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MITCHELL COUNTY CENTER
August 2023
Agricultural News
THANKS DOC BONAMINIO

Mitchell County lost a friend and leader within the agriculture community  last month with the passing of Dr. Vinny "Doc" Bonaminio.Vinny had tenures at NC State and Mayland Community College, an educator first and foremost! Doc was also instrumental in developing and innovating the Fraser fir industry in Mitchell County. His reach was further than Mitchell County, Vinny cared about the farmers, he led the charge to secure an Area Christmas Tree Specialist and Entomologist for the industry. This kept area producers up to date with the latest  Extension based research information and production techniques.  Doc made many calls and trips to Raleigh to lobby for these positions.. These positions are still in place and just recently have been refilled with fresh personnel.  Doc 's efforts are still helping local producers!
There was another Doc, the Horticulture Instructor at Mitchell High School in my opinion his greatest role and legacy, a man who was a friend and developer of future leaders.  Vinny was a guy that enabled a large number of kids the opportunity to further their education, many at his beloved North Carolina State.  He was tough, demanding, and brutally honest; you knew where he stood and his requirements. The mark of any great leader is the development of leaders to take their place, I would like to mention a few: Rodney Buchanan - Forester/Christmas Tree Producer/NCSU Liaison , Ronnie Sparks- Forrester Parton Lumber, Brady Gogue Farm Manager Wolf Creek Tree Farm, and Brandon Pittman Horticulture Instructor WPCC/NCA&T Liaison. These are just a few of the many lives that Doc impacted.  So, Doc thanks for all you have done for Mitchell County and the many lives you positively impacted.


Avery A&H Fair entries

Avery A&H Fair Board along with Mitchell County Cooperative Extension invite you to attend the educational and family friendly Avery A&H Fair in Newland, NC September 6-9, 2023.

Producers from Mitchell Counties are invited to submit their culinary, artistic, preserved,
agricultural, and horticultural items for display. This is an opportunity to educate youth and
community members on the various products that are produced in our area.
In addition, youth and producers from Avery and Mitchell counties are invited to compete in
livestock shows and display their livestock.
Read more here.
 
Consumer Family and Science News
Summer is here with all its bounty from our local gardens and farms. Here at Extension, we offer resources to help you safely preserve all that goodness, whether it be by canning, freezing, pickling, or dehydrating. Preserving fresh foods properly means getting the most nutritional value possible and preserving in season fruits and vegetables is a great way to save money on your winter food budget when produce prices go up.

Do you need your pressure canner gauge tested or inspected to make sure it is safe to use? Do you have a question about processing times, altitude adjustments, or what to do if your power went out during canning? Give me a call! I am here to get you the information you need.
N.C. Cooperative Extension Mitchell County Center is looking for Extension Master Food Volunteers!
Interest in food, cooking, and local food is at an all-time high. The Extension Master Food Volunteer (EMFV) program is designed to engage residents in food and nutrition programming in their community and train volunteers to further expand the reach of N.C. Cooperative Extension. The EMFV program will allow FCS agents to train volunteers to support their food and nutrition programming and promote local food, thereby building their capacity to deliver high quality, evidence-based interventions. What types of activities do volunteers support? Volunteers work closely with their supervising FCS agent to deliver Cooperative Extension nutrition education and cooking programs, such as Steps to Health, Faithful Families, Cook Smart Eat Smart, and Med Instead of Meds. In addition, volunteers assist with community-based programs and outreach, including food preservation classes, lunch n’ learn workshops, cooking demonstrations at community locations (such as farmers’ markets and food pantries), kids cooking camps, and community health fairs.

Read more at: https://fcs.ces.ncsu.edu/master-food-volunteers/
Or check out this video.
If you are interested in training to be an EMFV in Mitchell County Please contact Katie Elkins at 688-4811 or email at kelkins@ncsu.edu

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                     4-H SUMMER PROGRAMS

The 4-H Summer Programs were lots of fun!! Don't miss out on the fun educational learning 4-H has to offer.  

A special thank you to our 4-H leaders this summer, Jennifer Cook and Kellie Chapman!
To see more pictures from the summer 4-H programs see our Facebook page.
 
4-H Online Enrollment is Open

All 4-H members, leaders and parents must re-enroll for the 2023 year to participate in 4-H opportunities.  In addition, if you are new to the program and want to participate in any 4-H events, activities, or programs, please go register in 4-H online.



NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C. Cooperative Extension.

Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made
to Spring Williams-Byrd @ 828-688-4811
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