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.

Farming Moms

by Tanya Binafif

Mother’s Day is a time to recognize the hardworking women who help keep our farms and families running strong. From early mornings in the barn to long days balancing responsibilities at home and on the farm, these women play an essential role in agriculture and are often the backbone of successful operations.

This month, we encourage our community to thank and support the mothers who contribute so much to our farming way of life. Whether it’s lending a helping hand or offering a kind word, small gestures go a long way. To all the farm moms and women in agriculture, we celebrate and appreciate you this Mother’s Day.

It's Gunna be May

by Rachel Evans

Since April didn't bring as much rain as we had hoped, May continues our slow start to spring. The flowers are blooming, the grass is turning green, and planting season is in full swing. We are hoping for a bit more rain this month to ensure a bountiful harvest and to save our farmers from working overtime to keep livestock hydrated and fields thriving.

Looking ahead, Memorial Day will officially usher in summer, along with the warmer weather and afternoon thunderstorms that come with it.

4-H Youth Development

As May arrives, we are wrapping up another successful year of Lincoln County 4-H School Enrichment programs. We are grateful for our dedicated community educators who helped make this year such a success, and we look forward to partnering with them again in the fall.

We are also finalizing plans for our 4-H Discovery Day Camps. This year, we will offer a 5-day camp June 1st–5th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and a 3-day camp June 9th–11th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Get ready for a summer full of fun, learning, and hands-on experiences! After our Discovery Camps, we will continue hosting our 4-H Summer Fun Program, which will focus on science and hands-on experiments. Youth will have the chance to explore exciting topics, conduct experiments, and discover the world around them in new ways. If your 4-H’er loves learning about all things science, this is the summer experience you’ve been looking for.

If you are part of a homeschool co-op program and are looking for engaging summer activities, consider signing up for one of our 4-H Embryology Boxes. Our 4-H Office provides everything you need to successfully hatch baby chicks. Watching chicks hatch is an unforgettable experience and a favorite among youth of all ages! Don’t let public and private schools be the only ones who benefit from our educational programs, this is a great opportunity to bring hands-on learning to your homeschool youth through 4-H.

In addition, if you are hosting a day camp or Vacation Bible School and would like the Mobile 4-H Farm to visit your youth, we would love to connect with you. Spots fill quickly each summer, so be sure to reserve your date soon! Please contact the 4-H Office to schedule a visit. We look forward to an exciting and engaging summer with our 4-H families!

FCS

Family & Consumer Sciences

I love this warm temperature! The ECA had a wonderful time at their South Central District Day that was held in Gaston County. Several of our members entered beautiful crafts into the Cultural Arts showcase, they represented Lincoln County well.

For FCS, the pressure gauge tester is calibrated and back in the office, so I will be available to test pressure canners. Please call the office to schedule a time to come by to get yours tested. You should get your pressure gauge tested every year to make sure that you are processing your food correctly.

Recipe Club started back up at the Senior Center. The theme this month is strawberries. This will be May 18th at

2pm. I will be hosting a class making Strawberry Jam on May 12th and Strawberry Syrup on May 19th. Class times are 10am-12pm or 4-6pm at the Citizen Center. Each class is $10 and you get to take a jar with you. Deadline to sign up for the classes is Friday May 8th.

Stay informed with what is going on by following the Lincoln County Family and Consumer Science Facebook page.

Livestock & Field Crop

This month, we are excited to host interviews for our long-awaited Livestock and Field Crop Agent position. We are fortunate to have a strong pool of highly qualified applicants and look forward to meeting each of them to learn how they can contribute to and enhance our Extension office.

Filling this position is an important step in continuing to support and grow our local agricultural community. We are eager to welcome an outstanding candidate who will serve and assist our livestock and field crop farmers with education, resources, and outreach.

We appreciate the community’s patience throughout this process and look forward to introducing our new agent soon.

Horticulture

Spring is in full swing! Here are some tips for gardening this May. 2026 started off significantly drier than previous years, but rain has finally come and with any luck will continue with some regularity. If you've put off planting shrubs or perennials, now would be a good time to get them in the ground while temperatures are still moderate and the soil finally has much needed moisture. Just remember to water consistently while the roots establish as rain cannot always be relied on.

With nighttime lows regularly in the 50's, tomatoes and peppers are largely safe to be planted in the ground, though the occasional night in the 40's can show itself in May. To be safe, you can wait until forecasts are ideal, or provide protection to plants on cold nights. Other vegetables like corn, beans, squash, cucumbers and others can be sown directly in the ground during May. Seeds need consistent watering through germination and early growth to establish strong roots. It is best for vegetables like these to have soil temperatures above 60 degrees which is typical when daily highs are over 70 degrees.

Come talk with Master Gardener volunteers this month at the Denver Farmers Market! We will have a tent at the market on Saturday May 9th and Saturday May 23rd from 8am to noon. Come with gardening questions and leave with your pick of free seeds to add to your garden!

If you regularly attend the Senior Center in Lincolnton, come check out our garden group that meets every 2nd and 4th Wednesday from 9am to 10am through the end of summer. Together we will grow vegetables, herbs, flowers, and perennials in the garden out back and learn about a range of different gardening topics through hands-on education!

Pesticide Credits

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

Location: Lincoln County Extension Office

Trevor Reese, Horticulture Agent

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

Memorial Day - Office Closed

Strawberry Preserve Class - Learn how to make Strawberry Jam and Strawberry Syrup with our FCS Agent, Brittany. Take a jar of what you make in class home, $10 per class, payment holds spot in class. Call (704) 736-8461 or email Brittany_Spangler@NCSU.edu with any question

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

NC Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity provider.