August and September are good timed to accomplish fall pasture maintenance. With fall arriving, now is the time to apply lime and fertilizer to pastures and hayfields planted to cool season grasses. Cool season grasses make their peak growth in the cooler weather of spring and fall and any fertilizer applied in spring is long gone. Additional nitrogen now will increase growth for fall grazing.
If you have fields planted to summer annuals like Sudex or Pearl Millet, they can be over seeded with winter annuals as well to provide winter grazing. For cattle and small ruminants, you can utilize oats, wheat, rye or ryegrass. Rye is the highest yielding choice.
For horses, the best choices are oats and ryegrass. Oats will produce heavy spring yields and horses love them. Ryegrass is a good choice for both spring and fall grazing, as
it will produce more fall forage and a heavier spring yield than any other winter annual suitable for horses. If managed properly, it will provide grazing throughout the winter, cutting down on the grain requirement.
The most expensive forage for livestock is hay. By investing in fertilizer and seed now, you can reduce hay needs for this winter.
August Lawn & Garden Chores
Are you wondering what to do in the lawn and garden in August? Here are some ideas straight from the Burke County Garden Calendar.
* Start your fall vegetable garden. It's time to plant cool season vegetables like broccoli cabbage, cauliflower, and greens. * Treat the lawn for grubs to control next year's Japanese Beetles and June Bugs. Use a product containing trichlorfon such as Dylox and Bayer 24 Hour Grub Control. Treat not through October. * Prune bleeder trees such as maple, birch, dogwood, and elm as needed. * Prune blueberries to desired height. * Fertilize strawberries with a nitrogen fertilizer. * Do Not fertilize shrubs in August.
Hey Middle Schoolers, Moms, Dads, and Caregivers!
Come and join us for the Empowering Youth and Families Program
What your middle schooler will receive:
A free family meal each week New skills for making friends and talking to others Enhanced listening skills for better communication Group games and art projects, along with art supplies Parents will receive: Data driven lessons for easier communication within the family Evidenced based research and information on developing brains and behavior of your middle schoolers. Behavioral phrases for listening and being heard Art supplies and fun assignments to try at home Upon graduation of the program: An all expense paid trip for the family to the Millstone 4-H Camp!! This is a 10 week program held at the beautiful Burke County Agricultural Building. The program will start in early September. It will be held on Monday or Thursday nights, for approximately three hours per session. This is a family fun night out designed to help you and your middle school aged children learn simple, yet effective ways to communicate without stress. It is designed to last a lifetime, and is a community driven program. Please call us for more information. Class size is limited. 828-764-9480, or email tlhall6@ncsu.edu
Cauliflower
It wasn’t long ago that cauliflower was considered a kind of blah vegetable
that could be found in a frozen vegetable medley. In the last few years, the mild white vegetable has become far more popular, thanks to its versatility as a carbohydrate substitute.
Using cauliflower as a substitute for starchy foods such as rice or potatoes is a good way to cut calories and eat more fiber. Most grocery stores also have cauliflower-based pizza crust! Cauliflower has vitamin C, which helps heal cuts and wounds. It also has folate, which is important for women who are pregnant, as it plays an important role in preventing birth defects.
When selecting cauliflower look forbright green leaves. The curds (the head) should be brightly colored and compact. Avoid cauliflower with brown or spotty leaves.
When growing cauliflower in your garden, it should be harvested when the heads are 6-8" inches across, firm and tight. Cauliflower is a cool season vegetable and is a member of the cabbage family and a close relative of broccoli.
There are several ways to
enjoy this delicious vegetable so add a head to your shopping list and enjoy!
Upcoming Meetings Tuesday, August 16, 2022 from 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Cookbooks
Do you need some new meal ideas? We have #ExtensionEats cookbooks for sale at our office. These cookbooks are packed with recipes from our staff, local farmers, cattlemen, beekeepers and more. They also have additional information like cuts of meats, tips & hints, conversion charts, etc.
Cookbooks are $10 each or 2 for $15
Upcoming Meetings Tuesday, August 16, 2022 from 5:00pm - 6:30pm
Upcoming Meetings Tuesday, August 9, 2022 from 4:00pm - 5:00pm
NC State University and N.C. A&T State University
work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C. Cooperative Extension.
