Cultivating Franklin Franklin County Center

Ag in Franklin County

Webster’s dictionary defines agriculture as “the science, art, or practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock and in varying degrees the preparation and marketing of the resulting products.” Therefore, agriculture is a science that our producers learn, put to work, manage and create a livelihood to sustain their land and families. Agriculture is an economic engine in NC, which generates 736,679 jobs and contributes $111.1 billion annually to the economy. Franklin County, ranks 52nd in gross cash receipts among all one hundred counties. Total cash receipts for Franklin County are over $67 million. Therefore, agriculture is also an economic engine for Franklin County. We are fortunate to have a diverse agricultural history and we continue to maintain diversity in agricultural crops. With a total of 314,721 acres in Franklin County, 107,923 acres are in farmland. Often times, forestry is overlooked as well, but we have over 170,000 acres of timberland with many of those acres having forest management plans in place. Learn more

FCS

Dominque Simon, Extension Agent collaborated with NC Farm Bureau-Franklin to teach a bee lesson March 25th, sharing Kamal and Akeem Bell's book, Akeem Keeps Bees! with Crosscreek Elementary School kindergarteners. The students and teachers were also busy as bees as they pollinated flowers with pollen.

Akeem Keeps Bees!, book by Kamal Bell with Akeem Bell was part of a lesson for elementary students.

4-H

Community Service

4-H County Council has been collecting hygiene supplies to donate to the Franklin County Schools. This month we will be delivering 96 kits to Edward Best Elementary.

4-H youth collected hygiene kits to be donated to Franklin County Schools.

11 4-H'ers attended the Northeast District 4-H Teen Retreat this month and participated in officer elections, leadership workshops and team building. One Franklin County 4-H'er is completing their officer term and two Franklin County 4-H'ers will be inducted into their District Officer positions in July.

The youth had great times and made memories with friends at the NED 4-H Teen Retreat.

Horticulture

Is It a Mole or a Vole?

During the past few weeks, the Cooperative Extension Office has received many questions about moles and voles. How do you tell the difference? What do they eat? What can you do to control them?

Voles are small mammals, commonly called mice that live in field and shrub habitats. In shrub beds, voles can cause damage by eating flower bulbs, girdling the stems of woody plants, and gnawing roots.

Moles are insectivores that live in the seclusion of underground burrows, coming to the surface only rarely. They have a hairless, pointed snout extending nearly ½ inch in front of the mouth opening. The small eyes and the opening of the ear canal are concealed in the fur: there are no external ears. The forefeet are very large and broad, with palms wider than they are long.

These two aggravating critters can cause much frustration in a home landscape, but by knowing the difference in the two you can make better control decisions. Learn more

For more information about gardening, feel free to contact or visit your local Franklin County Cooperative Extension Office at 103 South Bickett Blvd., Louisburg, NC. You can reach us at 919-496-3344 or visit our website to stay up-to-date on events and activities to call your local Cooperative Extension Office in Franklin County at 919-496-3344 or visit our website

Equine Education

The final two meetings of the 2025 horse mini-series were conducted at the Cooperative Extension Center Annex on February 13th and March 13th. Participants inspected specimens under a microscope and learned about pasture management best practices.

Hands-on Lab

Horse Mini-Series

Pictured, top photos, Veterinarian Dr. Hallie Kiser; Vet Techs, Grace Detwiler and Makayla Strickland and horse program participants examined specimens with a new microscope; bottom photos, Dr. Paul Siciliano, Ph.D., Professor-Equine Nutrition and Mgmt., NCSU presented, “Getting the Most out of Your Pasture for Your Horse's Health-and Your Bank Account's Health."

Beef Quality Assurance

Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) is a national program that raises consumer confidence through offering proper management techniques and a commitment to quality within every segment of the beef industry. A BQA program was conducted March 6th for youth and adults at the Extension Center Annex. Instructors went over BQA guidelines and gave a certification test.

On March 6th, a Beef Quality Assurance program for youth and adults was conducted at the Extension Center annex..

Farm Estate Planning Conference

The Farm Estate Conference included heirs property, taxes, present use tax value, urban encroachment, conservation updates, bona fide farms and more. Representatives from NC State, Franklin County, Chatham County, NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services were collaborators on the programming.

Speakers and participants at the Farm Estate Planning Conference March 5th.

Wildlife Habitat Management

With urban development becoming more prominent here in Franklin County, wildlife habitats are taking a real hit. Greg Batts, NC Wildlife Commission biologist, came and educated a group of landowners on how to maintain and build habitat for wildlife on their land for quail, deer, turkeys, and other small game. He also spoke on how to control overpopulation of deer and how to effectively manage populations so that we can still enjoy wildlife without them becoming a nuisance.

Visit NC Farms App

Create your own itinerary to special events, U-pick farms, local food venues and farmers markets in communities across North Carolina.  Download the app today! Available for Apple & Android. #VisitNCFarms

Upcoming Programs & Events

For additional program and event information, contact the office, 919-496-3344, or visit our website.

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Franklin County Center

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Franklin County Center