ALEXANDER COUNTY CENTER
October 2019
Inside this Issue:
firewise


papercloversale

Tractor Supply Paper Clover Campaign
When: October 9-20, 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. The in-store donation event will be held  Oct. 9-20 .

Tractor Supply customers can participate in the fall 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.
applefestival
fruit-basket.jpg
Taylorsville Apple Festival
When:  Saturday, October 19, 2019
Where:  Downtown Taylorsville

Below are a list of contests to participate in:

Adult Apple Dessert Contest:
Each entry must include an accurate recipe, at least a 2 serving portion, and include at least one cup of apples (either fresh, canned, dried, applesauce, or apple butter). Place entry in a large plastic sealable bag or covered with plastic wrap.

This year's contest entries may be any type of apple dessert including but not limited to cakes, cookies, pies, puddings, or cobblers.

No refrigerated desserts will be accepted. Including those with frosting containing cream cheese, heavy cream, and egg yolks.

The apple desserts will be judge on taste, appearance, originality, and ease of preparation.

Desserts must be dropped off between 11:00 and 12:00 on Saturday, October 19th. Prizes for the contest are 25.00 for 1st place, 15.00 for second and 10.00 for third. 

Apple Peeling Contest:
The Apple Peeling Contest will be hosted by Alexander County 4-H at the Taylorsville Apple Festival from 12:00-2:00 p.m. on the courthouse lawn.  Prizes will be given for adult and youth categories.  

For more information please call the N.C. Cooperative Extension-Alexander Center at 828-632-3125.

alexandereca


farmcityweek
Farm-City Week

Each year a week is designated to celebrate Farm-City Week.  The purpose of this week is to help provide a better understanding between urban and rural residents of Alexander County.   This year, Farm-City Week will be October 20-26th.  A banquet to celebrate will be held Thursday, October 24th, 2019 at 6:00 p.m at The Emerald Hill located in Hiddenite, NC.  A separate invitation will be sent out soon with final details.  Please hold the date!!
pumpkincontest
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4-H Pumpkin Decorating Contest

Decorate a pumpkin no matter the shape or size!  Competition is based on creativity.  First place will receive a $15 4-H Scholarship and second place will receive a $10 4-H Scholarship in each of the following age categories:  7-under, 8-13 years, 14-18 years.  Scholarships can be used to attend Alexander County 4-H events.  Decorated pumpkins need to be turned in by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 24th.  Please pick up all pumpkins on Friday, October 25th.  
octobergardencalendar

October Garden Calendar


cattleconnection
Cattle Connection Section 

Acorn Poisoning in Cattle

Fall usually brings cooler weather and changing leaves. So far the weather isn't cooler and the  majority of us are experiencing drought conditions. On top of that, the acorn population seems to be heavy this year. While this is good for wildlife, where cattle are frequently grazed on pastures that may contain oak timber, the possibility exists for cattle to also consume acorns. Most species of North American oak trees are considered toxic.   To learn more click here.

Nitrates in Hay:  A Concern During Drought Conditions

The heat doesn't seem to be letting up and many of us are experiencing a drought. Many livestock producers have begun feeding hay now in times when grass should be growing. Producers are using hay now that would normally be designated for winter feeding. Producers that normally stockpile fescue grass during this season of growth to carry them further into winter grazing, are not able to do so due to the drought. Thus it may be anticipated that these producers will need more hay as well.

Producers need to inventory their hay now and begin looking for hay to purchase. If you wait, you may be forced to market animals at inopportune times and receive less than desirable prices. Planning ahead allows you to be in control when it comes to making buying or selling decisions.

Something else to think about when purchasing hay that has been harvested under drought conditions is nitrates. Plants known for accumulating nitrate include johnsongrass, sorghums (forage sorghum, sorghum-sudan, and sudangrass), pearl millet, corn, and pigweed. If the hay you purchase has significant amounts of johnsongrass in the fields you need to consider testing it for nitrates. Drought stresses plants and causes them to accumulate nitrates which can be fatal to livestock. Unlike prussic acid (which is also associated with these same plants), nitrates don't diminish during the hay drying process. So the only way to know if your hay has nitrates is to send a sample off to the NCDA Forage lab for testing. Fortunately this test is free. High nitrate levels in hay can kill cattle. If you have hay that may be of concern don't take that chance..... send a sample off... its free. Call the NC Cooperative Extension-Alexander County Center we can assist you in collecting samples and provide you with the forms.


ncfarmschool

Attend the 2020 NC Farm School Foothills Area

Realized the dream of owning your own farm....Learn from successful farms and graduates!
  • Marketing, budgeting, finance, risk management, and farm production training tailored to your goals
  • One-on-one budget consultations with North Carolina State University Specialists
  • Continued events and relationships to help you develop your business beyond 2020 NC Farm School
  • Access to farming resources developed in our program exclusively for NCFS Students
  • Relationships with Extension Agents in your county connecting you to valuable resources
For more information please call 828-632-4451 visit the link below:


 Read more N.C. Cooperative Extension news at >>
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