February 2026
Community
Now accepting Herter O'Neal Scholarship Applications
Nominations are being accepted for a $750 scholarship offered by the N.C. Cooperative Extension Administrative Professionals Association (NCCEAPA) through March 20, 2026. The scholarship is available to North Carolina residents pursuing a college degree (Associates and/or Bachelors) or a diploma program that results in a college degree (Associates and/or Bachelors) in business or a business-related field of study. The scholarship is awarded annually to honor the work and dedication of Edith Herter and Frances O’Neal, co-leaders in forming the NCCEAPA in 1973. Qualified applicants interested in applying for this scholarship can obtain an application packet from the financial aid office at their local community college. Additional information can be obtained by contacting the Franklin County Center, 919-496-3344 or at our website.
Agriculture
Upper Middle Belt Tobacco & GAP Meeting
On February 11th, the Upper Middle Belt Tobacco & GAP Meeting was conducted at the Franklin County Center. Pesticide credits were offered along with training.
What are those bags hanging on my evergreen trees?
Bagworms (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis) are a common landscape pest that you see on many evergreen ornamental plants. Most often they are found on arborvitae, spruce, juniper, cedar, and Leyland cypress. They are easily identified by their cone-shaped bag they spin from silk, parts of the host plant, and other debris. For more information about bagworms, or if you have other gardening questions, feel free to contact the Franklin County Cooperative Extension Office at 919-496-3344.
Eastern NC Landscape Conference and Trade Show
Over 400 Green Industry Professionals attended the 28th Annual Eastern NC Landscape Conference and Trade show hosted by Nash and Franklin County Cooperative Extension at Nash Community College. It was a day filled with insightful sessions, networking opportunities, and the latest trends in landscaping & turf management.
Winter Horse Educational Series
On February 5th, the first meeting of the 2026 Equine Education Series was conducted at the Cooperative Extension Center Annex. Speaker, Dr. Sue Ellen Johnson, Regenerative Farm Systems Advisor and author of Crop Rotation on Organic Farms, shared updates on pasture management.
Meeting two of the Winter Horse Educational series took place February 26th with 23 area horse owners attending. The final meeting of the series will be Thursday, March 19th on Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) - Understanding, Preventative, Symptoms, Vaccine, Botulism (hay), Seizures. For more information, contact the Franklin County Cooperative Extension office, 919-496-3344, Martha Mobley. Learn more
EIA/Coggins Clinic
Franklin County has conducted an equine EIA/Coggins Clinic for over 30 years. On Saturday, February 14th, 11 horses were vaccinated during the annual event. Having the EIA and vaccine clinic in a central location provides the opportunity for horse owners to save money on vaccination costs and Coggins tests. This was the first year a dental program was included with the EIA Clinic. The participating veterinarian this year was Dr. Oberlin McDaniel, of NC Mobile Veterinary Service of Enfield, along with her assistants. Volunteer Diane Davis assisted and a sponsored bag of grain was given to each participating horse.
Livestock
Beef Cattle Technology Field Day
On Wednesday, February 11th, Ag Agent, Martha Mobley and several Franklin County livestock producers attended the Beef Cattle Technology Field Day at the Research Farm near Butner. Using drones on livestock farms was one of the informative demonstrations and this technology will be shared again in June at the 5-County Beef Tour hosted by Franklin County. In addition, overseeding with clovers in February was also discussed.
Cow Camp: Back to the Basics
On February 18th, Livestock & Local Foods Agent, Martha Mobley, began the in-depth training series of 11 regional beef cattle producers along with the livestock agent from Sampson County, Paul Gonzalez. Both are very experienced in beef cattle production and marketing. Part two of the series will be conducted on March 11th, followed up with the popular historic 5-County BEEF Tour in mid-June. For information contact Franklin County Cooperative Extension 919-496-3344, Ag Agent, Martha Mobley. Learn more
Local Foods
NC Food Forest Cohort
On February 16th, several Franklin County landowners participated in part two of the series training for the "NC Food Forest" Coalition. Martha Mobley, Local Food Agent, is networking with the BFLT and Cooperative Extension on this networking opportunity for landowners in the region.
Shiitake Mushroom Workshop
Small Farms Agent, Alejandra Martinez, conducted a Shiitake Mushroom workshop on February 21st, beginning at the Franklin County Center with classroom instruction and ending at the Franklin County Farmers Market shelter, where logs were drilled and inoculated with Shiitake spawn and covered with wax for participants to keep. Beth Gayden, owner of Shrooms2Grow, assisted with the workshop and shared her expertise. The North Carolina Small Farms Association provided the logs for the class. For more Small Farms information, contact Franklin County Cooperative Extension, 919-496-3344, Ag Agent Alejandra Martinez.
Visit NC Farms
North Carolina farms welcome visitors with authentic, hands-on experiences rooted in agriculture. Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or a seasonal outing, Visit NC Farms helps you find events, connect with local farmers, and support the people who grow your food. We bring together a statewide network of agritourism farmers, tourism partners, and local food advocates to celebrate North Carolina agriculture.
Upcoming Programs
- March 2nd - Farmers Market Vendors Meeting
- March 19th - 2025 Winter Horse Educational Series
- March 11th - Cow Camp 103: Back to the Basics
- Jan - March - North Central Small Farm Boot Camp
- March 17th • March 30th • April 16th Pesticide Trainings
- March 19th - Pesticide Collection Day
- March 22nd-28th - Small Farms Week
- April 1st • April 8th • April 15 - Spring Extension Gardener Classes
- May 10th - 5th Annual WIA Local Food & Fiber Farm Tour
- June 16th - 5-County BEEF Tour (rain date June 18th)
For more information about our programs and events, contact Franklin County Cooperative Extension office , 919-496-3344, or visit our website.
Credits:
Franklin County Center