October 2025 Newsletter Mitchell County Cooperative Extension

Upcoming Events

Saturday, October 4th - Equine Vaccination Clinic - Buladean Community Center

Sunday, October 5th- Saturday October 11th - National 4-H Week/Beyond Ready Week

Wednesday, October 8th - Alzheimers Class

Monday, October 13th - Mitchell County Christmas Tree Association - 6Pm @ Mitchell Extension Office

October 15th- Teen LEADS Interest Meeting

October 27th - Teen LEADS Applications Due

Thursday, October 28th - 4-H Young Livestock Club Meeting

Saturday, November 1 - Ag Summit

*See Website for Times and Details*

EFNEP Article

October is National Seafood Month!

• Fish can be a great source of protein.
• It can be purchase fresh, frozen, or canned.
• Fish does not have to break the bank. Use the link below for a buying guide.
• https://medinsteadofmeds.com/tips-and.../fish-and-seafood/

Groceries are expensive and getting the most for our money is even more important these days.

Here is a few tips to manage money and resources when grocery shopping

• Avoid shopping when you are hungry
• Set a budget for grocery shopping
• Make a list and STICK to it
• Use coupons when available (Check store ads and websites is helpful)

October 21 is National Apple Day- Apples contain fiber, vitamin c, and antioxidants

October 26 is National Pumpkin Day- Pumpkins contain beta-carotene, fiber, and potassium

October 28 is National Chocolate Day- Dark Chocolate contains antioxidants and is heart healthy

The recommendation for adults (ages 18-64) for physical activity is 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity. Some examples are brisk walking, swimming, and dancing.

The recommendation for youth (ages 6-17) need 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. At least 3 days should include vigorous-intensity activity, along with muscle- strengthening and bone-strengthening activities.

Use the MyPlate link below to look at recommendations for the 5 Food Groups for you and your family. Plus, other nutritional information!

https://www.myplate.gov/myplate-plan

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!

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Cybersecurity is a constantly evolving landscape but there are a few easy things you can do to help keep your information secure. You can keep your information safe by using strong passwords and a password manager, turning on multifactor authentication where available, update your software, and recognize and report phishing.

According to the National Cybersecurity Alliance 2023 Oh Behave! report:

• 84% of people considered online safety a priority
• Only 38% of people use unique passwords for all their accounts
• About a third of respondents began using a password manager after receiving cyber training
• 79% of respondents were familiar with multifactor authentication.
• 70% of those who have heard of MFA security measure know how to use it
• Only 36% of people always install software updates when they become available
• 69% of people express confidence in their ability to identify phishing attempts
• 51% of Americans actively report cybercrimes, particularly instances of phishing.

Alzheimer's Classes

• Mitchell County Senior Center: "Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body", October 8th @ 12:30pm
• Yancey County Senior Center: Alzheimer's Class, October 7th @ 10:00am

If you are interested in having a good time while improving your physical fitness, come to the Mitchell Senior Center October 6th & 13th beginning at 12:30 and October 24th at 10am for Cardio Drumming. Have a blast with every beat!

Mitchell County 4-H Chick to Chicken Program

On September 5th, eight Mitchell County 4-H’ers participated in the 4-H poultry show at the Avery County Fair. Each exhibitor presented chickens they had raised and trained since the birds were four weeks old. The project was completed through the Chick to Chicken program, which provides 4-H youth with baby chicks to care for and develop. This program is designed to teach responsibility, build public speaking abilities, and strengthen showmanship skills, while also giving participants the opportunity to showcase their hard work in a competitive setting. We would like to thank Self Farms and Mineral City Trucking for being our sponsors. Congratulations to all of the participants!

By: Erin Silver

Calling all current 8th-11th graders! Are you passionate about STEM? Teaching and Leading? Do you want to be a scientist? An Engineer? A Teacher? Don’t wait, develop your leadership skills this year with the Teen LEADs 4-H program! This year Mitchell County is looking to recruit 2-3 youth for this program.

Find out how you can participate in this leadership development program by attending our Interest Meeting on October 15th at the Bowman Auditorium from 6-7pm. You can also find more information by calling or emailing Erin Norton at (828) 688-4811 or elnorton@ncsu.edu.

Teen LEADS is designed for youth with a passion for STEM and leadership. Youth are trained in this program to become a leader, and educate other youth about a subject in STEM that they choose.

Applications will be accepted starting October 16th. Applications will require a general application, a resume, and a reference form filled out by an adult that has worked closely with the applicant. This can be a teacher, club leader, guidance counselor, community figure, etc. Digital Applications can be sent via email (elnorton@ncsu.edu) or can be picked up directly from the Extension Office at 10 S. Mitchell Ave, Bakersville NC, 28705. Applications are due by October 27th. Applicants will be contacted for interviews following their submission!

CED/Agriculture

As we mark the anniversary of Hurricane Helene, we pause to remember those who lost their lives here in Mitchell County and the many families whose homes, farms, and livelihoods were forever changed. Their memory reminds us of the power of nature—and the strength of a community united in compassion and perseverance.

Helene left an undeniable mark on our mountains, but in its aftermath, we have seen blessings take root. Through hardship, our communities have grown stronger, our neighbors have grown closer, and new partnerships have blossomed to help rebuild and prepare for the future.

This month, we also celebrate the incredible turnout at the Mitchell Long Term Resilience Group's Disaster Preparedness Events held at Parkway, Ledger, and Bradshaw Fire Departments on Saturday, September 27. More than 400 residents came out to learn about wildfire readiness, emergency supplies, family communication plans, and community resources. Thank you to all who participated, volunteered, and helped make these events a success.

As we look ahead, let this anniversary be a call to action. Each of us has a role to play in preparing for the next challenge—whether it’s wildfire, flood, or another storm. Take time to build your family’s emergency plan, create a go-kit, and stay connected with local alerts and resources. For more information about preparedness reach out to our office or Mitchell LTRG.

Together, we honor those we’ve lost by building a safer, stronger, and more resilient Mitchell County—rooted in hope, service, and the enduring spirit of our mountain community.

Equine Vaccination Clinic - October 4

Agricultural Summit - November 1st

Register at the Extension office or call us at 828-688-4811

Using Unexpected Helene Resources for your Garden

I don’t think anyone can say anything good about Helene and the resulting damage this horrific storm caused. But I find that I get great pleasure in “thumbing my nose” at her by using a lot of the downed wood around us to make my garden richly healthy.

I’m talking about building Hugelkultur mounds and raised beds. So what exactly is Hugelkultur and how does it work? Hugelkultur is a German term for “hill culture.” It’s a permaculture gardening method where raised beds are built using large amounts of decomposing organic materials like logs, branches and leaves that are topped with soil to create fertile, water-retentive planting areas. Goodness knows we all have plenty of that around!

This practice mimics a forest floor to build rich soil over time, increasing soil fertility, improving water retention and extending the growing season through the slow release of nutrients and heat from the decaying wood.

Start with a base of logs. You can use smaller diameter logs or larger ones; it depends on how high you want the finished bed to be. The first Hugel mound I built was only about two feet tall and has – over time – settled to only about six inches tall.

You can lay your logs on the existing ground or dig a trench and place the logs in the trench. After putting down your “base” layer, add branches that decrease in diameter as you build your pile. You can also add leaves on top of that. The leaves help fill in the gaps around the logs and branches and add even more fertility to the soil as they decompose.

The final layer of a hugel mound is soil. Add soil or compost to whatever depth you choose. If you want to plant into your new hugel mound right away, use shallow rooted plants like strawberries or lettuces. Because the logs and branches absorb nitrogen as they break down, deep rooted vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers will not do well in the beginning.

Eventually, the logs and branches will begin to decompose and as they do they will absorb and hold water. This is when the magic happens! I haven’t watered tomatoes or peppers in my hugel beds in years because the decomposing logs and branches are like having damp sponges several inches under the ground.

There are two other benefits for this method of gardening. As the logs and branches decompose, they release heat which increases the soil temperature. That helps protect delicate new plants during our very unpredictable springs. A hugel bed also increases soil aeration for a healthy root system for your plants.

If you have tall raised beds, Hugelkultur is an excellent way to save on compost and garden soil costs because they fill up the bottom of the beds. This works especially well with metal beds that are two to three feet tall.

If you have downed nut trees like walnut, avoid using those as they secrete jugalone, a substance meant to stunt or kill plants growing near them. Avoid cedar logs as well. Otherwise, take advantage of the ravages from Helene and build some hugel beds. That oughta teach her!

Contributed by Jackie Wall