Recent Posts

Zucchini 500 Has Fresh Produce Going Fast at the NCRC Farmers Market

June 25, 2009 from 5 to 7 p.m. Children, start your imaginations! N.C. Cooperative Extension staff and N.C. State University host the first ever Zucchini 500 at the N.C. Research Campus Farmers Market. Children can create a race car from a zucchini – think pinewood derby – and compete for prizes in five categories. Bobby Waltrip, of the legendary Waltrip race family, will be on hand to call the races.

Cooperative Extension Presents Free Events at the NCRC Farmers Market

N.C. Cooperative Extension staff from Cabarrus and Rowan counties will present fun-to-learn educational opportunities at the 2009 N.C. Research Campus Farmers Market. The events take place at the Farmers Market on Thursday evenings from 4 to 7 p.m. on West Avenue in Kannapolis. Events are scheduled throughout the 2009 Farmers Market, with the season ending on October 29.

South Rowan High School Students Shadow N.C. State Staff at the Research Campus

Two South Rowan High School students are part of a new program that N.C. State University has implemented at the N.C. Research Campus to expose local teens to the many possibilities when it comes to the work world. The teens were selected to “shadow” or spend at least one and one-half hours each week for a semester with N.C. State faculty and staff at the campus.

The Produce Lady Extols Virtues of Local Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

The Produce Lady video series tells farmers and consumers the wonders of locally grown fruits and vegetables – the nutrition they provide, the delicious meals or snacks families can enjoy with each vegetable or fruit and how to prepare them as tasty meals and snacks or freeze them to use throughout the year.

The 5th Annual Commissioner’s Food Safety Forum

August 18, 2009, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Commissioner's Food Safety Forum discusses the future of food safety with national experts, congressional delegation, industry leaders, public health officials, academia and more. The landscape of food safety is changing rapidly. Join us for the latest updates on regulations, best industry practices, marketing, identifying foodborne illnesses and more.

N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission Helps Grow the Value-Added Web Site

The TTFC highlights the Program for Value-Added & Alternative Agriculture website in its May newsletter. The Produce Lady, fresh produce safety information and other resources are available on this site with the assistance of TTFC funding.

North Carolina Strawberries

Strawberry season in North Carolina begins in April, and what better way to welcome the spring heat than with cool, fresh and nutritious locally grown strawberries. Did you know that N.C. ranks third in the U.S., with nearly 2,000 acres producing about 19 million pounds of strawberries each year? This delicious fruit accounts for roughly $18 million of annual farm income in N.C. Unlike other leading strawberry-producing states, almost all of the berries produced in North Carolina are sold for fresh market right here in the state - direct to consumers as Pick-Your-Own, at farm stands or to local supermarket chains. Visit the N.C. Strawberry Association to learn more.