ALEXANDER COUNTY CENTER
April 2019
Inside This Issue:

We have moved to our new facility.  
Our new physical address is:

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Aprilgardencalendar  April Garden Calendar and Swarm Alert!

Looking for what needs to be done in your lawn and garden for April check out the link below:

  Now that the weather is warming up honeybees will become more   active.  If you see a swarm please leave it along and contact the
 N.C. Cooperative Extension-Alexander County Center and we can contact a beekeeper in your area to come collect the swarm.

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Tractor Supply Paper Clover Campaign
When: March 27-April 7, 2019
Where:  Taylorsville Tractor Supply

Tractor Supply Company will continue its partnership with National 4-H Council by hosting its semi-annual Paper Clover fundraiser for 4-H students. 

Tractor Supply customers can participate in the spring 2019 Paper Clover campaign by purchasing paper clover emblems during checkout. 

Donations, which begin at $1 and have no cap, fund scholarships that send in-state 4-H youth to 4-H camps, conferences and development programs where they learn everything from animal care to civic leadership.
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Household Hazardous Waste Day

The biennial Alexander County Household Hazardous Waste Day will take place Saturday, May 4, in the County Administration building parking lot.  The purpose of this event is to give county residents an opportunity to dispose of environmentally harmful materials, which can be found around the home, in the correct way.  

Click on the link below to see at list of items that will be accepted this day:

There will also be a document destruction truck on site for residents to securely dispose of personal documents.  A five box per vehicle limit will be enforced to ensure the line moves as smoothly as possible.  The dimensions for an average copier paper box is approximately 18"x12"x10", anything larger than this will count as more than one box.
 
The HHW Day is a free service for the residents of Alexander County only, businesses will not be allowed, with the exception of farmers.  Farmers are welcome to dispose of insecticides/pesticides free of charge. 
 
Sponsors for the HHW Day are Alexander County Government, Alexander County Cooperative Extension Service, and The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA & CS).  The Alexander County Administration Office is located beside the Senior Center off Liledoun Rd.  Operating hours will be 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Saturday, May 4th.  For additional information please contact the Alexander County Solid Waste/Recycling Department @ 632-1101 or N.C. Cooperative Extension-Alexander County Center @ 632-4451.
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Big Dreams Small Farms Workshop:  Small Fruits

Event Date: Tuesday, May 14th, 2019
Time: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Location:   
Morning Session- Alexander Extension Center 
Afternoon Session-Campbell's U-Pick Blueberry Farm, 27 Tracy Bolick Lane, Hickory NC
 
Open to the public:
This in-class and on-farm session will entail a discussion of soils, site prep, planting, trellis, spacing, pruning, insect and disease control, harvesting, budgeting, marketing, and other cultural aspects of small fruits. The three main small fruits to be discussed in detail are strawberries, blackberries and blueberries.
The afternoon will wind up with an on farm session touring a very well established 5 acre blueberry farm. Here we will see different varieties and different age bushes and what it takes to grow them successfully. Tracy and Holly Campbell will be our hosts for the afternoon.
 
Registration is required: Register by signing up at https://ncfarmschool.ces.ncsu.edu/2019-big-dreams-small-farms-foothills/ or contacting Julie Campbell at [email protected] or 828-632-4451.

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Calling All Canners! It's time to get your Pressure Canning Lid Dial Gauge Tested. 

Don't risk losing precious produce or becoming seriously ill through unsafe canning methods or inaccurate equipment. Dial gauge pressure canners, old or new, needs to be checked for accuracy each year. If you are interested in getting your dial gauge tested, please contact the Alexander County Center at 828-632-3125 to set up an appointment. Bring Lids only. The canner base is not needed for testing. Current recommendations for canning and freezing is available upon request. 


4-H Summer Opportunities for Youth

Needing something for  your kids to do this summer?  
We are lining up a great summer camp schedule.  Be on the lookout in the next newsletter for details.

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Alexander County offices will be closed Friday, April 19th for Good Friday.

 Read more N.C. Cooperative Extension news at >>
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, sexual identity (including pregnancy) and veteran status. NC State, N.C. A&T, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.
NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C. Cooperative Extension.