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CLAY COUNTY CENTER
JULY 2026 NEWSLETTER |
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What to Know About Tick-Borne Alpha-Gal Syndrome
Summertime is for backyard cookouts, hiking along wooded trails, camping and exploring the outdoors. But it’s also when ticks are most active and ready to bite.
One tick-borne disease in particular, alpha-gal syndrome, is gaining attention for its ability to cause an allergy to red meat and dairy. It’s especially prevalent in a belt of states from North Carolina and Virginia all the way to Oklahoma, where the lone star tick, a primary carrier of alpha-gal, is dominant.
We caught up with Michael Reiskind, a professor of entomology at NC State University who specializes in the ecology of disease vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks, to talk about the rise in cases of alpha-gal syndrome, what causes it, how to treat it, and most importantly, how to avoid it. |
| MORE ON TICK BORNE ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME |
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Preventing Tick Bites Starts Before
You Go Outside
Recent attention around alpha-gal syndrome has reminded many of us that ticks are more than a
nuisance. Alpha-gal syndrome, often linked to tick bites, is a potentially serious allergy to a
sugar found in most mammals. For some people, it can cause allergic reactions after eating beef,
pork, lamb, venison, or other mammal-derived products. The lone star tick is one tick of concern
in our region and is known for aggressively biting people. |
| PREVENTING TICK BITES |
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Learn how to rejuvenate a raised flower bed
Learn how to rejuvenate a raised flower bed. We will be replanting the two raised flower beds on the Hayesville Square. Learn how to choose flowers based on sunlight requirements, amend the soil, and select plants properly. |
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| REGISTER HERE |
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Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus: A Serious Threat to the Home Garden
Few things are more frustrating than watching a healthy tomato plant suddenly begin to decline. One possible culprit is Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus, a disease that affects tomatoes and many other plants commonly found in home gardens. Despite its name, this virus does not only infect tomatoes. It also affects peppers, potatoes, flowers, and several more. |
| SYMPTOMS AND PREVENTION OF THE SPOTTED WILT VIRUS |
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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 register now! |
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The Firefly Cafe opened their kitchen to the Clay County 4-H Culinary Creations Club for an exciting field trip to create handmade cinnamon rolls from scratch! Each club member enjoyed making their very own roll, left them to proof overnight, and Ty happily baked them so that each participant got to taste it as soon as they picked them up! We cannot say thank you enough! |
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The Trails & Rails 4-H Horse Club had so much fun at the 3-day Horse Clinic in Asheville! They participated in a range of activities from jumping to barrel racing, to western and ranch, to hosting the hobby horsing games and even team penning cattle together! We had our biggest group of 13 attend the clinic this year and we can't wait to go back. |
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Got socks? We do! $5 from every pair sold goes back to the Trails & Rails 4-H Horse Club to send its members to the State 4-H Horse Show in Raleigh this July! Just $13.99 a pair and they will be shipped directly to your home! |
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Stay Hydrated and Beat the Summer Heat
Hot summer temperatures can quickly lead to dehydration, especially if you are spending time outdoors. Taking a few simple precautions can help you stay safe and feel your best during the hottest months of the year.
Whenever possible, schedule outdoor work, exercise, or yard chores during the cooler parts of the day, such as early morning or late afternoon. Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing that allows your body to stay cool, and don't forget a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen for added protection.
Water is the best choice to stay hydrated, so drink it regularly throughout the day—even before you feel thirsty. If you are sweating heavily from working or exercising, your body also loses important electrolytes, including sodium and potassium. These minerals help regulate fluid balance and support normal muscle and nerve function.
You can naturally replace electrolytes by enjoying fresh fruits such as watermelon, oranges, cantaloupe, bananas, and berries, which also provide additional fluids. Another inexpensive option is to make a simple homemade sports drink by combining 2 cups of water, ½ cup of 100% fruit juice, and a pinch (about ⅛ teaspoon) of salt. This can help replenish electrolytes without the added sugars and food dyes found in many commercial sports drinks.
By planning ahead, dressing appropriately, and staying well hydrated, you can safely enjoy all that summer has to offer while reducing your risk of heat-related illness. |
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Kim Terrell, Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Agent, conducted a Food Preservation Basics class at the Brasstown Community Center on June 17. Participants learned the fundamentals of safe home food preservation, including the differences between water bath canning and pressure canning. They also gained hands-on experience by preparing carrots for canning and working through each step of the pressure canning process. |
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Tomato Time
by Eleanor Moyer, Clay County Master Gardener
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I’m sure you all have your tomatoes securely tucked away in perfect soil ready for the harvest to come. It’s so easy for me to be hopeful now before those pesky problems develop. To arm myself for the eventual catastrophes, I’ve been doing some tomato research and discovered that North Carolina has a “tomato whisperer”, Craig Le Houllier, who has been working with heirloom tomatoes for over thirty years. He is a noted author, popularizer of the Cherokee Purple heirloom (and others), straw bale garden expert and all around great organic gardener. His website and books provide an encyclopedia of knowledge and ideas—just google his name. |
| MORE ON TOMATO TIME |
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The N.C. Forest Service will begin accepting orders Wednesday, July 1, for its annual tree seedling sale. The program offers quality conifer and hardwood seedlings. Genetically improved stock is available for Fraser fir, loblolly, longleaf, shortleaf, Eastern white pine and Virginia pine. These seedlings offer better volume growth, tree form, disease resistance, straightness, and other characteristics needed to produce beautiful Christmas trees, healthy woodlands and quality forest products.For more information including how to place an order: |
| ORDERING INFORMATION |
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Alternative Feeds for Beef Cattle During Drought
Written for the Carolina Cattle Connection, Amazing Grazing Column, July 2026
As our drought continues, so do worries about where the feed will come from to get cows through to better times. The drought of 2026 actually started in the fall of 2025, and there has been very little rain since that time. Many areas are 15 to 20 inches behind on rain for the year! The development of this situation took some by surprise as in winter it only takes a little bit of moisture to give you mud. Also, rainfall is more effective in cooler weather, so timely rains in March pushed out growth of pastures and made things seem better than they were. If you keep track of your rainfall you could see this coming for a long time. Unfortunately, periods of warm weather pushed out early pasture growth that was subsequently damaged by late freezes. As a result pastures and hayfields showed delayed growth, which was then challenged by very high temperatures. |
| READ MORE |
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🇺🇸 Happy 4th of July! ❤️🤍💙
Wishing everyone in our community a safe, happy, and memorable Independence Day! Whether you're spending the day with family, friends, or neighbors, we hope it's filled with laughter, good food, and moments to celebrate the freedoms we cherish.
Our office will be closed Friday, July 3rd. |
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CLAY COUNTY CENTER
25 RIVERSIDE CIRCLE
SUITE 2
HAYESVILLE, NC 28904
828-389-6305 |
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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.
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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