Cooperative Extension is a part of a nationwide educational system which involves the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the state land-grant university system and county government.  Extension programs often enhance the work of other government and nonprofit agencies which join together to improve the quality of life for county residents.

North Carolina Cooperative Extension provides a broad range of educational programs that are of benefit to farmers, rural and urban residents, community leaders, homemakers, parents, and youth.  Extension programs focus on traditional and changing needs in the areas of agriculture, home economics, community and rural development, and 4-H and youth.

In North Carolina, extension's educational programs are delivered locally by field faculty who are housed in offices in all 100 counties and the Cherokee Reservation. To contact your local office of North Carolina Cooperative Extension, select your county from our County Centers page.

4-H is a fun program where you get to "Learn by Doing." Everyone is invited to join! 4-H has special activities for you! 4-H offers something to match everyone's interests. Best of all, membership is FREE!

This is the best news of all! 4-H costs nothing to join, and you are not required to purchase a uniform. Member expenses are minimal and determined by the club itself. Club activities are usually covered by money-making projects conducted by the club.

The project you select will also determine cost. This can vary greatly. Each member is responsible for meeting the costs of their selected projects. For example, raising a market lamb for a 4-H project would be more costly than a recycling project.

There are many ways:

• Join a 4-H club that's in your area!
  
• Start a 4-H club - just 5 members and an adult is all you need!
• Join a special interest group--a group that gets together for a short time to study one thing, or to participate in one activity!
• Enroll as an individual and explore the project of your choice!
• In your school, look for 4-H school enrichment programs!

Your county 4-H agent is your key to getting started in 4-H. They can tell you what clubs already exist in your county, what projects are being worked on, how to start a new club, or how to participate on your own.

There are many things which could be causing problems with your plant.  The best way to find out is to contact your local NC Cooperative Extension Horticultural Agent.  He or she can tell you what is needed to diagnose the problem.  That could mean taking a soil sample, bringing in a sample of the plant, or capturing a pest for identification.

The benefits of a soil test depend on a good sample.  The sample should represent the area it is taken from.  Otherwise, the results may have little or no value.  Sampling methods vary from homeowners to various agricultural product producers.  For further information on taking soil samples, please call or come by the Cooperative Extension office.

                                           AGRICULTURE IN PAMLICO COUNTY

Farm gate income (gross revenue) generated by farmers in Pamlico County varies annually between 25 and 35 million dollars (includes farm forestry but not public lands forestry, excludes fish and seafood). Economists state that agricultural income is usually respent in the community 3-4 times before it leaves a county. Thus, the economic impact of non-value added agricultural products in Pamlico County is approximately 100 million dollars annually.

The major agricultural commodities by revenue generated are: forest products, fish and seafood, soybeans, corn, wheat, Irish potatoes, cotton, tobacco, hogs, hay, and pecans. Many of the county's residents still work the fields and waters in and around the county earning their livelihoods from farming, forestry, and fishing.

Out of North Carolina's 100 counties Pamlico County had the following agricultural commodity production rankings in 2004: Fish and seafood-4^th, Irish potatoes-3rd, sorghum-5^th, wheat-13^th, forestry (farm only)-19^th,field corn-20th, soybeans-21st, cotton-39^th, hogs-56^th, and tobacco-57^th.

Pamlico County is still a rural county with a low population density and population that is congenial and appreciative of the county's agrarian surroundings. The county is developing into a coastal destination for those who enjoy recreational activities related to the many creeks and rivers in and around the county. Pamlico County farmers have one of the highest average farm sizes they are tending of any county in N.C. (770 acres/farmer). The major crops grown in the county have a small profit margin and growers are forced to grow more acres to earn enough for their livelihoods.

Pamlico County farmers are great stewards of the land and water growing most acres using no-till practices, controlled drainage structures, and precision application equipment. Just like farmers everywhere, Pamlico County farmers strive to produce their commodities as efficiently and with the highest quality possible. The soils and rainfall that occur in Pamlico County make it an ideal location for farming the land. Hopefully the county will be able to maintain it's rural farming surroundings. It is one the main features that make Pamlico County such a beautiful place.

Submitted by: Bill Ellers, NC Cooperative Extension

Date: November 29, 2006