May Newsletter - Burke County

Extension Interns Gain Real-World Experience and Serve Local Communities

NC State Extension announced that Burke Pollard is completing an Extension internship this summer with the Burke County Center. Pollard is a senior from NCSU majoring in Wildlife Biology, a native of Morganton and a Burke County 4-H Alumni.

An Extension summer intern works with Extension personnel to deliver hands-on, educational programs. Job shadowing and mentoring help interns learn about the mission and work of North Carolina Cooperative Extension.

“Extension makes a positive difference in the community every day. We provide educational programs that connect communities with research-based information. Our internship program is another way we help prepare students for challenging and rewarding careers in food, agriculture, natural resources, and family and consumer sciences” said Dr. Richard Bonanno, Associate Dean of the NC State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Director of NC State Extension.

Helping Children Cope with Stress

As school begins to wind down and testing season is among us, parents may see an increase in stress related behaviors. It is not necessary to be a therapist to help children cope with stress. One key element in reducing stress is creating a low stress environment. It may be easier said than done, but ensuring that there are more positive than negative interactions with children helps them build resilience and feel happy. It also helps to anticipate stress and learn ways to avoid it.

Start by practicing HALT: ensuring that your child is not Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. Once those physical factors are settled, you can work with your child to learn other coping strategies for stress, such as taking deep breaths or finding a calm space when they feel stressed.

Coping Strategies:

Notice children’s behavior. Well-developed observation skills can tell you if your child is experiencing distress. Pay attention to an increase in quarrels with playmates, poor concentration, or bedwetting. See these behaviors as communication.
Be positive. Encourage children and show you care by pointing out what they are doing right.
Acknowledge feelings. Let children know it is OK to feel angry, alone, scared, or lonely. Give children the names for their feelings and words to express how they are feeling.
Avoid shaming. Some stressors make children feel ashamed. Shaming truly affects self-esteem.
Structure activities for cooperation, not competition. This allows children to go at their own pace and enhances the learning of social skills.
Involve parents, family members, and friends. They can read books together, encouraging openness and listening. They also can ensure good nutrition and proper rest.
Host regular, safe talks.

Spring Herd Health

The months of April and May are an ideal times for routine herd health work for the cattle producer. Calves receive antibodies through their mother's colostrum that help to give them passive immunity from disease, but by three months of age, this maternal protection is fading. This is an ideal time to vaccinate January and February calves to help jump-start their immune system.

As well, parasites that have been dormant during winter, are now becoming active, and will infest their hosts. By deworming now, you will keep parasite populations lower into fall. This strategic deworming, manages parasites on the pasture, not in the cow.

Vaccinations with a clostridial vaccine will help to reduce incidence of blackleg and other soil born infections, and a respiratory vaccination will give protection against the major bovine respiratory diseases. Modified live respiratory vaccines give more protection, than killed types, but can cause abortions, so make sure the product is safe for pregnant, or lactating cows. These are best administered to open cows, as even giving a modified live vaccine to the calf can cause abortion in the mother who is bred back.

Most vaccines require two shots initially, then an annual booster. If you aren't going to give the second shot, there is no need to bother with the first, as you'll have very little protection. Only giving one shot of a two shot series won’t give enough protection, and can also interfere with later boosters.

4-H Teen Leader Internship Program

Teens can engage in hands-on workshops to learn the skills of being a 4-H Teen Leader. 4-H Teen leaders assist with summer fun programming and events throughout the school year. These youth gain practice and experience to build a solid resume for career or college choices. Youth not only learn how to complete applications, resumes, complete time sheets and balance time management, they also gain knowledge in working with younger youth in a high energy, safe environment. Youth can attend as many workshops as possible, all are not required. Attendance of 80% is recommended. Dates and times are listed below. Teens must be registered in (Burke County) 4-H Online to participate. Dinner is provided. Please contact our 4-H Agent, Nicki Carpenter, at 828-764-9480 if you have any questions.

#1 April 27, 4:30-8:30pm
#2 April 28, 4:30-8:30pm
#3 May 11, 4:30-8:30pm
#4 May 12, 4:30-8:30pm
#5 May 18, 4:30-8:30pm
#6 May 23, 4:30-8:30pm
#7 (tentative) May 24 4;30-8:30
#8 (tentative) June 4 (possible CPR class)

Prevent Fall Rhododendron Problems Now

Rhododendrons are a major landscape plant in the south. We’re starting to see them burst into flower right now and they are magnificent. But it is also time to prevent rhododendron borer damage. The damage from this insect won’t be evident until the fall when small wilted branches start showing up. At this point the only thing that can be done is to prune out the wilted and dead parts and burn them. Once borers enter the plant, chemical control is useless.

The adult rhododendron borer resembles a wasp and lays eggs on the bark of the rhododendron. These eggs hatch in to small caterpillars in early summer and by fall they have tunneled in to the trunks, branches and limbs of the plant. Sprays containing permethrin will protect the wood from the larvae. Thoroughly spray the bark 3 times in May and June at 10-14 day intervals. Some readily available brands are Bonide Total Pest Control Outdoor Concentrate and Hi-Yield Indoor/Outdoor Broad Use Insecticide Concentrate.

Treat your rhododendrons in May and June to prevent damage from this destructive pest!