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CLAY COUNTY CENTER
AUGUST 2021 NEWSLETTER
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Beef Field Day a Big Success!
Thank you to everyone who came out for the Beef Field Day on Friday, July 16. It was a beautiful day and over 35 participants attended the program held at Seven Meadows Farm in Brasstown. Speakers included Bass Hyatt, Farm Manager, Representative Karl Gillespie, Agriculture Agent Lisa Gonzalez, and Elizabeth Caskey, a representative from FPL Food. Participants learned about the Akaushi breed of cattle, breeding practices, opportunities to sell cattle locally, the economic impact of agriculture in the region, and principles of pasture management. Presentations were followed by an opportunity for farmers, buyers, and support agencies to network and socialize. Thank you to everyone who supported this event!
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ServSafe Food Protection
Manager Certification Class.
This program is for food service managers and supervisory staff in any foodservice establishment.
Certification is based on passing the ServSafe exam and satisfies the North Carolina food code requirement for a certified food protection person in charge.
When: Monday, October 4th (ONE DAY CLASS)
Time: 9 am – 5 pm (30 min lunch on your own)
Exam: Starts at 3:00 pm (You have 2 hours to complete)
Location: NC Cooperative Extension, Clay County Center
25 Riverside Circle
Hayesville, N.C. 28904
Registration Fee:
1 Day Class $125.00 October 4th, 2021
Exam ONLY $50.00 October 4th, 2021
Note: Exam only option is for those wishing to renew certification and are confident in ServSafe knowledge.
Deadline to Register is September 17th!
Space is Limited!
Contact Info:
Kimberly Terrell, Instructor
828-389-6305
kimberly_terrell@ncsu.edu
Learn More »
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Food Preservation Classes
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3:00 pm - Clay County School Board
6:00 pm - Clay County Rec Center Pavilion(behind ballfields) Remember to work on your drawings and send me a horse picture.
Livestock Club - August 19th
6:30 pm - Community Services Building (Outside)
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Clay County Youth Experiencing 4-H Camp at Home
This summer, Clay County 4-H reinvented camp by allowing Clay County Youth to pick up activity kits during the summer. There were two types of kits either gardening or sewing. About a dozen youth signed up for each type of kit. The gardening kits were distributed in April and May. Youth were given strawberry plants, tomato plants, and bean seeds to start their own garden. Various activities were included to help them learn how to tend a garden, measure rainfall, and make a watering can. Read more here
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Lunch and Learn
Summer Gardening Series
Preserving the Harvest
August 11, 2021
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
This webinar will provide a basic overview of different methods for preserving garden produce with a focus on food safety. Participants will learn food safety principles related to harvesting, storing, and preserving fruit and vegetables. Different methods of preservation including freezing, drying, and canning will be discussed. To register visit go.ncsu.edu/claycountyeventbrite
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Do you have pesticides at your home or farm that you no longer need or use? Then don’t miss this great opportunity to get rid of your unwanted dusty old pesticides! Pesticides that will be accepted include * insecticides * herbicides * fungicides * fumigants * rodenticides * growth regulators.
Other hazardous materials, such as paint, antifreeze, solvents, etc. will NOT be accepted on this collection day. For residents in Clay County and the surrounding area. Collection day will be set up in the parking lot of the Community Services Building, 25 Riverside Circle, Hayesville on Tuesday, August 3, 2021, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. For more information contact our office at 828-389-6305.
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Farmer-to-Farmer Collaborative Meetups
The Farmer-to-Farmer Collaborative is all about farmers in our region learning from each other and lending a hand in exchange!
Our last Farmer-to-Farmer event was July 24 at David Collins and Sara Steven's Mountain Medicine Farm in Jackson County. Participants will take a tour through the forest farming plots and observe forest management practices that encourage access and medicinal plant growth while fostering the tree canopy as the forest matures. We’ll learn about plant identification and the use of test plots in forest farming.
New Paid Apprenticeships for WNC Students
We have another round of wonderful paid Food & Farm Apprenticeships underway and we are looking to hire. Please share this opportunity with any students you have in your circles. Remember, students can be enrolled in online studies anywhere if they are living locally. We have a variety of positions, from hydroponic gardening to local soda production to working in the sacred Mother Town of the Cherokee on traditional farming skills! The full details of the jobs and how to apply are posted HERE.
Attention Agribusinesses!
Have you taken a look at the EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems (EMFS) project?
EMFS provides assistance and funding to food and farming businesses by way of cost-share, low-interest loans, direct grants, free business counseling services, a paid apprenticeship program and support for value added food production.
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2021 Regional Agritourism Seminars- In Person
The NC State University team for EmPOWERING Mountain Food Systems (EMFS) is holding an exciting gathering for both agritourism providers (farmers, agribusiness folks) and allied partners (city governments, economic leaders, tourist companies) designed to support agritourism- a valuable component of our regional tourism economy. This is a free event for those in the seven counties of southwest North Carolina (sorry, not Buncombe); space is limited to 50 slots. Mark your calendars for August 9, from 9:00 am- 3:00 pm, including a lovely locally catered lunch.
Register HERE a nd click HERE to see our event on Facebook!
Please reach out to Laura Lauffer (wlauffe@ncsu.edu, 919 444 1478 (cell), 828 359 6926 (office)) with any questions.
Learn More »
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We’re right in the middle of summer and many of us have been hard at work harvesting the fruits of our "garden" labor. To me, there’s nothing better than a homegrown tomato. I love heirlooms that have a nice balance of smoky sweetness….nothing better sliced on white bread with mayonnaise. Yum! Another thing I love about summer tomatoes is their versatility. You can eat them raw, sliced on a sandwich or salad, chopped for fresh pico or can them to use in soups, stews, or sauces in the winter. And they are rich in nutrition providing vitamin C, potassium, and lycopene. Lycopene is the pigment that gives tomatoes and other red and pink fruits and vegetables their color. It is also an antioxidant and has been shown to be beneficial in heart health and fighting cancer.
I’ve included a simple recipe for fresh pico de gallo, a family favorite. Many recipes for pico call for Roma tomatoes but really, any tomato will work. You may have a few other ingredients growing in your garden such as jalapeño peppers and cilantro.Learn More »
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Ingredients
• 2 cups diced tomato, 3 to 4 small tomatoes
• 3/4 cup diced white onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed and diced
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
Instructions
1. In a small bowl, combine the tomato, onion, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, jalapeño, and salt. Stir to combine. Chill until ready to use.
2. Serve with chips, for dipping, or as a condiment with your favorite Mexican dish.
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The Sweetest Summertime Blues: N.C. Blueberries
Even if you’re too young to remember Fats Domino’s Blueberry Hill, if you’ve spent any time in North Carolina during the summer you’ll understand the thrill of fresh blueberries. Read more here!
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Gardening Tips for August
- Deadhead blossoms from purple coneflowers, daisies, black-eyed Susans, and butterfly bush from blooms until frost.
- Inspect houseplants for insects so they can be controlled before taking plants back indoors.
- Continue grape and fruit tree sprays. Follow label directions for preharvest intervals.
- Harvest garlic and bulb onions when tops have died down at least halfway.
- Maintain fungicide sprays on tomatoes to prevent late blight.
- Plant a fall garden: cabbage, greens, lettuce, broccoli.
- Submit soil samples to the Extension office for any problem areas in your yard or garden.
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FREE PRESSURE CANNER TESTING
It’s that time of year – time to harvest those yummy fruits and vegetables and preserve them to enjoy during the winter months. It’s very important that the method you use to preserve your food, especially canned foods, is done correctly to prevent spoilage and food born illness. If you plan on pressure canning this summer, be sure your pressure canner is in good shape and equipped to do the job. If you have a dial gauge canner, it is recommended you have the gauge tested each year before use. The Clay County NC Cooperative Extension office can test your pressure gauge free of charge. Call Kim Terrell, FCS Agent, at 389-6305 for more information and to make an appointment. https://foodsafety.ces.ncsu.edu/general-canning/
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Free Soil Testing
April 1 - November 30, 2021
If you are interested in testing your soil this year call N.C. Cooperative Extension, Clay County Center at 828-389-6305 to schedule a time to pick up soil boxes.
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VISIT THESE WEBSITES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CLAY COUNTY CENTER'S UPCOMING EVENTS AND NEWS
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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.
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