N.C. Cooperative Extension, Catawba County Center

09/14/2026

Partnered with Online Catawba to have a morning of outdoor learning for 3rd-5th graders with a focus on plants and nature science.

09/12/2026

Are you interested in horses 🐴 or poultry 🐓? Do you want to experiment with STEM 🔬 or electricity ⚡? Do you dig gardening 🌱 or get excited about cooking 👨‍🍳? Have you ever wondered what a 4-H project book 🏽 or presentation 🎤 is?

Then come check out 4-H at our annual 4-H Fall Open House on Saturday, September 12th 🗓️ at the Agricultural Resource Center 🚜, located at 1175 South Brady Ave, Newton. 📍

Drop in any time between 10:00am and 12:00pm ⏰ and visit our showcase of clubs! 🍀 Meet the leaders and members of our 14 clubs 🤝 and interact with hands-on activities 🛠️ to get a taste of what each club offers. Bring your questions about project books and presentations! ❓📚

Once you visit each table, enjoy a bowl of ice cream 🍨 with your favorite toppings! 🍧✨

We would love for you to find your spot with Catawba County 4-H! 🍀💚

09/02/2026

Join Us for "A Swift Night Out" & Pollinator Garden Walkabout!

We have some exciting news! A flock of Chimney Swifts is currently roosting nightly in the extension office chimney. Before these incredible insectivores migrate south to South America in mid-October, we are hosting a series of evening events to celebrate them and raise awareness for these threatened birds.

Come join us to tour the pollinator garden, watch the swifts form a swirling vortex before diving into the chimney for the night, and chat about native plants, pollinators, and conservation efforts!

Event: A "Swift Night Out" & Pollinator Garden Walkabout

Dates: September 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 (More dates may be added!)

Time: 7:15 PM – 8:30 PM

Location: Catawba County Cooperative Extension Office - 1175 S. Brady Avenue, Newton, NC 28658

What to Bring/Wear: Long pants, long sleeves, mosquito repellent, and a lawn chair if you'd like to sit.

Feel free to bring family and friends along to witness this amazing natural spectacle. Hope to see you there!

08/31/2026

This will be last week to support Donation Station at the Hickory Farmers Market on Wed and Saturday. Donations of cash or produce are collected and then donated to help provide greater access to fresh fruit and vegetables to those in need. To date, 174 lbs. of produce valued at $345 dollars have been collected and distributed. This summer, donations have been directed to Older Adults and distributed in partnership with Catawba County Sr Nutrition program. Seniors at East Hickory Sr. Nutrition site have also been learning about healthy eating strategies with Take Control, a monthly nutrition and wellness program offered by Cooperative Extension which wrapped-up in August.

08/29/2026

Cooperative Extension has been out and about at some recent Resource Fairs in August. Perhaps you spotted staff at the Newton City Schools staff Health and Wellness event or LRU Student Job Fair. We look forward to partnering with LRU to employ some work-study students to help with Junto this year. Contact Yuli at the Extension office at 828-465-8240 to get more info about these positions, if you are a LRU student. Look for the Extension booth at the fair this week in the exhibit hall….and THANKS to Master Gardener volunteers to staffing our fair booth.

08/26/2026

Did you know that Dolly Parton had a lichen named after her? Dolly’s Dots (Japewiella dollypartoniana) can be found in the Appalachian Mountains and are particularly prevalent in heath balds of Southern Appalachia. The small purple cups here are the fruiting bodies (apothecia) of Dolly’s Dots.

Photo by Tomas Curtis CC BY-NC 4.0

08/24/2026

Fair books are now at the Extension Office! Remember to finish all livestock show entries by this Wednesday, August 26.

08/22/2026

08/20/2026

Join us tomorrow and/or Saturday (8/21 and 8/22) at 10 AM for the Great Southeast Pollinator Census! Come learn about pollinator insects and participate in a cool citizen science project!

08/15/2026

Are you seeing lots of cucumbers in your garden or at the farmers markets? Preserve summertime goodness with our upcoming Pickling Basics workshop at our Thursday, Aug 20 workshop. 4:00-6:30 p.m. at the Ag Resources Center. Cost: $10. This a small group, hands-on workshop with space to accept a few more. Deadline to register is Monday morning, so we can get cucumbers and supplies ordered. Register at https://forms.gle/tZupF14dfixX6yb38