February Newsletter - Burke County

Check the Nutrition Facts Label

A great way to start understanding what you are actually putting into your body is to become familiar with the nutrition facts label located on the food you are choosing to eat.

The nutrition facts label is a trustworthy source of information. There are no confusing marketing tactics allowed on this label. Once you know how to decipher the label you will know exactly what you are putting into your body.

You want to begin with the serving size located at the top of the label. This will tell you how many servings are in the container and how much of the package is one serving, which is what the nutrition label is based on.

Then, you will check the calories. The updated nutrition label is required to have this printed in a larger font than the remainder of the label. Remember, the calories listed is one serving from the package. Under the calories you will find saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium and added sugar. Limit these nutrients because they are known to increase your risk of certain chronic diseases.

The good stuff is listed at the bottom of the nutrition label. Getting enough dietary fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals can improve your overall health. Check those labels the next time you are shopping and make healthy choices.

Growing Strawberries in Burke County

With spring right around the corner and our Small Fruit Sale underway, you may be wondering, “How can I grow strawberries when I have a black thumb?!” I am a firm believer that a green thumb is cultivated (no pun intended), so let’s talk about growing strawberries in Burke County.

Spring-bearing varieties should be planted between November and March when temperatures are around 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Also be sure to consider lighting. Strawberries need about 8 hours of bright sunlight per day, so choose a location that is not overly shaded by large trees, shrubs, or buildings.

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Small Fruit Production Workshop & Blueberry Pruning Demonstration

Join us for a discussion on growing small fruit and
a demonstration on how to prune blueberry's properly.

This workshop is aimed at training growers considering production of different small fruits grown for direct market outlets (tailgate markets, farm stands, CSA, etc.).

Specific topics include cultivar selection, site establishment (soil conditions and planting), fertilization, irrigation, pruning, harvesting, and resources for pest control. Workshop includes a lecture followed by a demonstration of how to prune blueberry bushes properly.

This FREE workshop will be held at Perry's Berry's located at 1136 Browning View Road in Morganton, NC on Monday, February 6, 2023 starting at 1:00pm.

Register on Eventbrite

Controlling Thistles and Buttercups in Pastures

One of the most misunderstood weeds in our western North Carolina pastures are thistles. A biennial, most of us don’t really give them a second thought until they send up their stalk with those gaudy pink flowers and spread those downy seeds hither and yond. Usually, once we recognize the stalks and flowers they have already produced viable seed.

Those old stories about grandpa spending his winter days grubbing thistles, here appear to have merit. Thistles are not difficult to control with herbicides when they are treated at the proper stage of growth, but once they bolt and send up that woody stalk, control is not so easy, so treating thistles while they are in the immature rosette stage is critical.

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