Contact Us Inside This Issue
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Contact Us Inside This Issue
Extension news Surry County Center January 2015 Inside This Issue Farm City Celebration Congratulations 4-H Plant Sale Radon Meetings & Workshops Scholarship Master Gardener Program It’s Cold Outside Calendar of Events On Tuesday, November 25th, the Surry County Cooperative Extension hosted a Farm-City Celebration at Surry Community College. Over 70 farmers, business leaders, economic development leaders, and elected officials attended. This was a celebration to honor agricultural producers in the area and to foster understanding between those on the farm and those who work or live in town. Surry County has a rich agricultural heritage, but many people simply do not know how important agriculture is to the economic well-being of the county. Agriculture provides approximately 20% of the total county economy and is the largest single sector of the economy; not only in the county, but the state as well. Hopefully this program will become an annual event to celebrate how agriculture and businesses can support each other. Contact Us Surry County Center Post Office Box 324 210 North Main Street Dobson, NC 27017 (336) 401-8025 Phone (336) 401-8048 Fax surry.ces.ncsu.edu Distributed in furtherance of the acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating. Mary Cathey received her Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Certification in November, 2014. She completed 40 hours of classwork and 40 hour of volunteer work to receive this certification. Cathey has worked hard as an intern and has done a fabulous job in her community. She will continue giving back to her community through various projects and other forms of horticulture education. The annual 4-H plant sale will be starting soon. Be on the look-out for your brochure this month. Orders will continue to be taken through Thursday, February 26th. To make sure you receive a brochure call 401-8025 to be placed on the mailing list for these great plants! Types of plants being sold this year include: Strawberries Blueberries Blackberries Raspberries Various Ornamentals Various Herbs North Carolina Cooperative Extension As the turning of the seasons brings colder weather to North Carolina, and families close windows to keep warm, it is an excellent time to make plans for radon testing in your home. Radon is the odorless, colorless gas that is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. The effects upon the families it touches can be just as devastating as lung cancer caused by smoking tobacco. January is National Radon Action Month. Each year upwards to 22,000 people die from radon-induced lung cancer. Roughly 54 percent of those diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer are expected to live no more than five years after diagnosis. The Surry County Cooperative Extension is partnering with the NC Radon program to provide free short-term radon test kits in recognition of National Radon Action Month. A limited supply of radon test kits are being made available locally at the Extension office located at 210 North Main Street in Dobson. The North Carolina Radon Program website, www.ncradon.org, will have a list of all 83 participating organizations across North Carolina. This website will also have a limited supply of kits available. Once the supply of free kits have been exhausted, the NC Radon Program website will return to providing short-term radon test kits at a reduced cost of $5.34, a kit retailed at $15.00. The cost of lowering radon levels in a home averages to about $1,500. The North Carolina Radon Protection Section sought help for families that might struggle to meet that expense. The Self Help Credit Union stepped up and created a loan program specifically for radon mitigation. North Carolina homeowners who meet federal poverty criteria may be eligible for forgivable loans from local programs. A link to more information is available on the NC Radon Program web page. Lung cancer can strike anyone, even a nonsmoker. Test your home for radon and lower your family’s risk of lung cancer. For more information visit www.ncradon.org . When: January 27, 2015 6:00 p.m Where: NC Cooperative Extension, Dobson Cost: $5.00 for supplies and materials Join us as we learn basic propagation techniques in this hands-on workshop. Participants will not only take with them knowledge of plant propagation of seeds, division (bulbs), cuttings, and layering; they will go home with several freshly propagated plants. This workshop is open to all knowledge and experience levels, and the techniques that will be discussed can be done at home. Gardeners love to propagate and space will fill up quickly, so register early by calling the NC Cooperative Extension at (336) 401-8025 before Friday, January 23rd. Have you ever wanted to grow your own mushrooms? The Surry County Cooperative Extension and North Surry Future Farmers of America will be hosing two hands-on Shiitake Mushroom Log Inoculation workshops. When: January 22, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. January 29, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. We will be having a 4-H County Council interest meeting on Monday, January 12th at 4 pm at the Cooperative Extension Office in Dobson. Our program will be led by one of our State 4-H Officers, Madaline Jones of Yadkin County. She will be sharing her 4-H story and teaching a program centered on leadership! The purpose of creating a County Council is for ages 10 & up to meet monthly to help plan county 4-H events, gain leadership skills, and plan community service projects they complete as a group! If this is something you think YOUR child may be interested in or would like more information about please shoot me an email or give me a call so that we can get this going and work TOGETHER to create a better 4-H program for our county. Call 401-8025 to register by Friday, January 9th. 2 Where: North Surry High School Agriculture Building Cost: $20.00 Participants will learn how to inoculate oak logs with mushroom spawn and will be able to take the logs home with them. The workshops involve hands-on learning so prepare to leave dirty. Please call the Surry County Cooperative Extension to pre-register by January 23rd. The North Carolina Extension and Community Association awards a $600.00 scholarship to one high school student and one adult student each year. The purpose of the scholarship is to assist students in obtaining a degree at any North Carolina college, in any field of study, with priority given to Family and Consumer Sciences. (Part-time students must carry no less than six (6) hours per semester and full time students must carry no less than twelve (12) hours per semester.) Qualified individuals can obtain an application packet from the financial aid office at their local community college or by contacting the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, Surry County Center at 336-401-8025 or by dropping by the office located at 210 North Main Street, Dobson, NC. Applications must be completed and returned to North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Post Office Box 324, Dobson, NC 27017, by February 13, 2015. Do you have a desire to learn more about growing plants? Are you interested in fruits, vegetables, ornamentals or lawns? Are you interested in volunteering your time and gardening talent in projects that benefit the citizens of our county? If so, you may be interested in the Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program offered by North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Surry County Center. The program provides participants with 40 hours of in-depth training in the art and science of horticulture. Class participants receive current, research based information from Extension educators. In return, trained Extension Master Gardeners volunteer their time and expertise in support of many community programs and activities. Master Gardener volunteers are recognized as well-trained practitioners who serve and beautify their communities and are linked to a professional network of support through county, state, and national Cooperative Extension offices. Classes will be offered beginning February 3 from 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm at the Extension Center in Dobson. Class will be every Tuesday and Thursday until March 12. The class fee is $100. The fee may be decreased if participants borrow manuals. Anyone interested in the class should complete an application to be accepted into the program. The application can be found on our website at http://surry.ces.ncsu.edu/ or can be mailed to you by calling the Extension Center at 401-8025. If you are interested in learning more about the Surry County Master Gardener program, please contact Joanna Radford by phone at (336) 401-8025 or by e-mail joanna_radford@ncsu.edu. Winter is upon us, and the temperatures are dropping. Many would rather stay inside where it is warm and cozy than get out exercising and enjoying the brisk air. When we stay in the house we are less active and usually watch more television. It’s recommended that we limit TV use to less than 2 hours per day. Most of us are guilty of watching much more than that. Did you realize the average American sees about 8000 commercials a year? Most of these commercials are for food and beverages. It is interesting that out of all these food commercials we only see about 165 a year for nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables. The main problem with all the commercials are they make you hungry, encourage you to eat less healthy foods, and can lead to unwanted weight gain. Staying active year round is important for everyone at every age. Getting regular exercise can improve your mood and rid you of “cabin fever”. You will gain more energy and mobility, improve circulation, and strengthen your heart just by taking a brisk walk for about 30 minutes every day. Baby, even if it is cold outside…turn off the TV…bundle up…and take a winter walk. Happy, Healthy New Year! 3 C ALENDAR O F E VENTS ECA Leader Lesson Training January 9, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. Elkin Center of Surry Community College You & Diabetes January 21, 2015 at 12:00 Noon Reeves Community Center, Mount Airy 4-H County Council Interest Meeting January 12, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. NC Cooperative Extension, Dobson Private Pesticide Applicator Recertification Category “V” January 21, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. NC Cooperative Extension, Dobson Surry County Beekeepers Meeting January 12, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. NC Cooperative Extension, Dobson 4-H Beekeepers Club Meeting January 12, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. NC Cooperative Extension, Dobson Beef Producers Meeting January 13, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. Cost: $5.00 Surry County Farm Bureau, Dobson Surry County Master Gardener Meeting January 14, 2015 at 12:00 noon NC Cooperative Extension, Dobson Vinedressers Meeting January 15, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. NC Cooperative Extension, Dobson GAP Training January 20, 2015 from 9:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m. NC Cooperative Extension, Dobson Cost: $75.00 per farm Magic of Dried Beans Workshop January 22, 2015 at 12:00 Noon NC Cooperative Extension, Dobson Mushroom Production Workshops January 22 & 29, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. North Surry High School, Agriculture Bldg. Cost: $20.00 ECA County Council Meeting January 23, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. NC Cooperative Extension, Dobson A Matter of Balance Series January 26, 2015 to March 16, 2015 Jonesville Senior Center 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Mountain Place Apartments, Mt. Airy 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Plant Propagation Workshop January 27, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. NC Cooperative Extension, Dobson Cost: $5.00 Accommodation Statement: For accommodations for persons with disabilities, contact the Surry County Center at (336) 401-8025 no later than five business days before the event. Special Note: Registration for events listed in this calendar are required unless otherwise noted. Register by calling (336) 401-8025. Disclaimer Recommendations for the use of agricultural chemicals are included in this publication as a convenience to the reader. The use of brand names and any mention or listing of commercial products or services in this publication does not imply endorsement by North Carolina Cooperative Extension nor discrimination against similar products or services not mentioned. Individuals who use agricultural chemicals are responsible for ensuring that the intended use complies with current regulations and conforms to the product label. Be sure to obtain current information about usage regulations and examine a current product label before applying any chemical. For assistance, contact your county Cooperative Extension agent. 276 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $106.43 or .3856 per copy. Surry County Center Post Office Box 324 Dobson, NC 27017-0324 NON-PROFIT US POSTAGE PAID DOBSON, NC PERMIT NO. 45