September is recognized each year as National Preparedness Month, supporting FEMA’s campaign to encourage individuals, families, & communities to take steps now to ensure they are safe, protected, & ready when disaster strikes. In support of their campaign, we are encouraging you to take action now. Every step you, your family, & loved ones take now to be better prepared & reduce the risks will help make a difference when emergency situations arise.
Lake James Fall Clean Up
The N.C. Cooperative Extension-McDowell County Center "Keep McDowell Beautiful" program will be coordinating the annual Lake James clean-up on Saturday, October 3, from 9 a.m. to noon. We would like to invite everyone to remove litter from Lake James and its shoreline.
Looking For Hay? Try NC Hay Finder
Finding a reliable source of hay can become a major challenge for livestock producers, especially during periods of drought, winter shortages, or after weather events. To help connect livestock producers with available hay, we offer NC Hay Finder. Learn more>>
Fall Farm Preparation
As August winds down, many farmers and producers are entering an important transition period. Taking time now to evaluate pastures, livestock, & farm resources can help prevent problems & set the farm up for a productive fall & winter.
We are in the thick of favorable conditions for several foliar and soilborne diseases on tomato and pepper. The heat and frequent rainfall events have really ramped up pressure for bacterial leaf spot, early blight, and bacterial wilt on tomato.
Late blight on tomato has been confirmed in Henderson Co. as of August 21. This disease can spread rapidly & over long distances under favorable conditions, so growers in the West should begin preventative sprays.
Fermentation can be one of the easiest ways to preserve summer time vegetables. You do need a cool environment, but if you can control for the really hot days, sauerkraut, fermented pickles and kimchi are great ways to have your vegetables last into the winter months.
As we age and our households change, we may need to adjust how we preserve our bounty. We will have a program at the Corpening YMCA that will cover ways to preserve some of our favorite foods in smaller batches.
Americans consume around 100 pounds of chicken per person. That's a lot of birds! That's also tons of recipes & ways to fix chicken. This Chicken, Broccoli and Cheese Skillet recipe is a light meal for those summer-turning-into-fall suppers. Enjoy!!
You're a teen, and you know tech. Do you want to share your knowledge with older adults or others who don't have the same digital skills as you? We are looking for motivated youth to join our Digital Bridge Collaborative to help bridge the digital divide. Learn more>>
McDowell 4-Hers Compete in West Region Shooting Tournament
On Saturday, August 8, twenty-two McDowell 4-Hers competed at the 2026 West Region 4-H Shooting Sports Tournament in Polk County. Over 200 youth from WNC competed for a chance to move on to the State 4-H Tournament in October.
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.
