Extension News April 2025

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With the month of April comes warmer afternoon temperatures. It’s a great time to get outdoors with your children or grandchildren and explore the wonders of nature! Many animals have now emerged from their winter hiding places. It’s a great chance to see them at work in the environment! You may be able to watch honeybees busy collecting nectar from the blooms of a fruit tree. Go on a walk and look for milkweed plants. If you find butterfly eggs on one, you can dig it up and transplant it into a pot to allow them to watch the life cycle of a butterfly right at home! You can watch the birds as they collect nesting materials and build their nests. After it rains, go for a walk in the woods and see if you can spot any animal tracks! Begin planning your summer gardens by drawing out your design and starting seeds indoors to transplant after the threat of frost. It’s also a great chance to educate them on looking out for poison oak and poison ivy as they are playing or walking in the woods.

Everyday household tasks can also be an opportunity for learning! As you are servicing the lawnmower for the season, teach them about the tools you’re using and their uses. Let them build a birdhouse to place near your home. Show them how to care for a garden by helping with planting, watering, and weeding it. As you’re digging in the garden, look for worms and talk to them about how worms are helpful to our soil. Visit a farm and see the new baby animals that are being born. There are so many changes that come along with springtime! This brings a great opportunity to turn them into educational opportunities and to get outdoors!

Summer Fun Programs

It’s hard to believe, but summer will be here before we know it! That means it is time to start thinking about plans for your children and grandchildren while they are out of school for summer. Surry County 4-H offers low-cost summer day camps for youth ages 5-18, which allow them to learn a new skill, explore their interests, and have fun! This year we will have programs for cooking, cake decorating, sewing, crocheting, STEM, Art, Crafting, Pottery & Ceramics, Gardening, Beekeeping, Animal Science, Hiking, and others. Descriptions of our programs as well as links to sign up will be coming soon. Keep an eye on our Surry County 4-H Facebook page for more information!

Healthier Choices for Your Eating Habits

We know choosing healthier food items is the best choice for our bodies and our health. However, knowing where to begin in changing our diet habits and finding accurate information to follow can be a challenge. These tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide reliable information on ways to include more nutritious foods in your daily diet.

Fruits

Let’s start with fruits. Maybe you already include fruits in your diet, but are they usually apples or bananas? Congratulations on eating fruits, but try leaving your comfort zone by adding mangos, pineapples, kiwis, and other fruits to your fruit salad, cereal, oatmeal, or smoothie.

The good news is that frozen, fresh or canned fruits, are all great choices to make. Just keep in mind that canned fruits may contain added sugars or syrups. If purchasing canned fruits, look for varieties that come packed in water or in the fruits’ own juice.

Vegetables

When it comes to vegetables, they can be eaten raw or cooked. Grilled or steamed vegetables are delicious. To give vegetables more flavor, add herbs and spices such as rosemary or pepper. You can also pan-fry or roast your vegetables using a small amount of cooking spray or a healthy unsaturated oil like olive or avocado oil. Keep in mind that frozen and canned vegetables may be cheaper than fresh in some stores and are just as nutritious. Look for canned or frozen vegetables without added salt, butter, or cream sauces.

Meats

If you enjoy adding meats to your diet, choose leaner cuts such as chicken breast or white-fleshed fish. Remove any visible fat from the meat before cooking it and avoid frying. Baking or grilling your meat will be healthier options. Cooking with unsaturated oils is also a plus.

Avoid processed meats, such as salami, sausages, and bacon, as much as possible. Swapping red meats for fish, chicken, and turkey is a great idea.

If you need another protein replacement, consider purchasing chickpeas, beans, or lentils.

Reducing Sodium Intake

Consuming too much sodium can lead to an increase in blood pressure and an added risk for heart disease and stroke. Look for packaged foods labeled with “low sodium,” “reduced sodium,” or “no salt added.”

The Nutrition Facts label on the back of purchased products provides all the information you need about sodium levels. Check the amount of sodium per serving, as well as the number of servings per container, and choose the option with the lowest amount of sodium.

When cooking at home, reduce the amount of salt called for in your recipes. Add garlic, citrus juice, salt-free seasonings, herbs, and spices for added flavor. Avoid sauces, mixes, and instant products that are flavored with salt.

Comfort Foods

If you are thinking, “Will I ever be able to eat my favorite foods again?” Don’t worry. You can still eat your favorite things if you keep the following tips in mind.

Tip 1: Don’t consume foods that are high in calories, fats, or sugars all the time. Eating them occasionally is fine.

Tip 2: Eat smaller servings of these not-so-healthy foods, modify your recipe, or look for a lower-calorie version of the product. For example, in a macaroni and cheese recipe that usually calls for whole milk, butter, and full-fat cheese, you can remake it by using nonfat milk, less butter, and low-fat cheese. Adding spinach, tomatoes, or any other vegetables will help balance the meal.

By taking these easy steps, you can make a world of difference in the foods you are consuming every week. Combine that with some exercising and you will be working toward a healthier lifestyle for yourself and family.

Each of the healthy suggestions mentioned above can be done with SNAP benefits.

To learn more about SNAP in NC or to apply, contact the More in My Basket program by calling toll free at 1-855-240-1451 or visit their website at morefood.org

Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/healthy-eating/index.html & https://www.cdc.gov/salt/reduce-sodium-intake/ CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/salt/reduce_sodium_tips.htm

Asparagus

Asparagus is an excellent source of vitamin K and contains fiber and antioxidants. Vitamin K helps keep our bones strong. Fiber keeps us regular while antioxidants protect our cells from damage.

Storing and Choosing Asparagus:

• Asparagus stalks should be plump, and tips should be pointy.
• Asparagus spears should be firm and straight.
• Refrigerate asparagus in an unsealed plastic bag.

How to Add Asparagus to your diet:

• Roast asparagus in the oven.
• Serve with grilled fish.
• Sprinkle it with cheese and bake it.

Written by: Priya Samuel, EFNEP student volunteer

Are You Interested in Getting a Pesticide License

This article is for anyone who is interested in getting their pesticide license or for someone who may have questions on certain aspects of the process of getting a pesticide license. Ultimately, the first step is to determine what type of pesticide license you will need. There are two different types of pesticide licenses: a private license and a commercial license. The folks who normally maintain a private pesticide license are farmers that grow and raise their own crops. Whereas folks who have a commercial pesticide license work for a company or entity that will benefit them in their job if they maintain this type of license. There are multiple different commercial pesticide license categories such as ornamental and turf, pesticide dealer, right-of-way maintenance, and also aquatic pest control, for a few examples.

Once you determine which type of pesticide license you will need, the next step is to purchase the necessary study manuals to pass the associated exams. To purchase a study manual, you can go to www.pesticidemanuals.com. After you have received your study manual, you can sign up to attend a Pesticide School, which is offered at Extension offices throughout North Carolina, where attendees can learn about their pesticide license category before taking their exam.

After you pass your pesticide exam, you will receive your license in the mail. However, it is important for you to pay the annual fee at the beginning of each year, along with building up the necessary pesticide credits to keep your pesticide license active. For more information on the process of getting a pesticide license, feel free to check out the newly updated North Carolina Department of Agriculture’s website:

SCEMGV Scholarship

The Surry County Master Gardeners Volunteer Program has established a $1500 scholarship to assist students such as yourself in completing a four-year degree leading to a career in horticulture or a related field, including horticulture, floriculture, landscape design, botany, forestry, agronomy, plant pathology, conservation, environmental science, soil science, turfgrass, agribusiness, viticulture, etc. The scholarship is intended to encourage professional preparation of future leaders in the field of horticulture or related field. The scholarship is renewable. We are pleased that you have chosen such a career and thank you for your interest in obtaining our assistance in completing your studies.

The scholarship is open to high school seniors and current college students pursuing a two or four-year degree. Each applicant must be a graduate of a high school, including home schooled students, and reside in Surry County, and must complete and submit the application form by June 1. The Scholarship Committee may, after reviewing applications, request a personal interview with specific candidates. The scholarship award will be paid directly into the student’s account at the college or university in which the student is enrolled. The SCEMGV Scholarship Committee reserves the right, in its recommendations to the Master Gardener Volunteers, to deviate from stated requirements.

In addition to the information requested in the application form, you may include one letter of recommendation from an instructor or employer who is not a relative.