Clay County Center June 2026 Newsletter

CLAY COUNTY CENTER

JUNE 2026 NEWSLETTER

AGRICULTURE

🐛🍄 DIG IN! UP COMING GARDENING CLASS 🌺🐝

Butterfly Bush: Junk Food for Pollinators

Butterfly bush has long been promoted as a pollinator plant because butterflies are easy to spot feeding on its large, showy flower clusters. That is part of what makes the plant so appealing to gardeners. However, calling butterfly bush “junk food” for pollinators is a useful way to explain the problem. It offers pollinators a quick nectar source, but it does not provide the full range of resources they need to survive, reproduce, and support a healthy ecosystem. While adult butterflies feed on butterfly bush nectar, native butterfly larvae cannot feed on its leaves and need North American native plants for sustenance. In other words, the butterfly bush may bring butterflies into the yard, but it does not help raise the next generation of butterflies. email has two columns of equal width. If you want to change the width, click and drag the black box. If you want to add new content, drag in a block from the panel on the right side.

REAM MORE ON THE BUTTERFLY BUSH

FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCE

June is National Dairy Month

Join us in celebrating National Dairy Month and the dedicated dairy farmers who work every day to care for their cows, produce nutritious foods, and support local communities.

How To Celebrate National Dairy Month

Enjoy these Dairy Recipes

No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake 🐄 No Churn Coffee Ice Cream

FULL RECIPE

FULL RECIPE

Canning Corner: Preserve the Season

Join our Summer Canning Series and gain the confidence to safely preserve fresh, seasonal foods at home. These hands-on classes will teach you essential techniques for both pressure canning and water bath canning, helping you extend the life of your harvest while ensuring food safety. Whether you're new to canning or looking to sharpen your skills, these sessions offer practical knowledge you can use all season long. UPDATE: BOTH CLASSES ARE NOW FULL. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD YOUR NAME TO OUR WAITING LIST PLEASE CALL 828-389-6305.

Summer cookouts are a great way to enjoy good food and even better company. But keeping everyone safe should always come first—especially when preparing and serving food to friends and family. A few simple precautions can make all the difference in ensuring your gathering is both fun and safe.

4-H AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

🍝 We Need Your Support! 🍝

Join us for a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser on Friday, June 26th from 5–9 PM at the Cooperative Extension Community Room!

The Clay County Trails & Rails 4-H Horse Club is raising funds to compete at the State 4-H Horse Show in Raleigh, NC this July. Your support helps local youth gain valuable experiences and represent our community on a bigger stage.

🎟️ Get your tickets today and come enjoy a great meal for a great cause!

Clay County 4-H is offering two exciting hands-on summer camps for local youth! “Playing With Your Food” (July 13–17) invites ages 5–12 to explore cooking, food science, and garden-to-table learning, while “Little Hands, Big Creations: Sewing Camp” (August 10–13) gives ages 10–18 the chance to learn hand and machine sewing techniques and create their own finished project. Both camps provide fun, skill-building experiences led by Extension staff. Space is limited, so be sure to watch for registration details and sign up early!

NEWS FROM NC STATE EXTENSION

AFFC's Forest Farming Office Hours

Join the Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition and NC State University Extension for Q & A, resources, and conversation about forest farming. All regions and experience levels are welcome.

All Forest Farming Office Hours take place on ZOOM on designated Fridays from 12 noon to 1:30 pm EST. We realize that some may not be able to attend a lunch session so we invite you to look through our meeting notes, links and resources, as well as bring your questions to our Forest Farming group on FB. These zoom sessions are not recorded.

Event Date: Friday, June 12, 2026

Event Time: 12:00am-1:30pm

Event Location: By Zoom

Cost: Free

Detail Information & Registration

“Thyme for Safety”: Food safety, GAPS, GMPS and More for Herb Growers

In this online workshop we will highlight the regulations that can impact herb growers and herbal product makers.

Topics to be covered include:

-Home processing versus commercial kitchen opportunities
-Food Safety Considerations
-Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Collection for Medicinal Herbs
-Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) for Medicinal Herbs
-Q & A Panel with Industry Professionals

Event Date: July 15, 2026

Event Time: 4:00pm-6:00pm

Event Location: On Line

Cost: Free

Detail Information and Registration

CLAY COUNTY CENTER

25 RIVERSIDE CIRCLE

SUITE 2

HAYESVILLE, NC 28904

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.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

N.C. Cooperative Extension - Clay County Center, 25 Riverside Cir, Hayesville, NC 28904, United States
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