Extension News May 2025

4-H Summer Fun Programs

Registration is now open for our Surry County 4-H Summer Fun Programs! These low-cost day camps are the perfect way to help your child have fun while learning a new skill this summer! The programs will begin the last week of May and continue through the month of July. Our programs are for youth ages 5-18 years old. This summer’s offerings include a Junior Beekeepers program, Sew Much Fun, an outing to Stone Mountain State Park, a Cloverbud Day, Hooked on Crocheting, Art Adventures, Fuel for Life, a tour of the Homeland Creamery & Farm, It’s Electric, the Innovation Station bus from NC A&T University, Cake-tastic Creations, Chef and the Child, and a field trip to Crisanthemum Studios in Pilot Mountain. To sign up for Summer Fun, you must have a free 4-H Online account. Once you sign in to your account, you can click on the Events tab to register for programs. If you do not yet have an account, you may sign up here: https://www.4honline.com/#/user/sign-in . Payment will need to be made at the Surry County Extension Office prior to the date of the program. We accept cash and checks only; we do not have the ability to accept cards. There are a limited number of spaces for each program, so don’t delay in signing up! If you have questions or need assistance with signing up, please contact Amanda Gann at (336)401-8025 or agann@ncsu.edu.

4-H Education at the Market

Do you have a child who is interested in gardening? Do you wish that your child would try more fruits and vegetables? If you answered yes to either of these questions, we may have the perfect opportunity for you! This summer, Surry County 4-H, along with the Surry County Master Gardeners, will be offering Education at the Market sessions for Youth at the Dobson Farmers’ Market. We want to encourage families to grow their own food and to try to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into their diets. Each week we will learn about a different fruit or vegetable. We will learn about how the plant grows best and how to care for the plants. Each participant will be able to take home seeds or a plant to add to their own gardens at home. We will then do a taste test of the featured fruit or vegetable, and participants will get a recipe to take home to make for their family. The sessions will begin on Friday, May 16th. We will be at the Dobson Farmers’ Market each Friday through the end of July from 3:00-4:30 pm. We hope that you will come by and see us!

Pork

Did you know in 2024 pork was the top consumed protein across the globe? The U.S. actually produces 11% of the world’s pork! Pork is also a big part of NC agriculture. NC ranks third in total hog production in the nation. At the end of 2022, there were 8.2 million hogs in North Carolina. Pork supports more than 44,000 jobs in NC and generated an economic impact of $10 billion for our state.

This time of year, many of us are thinking about getting outside more to enjoy the nice weather. What better way to do that than by grilling, especially since May is National Barbeque Month! Some pork cuts for you to consider are pork chops, ribs, sausage, and many more!

Let’s break down pork ribs a little further, as they come in many different types. Baby back ribs, also known as back ribs or loin back, are smaller than spareribs and come from the center of the pork loin, which is located along the top of the pig. Spareribs come from the belly of the hog and are larger and meatier than other ribs. St. Louis style ribs are spareribs that have been cut squarely. Rib tips are the lower portion of spareribs that remains after cutting the St. Louis-style ribs. Country-style ribs are cut from where the loin and shoulder meet. The image below shows the primal cuts of pork, which is where the cuts you buy in the grocery store come from! Check out the link for tips on grilling pork.

Sources: ttps://ncpork.org/local-impact/, ttps://ncpork.org/global-impact/, ttps://www.pork.org/cuts/pork-ribs/ Images from: https://bruemar.com/pork-cuts/ and https://www.pork.org/inspirations/grill-pork/

Choose Med instead of Meds

Celebrate Mediterranean Diet Month during the month of May by joining us for an Eating the Mediterranean Way Diabetes and You class on Wednesday, May 14, 11:30 am. at the Surry County Center, NC Cooperative Extension. There is no charge to attend, but please call to pre-register.

The Mediterranean-style eating pattern incorporates the basics of healthy eating that are traditionally practiced in countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. Eating and exercising like those who live in this region has been shown to promote health and decrease the risk of many chronic diseases. Foods that you once thought were too high in fat or unhealthy, including nuts, olive oil, olives, and whole grains, can be part of your everyday diet.

Use the following tips to help you eat the Med way:

• Eat at least 5 cups of fruits and vegetables every day. The whole fruit or vegetable is a better choice than juice. An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but 5 apples a day would give you a stomachache. Select an assortment of fruits and vegetables and eat a variety of different colors. There are so many produce items to try. No one should be bored from eating the same things every day. Dark green leafy vegetables are especially good. Try collards, kale, turnips, and spinach.

• Choose whole grains often. When choosing bread and pasta, look for the word “whole” as the first ingredient on the ingredient list. Shopping for bread can be a challenge if you don’t read the label. Many breads look like whole grain but are wheat bread with added color to make them brown. Look for recipes that include oatmeal, quinoa, and brown rice. Popcorn is a whole grain and makes a great snack.

• Include lots of beans and legumes. There are some great recipes that use beans as a substitution for meat. Not only are these delicious, but they are also good for our health and our wallets.

• Nuts and seeds are a nice addition to recipes and salads. The key is moderation. The recommendation is three small handfuls of nuts and seeds a week. Measure out your nut servings so you don’t get too much of a good thing. Sprinkling a few on the top of your food gives you the yummy flavor without adding too many calories.

• Choose olive oil to replace solid fats (butter and margarine) and other oils. You can use olive oil in homemade salad dressings and even on your toast. Just put a little olive oil in your pan and toast the whole-wheat bread on both sides. The increased consumption of olive oil, up to four tablespoons per day while keeping within your calorie budget, is probably the biggest change in the Mediterranean diet over previous low-fat diet recommendations. Olive oil has healthy fat, and it makes our food taste great.

• Replace salt with herbs and spices to make food taste delicious. Try growing your own herbs in flowerpots or around your home. It is a lot of fun to go outside and cut fresh herbs when you need them for a recipe, and they make a huge difference in flavor.

• Meat Matters. Eat seafood at least three times a week and poultry at least twice. The recommendation for red meat is 2-3 times a month. This is probably a different way of thinking for some of us and may encourage us to try some new meatless recipes.

• Moderate amounts of red wine are an option. Consume up to 5 ounces per day for women of all ages and men over 65. Younger men can have 10 ounces a day.

• Physical activity is key. Go for a brisk walk for at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week.

• Limit sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets to no more than 3 servings per week.

• Rarely choose fast foods or highly processed foods. By the time you eat all the foods which ARE recommended, you may not be hungry for the less healthy convenience foods, and they won’t taste nearly as delicious.

Purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, plan your meals and try out some new recipes. There's no time like the present to make some positive changes in your health.

Strawberriers

Strawberries are not just a delicious and refreshing treat—they are a nutritional powerhouse that can significantly enhance your diet. These vibrant red fruits are packed with water and fiber, making them highly hydrating and beneficial for digestion, while their naturally low sugar and calorie content make them an ideal choice for those watching their weight or managing blood sugar levels. Impressively, strawberries contain more vitamin C than oranges, providing a significant boost to your immune system and skin health. They are also an excellent source of vitamin B9 (folate), a key nutrient for cell regeneration and energy production. Beyond these vitamins, strawberries offer a wealth of essential minerals, including manganese, which supports bone health and metabolism, along with calcium and magnesium, both vital for maintaining strong bones and muscle function. Try this EFNEP recipe using fresh strawberries!!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup strawberries, chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Grease the muffin tin with cooking spray to prevent sticking, or use paper liners.
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan or microwave. Set aside.
3. Wash strawberries; remove stems and tops and throw away. Chop berries into small pieces and place them in a small bowl. Add eggs, yogurt, melted butter, and vanilla. Mix well.
4. In a medium bowl, mix together whole-wheat flour, brown sugar, and baking soda. Mix well.
5. Add strawberry mixture to flour mixture. Mix well until ingredients are wet. Do not overmix.
6. Spoon the batter into muffin cups, about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

Recipe adapted from Teen Cuisine Curriculum (Virginia Tech)

Demo Garden Tour

Enjoy touring four demonstration gardens and get ideas for your own landscape. The Edible Garden, Pollinator Garden, Sensory Garden, and Purple Heart Gardens are planted with interesting and unique plants that can be easily incorporated into local backyards. All plants are labelled in the gardens.

The Demonstration Gardens are located at the Surry County Historical Courthouse at 114 West Atkins Street, Dobson.

May 17, 2025 at 10:30am

Donation Station at Elkin Farmers Market

NC State Extension Master Gardener volunteers of Surry County will be at the Elkin Farmer’s Market with a new project. The first Saturday of each month, a “Donation Station” will be set up at their educational booth. They will be accepting food and monetary donations from farmers market shoppers, buying directly from farmers at the farmers market, and donating the resulting food to The ARK in Elkin. Market vendors also have the opportunity to donate any leftover products to be donated as well. Please join us on May 3 to help kick this new project off!

Elkin Farmers Market hours are every Saturday

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

The market is located at 101 E Market Street, Elkin.

Pesticide Collection Day

Do you have old and unwanted pesticide products tying up space within your shed or barn? Would you also like for those old and unwanted pesticide products to be taken care of properly for disposal? If you answered yes to both of those questions, it sounds like you should make sure to bring those products to our Pesticide Collection Day on May 15th.

North Carolina Cooperative Extension, in partnership with the Yadkin County Landfill and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture Pesticide Disposal Assistance Program, is coordinating the collection event. The Pesticide Collection Day will take place at the Yadkin County Landfill from 9 am until 2 pm. Any general pesticide product will be accepted; however, items that will not be accepted include paints, paint thinners or strippers, gasoline, oils, drain solvents, and batteries.