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CLAY COUNTY CENTER
August 2026 Newsletter |
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From Garden to Jar: Home Preserved Food Contest |
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Clay County Cooperative Extension is inviting local home food preservers to showcase their skills during the From Garden to Jar Home Preserved Food Contest on Saturday, September 26, 2026, as part of Clay County Ag Day.
Open exclusively to Clay County residents, the contest celebrates the tradition of safely preserving fruits, vegetables, meats, sauces, pickles, jams, jellies, relishes, dehydrated foods, and more. Entries will be judged within their respective categories, with Blue, Red, and White ribbons awarded in each division. Products will be judged on safe/tested recipe use, processing method/time, product appearance in jar (pack, liquid, appearance, headspace). Products will not be tasted.
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| RULES, REGULATIONS AND REGISTRATION |
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Houseplant Horticulture
Transform your indoor space into a thriving, green sanctuary! Whether you are new to growing plants indoors or an established grower, the Houseplant Horticulture online course is designed for you. Brought to you by NC STATE Extension Gardener, this course delivers rigorous, evidence-based horticultural science in an accessible, engaging format. You will be learning the exact, trusted principles used by expert horticulturists to achieve stunning, healthy indoor plants!
Launching September 1, 2026, this comprehensive 6-week online course is built for flexible, asynchronous learning. You can dive deeply into lecture texts, helpful illustrations, and professional slide decks—all on your own schedule.
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| MORE INFORMATION AND REGISTER |
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The 2027 WNC AgOptions cycle will be opening soon. Grant information sessions are being held throughout western North Carolina in August and September. |
| MORE INFORMATION |
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We had a great time in our class learning how to revitalize a flower bed. We used the 2 raised planters on the square as demonstration for the course & refreshed them with some perennials.A special thank you to NC State Extension Master Gardener volunteers of Clay County who helped make this class possible |
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Steps to Health Brings Healthy Habits to
Hayesville Summer Pre-K
Kim Terrell, Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Agent, has been teaching the Steps to Health: Color Me Healthy program to students at Hayesville Summer Pre-K. Through fun, hands-on lessons, children have been learning the importance of eating a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables, staying active, and trying new healthy foods. |
| MORE ABOUT STEPS TO HEALTH |
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It's the time of year for Kraut!
As gardens and farmers markets begin overflowing with fresh cabbage, it is officially “kraut-making season.” Sauerkraut is one of the oldest methods of preserving food and remains a popular way to enjoy cabbage long after harvest season has ended.
Sauerkraut is made through a process called fermentation, where naturally occurring beneficial bacteria on vegetables convert sugars into lactic acid. This acid creates the tangy flavor we associate with sauerkraut while also helping preserve the food. Fermentation has been used for thousands of years to safely preserve foods before refrigeration was available. |
| MORE ABOUT KRAUT |
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This month, we are including a recipe for homemade sauerkraut along with important fermentation safety tips to help ensure a successful and safe fermentation experience.
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🎉 Way to go, West District, Clay County! 🎉
Clay County brought home A LOT of ribbons, and we even have a Long Stirrup Grand Champion in our midst! 🏆🐴
We are incredibly proud of Caity and Bentlee for all they have accomplished through their hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Their success is a testament to the countless hours they've invested, and we couldn't be happier for them!
A huge thank you to all of our sponsors for helping make it possible for these outstanding 4-H'ers to compete at this level. Your support truly makes a difference.
Osborn Farms
Ivy Log Meat Processing
Groves Farm Market
Jacky Jones Dodge Jeep Chrysler Ram
Jacky Jones Ford
Clay County Master Gardeners
Congratulations again, Caity and Bentlee! We can't wait to see what you accomplish next! 💚🍀 |
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The 4-H Cooking Camp was filled with fun, creativity, and hands-on learning! Campers prepared a variety of healthy and delicious snacks, including banana caterpillars, veggie sushi rolls, and ocean-themed pudding cups. Throughout the week, youth also learned about the importance of the Farm-to-Table concept, discovering how fresh, local foods make their way from farms to our plates. In addition to cooking, campers enjoyed a variety of educational games, team-building activities, and creative projects that helped build confidence, kitchen skills, and healthy eating habits. It was a week full of learning, laughter, and tasty memories! |
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Crape Myrtles
by Eleanor Moyer, Clay County Master Gardener
Had my daughter from Charleston visit last week who complained vociferously about the crape myrtles she took down that keep sprouting all over her yard. I told her to just keep at it, they will eventually give up, but you must love a plant with that much gusto! She had to remove them because a previous owner planted them too close to the house where their messy, shedding flowers stained a deck—right plant, wrong place. That is one main caveat for this beautiful plant. Before you buy, look at the tag and do a bit of research. If you want a 10-foot tree, don’t plant one that will get 30 feet, or it will be “murder” to control it! |
| MORE ON CRAPE MYRTLES |
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UPCOMING CLAY COUNTY CENTER CLASSES |
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AUGUST 11 - ARRANGING CUT FLOWERS |
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AUGUST 22 - POLLINATORS AND MONARCH WAY STATIONS |
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UPCOMING NC STATE EXTENSION UPCOMING EVENTS
Western NC Commercial Fruit & Vegetable Program/Events |
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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, August 7, 2026
Event Time: 12:00am-1:30pm
Event Location: By Zoom
Cost: Free |
| DETAILED INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION |
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Western NC Strawberry Preplant Meeting (Virtual Option)
Join us for a workshop specifically for Strawberry Growers in the West!
Whether you are a new farmer or an established producer looking to expand your customer base, this workshop will offer an overview of current strawberry production and marketing strategies for western North Carolina. This workshop is free, and lunch will be provided.
A virtual attendance option will also be available. Please use the separate registration if you would like to attend virtually.
Topics to Be Covered:
-Strawberry Cultivars for North Carolina
-Strawberry Post-Harvest Update
-Produce Safety Update
-Weed control strategies update
-Disease Control Strategies update
-Insect Management Update
-NEOP Update
-Agritourism
-Additional Useful Resources for Growers
Event Date: August 13, 2026
Event Time: 9:00am-4:00pm
Event Location: Wilkes County Extension Center, 416 Executive Dr, Wilkesboro, NC 28697
Cost: Free
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| CLASS INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION |
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Regional Ginseng Production Update
Join us for the latest updates on regional ginseng production and marketing. Once ounce of high quality stratified ginseng seed included!
Lunch and one ounce of high quality stratified seed are included in the price of registration!
There have been some interesting changes in the world of ginseng production! In this workshop we'll review production, marketing, security and a variety of other topics around the production and sales of ginseng in Western North Carolina.
We are excited to have Dr. Jeanine Davis and Dr. Jim Hamilton of NC State Cooperative Extension joining us.
Event Date: September 18, 2026
Event Time: 9:00am-3:00pm
Event Location: Buncombe County Cooperative Extension Office, 49 Mt. Carmel Rd, #102, Asheville, NC 28806
Cost: 430
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| CLASS INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION |
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CLAY COUNTY CENTER
25 RIVERSIDE CIRCLE
SUITE 2
HAYESVILLE, NC 28904 |
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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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