Visit NC Farms App Participant is Featured on WRAL's Tar Heel Traveler

WRAL's Scott Mason, host of the Tar Heel Traveler, visited Pittsboro's Country Farm and Home Supply, LLC in Pittsboro during June. You can find the Country Farm and Home Supply, LLC on the Visit NC Farm's App. Download the app today and visit our local farms, farmers' markets, local farm shops, and more! Plan your trip with the new itinerary feature that has been added!

Overview of the Visit NC Farms App

Build Your Culinary Skill Sets This Summer!

Now that school is out for the summer, would you like to build your culinary skill sets? Try out some 4-H approved recipes by Tennessee 4-H Alumna and Food Network star Carla Hall!

What’s better than cooking at home? Making meals that are both inspired and easy to make. This collection of recipes from the 4-H community hits those marks on every page.

Featuring nearly 50 recipes from 4-H’ers, supporters, and 4-H alumni — including celebrity chef, author, and Tennessee 4-H alumna Carla Hall — the Fresh Chefs digital cookbook includes healthy everyday recipes and celebratory dishes for youth and families to enjoy.

Dig in to discover recipes for every occasion, starting with a few of our favorites below.

Fresh Chefs was made possible by generous support from the Walmart Foundation.

Watermelon Slush

“Watermelon is so refreshing and packed with hydrating water. In fact, watermelon is 92% water, which makes it a great snack to replenish your energy during the hot months. Sometimes I like to pour a glass of this slush and top it off with seltzer or sparkling water to add a little fizz to this drink. Make sure to purchase a seedless watermelon to make prep super fast!”

Discover the Secret Science of Fireflies...or is it lightning bugs?

Whether you keep watch for the little luminaries or that first flash catches you by surprise, fireflies/lightning bugs are a beloved symbol of summer. Thankfully, they’re abundant in North Carolina, with 30 to 40 species (and counting) that have been identified in the state thus far.

4-H Online 2.0

We have received calls and emails from parents and guardians wanting assistance with completing the registration form that is required before youth can participate in any 4-H activities. We understand that the 4-H Online form can be a little overwhelming and even frustrating. We are happy to provide a step by step video on how to complete the 4-H Online forms. Once you complete the form, you will not have to update it again until next year. Whenever your child would like to participate in any upcoming 4-H activity, you would simply log into your family account on 4H Online and register your child for 4-H events.

Reducing Deer Damage in Landscapes

An Extension Gardener Webinar

When: July 22, 2021

Time: 5:30–7:30 p.m.

Join Matt Jones, Extension Horticulture Agent, for a webinar about how to reduce deer damage in your landscape. We’ll learn about deer biology and damage mitigation strategies, including repellents, fencing, and plant selection.

Cool Season Crops for Vegetable Gardens

An Extension Gardener Webinar

When: August 12, 2021

Time: 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Join Matt Jones, Extension Horticulture Agent, and the Master Gardener℠ volunteers of Chatham County for a webinar targeting home and community gardeners on how to grow cool-season vegetables. Participants will learn about planting techniques and timing, best varieties, common problems, and harvesting methods for broccoli, cabbages, carrots. kales, lettuces, onions, peas, potatoes, and turnips.

NC State Extension Publications

Japanese Beetles on Ornamental Landscape Plants

It's the Beetles! No, not the band, the Japanese Beetles. We start seeing them more in June making their appearance on our flowers, plants, fruit trees and more. This publication from NC State Extension shares how to identify a Japanese Beetle in all stages of life and discusses the damage these beetles can cause to ruin beautiful roses, fruit trees, foliage, and more. This publication also covers the life cycle of the Japanese beetle, strategies for intervention or how to control these beetles, plus residential recommendations are provided as well as other resources.

If Japanese Beetles are eating up your favorite plants, don't skip this NC State Publication!

Blossom-End Rot of Tomato, Pepper, and Watermelon

Blossom-end rot is a nonparasitic disease of tomato, pepper and watermelon. Losses can vary from a trace to more than 50 percent.

The first symptom is a slight water-soaked area on or near the blossom end of the fruit. The affected area soon darkens and enlarges in a constantly widening circle until the fruit begins to ripen. The tissues are dark and shrunken and have a dry, leathery appearance. With pepper the rot is tan in color and should not be confused with sunscald, which is white. The affected area may be merely a speck or it may involve half or more of the fruit. Secondary microorganisms may grow on the decayed area.

Farm Visit Snapshots: Perry-winkle Farm to Market!

In early June, I got to spend time with our two Extension interns, Kristin Peters and Kayla Ferro. Kristin just finished her M.S. in Forestry at NC State University and Kayla just finished her Master’s of Public Health at UNC. We started the day visiting Perry-winkle Farm to see the crew harvesting and preparing for the afternoon market. We ended the day visiting the Fearrington Farmers’ Market which was special because Kristin and Kayla got to see all the flowers and produce at the Perry-winkle Farm table that they saw being harvested and processed this morning!

Diversity and Abundance at the Pollinator Paradise Garden!

Pollinator Paradise is a Demonstration Garden created by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Chatham County Center. Agriculture Agent Debbie Roos designed the garden to provide forage from early spring to late fall for pollinators such as native bees, honey bees, butterflies, flower flies, hummingbirds, beetles, and other beneficial insects. The garden features over 225 unique species of perennials, 85% of which are native to North Carolina.

Debbie resumed in-person tours of the pollinator garden in mid-May. You can view a list of the tours and register for future tours when she post them. There are a few slots left in the summer tours and Debbie will add fall dates soon.

What's Blooming in the Pollinator Garden?

The list is updated bi-weekly. Currently, there are over 65 species in bloom!

A Homeowner’s Guide to Pollinator Friendly Mosquito Management

The North Carolina Pollinator Conservation Alliance conducted a webinar recently entitled “A Homeowner’s Guide to Pollinator Friendly Mosquito Management.”

The webinar presenters discussed the basics of native bee biology, mosquito biology, and mosquito management. Topics included common practices used by homeowners, commercial applicators, and public health departments. The presentation also covered ecologically sound alternatives for managing mosquitoes in your backyard.

July Chatham Conservation Partnership Webinar on Community Conservation

The July Chatham Conservation Partnership (CCP) meeting will focus on Community Conservation.

Please join the CCP on July 15, 2021, from 9–11:30 a.m. for a virtual meeting to discuss community conservation efforts.

Our July CCP meeting is about you! The CCP is lucky to have such a large membership of people dedicating time and efforts towards environmental protection in Chatham County. We’re making time this July to highlight your unique contributions. Speakers will explain the benefits of regenerative agriculture and how endangered farm animals are improving biodiversity and forest health and the apps to use to track biodiversity and carbon capture. Our local soil and water conservation district officer will share programs and resources to support your efforts. And we will look at Clean Jordan Lake’s volunteer work to remove trash coming from the watershed after rainfall events to deposit on public land surrounding the lake. Come prepared with any additional brief updates you’d like to share.

Registration deadline is 10 p.m. on July 13. Registrants will receive an email prior to the event with the Zoom link.

Visit our Chatham County Farmers’ Markets!

Now is a wonderful time to visit one or all of our Chatham County farmers' markets! You'll find amazing flowers and foods like strawberries, green garlic, cheese curds, and greenhouse tomatoes. Plus gorgeous greens, meats, eggs, plants, and so many other wonderful locally grown products.

Chatham Mills Farmers’ Market on Saturdays from 8 am til noon

Fearrington Farmers’ Market on Tuesdays from 4-6 pm

Pittsboro Farmers’ Market on Thursdays from 3-6 pm

Century Farm Program Seeks 100-year-old or Older Farms

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture’s Century Farm Program is looking for farms that have been in continuous family ownership for 100 years or more to join the nearly 2,000 farms in the program. The program exists to honor farms for their longstanding contributions to North Carolina’s rich agricultural heritage.

Every four years, N.C. State Fair hosts a reunion to recognize Century Farm families. Because the State Fair was canceled in 2020, the reunion has been moved to this year and will be held Oct. 18th and will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Century Farm Program.

There are 1,950 member farms in the program, with 97 of the state’s 100 counties represented. Century Farms represent a small fraction of the total 52,000 farms in North Carolina.

To be eligible for the program, the farm must be in continuous ownership by your family for 100 years or more.

Applications can be found at the link below and are accepted continuously throughout the year. Proof of land ownership must be submitted with the application.

“Being part of our Century Farm program is something to be very proud of, as it speaks to the hard work and dedication families invest in keeping their farmland,” Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said. “I encourage anyone who is eligible to apply to this program, and I encourage all members to plan to attend this year’s reunion. Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the Century Farm program and we were looking forward to that reunion. COVID only postponed the celebration, it didn’t cancel it. We will still celebrate 50 years, plus one, of this special program.”

What is Sustainable Agriculture?

Sustainable Grazing and Pasture Management video through Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE): This sixth video in their series "What is Sustainable Agriculture" discusses how farmers can improve their soil health and plant vigor by focusing on the health of their pastures.

Forestry Experts Want You To Watch Out for 'Poolside Pests' This Summer

If you’re planning to try to relax poolside this summer, forestry researchers from NC State want you to nap with one eye open.

Along with experts from the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Plant Industry Division and the N.C. Forest Service, NC State researchers are looking for reports of two vigilante insects that might have crossed state lines into North Carolina. Since they are attracted to water, they could end up in pools or pool filters. They pose a threat to defenseless forests and certain crops.

Upcoming Hybrid Workshop: Disaster Preparedness and Forest Resiliency in Eastern North Carolina (Duplin County)

Tues., July 20th: 8:30am - 12:15pm

Workshop Description: This workshop will educate landowners and natural resource professionals about how they should prepare and respond to risk and uncertainty from natural disasters to maintain healthy forests in Eastern NC.

With the hybrid format, a limited number of attendees will be allowed to register for the in-person program at the Duplin County Extension Office to maintain COVID protocols. The full program will also be broadcast in real-time via Zoom. You will be asked to choose one option when you register.

Credits Available: 3.5 hours (Category 2) SAF CFE credits will be available.

Registration is FREE, but advanced registration is required.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please reach out to Dr. Rajan Parajuli at 919-513-2579 or rparaju@ncsu.edu.

Why NC Farmers Need Good Internet

What challenges do North Carolina farmers face in making the best use of new technology when they lack affordable high-speed internet? And what’s being done about it?

In this episode of Farms, Food, and You, two farmers and two broadband professionals talk the need for high-speed internet and what’s being done to expand access.

Summer Flavors

A Virtual Event

Prepare your taste buds for these simple summer recipes!

Join Tara in the kitchen to see what recipes she's cooking up and learn about the nutrient-packed summer produce. Maybe you'll take away a new recipe or food fact to impress a special someone in your life!

This virtual event will include recipes and tips for selecting and storing your summer produce. Join for all three days!

Wednesdays 12:00pm-1:00pm EST July 14th, July 21st and July 28th

Blueberries are in season!

The deep blue color of blueberries comes from anthocyanins, a polyphenol or type of phytonutrient. Phytonutrients are not essential for our survival but they do help our bodies work at their best and prevent disease. While phytonutrients may not be essential, blueberries do provide many essential nutrients.

Fiber: feeling full, staying regular, regulating cholesterol

Vitamin C: immune health

Vitamin K: bone metabolism and blood clotting

Manganese: converting our food to energy and bone formation

Grab a handful of blueberries to enjoy or add them to your yogurt or oatmeal. If you'd like to try blueberries in a less than typical way, try Blueberry Salsa! You can find the recipe below.

Hot Summer Days are Perfect for Blueberry Yogurt Swirl Popsicles

Popsicles are always fun to make– not to mention pretty simple, too. Look no further than these 3-ingredient blueberry yogurt swirl popsicles for a refreshing and satisfying summer treat.

Have You Started Saving for Christmas Yet? Only Six Months Away!

It's hard to think that the holidays will be here in six months. If you plan to save some money now it will not only help you relax and enjoy the season when it comes, but it will help you make sure you do not go into debt while having all those celebrations.

Saving a little each week for the next 6 months will allow you to create a nice little “snowball” of money to stash away for the holidays. If you start on July 1st, this gives you 22 weeks to help make your holiday more festive and less stressful.

Think about how much money you spent last year and add in anything that maybe you wished you could have done but did not have the extra funds. When you have that amount, divide that by 22, and that will be your goal amount to save each week.

$20 a week x 22 weeks=$440

$50 a week x 22 weeks=$1,100

The more you save now, the more you will not have to put on credit or stress over those unexpected items that pop up during the holidays.

Here are a few ways to save each week:

• Get a little extra cash back when your grocery shop and stash it away.

• Put a certain amount away right after you get paid, but before you make out your monthly budget.

• Summer is a great time to clean and organize. You can find things that you no longer need and sell them online or have a yard sale.

• Round up all your monthly bills to the nearest $5 or $10 in your checkbook and at the end of the month take all that you saved and move it into your Christmas/holiday fund. Example: if your bill is $46.30, record it in your checkbook as $50. This will allow you to put $3.70 into your savings fund.

• If you have a hobby or a side hustle that you can make some extra money at, you can dedicate those earnings to your Christmas/holiday fund.

Having a visual reminder is key to making this Christmas/holiday saving plan a success and keeping you on track for the next 22 weeks, and you will be ready to start shopping the first week of December.

No matter what you can save, just planning and trying to be prepared for the upcoming holidays will help you enjoy them more.

Where Are They Now?

This video clip was presented during our 2019 Report to the Commissioners luncheon. Where are these former 4-H members now? Watch the video to find out more!

NC 211 PSA: Here to Help

Agriculture Photo Contest Sponsored by Chatham County Farm Bureau

Submissions Due August 1st, 2021 - Winners announced September 2021

The Chatham County Public Health Department continues to update its COVID-19 vaccination webpages to provide the latest information. Click on the links below for the latest updates.