is a chair to do the exercises at home. After the completion of this series in Buladean, the class will be offered at other locations in Mitchell County. Please contact me if you are interested in having L.I.F.T. come to your community.

Last but not least, this month I get to hang out with the very best people in our county at the Mitchell Senior Center! We will be going through the More in My Basket curriculum, talking about how to make your food budget go further and be better prepared for emergencies. These are important topics at any time, but especially pertinent as we head into the winter months with food and fuel costs rising. These classes are free to seniors at the Center and will be held November 8th, 10th, 29th and December 1st, after lunch.

Please contact me for more information about any of these classes, or just to say hello! Katie Elkins kelkins@ncsu.edu

Nickels for Know How

Nickels for Know-How was started in 1951 as a voluntary assessment on feed and fertilizer produced and purchased in North Carolina. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services collects the money from manufacturers of feed and fertilizer. Manufacturers build the cost (15 cents/ton) into the price of their products. This money is then transferred to the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation where the funds are used to support research, teaching and extension programs at NC State University. The program raises about $1.4 million annually for research, teaching and extension programs. The average farm pays about $40 into the program each year. The program must be renewed through a referendum every six years.

So far, the program has been renewed each time with over 90% approval. It is time to renew the program once again. The referendum vote will be held at the Mitchell County Cooperative Extension Office, Grassy Creek Hardware, and Griffith's General Store on November 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Manufacturers originally contributed five cents to the price of feed and fertilizer. Over the years that has been increased to 15 cents. If you or your family buy feed or fertilizer, you can vote. Consumers decide if they wish to continue the program. The referendum must pass with a two-thirds positive vote.

Some of the ways the program helps is by the following:
1. Provides workshops for high school vocational ag teachers
2. Provides on-campus internships and annual scholarships to students
3. Provides funding for nearly 900 endowments
4. Provides over $1million in scholarships to 620 undergraduate students each year
5. Supports ag commodity, leadership and legislative efforts through its support of agricultural awareness campaigns, CALS commodity relations activities and the annual CALS Tailgate-NC State’s largest alumni and friends event.
These are just some of the ways Nickels supports agriculture in North Carolina. Be sure to come to the Extension office and vote on November 17, 2022.

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It's Time to Re Enroll in 4-H Online

If your child is a current 4-H'er and is not already re-enrolled, please go to 4-H Online to re-enroll them.
If you are new to the program, welcome and we are so happy to have you! Please enroll your child into our program by creating 4-H Online account for them. Please also remember that 4-H volunteers need to re-enroll as well!

Visit https://v2.4honline.com/ to Enroll/Re-Enroll in Mitchell County 4-H! If you have problems enrolling or re-enrolling your child, please contact Christy ,charrel4@ncsu.edu or call the N.C. Cooperative extension, Mitchell County Center @ (828) 688- 4811.

4-H Cloverbuds learn about
"The Life of Bugs"

During October, 4-Hers across the nation celebrated National 4-H Week, Oct. 1-8, 2022. Mitchell County students kicked-off the month by learning what 4-H has to offer in their school system. 4-H has partnered with YMCA to offer programming for the afterschool program that rotates between Deyton and Gouge Elementary Schools. This month the kids learned about the states of matter and chemical reactions. Before the weather turned cold, students were able to make Oobleck

outside, and it was MESSY, but then again so was the pumpkin elephant

toothpaste! Also, the 4-H Cloverbuds at Greenlee are getting ready to start a

second session. The first group enjoyed making crafts and learning about the

wind, insects and life cycle of a butterfly.

You can sign your child up for 4-H anytime throughout the year by going to

https://v2.4honline.com and registering on the 4-H Online portal. If you have

questions on how to get involved in 4-H through clubs or schools, give us a call at

688-4811.