June E News 2022

Eve is Retiring

After nearly 32 years with Cooperative Extension, it is my intent to retire effective June 1, 2022. I'm excited about this next chapter and admit it will be an adjustment!

I plan to spend more time in the woods - hiking, walking, photographing, pondering. I'll be finishing up plans for my daughter's October wedding, too!

If you are involved with current/future Cooperative Extension educational activities and events, please know plans are in place to move forward. You're in good hands with the Mitchell County Cooperative Extension staff.

Best wishes for all your future endeavors!

Eve M. Kindley

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Welcome Spring Williams-Byrd!

Spring Williams-Byrd has worked for North Carolina Cooperative Extension since. 1989. She has served as a 4-H Program Assistant, 4-H Youth Development. Extension Agent, and County Extension Director. For the last twenty years, she has served as the Burke County Extension Director. She has also provided programming

in 4-H Youth Development, Livestock, Family Consumer Sciences, Community

Resources, and Economic Development. Currently, she is responsible for

administration and leadership of County Extension staff and programs in Burke

County.

Throughout Spring’s career, she has been actively involved in Extension, filling

leadership and facilitator roles throughout the organization and a variety of

professional associations at the State and National levels.

Spring is looking forward to meeting and serving Mitchell County citizens, staff and stakeholders. She believes in the Extension mission of always trying to improve the quality of lives, land, and economy of the citizens she serves, while also upholding the motto of 4-H “to make the best better”!

Please feel free to send her an email at spring_williams@ncsu.edu . Or call the office 828.688.4811.

EYFP Camp 2022
4-H Summer Adventures!

June is a month of transition for the Empowering Youth and Families Program (EYFP).
Mitchell County participants visited the Millstone 4-H Camp May 20-22 for the family camp weekend, and will officially graduate from the program this week. One of the pieces to EYFP is creating an educational community event. The family from Mitchell County got together with other families from neighboring Yancey County and brainstormed different ideas for this summer. Both counties plan to host a fun-filled back-to-school event, so keep watching for more information in August!

Today is my first day as Yancey County's Family and Consumer Science Agent. I have enjoyed my time in Mitchell County and look forward to training a new EYFP Coordinator once the position is filled. If you're interested in the upcoming EYFP job opening, please reach out to me at niki_maness@ncsu.edu for more information.

The Mitchell County 4-H Summer Adventures activities and events are set! Check it out.

Click here to learn more and access the registration from!

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Deyton Afterschool 4-H
Slime and Lava! Oh My!

This was the last month of afterschool 4-H at Deyton Elementary School. We ended with them making their own lava lamp. They learned how oil is lighter than water and it does not mix with oil, because the two are different densities. For the last lesson I wanted them to have fun and learn at the same time. I let them make slime because it is the simplest form of chemical change. They learned when two substances combine, the molecules are rearranged, making a different substance than when the molecules were separate. We look forward to continuing this adventure in the next school year.

The Master Gardener Is In!

Beginning June 6, Mitchell County residents will have a new resource for help with their vegetable and ornamental gardens. On Mondays and Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., volunteers will respond to questions that come in to the Extension office via telephone, email or walk-in. The volunteers are people who have years of personal gardening experience and just completed 40 hours of Extension Gardener training. Considered interns at present, these adults are working their way toward becoming certified NC Extension Master Gardener volunteers.

NC State Extension Master Gardener volunteers connect people to horticulture through science-based education and outreach that empowers North Carolinians to cultivate healthy plants, landscapes, ecosystems, and communities.

Call 828-688-4811 and ask for the master gardener on duty. If the volunteers are unable to answer your question on the spot, they will do the necessary research and respond in a short time. Our Extension Master GardenerSM volunteers look forward to helping you!