Iredell Informed Newsletter February 2022

Do you or someone on your farm need some continuing education to put in your FARM Program Binder? Well here are some great opportunities to do just that!

N.C. Cooperative Extension is teaming up with the NC State Vet School to put on a bilingual FARM Program Training Series that will cover topics like Calf Management, Non Ambulatory Animal Handling, Transporting Dairy Animals, Stockmanship and Euthanasia. Check out the dates and locations and select the ones best suited for you, your family and your employees!

Each Workshop Will Offer

1 hour of Waste Credits
Certificate of Completion
Free FARM guides and resources

Each workshop in this series will have an English Presentation from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and a Spanish Presentation from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

The North Carolina Cooperative Extension is conducting a Farm Tax Webinar Series as part of its Enhancing Sustainability Series starting on February 15 and ending in early March. All webinars will be from 6–8 p.m EST.
For detailed information, visit https://iredell.ces.ncsu.edu/2022/01/register-now-for-extensions-farm-tax-webinars/

Target audience: farmers (vegetables & fruits, cut flowers, livestock, hemp, row crops, etc.), nursery growers, beekeepers, aquaculture producers.

Note: this webinar series is geared towards North Carolina farmers. However, most of the information provided will be relevant to farmers throughout the U.S.

The webinars will be taught by Agricultural Tax Specialist Guido van der Hoeven (see bio at the bottom of this page). Guido is a retired Extension Specialist at NC State University, and we have been collaborating on farm tax workshops in Chatham County for over 10 years. These workshops always prove to be very popular; in fact, 95% of participants from our last farm tax workshop rated it as outstanding or excellent.

Here is a list of the 2022 Farm Tax Webinars:

You must register for each webinar separately (the two Schedule F webinars are taken together so you only register once for those).

High Path Avian Influenza detected in wild bird in Hyde County

RALEIGH - A wild bird has tested positive for high path avian influenza in Hyde County, prompting reminders for commercial and hobby poultry growers to increase their biosecurity measures.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced the positive detection to stakeholders yesterday, along with the announcement of a second wild duck confirmed to have HPAI in Colleton County, South Carolina since Jan. 14. All three findings are H5N1 HPAI. These are the first wild birds in the United States to have Eurasian H5 HPAI since 2016. The positive samples were collected by USDA as part of its ongoing surveillance program for early detection of HPAI in collaboration with state wildlife agencies. North Carolina’s positive sample was collected on Dec. 30, 2021.
“These three positive samples tell us that high path avian influenza is currently present in the American Atlantic migratory flyway,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “While this virus is not a food safety issue, anyone with commercial or backyard flocks of poultry need to implement strict biosecurity measures. These measures include keeping your flock inside.”

Wild birds can be infected with HPAI and show no signs of illness. They can carry the disease to new areas when migrating. USDA APHIS anticipates additional wild bird findings as their wild bird sampling program continues into the spring.
This type of HPAI virus is considered a low risk to people according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, but it can be dangerous to other birds, including commercial and backyard flocks of poultry. The warning signs of HPAI include:

• Reduced energy, decreased appetite, and/or decreased activity
• Lower egg production and/or soft-shelled or misshapen eggs
• Swelling of the head, eyelids, comb and wattles
• Purple discoloration of the wattles, comb and legs
• Difficulty breathing, runny nares (nose), and/or sneezing
• Twisting of the head and neck, stumbling, falling down, tremors and/or circling
• Greenish diarrhea

If your birds are sick or dying, report it right away to your local veterinarian, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Division, 919-707-3250, or the N.C. Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System 919-733-3986. If you have questions about migratory birds, hunting, or wild waterfowl found dead on your property, visit the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s website at www.ncwildlife.org.

Biosecurity Basics:
• Keep visitors to a minimum. Only allow those people who take care of your poultry to come in contact with your birds, this includes family and friends. Keep track of
everyone who is on your property at all times. Make sure everyone who has contact
with your flock follows biosecurity principles.

• Wash your hands before and after coming in contact with live poultry. In addition to
potentially spreading disease from farm to farm or bird to bird, you can also spread
germs such as Salmonella that can impact human health. Wash with soap and water
(always your first choice). If using a hand sanitizer, first remove manure, feathers, and
other materials from your hands because disinfectants will not penetrate organic matter or caked-on dirt.

• Provide disposable boot covers (preferred) and/or disinfectant footbaths for anyone
having contact with your flock. If using a footbath, be sure to remove all droppings,
mud or debris from boots and shoes using a long-handled scrub brush BEFORE
stepping into the disinfectant footbath, and always keep it clean.
• Change clothes before entering poultry areas and before exiting the property.
Visitors should wear protective outer garments or disposable coveralls, boots, and
headgear when handling birds, and shower and/or change clothes when leaving the
facility.

• Clean and disinfect tools or equipment before moving them to a new poultry
facility. Before allowing service vehicles, trucks, tractors, or tools and equipment—
including egg flats and cases that have come in contact with birds or their droppings-
to exit the property, make sure they are cleaned and disinfected to prevent
contaminated equipment from transporting disease. Do not move or reuse items that
cannot be cleaned and disinfected—such as cardboard egg flats.

• Look for signs of illness. Know the warning signs of infectious bird diseases.

• Report sick birds. Don’t wait. If your birds are sick or dying, call a local veterinarian,
cooperative extensive service, or state veterinarian. Call USDA toll-free at 1-866-536-
7593.

For more information about biosecurity practices, including checklists you can follow, visit the Defend the Flock Resource Center.

Meet our new Horticulture Agent!

Hi, my name is Melinda Roberts, and I am the new Iredell County Agriculture - Horticulture Extension Agent. I have been involved in Agriculture - Horticulture from early childhood. I grew up on a small beef cattle and watermelon farm in the Cool Spring area. My educational background is in Horticulture and Plant Eco-Physiology. My professional experience has been throughout North Carolina in the landscaping and nursery industry, Cooperative Extension (horticulture and small farms) and organic certification and inspection. Also, since moving back to my homeplace in 2012, my husband and I have owned and managed what started as River Sun Farm and Kindred Souls Flower Farm but has morphed into River Sun Flower Farm that grows and markets specialty cut flowers. Now that my kids are growing and entering their teenage years, it is time for me to get back to my roots and love of teaching and working with folks helping them succeed in all realms of Agriculture and Horticulture. What better way to do that than here at Iredell County Extension. I look forward to meeting and working with each and every one of you so please don't hesitate to reach out to me and share in the upcoming years of growing and learning.

Home Horticulture Calendar

February:

Fertilize lawns mid-month
Soil sample to determine lime & fertilizer needs for
spring (testing through March is $4/box)
Plant trees, shrubs & vines
Start vegetable transplants indoors
Plant asparagus, cabbage, onions, peas, radishes,
potatoes & greens
Plant pansies
Plant perennials
Prune fruit trees & grapevines
Apply dormant sprays to the orchard
Apply pre-emergence herbicides for crabgrass

Since 1971, NC has been the 1# sweet potato producing state in the United States. Home to over 400 sweet potato growers, our state's hot, moist climate and rich, fertile soil are ideal for cultivating sweet potatoes, averaging at nearly 70% of the U.S. supply. Added bonus: Sweet Potatoes are in season year round in NC! Looking for new ways to enjoy them? Give Sweet Potato toast a try with these recipe ideas! Also, click on this link for more information on our state vegetable: https://ncsweetpotatoes.com/52-ways-to-love-sweet-potatoes/

How to Make Sweet Potato Toast

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Toast

· 1 large sweet potato

· 1 tablespoon olive oil optional

Optional Topping Combinations:

Everything Bagel Avocado Sweet Potato Toast

· mashed avocado

· everything bagel seasoning

Strawberry and Yogurt Sweet Potato Toast

· sliced fresh strawberries (or other berries)

· cow's milk yogurt

Peanut Butter and Bananas Sweet Potato Toast

· creamy peanut butter

· sliced bananas

· honey or maple syrup optional

· ground cinnamon

Pineapple Pecan Sweet Potato Toast

· almond butter

· chunked or crushed pineapple

· chopped pecans

· maple syrup optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

o Cut off the ends of the sweet potato. Carefully slice sweet potato lengthwise into about ½ inch slices. Place slices in an even layer on prepared baking sheet. If using an oil (not necessary), use a pastry brush to lightly brush on top of sweet potato slices.

o Bake for 20 minutes. Test for doneness by piercing with a fork. Top with preferred toppings and serve immediately.

Or, allow to cool completely then store in an airtight container for 4-5 days. Reheat in the toaster or toaster oven (on medium). If reheating in the regular oven, preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and then reheat for 10 minutes.

Extension has daily slots on the local radio station, WAME 92.9FM/550AM!

Check them out at 6:40am and 6:40pm

Mondays- Taylor Jenkins and Kelly Pierce for 4-H/Youth
   Development

Tuesdays-   Andrea Sherrill for Family & Consumer Science

Wednesdays- Melinda Roberts for Horticulture

Thursdays- Laura Elmore and Jenny Carleo for Crops and
  Livestock

Fridays- Nancy Keith, Dairy and Extension Director News

Need to get in touch with Extension Staff?

--Just click on the person below--

Agents/Associates:

Nancy Keith: County Extension Director, Dairy

Andrea Sherrill: Family & Consumer Science

Jenny Carleo: Area Specialized Agent, Grain Crops

Laura Elmore: Livestock and Crops

Taylor Jenkins: 4-H Youth Development

Kelly Pierce: 4-H Program Associate

Melinda Roberts: Horticulture

Associate Support Staff:

Beth Cloninger

Latoya Boller

NC Cooperative Extension
Iredell County Center
444 Bristol Drive Statesville NC 28677
704-873-0507