April

Pollen Arrives Early

For the last few weeks I have fought a futile battle. I know better, but I can't help myself. I know the pollen will win, at least until leaves have leafed out and the pines stop spraying their yellow pollen film on everything exposed to the outside.

If you think the pollen has come particularly early this year, your observations are correct. Trees begin to release pollen between late February and early March. According the Robert Bardon, an Associate Dean of Forestry and Environmental Resources at NC State, weather conditions can have a major impact on the amount of pollen in the atmosphere. The Climate Office at NCSU documented that consistently above-normal temperatures throughout last month made for an overall warm March in North Carolina. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) notes a preliminary statewide average temperature of 53.8°F has made this year our 16th-warmest March since 1895. Our average temperatures were 3 to 6 degrees above normal, which left this among the top ten warmest Marches observed in our area.

If your allergies have already been active this spring, then you can blame the weather, as it was primed for peak pollen production in March.

It starts with our temperatures, which began warming to spring-like levels back in February and urging vegetation of its winter dormancy. Trees began leafing-out 2 to 3 weeks earlier than normal this year, so that got the pollen season off to a fast start. Rain can be a blessing and a curse when it comes to pollen, and it certainly was a bit of both last month. Showers in the first two weeks of March helped grasses and other vegetation green up and reach maturity more quickly, at which point they sent even more pollen into the air.

As, Dr. Bardon explains, tree pollen is often the cause of most allergic reactions in the early spring, though the timing of pollen production varies widely within local areas and among geographic regions. Pollen counts tend to be highest early in the morning on warm, dry, breezy days and lowest during chilly, wet periods

Certain trees produce more pollen than others. Loblolly pines, for example, produce a significant amount of pollen in North Carolina and other parts of the Southeast during the spring.

Nevertheless, while pine pollen makes up much of the yellow film that coats cars and other outdoor surfaces, it is non-allergenic due to the large size of its grains and its low levels of proteins.

Trees such as oak, birch, maple, cedar and hickory are known to produce allergenic pollen, according to Bardon. The grains are lightweight and easily carried by wind, making them much more likely to be inhaled.

Despite the seasonal inconvenience it causes for people, pollen is an essential part of the environment and economy. It not only fertilizes plants to produce fruits, fiber and seeds, but it also contributes billions of dollars to global forest and food production and supports the production of biofuels, medicines and more.

Link here to read Dr. Barton's entire article about his year's pollen count and to read his tips for reducing allergy symptoms.

Deborah McGiffin
Moore County Extension Director

If you have called the Extension office in the last month and an unfamiliar but friendly voice answered, that would be Tracey Callicutt.

Tracey started as the Moore County Extension Administrative Assistant on March 11. Tracey has a wealth of knowledge and experience handling office accounting procedures, record keeping, utilizing office software, customer service and many other talents required to run our office efficiently.

Please welcome Tracey to Moore County Extension the next time you drop by or call our office. You’ll enjoy meeting her as much as we enjoying working with her and having her settle in as an integral part of our staff and team.

Deborah McGiffin
Moore County Extension Director

Star Magnolia

Blooming now, when almost nothing else blooms, is the Star Magnolia, Magnolia stellata. Late winter or early spring is when this lovely medium-sized multi-stemmed shrub or small tree

shines with its flush of star-shaped white or pink blooms on bare branches. It survives in zones 4-9. It is native to Japan and was introduced to the United States in the 1860’s.

Growing 15 to 20 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide, it is one of the earliest deciduous magnolias to flower. Because of the early bloom time it is subject to frost damage if we have an early cold snap. But it is worth planting. The pubescent floral buds produce clusters of fragrant flowers with 25 to 35 tepals. After flowering it produces cone-like fruit that contain large seeds.

Grow in full sun with moist well drained soil that is acid to neutral and richly organic. Planting the Star Magnolia in a protected site will help protect it from frost damage. And avoiding a southern exposure will keep the buds from opening too early in late winter. It makes a stunning

accent or specimen plant in the home landscape and has no serious insect or disease problems.

The cultivars to look for are Centennial (large white, pink-tinged flowers growing 25 feet tall) or Royal Star (most common, double white flowers with pink buds).

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

By: Dolores Muller, EMGV, Moore County

Photo by: Dolores Muller, EMGV, Moore County

Moore County Farmers' Market
in Southern Pines

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

Saturdays, March 15-November 23, 8AM-12PM
Downtown Park
156 SE Broad St
Southern Pines, NC 28388

Sandhill Farmers' Market
in the Village of Pinehurst

Wednesdays, April 17-October 2, 3PM-6PM
Saturdays, April 17-October 5, 10AM-1PM
Village Square
Pinehurst, NC 28374

James Creek Sunday Market
Cameron

First & Third Sundays of the Month, 1PM-5PM
172 US-1 Highway
Cameron, NC 28326

Carthage Farmers' Market

Carthage

Fridays, Year-Round, 1PM-5PM
S Ray Street
Carthage, NC 28327

Sandhills Farm to Table
Open for 15th 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!

Managing Pastures in the Sandhills of North Carolina

Tom Shea

Managing pastures is key to owning grazing species such as horses, mules, and donkeys. Timing is vital when making decisions about your pasture, such as knowing when to take soil samples, apply lime and fertilizer, and graze your horses. This can be daunting, but I promise it is easier than it may seem!

The first step in pasture management is sampling your soil. This test will tell you what nutrients your pasture needs to flourish. Taking a sample for the soil test is easy! Having the right tools and ensuring you get a representative sample is key to getting accurate results. Sampling is easiest with a soil probe or a sharped half-inch pipe; however, you can use a garden trowel in a pinch. Sampling begins by taking subsamples, small cores that take the first four inches of soil. Then, place the sub-sample in a plastic bucket; repeat this process 15-20 times per pasture to get a good representation of the pasture. After you have your subsamples in your bucket, mix it up with your hand and place it in the soil sample test box; this becomes your soil sample. Be sure to label each sample according to where it was taken so you know what nutrients each pasture requires. These boxes can be picked up and dropped off at your local NC Cooperative Extension office to be sent to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA) for testing. NC Cooperative Extension Agents can also come to your farm to help take your sample! The test takes a couple of weeks to come back. The samples cost $4 per box from Thanksgiving to April 1st and are free after April 1st.

You will be given overwhelming information when the soil sample results are ready. Luckily, there are only four significant things that you have to focus on: pH, Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K). The pH levels help to optimize nutrient availability, allowing the essential nutrients to the grasses, legumes, and forbs, which promotes root development and lush foliage. This enables the forages to use the N-P-K that we provide to them fully. The pH scale measures how acidic or basic the soil is; the scale is 1-14, with one being acidic and 14 being basic or alkaline. On the pH scale, seven is neutral, where we want our soils to be for optimal grass growth. Unfortunately, in the Sandhills, due to our sandy soil and abundance of pine trees, which thrive in acidic soils, we typically have very acidic soils with ranges from 4.5-6. Any soil below six is considered acidic and starts to inhibit the grass growth and ability to absorb N-P-K, reducing forage availability. pH is raised by adding something basic or alkaline to it to bring the pH closer to neutral; this is most often lime in pastures. It typically takes one ton of lime per acre in sandy soils to raise the pH one point (Mamo et al., 2009). The best time to put out lime is in the fall or spring, in between the growing seasons of cool and warm grasses, three to six months before grass green-up.

Nitrogen is the most common soil amendment to add to forages and crops. Nitrogen is the food and protein for the plants to grow tall and lush. Nitrogen is used up by the plant very quickly and will dissipate in the soil if not used. Nitrogen must be put out every growing season, ideally several times during the growing season. For Bermuda grass, the growing season is typically May-August, so I prefer to apply nitrogen every 30-45 days to get the most out of the forage. Phosphorus and Potassium tend to hang out in the soil longer and do not need to be applied during every application once the soil reaches the ideal amount of these nutrients. Phosphorus is responsible for downward root growth and produces the seed heads of the plants. Potassium is like a multimineral for the plant; it promotes overall well-being and allows it to thrive. When reading your soil report before applying fertilizer, it is essential to note that the recommendation is for the whole year, not per application, meaning if you want to put out fertilizer four times a year, you need to divide the recommended amount of fertilizer on the soil report by four.

Knowing when to plant will help ensure success when overseeding or planting new grasses. Most warm-season grasses, such as Bermuda or Crabgrass, are best planted between the middle of April and the middle of May. Cool-season grasses, such as fescue or ryegrass, are best planted from September to mid-November.

While much of pasture management is about soil health, it is only part of the story. The other part is grazing management. Grazing has a massive impact on the growth of forages, especially overgrazing. Overgrazing is caused when horses have continuous access to a pasture without the pasture being a place to rest or get a break for a couple of days to several weeks. Grazing below four inches for most grasses causes them to stunt and stop growing. They begin to use their energy reserves to maintain instead of increase, which is especially detrimental to grasses at the end of the growing season or during periods of drought. When overgrazed during these periods of stress, grasses will die and not come back, leaving room for weeds to come and take over the pasture. Moving horses off a specific pasture area to let the grass rest for at least 30 days is the best way to prevent overgrazing. This can be done by having multiple permanent paddocks or setting up temporary electric paddocks. It is also essential to be aware of your stocking density; in the Sandhills, it is recommended to have at least two acres of well-established grass per horse in a continuous grazing situation.

Are you interested in learning more about pasture management? NC Cooperative Extension, Moore County Center will host “Horse Pasture Management in the Sandhills” on April 23rd, 2024. Contact Tom Shea, tpshea@ncsu.edu for more information and details.

Tom Shea, Livestock Agent
Moore County Extension

A Fresh Start and New Plan for Meal Planning

With the days getting longer and warmer I recently felt motivated to clean out my refrigerator at home. I had been looking at the same containers for months and noticing a few science experiments brewing in the back. I started filling up my trash can with barely touched food that was no longer good. Disgusted with how much money I was tossing away with unused food, I made a goal of wasting less food and aiming to be more of a minimalist when it comes to food and using what I have on hand to make meals instead of planning out meals, buying all of the ingredients, and cooking those recipes. Time for a fresh start making meals with items on hand.

During the second week of April (April 8-April 14), we recognize Food Waste Prevention Week. In the U.S. 30-40% of food goes uneaten and the average American family of four loses $1,500. Fortunately, there are several things that you can do at home to reduce food waste. One of the best ways to prevent food waste is by shopping your pantry, refrigerator, or garden first before going the store.

To get started, make an on-hand list.

Next, write down meals ideas.

·     Smoothie freezer packs
·     Zucchini noodles and meatballs
·     Slow-cooker collards

Fill in any meals you might need for the week. Get the family involved and ask for meal requests or have themed weekly meals such as Taco Tuesday or Breakfast for Dinner night. To help with food waste, designate one meal weekly to be a “use-it-up” meal.  I buy big containers of Greek yogurt because I get more for my money.  To use it up, I can make smoothie packs or bake banana bread or make baked yogurt meals.  Making the smoothie packs would allow me to make a quick and easy smoothie in the mornings to get a serving of fruits and veggies to start my day.

If you need to buy an ingredient you will not use all of, have a plan to use that ingredient.  I found three marinara jars in my refrigerator when I was cleaning it out. Explore new flavors by using marinara to make bake eggs or add it to some zucchini noodles and frozen meatballs to make a quick and easy dinner with on-hand ingredients.  Another example is using leftover stock to cook rice or other grains in or use leftover salad dressings to marinate meat.

Leftovers can be enjoyed for seven days when properly stored in the refrigerator at 40*F or frozen in individual containers for later. If leftovers are not for you, transform ingredients into a new dish.  Use leftover rice to make burrito bowls or fried rice.  Bake leftover veggies in muffin tins with eggs and cheese for an easy grab-an-go breakfast. If you are not sure if something is still good or not, check out FoodKeeper.gov to see if it needs to be tossed.

Start spring cleaning your pantry and reduce food waste this Spring.

Janice Roberts, Family and Consumer Science Agent
Moore County Extension

Virtual Safe Plates Food Protection Manager Course

The virtual format allows participants to go through content at their own pace with instructors available for questions and exam review in real time. Registration can be completed at go.ncsu.edu/spfm-online, and immediate access to the course is granted upon registration.

Price of course is dependent upon if you want to purchase the training and exam together as well as where you are located. Please see the options below:

Training + In-Person Exam – $125

Price includes 365-day access to program and online instructors plus cost of exam

Training Only – $90

Price includes 365-day access to program and online instructors

Lunch-n-Learns

April 4: Canning 101

April 11: How to Preserve Herbs You Grow

Time: 12:00pm-1:00pm

Cost: No cost

Location: Moore County Cooperative Extension Office 707 Pinehurst Avenue, Carthage, NC 28327

Hands-on Canning Classes will be held in May and June. Dates will be released soon.

Meal Prep Boot Camp
This virtual meal prep class will teach you how to prep meals ahead of time from the comfort of your own home. Feel free to cook-a-long as we learn new skills starting at the end of May, Details and Registration coming soon.

Horticultural Science Summer Institute
July 7-12, 2024 | Applications are open and due April 1st.

High school students are invited to spend a week at NC State University climbing trees, grafting tomatoes, snacking on raspberries, discovering new genes and so much more. The Horticultural Science Summer Institute is a residential, hands-on, pre-college program designed to engage youth into the many career opportunities within horticulture. Students will dig into workshops led by faculty, staff and students on topics ranging from breeding better vegetables, propagating ornamental shrubs, lengthening the life of cut flowers, learning sustainable production and design practices and delving into practical tools that enhance our understanding of plant processes. Students will visit unique and innovative North Carolina farms, nurseries, greenhouses and gardens.

Youth will also explore college-making decisions and leadership development, enjoy evening entertainment and team-building activities, live in a campus residence hall with campus dining. The camp provides a close-knit forum for high school students across the state (and country) to gather together and broaden their interest and knowledge about horticulture. Any high school student with a career or hobby interest within the field of agriculture and horticulture are encouraged to apply to the summer institute.

The cost for the week is $650 and includes on-campus lodging in the dorms, all meals, field trips, workshop materials, and a t-shirt. There may be some scholarships for 4-H youth, underserved youth and participants with financial need, or payment plans can be arranged. Applications are due April 1st and application acceptances will be made by April 15th.. Please contact Liz Driscoll at liz_driscoll@ncsu.edu or 919.513.7346 | 919.886.3424 with any questions or comments. See flier for wide distribution!

Scholarships for every enrolled 4-H’er brings the cost to $550.

We also have scholarships for our friends with the Juntos program

Perhaps you have a young person who is a perfect fit and has a strong financial need, let's figure something out.

Resource Conservation Workshop
June 16-21st, 2024 | Apply Now with your local SWCD

The Resource Conservation Workshop is a weeklong intensive study and hands-on conservation workshop requiring student application and participation in a wide range of conservation topics. The workshop is intended to engage students to learn about natural resources and their management in today’s environment. Students participate in field study, tours, hands-on sessions as well as evening activities that focus on college-decision making and career decisions. Awards and scholarships are won and presented to the students under several awards programs. The Resource Conservation Workshop students stay on campus at NC State in dormitories and attend workshop sessions on campus in Williams Hall, Lake Wheeler Research Field Labs as well as field studies at Falls Lake State Recreation Area and Clemmons State Educational Forest in Clayton. For a sneak peak of past programs watch this video!
The Resource Conservation Workshop is fully sponsored for youth that are accepted! Students are sponsored by their local Soil and Water Conservation District (find yours here) to attend and all applications are done through the local SWCD. The Resource Conservation Workshop is a partnership between the N.C. Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the Hugh Hammond Bennett Chapter - Soil and Water Conservation Society of America, N.C. Soil and Water Conservation Commission, Division of Soil and Water Conservation and the Crop and Soil Sciences Department at N.C. State University.

4-H'er Achievements

Moore County 4-H celebrated the accomplishments of the 4-H members, volunteers, and clubs during their annual 4-H Achievement Night on March 22, 2024. The Moore County 4-H program builds character and develops life skills in youth. The program does this by providing experiences in the form of club projects as well as county, district, and state events. The program recognizes the amazing efforts of 4-H youth and celebrates the mastery they have obtained. This year's celebration looked back on accomplishments from the 2023 program year. In 2023, the local 4-H club membership rose from 100 members to 138 members with the continued growth of four newly chartered clubs from 2022-2023 which included the Moore County 4-H Top Shots Shooting Sports Club, Moore County 4-H Sewing Club, Moore County 4-H Ponies of the Pines Club, and the 4-H Farm to Fork Foodie Fun Club. These clubs were recognized for their accomplishments over the last year as well as long established clubs such as the 4-H Dare to Be Different Club, Growing Farmers 4-H Club, and the 4-H Teen Council.

Members were recognized for a wide variety of achievements in program areas which included county, district, and state presentations, project record books, district and state horse and livestock shows, the 4-H chicken raising and showmanship project, the NC State Fair Youth Market
Turkey Show, regional 4-H shooting sports competition, and 4-H county, district and state teen events.

The Moore County 4-H program would like to congratulate the 2023 4-H Achievement Night
Winners!