N.C. Cooperative Extension - Johnston County Center

05/29/2026

There's still time to sign up and get a tour of Lee's Fresh Market processing and retail space. 9-11 tomorrow morning!

Have you ever wanted to see what a local niche meat processing facility looks like? Come take a tour of the facilities at Lee's Fresh Market and learn about how a local processor seeks to meet the needs of the public from custom slaughter to niche product availability. We will have the opportunity to tour the slaughter facilities (no slaughter occurs on Saturdays) as well as processing, storage and retail facilities.
Since re-branding and building retail space a few years ago, Lee's Fresh Market has worked to become a destination for customers seeking fresh meats, poultry and seafood. They also carry a variety of frozen vegetables, barbecue sauces and old-fashioned candies.
Space is limited, so please RSVP at https://go.ncsu.edu/jctour

05/28/2026

Check out what's new in the world of Livestock in this month's Newsletter!

Check out the latest Livestock Newsletter!https://eit-wagpress-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/media/documents/05_26_Livestock_News.pdf

05/07/2026

Please join us on May 13th for our 2026 Small Grains Field Day. We look forward to seeing you there!

04/30/2026

Have you ever wanted to see what a local niche meat processing facility looks like? Come take a tour of the facilities at Lee's Fresh Market and learn about how a local processor seeks to meet the needs of the public from custom slaughter to niche product availability. We will have the opportunity to tour the slaughter facilities (no slaughter occurs on Saturdays) as well as processing, storage and retail facilities.
Since re-branding and building retail space a few years ago, Lee's Fresh Market has worked to become a destination for customers seeking fresh meats, poultry and seafood. They also carry a variety of frozen vegetables, barbecue sauces and old-fashioned candies.
Space is limited, so please RSVP at https://go.ncsu.edu/jctour

04/21/2026

If you need to clean out the old barn, chemical storage building, closet, or garage, here is your opportunity.

In Partnership with Johnston County Solid Waste and the NCDA, the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service will hold a Pesticide and Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Day.

HHW and medicine collection will end at Noon, with Pesticide disposal ending at 1:00.

The event will be held on April 25th at the Johnston County Youth Livestock Arena, 520 County Home Road, Smithfield, from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Acceptable items include old and unused pesticides, household cleaners, fluorescent lamps (high TCLP mercury), bulbs from homeowners, and all types of household batteries, including nickel-cadmium, Lithium, Alkaline, and metal-hydride.

We will only accept oil-based paint from the public; latex is not accepted. Oil-based paint has a strong odor and can only be removed with solvents such as mineral spirits or kerosene.

Latex paint, however, will wash off with water. If the label is still attached, it will indicate whether the paint is oil-based or latex. Again, we will accept oil-based paint and aerosol paints. Latex paint is a non-hazardous household liquid that can be solidified with sand, soil, or kitty litter and disposed of in landfills.

Please follow all entrance and exit directions, as there will be a horse show at the Arena complex that day.

04/10/2026

Extension Master Gardeners of Johnston County invite you to join us for the Annual Plant Sale at the Clayton Community Center, located at 715 Amelia Church Rd. Clayton, NC 27520 from 8:00 am till 1:00 pm. Bring the whole family!

03/23/2026

Please see the video below for information on the UDO Town Hall meeting tonight at 6:00 pm here at the Johnston County Ag Center.

03/20/2026

Johnston County Government is holding an informational meeting at the Johnston County Ag Center next Monday evening at 6:00 p.m. The Ag Center is located at 2736 NC 210 Hwy, Smithfield, NC, 27577.

Johnston County residents continue to give vital feedback and recommendations on the draft Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). Based on that public input, the proposed standards placing zoning limitations on poultry and farm animals kept on residential property will be removed from the next draft of the UDO. The newest draft will remove the cap and standards entirely across all districts.

Community input plays an important role in shaping this process, and we appreciate everyone who has taken the time to share their thoughts at public meetings, informational sessions, community-organized events, on social media, over the phone, and through email. As work on the UDO continues, the County remains committed to balancing growth, preserving our agricultural heritage, and ensuring regulations reflect the needs of Johnston County residents.

Please join us in-person or online this Monday night at 6:00 p.m. for an informational session on the latest draft of the UDO at the Johnston County Agricultural Center. The Agricultural Center is located at 2736 N.C. 210, Smithfield, N.C. No vote will take place during this meeting.

The evening will begin with an overview presentation from County planning staff, followed by a Q&A. Afterwards, attendees can take part in an open, drop-in style session with multiple information stations set up throughout the room. This format allows residents to explore specific topics, speak one-on-one with staff, and share feedback in a more interactive setting.

For those unable to attend in person, the presentation will be streamed live on the County’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/jocogovnc. A full recording of the presentation will be made available on YouTube after the meeting.

You can review the latest draft of the UDO and recent updates anytime by visiting the Planning Department’s website at johnstonnc.gov/planning. County leaders emphasize that the draft will continue to evolve as feedback is received.

03/18/2026

Be sure to check out this month's newsletter by clicking the link....If you would like to subscribe to The Gardener's Dirt, just comment or message us your name and email address! https://ncextension.activehosted.com/index.php?action=social&c=34570&m=31883

03/16/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CUv2mSVge/

Make plans to participate in our fun-filled JoCo Junior Chicken Show! May 9 at 10AM, at the Livestock Arena. Youth can show two birds, hens or roosters of layer breeds. You must be enrolled in 4-H Online.
There are breed classes as well as showmanship. Pick out your favorite bird and clean her up for the show!
Register at go.ncsu.edu/jocohen