Camden Extension Connections: November 2021 Recap

Soybean Variety Trial Harvested

Annually there are more acres of soybeans planted in Camden County than any other crop, with the latest statistics revealing 27,700 acres grown in 2019. Variety selection is one of the most important decisions farmers have to make on a yearly basis. Cooperative Extension partners with farm cooperators to implement variety trials for corn, soybeans, and wheat in Camden County annually. These trials serve as a source of unbiased information that can aid variety selection decisions.

The 2021 Camden County soybean variety trial was harvested on November 9th. Variety performance results are currently being compiled with data from similar trials conducted in Chowan, Currituck, Gates, Pasquotank, and Perquimans counties to provide a more robust data set for our farmers. A special thank you to Temple Family Farms for hosting the Camden location.

Teen Court Club Observes Court Cases

The Teen Court Club has been working hard to prepare for cases for the 2021-2022 school year. On November 5th, 11 students in the club went on a field trip to the Camden County Courthouse where they were able to observe court proceedings, speak to the judge, and have one-on-one Q & A time with Clerk of Court James Midgett. Pete Aitken, Juvenile Court Counselor, provided insight and instruction on the juvenile justice system during teen court training on the 29th.

Thanksgiving Food Safety

Olivia Patchel, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent has returned from her Maternity Leave just in time to help you with all of your Holiday food safety issues. If you have questions about the safety of homemade food gifts or cooking for crowds please contact Olivia via email at olivia_patchel@ncsu.edu or phone 252-232-2261. The family and consumer sciences department compiled some of the most helpful holiday food safety hints and prepared a video as well as a social media campaign to keep Camden County residents happy and food safe this holiday season. Both the video and social media posts began on November 17th and have already reached 110 constituents. Check the NC Cooperative Extension, Camden County Center website to view the video and follow @NCCoopExtCamden on Facebook to view the social media posts.

Successful On-Demand Food Preservation Classes

In November the Family and Consumer Sciences Department completed a series of on-demand Food Preservation classes. This series included classes where participants could learn to preserve and make jam, pickles, and salsa. There was also a class on how to use a pressure canner. Those who completed the classes and final evaluation were sent a digital copy of the Ball Blue Book. Registrants who completed the final evaluation reported they would utilize the information provided to preserve food at home. They also reported they felt confident in their abilities to preserve produce due to the instruction provided. Registration closed for this series with 86 registrants for each of the 4 classes. In 2022 NC Cooperative Extension in Camden County plans to hold in-person food preservation classes. So be on the lookout for more information.