In this issue:
Wool Pool
Pesticide Applicator Needed
Southeastern Hay Contest
Weeds
Angus Field Day
Stockpiling Forages for Winter
Reminders
Calendar of Events (READ THESE!)
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Upper Piedmont Wool Pool
We collected almost 1,000 pounds of Wool at the 2023 Piedmont Wool Pool on August 14. Producers should receive $0.30 per pound for their wool with some variation on cost due to color and quality. In addition, some farmers can apply for a Wool Marketing Assistance Loan Deficiency Payment from the Farm Service Agency. No one is going to get rich selling raw wool, but this does provide an option to producers other than using their wool for weed control in their garden. Read more...
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Pesticide Applicator
If you (or someone that you know) has your commercial pesticide applicator license and you are "for hire" to spray smaller pastures and hayfields, please let us know by email at awbowman@ncsu.edu or 336-703-2855! We have gotten several requests.
Don't have your license, but would like to? Attend Pesticide Safety School at the Forsyth County Agricultural Building at 1450 Fairchild Road
Winston-Salem October 18-19. Learn more AND register here.
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Hay Contests
Southeastern Hay Contest
Sept. 1st is the postmark deadline to submit samples to the Southeastern Hay Contest
North
Carolina's samples have a record as top quality hay in the Southeast USA, specially in the categories of alfalfa (see summary here) and cool-season forages. In fact, an alfalfa sample from Guilford County (Beeson Farms in Climax) won the overall contest Grand Prize in 2022.
Mountain State Fair
Entries for the Mountain State Fair are due by Aug. 25 and hay must be dropped off on Monday or Tuesday, September 4-5 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. See the Agronomic Products Division 1,
Department CB at https://www.wncagcenter.org/p/mountainstatefair/competitions/general-exhibits
Carolina Classic Fair
Sept. 1st is also the deadline to enter hay in the Carolina Classic Fair. Samples must be submitted Wednesday, September 27 from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. https://carolinaclassicfair.com/
Department A, Section 102
NC State Fair (NCSF)
Entries for the NC State Fair are due September 15 and must be delivered on Tuesday, October 10.
https://www.ncstatefair.org/2023/Competitions/Entering/ForageCompetition.htm
We do have a hay probe in the office and can help you get a core sample taken for SE and NCSF.
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Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) Weeds and Management Recording
CEFS recently held an hour long Zoom session on Weeds and their management. I thought it was interesting and wanted to share the recording. If you need assistance with managing weeds in your pasture or hayfield, please reach out. awbowman@ncsu.edu or 336-703-2855.
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The NC Angus Association is holding their annual Field Day at Biltmore Estates in Asheville on Saturday, September 30 beginning at 9 a.m. (gates open at 8). There will be three educational sessions with six options offered. Lunch and snacks will be provided to the first 200 people to RSVP. There will also be a beef and lamb carcass cutting demonstration. Visit https://biltmorelivestock.com/ to learn more and to register.
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Stockpiling Forages for Winter
Although rainfall and thus hay has been plentiful this summer, it's always a good idea to consider stockpiling forages and saving them for winter grazing. If your pastures are made up of KY31 fescue which is endophyte infested, stockpiling it reduces the ergovaline concentrations (the bad stuff).
NC State has a short "how-to" guide to stockpiling, but basically you begin by:
grazing forages down to 3" (now)
remove animals from the section to be stockpiled
consider applying 50-80 pounds per acre of Nitrogen (Aug-Sept)
allow the forage to grow for winter grazing which will reduce the amount of hay needed in the fall. You may even see benefits from feeding hay NOW, and stockpiling endophyte infected forages for winter.
Learn more from On Pasture. Please note that this article includes resources from many states, so take into account that their soil type and seasons may be different. None-the-less, the information is worth sharing.
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REMINDERS
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Youth Poultry and Egg Contests
Egg-Cellent Egg Contest - Entry deadline Sept. 8
Youth ages 5-18 with chickens are encouraged to participate in the Egg-cellent egg competition. Youth should register at https://forsyth.ces.ncsu.edu/2023/07/2023-egg-cellent-egg-contest-information/ prior to September 8 and will submit their best six eggs around November 1.
North Central District 4-H Poultry Show - 2024 - Deadline Sept. 8
The 2024 North Central District 4-H Poultry Show for youth ages 5-18 is tentatively scheduled for the first Saturday in May. Youth that would like to participate should register online by September 8 and pay a $25 fee to reserve their five chicks. https://go.ncsu.edu/ncdpoultryrabbitshow
We will have a short Q&A session on Thursday, August 31 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Register to receive the Zoom link and/or the recording of that session at https://go.ncsu.edu/poultryshowq-a.
P.S. We will have a rabbit show the same day as our poultry show (information to come), and Forsyth County Animal Shelter has bunnies for an adoption fee of $10! Please do your research if you are interested in adopting a bunny - they
require all the same type care as a cat or dog (including vet care) and can live 10-12 years with proper care so they are a long term commitment. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm, adoptions/visits end at 4:30. Please complete your application prior to your visit at https://forsyth.cc/AnimalShelter/available.html
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Poultry Processing
On September 22 at 9 a.m. at the NC A&T State University Farm Pavilion, there will be a Mobile Poultry Processing Training. Topics include pastured poultry management, exemption and inspection process to sell meat, as well as the opportunity for hands-on processing. This training is required for first-time users of the Stokes County mobile processing unit.
The cost is $15 and includes lunch and a processed bird. Learn more and register at:
https://go.ncsu.edu/poultryprocessing
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Calendar of Livestock Events
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Aug. 15 Entries open for NC State Fair Livestock Shows
Aug. 18 FAMACHA Certification Workshop, Rockingham County; https://go.ncsu.edu/rockingham_famacha - This class is FULL.
Aug. 25 Entry deadline for the Mountain State
Fair
Aug. 31 NCD 4-H Poultry Show Q&A Zoom Session, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 1 Carolina Classic Fair Entries Due
Sept.
1 Postmark deadline for the Southeast Hay Contest
Sept. 1 Entry deadline for the Sept. 16 Women in Ag Conference, Valle Crucis
Sept. 2 N.C. Simmental Association Fall Harvest Sale, Union Grove, 1 p.m.
Sept. 8 Deadline to order chicks for the 2024 NCD 4-H Poultry Show; https://go.ncsu.edu/ncdpoultryrabbitshow
Sept. 8 Egg-cellent Egg Registration Due (Nov. 6 tentative submission deadline)
Sept. 13 Windy Hill Farms In-Vitro Fertilization Cattle Collection Event, Ramseur
Sept 15 Entries close for NC State Fair Livestock Shows and Hay Judging
Sept 16 Women in Agriculture-NC Fall Retreat, Valle Crucis
Sept 22 Mobile Poultry Processing Unit Training, Greensboro
Sept 23 Basic Rigging for Large Animal Rescue, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Murray Rd. W-S; Register using TERMS
Sept. 28 Graded Feeder Calf Sale, Norwood
Sept. 29 - Oct. 3 Carolina Classic Fair; Magic in the Fair
Sept. 30 Angus Field Day at Biltmore Estates, Asheville, 8 a.m.
Sept. 30 Biltmore Estate Cattle and Dorper Sheep Sale, 2:30 p.m.
Oct. 13 Fred Smith Company Educational Program, Dinner and Kiddie Cattle Camp Activities, 5:30 p.m.
Oct. 14 Fred Smith Company Ranch Extra Effort Simmental Sale, 1 p.m. Clayton, NC
Oct. 18-19 Pesticide Safety School and Exam, Forsyth Ag Bldg
Nov. 3 Save the Date for the Shepherd Boot Camp! (all day)
Nov. 11-13 Sustainable Ag Conference, Durham
Nov. 16 Graded
Feeder Calf Sale, Norwood
Nov. 18 Southern Partners in Performance Hereford Bull Sale
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Calendar of Other Extension Events
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https://forsyth.cc/eventcalendars/forsythcountyces.aspx
Aug. 29 Pickling Workshop, 5:30 p.m. Forsyth Ag. Bldg; Register Using Eventbrite
Sept. 7 What Tea Can Do For You, Live and via Zoom, 11 a.m. Register Using Eventbrite
Sept. 8 Native Plants of Note - Forks on Friday, Noon; Forsyth Ag. Bldg. Register Using Eventbrite
Sept. 9 Pawpaw Field Day;
Forsyth Ag. Bldg, 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Register at https://pawpaw2023.eventbrite.com
Sept. 12 Gardening 101; Paddison Library, 10 a.m. Register Using Eventbrite
Sept. 13 Lawncare in the Piedmont, Walnut Hall at Tanglewood,
Noon; Register Using Eventbrite
Sept.
16 Fall Ext. Master Gardener Volunteer (EMGV) Plant Sale, Forsyth Ag. Bld., 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sept 19 Saving Seeds; Paddison Library, 10 a.m. Register Using Eventbrite
Sept 26 Fermentation for Food Preservation; Forsyth Co. Ag. Bldg; 5:30 p.m. Register using Eventbrite
Sept. 6 - Oct. 8 Carolina Classic Fair; Look for Extension booths in the Garden Building (EMGV) and Education Building (4-H), at School Days in the Garden Building and Mrs. April in the Sheep/Goat/Swine and Cattle barns
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Soil Testing: N.C. Cooperative Extension will be happy to deliver your soil sample boxes and completed paperwork to the NDA&CS at no cost to you from now - November 21. We will only deliver samples once a month, so please do NOT do this if you are in a hurry to get your results. Please drop them off at the reception desk of N.C. Cooperative Extension, 1450 Fairchild Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27105, while the office is open.
If you need help analyzing your results, please reach out!
Learn more about soil sampling and how to get test kits at
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Individuals who use chemicals are responsible for ensuring that the intended use complies with current regulations and conforms to the product label.
N.C. Cooperative Extension prohibits discrimination and harassment regardless of age, color, disability, family and marital status, gender identity, national origin,
political beliefs, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation and veteran status. NC State University, N.C. A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and local governments cooperating.
Read more at: https://intranet.ces.ncsu.edu/brand/n-c-cooperative-extension-brand/referencing-extension/#EOS
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