June 2023 Extension Newsletter

Cherokee County 4-H loves to partner with Cherokee County teachers and schools to bring 4-H School Enrichment programs to the classroom. 4-H School Enrichment is a sequence of learning experiences for groups of youth, in cooperation with school officials during school hours to support the school curriculum. We have many 4-H school enrichment programs that we can offer local teachers to enhance their classroom learning opportunities in the true 4-H hands-on “learn by doing” approach.

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The N.C. Cooperative Extension in Cherokee County is excited to offer the 2023 Food Preservation Series of classes. These classes will provide evidence-based information to safely preserve food in a variety of ways. Offerings include Intro to Canning (informational sessions only), water bath canning, pressure canning, pickling, fermentation, dehydration, and freezer jam. Take one class, or take them all, but these limited tickets to each event will go fast, so register today! To register online, click on the links below. The cost of each class is $10.00.

List of Classes and How to Register

The N.C. Cooperative Extension, Cherokee County Center is seeking applications for a time limited, grant funded position for a digital skills educator. This Educator will interact with the public through the delivery of skill-building programs and provide broadband access information and resources to increase the adoption and utilization of digital resources in the county. This position will be responsible for providing leadership to the Digital Skills Training Volunteers in the county. The Digital Skills Training Volunteers will help increase the digital skills capacity in the county by providing training and coaching opportunities.
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The fall 2023 Pesticide Safety Schools are available to those seeking initial licensing in one or more pesticide subcategories. To register for a school, please follow one of the links below. You can either print out a form to be mailed with a school payment or go online to register for a school. To prepare for the class and exams more thoroughly, participants are encouraged to pre-order their pesticide manuals well in advance of the school by visiting pesticidemanuals.com or by printing the mail-in manual order form and sending it with payment. Please allow 7-10 business days for the manuals to arrive. Any questions about obtaining a license can be directed to the Pesticide Safety Education Program by emailing pesticide-edu@ncsu.edu or calling (919) 515-3113.

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Recertification through earning continuing education credits must be completed by September 30 of the year in which certification expires. Following completion of recertification requirements, private pesticide applicators will receive a Certification Renewal Application from NCDA&CS. This form must be signed and returned to the NCDA&CS with a $10 renewal fee payable by check or money order (private soil fumigation is an additional $10 fee). Once the application and fee are processed, certification will be renewed for three years, and a new certification card will be mailed to the applicator.

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June 19-21 in Fletcher, NC will be some of the best days for area 4-H horse club members and youth equestrians ages 5-18. June 19th is the start of the 2023 West District 4-H Horsemanship Clinic. Participating youth with get professional instruction in their horse riding discipline of their choice for the first two days and then on Wednesday we will have a full day of fun. Youth will get to test their riding skills in the arena with cattle, learning the basic of cattle sorting and this year we will have some team roping lessons with Justin Gillespie our cattle producer. Youth will also have a chance to see how their horse will handle obstacles and have opportunities to learn more about desensitizing their horse around new places and things. We will also have information about participating in Dressage and how to take a Dressage test on Wednesday.

Learn to Grow Shiitake Mushrooms

Extension Master Gardeners in Cherokee County will teach a hands on Shiitake Mushroom class. The class will be taught September 19, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at our classroom located at 699 Connaheeta Street in Murphy, NC. This location is at Koneheta Park. Follow our signs to the meeting room. Cost is $25.00. Instructor will be Jeff Doughman, Extension Master Gardener, Cherokee County. Pre-registration is required along with the payment. Class size is limited to 15. We expect this class to sell out quickly so sign up online beginning May 31.

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Cherokee County 4-H volunteer and Master Gardener, Arleene Ward, just wrapped up an eight lesson series from our 4-H Busy World of Bees with 86 first graders at Murphy Elementary School. Arleene is great in the classroom with our students and loves to teach about our honey bees and other pollinators. Arleene is a retired teacher and has a great disposition with the students when helping them in the classroom. If you are interested in becoming a 4-H School Enrichment volunteer in Cherokee County, please contact me, Shannon Coleman, at shannon_coleman@ncsu.edu or call, 828-837-2210 ext. 4.

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We are seeking your help to encourage everyone in Cherokee County to take the state’s first Digital Equity survey to let us know about their individual needs for accessibility and affordability of digital devices and the internet as well as digital skills needed to safely access online resources. This data collection is important because it will help the N.C. Department of Information Technology create a Digital Equity Plan that best meets the needs of all North Carolinians. Please help by completing the survey. Get the Toolkits and Associated Materials

Go Directly To The Survey

We are in the process of planning the 2024 Master Gardener Initial Training For Certification. This is a 40 hour training that will be completed thru in person and virtual meetings along with homework. We expect the class will cost about $169.00. A computer, chromebook, or tablet will be required along with internet access. We can provide internet access at our office or meeting room during the training. We are working on the schedule for 2024 and plan to release it along with the ability to register for the class by September 1 and will be limited to 30. The registration information will be available at cherokee.ces.ncsu.edu and signup will be at go.ncsu.edu/cherokeecounty. Classes will start January 30 through March 28, 2024. If you think you would be interested in the training, please fill out the form below and we will send you an email to have an early look at the training when registration is available. Visit “Become a Master Gardener Volunteer” to learn more.

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2023 Farm School

A SERIES OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR FARMERS, HOMEOWNERS, GARDENERS AND YOUTH.

Cherokee and Graham County Centers have teamed together to offer a series of Farm School educational programs that will help farmers, homeowners, gardeners and youth learn more about farming, agriculture and rural living in our area. Most workshops are free to anyone who would like to register. However, there is a charge for the grafting workshop to help cover the cost of the materials. If you have any questions about our programs, feel free to contact us.

More Info and a List of Programs

To register for any of these programs go to:
go.ncsu.edu/cherokeecounty

Educational Programs Being Offered at New Meeting Facility
As spring time arrives, so does a host of educational opportunities being offered by the Cherokee County Center. Thanks to the support of Cherokee County Government, you can now be part of our programs at our newly renovated educational facility at 699 Connahetta Street in Murphy, NC with nearby parking options. N.C. Cooperative Extension offers educational programs in food safety, wellness, agriculture, Master Gardener program, beekeeping, farm succession planning, consumer horticulture, and other topics. Youth programs are also offered through volunteers along with 4-H Volunteer training. Also webinars through NC State Extension are streamed onsite for residents with limited internet access along with allowing participants to use our facilities to access the internet to complete hybrid (online and in person educational programs. Most program signups are available 24/7 through Eventbrite.

If you are a citizen of Cherokee County and have questions that Doug Clement or the Cherokee County Master Gardeners can assist with, submit your request at this link. It is very important that you provide detailed information. This information request is for Cherokee County, NC citizens only. Please allow 2 days for a response. Access the entire NC State Extension database by visiting cherokee.ces.ncsu.edu and typing the keyword in the search bar located in the upper right hand corner of the website. Also enjoy our monthly newsletter by scrolling to the bottom of our website and entering your email address."

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