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MITCHELL COUNTY CENTER

Extension E-News July 2021

Are you a private pesticide applicator? Is your certification soon to expire and you need Category “V” credits? If yes, please register for one of the upcoming classes offered on Tuesday, July 29, 2021 and Tuesday, August 5, 2021 at the Mitchell Senior Citizens Center from 6-8pm. Registration is required. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, registration is limited to the first ten (10) participants. For more information contact Shane Biddix or call 828.688.4811 to register.
Congratulations to Luke Silver!

A big congratulations to Luke for being awarded both the "Robert and Helen Runion 4-H Scholarship" and the Mitchell County 4-H Discovery Scholarship" to assist with expenses to further his education! These are awarded by North Carolina 4-H to outstanding 4-H members planning to further their education. Luke graduated May 15 from Majestic Mountain Christian Homeschool. He will attend Liberty University this fall and plans to major in Government. Luke is the son of Jonathan and Amanda Silver of Spruce Pine.
Calling all 4-H members! 4-H will lead the Spruce Pine 4th of July parade scheduled for July 3rd! This means 4-H members will carry the American Flag and the 4-H Flag to start off the parade and all members can march along wearing 4-H shirts! Jonathan Silver, 4-H Volunteer, is organizing this activity but you must sign up to walk. Youth will need to meet at Jonathan's Used Appliance Shop (across from Web Funeral Home) at 5:30pm and be prepared to throw out candy (the 4-H Office will supply) along the way. Jonathan will be walking with the 4-H members but at least one additional volunteer is needed. Please contact emkindle@ncsu.edu or call 688.4811 to register!
Dinah Gore 4-H Healthy Food Challenge Contest!

This is exciting but the deadline is fast approaching! Work as an individual or as a team to create a dish using a mystery basket of ingredients! The final dish highlights the mystery basket ingredients and basic items you have at home! You must identify and prepare the dish and then make a presentation video about it. There are 3 ages categories but one team from the 14-18 year old age division will be selected to attend the National 4-H Food Challenge in
September in Texas.

Age Categories are:  8-10,11-13 and 14-18.  The entry deadline is July 12, 2021.  Registration is open in 4-HOnline on July 1 for youth to register and upload their videos but 4-H Agent approval is required.  Go to the 4-H Food Challenge Information Packet to learn more and contact emkindle@ncsu.edu or call 688.4811.

4-H Target Shooting Sports Summer Adventures! There's Still Space for You!

Come learn archery, riflery, and shotgun during this 3-day clinic scheduled for July 6-8th! You don't have to be a 4-H member to attend but you do have to register in 4-HOnline (and we can help!). Youth ages 8-18 are invited to participate. Cost is $40 which includes snacks and a cookout on July 8th.
Other 4-H Summer Adventures Programs!

Mitchell County 4-H still has openings for several programs later in the summer! These include: 4-H Spanish Camp, Put it Up (food preservation), STEM Camp, and Science You Can Eat! Go here to learn more and to register.
The Spruce Pine Farmers Market Wants You
Look for the Pop Up Canopies at Napa, Burleson Hill, Spruce Pine!

This assorted gathering is a local group with a lot of healthy benefits to offer. The Spruce Pine Farmers Market is composed of local farmers, bakers, crafters, etc. with a passion to offer some healthy food choices as well as other goods. Produce is grown locally and growers exert lots of effort and dedication. What are the benefits of buying local items? We are supporting Spruce Pine and local farmers (who put money back into our economy). The produce is fresh from field to table within hours versus being transported hundreds of miles. This provides more nutritional benefits to us -  the consumer. So, if you’re looking to improve your health, try new food items, and support local producers, come on out to the Spruce Pine Farmers Market on Burleson Hill on Wednesdays from 2-5:30pm. Look for the canopies!
Youth Stepping FOURward Community Garden

If you're in the area, stop by the 4-H ALIVE garden spot and take a look at the garden our 4-H Youth Stepping FOURward youth have created! After completing the 4-H Youth Stepping FOURward leadership and citizenship program, these youth identified food insecurity as a local issue they would address. They're cultivating a community garden with plans to donate all produce to a local food pantry throughout the summer. These youth are powerful!
NC Tomato Growers Scholarship

The N.C. Tomato Growers Association is offering a $1,000 merit/need-based scholarship for the 2021-2022 academic year. Any North Carolina resident who pursues a horticulture or agribusiness undergraduate or graduate degree at a four-year North Carolina college or university is eligible to apply.

The deadline for submitting an application has been extended to
July 31st, 2021.
The award will be based on a student’s demonstrated scholastic achievement, initiative, leadership, financial need and extracurricular activities. The scholarship is contingent on the recipient maintaining at least a 2.5 grade point average out of a possible 4.0 on all course work during the scholarship period. The recipient must be enrolled for the entire school year to receive the full scholarship. Scholarship funds will be distributed through the financial aid office of the attending student’s college or university. The scholarship will be paid in two installments, $500 per semester.

Applications are available with additional information at www.nctomatoes.com or here. If you need additional information you may contact Melinda James, at (828) 526-3989, or by e-mail at osagem@msn.com. Completed applications should be mailed to: N.C. Tomato Growers Association, c/o Melinda James, 1604 Hale Ridge Road, Scaly Mountain, NC 28775.

Cooperative Extension’s 4-H program offers some great summer opportunities and one of them is  A.L.I.V.E.! This program (for youth ages 12-18) focuses on money management, gardening, cooking, home-care, college and career exploration and more!. Additionally, participants focus on self-care, social responsibility, and personal identity. The goal of A.L.I.V.E is to support and encourage the positive development of individual participants by addressing needs like improving confidence and self-esteem, developing realistic expectations and goals, learning new life skills, and having positive interaction with adults within the Mitchell County community. NC Cooperative Extension still has COVID 19 protocols in place to ensure safety for our participants and staff. Mitchell County 4-H is now operating under the guidance that is in keeping with NC Governor Roy Cooper’s Executive Order and NC State University’s guidelines. This includes cleaning the facility after each user group, documentation of participation, face coverings while indoors, and maintaining social distancing when eating.   A.L.I.V.E is offered all year long - not just during the summer months!  If you are interested in enrolling your youth in the A.L.I.V.E. program, call Jennifer Guerrero, Program Coordinator at 828.688.4811 or email jaguerr2@ncsu.edu.
Box Tree Moth Shipped to Several US States from Canadian Nursery, Eradication Efforts Begin

Box tree moth has been found in several US states that received infested plants from Canada. USDA APHIS states "Between August 2020 and April 2021, a nursery in St. Catharines, Ontario shipped boxwood (Buxus species) that may have been infested with box tree moth to locations in six states—25 retail facilities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and South Carolina—and a distribution center in Tennessee." If you received boxwood, holly, or euonymus plants from Canada it is possible they are contaminated. Take extra time inspecting them to be sure no BTM eggs, larvae, pupae, or adults are present.



Youth Interested in Livestock

Mitchell County Cooperative Extension sponsors the Boots & Buckles 4-H Livestock Club for youth ages 5-18. Youth do not have to own livestock to participate in this club. The club is designed to teach youth about livestock and the agricultural industry while allowing them to interact and have hands-on experiences with animals.

The club meets monthly on a Tuesday or Thursday evening (location TBD). Dates and times are announced in advance. Some weekend field days are included in the club's schedule.

For more information, contact mcsouth@ncsu.edu or call 828.688.4811.

 
 
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.

Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made
to Eve Kindley 828.688.4811 emkindl@ncsu.edu


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