December 2020 News for Polk County |
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FCS Agent Jimmi Buell Retires |
After 12 years with Polk County and 23 total years working with NC Government, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent Jimmi Buell will retire at the end of December. Read about her journey to a career in Health and Nutrition and learn what she's looking forward to with more free time on her hands. |
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Director's Feature: Looking Beyond 2020 |
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Typically, this time of year, I write about how great the year has been. For 2020... that might be a stretch. I know bad news is coming whenever I hear people saying “2020 strikes again." This rings true for me, personally, as well as many of you. Our office was shut down for two months based on the governor’s Covid orders, my house flooded due to a faulty toilet gasket, a deer destroyed one of our cars, a bear killed many of our 4h goats…well, I could go on but you get the point. It’s been a tough year.
Despite the negatives, there is still plenty to be thankful for. It has been a great year assisting you as our clients and adapting as a new kind of team in our office. We have pulled ourselves up from any setbacks and have kept working hard to be the best we can be for you. 2021 brings with it the promise of a new year. Starting January 4, we will have new agent in the office who will specialize in equine, livestock and forage. This has long been needed in the county, and we are committed to bringing you the best agent possible to assist with equine and livestock issues.
I know from experience that this person will be very busy! I encourage you to schedule an appointment with the new agent to visit you at your home/farm to see how they can assist you after the first of the year. This will also allow me redouble my efforts as the county horticulture agent. I’m very excited to bring some wonderful horticulture programing to the county and continue to develop our horticulture demonstrations at the Extension office. We are going to have a great 2021! Lets believe it and live it! Enjoy the last month of 2020 and lets kick it out the door as soon as we can.
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Home, Lawn and Garden Tips for December |
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Winter Damage to Plants
Winter is a stressful time for plants due to low humidity and cold winds. Take the time to mulch them well and protect those tender plants with row covers. Do not fertilize plants with a nitrogen fertilizer in the winter and hold off pruning plants until the coldest part of winter is over. This will allow you more options when trying to recover a plant that has been severely cold or ice damaged. Be sure to keep evergreen plants moist during dry periods. Plants in pots are prone to death when the pot freezes. Be sure to move those potted plants into a protected area if a deep freeze is expected and keep them well watered. There is a temptation to prune your plants at this time but it is much better to wait until late February to do your major pruning.
Bird Feeders
Bird feeders should be cleaned monthly with hot sudsy water to prevent the spread of wild bird diseases.
Spring Bulbs
If you have not planted those spring flowering bulbs, better get at it and always plant quality bulbs. Larger bulbs produce larger flowers. Pansy plants set among bulbs will give the ground a great winter and spring cover and will still allow the bulbs to come right through in the spring.
Winter Weeding
Many people take a break in the winter, but now is the time to be spraying and pulling all the winter weeds such as chickweed and henbit. These will produce millions of seeds if they aren't destroyed before they flower! Ordinary weed killers will work well in the winter on days that reach above 50 degrees. You may just have to wait a little longer for a good kill due to the reduced activity of the plants.
It's Not Too Late for Lawn Care
If your fall over-seeding didn’t fill in the lawn as fully as you had expected, you can still apply a little extra seed to those thin spots. The seed will come up slowly over the winter and should be filled in fully by spring. A late fall lawn fertilization is important. This is typically done in late November, but if you forgot about it you can do it now.
Cold-Season Vegetable Gardening
In the vegetable garden, harvest those last heads of cabbage and broccoli soon because they can be damaged by temperatures below 26 degrees. Root crops can remain in the ground all winter if a good layer of mulch is applied. If you haven't planted a cover crop by this time, definitely do that now. Annual rye grass will germinate quickly and grow well in the cool environment. You may also want to prepare a few beds now for spring planting, just in case we have a very wet winter and you can't work the soil early in the season.
Christmas Trees
Follow these suggestions to keep your tree at its freshest and reduce the risk of a fire hazard in the home:
- Keep the tree in a bucket of water, in a shady location outdoors or in an unheated room until you are ready to place it inside.
- Re-cut the butt of the tree making a new avenue for water entry immediately prior to placing in your tree stand and bringing it indoors
- While indoors, keep the tree watered at all times. Never let the base completely dry out.
- The tree needs only fresh water; additives are of little or no value.
- Keep the tree away from heat vents as they will prematurely dry the tree out.
Poinsettias & Holiday Plants
When selecting poinsettias, look for plants with yellow flowers (in the centers of the colored leaves--"bracts") that are not quite open. Tight flower buds are a good indication that the plant is fresh and healthy. Once you bring your poinsettia home, keep it in an area that receives bright light and has a constant temperature of about 65-70°F. Keep poinsettias away from doorways or other areas that are drafty such as heat vents. Keep them well-watered but not over-watered. Mistletoe should be kept away from children and pets in your home. The berries of mistletoe are toxic.
The use of brand names in this publication does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service of the products and services named nor discrimination against similar products or services not mentioned.
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Coming Out of the Shell: North Carolina Peanuts
Have you ever enjoyed a sunny summer afternoon shelling peanuts at a ballgame? What about those salted cocktail peanuts you find at the grocery store? Or maybe you're a connoisseur of pre-shelled gourmet peanuts? As it turns out, any in-shell or...
Read more
homegrown.extension.ncsu.edu
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Christmas Trees: Here's The Scoop on North Carolina's Crop
North Carolina's Christmas tree growers are prepared to meet high demand from consumers this year, according to the leader of a Christmas tree research program at North Carolina State University. North Carolina is the second leading Christmas...
Read more
news.ncsu.edu
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Grants - Food Animal Concerns Trust
Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT) is accepting applications for livestock and poultry farmers who wish to expand animal welfare, build capacity, and/or
Read more
foodanimalconcernstrust.org
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Fall Virtual Programs Wrapping Up
Starting in September, Polk County 4-H kicked off a full slate of socially-distanced classes on everything from Graphic Design to Cooking. Students of all ages from 5-18 registered for both virtual tutorials and hands-on activities that they could complete at home. This semester of 4-H classes concludes this month. Below are some examples of what our local youth have accomplished.
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4-H student Christopher Stone created a masterpiece of a chicken pot pie after following along during a "Mealtime with Mrs. Helen" Zoom class. |
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One of the semester's "Take and Make" activities involved making a double-perch bird feeder with a string to hang it up in a tree or on a hook. |
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4-H Graphic Design student Katelyn Ruff expressed her newfound design skills in one of her weekly assignments. |
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The new semester of Winter 4-H classes will likely be announced sometime in December. Stay tuned to your email for details on class offerings and registration info.
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4-H Winter PenPal Program - Sign Up Today!
Registration for this program will run November 16-December 11, 2020. Matching will take place through the States' 4-H Exchange Program and its staff. NC 4-H will not be matching delegates for this program. Requirements include at least 2 writing ...
Read more
nc4h.ces.ncsu.edu
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As we gather for the Christmas holiday--maybe in smaller groups than in previous years--food is still a focus. Once you’ve finished your scaled-down celebrations, it’s time to think about that leftover turkey (or chicken) carcass in your freezer. Yes, I do recommend freezing it! One great way to utilize it is by making soup.
The turkey carcass can be cooked in many ways. You can place it in a crockpot with water and cook it all day or--if you’re in a hurry--there is always the instant pot. Of course the more traditional way is to cook the turkey bones on the stove in a stockpot. Any way you cook it, it will leave you a nice broth for soups and stews, and it’s cheaper than buying broth in the store.
We all make New Year's resolutions. One of the top listed resolutions every year is eating healthier. With recipes everywhere, magazines, online, TV cooking shows, it is easy. Right? Most nutrition specialists recommend starting with a recipe. I actually recommend you start with your refrigerator. What do you already have? For instance, if you have several vegetables, carrots, celery, onions, in your refrigerator and maybe a protein (chicken, fish or beef) in your freezer, then you have most everything you need to concoct a good healthy soup. And on these
cold evenings, is there anything that tastes better than a warm cup of soup?
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How to Celebrate the Holidays During a Pandemic |
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There are a lot of people with a lot of questions about what we can and should do regarding social distancing and food safety to keep our loved ones safe this holiday season. Our NC State Extension experts weigh in with research-based recommendations and guidance to help you make the best decisions. |
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Join Us For Jimmi's Drop-In Retirement Party |
Would you like to wish Jimmi Buell well on her retirement? If so, RSVP below to let us know you'll be dropping by on the afternoon of Friday, December 11 at the Extension Center. |
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Will you be dropping by for the event?
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LOCATION
NC Cooperative Extension of Polk County
DATE AND TIME
12/11/20 1:00pm
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12/11/20 6:00pm
In order to celebrate Jimmi while keeping everyone safe, we're doing a simple drop-in reception with take-away refreshments.
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Jimmi Buell is the Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences in Polk County
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N.C. Cooperative Extension prohibits discrimination and harassment regardless of age, color, disability, family and marital status, gender identity, national origin, political beliefs, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation and veteran status. NC State University, N.C. A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and local governments cooperating. |
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