Staff Changes
This month we had to say "Goodbye" to a few individuals from the Catawba County Extension staff.
Lisa Ortiz started as the Catawba County 4-H Program Assistant in 2023 and has been 4-H Agent for the last 2 years. We are sad to see her leave, but wish her all the best in her new role as a classroom teacher. Lisa will be continuing as a club leader for Clover Explorers 4-H Club. We look forward to continuing to see her around and still part of 4-H, but in a different capacity. If you have questions related to 4-H while we wait to fill this position, contact Dana, Donna, or Monica at the Extension office.
Micah Chapman, our Extension Summer intern, concluded his 10-week internship with us in late July. It has been a joy to have Micah as part of our office and our staff enjoyed helping him learn about a career with Extension and agriculture. Micah will be returning to NCSU in August to start his sophomore year. Micah was really busy this summer with working weekends on the family farm and taking a few summer classes, while working full-time in our office. We wish him a GREAT year at NCSU.
Catawba County 4-H Leadership Council Meeting
Catawba County 4-H members, parents, teen leaders, and dedicated adult volunteers are invited to attend and join our Leadership Council! The 4-H Leadership Council is hosting a planning meeting for our upcoming annual Fall Open House, and we need representation from every single club to make it a success.
The planning session will take place on Thursday, August 20th from 5:30 to 7:00 PM at the Agricultural Resources Center, located at 1175 South Brady Ave, Newton.
This years Open House is shaping up to be an incredible community event, and we need your help to make it happen! We are bringing together passionate members and families from across the county to brainstorm, collaborate, and design an engaging experience that showcases the hard work of our individual clubs and the Leadership Council. To make this event truly shine, we need fresh ideas, enthusiastic energy, and strong collaboration from members across the entire county.
Please let Dana know if you plan to attend by emailing her at dmflorez@ncsu.edu.
Come ready to share your ideas, connect with fellow 4-H'ers, and help us build an incredible experience for our community. Let’s make this year’s Fall Open House the best one yet!
Catawba County 4-H’ers Excel at State Congress and Presentations!
Catawba County 4-H had a fantastic week at NC 4-H State Congress! Our delegation stayed busy from start to finish, jumping into hands-on volunteer service projects to give back to the community and joining interactive workshops to sharpen their leadership skills. They also put civic engagement into practice by casting their votes in the NC 4-H State Elections.
On top of a full schedule of Congress events, several members also took the stage to compete in the NC 4-H State Presentations, showcasing their hard work, preparation, and public speaking skills.
Luna Weiss – Gold
Uriah Sigmon – Silver
Linus Hartness – Silver
We are so proud of every 4-H’er who stepped up, built their confidence, and represented Catawba County. Great job, everyone!
Summer Spark 2026
As our Summer Spark program comes to a close, Catawba County 4-H is celebrating a season filled with learning, adventure, and new experiences! Our youth stayed busy exploring new passions, connecting with the community, and building hands-on skills all summer long.
Throughout the program, 4-H’ers got a taste of state government and campus life on a train trip to Raleigh, connected with local agriculture through farm visits and cooking workshops, and put their skills to the test in our Chopped Cooking Challenge. Youth also jumped into hands-on STEM and music sessions, suited up with local beekeepers, and took part in so many other fun workshops, trips, and activities along the way!
A huge thank you to all of the community partners, volunteers, and teen leaders who made this summer so special. We sure had a wonderful time!
Fair Booths
Fair time will be coming soon! Creating an educational fair booth is a great way to showcase your work and educate the public on a topic with a visual display. We have space for 4-H Clubs and community group to create booths in the exhibit hall. If you would like to have a booth for your club, contact Monica or Donna at the Extension office. We will need a sketch of your booth idea in advance. Cash awards for winning booths.
Catawba Valley Cattlemen's Association
The Catawba Valley Cattlemen's Association meeting is August 11 at 6:00 p.m.
This month's meeting with have guest speaker Josie Stanbery, Performance Livestock and Feed
Topic: Feeding Through a Drought
Register for Hickory American Legion Fair Livestock Shows on the Showman App
Local Food Guide & Farmers Markets
The Local Food Guide has been updated for 2026 online.
Check out opening dates for all the Farmers Markets in Catawba County, new U-pick farms, new farm stands and stores, several new restaurants sourcing local, artisan products and farms offering a great selection of locally sourced foods.
Lost Arts: Phytonutrients in Foods
Thursday August 27 at 6:00 p.m. at the Catawba County Agricultural Resource Center
Speaker Andrea Sherrill discusses natural chemicals made by plants to stay healthy, and they give fruits and vegetables their bright colors, strong smells, and tastes.
Register for this class and other Lost Arts Programs in 2026.
Pickling Basics
Thursday, August 20 4:00 pm -7:00 pm at the Catawba County Agricultural Resource Center
Cost: $10
Capture the taste of fresh summer vegetables with home food preservation. Join us for Pickling Basics in August and learn the basics of making pickles and pickled products at home.
As part of the workshop, participants will make a pickled item with locally grown cucumbers and also learn the basics of water bath canning. Classes are kept small to allow for hands-on involvement in the kitchen and canning together in the workshop.
We will do some pre-prep of the cucumbers on the day before on Wednesday afternoon, if anyone would like to be involved in that part also.
Register by August 17.
Register online or contact Donna Mull for more information.
NEW Cooperative Extension Advisory Council
The Catawba County Cooperative Extension staff is working on plans to reorganize the Extension Advisory Committee. If you have enjoyed participating in Extension programs, consider getting involved in a new leadership role and giving our staff input on future programming needs. While our staff has also worked on brainstorming some ideas of Advisory members, we have room for others. We hope to have a diverse group representative of different program areas and the county.
If you are interested in serving on the Advisory Committee, contact Donna Mull, County Extension Director.
Pressure Canner Testing
Get ready for summer home canning with garden fresh produce arriving soon! It is recommended that you have your canner tested once a year to make sure the dial gauge is working properly for safe canning.
FREE pressure canner testing is available through Cooperative Extension office and only takes a few minutes.
Contact the Extension office at 828-465-8240 to schedule an appointment to bring in your lid for yearly testing.
Catawba Valley Beekeepers
The next meeting will be held on August 17 at 7:00 pm
Madison Bridges will present a program on honey bee communication. Much of bee communication takes place inside a dark hive, where bees rely on dances, pheromones, vibrations, and touch to share information. By learning to recognize these signals, beekeepers can gain a better understanding of colony behavior and what is happening inside the hive.
To learn visit the club's website: catawbavalleybeekeepers.org
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NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C. Cooperative Extension.
