Welcome to the Newsletter from N.C. Cooperative Extension, Lincoln County Center. We are pleased to have such a great community to serve and help support the mission and vision of Cooperative Extension in this wonderful county that we live in. Thank you for your continued support and dedication! This publication is for upcoming events and information from our Agents.

Growing Together

by Tanya Binafif

As spring blossoms across Lincoln County, April marks the official kickoff to planting season, meaning our local farmers are working tirelessly to prepare fields and plant the crops that sustain our community. Because many local farms span multiple properties, you will see a significant increase in slow moving tractors and heavy agricultural equipment navigating through town and along our county roads. The most immediate way we can support them is right from the driver's seat. When you encounter farm equipment, please practice extra patience, maintain a safe following distance, and remember that these large vehicles often need room to make wide turns.

April Already

by Rachel Evans

They say April showers bring May flowers, and I am hopeful the coming weeks provide the nourishment needed for nature to truly flourish. This season of renewal is always a personal favorite — a time for fresh starts following the quiet preparation of winter. Now that the Spring Equinox has passed and the risk of frost is behind us, it is finally time to bring our growth into the light. I hope your winter was restorative and that you find yourself ready to bloom and thrive this spring. Let us know if there is anything you would like to know or a class you’d be interested in taking and we will see if our agents or other county’s have a program fit for you.

4-H Youth Development

Happy April, Lincoln County 4-H families! As we head deeper into spring, we have some important deadlines for our graduating seniors and an exciting new educational program launching this month.

Attention Graduating Seniors: Scholarship Deadlines are Here!

For our graduating 4-H Seniors, please don't forget that all local scholarships are due to the Cooperative Extension office this month.

Each scholarship has a different due date, so please take the time to carefully read through the qualifications for each one. If you meet the criteria, we highly encourage you to apply. Do not miss out on these great opportunities to help fund your future education. See the 2026 Scholarships webpage for the applications.

Upcoming Scholarship Deadlines:

• Carolyn H. Goodwin 4-H Scholarship: Due April 10th by 5:00 PM
• George Stoudemire Scholarship: Due April 10th by 5:00 PM
• Lincoln County ECA Scholarship: Due April 24th by 5:00 PM

Please make sure your applications are submitted to the Cooperative Extension office before the cut-off times.

This month, we are incredibly excited to start our Winged Wonders pilot program. This brand new initiative focuses on the fascinating world of butterflies and their life cycle. It is a fantastic, hands-on program, and we are thrilled to be able to offer this engaging educational opportunity to our youth this school year. Stay tuned for more updates and photos as we explore the amazing transformation of these winged wonders.

Horticulture

April is here and with it comes many things we can do in our yards and gardens! Spring blooming perennials like Forsythia can be pruned once blooms have begun to fade. Perennials can also be fertilized once growing is underway to ensure healthy growth this spring.

Make sure not to plant sensitive annuals and vegetables too soon as our average final frost isn't until April 17th. If you plan to plant sooner, be watchful of cool temperatures in the forecast. Vegetables like tomatoes can be damaged even at temperatures of 50 degrees.

Be sure to mow your Tall Fescue lawns regularly to avoid removing too much height at once. If you set your mower deck to cut at 2.5 inches, make sure to mow when grass is at 3.5 inches for optimal recovery.

The NC State Extension Master Gardener℠ Volunteers Plant Sale is returning this month! On Saturday April 25th from 8am to 12pm Lincoln County Master Gardener Volunteers are offering home-grown plants for sale that are perfect for home gardens in Lincoln County. Gardeners will be able to find annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, houseplants, herbs, fruits, and vegetables for their gardens at reasonable prices that were grown with care and are well-suited for Lincoln County. There will also be a bake sale and an attic sale with a wide variety of goods and items for everyone! Attendees can speak with Master Gardener Volunteers with a range of experience and expertise to learn more about the plants offered or ask questions about plants they already have at home in their gardens.

Profits from the sale will fund Extension Master Gardener Volunteer projects around the county including our various gardens, outreach activities, and projects like our Seed Library!

The Plant Sale will be held in the James W. Warren Citizens Auditorium, 115 West Main St., Lincolnton, NC on Saturday April 25th from 8am to 12pm.

Scholarship Application Deadlines

Lincoln County Extension offers three scholarships to college bound seniors from the county High Schools. The deadlines for the C. H. Goodwin 4-H Scholarship & G. Stoudemire Scholarship are both Friday, April 10th by 5pm. The ECA Scholarship is due Friday, April 24th by 5pm. All three scholarships should be mailed or hand delivered to the Extension office at 115 W. Main Street, Lincolnton, NC 28092. Visit our Scholarship page for applications.

FCS

Family & Consumer Sciences

Spring is here along with all the pollen! The ECA is gearing up for their District Day this month. We have been working on starting more specialty interest groups within the club, we are excited with what we have come up with…. Stay tuned for updates. Catawba and Lincoln County partnership went well for our chicken canning class March 18th in Catawba. I sent the pressure canner tester off to get calibrated so we will be able to test pressure canners for the upcoming canning season. It should be back in the office for me to begin testing in May. I am in the process of testing a couple different recipes with hopes of a few homesteading classes (canning, dehydrating, etc.). I am super excited that fresh fruits and veggies will start coming in soon! As usual, keep checking the Lincoln County Family and Consumer Science Facebook page for the latest class offerings and schedule.

Livestock & Field Crop

Are you looking for a rewarding career that will let you give back to your community? Our Lincoln County NC State Extension is hiring a Livestock and Field Crop Agent.

The person in this position must possess a high degree of animal science, livestock production, and general agriculture subject matter competence. They should be familiar with field crop production and possess excellent problem-solving, public speaking, verbal and written communication, and teaching skills for both in person and virtual educational programs.

If this is you APPLY HERE NOW!

Pesticide Credits

• April 9th from 8:30 to 9:30 AM = EPA Approved Paraquat Training
• June 3rd @ 8:30-10:30 AM = Pesticide Training X Credits
• June 3rd @ 10:30-11:30 AM = NCDA&CS Required Pesticide Certification & Training Standards Update

Please call ahead to reserve your spot for Paraquat Training (704) 736-8461

Location: Lincoln County Extension Office

Trevor Reese, Horticulture Agent

USDA Disaster Grant

Attention Lincoln County Farmers: If your operation suffered losses from Hurricane Helene, applications are officially open for the new $221 million USDA disaster block grant, and our Extension Office is here to help. Because Lincoln County is a designated disaster area, eligible producers can apply right now for assistance in three critical categories: Farm Infrastructure, Future Economic Loss, and Market Loss for Commodities and Value-Added Products.

Don't leave crucial recovery funds on the table. If you qualify, stop by or call the local Cooperative Extension office today so we can assist you before the May 15 deadline. For more details, check out the latest article from NCDA&CS: $221 Million Federal Disaster Block Grant Application (Note: The Timber Loss Relief Program will open at a later date).

Calendar of Events

NCSU Farmers Market - Each week Cooperative Extension provides a venue for our local farmers to connect with our community members at the Farmers Market Pavilion on East Waters Street. Our hours are unique, Tuesday from 8:00am til 1:00pm, which helps our farmers within our community to have an additional day to sell items. In addition, we invite a food truck to set up during the Farmers Market. Come Out and visit us each Tuesday until the end of November!

4-H SPIN Club Meetings - 4-H Club meetings with specific SPecial INterest topics covered at each meeting, like sewing, cooking, or other life skills. Will be the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.

4-H Stablemates Club Meeting - The Lincoln County Stablemates 4-H club is for youth interested in horses. Contact the Club Leader with any questions: Karen Williams- kkwill2025@yahoo.com

Good Friday - Office Closed

EMG Plant Sale - Extension Master Gardeners have been working hard to propagate and grow plants to sell in the Auditorium of the Citizens Center to all who want house plants, garden flowers, perennials, annuals, herbs, trees, shrubs, and much more.

4-H Fishing Club - The Lincoln County 4-H Fishing Club is for youth interested in fishing. Contact the Club Leader with any questions: Edward Stroup- edwardstroup@gmail.com

N.C. Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity provider.