July Extension Newsletter

The cost of the in-person training is $50, and classes will begin on October 1, 2026. The program meets for 10 consecutive Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Applications are currently being accepted and will close on August 10, 2026. Individuals interested in becoming an Extension Master Food Volunteer are encouraged to apply. If the registration fee presents a financial barrier, prospective participants are encouraged to contact one of the coordinating Family and Consumer Sciences Agent or Local Foods agent to discuss available options.

For more information or to request an application, contact the Lee County Center at 919-775-5624 or email Ashley Szilvay, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, at ashley_szilvay@ncsu.edu.

If you’ve ever wondered how digital maps are made, how cities plan their growth, or how scientists track environmental change, a Beginner GIS Camp is the perfect launchpad. July 29th from 10:00 to 2:00 for Rising 5th-8th graders. Free with pizza lunch included. Enroll in 4-H through 4HO and sign up for the camp in the 4HO system.

A new iteration of NextGen 4-H Robotics Club is open for enrollment. These club meetings are for ages 10-13. Sign up for camp in the 4HO system. Club meetings will be each Wednesday beginning on Aug 12th and ending on September 16th. Not for those who already participated in NexGen Club meetings. The material covered will be the same. Spaces are limited. You must be able to attend most meetings to benefit from the program. If you have any questions, you can email the volunteer club leader, Sheyla, at sheyla.moreno.101@gmail.com.

Congratulations to all the presenters who qualified for the district competition in Stanley County on June 17th. Avery Beal, Maple Kemp, Amelia Mildon, and Brooklyn Walton all won gold and qualified for states. Eliana Garcia, Jasmine Harrington, Neveah Peraza, and Lorelei Rivera-Chavarria all won silver and qualified for states. Sarah James, Allyson Macias, Vanessa Rodriguez, and Lisbet Valente Leguizamo all won Bronze! Great job, Lee County 4-Hers.

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 Pam Keley during the 4-H Farm to Fork camp visit to the NC State Dairy Farm.

June Weather Update - 2026

The June 25th Drought Monitor Update has most of Lee County in an extreme drought. Due to this I frequently find corn fields around Lee County with curled up leaves in the heat of the afternoon. Rain is consistently being called for when you look at the 10 day forecast but it has rarely come to fruition. Lake Wheeler in Raleigh has a weather station that has been capturing weather data since the 80s. For the month of June the lowest precipitation on record was in 2018 with 0.58 inches of rain. June's average rainfall is 3.58 inches, Lake Wheeler is reporting 2.21 inches of rain in the past 7 days but from reports I have heard around Lee County we have received close to half of that amount. Hopefully one of these 10 day forecasts will correctly predict a rain event in our near future.

Trade your garden tools for something a little squirmier at our next Bier Garten Garden Club on Monday, July 13 (6:30–8:00 PM).

The N.C. Cooperative Extension is bringing vermicomposting expert and Extension Master Gardener Intern Carolynn Fox to Hugger Mugger Brewing to teach us how to raise happy, odor-free worm colonies that create premium amendment for your plants.

Attending the class is FREE, but you can also pre-order a kit ($50 or $75) to build and take home your very own active worm bin during the workshop! Kit pre-orders close on Monday, July 6, so don’t wait—check out the ticket options on Eventbrite now: https://go.ncsu.edu/vermicompostworkshop2026.

July is going to be HOT!

We still have lots going on this month to celebrate gardening, even if it is just taking it easy and enjoying the fruits of our labor. Learn about the pollinators in our community!

- Thursday, July 9, 9-10 a.m.- Farm to Senior Garden Check-in at the Enrichment Center- Free
- Thursday, July 9, 5:30-7 p.m.- Learn about Gardening with Native Plants- Lee County Libraries- Main Branch- Free
- Friday, July 10, 9:30-11 a.m.- Cultivate and Create Youth Garden Club at the Pollinator Haven Garden- $5 per family
- Thursday, July 16, 9-11 a.m.- Dirt Therapy at the Pollinator Haven Garden- Get outside and enjoy the flowers and propagate!- Free
- Thursday, July 16, 1-3 p.m.- Getting to Know the Insects Webinar- Free
- Friday, July 17, 2-4 p.m.- Dirt Therapy at the Pollinator Haven Garden- Get outside and enjoy the flowers and propagate!- Free

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

Check out our community calendar to learn more and register.

Mark your calendars for the Great Southeast Pollinator Census in North Carolina! Learn more about the Census here: go.ncsu.edu/gsepcinnc.

We will be counting again in Lee County at many locations across the county, including:

the Pollinator Haven Garden on Tramway Road
the Sanford Farmers' Market at the Sanford Agricultural Marketplace
the City of Sanford Pollinator Garden behind the Buggy Building
the Farm to Senior Raised Beds at the Enrichment Center
San-Lee Park's NC Native Pollinator Garden, just to name a few!

If you would like to partner with us to host a Counting event for your organization or business, please contact Amanda Bratcher (amwilkin@ncsu.edu; 919-775-5624)

Stay tuned for classes and workshops from NC Cooperative Extension- Lee County Center, as well.

Even if you do not want to join us, you can count in your own backyard or property!

We are going to do our part of contribute to North Carolina's goal of 10,000 counts across the state in all 100 counties!

You can join Amanda Bratcher, our horticulture agent, for two state-wide webinars here:
- July 16- 1-3 p.m.- Getting to Know the Insects Webinar
- August 13- 1-3 p.m.- Knowledge is Pollinator Power: a GSEPC in NC Pep Rally Webinar

GARDEN GUIDE: Connect the Plots: Celebrating Pollinators in Lee County with Yard Certifications

Geographically, [Lee County] sits right on the fall line where the Piedmont, the Sandhills, and the Coastal Plain all collide. Combined with the cool river bluff microclimates along the Deep River and areas mimicking Raven Rock, Lee County is an absolute ecological crossroads.

Because we aren't a monolith, our yards shouldn't be either. This June, the Lee County Cooperative Extension is inviting you to "Connect the Plots" and help us build a county-wide Pollinator Pathway. No matter what kind of soil or shade you have, your property can serve as a vital bridge connecting different North Carolina ecosystems.

Read more here.

Sanford Farmers' Market Updates

June was another great month at the market! We enjoyed an unusually long strawberry season as well as lots of fresh fruits like blueberries and blackberries along with an abundance of summer veggies! While the hot temperatures kicked in this month, the shade and fans at the Ag Marketplace's market pavilion kept us cool! We also had a blast at our Grilling at the Market event, which featured delicious food samples from our meat vendors prepared by local chef Chad Blackwelder with the NC Department of Agriculture! Last weekend the market was also "buzzing" with activity during our Bloom and Buzz at the Market event. We celebrated the sweet partnership between beekeepers and their honey bees as well as highlighted other pollinators, especially our hundreds of native bees that call North Carolina home which are essential for the diversity of crops we can grow!

July is now here, and we have another two special events for our Saturday markets this month! Starting this weekend, we are celebrating July 4th and the US 250th Anniversary at the market! We will be showcasing watermelon, sweet corn, and blueberries, the red, white, and blue of local foods, along with other patriotic, family-fun activities! Also at the end of the month on July 25th, we are hosting our Peach Party special event to showcase our juicy local peaches while they are in season.

Mark your calendars to join us these extra special Saturdays as well as other weeks! Thanks to Central Carolina Hospital for being the presenting sponsor of our special events!

And don't forget, our Wednesday evening markets start TODAY, July 1st!! Keep scrolling for more information on Wednesday markets below. Both market days will be hosted at the Ag Marketplace, located in downtown Sanford at 157 Charlotte Avenue.

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!

The Sanford Farmers Market is excited to announce the launch of our new Wednesday Evening Market, starting July 1st from 4 to 7 PM at Pilgrims Sanford Ag Marketplace in Sanford. Whether you're swinging by after work or looking for something fresh for the week ahead, the Wednesday market is a great opportunity to connect with local farmers and food producers and pick up fresh produce, locally raised meats, and ready-to-eat foods. It's a new way to support Lee County agriculture and enjoy the best of what our local food community has to offer. Midweek never tasted so good!