July / August 2024
We Grow Agriculture
On August 10, IPM Program Assistant Brad Edwards and Horticulture Agent Blake Williams hosted the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association’s annual summer meeting farm tour. Growers from across the state were able to see several Ashe and Alleghany farms that were hosting on farm research and demonstration sites. All of these sites were very carefully selected and had months of effort prior to the tour day. Some of the research shown was Dr. Jamie Bookwalter’s pesticide trials, Dr. Joe Neal’s glyphosate resistant weed trials, Brad and Blake’s 2,4-D timing study, and Johnny Wishon’s Deer fencing. Overall the day was a huge success, with many growers commenting on the Applicable research being done by Cooperative Extension.
IPM Program Assistant Brad Edwards and Horticulture Agent Blake Williams are helping local farmers do a-MAZE-ing things! For the second year in a row, Ashe County Extension is helping local producers design corn maze. The team works by flying a drone over the corn field, generating a map from the images captured, and then laying out unique designs. This year's maze is roughly 7 acres in size, featuring a jack-o'lantern, hay barn, and the farm's logo. This is just one way Ashe County Cooperative Extension has been utilizing drones and GIS software to help farmers solve modern problems. If you have any questions about drones in agriculture, please call our office at (336) 846-5850.
We Grow Nutrition
EFNEP’s Eating Smart and Moving More class was a collaboration with the Family Foundations program sponsored by Partnership of Ashe. At the end of every EFNEP zoom meeting with the guide of the EFNEP Program Associate, participants all cooked the same dish together. By the time the class was over dinner was ready for everyone’s family in their own homes. EFNEP provided the meal plan and the shopping list and The Partnership of Ashe provided the money needed to each participant to shop for the needed ingredients. This proven strategy to “Plan, Shop, Fix and Eat”, helps families develop skills to help them get the most nutritious meals possible for less time and money.
EFNEP Program Associate Rhonda Church demonstrated how to prepare a “Summer Corn Succotash” and a “Blueberry Buckle” at the Ashe County Farmers Market using fresh local produce. 4-H Agent Caroline Goss assisted in getting customers recipes and information where they could purchase the produce needed to make these dishes. Everyone enjoyed tasting the recipes and came back for more, even the kids.
Late summer in Ashe County begins the “canning season” for many people. There are many safety aspects to canning to ensure safety during canning and ensuring safe food afterwards. NC Cooperative Extension, Ashe County Center was able to help inspect and test canner lids for clients that made appointments and brought their canner lids in.
We Grow Youth
12 youth participated in Crannkin’ Engines Camp August 26-28. The event, which was generously sponsored by Farm Bureau and AgSouth Farm Credit, allowed young people to completely disassemble, reassemble and test Briggs and Stratton engines. Throughout the camp, participants learned the parts of the engines and how the machines worked, various tools used in machinery maintenance, and safety requirements for working on machinery. Youth remained fully engaged throughout the total 12 hours of camp and excitedly tested their engines on the final day, feeling accomplished as their reassembled engines finally cranked!
Ashe 4-H Summer Fun wrapped up in August after hosting many fun and exciting opportunities this summer. Collaborations between Livestock Agent Micah Orfield and 4-H Agent Caroline Goss, led to two of these camps including Warm with Wool and Livestock in My Life in July in which youth learned about various livestock species and local agriculture.
In August, EFNEP Educator Rhonda Church and 4-H Agent Caroline Goss collaborated with the summer program at Mountain View Elementary School to provide fun nutrition education to participants of the program. Through 3 days of programming, participants analyzed foods and their nutritional content, tried new recipes and learned how to increase healthy foods into their diets, and learned how to incorporate other healthy behaviors for overall health and well-being.
We Grow Community
For the 3rd year in a row, Ashe Ministerial Association had several churches in our community come together and donate basic necessities. Each church picked a specific item to collect for the Migrant Education Program. All the churches brought their donated items to First Baptist Church in West Jefferson and 150 bags were made. Each bag contained: toilet paper, feminine hygiene product, wipes, tooth brush, tooth paste, a New Testament, wash cloth, soap, deodorant, hand sanitizer and a list of local resources with phone numbers to those resources. The 150 bags and any leftover items are kept at First Baptist Church and Migrant Education Program Coordinator Michelle Pelayo has access to those bags when needed. These bags are given to each member of a family when they arrive to the county for season to help them with basic necessities.
On August 17, Ashe County Migrant Program Coordinator Michelle Pelayo set up an information table at our Ashe County Farmers Market. The table had information about the Ashe County Migrant Education program and the different programs and classes she holds for the Migrant workers and families in our county throughout the year.
NC State University and N.C. A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity and prohibit discrimination and harassment regardless of age, color, disability, family and marital status, genetic information, national origin, political beliefs, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), gender identity, sexual orientation and veteran status. NC State, N.C. A&T, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.