dbmcgiff@ncsu.edu

Economic Impact of N.C. Agriculture & Agribusiness Reaches Record $103.2 Billion

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler recently announced that for the first time the economic impact of North Carolina's agriculture and agribusiness industry has topped $100 billion, reaching a new record of $103.2 billion.

Troxler shared the new economic impact numbers from N.C. State economist and professor emeritus Dr. Mike Walden. Walden’s numbers reflect the economic value of growing, processing and delivering food, natural fiber and forestry products and is calculated using the latest USDA statistics.

Read more about agriculture's economic impact in NC at https://www.ncagr.gov/paffairs/release/2023/5-23agtops103.2.htm

Just Peachy

If you have driven down Highway 211 in the last week or two, you’ll see a welcomed sight. Moore County farm stands are brimming with locally grown peaches. That’s right, peach season is here. Those of you who know me, know I grew up in the “Peach Sate,” Georgia, but I have to admit the best peaches I have ever had are grown here in the Sandhills and in Moore County. And, when Moore County peach growers start displaying their peach harvests at their farm stands or bring them to our local farmers’ markets, for me, it symbolizes the unofficial start of summer, because my childhood summer memories are those of picking peaches harvested from a nearby orchard, churning homemade peach ice cream on grandmother’s back porch, eating peach cobbler at summer picnics, or simply eating them straight from a freshly picked bushel with peach juice dripping down my chin.

With cooperating weather, local peaches will be around through mid-September, with many different varieties to choose from. Whether you prefer peaches for cooking or eating raw refer to the varietal peach chart posted by the NC Peach Growers’ Society. To get the most out of their flavor follow the NC Department of Agriculture’s tips for picking, storing, ripening and preparing peaches.

Rather you enjoy eating them raw or in recipes, don’t let the sweet drippy flavor of peaches fool you. Peaches are good sources of dietary fiber, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. One peach is also a great source of potassium—and available locally, whereas bananas are far from local for us North Carolinians. Other good minerals that you find in peaches are iron, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, copper and manganese.

Local Moore County peaches can be found at the following farms and markets:

Chappell Peaches:
https://chappellpeaches.com/
Highlander Farm:
https://www.highlandersfarmnc.com/
Kalawi Farm:
https://www.kalawifarm.net/

James Creek Cider House:
https://jamescreekciderhouse.com/the-orchards/
Sandhills Farmers’ Market:
https://www.facebook.com/SFGMarket/
Moore County Famers’ Market: https://www.moorecountyfarmersmarket.com/
Carthage Farmers’ Market:
https://shorturl.at/twCI0

Deborah McGiffin, County Extension Director
Moore County

Since the late 1800's, the Sandhills has had a rich history of growing peaches, and the annual
NC Peach Festival is a tribute to the peach industry that continues to be part of the agricultural legacy of the region.

Plan to attend the 25th annual N.C. Peach Festival held each year in Candor, NC. This year the dates are July 13-15. There will be lots to do and see from concerts, to the annual Peach Parade, to the peach cooking and recipe contest, and much more. The festival is free, so check out the three-day schedule of events and join in the celebration.

Everything's Coming
Up Roses

From Mother’s Day to birthdays to anniversaries, or just about any day in between, roses seldom disappoint. Who do you know who would appreciate a fresh cut bouquet? Why not surprise them with a vase full of roses from your own backyard?

The prospect of growing flowers can seem daunting, but with some planning and knowledge even novice gardeners can produce beautiful blossoms. In this edition of Homegrown, Chance Woodrum, former landscape architect and technician at N.C. Cooperative Extension’s New Hanover County Arboretum, dispenses expert advice on how to grow roses in North Carolina.

As with all backyard plants, soil condition is important. Roses prefer well-drained soil and slightly acidic conditions. Not sure about the soil where you live? Take a soil sample to the Moore County Extension center for testing and advice.

Once they are established, a carefully tended rose bush is the gift that keeps on giving. The beautiful, fragrant flowers begin to emerge in April and May, and continue to bloom until the first frost.

Deborah McGiffin, County Extension Director
Moore County

Fig Trees Yield Delicious Fruits

What is the traditional fruit tree of the South? 'The Fig tree' Ficus carica, a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae. With its beautiful green lobed leaves ranging from 4" to 9" in size and multiple trunks this tree can grow from 15' to 30' tall and wide. With its strong trunk and multiple branches, its silhouette makes for a beautiful ornamental tree.

It needs full sun for the best fruit production and requires minimum upkeep to yield delicious rewards. When needed cut-out the dead wood and crossing branches and just lightly prune.

Depending on the variety a fig tree will yield fruit from June/July or August/October. There are several varieties, so choose the right one for your area. Varieties that do well in our area are Brown Turkey, Celest and Brunswick.

Just remember to give this majestic tree space and you will be rewarded.

By: Barbara Cohen EMGV, Moore County
Photo: By ncsu.edu

For more information, contact the Extension Master Gardener Helpline at 910-947-3188, Monday-Friday

Spring Is Here, and So Are More Market Days

Moore County Farmers' Market
www.moorecountyfarmersmarket.com

Thursdays,
Year-Round, 9 AM-1PM
(closed Thanksgiving)
604 W. Morganton Rd (Armory SportsComplex)
Southern Pines, NC 28387

Seasonal, Saturdays, April 15-October 28, 8AM-12 Noon
Downtown Southern Pines
156 SE Broad Street. So Pines, NC 28388

Sandhills Farmers Market
https://www.facebook.com/SFGMarket/

Season hours:
Saturdays from April 15-October 7, 2023
(except Memorial & Labor Day Weekends)
10 AM-1 PM
Wednesdays from April 19-October 4, 2023
3:00 PM-6:00 PM

Sandhills Farm to Table Open for 14th Season

April 18 & 19 - November 8 & 9

Sandhills Farm to Table Cooperative is a multi-farm CSA (community supported agriculture) of farms throughout the Sandhills and beyond that brings to member subscribers the best variety of seasonally fresh produce from our farms to your tables. Subscribe to a box that's packed with the abundance of Sandhills fresh-picked fruits and veggies and have them delivered to your door or to a pick-up site on a weekly, bi-weekly or on a selected week basis. Click to subscribe and find out about the freshest seasonal choices available. As a consumer member, you will have convenient access to the highest quality of local food, at a price comparable to current retail food prices!

Regenerative Agriculture: Hard to Define Buzzwords

In the spring 2023 issue of the NCSU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Magazine, the article, America's Promise Land by Jennifer Howard, details the meaning and the ambiguity of the farming buzzwords regenerative agriculture.

Regenerative agriculture has been billed as a solution for global food security, the climate crisis, and environmental preservation. Many major companies have pledged their support for regenerative agriculture, but consumers and growers have important questions. For starters, what exactly is it? And can it play a role in the North Carolina agricultural future?

Regenerative agriculture surfaced as a grassroots movement centered in the Midwest during the 1990s along with climate debates. The concept is based on the soil improvement practices of self-sufficient pre-World
War II farms. The emphasis is on using soil biology, rather than synthetic fertilizers, to power crop growth.

Definitions of regenerative agriculture vary, but the core principles are listed below:

crop rotation
cover cropping
no- or low-till systems
soil management
regenerative livestock grazing

While many of these individual practices are commonplace in North Carolina, the combination often is not. And while there’s general agreement on the intrinsic value of productive soils, the amount of regenerative practices required to merit the title is unclear.

Regenerative agriculture’s proponents tout its benefits to farmers (input savings and crop productivity) and the environment (reduced greenhouse gas emissions). They also point to its place in emerging carbon markets, in which companies wanting to offset their carbon emissions pay farmers to capture and sequester carbon in their soil.

The trouble is, it’s tricky to define universal guidelines when the farms where regenerative agriculture could take root vary so greatly in size, soil type and crops produced.

While some think of regenerative agriculture as a fringe movement, major corporations have pledged enormous resources to support regenerative growers. General Mills, Cargill, PepsiCo, Walmart and others have adopted regenerative agriculture as a matter of corporate responsibility and integrated the term into their marketing. Forbes called it the “next trend in food retailing.”

The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference included a session on regenerative agriculture, and a movement is afoot to include regenerative agriculture in the 2023 U.S. Farm Bill.

But the term’s ambiguity and lack of evidence-based research make the regenerative agriculture tag a big maybe with some farmers. So, for farmers statewide, North Carolina State University researchers are investigating and debating these ideas.

At any rate, in any discussion relating regenerative agriculture and climate change, the topic of carbon is front and center with the conversation revolving around soil health. That’s because soil has the ability to pull carbon out of the atmosphere and store it within a network of organisms where carbon can support living things.

Storing carbon underfoot isn’t straightforward. Microbes and other organic life in the soil can gobble up carbon in a process that accelerates as temperature rises. However, organic composition in soils vary and soils that have depleted organic matter due to over use, will not effectively sequester carbon. The hot, humid conditions in North Carolina speed up organic matter decomposition in the majority of our soils. When we add tillage and other agricultural practices that bury organic matter we are speeding up organic matter loss.

Different soil management practices increase organic matter and can boost soil carbon sequestration. These management practice include reducing tillage, cover cropping, rotating crops and regenerative livestock grazing.

The tillage of crops can be reduced through a method called "strip-tillage." Through strip-tillage, narrow strips 6 to 12 inches wide are tilled for planting, but the area between the rows are left undisturbed. Strip-tillage reduces soil erosion because most of the soil remains covered with crop residue throughout the year, less carbon is released into the atmosphere, and the soil maintains higher levels of organic matter.

Cover crops are grown primarily to benefit the successful growth of other future crops. They help with soil erosion, improve soil health, crowd out weeds, control pests and diseases, increase biodiversity, and can bring a host of other benefits to farms, including increased profitability. Cover crops can be planted any time of the year, but typically after main crops have been harvested, usually in the fall, and they are grown until the next crop is planted in the spring.

Crop rotation is the practice of planting different crops sequentially on the same plot of land to improve soil health, by diversifying and optimizing nutrients in the soil, and to combat pest and weed pressure.

Regenerative livestock grazing helps to break down organic matter. Since residual plant nutrients are locked in fiber, grazing animals can break fiber into simpler forms and smaller nutrient particles that stimulate the biological system.

Regenerative agriculture’s future will depend on whether its benefits are affordable and payoff. Regardless of how it’s defined, marketed or incentivized, regenerative agriculture won’t be adopted at a larger scale without sound science and small business buy-in. Practices such as cover cropping, like everything else on the farm, have to pay off on the balance sheet. To this end, researchers and Extension specialists are engaged to find answers and best practices that bring science and economics to a more sustainable environment.

Deborah McGiffin, County Extension Director
Moore County

Landowner Workshop

A regional workshop is planned for landowners with forested land.

Topics will include:

Prescribed Burn Associations,

Taxes, NRCS Farm Bill (EQIP & CSP),

Partners for Fish and Wildlife,

Cooperative Extension, and the Forest Development Program

Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Cumberland Agricultural Center Auditorium
6:00 –8:00 p.m.

301 East Mountain Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28306

Event is free and supper is provided but you will need to register by June 13th by calling or emailing Benjy.Strope@ncwildlife.org (910) 874-5562.

Space is limited.

Abiotic vs. Biotic
Causes of Plant Problems

By Savanah Laur, Moore County Horticulture Agent

Are the plants in your yard showing symptoms like leaf curling, brown edges, dieback, or distortion? These can all be indications of pesticide damage. However, they can often be indications of other issues in the landscape.

For instance, brown edges and dieback can occur after a late freeze event. Sometimes the symptoms are delayed. Leaf curling, cupping, or distortion can mean insect or disease is present on your plants.

In any event, it is critical to think about all of the factors at play in nature. Are the symptoms present only on several plants in the landscape? Did you notice symptoms first on one plant and then it seemed to spread? Has there been any weather events that are out of the ordinary?

After doing some critical thinking, try to decide whether the cause seems to be biotic or abiotic. If the symptoms seem to start in one area and spread and is only affecting certain plants, consider a biotic cause. If many plants are being affected throughout the landscape, and symptoms all seemed to occur at once, this may be an abiotic cause like harsh weather or mechanical damage.

Gathering these facts can also be helpful if you are planning to come in to the office to visit our Extension Master Gardener Helpline! With these facts, some well taken photos showing close ups of symptoms and wide shots of the plants in the landscape, a Master Gardener can better assist you in finding the cause and offering a solution.

If It Seals, It’s Safe. Right?

Congratulations! You’ve heard that “pop” of your jar lids sealing. Your home preserved food is ready for the shelf to last you for the next year. Or is it? Many people believe that what makes a jar of food safe is the sealing of the jar. Although a sealed jar lid is necessary for preserving the environment contained in the jar by keeping oxygen out, the ingredients as well as other factors determine the safety of that jar of food.

One of the main factors for safety in home preserved food is the pH, or acidity level, of the food being preserved. If a food has a pH level at or below 4.6, it is safe to water-bath can. This includes most fruits except figs, melons, squash, and tomatoes. Adding acidic ingredients such as vinegar or lemon juice can make recipes safe for water-bath canning. A food with a pH above 4.6 requires preservation in a pressure canner. These include vegetables and meat recipes.

Why 4.6? Clostridium botulinum. This bacteria will not grow and produce toxin when the pH is at or lower than 4.6. This toxin can then infect and cause botulism which can lead to death. Pressure canning heats the jars to a high temperature destroying any C. botulinum spores that could survive the canning process.

Another safety factor in home food preservation is the processing time. The processing time is the length of time it takes for a canning treatment to safely preserve food. These times are determined by lab testing, which is why it is so important to use validated recipes. All recipes can be found at the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s website https://nchfp.uga.edu. All of the USDA’s guildelines for canning can also be found on this website.

Tested recipes also give guidance on headspace. Headspace is the space between the food inside the jar to the lid. It is measured down from the top of the jar in ¼ inch increments. Headspace is important in the safety of the canned food because the sealing process creates a vacuum that pulls all of the oxygen out of the jar. Bacteria and mold use oxygen to grow so it is important to remove it from the jars. Recipes give guidance on which headspace to use for each recipe. When packing your jars, make sure to check for bubbles and get all the oxygen to the top of the jar. This is so no oxygen gets stuck in your jar.

As you start canning this Summer be sure to make sure you have chosen the best canning method based off of pH, removed the oxygen, and processed properly so when you hear that “pop” you have peace of mind placing it on your shelf.

Janice Roberts
Family & Consumer Science Agent

What Are The Benefits of
4-H Summer Camp?

Summer camp offers an invaluable experience to youth who attend. According to the American Camping Association camp provides children with an opportunity to discover and explore their interests, values, and talents. Camp delivers positive impacts for youth. Youth who attended 4-H camp last year indicated their attendance at camp helped them make new friends, develop new skills, and become more independent and able to take care of themselves.

Technology Free
Camp puts youth in a technology-free zone so they can spend their day being physically active. This provides youth the opportunity to be in the great outdoors and participate in outdoor activities. Youth can learn about themselves and discover new interests.

Hands-on Experiences
Camp provides hands-on experiences. Campers take part in classic summer camp activities- hiking, swimming, arts and crafts, skits and songs around the campfire. Oftentimes, summer camp is the first time campers have experienced these activities. Youth develop these skills and gain confidence in these activities.

Independence
Camp teaches youth to become independent. During the camp week, youth are able to make decisions and be responsible without their parents guiding them every step of the way. Youth manage their daily hygiene, upkeep of their cabin, and making safe choices. Camp is the perfect place for kids to practice making decisions for themselves.

Confidence
Camp shows kids that they can. Camp helps youth develop self-confidence and self-esteem by providing opportunities for youth to succeed. Camp staff and counselors are trained to continually encourage kids to never give up which is a huge boost for most youth. Staff and counselors nurture kids and they provide an environment to withstand obstacles, try new things, and see improvement comes when you give something another try.

Lifelong Friendships and Memories
Camp develops lifelong friendships and memories. Camp brings youth together as they participate in communal experiences. Campfires, skits, and having new experiences together really connect relationships. “A Ring Is Round” is a song that youth sing during the end of the week during a candle lighting activity and is a testimony of the bonding experience camp provides. The lyrics are, “Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold. A ring is round, it has no end. That’s how long you’ll be my friend.” Developing relationships is an essential life skill and it is one of the most important skills developed at camp.

For more than 80 years, North Carolina 4-H camping has taught youth life skills through centers located from the mountains to the Sandhills to the coast. Each year, more than 7,000 youth from across the state participate in 4-H camping programs at North Carolina’s 4-H educational centers. Thousands more participate in conferences, school enrichment programs, special events, and workshops.

Find out more about NC 4-H Camps & Centers at: https://nc4h.ces.ncsu.edu/camps-centers/

2023 Moore County Camp Updates:
Twenty-two youth, ages 8-14, will be attending residential camp at Millstone 4-H Camp in Ellerbe, NC from June 25th-June 30th. These youth will participate in water safety lessons, archery, riflery, leadership skill building, a talent show, and much more. Moore County 4-H youth will also be attending 4-H Horse Camp, 4-H Fur Fish and Game Camp, and
4-H Cloverbud camp (youth 5-8 years old) at Millstone 4-H Camp this summer. Scholarships for youth to supplement the cost of camp have been made possible through the partnership and generous support of United Way of Moore County. Without this support many youth would not have the opportunity to participate in amazing programs such as 4-H residential camp.

For more information about 4-H camps or to get involved in Moore County 4-H, contact Kaley Lawing at kaley_lawing@ncsu.edu or call
910-947-3188.