N.C. Cooperative Extension, Forsyth County Center

09/11/2026

🚨𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐲𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲!

This training is a collaborative effort between N.C. Cooperative Extension and the Environmental Health Department.

Looking to get your Certified Food Protection Manager certification?

SPFM certification is accepted by Forsyth County Food Inspectors, and it is equivalent to ServSafe! Registration is now open for our upcoming in-person training.
Safe Plates for Food Managers is an evidence-based, interactive course developed by NC State University. It prepares participants for a CFP-ANSI-accredited exam from the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals. Instructors will be on-site to guide you through the material and administer the exam.

𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 & 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:
Training Dates: November 2 & 3 | 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Exam Date: November 4 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Forsyth Co. Dept. of Public Health (799 Highland Ave, Room 2, Winston-Salem, NC 27101)

𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞: 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟎
Cost: $70 for NCDPI | $135 for all other food-related industries
(Cost covers training booklet, exam, certificate, and light snacks)

📄 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫:
Visit: https://forsyth.ces.ncsu.edu/news/safe-plates-for-food-managers-training-certification-forsyth-county/
Download/print the registration form and mail it in by September 30th!

📩 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬?
Contact Virginia C. Lopez at [email protected] or (336) 703-7867.
Spots are limited—secure your place today! 🍽️✨

See less

09/10/2026

What's better than live music or native plants? Live music AND native plants! We are excited to announce that the musical stylings of Pollen Oats will be gracing this Saturday's Native Plants & Pawpaw Field Day here at our Tobaccoville Extension office.

Pollen Oats is the alter ego of local band Soul Conjecture. When the need arises, they have a setlist of songs wholly focused on the charms of native plants! You can hear a sample of their work in the Youtube link below.

Thank you to Pollen Oats and all our community partners and vendors for contributing to Native Plants & Pawpaw Field Day. We look forward to seeing y'all there!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKk2Uq9ejRM

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/native-plant-and-pawpaw-field-day-tickets-1995023964382

09/09/2026

Come explore how to select plants for dry times and how to maintain the plants you have chosen.

Even though this drought is starting to clear up, another may appear in the future. Learn tips and tricks for planting and maintaining a beautiful landscape with low-water needs.

Our presenter for this month is Melanie, NC State Extension Master Gardener volunteer of Forsyth County.

This class is part of the Arboretum Adult Education series held at Tanglewood Park in Clemmons, NC, and will be held in person at Walnut Hall in Tanglewood Park. Registered participants will receive driving directions.

Registration will open 2 weeks before each class and close 24 hours prior to the program. Call 336-703-2850 if you need assistance. Register through Eventbrite: https://thrivingindrytimes.eventbrite.com.

08/31/2026

Thank you, NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, for sharing this story! If you haven't visited the Arboretum at Tanglewood Park in Clemmons and seen these incredible signs, plan your visit now!

The self-guided educational tour of the Arboretum at Tanglewood Park is now even better! ✨

🌱 Stop by Tanglewood Park in Clemmons, NC to check out five new permanent educational signs, as well as freshly updated plant ID tags with information from the NC Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.

New signage was created and funded by the Arboretum Volunteers & Educators at Tanglewood (AVET), an affiliate of the NC State Extension Master Gardener℠ program of Forsyth County.

At this beautifully developed and maintained Arboretum, you'll learn about:
🌲 Trees of North Carolina and critical habitat
🌧️ Rain gardening and eco-friendly erosion control
🌸 Native plants and home landscape benefits
🐝 Pollinator gardens and protecting beneficial insects
🪴 Bog gardens and our state's carnivorous plants

This volunteer project not only inspires to connect with nature. It's also an example of how Extension Master Gardener volunteers across bring our mission to life through research-based gardening education!

📍 Plan your visit ➡ forsyth.cc/parks/Tanglewood
🔗 Full story ➡ forsyth.ces.ncsu.edu/news/arboretum-signs

(Story by Gary Ritz, EMG volunteer of Forsyth County and AVET Sign Committee Chair; photo provided in article)


N.C. Cooperative Extension, Forsyth County Center

08/29/2026

Do you need to take a Pesticide Exam? Add a category? Or maybe you just need a refresher? Good news! There are still spots available at the Greensboro Pesticide Safety School on September 9 and 10 at N.C. Cooperative Extension, Guilford County Center. For more information, to register, to order manuals, or to register for the Exam on September 10, visit: https://pesticidesafety.ces.ncsu.edu/event/108594/.

08/28/2026

We are honored to have strong support from Forsyth County Forsyth County North Carolina Government that helps us do our work in the community! In addition to providing a beautiful, new facility for our office this year, the county supports us with ongoing funding for our programs and staff. We enjoy partnering with a number of other county departments to strengthen our work!

The Forsyth County Commissioners recognized two statewide awards yesterday that County staff received at the recent NCACC Annual Conference.

N.C. Cooperative Extension, Forsyth County Center was a runner-up for the Partnership of the Year Award, highlighting its strong partnership with Forsyth County and its important role in serving residents.

Forsyth County NC Health and Human Services received an NCACC Excellence in Innovation Award for its Health Resource Fairs held at recreation centers and the downtown bus station, which feature healthcare, counseling and social service resources. Each fair is followed by Naloxone Training held at each location. You can find the Health Resource Fair schedule at https://forsyth.cc/article.aspx?NewsID=29011

08/28/2026

𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐀𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐞: 𝐆𝐮𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡

🥦 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲, 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲.

Did you know that over 70% of your immune system lives in your gut? What you put on your plate plays a massive role in both your physical and mental well-being!

Join us for an interactive, evidence-based workshop co-hosted by PLANT Providers, N.C. Cooperative Extension, and the Clemmons Branch Library.

What to expect:
✨ Evidence-based presentation on gut health and lifestyle medicine with Dr. Karen Bruettle

🍳 Live food demo with Extension Master Food Volunteer, Christine Childs

💡 Practical tips, delicious ideas, and actionable habits you can use right away

📅 When: Wednesday, September 9, 2026 | 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM

📍 Where: Clemmons Branch Library (6365 James St, Clemmons, NC)

🎟️ Cost: FREE (Registration required)

👉 Reserve your spot today:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/food-as-medicine-gut-health-tickets-1998809004539?aff=oddtdtcreator

Please plan to arrive 15 minutes early to check in and get settled!

For more information on this event, please contact Virginia C. Lopez at
(336) 703-2867 or virgi

Disclaimer:
The views, information, or opinions expressed during this presentation are solely those of the presenter(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or endorsement of N.C. Cooperative Extension or NC State University.

The use of brand names and/or any mention or listing of specific commercial products or services herein is solely for educational purposes and does not imply endorsement by North Carolina State University or our partners, nor discrimination against similar products or services not mentioned

NC State University is an equal opportunity institution and prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color or national origin, including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics; s*x, including s*xual orientation, gender identity, and pregnancy or related conditions; age; disability; genetic information; religion; and veteran’s status

08/27/2026

You are invited to volunteer during the upcoming Growing Natives Event (formerly the Pawpaw Field Day) on Saturday, September 12, from 10 AM - 2 PM.

The event will be held at the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Forsyth County office (7232 Forsyth Center Drive, Tobaccoville, NC 27050). This year's field day, while still highlighting pawpaw, will also feature native plant nursery growers, conservation organizations, interactive informational booths, and scheduled lectures and demonstrations. It's going to be a great day, and we'd love to have you as a part of it!

Interested in attending, but not volunteering? Let us know you're coming through Eventbrite - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/native-plant-and-pawpaw-field-day-tickets-1995023964382?aff=ebdsoporgprofile.

There will be a short volunteer orientation in the morning before the event begins.

Volunteer roles include setting up the event, Sign-in Table, Tour Coordinator and Tour Guide, Presenter Facilitator, helping in the Children/Family Zone (tentatively titled the Clover Patch), Booth Assistants, Floaters, and cleaning up the event after it concludes.

If you would like to learn about each role and sign up to help out with this incredible event, please complete and submit this Google Form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe2ny3YFE-Er919FF5dRaarJaQN_lExr10c8l8HSCUuXkQv5Q/viewform?usp=dialog. You are welcome to reach out to Celine Richard and Anika Parks for more information at [email protected] and [email protected].

08/25/2026

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐬 & 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝-𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬

🍲 Master the Electric Pressure Cooker: Fast, Flavorful, & One-Pot Meals

No matter your skill level, you can create delicious one-pot meals everyone will love. N.C. Cooperative Extension invites you to see it in action!

Learn to make fast, flavorful, and healthy meals using an electric pressure cooker—perfect for both absolute beginners and seasoned users looking to expand their recipe book. In this dynamic virtual class, N.C. Cooperative Extension will cover must-know safety tips, practical techniques for flawless results, and fresh inspiration for preparing staples like grains, greens, and beans.

Plus, you will get to see a live demonstration of an Instant Pot® pressure cooker in action! Bring your lunch and your questions.

📅 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬
When: Tuesday, September 8, 2026

Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET (The perfect "Lunch & Learn" break!)

Where: Virtually via Zoom (The link will be sent once registration is completed)

💡 About the Series: This workshop is part of the 2026 "Extension at Home" Virtual Series, brought to you through a collaboration of N.C. Cooperative Extension Agents across the North Central District. Join us on the 2nd Tuesday of each month for a new topic dedicated to Family and Consumer Sciences.

Registration is required to reserve your spot and to receive the recording and resources. Please follow the link below:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pressure-cooker-basics-beyond-tickets-1977718558447?aff=oddtdtcreator

𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐀𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

How much does it cost? These courses are offered at no cost to participants.

Can I attend if I don't live in one of the listed counties? Yes, everyone is welcome to join via Zoom.

What if I cannot attend a live session? Please register anyway. Each month, a recording of the session and materials will be sent out for participants who weren't able to join.

How can I find out about more workshops like this? Contact your local N. C. Cooperative Extension Agent. Visit https://go.ncsu.edu/findfcs to find your county center.

For any other questions related to this event, please contact Virginia C. Lopez, FCS Agent for Forsyth County at [email protected] or (336) 703-2867

08/24/2026

Wow! We were blown away by volunteer contributions to the Great Southeast Pollinator Census this weekend. From teaching classes and hosting events to creating educational posters and powerpoints, there were so many small, intentional touches that really put the community in community science. Thanks to everyone who came out and participated.

And it's not too late! Today is the final day to collect data on pollinator presence. Just go to gsepc.org to find count sheets, insect ID information, and where to submit the data. And you can always contact your friendly, local Extension office for any guidance or advice 🦋