NC Cooperative Extension Cherokee County Center

08/27/2026

08/27/2026

🐕🤖 Meet Cooperative Extension at N.C. A&T's newest "pups"!
Thirty-two small robotic dogs are helping youth explore STEM and agriculture in exciting new ways. Under the guidance of Mark Light, Ph.D., students learned how robotics, coding and data interpretation can be used to identify plant health issues in agricultural settings. The hands-on experience is showing young people that technology and agriculture go hand in hand. 🌱🚜
The future of farming is here, and our youth are helping shape it.
Read more: https://caes.news/4-h-stem-specialist-robots/

08/26/2026

Looking for a welcoming space to work on your knitting or crochet projects? Join us for Sit & Knit! 🧶

Every 2nd & 4th Thursday | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Location: 699 Connahetta Street, Murphy, NC

No registration needed—just show up!

Bring your fiber project, get help troubleshooting tricky stitches, and connect with our Extension & Community Association (ECA). ECA is a local volunteer organization affiliated with NC Cooperative Extension that brings community members together to learn new skills, build leadership, and serve our local area.

Beginners are always welcome. See you there!

08/25/2026

Try it Tuesday! Kale Apple Salad Recipe

Try It Tuesday! 🍎🥗
Kale and Apple Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing Recipe
INGREDIENTS

For Salad:
-1 bunch kale, washed and stems removed or 14 oz. baby kale
-zest and juice of 1 lemon, zest reserved for dressing
-1 tsp. - salt
-1 apple, cored and thinly sliced
-1 cup - toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
-1/2 cup - dried cherries
-1/4 cup - grated parmesan

For Honey Dijon Vinaigrette:
-1/3 cup - olive oil
-3 T white balsamic vinegar
-2 T honey
-1 T dijon mustard
-1 T fresh rosemary, chopped finely
-1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS
Chop kale leaves into bite size pieces. In a large bowl toss together the kale, lemon juice and salt. Using your hands, massage the kale leaves a bit to soften them and let it sit for at least 15 minutes up to 1 hour.

While the kale is softening, whisk together the vinaigrette or shake all ingredients together in a jar, set aside.

Add the apple slices, walnuts, dried cherries, parmesan and vinaigrette to the kale and toss to combine and serve.

TIP
This salad can be made several hours ahead or even the day before! Add grilled chicken for an entree salad.

INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHTS
Kale: one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat—one serving is both low in calories and packed with vitamins and minerals, including 200% of your daily vitamin C requirement.

Apples: nutrients found in apples have been found to have good effects on blood sugar, inflammation, lowering “bad” cholesterol, lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, and the antioxidants may protect against neurodegenerative diseases

Walnuts: not only are walnuts heart-healthy,studies have shown they contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory polyphenols that may improve brain function and slow mental decline that occurs with aging.

For More Info:
https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/good-food/4-health-benefits-of-walnuts-and-how-much-you-should-eat/2024/02

https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/kale

Recipe: https://honey.com/recipe/kale-and-apple-salad-with-honey-dijon-dressing

08/24/2026

Sewing Workshop Coming Soon! Get tickets now! Limited Spots available so purchase soon! 🪡 (Machines provided).

Sew your own thread catcher!

08/22/2026

08/21/2026

Pressure Canning 101 hands-on class today with our Family & Consumer Sciences program area. Thank you Extension Master Food Volunteers Cari & Karen for helping with the class!

08/15/2026

We have More In My Basket materials at the Back to School Bash at Konehete Park today! School supplies are being given away and SNAP assistance is available- see morefood.org for details!

08/15/2026

Come see us at the back to school bash!

08/14/2026

Great Program!!!

After the monthly meeting, some Cherokee County residents joined us to learn about pollinators in your landscape, in particular bees. This was a great presentation by Matthew VanHorn, a Murphy native, President of the Cherokee County Beekeepers Association and also a Master Gardener Volunteer. Thanks for a great presentation!