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Strawberry Season Starts Early in Abundance

Moore County strawberries are here and earlier than usual this year. COVID-19 has farmers taking precautions to ensure that consumers have safe access to what promises to be a bountiful harvest. 

NC State Extension Specialist Mark Hoffmann says the strawberry harvest will peak in about two weeks and continue into late May or early June, depending on the weather. Right now, he expects the state's farmers to pick more strawberries this year than they usually do, thanks to a warmer winter.  Be sure to visit one of our Moore County strawberry producers:


Although strawberries are delicious raw find mouthwatering recipes from the NC Strawberry Association.

Farmers Markets Open for the 2020 Season Amidst 
COVID-19 and Use Best Food Safety Practices 



Our farmers have stepped up during this pandemic and are using best food safety and preventative practices . Support them now, and they will continue to feed us in the future.

Moore County Farmers Market is open year round on Thursday mornings, 9 am to 1 pm. at Armory Park in Southern Pines. The Saturday market opened for the 2020 season on April 18 in downtown Southern Pines at 156 SE Board Street and runs weekly through October 30 from 8 a.m. to noon.  The market is also open on Monday afternoons from 2-5 p.m. at the First Health Fitness Center located at  170 Memorial Drive through October 26. Pinehurst 
Call 910-947-3752 or 910-690-9520 for more information, leave a message if no one is available to answer immediately. 

Moore County Health Department Farmers Market, 705 Pinehurst Avenue, Carthage.  Monday 10 am - 2 pm beginning May 4.  Call (910) 947-3300 or email Matt Garner 

Sandhills Farm to Table, a weekly CSA box offering the best in season from more than 30 participating local farms.  Deliveries begin April 22. C all 910-722-1623 or go to  https://www.sandhillsfarm2table.com/
Home delivery is an option if you are homebound. Sign-up today.

Sandhills Farmers Market - Pinehurst Village Green. Wednesdays 3pm - 6pm - and  Saturday  10am - 1pm - opening April 25 and running through September  http://www.moorefarmfresh.com/   and 
(303) 638-7281.

Find Farms open to the public can be found on the  https://visitncfarmstoday.com/ app, including more than 30 farms in the Sandhills region.


Strawberries, asparagus, farmers markets and more. Spring has sprung and it's time to enjoy all that the season offers. Download the Visit NC Farms app and find where to find seasonal Moore County produce today.

As 2020 progresses keep up with seasonal farm events and hours of operation throughout the year. Tap on the Visit NC Farms Mobile App and learn which local farms are welcoming visitors, where local farm products can be purchased, what restaurants source from Moore County farms, and much more. Download the free app from the App Store or from Google Play today.




    
Moore County 4-H

Looking for activities to keep kids engaged? Are your kids complaining about being bored? Since school systems have  been interrupted and are closed for the remainder of the school year, it can be a daunting task to keep your kids interested in learning. 

North Carolina 4-H is addressing this at home leaning phenomenon by hosting a daily 
Spark
. These are daily experiential leaning videos that encourage kids to participate along with the instructor in various activities that range from short to longer lessons for youth in a broad range of subjects from cooking to vermicomposting.

Try a few of the activities to  Spark you child's imagination!





Have you heard about eating the Mediterranean way, but want to learn more about this type of diet and its health benefits?

The Med Instead of Meds is being offered as an online series by the Moore, Lee and Harnett County Extension Centers beginning May 12.  Register by May 8.




Does your farm sell meat in bulk?  Are you a customer looking for locally sourced meats?  If so, Meat Suite has you covered!   Meat Suite is a website designed to help consumers in NY and NC find locally produced, high quality meats in bulk. No matter your buying preference the Meat Suite aims to help you find your farmer.


This website, created by Cornell Cooperative Extension Agriculture Educators, is designed to increase "freezer trade" (the sale of whole, halves, quarters of animals and bulk bundles of meat). Our goal is to give you the consumer a platform to find a farm that fits your needs and preferences when sourcing locally raised meats. You can search for farms in your neighborhood or by species across the region. You will learn how each farm raises their livestock and about their farming practices; allowing you to choose the meats that meet your family's wants and needs and, ultimately, Find your Farmer!

If you are a farmer and would like to add your farm onto Meat Suite at no charge, contact Kelly McCaskill @ (910) 947-3188 or kelly_mccaskill@ncsu.edu
 NC State Extension: Trusted Resources Nationwide

NC State Extension specialists support counties by developing practical solutions and resources from research that meets the needs of NC citizens. Those resources are delivered in individual counties to help solve localized problems or challenges by county Extension agents and staff. Because Extension specialists are on the cutting edge of technology to best serve county Extension offices and North Carolinians, Extension specialists have been recognized regionally, nationally and even internationally by many media outlets.  Here is some of what is in the news:



Fox News:  How to Stay Safe during Grocery Store Visits

WRAL: Could a virus take down the economy? You decide.

The New York Times: To Stay Afloat, the Restaurant Business Clings to 'Contactless Delivery'

Government Executive:  Try These Tips to Keep Your Cool at Home

Policymakers, Legislators, and Decision-Makers Will Be Key to the Sustainability of Agriculture and the Food Supply 



The impacts of the coronavirus on the U.S. and North Carolina agricultural economies are unfolding and fluid, so it is going to take time for agricultural economists to measure the full impacts according to Dr. Nick Piggott, NC State Extension specialist and professor in Agricultural and Resource Economics. He indicates that policymakers, legislators and decision-makers will need to understand the following as they consider strategies to respond to the economic crisis ahead:


 


 

1.     Farming will likely be unprofitable in 2020 with most commodity prices currently tanking to double-digit percentage losses since the crisis began.


 
2.     Can the agricultural supply chain function at capacity given that processing of meats, poultry and produce are labor-intensive, which makes social distancing difficult and means workers could contract and spread the coronavirus, forcing processing plant shutdowns?


 
3.     Can the agricultural supply chain transform to support how Americans are now consuming food due to stay-at-home and social distancing rules?


 
4.     A significant spike in unemployment and loss of income will shift and change the demand for food. Some Americans will spend less on food due to having less disposable income, and they will change their preferences to less expensive basic foodstuffs for at-home consumption.

 
The impact of the novel coronavirus takes the agricultural economy to uncharted waters. The most significant concerns are profitability for farmers, the reduction of commodity prices by double-digit percentage points, and the resiliency of the supply as it transforms to support the way Americans are now consuming food. With the significant spike in unemployment and loss of income the demand for food will shift and significantly influence the profitability of agriculture at the farm gate. As the situation remains fluid and changes are happening daily, other concerns and questions may be forthcoming.








CARES Act:
 Assistance Package for Agriculture

On April 17, USDA unveiled details of the much-anticipated CARES Act assistance package for agriculture, which includes $16 billion in direct payments to farmers and ranchers and $3 billion in food product purchases for distribution. To get an understanding about the bill ,  refer to Farm Bureau for an explanation of what exactly is entailed in the CARES Act for agriculture.