April 2022 E-News

Small Fruit Plant Sale
April 12 Pick up

The pick up date for small fruit plant orders is scheduled for Tuesday, April 12 from 8am-6pm at the Extension Center, 10 S. Mitchell Avenue, Bakersville. This is for prepaid orders only.

Our Extension Master Gardeners and our Extension Horticulture Agent, Shane Biddix, will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about your plants! Worried about forgetting the date?

Be worry free - a letter is in the mail to remind you!

Mitchell County

Livestock Workshop

Mineral Nutrition and Feeder Construction

April 19th, 2022 @ 5:30PM
Mitchell County Cooperative
Extension Office
PLEASE RSVP for supplies

This workshop will be hosted by Area Extension Agent, Michelle South of the Mitchell County Cooperative Extension Center. She will provide instruction on the importance of proper mineral nutrition and construction of an affordable mineral feeder.

Attending producers will have the chance to purchase a functional and durable mineral feeder for $40.00. If interested in attending, please RSVP by April 12th, 2022, to ensure enough supplies. To RSVP, please call Michelle South, Area Extension Agent at 828.688.4811 or email mcsouth@ncsu.edu.

Springtime Plant Installation

Spring is just around the corner and many of us get the planting bug, the desire to improve the landscape by installing fresh plant material. The office receives quite a few calls requesting information on the proper installation procedure in regards to "setting plants". First and foremost, there is more to plant installation than just digging a hole and refilling it with soil. The following information will provide a checklist for proper plant installation.

Site selection is crucial for plant establishment and longevity. The first step is to ask yourself some questions: Is there enough space for the plant to grow at this location? Does the planting site receive at least 6 hours of sun if the plant requires full sun exposure? In regards to space, please consider the mature height and width of the plant. These two simple questions will ensure that the plant is placed in the proper location for establishment and growth.

Plant selection can be overwhelming, however, there are some tools that can ease this process. The NCSU extension web site (mitchell.ces.ncsu.edu) contains a vast collection of articles, videos and interactive programs such as "The PLANT TOOL BOX" which has pictures and growth requirements at the readers fingertips. Research does not need to be forgotten in the planting process, get to know the facts about the plants that you desire to purchase. Have a plan, know the growth requirements, be aware of potential diseases and insects. Please make use of this information, it will save time, money and heartache over deceased plants.

The planting process:

First lay out the plants in the landscape before planting, look for any unseen problems. Dig the planting hole. The golden rule is to make the hole wider than the root ball or container " Root ball and a half!" Next, remove the plant from the container and gently cut the roots to prevent constriction if a Ball and Burlap plant is being planted, peel back the burlap before placing the plant in the hole. Do not remove the burlap completely, it will keep the roots intact and will eventually decompose. Please leave a small portion of the root ball a bit above ground so the plant can get water and still be allowed to drain. A very important factor is mixing soil amendments in with the backfill, sterilized manures and compost blends. This is great for improving soil structure and providing nutrients. The last step is to mix in fertilizers at this time and tamp the soil to remove any air pockets. Water the plant everyday for a week to help ensure establishment and adjust the schedule as needed.

For more information, please contact Shane Biddix at 828.688.4811 or sabiddix@ncsu.edu.

Mitchell County
Master Gardeners
Seed Swap

Mitchell Extension’s master gardener students Linda Littrell (far left) and Katie Elkins (far right) staffed the program’s first public event March 19.It was a seed swap at the Spruce Pine Public Library.
They are pictured here with a small group of Big/Little Sisters from another local program.

A master gardener’s mission is to connect people to horticulture through science-based education and outreach. At this event we shared information about the right soil temperatures for various seed germination and a guide to planting vegetable garden specific to Western North Carolina.

Enjoy Working with Youth?

Need Part-time Work?

We are now accepting applications for the 4-H ALIVE program! This 20-hour/week position is funded through the NC Department of Public Safety and administered through our local Juvenile Crime Prevention Council. Youth enrolled in the program meet weekly to learn critical life skills to help them navigate the world more successfully.

If interested (or you know someone who may be), please contact Eve Kindley, County Extension Director, at 828.688.4811 or email emkindle@ncsu.edu.

4-H EGGcellent Adventure
Underway

Mitchell County Schools have 100% participation in our 4-H Embryology Project this month!

All second grade teachers are serving as 4-H volunteers while implementing this "eggciting" program as students incubate and hatch out fertile eggs! There's so much to learn including parts of the egg, chick development and growth, egg candling and more! The curriculum goes along nicely with the NC Department of Public Instruction learning objectives for second grade so it's a great hands-on, experiential learning opportunity for youth!

Stay tuned for more!

Give the Gift that Lasts
a Lifetime -
A 4-H Camp Experience!

A caregiver's best gift to their child is one that lasts a lifetime and that's what 4-H camp helps do! While at 4-H camps, children learn skills that, indeed, last a lifetime! At 4-H camp, kids learn critical skills like independence and resilience.

When youth have experiences outside of their comfort zone, they become more resilient and more independent and better able to plan and reach their goals! Mitchell County 4-H will attend Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Camp June 26-July 1 and we have a few spaces left! Consider sending your child or give a 4-H camp scholarship to send any child to camp this summer! Contact Eve at 828.688.4811 or email emkindle@ncsu.edu to learn more!

Struggling with Paying
A Water Bill?
There May be Help if You Qualify!

Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) is a temporary emergency program to help eligible households and families afford water and wastewater services. The program provides payments for eligible low-income households directly to the utility company. LIHWAP runs through September 2023 or until the funds run out.

Individuals can apply online at epass.nc.gov. Individuals can also apply by printing a paper application from epass.nc.gov and dropping it off at or faxing it to their local county Department of Social Services or by calling their local county DSS to apply by phone.

To be eligible for LIHWAP, a household must have at least one U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen and:
Have income equal to or less than 150% of the federal poverty level
Have household services that are disconnected, in jeopardy of disconnection or have a current outstanding bill
Be responsible for the water bill

Households can apply through Sept. 30, 2023, or until funds are exhausted.

Upcoming 4-H Club Meetings!

Megabytes 4-H Club - 3:30-5pm, Thursday April 14 at the Cooperative Extension Center, 10 S. Mitchell Avenue, Bakersville.

Mitchell County 4-H Livestock Club - 4pm, Tuesday April 5 & 19. Meetings are held at various locations throughout the county depending on animals being studied. Call Eve at 828.688.4811 or email emkindle@ncsu.edu to learn more.

Mountaineers 4-H Shooting Sports Club - 6pm, Fridays, April 1,8,15,22,29. Meetings alternate between the Bakersville Volunteer Fire Department and the Mitchell County Sheriff's Department Shooting Range. Call Eve at 828.688.4811 or email emkindle@ncsu.edu to learn more.

4-H STEM Club - 3:30-5pm, Thursday, April 28 at the Cooperative Extension Center, 10 S. Mitchell Avenue, Bakersville

Greenlee 4-H Cloverbud Club - 2:30-3:40pm, Tuesdays, April 5,12 and 26. *This club is not accepting new members at this time.

Deyton Elementary 4-H - 3-5pm, Wednesday, April 6,13 and 27. *This group is not accepting new members at this time.

Mitchell County Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners and 4-H will have a table at the the Easter Craft Show/Eggstravaganza on April 9, 2022 from 9am to 3pm at the Cross Street Building, Spruce Pine, NC.

4-H Cloverbuds at
Greenlee Primary School

The Greenlee Cloverbud 4-H Club meets on Tuesday afternoons from 2:30p.m. to 3:40 p.m. Currently, we are doing outdoor activities, weather permitting, that include bugs, birds and photosynthesis. Second grade classrooms at Greenlee are participating in a study on the life cycle of chickens with incubators in each classroom. Participants made “Chia Pets” to demonstrate photosynthesis.

For more information on the Cloverbud 4-H Club at Greenlee Primary School, please contact Jennifer Swann at 828.688.4811 or jgswann@ncat.edu.

4-H at Deyton Elementary School

March was another successful month for the 4-H Afterschool Program at Deyton Elementary School, which meets on Wednesday afternoons from 3p.m. to 5 p.m.

The lesson included how to grow grass from a seed
(chia pet), making bird feeders and learning about
Non-Newtonians by combining cornstarch and water. The kids enjoyed playing with something that can be in a liquid and solid form.

If your child attends the Deyton Afterschool 4-H Program, ask them about it, or even better let them show you! Warning, it can be a little messy, but that is what makes it fun!

Plans are underway for a Summer 4-H Program at Deyton. If you are interested, keep an eye out for the information and enrollment forms from your child!

Pictured above is the day they were making Oobleck and the grass seeds after a week of growing.

For more information on the 4-H Afterschool program at Deyton Elementary School, please contact Jennifer Swann at 828.688.4811 or jgswann@ncat.edu.

Mitchell County 4-H Shines at Teen Retreat!

Youth gathered at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly on Saturday, March 19 to learn leadership skills....and more!

This group was led by two Mitchell County 4-H members Josh Silver and Jesse Silver. Josh serves as the West District 4-H Council President and Jesse serves as the West District 4-H Council Secretary/Treasurer

Mitchell County is proud to have two 4-H members serving in leadership roles this year! If you see Josh and Jesse, please congratulate them for a job well done!