Disaster Prepardness and Recent Storms

If the recent storms have left you with downed trees or you need information on chainsaw safety, visit NC State University's Urban Forest website for this information.

EDEN, the Extension Disaster Education Network, working through eXtension has released four new fact sheets regarding the impact of floods on farms and methods of preparing for and recovering from flooding on the farm. In preparation for spring and the severe weather that potentially lies before us, you may want to revue the resources available through eXtension and EDEN. Their URL's are listed below.
EDEN - http://eden.lsu.edu/Pages/default.aspx
eXtension - https://www.extension.org/disasters


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

Irrigation Workshop - Chlorination Systems for Nursery and Vegetable Crop Production

Many of you are pumping water from non-potable sources. Whether this is from a pond, cistern, or stream, some of these sources contain both plant and human pathogens.
This class will provide you some insight into methods that you can use to reduce the risks that these pathogens can have on both your crops, your family, and your customers. The class has been granted 2 hours of commercial and/or private pesticide x credits as well as 2 hours of irrigation contractor credit. So- for a morning of your time you could earn 2 hours of credit for each of these two licenses.
Irrigation Workshop
For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Internet Marketing Series

Looking at ways to expand your market? If so you may want to consider marketing on the internet. The NC Cooperative Extension is offering as series of classes on Monday mornings to assist with the idea of internet marketing. You may find the information at: Internet Marketing Series
Come and join us, you might be tweeting before summer!
For more information contact your local Cooperative Extension Center and ask for the Commercial Horticulture Agent.

Town Hall Meeting

This is a notification to all landscapers of an up-coming town hall meeting where the proposed Landscape Contractor Practice Act will be discussed. This event will be in the Bo Thomas Auditorium on the campus of Blue Ridge Community College. The meeting will take place from 6:30 until 8:30 on Thursday evening,
March 18th. RSVP requested. If possible please car pool with a colleague as parking may be limited. The Bo Thomas Auditorium is in the Sink Building on the Flat Rock Campus. If you need additional directions please call me or visit the College's website: BRCC
Note: Blue Ridge Community College is a tobacco free campus.

This is an informational meeting sponsored by the Green Industry Council of North Carolina and only facilitated by the Cooperative Extension offices. For an overview of the legislation please visit their website at: NC Landscape Contractor's License.
NC Cooperative Extension remains an educational organization only and not a regulatory one. Regardless of the outcome of this legislation we will continue to strive to provide the educational programs that will give all green industry professionals an equal opportunity to achieve their professional goals, learn new practices and/or skill and obtain or retain any required certifications or licenses.


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

Weather Alert

Another winter weather event is headed our way. This one could surpass the size and damage of the one in December. If you have nursery/greenhouse structures be prepared to add additional bracing and keep your brooms handy for snow removal. Check to make sure that all generators are working and that you have them full of fuel. It is hard to tell when the storm will arrive- but early predictions show it hitting in full force by early afternoon. This should allow you the morning to purchase any supplies, extra fuel, food etc. Check the link above in the title line for more information about the track of this storm event. While driving back from the Turf Conference in Raleigh, I noticed that NCDOT were out in full force "salting" the highways. They are preparing for a severe weather event for the entire state.

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

Green Tips

The Green Tips Newsletter is now posted at: GreenTips.
With all of the winter weather we have had, we are still gathering information about damage to crops, structures, etc. Please visit the survey at:
Weather Survey



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

Business Side of Agritourism

If you are selling retail or thinking about increasing the visitors to your farm, nursery, or garden center this program may be for you. Please mark your calendars for January 27th-28th to attend the The Business Side of Agritourism Workshop. This program is for any agribusiness that may have public interaction on a regular basis.

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

Support a Farmer, Buy a Real Christmas Tree!

My husband Phillip and I ventured out to Sandy Mush this past Saturday to get our Christmas Tree. It was the perfect day, cold and snowing! On the way to Sandy Hollar Tree Farm, on North Turkey Creek Road, we passed a sign for a Kiln Sale at Jone Pottery. We are going to have to stop by there after we get our tree! We arrive at Sandy Hollar Tree Farm, by this time the snow has passed and I am upset because I wanted it to be snowing in the back ground of our pictures, oh well. I see Dale Hawkins, owner of the farm, and talk with him a minute. Dale says, "business is pretty good this year and we have sold a lot of trees. Last weekend it was really busy!" There were about 15 cars there at that time. Everyone was so happy and the kids were having fun picking out the "perfect tree". The farm looked beautiful! Neat rows of deep green Fraser Fir and a cute farm store decorated with wreathes and garland. Inside the store you can purchase holiday gifts such as hand knitted wool hats and scarves that Dale's Mom, June makes. June raises Llamas and shears them for the wool. Phillip and I walk around for an hour enjoying the scenery and looking for our "perfect tree". To be honest, all the trees were perfect! We find our tree and Phillip cuts it down, we carry it out of the field, send it through the tree bailer and tie it to the car. When we have children one day, we are going to make it a tradition in our family to go to a local Christmas Tree farm to get our tree. It's so much fun and the famers need our support too. After we left Sandy Hollar Tree Farm, we stopped in at the Kiln sale at Jone Pottery. We found several gifts for our friends and enjoyed some hot apple cider and Christmas cookies. They had a really cool chicken tractor too!! Merry Christmas and remember to support your local farmers, artists and businesses! To find your local Christmas Tree growers go to http://ncchristmastrees.com/

Farm Store

Neat rows of Faser Fir

Nice work Phillip!

Beautiful snow!

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

Nov/Dec Edition of Commercial Hort News- now available!

Your November/ December 2009 edition of Commercial Hort News is now available. This newsletter serves the Green Industry in western North Carolina. Buncombe County's Christmas tree growers are highlighted in the Grower Spotlight! You'll also find information about grants, scholarships and cost share programs. Hope you enjoy the newsletter and look for the January/ February edition to post early January 2010.



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

Starting a CSA

Are you interested in starting a CSA?

CSAs are becoming more and more popular here in western NC. The Henderson County Cooperative Extension Office is holding an Informational Meeting on Starting a CSA, including topics such as the benefits of CSAs, share prices and payment, recruiting and maintaining customers, and developing a crop plan.

Please join us Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 from 9am-11am at Henderson County Cooperative Extension Office, 740 Glover Street, Hendersonville, NC. This is a free workshop. Please RSVP to Ivy Olson at 828-697-4891 or ivy_olson@ncsu.edu. For more information, please click the link below:

CSA Flyer

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