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Master Gardeners Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardener volunteers extend a green thumb to homeowners by sharing their passion and expertise for everything that grows. Since 1979, these lifelong learners share advice for making environmentally responsible decisions about gardens, lawns and landscapes. For example, recent Master Gardener workshops in Haywood County included topics such as water conservation and quality, composting and earth-friendly lawn and turf management skills. “We’re way more than pretty plants,” says Lucy Bradley, Extension specialist in urban horticulture. Local foods fresher Community farmers markets are blooming, many driven by Cooperative Extension local foods coordinators in each North Carolina county to help farmers find a market for their farm-fresh, home-grown produce, meat and seafood. Since 2010, the 10 Percent Campaign has encouraged consumers to spend 10 percent of food dollars on locally grown and produced foods. Schools, restaurant owners, large-scale grocers and individuals are getting involved, resulting in well more than $60 million dollars spent on locally produced foods to date.
Get answers So what do you want to know? From food safety to farming, local foods to healthier families, raising chickens to creating a colorful garden, North Carolina’s county Extension agents have answers you can use. All you have to do is ask. Find out what your county offers at ces.ncsu.edu/counties.
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Carole Howell is a freelance writer farming in Lincoln County. She is a member of Rutherford EMC. See her work at walkerbranchwrites.com
Natalie Hampton
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Plowing ahead Never content to rest as long as there’s work to be done, North Carolina’s Cooperative Extension Service plans to remain vital and relevant for the next 100 years. In September 2013, Extension launched a strategic planning initiative to respond to changes in the social, political, economic and technological environment. “It’s an ideal time to celebrate our success and to look at how we can maintain that success,” says Justin Moore of Extension communications, who adds that this summer they plan to roll out some of the changes that will take place over the next two years. “Our vision is to make sure that we align our financial, human and research resources to our core of agriculture, food and youth development,” says Joseph Zublena, associate dean and director of the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service. “We’ll be high tech, but maintain our commitment to hightouch. Face-to-face contact has kept us ahead of the game when issues emerge.” He puts a fine point on it: “We’re known as the state’s best-kept secret, but we don’t want to keep it that way.”
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nutrition education, they’re working to foster policies and environments for physical activity from toddlers to adults. They strive to reach every audience they can to help more people maintain a healthy weight.
Helping young people become great citizens and leaders
North Carolina’s electric cooperatives’ deep-rooted relationship with Cooperative Extension is most evident today in their support of the North Carolina 4-H youth development program that blankets much of the electric cooperatives’ service territory. A signature event is the annual 4-H Congress that brings together 600 young people representing every county in the state. 4-H delegates convene in Raleigh for workshops designed to expand their skills in leaderships, current issues and the democratic process. Over the years, hundreds of 4-H’ers have participated in the Touchstone Energy-sponsored Citizenship Track, which explores effective advocacy, the importance of having an educated citizenry and voting, and identifying how public policy can solve community problems. These young leaders visit the state capital to discuss local and state issues, meet with state legislators and participate in the recording of the public affairs television program “NC SPIN.” 4-H’ers come away with a deeper understanding of how they can be advocates, and how they can bring about change in their communities. The co-ops also are a sponsor of the Electric Presentation Awards, which are $50–$75 scholarships to 4-H Congress. To win an award, participants create presentations demonstrating their knowledge of electricity, conservation of energy, and related principles. Some co-ops support livestock shows, youth camps and scholarships. Others provide electric safety demonstrations, participate in field days, donate materials for energy efficiency campaigns, have employees serve on advisory committees and support disaster preparedness programs. Several cooperatives host annual golf tournaments that collectively raise more than $50,000 for local 4-H programs across the state each year. — Lindsey Listrom Carolina Country JULY 2014 17
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