May 2026 Newsletter

May Calendar

Wits Workout: Every Wednesday in April, 12:30pm to 1:30pm at the Mitchell County Senior Center

• May 18, 2026 - 4-H Gourmet Gang Meeting @ Mayland
• May 26, 2026 - 4-H Farm Friends Meeting @ Bowman

Livestock Owners, Please Read!

EFNEP Article

May is Med Month! A month focused on eating foods from the Mediterranean way of eating

Eating foods from the Mediterranean diet have shown to help improve health in many ways. Some tips for healthier eating: -Focus on eating lean meats (fish & poultry) & plant proteins -Choose whole grains -Swap your fats -Eat more fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds -Limit added sugars

May is National Egg Month Eggs are a great source of protein and have many important nutrients Broccoli is in peak season during May Choose stalks with deep green hands that are closely packed together Avoid heads that have turned light green or yellow

Give kids the opportunity to help in the kitchen! -Helping can make your kids more confident and independent in their own cooking skills!

5 ideas to get your kids involved 1) Choose a recipe 2) Measure ingredients 3)Wash fresh produce 4) Make a salad or dressing 5) Set and clean the table

May 31- National Meditation Day -Meditation gives yourself a sense of calm, peace, and balance -Meditation can benefit your overall well-being and help you to relax -Meditation is a great way to deal with stress and refocus your attention

Spring is a wonderful time to get outside and enjoy the weather! Go for a walk or jog, take a hike, ride a bike, play some sports. There are lots of things to do outside!

In EFNEP classes we learn about all this plus more! If interested or have any questions call Sarah Grinestaff at 688-4811 or email at sarah_grinestaff@ncsu.edu!

Managing Your Food Budget

Have you ever found yourself struggling to manage your monthly food budget? We all know it is important to do, but creating a budget can be time-consuming, requiring patience and attention to detail. Managing your food costs isn’t about resigning yourself to a lifetime of deprivation. It is about shifting your mindset from reactive spending to strategic nourishment, ensuring your bank account stays as full as your plate. With that in mind, today we will go over some resources to ensure your food budget can last as much as possible through a food spending strategy. Understanding the difference between income and expenses The first thing to do when developing a household budget is to keep track of income and expenses. This will help you to see where your money is going and to consider if you want to make a few changes. Let's look at the components of a budget. Income is money that is coming into your household during the month. This can include wages from a job, child support, pensions, social security and unemployment benefits. Income also includes non-cash benefit programs like Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) and SNAP. Expenses are what you spend your money on, including any planned or recurring spending like rent or mortgage, food and utilities. Needs vs wants Every family has needs and wants. This distinction could be different for everybody. What looks like a "want" to one person may be a "need" for another. A need is something that we must have, like shelter and food. A want is something that is not a necessity, but we would like to have or do. Most of us cannot afford all our wants and still pay for our needs. When first looking at your income, determine how much money is needed to cover your essential expenses, and then see what is left over for other things that you want. Budgeting is a balancing act, but it is possible. Look at what you are spending money on and see what you can adjust. For example, if you are buying coffee/tea twice a week, then try making the drink at home to save money. Another way to save money is to make a pitcher of flavored tea to chill and drink instead of soda. It’s all about thinking creatively, making choices and prioritizing what’s important to you. Strategies for tracking expenses To get an accurate picture of your household’s spending habits, track what everybody spends money on for one month or more to understand where the money is going. One method for tracking expenses is using a small notebook. Carry it around with you and write down every purchase. Take note of the date and how you made the purchase (check, cash, debit card, credit card). You can use a different page for each spending category, to make calculating your total expenses easier. Nowadays you can also use technology as a friend when planning your budget, such as creating an Excel spreadsheet or downloading budgeting apps. However, make sure you are tracking everything including any purchases made with cash. Creating a food budget It’s important to develop a budget specifically for food since this is one category that is easy to overspend if we are not careful. You can start by looking at your last grocery receipt to figure out if you are buying more processed foods that tend to be higher in price. Also consider buying the store/generic brand of food items instead of the more expensive name brand. The primary goal is to obtain information about how much you are spending and what you’re spending money on to consider whether you want to make a change. For example, if you realize that you’re spending $20 a month on soda, you may set a goal to drink more water to save money. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed a guide that provides an estimate of the amount of money a family might spend on food per week based on the age and gender of family members. There are guides representing food costs based on a Low-Cost, Moderate or Liberal Food Plan (see “Other Plans” button).  You can find the guide and more information about food plans by clicking here.  Remember, these are guides and your actual spending for food might be more or less. The guide is a starting point to consider what influences your grocery spending. SNAP Benefits Another great resource is SNAP, which stands for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It was formerly known as food stamps and it is available for low income families who need extra help with their monthly food budget. If you would like to learn more about SNAP or if you need assistance applying, contact the More In My Basket team. This is an NC State Extension program that offers free SNAP application assistance in English, Spanish and Portuguese Monday through Friday, 8 am until 5 pm. They are also happy to answer any SNAP-related questions you may have. Contact the More In My Basket team toll free at 1-855-240-1451 (English and Portuguese), 1-888-382-7105 (Spanish) or visit their website at morefood.org. Take these strategies, head into the aisles with a plan, and watch how quickly those small savings transform into a much healthier financial future. Your kitchen, and your wallet, will thank you. Source: Text adapted from the Developing a Household Food Budget curriculum.

Seasonal Produce

For more information, please contact Erin Silver (erin_silver@ncsu.edu) or call us at 828-688-4811.

CED/Agriculture

Pesticide Collection Day in Yancey County

The NCDA has scheduled a pesticide collection day on May 20th in Yancey County. The location will be at the East Yancey Recycling Center (130 Burnsville School Rd., Burnsville, NC) from 10 am - 2 pm. They will accept any unwanted/unused resodemtial or farm pesticides. They cannot accept mini-bulks, pressurized cylinders (pesticide aerosols are accepted), or other non-pesticide items (oils, paints, stains, etc...).

Pesticide Training Update

All Private and Commercial Applicators who obtained their license prior to July 1, 2026 are required to view a 1-hour video "NCDA&CS Required Pesticide Certification & Training Standards Update". There is an option to do the training online at https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/structural-pest-control-and-pesticides/pesticides/new-candt-rules/lic-cert-training then complete submission form for credit.

C&T Standards Update & Pesticide Continuing Education

I am planning a continuing education class for pesticide credits. The class will include the new C&T Standards Update ( 1 hour credit) that is required for all pesticide applicators before their recertification date. I alos plan to include 2 additional hours of credit for applicators. The class will be held on June 16 from 6pm - 9pm at the former Bowman Middle School.

NC A&T State University Cooperative Extension Small Farms Field Day

On June 11th NC A&T State University in Greensboro (3020 McConnell Road) will host thei 2026 Small Farms Field Day with workshops and demonstrations. Topics this year include:

• Hemp Production
• Shitake Inoculation
• Chicken Processing
• Nematode Sampling
• Temporary Fencing
• Swine AI
• Freeze-Drying
• Dehydrating
• Jerking Making

https://www.ncat.edu/caes/cooperative-extension/small-scale-agriculture-development/sffd/index.php

Farmaland Preservation Workshop

The North Carolina Agricultural Mediation Program is planning a workshop to discuss farmland preservation, succession planning, and forestry on August 26th at Mayland Community College.

Solitary Bees of Springtime

Say ‘bee’ and many of us think bumble or honey. But at this time of year, we are apt to see ground-nesting bees out and about our landscapes, visiting the same early spring flowering plants that a honeybee might pollinate.

Ground-nesting bees are native solitary bees that nest individually in tunnels they burrow at least six inches deep in warm, dry ground. Some line the tunnels with a polyester formed from secretions. Reflective of this behavior, they are also called mining bees, digging bees or polyester bees. They are more likely to nest in areas with exposed soil and sparse vegetation, not dense turf or mulched beds.

A hospitable patch of ground is likely to house a number of solitary tunnels, thus giving the impression at times of ant hills or a small swarm of low-flying bees. But these bees are not aggressive as they are not defending a hive (as honeybees would be).

For two to four weeks in mid to late spring, females collect pollen and nectar to bring back to the nest. With it they form a ball in the side of the tunnel. They lay a single egg on the ball and when it hatches, the larva feeds on the pollen and continues to develop until the following spring when it emerges from the ground as an adult bee and goes forth to build a new nest. Solitary bees are beneficial insects: They pollinate plants, and their burrowing behavior is hardly noticeable and does no damage. On the contrary, it helps aerate the soil.

by Andrea Laine, EMGV

Do you enjoy gardening and want to learn more while giving back to your community? Becoming an NC State Extension Master Gardener volunteer may be the perfect opportunity. The Extension Master Gardener program, offered through North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension, provides research-based horticultural training to individuals who want to expand their gardening knowledge and use that knowledge to serve others. Master Gardener volunteers learn about topics such as plant identification, soils, pest management, vegetable gardening, landscape practices, and sustainable gardening techniques. But the program is about more than learning, it is about leadership and service. After training, volunteers give back by helping answer gardening questions, supporting community gardens, assisting with educational workshops, and promoting horticultural best practices throughout the county.

We are planning a Extension Master Gardener interest meeting for August 4th, 6pm