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Durham Agriculture and Horticulture
November 2024 Newsletter
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AgVentures
NC AgVentures provides grants to family farms and local non-profit community organizations to develop agricultural projects which will increase farm profits by diversifying, improving, or expanding their operation.
Applications are currently being accepted for funding up to $8000. Applicants must work with their local Extension Agent to submit their application. For more information, contact John Lyttle at john_lyttle@ncsu.edu.
Application Due: 6pm, Friday, Dec. 13
Grant Application Workshop Dates: 11/14 (4:30pm), 12/2 (4:30pm), and 11/20 (5:30pm, Spanish)
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Small Ruminant Winter Webinar Series
NC State Extension Specialists will lead this multi-part series on small ruminant care. From Goats 101 to guardian livestock, learn everything you need to set your flock up for success.
Date: Starts Thursday, Nov. 7, then monthly through March
Time: 7pm - 9PM
Location: Zoom, registration required
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Preparing Your Horse for Winter Weather Workshop
Join Dr. Paul Siciliano (NCSU Horse Extension Specialist) to learn what you can do to get your horses ready for the coming cold. This event is FREE and for all ages. Please bring your 4-H horse club if you are able to attend! No pre-registration required!
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 13
Time: 6pm
Location: Granville County Expo Center, 4185 US-15, Oxford, NC 27565
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Understanding Wells and Septic Systems for Home Owners
Join the Chatham County Department of Environmental Health and Chatham County Cooperative Extension for a free, online presentation on the use and maintenance of home septic systems and wells.
Date: Thursday, Nov. 14
Time: 6pm - 8pm
Location: Zoom, registration required
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Novel Fescue Field Day
Join Durham and Orange County Cooperative Extension and partners to learn the impact endophyte-infected fescue can have on livestock, management strategies, and how to establish endophyte-free stands. After lunch, we will head out to area farms that have established novel fescue stands to hear their experiences with this forage.
Registration is $20.
Date: Thursday, Dec. 12
Time: 10am - 3pm
Location: Schley Grange Hall
3416 Schley Road Hillsborough, NC 27278
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Lunch and Learn: Season Extension and Indoor Production
A look at DIY High Tunnels and Caterpillar Tunnels. Join us for a one hour zoom webinar on various gardening topics hosted by Melissa Bell, CEFS Field Research, Education and Outreach Liaison and John Lyttle, Agriculture Extension Agent.
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 17
Time: 12pm - 1pm
Location: Zoom, registration required
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Fall Armyworms
In the past month or so, armyworms have been a thorn in the side of livestock and hay producers. These critters make their presence known in the fall of the year and it is obvious if they are in your field. The “worms,” which are the larval stage of a moth species, earn their militaristic name from the way they march across a field when feeding on vegetation.
The larval stage of the armyworm’s life cycle lasts approximately 14 days. During the first 10-11 days, they will consume only 20% of the total vegetation, while the other 80% is consumed during the remaining 3-4 days. This difference makes it easy to miss the damage until it is too late. Once the damage has been done, and the worms are around 1 inch long, treatment with insecticides is not very effective, or economical.
Heavily damaged stands may need to be re-seeded, fertilized, or renovated completely. Fall fertilization is ideal to make sure there are adequate nutrients available for forage plants to regrow the following spring. Scouting for armyworms can keep damage to a minimum and give an opportunity for treatment. If you spot 3 armyworms around ¼ inch in a square foot, you have reached the treatment threshold. Click below for a publication from Texas A&M Extension that covers insecticide options, as well as more information about armyworms.
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Supporting Mountain Communities
Hurricane Helene devastated the mountain communities of Western North Carolina right before most areas welcome visitors that are vital for local economies. Supporting North Carolina agriculture is always important, but more important after a disaster such as Helene. If you are planning to visit the high country, please check to see if the area is accepting visitors.
Purchasing North Carolina Christmas trees is a great way to support Western North Carolina agriculture. Trees are being cut as you are reading this newsletter and making their way to their final destinations.
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Questions About Your Cattle?
From North Carolina Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) practices to questions about cattle reproduction, we're here to help. Contact Alex Kissinger (akissin@ncsu.edu or (919) 245-2051) with your questions, and keep an eye on this space to hear about upcoming trainings and opportunities.
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Health and Safety for Specialty Crops Mini-Grant Program
The NC Agromedicine Institute continues to have funds to reimburse specialty crop producers for health and safety improvements on their farms (please see attached). Currently maximum out of pocket expenditure for producers is $3500 with maximum reimbursement of 70% or $2450. Participants are eligible to receive free health and safety training of their choice.
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Interested in Transitioning to Organic?
Before crops can be certified organic, farmers must carefully manage their land without using prohibited inputs like synthetic pesticides for 36 months. During this transition period and during the first years after certification, farmers often face many technical and market challenges. The Organic Transition Initiative (OTI) is a $300 million multi-agency USDA effort to support this transition and build and strengthen organic markets.
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Visit NC Farms
The Visit NC Farms App is a statewide mobile marketing tool that connects consumers to local foods and farmers in
their community. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services designed the app to drive
traffic to local farms and local-food providers. The app promotes local agritourism, farmers’ markets, and other agriculture-related businesses.
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Have Questions? We're Here to Help!
From landscapes to livestock, and everything in between, we're excited to work with farmers and green industry professionals to help you find the right research-based solution for your needs. Have a specific question, or just want to know more about a topic? We'd love to hear from you!
Alex Kissinger - Livestock, Forage, and General Agriculture Area Extension Agent
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Was this email forwarded to you?
If you'd like to sign up to receive our newsletter in your inbox every other week, sign up here. Check the Durham Ag BuLLetin box.
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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.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
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