June Extension Newsletter

You are invited to our Meet & Greet Information Session on June 16th from 4:30 - 5:30 pm at the McSwain Agricultural Center located at 2420 Tramway Rd, Sanford, NC. During this time you will be able to meet program coordinators, Ashley and Meredith, as well as hear from our current EMFVs on how impactful a volunteer group this is! This will also be a time where we will go over expectations and requirements for becoming a trained master foods volunteer and we will address any questions you may have with moving forward with the program

The popular Horticulture Science 4-H Camp will take place again this summer, during the last full week of June. This camp is designed for ages 9-12 and will be held Monday - Friday from 9:00 am to Noon. It costs only $15. Participants must enroll in 4-H through 4HO, then sign up for the camp in the 4HO system.

The Robotics and Engineering Camp for ages 13-16 is now open and accepting registrations. The camp costs $10 for all eight days from 1:00-3:00 pm. June 10-12 & June 15-19. Participants must enroll in 4-H through 4HO, then sign up for camp in the 4HO system.

The 4-H Flavor Fighters won the State Dinah Gore Healthy Cooking Competition. This means they get to represent NC 4-H at the National Competition happening at the Texas State Fair in September. This is a partnership between FCS and 4-H. Team members are Brayden Shuey, Emily Hanna, Paisley Kitchens, with Makari Myers and Brayden Varner as alternates. We are very proud of their accomplishment.

Our public speaking program kicked off on May 5th. 30 4-Hers used this opportunity to practice the ever-important skill of speaking. Thank you to the volunteer judges who gave usable feedback to help them prepare for the June competitions. 20 are registered to compete at Districts in Stanley County, ON, June 17th.

NC 4-H Congress registration is open in 4HO. This is for members who are 13+. The state event happens at NC State July 20-24. The delegations stay in the dorms and attend leadership building workshops. 4-Hers who gave a presentation on May 5th or submitted a 2025 Project Record Book get to attend at the lower price of $150. Clover Dollars can be used to fund this event. Check with your club leader to see if they have funding to help reduce the cost for you.

Clovernews photo taken by Tramway educator, Kirsten Watson, after the Winged Wonder Project's painted lady butterfly release.

May Weather Update - 2026

The May 21st Drought Monitor Update had half of Lee County in the extreme drought zone and the other half in a moderate drought. As I write this article on May 27th we will have an updated drought map come out on May 28th. I expect to see a slight improvement as we received at least a half inch of rain over the weekend with some places getting more than an inch in the past few days. Caldwell and Alexander County both were in the exceptional drought category with at least 3/4s of the counties in the state having parts in the extreme drought category. The categories on the Drought Monitor Map are none, abnormally dry, moderate drought, severe drought, extreme drought and exceptional drought. Even with this past rain, pond levels are down and we remain multiple inches below our state average. The 10 day forecast shows cloudy weather ahead, hopefully a few of those days feature some afternoon showers.

Happy Pollinator Month!

We have lots going on this month to celebrate and learn about the pollinators in our community!

- This Friday, June 5- Monthly Tour of the Pollinator Haven Garden- $5
- Thursday, June 11- Farm to Senior Garden Check-in at the Enrichment Center- Free
- Friday, June 12- Cultivate and Create Youth Garden Club at the Pollinator Haven Garden- $5 per family
- June 22-26- 8:30-12 p.m.- Horticulture Camp at Pollinator Haven Garden- $15
- Saturday, June 27- Blooms and Buzz at the Sanford Farmers’ Market- Free

***Stay tuned for pop-up days to volunteer in the Garden!

Check out our community calendar to learn more and register.

Calling all farmers and food entrepreneurs! In addition to the market pavilion and teaching kitchen at the new Pilgrim's Sanford Agricultural Marketplace, we also have a shared-use commercial kitchen!

If you are interested in creating your own value-added food products (ex. jams and jellies, sauces, baked goods, pickles, etc.) and need kitchen space to get started, this kitchen is for you!

What is a shared-use commercial kitchen?
A shared-use commercial kitchen is an inspected cooking facility which food businesses or individuals can rent by the hour to use its equipment and space to make food products for sale.

The shared-use commercial kitchen at the Ag Marketplace will serve as a food business incubator, helping new food businesses start up and develop their food products. This kitchen will also function as a commissary for food truck owners.

We plan to open the commercial kitchen at the Ag Marketplace this fall! If you are interested in joining our kitchen, scan the QR code above or use the link here to fill out our Commercial Kitchen Prospective Client Form! We will contact you and share more information closer to opening!

Sanford Farmers' Market Updates

May was another incredible month at the Sanford Farmers' Market! We enjoyed lots of fresh produce coming in, including loads of strawberries, as well as beautiful spring flowers to celebrate Mother's Day. We also had several rainier market days under the pavilion and stayed nice and dry!

June markets are here, and will them comes a wide variety of summer fruits and vegetables coming into season! We now have at the market blueberries, blackberries, and peaches available, along with all sorts of summer squash, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, green beans, and much more. Also melons will be coming in soon too!

Also in June, we will have TWO extra special market events to celebrate! First up is Grilling at the Market on June 13th, where we will showcase our livestock farmers and the diversity of meats they bring to market. We will be firing up the grill at the market and serving up a selection of savory meat food samples along with seafood and produce! We'll also be covering tips to help you grill foods safely for your summer cookouts. Then on June 27th is our Bloom and Buzz at the Market event, when we will highlight the amazingly sweet partnership between our beekeepers and their honey bees which is essential for the diversity and abundance of produce we enjoy at the market and grocery stores! We will have an observation bee hive at the market (see if you can find the queen bee!) and all sorts of bee-themed family-fun activities that will have you "buzzing" to learn more about bees and beekeeping!

Hello! My name is Will Ellington, and I am excited to be joining Lee County Cooperative Extension as the NC A&T Small Farms & Agricultural Business Development Agent!

Originally from Summerfield, NC, I have always held a deep appreciation for the land and people who feed our communities. I graduated from NC State in 2020, earning a dual degree in plant biology and microbiology, and minoring in economics. Before joining Cooperative Extension, I worked as a crop scientist with two startup companies in the Research Triangle developing sustainable crop protection solutions, as well as working on a local regenerative farm.

I am passionate about the intersection of local agriculture, community, and economic viability and look forward to developing useful programs to enable farmer success. My goal is to be a dependable resource for small farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs, supporting them with their business needs, and helping them grow sustainably and become more profitable. I can’t wait to get out in the community, visit your operations, and get to know the people of Lee County.

Outside of work, I enjoy playing soccer with friends, fishing with family, and camping with my wife and dog. Please feel free to drop by the office and say hello, or send me an email at will_ellington@ncsu.edu.