Here is a terrific event for private forest landowners.
To: Forest Landowners
From: Daniel Smith, County Extension Director
Subject: Tree Farm Meeting in McDowell County
The North Carolina Tree Farm Program of the American Tree Farm System announces a private forest landowner’s workshop at BSA Camp Grimes on Vein Mountain Road, in Dysartsville NC. The workshop will be on Thursday, September 17, 2009 from 8:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M.
The morning session will feature speakers on sustainable forestry practices and wildlife habitat, non-timber forest products and a panel discussion of working family forest conservation easements. 2008 National Tree Farmer of the Year, Dr. Bob Cooper of Forsyth County, NC, will be the featured luncheon speaker.
Following a complimentary lunch workshop attendees will tour the managed forest on the Scout Camp, which has been certified by the American Tree Farm System as a NC Tree Farm. The afternoon forest tour will feature field discussions of both pine and hardwood management practices, improving habitat for wildlife, developing recreational opportunities in the forest and protecting water quality in forestry operations. Transportation for the field tour will be provided. The workshop is provided free of charge courtesy of the North Carolina Tree Farm Program and local supporters.
Call the NC Cooperative Extension Service office in McDowell County at 828-652-8104 or by email at Jane_McDaniel@ncsu.edu to register for the workshop. Registration is free. The cut-off date for advance registration is Monday, September 14, 2009.
Directions: From I-40 Exit 86 take NC 226 south. Go south approximately 8 miles to Club House Road. Turn right and then turn slight right on to Vein Mountain Road, and go 0.3 miles to the camp entrance on the left.
For Additional Information Contact:
Jim Sitts
Columbia Forest Products
Old Fort, NC
828-724-4191 ext. 2205
jsitts@cfpwood.com
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Mitchell Co. Business Survey
We need your help! North Carolina Cooperative Extension is a collaborative member of the Improving Mitchell County Business Survey Project. Businesses of all types are being asked to provide information that can be used to help improve existing businesses as well as help to create an environment conducive to new businesses. Agriculture is a critically important business in the county and regardless of how small or large your operation is we are asking that you complete the survey at http://tinyurl.com/lwpd6p. The AMY Regional Library is coordinating the data gathering so if you have any questions at all, please call Dan Barron at 828-682-4476 or director@amyregaioanlibrary.org.
The project is a collaborative effort of the Mitchell County Economic Development Commission's Mitchell County Certified Entrepreneurial Community Committee, Toe River Economic Alliance, NC Cooperative Extension, Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce, Mayland Community College's Small Business Center, Toe River Arts Council (TRAC), AMY Regional Library, HandMade in America, Spruce Pine Main Street and Bakersville Merchants' Association.
Thank you for your cooperation.
The project is a collaborative effort of the Mitchell County Economic Development Commission's Mitchell County Certified Entrepreneurial Community Committee, Toe River Economic Alliance, NC Cooperative Extension, Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce, Mayland Community College's Small Business Center, Toe River Arts Council (TRAC), AMY Regional Library, HandMade in America, Spruce Pine Main Street and Bakersville Merchants' Association.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Ag Option Grants
Grants totaling $225,000 are available to Western North Carolina farmers who are diversifying or expanding their operations in 2010. Managed by the NC Cooperative Extension County Centers in the West District, the WNC Ag Options Program works with producers who demonstrate ways to increase farm income to other transitioning farmers, particularly
tobacco growers. WNC Ag Options works in partnership with RAFI-USA’s Tobacco Communi-
ties Reinvestment Funds and the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission sponsors the program.
“This grant opportunity is an excellent resource to help offset the financial risk for farmers wanting to expand their operations or diversify into crops they may not be very familiar with,” said Ross Young, Madison County Extension Director. “The success of small family farms is the focus of this project. By providing financial assistance, this project is enabling farms to
create more sustainable farming enterprises, which will have a long-term effect on the economy as well as farmland preservation.” Interested applicants should see the agricultural agents at their local Cooperative Extension Center by Nov. 23, and can visit http://mitchell.ces.ncsu.edu/ to download an application. Projects should increase the sale of farm products and lead to the long-term sustainability of the farm business. The postmark deadline for applications is January 8, 2010.
tobacco growers. WNC Ag Options works in partnership with RAFI-USA’s Tobacco Communi-
ties Reinvestment Funds and the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission sponsors the program.
“This grant opportunity is an excellent resource to help offset the financial risk for farmers wanting to expand their operations or diversify into crops they may not be very familiar with,” said Ross Young, Madison County Extension Director. “The success of small family farms is the focus of this project. By providing financial assistance, this project is enabling farms to
create more sustainable farming enterprises, which will have a long-term effect on the economy as well as farmland preservation.” Interested applicants should see the agricultural agents at their local Cooperative Extension Center by Nov. 23, and can visit http://mitchell.ces.ncsu.edu/ to download an application. Projects should increase the sale of farm products and lead to the long-term sustainability of the farm business. The postmark deadline for applications is January 8, 2010.
White Clover Seeding
Fall is a good time to establish white clover in your Christmas tree or ornamental fields. Below are a few tips to get your clover started off right.
▪ Seeding dates are August 15– September 15.
▪ Apply a herbicide 1-7 days before seeding. This is to cut down on the competition once the seeds germinate.
▪ Find and purchase white Dutch clover ONLY. Figure on a rate of 15 lbs. per acre.
▪ Inoculate Clover - You will need to inoculate the seed by following this process: Measure out one gallon of clover seed with measuring cup, pour into 5 gallon bucket. Add 1 & 1/2 tablespoons of soft drink to the bucket of clover seed and stir well. Measure 1/4 cup of inoculant and add to the wet clover. Stir again, mixing well to coat all the seed with inoculant.
▪ Using the Spreader: Pre-set a Earthway 3100 spreader between the #6 and #7 setting, then close the trigger. Empty the one gal. of inoculated seed into spreader. Walking at a comfortable but steady pace, open the trigger and start down the second row in the field. The spreader should throw a 12-foot wide pattern, covering three rows, one to your left, the one you are walking in and one to your right.
▪ Calibration: After you empty the spreader with the first gallon of seed, stop and step off the area you have just seeded. Get the length and width footage, then using your calculator, multiply one by the other and get the square footage covered. This first gallon of seed will weigh between 8 & 10 lbs. and should cover somewhere between 20,000 & 25,000 sq. ft. This would put you between 15 and 20 lbs. per acre and that is close enough. If your square footage covered is not between 20,000 & 25,000 sq. ft., adjust lightly the setting on the spreader and do another gallon of seed until you are satisfied. Periodically, recheck
your calibration.
Fall seeding should result in emergence within three weeks and growth of 3-6 inches before cold weather sets in. If the pre-seeding herbicide treatment was successful you shouldn’t have any weed competition at all during the remainder of the fall season. You can begin chemical mowing rates, 8 oz. of Roundup, in the spring when needed.
▪ Seeding dates are August 15– September 15.
▪ Apply a herbicide 1-7 days before seeding. This is to cut down on the competition once the seeds germinate.
▪ Find and purchase white Dutch clover ONLY. Figure on a rate of 15 lbs. per acre.
▪ Inoculate Clover - You will need to inoculate the seed by following this process: Measure out one gallon of clover seed with measuring cup, pour into 5 gallon bucket. Add 1 & 1/2 tablespoons of soft drink to the bucket of clover seed and stir well. Measure 1/4 cup of inoculant and add to the wet clover. Stir again, mixing well to coat all the seed with inoculant.
▪ Using the Spreader: Pre-set a Earthway 3100 spreader between the #6 and #7 setting, then close the trigger. Empty the one gal. of inoculated seed into spreader. Walking at a comfortable but steady pace, open the trigger and start down the second row in the field. The spreader should throw a 12-foot wide pattern, covering three rows, one to your left, the one you are walking in and one to your right.
▪ Calibration: After you empty the spreader with the first gallon of seed, stop and step off the area you have just seeded. Get the length and width footage, then using your calculator, multiply one by the other and get the square footage covered. This first gallon of seed will weigh between 8 & 10 lbs. and should cover somewhere between 20,000 & 25,000 sq. ft. This would put you between 15 and 20 lbs. per acre and that is close enough. If your square footage covered is not between 20,000 & 25,000 sq. ft., adjust lightly the setting on the spreader and do another gallon of seed until you are satisfied. Periodically, recheck
your calibration.
Fall seeding should result in emergence within three weeks and growth of 3-6 inches before cold weather sets in. If the pre-seeding herbicide treatment was successful you shouldn’t have any weed competition at all during the remainder of the fall season. You can begin chemical mowing rates, 8 oz. of Roundup, in the spring when needed.
Farm Expo
The Ashe and Alleghany Counties Cooperative Extensions, the Ashe and Alleghany Counties Christmas Tree and Cattlemen’s Associations and the NC Dept. of Agriculture are hosting an all inclusive Farm Expo on Saturday, August 29 from 12:30 p.m. until dark at the Upper Mountain Research Station in Laurel Springs, NC. The 2009 Farm Expo will highlight research projects at the Upper Mountain Research Station, farm diversification opportunities, and have vendors showing off new farm equipment, conservation opportunities, farm related funding, area banks and many other for profit and non-profit agricultural services. Farmers interested in attending this Farm Expo should contact the Mitchell County Extension Center at 688-4811 by August 14.
Elongate Hemlock Scale
Elongate Hemlock Scale is a relatively new pest of Fraser fir in Mitchell County, but it seems to be spreading pretty rapidly. This time of year the crawler stage of the insect crawls around to new needles and begins sucking plant sap and producing new covers. The crawlers are very tiny and yellow. The insects feeding turns the needles yellow and continues to enlarge the scale coverings. The female coverings are elongated, parallel sided and light to dark brown. The male coverings are white. When they mature, the male insects emerge from beneath the coverings and fly to the wingless covered females. They mate and the fertilized female produces eggs under her scale cover. The scale covers are waxy and may be so numerous that the needles have a whitewashed appearance.
Treatment for this pest runs through the month of August. The combination of Asana XL+ Dimethoate has seemed to give the best control. Most of the scales are on the interior of the tree, so excellent coverage is very important. Growers with only a few trees infested with Elongate Hemlock Scale may be able to get control by doing spot treatments. Consult your local Cooperative Extension Agent to help make this treatment decision.
Treatment for this pest runs through the month of August. The combination of Asana XL+ Dimethoate has seemed to give the best control. Most of the scales are on the interior of the tree, so excellent coverage is very important. Growers with only a few trees infested with Elongate Hemlock Scale may be able to get control by doing spot treatments. Consult your local Cooperative Extension Agent to help make this treatment decision.
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