Commercial Horticulture Newsletter- Available now!

The November-Decemeber Edition of Commercial Horticulture News is now availaible.

For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Regional Greenhouse Growers Workshop

Cooperative Extension will be holding a regional Greenhouse Growers Workshop on January 31, 2008 from 8:30 am – 5:00pm at the Mountain Horticulture Crops Research & Extension Center. Pre-registration is required! Registration is $25 and due by January 23rd. Pesticide credits have been applied for. Lunch and breaks will be sponsored and on site. Topics will include Grants for Energy Conservation, Managing Fertility and Watering. Pour-through Sampling, Substrates, Managing Slow Release Fertilizers, New Plants and more!!!

For more information please contact:

Cliff Ruth – Henderson/Transylvania Counties, 828-697-4891
Tim Mathews – Haywood County, 828-456-3575
Amanda Stone – Buncombe County, 828-255-5522

For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Drought Assistance from SBA

Steve Troxler alerts nurseries about Small Business loans for drought losses.
RALEIGH Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler reminds nurseries that they may be eligible for low-interest drought assistance loans offered through the U.S. Small Business Administration. The loans are available for all qualifying small businesses affected by the drought.

Loans are now available for eligible nurseries because of three recent federal disaster declarations, Troxler said. Most North Carolina counties are included in the program, and I encourage nurserymen to contact the Small Business Administration if they are interested in this program.

Eligible small businesses may qualify for loans up to $1.5 million. Loans are available at 4 percent interest rates. Loan amounts and terms are determined by the SBA. Agricultural producers are not eligible for loans under this disaster declaration.

To find out more about the program, contact the SBA Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Loan applications can be downloaded from the SBA Web site at www.sba.gov. The deadline for applying for this loan program is May 12.

CONTACT: Kathy Cooke, government relations specialist
U.S. Small Business Administration
(404) 347-9771

Soil Testing

Check this short video out about soil testing: Soil Testing. We're testing it to see if participants can use this technology for short educational venues.


For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.