The Importance of Farmland in Your Community

March 19, 2009
7 - 8:30 pm
Haywood County Extension Office Auditorium
589 Raccoon Road
Waynesville, NC 28786

Farmland is important to residents of Haywood County. At this meeting we will report on the findings of two three-year studies on the value of farmland and ways to keep farming prosperous in your community. The Farmland Values Project is led by Leah Greden Mathews at UNC Asheville and the Farm Prosperity Project is led by Jeanine Davis at the NC State Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center in Mills River. The Farmland Values Project will share results from surveys and focus groups about what local residents and visitors value about farmland, including their willingness to contribute to local farm protection efforts, with a focus on results from Haywood County. Results confirm the importance of farmland for maintaining residents’ quality of life, access to local food, and the scenic beauty of our region. The Farm Prosperity Project will explain how they worked with local farmers to develop tools to help farmers make decisions about their farms, how to preserve them, and what to grow. They will also discuss the research that has been conducted on organic and heirloom tomatoes. This meeting and three others in surrounding counties are designed specifically for the general public. There will also be a meeting for farmers (March 12) and one for local officials (April 15). Please call Terri Schell at 684-3562 to reserve a seat. Walk-ins are welcome, but we can plan better if you call ahead. Directions can be found at http://haywood.ces.ncsu.edu/. More information is available about these projects at http://www.unca.edu/farmlandvalues and http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/specialty_crops/farmprosperity/index.htm. These projects are funded by grants from the USDA-CSREES Small and Mid-Sized Farms Program.

The Farmland Values and Farm Prosperity projects are supported by the National Research Initiative of the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, grants #2005-35618-15647 and #2005-35618-15645.

Plant Sale

The Haywood County Master Gardeners Association plant sale is now in full swing. Orders are due in the Extension office by 5:00pm on Tuesday, March 10th. If you are interested in purchasing plants, go to the link below, print off the order form and return it to the Extension office by the March 10th deadline. You can bring the form by the office or fax it to (828)452-0289.

For additional information, call (828)456-3575

Order Form

Community Garden

It’s that time of year again. Time to begin thinking about planting your vegetable garden. Even if you don’t have room for a garden on your property you can still enjoy the pleasure of growing and harvesting you own vegetables. The Hunter Family Community Garden in Canton has space available on a first come, first serve basis. Garden spots will be approximately 750 square feet.

There will be an organizational meeting to discuss rules and starting dates at the Haywood County Extension Center on Thursday, March 12^th at 5:00pm.

For more information call the Haywood County Extension Center at (828)456-3575.

Deicers

As the snow begins to fall outside my office I’m reminded that this is the time of year that I begin to get calls concerning ice-melts or deicers. Slick driveways and sidewalks can be a safety hazard and chipping and shoveling snow is more work than many of us want to undertake. Those looking for an easier method of removing ice and snow often resort to the use of de-icing compounds. While these products are effective, they should be used with caution. Many of these products contain salts which can be harmful to plants.

There are about five major products used as de-icers. These include calcium chloride, sodium chloride (salt), potassium chloride, urea (a fertilizer), and calcium magnesium acetate. Each of these materials varies in their effectiveness and temperature range. Be sure to follow label instructions on any de-icing materials.

Limited use of any of these products should cause little plant injury but problems can occur when they are used excessively and there is not adequate rainfall to wash or leach the material from the area. Since limited use is recommended, it is best to remove the ice and snow by hand when possible. When chemicals are applied, practice moderation. We are often prone to over- applying just to make sure the ice and snow melt. Keep in mind this can damage concrete surfaces as well as the plants and grass growing along the walks and driveways. These problems are normally latent and will not show up until spring or summer.

For additional information on any of the materials listed, call your local extension agent.

Winter Humidity - Plants Got To Have It

Lack of humidity is a culprit in may indoor plant deaths, especially during the winter. The change in humidity from summer to winter is great enough, but if your houseplants vacationed outdoors for the summer, the transition is even greater. If you did move your houseplants outside for the summer, hopefully you brought them back in before the heat is turned on. Preferably while the windows were open, so the transition is eased a bit.

You may first notice a low humidity problem as browning leaf tips on your houseplants. As a plant dehydrates, it can start to look withered, puckered or simply drop its leaves.

To insure your houseplants get the humidity they need, first research how much your particular plants actually like. If your house tends to be dry, you can increase humidity around your houseplants by placing a tray of pebbles under the pots, filling the tray to just below the pot’s bottom. Do not let your plants sit directly in the water or you will be creating a whole other problem. You can also provide some humidity by misting your indoor plants daily. If you have a great many houseplants, you may want to invest in a humidifier. It’s good for your skin and even your wood furniture too.

Recycle Your Christmas Tree

The Environmental and Conservation Organization (ECO) is coordinating their annual tree recycling event in conjunction with Henderson County Parks and Recreation. Residents are encouraged to drop off their trees at a designated site in Jackson Park near the covered picnic area. Hendersonville city residents may leave their trees at curbside, where they will be gathered and included in the recycling project.

Be sure to remove all lights and decorations before dropping your trees at the park. No wreaths, balled trees or greenery with wire will be accepted. Christmas trees will be chipped to make mulch on Jan. 10 at Jackson Park. Mulch created from the chipping will be given away free of charge, so bring a bag if you’re interested in taking some home.

Call the ECO office at 692-0385 for more information.

Vote for The Bullington Christmas Tree

Henderson County Master Gardeners have been working hard on creating handmade ornaments for the annual Holiday Tree contest at the Asheville Airport. This year their theme is "The Wise Owl Learning Tree". The decorated tree is on display through the end of December. All of the ornaments are made entirely out of natural plant parts from their gardeners within the mountains of North Carolina.

See the picture above for an extraordinary example of their creativity. This Owl is named Frederick Law Olmstead, the father of landscape architecture. The prize money awarded will go to the charity of choice, which is the Bullington Horticulture Learning Center. Please go to www.flyavl.com then click on holiday contest and vote for tree number 7; the tree with the most votes wins.