Inspecting a Hive of Bees
Controlling Red Imported Fire Ants
Fall Garden Chores
Contributed by Dr. Slade Howell, Watauga County Extension Master Gardener We tend to equate the advent of fall colors with the termination of garden activities. To the contrary, autumn is the starting point for MORE »
Featured stories and content
FEATURED CONTENT
October Ginseng
October Ginseng
Professional
Nickels for Know-How
Watauga Extension
NC Safe Plates course
October Ginseng
Workshops Added
If you own mature forestland (or a nice wooded backyard) with good soil and drainage, ginseng may be a viable way to produce income from your underutilized woods. Ginseng is a tricky plant to grow successfully and takes between 7-10 years to reach a size favored by the Asian markets to which it is exported. The market for ginseng has averaged over $800 per dried pound over the last few years. Watauga Cooperative Extension hosted a series of workshops on ginseng production in September. Due to popular demand, additional ginseng workshops have been added for October. Dr. Jim Hamilton from Cooperative Extension will provide an overview of ginseng production and a field demonstration on how to successfully plant and cultivate wild-simulated ginseng. The 2-part workshop includes: 1. Field Demonstration: How to Plant Ginseng – Oct. 5th, 2-3pm 2. Classroom Presentation: Wild Simulated Ginseng Production – Oct. 12th, 6-8pm Cost to attend field and/or classroom workshop is $75. Participants will receive a starter kit of ½ pound of stratified ginseng seed. Workshops will be held at the Watauga County Agricultural Conference Center, located at 252 Poplar Grove Rd, Boone (behind our offices). Be prepared for a short walk to the field demonstration site. Registration and payment is required in advance. Please call or come by the Watauga County Extension Office to register for workshop sessions. Checks may be made out to Watauga County CES. It is recommended that you send in a soil sample of the area you are thinking about planting and bring your soil report to the workshop. Additional seed may be available upon request. Workshop topics will include: Background on ginseng Site selection, soil fertility requirements, & companion plants Site preparation Planting methods Production issues—(pest mitigation & poaching issues) The market for ginseng This workshop series is made possible through a grant from the NCDA North Carolina Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and PHARMN (Preserve Heritage Agriculture & Regional Markets Now…www.pharmn.org) For more information, contact Dr. Jim Hamilton or Kirsten Dillman at the Watauga County Cooperative Extension at 828-264-3061 or at jim_hamilton@ncsu.edu.
READ THE REST »
October Ginseng
Workshops Added
If you own mature forestland (or a nice wooded backyard) with good soil and drainage, ginseng may be a viable way to produce income from your underutilized woods. Ginseng is a tricky plant to grow successfully and takes between 7-10 years to reach a size favored by the Asian markets to which it is exported. The market for ginseng has averaged over $800 per dried pound over the last few years. Watauga Cooperative Extension hosted a series of workshops on ginseng production in September. Due to popular demand, additional ginseng workshops have been added for October. Dr. Jim Hamilton from Cooperative Extension will provide an overview of ginseng production and a field demonstration on how to successfully plant and cultivate wild-simulated ginseng. The 2-part workshop includes: 1. Field Demonstration: How to Plant Ginseng – Oct. 5th, 2-3pm 2. Classroom Presentation: Wild Simulated Ginseng Production – Oct. 12th, 6-8pm Cost to attend field and/or classroom workshop is $75. Participants will receive a starter kit of ½ pound of stratified ginseng seed. Workshops will be held at the Watauga County Agricultural Conference Center, located at 252 Poplar Grove Rd, Boone (behind our offices). Be prepared for a short walk to the field demonstration site. Registration and payment is required in advance. Please call or come by the Watauga County Extension Office to register for workshop sessions. Checks may be made out to Watauga County CES. It is recommended that you send in a soil sample of the area you are thinking about planting and bring your soil report to the workshop. Additional seed may be available upon request. Workshop topics will include: Background on ginseng Site selection, soil fertility requirements, & companion plants Site preparation Planting methods Production issues—(pest mitigation & poaching issues) The market for ginseng This workshop series is made possible through a grant from the NCDA North Carolina Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and PHARMN (Preserve Heritage Agriculture & Regional Markets Now…www.pharmn.org) For more information, contact Dr. Jim Hamilton or Kirsten Dillman at the Watauga County Cooperative Extension at 828-264-3061 or at jim_hamilton@ncsu.edu.
READ THE REST »
Professional
Landscape Day
An event for professional landscapers will be held at Watauga County Cooperative Extension Conference Center on October 6th from 8:30-3:30. The conference center is located at 252 Poplar Grove Rd. in Boone. The event is geared towards offering professional landscapers in Watauga County as well as surrounding counties such as Avery, Ashe, Caldwell and Wilkes, an opportunity to earn 5 landscape contractor license credits and 2 pesticide certification credits (L,N,D,X). There will be various vendors who sell landscaping supplies and equipment that you can visit with during lunch. Lunch will be provided so to help with planning, please register by calling the Watauga County Cooperative Extension office at 828-264-3061. If you do not need landscape contractors license hours and cannot attend all day, you may attend after lunch to receive those credits. The schedule will be as follows: 8:30-9:00 Registration ($5 registration fee to help cover lunch) 9:00-10:00 Snow Removal Technology (1 hour landscape contractor credit) Jerry Moody, Avery County Extension Director 10:05-11:05 Lighting Demo (1 hour landscape contractor credit) Site One Landscape Supply 11:10-12:10 Equipment Demonstrations (1 hour landscape contractor credit) Air spades for root collar excavations: Rob Reynolds, Green Valley Arborist, along with other equipment demonstrations 12:10-1:15 Lunch and visit with various landscape vendors 1:15-2:15 Sustainable Turf Management (1 hour landscape contractor and pesticide certification credit, L, N, D, X) Dr. Grady Miller, NC State Cooperative Extension Specialists 2:20-3:20 Year End Review of Pests and Disease (1 hour landscape and pesticide credit L, N, D, X) Paige Patterson, Watauga County Extension, Horticulture Agent
READ THE REST »
Nickels for Know-How
Referendum
The Watauga County Nickels for Know-How Referendum will be held on Tuesday, November 1, 2016 at the Watauga County Extension Office from 8am to 5pm. The referendum is being held to let users and produces of feed or fertilizer decide if they wish to continue the self-assessment program. This program has been in place since 1948, and the law requires that a new referendum be held every six years. A 2/3 favorable vote will mean that growers are willing to continue to assess themselves to support agricultural research and education. The assessment is fifteen cents per ton on feed and fertilizer produced in North Carolina. The funds, about $1.4 million annually, are collected by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and then allocated by the NC Carolina Agricultural Foundation, Inc.’s 148 volunteer Board of Directors to support agricultural research and extension projects at NC State University benefitting agriculture in North Carolina. For more information on the referendum please call your County Extension Office at: 828.264.3061
READ THE REST »
Watauga Extension
Offers Ginseng Workshops in September
If you own mature forestland (or a nice wooded backyard) with good soil and drainage, ginseng may be a viable way to produce income from your underutilized woods. Ginseng is a tricky plant to grow successfully and takes between 7-10 years to reach a size favored by the Asian markets to which it is exported. The market for ginseng has averaged over $800 per dried pound over the last few years. Cooperative Extension will be hosting a series of classes & field demonstrations on wild-simulated ginseng production in September at the Watauga County Agricultural Conference Center, 252 Poplar Grove Road, Boone. Dr. Jim Hamilton from Cooperative Extension will provide an overview of ginseng production and field demonstration on how to successfully plant and cultivate wild-simulated ginseng. Topics will include: Background on ginseng Site selection, soil fertility requirements, & companion plants Site preparation Planting methods Production issues—(pest mitigation & poaching issues) The market for ginseng September Ginseng Workshops at the Ag Conference Center: How to Plant Ginseng: Field Demonstration (choose 1 session) September 7 @ 2pm-3:30pm; 20 participants max September 8 @ 4pm-5:30pm; 20 participants max Wild Simulated Ginseng Production: Classroom Presentation September 29 @ 6pm-8pm; 40 participants max Cost to attend field and/or classroom workshop is $75. Participants will receive a starter kit of ½ pound of stratified ginseng seed and a copy of “Growing & Marketing Ginseng and other woodland medicinals”— (a value of over $100). Seed and guidebook supplies are limited to the first 40 total paid registrants. Registration and payment is required in advance. Please call or come by the Watauga County Extension Office to register for workshop sessions. Checks may be made out to Watauga County CES. It is recommended that you send in a soil sample of the area you are thinking about planting and bring your soil report to the workshop. Additional seed may be available upon request. This workshop series is made possible through a grant from the NCDA North Carolina Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and PHARMN (Preserve Heritage Agriculture & Regional Markets Now…www.pharmn.org) For more information, contact Dr. Jim Hamilton at the Watauga County Cooperative Extension at 264-3061 or at jim_hamilton@ncsu.edu.
READ THE REST »
NC Safe Plates course
offered
NC Safe Plates is a new Food Safety Manager Certification Course developed by NC State University and an alternative to ServSafe. This course will prepare food service managers to complete the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals Food Safety Manager Certification Examination. NC establishments must have at least one supervisor certified as a food protection manager through an American National Standards Institute (ANSI)- accredited program or face a two-point violation from the health department. Managers will receive a certificate to display in their operation which will verify with local Environmental Health Departments that they are in compliance. Upcoming Class – Monday through Wednesday, September 19 – 21, 2016, from 9:00am – 1:00pm. The two-hour exam will be on Thursday, September 22, 2016 from 9:00am – 11:30am. Please register and pay by Thursday, September 8th at Watauga County NC Cooperative Extension, 971 West King St., Boone, NC 28607. The cost of the class is $120.00 which covers the book, exam, handouts and refreshments. The class will be held at the Agriculture Conference Center, 252 Poplar Grove Rd., Boone. For more information call Margie Mansure or Kirsten Dillman at 264-3061, Margie_mansure@ncsu.edu or Kirsten_dillman@ncsu.edu
READ THE REST »
NEWS View All
More News
Additional Ginseng Workshops added for October
If you own mature forestland (or a nice wooded backyard) with good soil and drainage, ginseng may be a viable way to produce income from your underutilized woods. Ginseng is a tricky plant MORE »
Professional Landscape Day to be Offered
An event for professional landscapers will be held at Watauga County Cooperative Extension Conference Center on October 6th from 8:30-3:30. The conference center is located at 252 Poplar Grove Rd. in Boone. The MORE »
Register for Nursery Field Day on September 23 popular
The 16th Annual Nursery Crop Field Day will be held on Friday, September 23 from 8 am to 3 pm at Hard and Flossie Clark Park in Collettsville, NC. The event features hands-on MORE » – from 
Burke County Center
Hands-on Canning Class
To learn how to safely preserve your garden bounty, sign up for a hands-on canning class, offered by Margie Mansure, Extension Agent specializing in nutrition and foods at Watauga County Cooperative Extension. Participants MORE »
Nickels for Know-How Referendum
The Watauga County Nickels for Know-How Referendum will be held on Tuesday, November 1, 2016 at the Watauga County Extension Office from 8am to 5pm. The referendum is being held to let users MORE »
Watauga Extension Offers Ginseng Workshops in September
If you own mature forestland (or a nice wooded backyard) with good soil and drainage, ginseng may be a viable way to produce income from your underutilized woods. Ginseng is a tricky plant MORE »
Nursery Weed Field Day Slated for September 7 popular
This event features on-site demonstrations and will focus on recent research from Dr. Joe Neal’s lab exploring the economics and efficacy of weed control strategies in container nurseries. Topics include herbicide efficacy and MORE » – from Burke County Center
North Carolina Christmas Trees by the Numbers popular
5-6 million: Christmas trees harvested annually $100 million Estimated wholesale value of Christmas tree crops harvested. The retail value is $250 million or more. 30,000+: Approximate Christmas tree acreage in production statewide $25 MORE » – from Christmas Trees
EVENTS View AllMore Events
Project Learning Tree K-8 Professional Development WorkshopFri Oct 14, 2016
8:30 AM - 2:30 PM Where:
8:30 AM - 2:30 PM Where:
Meadowview Middle School, 1282 McKinney Rd, Mt Airy, NC 27030, USA
— 2 weeks away
