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NC Cooperative Extension Service

Join Our Mailing
List

Want to stay informed about what is happening at the Caldwell Extension Center? Want to be informed about home gardening, farming, 4-H, and other educational events?  If so, then follow the link below to be included on our mailing list. Mailing List Form

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NC Cooperative Extension Service

Join Our Mailing
List

Want to stay informed about what is happening at the Caldwell Extension Center? Want to be informed about home gardening, farming, 4-H, and other educational events?  If so, then follow the link below to be included on our mailing list. Mailing List Form

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ServSafe logo

ServSafe Class to be
offered

September 8, 10, 15, 17-2014 from 1:00-5:00 pm. $105.00 per participant. Please click below for a copy of our brochure and registration form. ServSafe Sept 2014 (1)

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summer camp

2014 4-H Summer
Exploring Schedule

JUNE 7 -- SUMMER EXPLORING KICK OFF Ages: All Time: June 7, 10am -€“ 12pm Cost: Free Limit: None Are you interested in learning more about Caldwell County 4-H and Caldwell Public Library's summer programs? The theme is science and the focus is FUN! Come meet the 4-H staff and junior leaders. Free activities for families with children of all ages. 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package JUNE 16-18-- CLOVERBUD CAMP Ages: 5-8 Time: M-T 9-12:30 pm, W 9-1:30 pm Cost: $50 Limit: 12 Join us as we hike, fish, canoe, ride horses, make nature crafts, enjoy outdoor cookery snacks, and explore the creek at the primitive camp of Anita Alta, 2929 Mulberry Creek Road, Lenoir. Parents will provide transport to site. This is a great beginning outdoor nature day camp experience with lots of variety and opportunities to learn while making new friends. Instructors: 4-H staff, volunteers, and junior leaders. 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package JUNE 16-19-- JUNIOR CAMP* Ages 9-13 Time: 8:30am - 3:30pm Cost: $90 Limit: 10 Join us for four days of outdoor nature day camp at the primitive camp of Anita Alta, 2929 Mulberry Creek Road, Lenoir. We will enjoy a variety of activities and learning opportunities including canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, archery, outdoor cookery, guided nature hikes, entomology, journal making and designing your own camp T-shirt. Parents transport to Cooperative Extension office. Instructors: Cooperative Extension staff, volunteers and junior leaders. 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package JUNE 23-27-- AROUND THE HORSE WORLD IN 5 DAYS* Ages 9 and over Time: 9:00am - 4:00pm Cost: $110 Limit: 10 Have you ever wanted to explore the horse world and learn about many different breeds, styles of riding, and horsemanship techniques? Would you like to get a chance to be with horses and ride every day? Come with us on a journey to 5 different horse venues showcasing more than 10 different disciplines. Learn from professionals in the field as well as youth just like you. Instructors: 4-H staff, volunteers, junior leaders and qualified host instructors. 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package JULY 7-8 -- SKY VOYAGE * Ages: 9 and over Time: 8:30am - 4:30pm Cost: $40 Limit: 10 Time will FLY with activities focusing on Early Aviation through Space Exploration. Come join the fun with the Voyage 4-H club as we soar with excitement these two days! We will study facts, play games, make crafts, and build and launch our own rocket (a rocket for each participant.) Location: Meeting Room 2 of Caldwell Public Library and Johnny Wilson Farm. Instructors: The 4-H Voyage Club Leader, Ms. Nicki Steer, club members, 4-H staff and 4-H junior leader. Special instructions: pack your own lunch, snack, and beverage. 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package JULY 10 -- DIY Ages: 10 and over Time: 8:30am - 12:30pm Cost: $15 Limit: 15 Have you ever wondered what you can create in your own kitchen? Join us for a morning of making homemade beeswax lip balm, goat milk soap, deodorant, mouthwash, and laundry detergent. Do It Yourself! Instructors: Ms. Dana Snyder, 4-H staff, and volunteers. 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package JULY 11-12 -- NC BLACKBERRY FESTIVAL* Time: Friday 8:30 am - 1:30pm; Saturday 11:45 -12:45pm Cost: Free opportunity Limit: 10 Join us as we travel to the Caldwell Chamber of Commerce to pick up our blackberries and return to the Cooperative Extension kitchen to prepare cobbler for Saturday'€™s festival. We will also be making our own cobbler and other blackberry treats along with crafts, information, and fun with blackberries! Participants are committing to participate in the parade and creation of the patchwork cobbler on Saturday, July 12th at the festival with their families (meet at Anything Office.) Instructors: Ms. Lisa Deal, 4-H Program Assistant, volunteers, and a junior leader. Special instructions: pack your own lunch, and beverage. Water and blackberries will be provided! 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package JULY 14-17 -- ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP* Ages: 9-13 Time: 8:00am - 4:00pm Cost: $90 Limit: 10 If you are at home in the outdoors this is the camp for you. We will experience elevation changes of 4,000 feet over the course of this camp. We will float the second oldest river in the world, master identification of 15 different trees species, learn to use a compass, understand how the mountains were formed and the unique plant species that grow there. Each day we will be with experts in the field as we visit the New River, Tuttle Educational State Forest, Elk Knob State Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. We will have mountain top experiences and learn the species of a healthy vibrant creek. Instructors: 4-H staff and a junior leader with Rangers/Field Guides/Experts at each location. Special Instructions: Pack a hearty lunch and beverage; snacks and water will be provided. Participants will need sunscreen, shoes for the water and rugged shoes suitable for trails. Other recommendations include a mask and snorkel for Monday, compass, binoculars, and a camera if you choose. 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package JULY 18 -- PICKING AND PRESERVING* Ages: 8-13 Time: 8:00am - 2:00pm Cost: $15 Limit: 10 Experience one of the many joys of summer by joining us for a day of berry picking and jam making. Each youth with bring home a jar of jam from the berries they picked. Live ‘Blueberries for Sal” without the bears. Instructors: Ms. Darlene Berry, 4-H Agent and a junior leader. 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package JULY 19 -- FARM TO FORK Ages: 9-13 Time: 8:00am - 12:00pm Cost: $15 Limit: 10 Join 4-H Agent Darlene Berry at the Caldwell Farmers Market to meet our local farmers. Learn farmers market etiquette and shop for the farm to fork lunch you will prepare in the Cooperative Extension kitchen. This is a great opportunity to learn how to prepare a meal from local seasonal ingredients. Instructors: Ms. Darlene Berry, 4-H Agent and a junior leader. Special Instructions: Parents should arrive at noon ready to sample their children'€™s cooking. 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package JULY 21&24 -- HORSING AROUND Ages: 5 and up Cost: $35 Time: 6:00pm - 8:30pm Limit: 24 Learn all about horsemanship at Morning Glory Farm in Baton. You will experience and learn about grooming, feed and water, and parts of your horse.  We will cover some basic horse first aid and riding will be part of the FUN. We welcome and encouraged riders of all levels including those seeking their first horse experience. Instructors: Ms. Lisa Deal, 4-H Program Assistant, and junior leaders. Special Instructions: Rain dates as needed July 22nd and 25th 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package JULY 21-25 -- EXPLORE CALDWELL COUNTYAGRICULTURE* Age: 9 and over Time: 8:00am - 3:00pm Cost: $100 Limit: 10 Caldwell County is home to a variety of farmers, growers, and value added products. Join us for a full week of exploration. Have you ever milked a goat? Wonder which agriculture product has the greatest economic impact in our area? What types of animals and livestock live on a family farm? What are commodity crops and farm machinery? How is technology used on a farm? We will be involved in farm to fork and value added product experiences. Come learn, experience, and enjoy what Caldwell County grows. Instructors: 4-H staff and a junior leader, and local farmers. 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package JULY 28-AUG. 1ST -- 4-H DISCOVERY DAY CAMP* Ages: 9 and over Time: 8:00am - 4:00pm Cost: $100 Limit: 10 Come join youth from Alexander, Caldwell, Catawba and Iredell Counties for 5 days of discovery. Each day a different county hosts the daily activities with an educational and recreational activity. Monday: Catawba County Day. Discover agriculture at Devine Farms. Tuesday: Caldwell County Day. Discover history at Fort Defiance. Wednesday: Iredell County Day. Discover Zootastic. Thursday: Alexander County Day. Discover the gems of Hiddenite. Friday: Sci Works Museum, Environmental Park, and Planetarium in Winston Salem, NC Instructors: 4-H staff and a junior leader with qualified host program leaders. 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package AUGUST 2 -- FARM TO FORK Ages: 9-13 Time: 8:00am - Noon Cost: $15 Limit: 10 Join 4-H Agent Darlene Berry at the Caldwell Farmers Market to meet our local farmers. Learn farmers market etiquette and shop for the farm to fork lunch you will prepare in the Cooperative Extension kitchen. This is a great opportunity to learn how to prepare a meal from local seasonal ingredients. Parents should arrive at noon ready to sample their children's cooking. Instructors: Darlene Berry, 4-H Agent and a junior leader. 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package AUG 4-8 -- 4-H20 CAMP* Ages: 9 - 13 Time: 8:00am - 2:00pm Cost: $90 Limit: 10 Learn about a career in aquatic and fisheries biology. Participants will learn about water and related environmental quality areas. You will be getting wet! Sessions will involve advanced water biology and testing skills, electrofishing, and advanced macro-invertebrate identification. On the last 2 days of the camp, campers will enjoy an overnight camping trip at New River State Park. Advanced canoeing skills are not required but the camp involves some strenuous activities. Instructors: County Extension Directors, Mr. Lenny Rogers and Mr. Seth Nagy. Special instructions: Transportation will be provided from the Extension Office to camp locations. Daily, pack a hearty lunch and beverage; snacks and water will be provided. A mask and snorkel are recommended especially for Thurs-Fri. 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package AUG 11-12 -- RENEWABLE ENERGY* Ages: 12 - 17 Time: 8:30am - 4:30pm Cost: $20 Limit: 10 This day camp is especially designed for rising 8th grade and high school age youth interested in renewable energy.  This camp will focus on wind and solar power; include a trip to the largest wind turbine in NC, solar car building, solar oven baking, and a variety of other renewable energy learning activities. Youth will meet at Sustainable Foothills; off site learning will include transportation. Youth should pack a lunch, beverage, and snack. Instructors: Ms. Melissa Patton, Sustainable Foothills Executive Director and volunteers 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package AUG 11-14 -- HORSEMANSHIP CAMP* Ages: 5 and over Time: 9:00am - 3:00pm Cost: $100 Limit: 24 Please join us at Whispering Wynd Farm in Sawmills. This camp will include games on the ground with horses and games in the saddle. Learning activities and experiences will involve preparing the horse and rider for safe mounting, riding bareback and under saddle, proper daily care of horses, barn management, games and challenges on horseback, and lots of fun crafts. Instructor: Certified Lead, with other leaders who are all students of Parelli Natural Horsemanship. Special Instructions: Proper footwear is required: no open-toed shoes or sandals. We will provide helmets to be worn while on horseback. Please pack two snacks, lunch, and plenty of water. 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package AUGUST 15 -- VISIT A WILD PONY SANCTUARY* Age: 9-13 Time: 8:00am - 5:00pm Cost: $15 Limit: 10 Discover all that makes Grayson Highlands State Park, VA special: Wilbur Ridge Wild Pony Sanctuary, wild flowers, wild berries, majestic views, and cooler temperatures with elevations over 5,000 feet. This day will include a 3 mile hike and a brief service project to the park. Pack a hearty lunch, beverage, and proper clothing; snacks and water will be provided. Instructors: GHSP Ranger, 4-H staff, volunteers, and junior leaders. 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package AUG 18-19 -- SADDLE UP! Age: 5 and over Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm Cost: $40 Limit: 16 Join us at Second Chance Ranch off Union Grove Rd., Lenoir. Come and spend the evening with our horses. We will pick one just for you and a friend!  Learn how to care for your horse by bathing, grooming, feeding, saddling, and riding. You will have an opportunity to trail ride and learn some games patterns.  This camp is for all riding abilities including beginners. Instructors: Club Leaders and volunteers. 2014 4-H Summer Registration Form 4-H Enrollment Package *events requiring a packed lunch and beverage

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Fruits and vegetable produce stand

Horticulture
InfoSearches Provide Answers!

Looking for answers to fruit, vegetable, weed or floriculture questions? The NC State University Department of Horticulture invites you to try their powerful, but focused search engines designed to provide answers from the scientific literature, trade and association magazines/websites and NC State University, and archive (repository of literature dating back to the 1800s).  Use these search engines for all of your fruit, vegetable, weed and floriculture questions. Floriculture InfoSearch Fruit InfoSearch Vegetable InfoSearch Weed InfoSearch

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Munsell color book being used to determine the hue, value and chroma of a soil.

Soil 101: Introduction
to Soil – Online!

Understanding soil is a basic skill needed by anyone interested in agriculture, environmental science, gardening, natural resource management, and water quality. Traditionally, to gain that skill, a person has had to pay college tuition and spend long hours in a classroom. Now, with the power of the internet at your fingertips, the NC Cooperative Extension Service is bringing a first class Introduction to Soil education to your office, dining room table, or local coffee shop. Learn more about this open online course at http://go.ncsu.edu/introduction-to-soil

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NEWS View All
Native fall webworms feed on cherry leaves from inside the protection of their web

Fall Webworms

Fall webworms are noticeable in trees around Caldwell County. As their name implies, fall webworms create a web. The web provides the worms protection from predators and allows the worms to feed freely MORE »

Leyland cypress are popular trees in the home landscape. Though rare, these trees sometimes flower producing small non-showy male or female flowers. Picture courtesy of Leighandra Fitzgerald

Leland Cypress Needle Drop popular

This time of year leyland cypress shed their older needles. Needle drop, or needle shedding, is more pronounced this year than in past years. Typically, leyland cypress trees keep needles for three years MORE »

Impacts of Corn Earworm in Bt corn popular

This week, I’ve received multiple reports of corn earworm in Bt corn hybrids that have controlled earworms in the past.  Of the fields I’ve checked, all are properly producing the Bt protein toxic MORE » – from   Entomology

Farm Potluck and Tour Announced popular

Lenoir, North Carolina—Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture (BRWIA) announces a BRWIA Gathering focused on the care of dairy goats at Ripshin Goat Dairy. This informal tour and potluck will present valuable information and MORE »

Leaves of tomato plants infected with TSWV develop brown or black spots and curl upward. The disease starts at the top of the plant and is vectored by a nearly invisible insect called thrips. Plants stop growing and eventually die. There is no cure for viral diseases, so it's best to rip up infected plants.

Be on the Lookout for Tomato Virus popular

Tomatoes are one of the most beloved home garden crops, but they can be difficult to grow. Among its problems is a viral disease called tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). We’ve had a MORE »

Tomatoes are very sensitive to herbicides. The photo above shows damage from an herbicide containing glyphosate. Classic symptoms of this type of damage include bleaching of the leaf near the stem end.

Fighting the Good Fight: Weeds in the Garden popular

Vegetable gardens are going strong. But the weeds are growing well too. If there is bare ground, Mother Nature is going to grow something there. It’s usually a weed. Weeds don’t belong in MORE »

Over 600 acres of soybeans are grown in Caldwell County. Youth will have an opportunity to visit soybean fields and other exciting stops during the Explore Caldwell County Agriculture event.

Farming and Agriculture popular

The business of farming and agriculture is essential to our society. Although it is easy to take for granted food. Nourishment is third in importance only to oxygen and water. For most of MORE »

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EVENTS View All
Horsing Around Summer Exploring ProgramThu Jul 24, 2014 Today
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM Where:
Morning Glory Farm, Baton NC
— 6 hours ago
4-H Discovery Day Camp Summer Exploring ProgramMon Jul 28, 2014 @ 8:00 AM -
Fri Aug 1, 2014 @ 4:00 PM— 3 days away
Southern Regional 4-H Horse ChampionshipsWed Jul 30 - Sat Aug 2, 2014 - ALL DAY Where:
James B Hunt Horse Complex, Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC, United States
— 5 days away
Farm to Fork Summer Exploring ProgramSat Aug 2, 2014
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM Where:
Caldwell Farmer's Market
— 1 week away
4-H2O CampMon Aug 4, 2014 @ 8:00 AM -
Fri Aug 8, 2014 @ 2:00 PM— 1 week away
Renewable Energy Summer Exploring ProgramMon Aug 11, 2014 @ 8:30 AM -
Tue Aug 12, 2014 @ 4:30 PM— 2 weeks away
Horsemanship Camp Summer Exploring ProgramMon Aug 11, 2014 @ 9:00 AM -
Thu Aug 14, 2014 @ 3:00 PM— 2 weeks away
Visit a Wild Pony SanctuaryFri Aug 15, 2014
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM— 3 weeks away
More Events