North Carolina Cooperative Extension- Lee County Center

05/31/2026

The buzz was real at the Sanford Appearance Commission’s Jambor-Bee! 🐝🌼

I am so proud of our status as a Bee City — and of the work our community is doing to support all of our pollinators.

A morning of education and fun is a sweet reminder of what we can accomplish when we work together. 💛🖤

05/31/2026

It's time to release our next Market Menu recipe for you to shop the market and try this Saturday: Honeyed French Toast!! 🐝🍯🍞🍽🍓🫐🍑

Sweet, golden, and perfect for sharing, this Honeyed French Toast is a delicious brunch recipe to celebrate the city’s Jambor-Bee weekend. Made with rich honey flavor and topped with fresh seasonal market fruit, this cozy breakfast favorite is a fun way to “bee” inspired in the kitchen while highlighting one of nature’s sweetest ingredients.

Pick up your copy of this recipe at the market information table tomorrow and grab ingredients from our market's local farmers, bakers, and beekeepers to enjoy this sweet treat showcasing local flavors this weekend!



Downtown Sanford, Inc. Visit Sanford City of Sanford NC Parks

05/28/2026

Lee County Ag Week starts tomorrow with the kickoff of the Sanford Farmers' Market. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension- Lee County Center has a full week of fun planned, so make sure you get involved in this celebration of our agricultural roots!

Make sure to watch this wonderful and informative video, made by Local Foods Agent Meredith Favre and Food-Inspired Resilience & Equity intern Sarah Beck. Great work!

05/28/2026

CELEBRATING LEE COUNTY’S AGRICULTURAL HISTORY: AG. WEEK 2025 🧑‍🌾

Today marks the beginning of Ag. Week 2025 in Lee County as celebrated with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension- Lee County Center. Since its foundation, our county’s economy has heavily relied on agriculture.

From the “mom and pop” farms of the 1930s to our new Pilgrim’s Agricultural Marketplace, we celebrate our community’s leadership in the regional tradition of farming.

The J.R. Dalrymple farm was located near Swann Station. In 1941, twenty eight loads of clover and grass were harvested from two acres on the property. Clover and grass are often used as feed for livestock or to improve soil health.

During World War II, the home canning of crops including fruits and vegetables was seen as an essential part of the war effort, freeing up commercially canned goods to be sent to troops. In this photo from 1947, women in a Lee County cannery prepare apples and corn for canning.

During the 1940s, it was extremely common for the children of farmers to assist in picking crops during harvesting season. In this photo, Billy (3) and Jim Dowdy (14) can be seen picking peas on the Dowdy farm in 1947.

North Carolina has long been a center of the to***co empire. During the 1950s, as many as half a million to***co barns were dotted throughout the state. In this photo from 1949, Theodora Bush sits at the to***co building on the J.M. Martin Farm, shielding her son from flies while he sleeps.

Last year, we broke ground on the new Pilgrim’s Agricultural Marketplace in Historic Downtown Sanford. This pavilion will help our community expand our farmers market, provide space for nutrition and health education, and address food accessibility issues for Downtown residents. The Marketplace will be a symbol of our agricultural heritage for generations to come.

Thank you to North Carolina Digital Heritage Center for the photos and the history!

05/28/2026

LEE COUNTY AG WEEK STARTS THIS SATURDAY!!

Do you love learning about local agriculture, gardening, or cooking with local foods? Join the NC Cooperative Extension - Lee County Center for their annual Lee County Ag Week! This week-long series of events features all sorts of family-friendly activities centered on celebrating the local farms who make Lee County home. This year's theme, "Together We Grow," highlights the vital role local farms and food systems play in helping our community to continue to grow and thrive.

This Saturday at the market kicks off the first event of Lee County Ag Week, it's the Backyard Chicken Q&A! Visit the Extension table at market to learn all about raising and keeping backyard chickens as well as the different poultry programs offered through Lee County 4-H! No registration required!

Check out the schedule of events happening as part of Lee County Ag Week using the link below! Register before the deadline on Monday to join in on the all the farm fun activities, many of which are hosted at the new Pilgrim's Sanford Agricultural Marketplace! Events start April 18 and finish on April 25th with Strawberry Jammin' at the market!!

Register for Lee County Ag Week Events here: https://go.ncsu.edu/ agweek2026

05/28/2026

Here is our new Market Menu recipe for this week to celebrate our Strawberry Jammin' special event this Saturday, April 25th: Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruchetta! 🍓🐐🧀🥖🍽

Sweet, savory, and just a little sharp—this fresh farmers’ market bite brings it all together. Juicy strawberries and fragrant basil are layered over creamy goat cheese on crisp toasted bread, then finished with a rich balsamic drizzle. It’s the perfect appetizer to showcase seasonal flavors in one delicious bite.

You can taste this recipe at the market TOMORROW! Our Extension Master Food Volunteers will have food samples ready for you to try at the teaching kitchen!

See you at the market!

⏰ Market hours: 8:30am-12pm
📍Location: Pilgrim's Sanford Agricultural Marketplace, 157 Charlotte Ave in Sanford NC

05/28/2026

Saturday's Jambor-Bee is rain 🌧️or shine☀️... and smiles😁!

Bring the family for pollinator education that includes a live bee cage and demonstration hive (can you spot the queen?👑), as well as a craft, gardening tips, and visits with Stripe the Bee.

Buzz on by!🐝🌸

🗓️ Saturday, May 30, 2026, 9 a.m. to noon
📍 Chatham Street Parking Lot behind the Buggy Company Building
💲 Free (except for the North Carolina Cooperative Extension- Lee County Center plant sale, which is cash only.)

05/27/2026

We can't wait for Saturday!!

We are looking forward to seeing everyone on Saturday for the Jambor-Bee! 🐝🌸

Along with a pollinator craft, a bee cage, and a demonstration hive, you’ll have the chance to talk with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension- Lee County Center Master Gardeners.

🌱 They’ll also have native plants for sale (cash only)!

🗓️ Saturday, May 30, 2026, 9 a.m. to noon
📍 Chatham Street Parking Lot behind the Buggy Company Building
💲 Free (except for the plant sale)