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This publication discusses the environmental, economic, health, and community benefits that local food systems provide to communities.
This publication describes common fabric pests, their habits, and what to do if you find an infestation of these pests and how to prevent damage.
This publication explains genetic engineering and its use in food, agriculture, and the environment. It answers key questions about genetic engineering, including its definition, applications, safety, ethical issues, and related regulations. The publication also discusses potential risks and concludes with resources for more information.
This publication discusses growing and harvesting bloodroot, a spring wildflower used to produce natural red, orange, and pink dyes, in North Carolina. It can grow in full sun, but is more often found in semi-shaded, light-wooded areas with moist, acidic soil. The root, consisting of a thickened rhizome covered with fibrous roots, is known for its reddish-orange color.
Black cohosh is a member of the Ranunculaceae family. It is a native medicinal plant found in rich woodlands from as far north as Maine and Ontario, south to Georgia, and west to Missouri and Indiana. In North Carolina it can be found at elevations up to 4,000 feet and is most common in the western part of the state. It is an herbaceous perennial reaching a mature height of over four feet tall and can grow 18 to 22 inches per month during the growing season.
This factsheet describes the processes of creating fermented foods like yogurt, pickled vegetables, and sourdough bread.
This factsheet covers commercial goldenseal production in North Carolina, a highly valued medicinal herb which has been collected from the forests in North America for hundreds of years. The historical range for goldenseal in the United States was very broad, ranging from as far north as Vermont and Wisconsin, south to Alabama and Georgia, and west to Kansas. It can still be found growing in patches in moist, rich, hardwood forests in much of this area.
This publication outlines and describes core concepts of risk that are used in various environmental, health, and societal circumstances. It covers the following topics: defining risks, identifying and assessing risks, managing risks, and communicating risks.
This publication summarizes the findings of a research project aimed at understanding urban audiences, identifying barriers to engagement in wildlife-dependent recreation, and identifying strategies that the Service can implement to overcome these barriers.
This publication describes how children cope with stress and summarizes practices that parents can use to help a child deal with stress.
As public parks and recreation facilities are increasingly positioned as health resources, greater demands for providing and using parks are expected. Park improvement projects with the stated purpose of encouraging activity need to be supported by data on the financial costs associated with making such improvements. This publication provide realistic and objective estimates of costs of providing park facilities that can increase physical activity.
This factsheet summarizes the benefits of fruit and vegetable gardening with children. It includes age-appropriate activities for childcare providers to engage young children using fresh produce from the garden for cooking and eating.
This publication covers important information about cleaning household textiles after a flood.
This publication is a useful resource that shell egg producers can use to identify egg defects and possible factors contributing to egg quality issues. It also provides corrective measures for each defect so that producers can incorporate these solutions into their production systems.
This FactSheet provides a guide to understanding and addressing PFAS in our communities, which may be helpful for Extension agents, community members, and others who are interested in learning more about PFAS and their potential impacts.
Gardens bring communities together. Not only are community gardens a good way to get more fresh fruits and vegetables in our diets, they also allow us to be active outdoors and build a strong community.
A factsheet discussing the basics of flea biology, health risks posed by fleas in North Carolina, signs of infestation, and recommended steps for prevention and control.
This publication discusses the pros and cons of mold testing in a home.
This checklist describes household conditions that can be hazardous to the elderly and recommends ways to improve home safety for older people.
This document is presented to answer some commonly asked questions about repellents and mechanical devices that allegedly repel insects and ticks.
This publication focuses on developing fruit and vegetable production gardens in the Outdoor Learning Environment (OLE) of childcare centers. Included are basic garden design and layout to help childcare centers get started in year-round gardening activities. This is the second of fifteen publications about childcare center production gardens.
This guide lists the problems that can arise in making sweet gherkin pickles and describes how to prevent them by taking precautions during each step in the process, from preparing the cucumbers to making the brine and packing the pickles.
Do you have sweetpotatoes that have been gleaned that you plan on using or donating? This resource provides storage information along with family friendly recipes and quick tips about preparation. Great resource for food pantries or anyone who might be receiving gleaned sweetpotatoes that haven't been cured.
This appendix is part of the Extension Gardener Handbook and gives users to the tools to implement a youth, community, or therapeutic garden.
Right at your doorstep may be many of the answers to the social, educational, and health challenges faced by children, parents, and teachers in the United States. Tips for encouraging outdoor activities with children are included, along with strategies for setting a standard to be outdoors, care for the environment, and spend time with family.
Earthworms can turn food scraps into a soil amendment called vermicompost — worm castings — which increases plant growth and reduces attacks by plant diseases and pests. Vermicomposting is easy, involves little work, and can be done indoors or outdoors. All you need is a container, bedding, worms, and worm food.
This publication focuses on easy-to-grow, child-friendly, warm-season fruits and vegetables suitable for childcare center gardening. This is the third of fifteen publications about childcare center production gardens.
This factsheet describes how to safely thaw frozen foods.
This publication covers best freezing practices for a variety of fruits.
This publication includes simple recipes that childcare center cooks and educators can use to engage children in snacking and cooking with fresh cool-season fruits and vegetables from on-site production gardens and elsewhere. This is the sixth of fifteen publications about childcare center production gardens.
Strawberries are the perfect fruit for early childcare centers. Their life cycle is short (planted in September and harvested in April) so children can plant, watch the flowers bloom, observe pollinators in action, watch the fruit develop, and enjoy the delicious, nutritious result of their newly acquired gardening skills. Many children are familiar with strawberries and eager to eat the fruit. Easy to grow, they have very few pests or diseases to challenge inexperienced gardeners.
This publication focuses on easy-to-grow, child-friendly, cool-season vegetables suitable for childcare center gardening. This is the fourth of fifteen publications about childcare center production gardens.
This publication offers safety tips and first aid procedures to prevent and treat heat stress disorders that may occur during clean-up after a hurricane or other disaster.
This publication includes simple recipes that childcare center cooks and educators can use to engage children in snacking and cooking with fresh warm-season fruits and vegetables from on-site production gardens and elsewhere. This is the fifth of fifteen publications about childcare center production gardens.
This manual covers Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), a food safety plan for schools to reduce the likelihood of foodborne illness by handling food safely from the time it is received until the time it is served.
A Farmers’ Market Tour is a great way to introduce your program participants to an abundant source of local fruits and vegetables. It can also reinforce messaging about healthy eating and local foods. This guide was designed to be used as part of a regular series of nutrition education classes, such as SNAP-Ed, the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), Faithful Families Eating Smart and Moving More, or other community nutrition education programs.
This publication provides information for farmworkers about how to use their smartphones to access emergency, health, and safety resources.
This factsheet offers practical guidelines for keeping yourself healthy during a viral respiratory outbreak like the coronavirus (COVID-19).
This publication, part of the Farm to Food Bank Resource Guide, discusses venison donation programs in North Carolina.
This factsheet offers guidance for retail establishments during a viral respiratory outbreak, like the coronavirus (COVID-19), as well as general foodborne illness prevention.
This publication, part of the Farm to Food Bank Resource Guide, discusses the process of gleaning in North Carolina.
This publication, part of the Farm to Food Bank Resource Guide, discusses setting up a market or farm stand at a food pantry in North Carolina.
This publication provides practical tips on how to promote health eating by incorporating fresh, local foods into nutrition education and cooking classes. Topics include getting started, knowing what's in season, and where to buy local foods.
This publication, part of the Farm to Food Bank Resource Guide, discusses using community and home gardens to supplement food for food banks and pantries in North Carolina.
This publication provides information and success stories related to food banks, food pantries, food donation programs, and other resources for addressing food insecurity.
This publication, part of the Farm to Food Bank Resource Guide, discusses 4-H projects that raise and harvest chickens for local food pantries in North Carolina.
This publication, part of the Farm to Food Bank Resource Guide, discusses food donations given directly to food banks and food pantries in North Carolina.
There are many different ways to buy local food, and this guide provides information that childcare centers and technical assistance providers can use to understand where to find local food, what to expect, and how to decide which local food source is right for different centers.