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Today’s Email Announcements

Weekly Events at Lost Province Brewing Co.

Thursday July 07

College Night and $3.00 Thursday-$3.00 pints on all Lost Province brewed beers (except high gravity).

7:30pm-10:30pm Live Music: Lucas Triba. Sponsored by Split Rail Records, Lucas Triba is performing at Lost Province Brewing Co on Thursday, July 7, 2016. Originally from Clayton, NC, Lucas Triba is studying Classical Guitar Performance at ASU.

Friday July 08

7:30pm-Closing Live Music: Redleg Husky. Redleg Husky is an acoustic roots trio based in Asheville, North Carolina. Since its inception in 2012, the band has been performing its unique blend of boot-stomping folk music at barrooms, theaters, and festivals throughout the Southeast and beyond. The group has released two recordings in that time, its self-titled 2013 EP, and its full-length debut, Carolina, recorded at Wild Chorus Studios in Knoxville, TN by Scott Minor and released in 2014.

Saturday July 09

7:30pm-Closing Live Music: Swing Guitars. Boone’s own gypsy band “Swing Guitars” has been active for almost a decade performing acoustic “Hot Club” style jazz in area restaurants, music festivals and civic concert series. Playing a mix of gypsy jazz standards, swing classics, originals and modern jazz tunes, the acoustic group focuses on the music of Django Reinhardt and other early jazz pioneers. Guitarists Andy Page, Jim Schaller and Jay Brown along with Ben McPherron on bass are experienced musicians widely known to High Country music fans. An evening with Swing Guitars promises a variety of sounds perfect for socializing, eating, drinking and dancing!

Sunday July 10

Lost Province Sunday: Residents of “The Lost Province” (Watauga, Ashe, Avery and Alleghany) receive 10% off food with verification of residency.

Groves Family In Concert in Pineola July 24

Free Concert!
The Groves Family will be in concert at Down By The River Campground
located at   292 River Campground Rd. , Pineola , North Carolina
on Sunday, July 24th at 9:00 am inside the large Activity center.

The Groves Family is a Gospel music group who blesses the heart of all who come to see them. Through the music and smooth harmony the message of the love of Jesus shines through. All are welcome to attend; a free will love offering will be received for the group.  You may find out more about the Groves Family Online at www.grovesfamilyministry.com

Free Pasture Renovation Workshop July 18

Free Pasture Renovation, Erosion Control, & Key Line Plowing Workshop Monday, 7/18, 3-5 PM

Do your hillside pastures turn brown too soon during dry weather? When it rains, does erosion become a problem on your hills? Cooperative Extension and Against the Grain Farm will host a free workshop to demonstrate equipment and techniques to address these issues, while also increasing soil biological activity.

Presenters Derek Weiss and Richard Boylan, along with Holly Whitesides and Andy Bryant of Against the Grain Farm, will discuss and demonstrate techniques of Keyline planning and deep soil ripping on the upper pasture of ATG farm, where the south face dries out too quickly, and some erosion has begun in valley floors. By working with the contours of the land, and employing a new sub-soiling implement secured for community use by Cooperative Extension and the Watauga Office of Soil & Water Conservation, infiltration of rainwater will increase, increasing pasture root growth and reducing erosion.

The workshop begins at 3:00 PM with an introduction to the system of Keyline Planning as popularized by Australian writer P. A. Yeomans. Tools for mapping contours across ridges and valleys will be demonstrated, with participants having a chance to try them. Participants will then get to observe the new subsoiler in action, ripping “keylines” to spread water across the landscape, slowing and hopefully even reversing erosion over time.

For further information or to reserve  a place in the class, e-mail richard_boylan@ncsu.edu or call Watauga County Cooperative Extension at 828-264-3061. Directions to the farm can be found at the website http://www.atgfarm.com/

Holly Whitesides and Andy Bryant have 13 years organic farming experience and have been farming together since 2010. In the Spring of 2013 they began transitioning to biodynamic practices. Against the Grain is a small-scale diversified farm located 15 minutes from downtown Boone in Zionville, North Carolina, raising a broad spectrum of vegetables on a little under 2 acres, and pasturing chicken, turkey, pork, beef and goats on the rest. The focus at Against the Grain is to nurture the soil in order to grow high quality, nutritious food for the local community.

Derek Weiss works as a builder/farmer/landscaper/regenerative agriculture practitioner with a background in Ecology.  He has been pursuing research and experience with various techniques of regenerative agriculture, including Keyline Design, Holzer Permaculture, natural building, and passive solar greenhouse design.

Richard Boylan works with NC Cooperative Extension as an Area Agent for Agriculture in Watauga and Ashe Counties, and the surrounding region, focusing on alternative crops, organic management, local foods, and integrating Permaculture techniques into working small farms.

The subsoiler demonstrated at the workshop will be housed at the the Watauga County Agricultural Services Center, and members of the community can reserve it for rental by calling the Watauga Office of Soil & Water Conservation at (828) 264-0842 (extension 3). A 40 horsepower 4wd tractor is about the minimum requirement to successfully pull this implement.

For further information or to reserve  a place in the class, e-mail richard_boylan@ncsu.edu or call Watauga County Cooperative Extension at 828-264-3061.

CCC&TI Takes First at SkillsUSA National Championships

Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute students excelled in the SkillsUSA National Championships June 22-23 in Louisville, Ky., with one team bringing home a first-place win.

CCC&TI students Asa Watson of Boone and Tom Mendenhall of Hickory won the gold medal, first place in the nation, in the Mobile Robotic Technology (Post-Secondary) competition. The duo had taken first place in the statewide competition in April for the right to compete at the national level. Watson graduated from CCC&TI in May with an Associate Degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology. Mendenhall is a special studies student.

Also competing in the Post-Secondary division, Zachary Blevins of Granite Falls, took ninth place in the Electrical Construction Wiring competition. Blevins had won first place in the statewide competition in April to earn the right to compete at the national level. Blevins graduated from CCC&TI in May with an Associate Degree in Electrical Systems Technology.

The faculty advisor in both competitions was Susan Deal, director of the Electrical/Electronics and Mechanical Engineering programs.

Bryan Keith Smith, Coffee Talks Coming Up at Art Cellar Gallery

Bryan Keith Smith
Retrospective
July 7th – 23rd

The Art Cellar Gallery is
honored to present a
Retrospective of artist Bryan Keith Smith,
opening July 7 and running through July 23.
Featuring watercolors and oils
from the acclaimed artist’s thirty year career.

July Coffee Talks
Every Saturday 10am to Noon

July 9 – Pam Brewer, Intuitive Nature in Clay
July 16 – David Birmingham, A Painters Life
July 23 – Teresa Pietsch, Joy of Clay
July 30 – Alex Matisse & John Vigeland of East Fork Pottery

Toe River Arts Council Presents “Landscapes: Four Ways” in Spruce Pine

TRAC PRESENTS A “LANDSCAPE” OF ART

On Saturday, July 16, the Toe River Arts Council (TRAC) will open a unique exhibit of four women artists in “Landscapes: Four Ways.” At the Spruce Pine TRAC Gallery, located at 269 Oak Avenue. The four women are Lori LaBerge, Teresa Pietsch, Simona Rosasco, and Kat Turczyn. The four ways are textiles, clay, glass, and oil painting. The exhibit continues through August 13, 2016. A reception will be held at the gallery on Friday, August 22, from 5 to 7pm; the community is invited. Each artist will translate their interpretation of “Landscapes” through their chosen medium.

Lori LaBerge has been studying textiles for over 15 years. For this exhibit she has created works that have been “inspired by a sense of place and the paths we follow in life, both physically and emotionally.” This sense has led to the exploration of working in plein air when she gathers her supplies and heads out “into the world that surrounds us.”

Ceramist Teresa Pietsch’s take on landscape comes from “nature and ideas that are centerd in life. “I look at the tree as a representation of experience and growth, the roots of a tree as they give support and nutrients, the leaves as a vision of life and its cycles.”

Simona Rosasco comes from a background in community service, but with a degree in Art Education and Fine Arts. Her fused glass landscapes “reflect the beauty of a cold snowy winter day, the winds moving clouds across the mountains, new life and color emerging from the earth on an early spring morning, the rich reds of autumn as the leaves cover the land and the white sands and surf of the beaches of my home town in Pensacola.”

And finally, Kat Turczyn. Kat retired to the mountains of NC from the busy life and work in the city about seven years ago. For her and her paintings, “everything is a challenge…but this passion gets me up in the morning and I am thrilled to be able to express my creativity this way.”

Four talented women, different backgrounds, different focuses, different mediums, but all with a deep respect for the nature that envelopes their every step, every breath they take. Join TRAC as we celebrate four views of “Landscapes” with four women artists—LaBerge, Pietsch, Rosasco, Turczyn.

TRAC is a non-profit organization founded in 1976 to promote the arts in Mitchell and Yancey Counties. For more information about the exhibition or the Toe River Arts Council, please visit the website, www.toeriverarts.org or call 828.682.7215.

Ranger Programs on the Parkway July 13-17

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Cone Manor – Milepost 294

10:30 am – Informal Upstairs Tour at Cone Manor

From 10:30-12:00, the second floor of Cone Manor will be open for a do-it-yourself tour. Rangers will be on hand to answer questions.

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Cone Manor – Milepost 294

10:30– Children’s Hour

Activities may include storytelling, traditional games, and/or hands on simple crafts. An adult or older responsible attendee must stay with children in order for them to participate (best suited for ages 4 – 12)

Friday, July 15, 2015

Cone Manor – Milepost 294

10:30 am – Informal Upstairs Tour at Cone Manor

From 10:30-12:00, the second floor of Cone Manor will be open for a do-it-yourself tour. Rangers will be on hand to answer questions.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Cone Manor – Milepost 294

10:00, 11:00, 2:00, 3:00 -Upstairs Tours at Cone Manor

Ranger led tours of the second floor of the former home of Moses and Bertha Cone. Tour is approximately 45 minutes long and reservations are required. To reserve a tour: call 828-295-3782 or sign up at the NPS information desk at the Manor House. Reservations are accepted beginning at 10:00am Friday for the upcoming weekend only. No advance reservations, please.

 Cone Manor – Milepost 294

2:00 – 4:00 – Wings, Stings and Crawly Things. Stop by the ranger table at Cone Manor between 2 and 4 to learn more about fascinating and sometimes fearful insects.

 Linn Cove Visitor Center – Milepost 304

2:00 – 4:00 – Otterly Amazing! If you are at Linn Cove stop and visit with the ranger and learn a little about the playful river otter.

 Sunday, July 17, 2016

Cone Manor – Milepost 294

10:00, 11:00, 2:00, 3:00 -Upstairs Tours at Cone Manor

Ranger led tours of the second floor of the former home of Moses and Bertha Cone. See Saturday (above) for details.

Carolina Farm Credit Accepting Ag Biz Planner Applications

Carolina Farm Credit is now accepting applications for the 8th class to participate in an e-learning financial and business planning course.  The Ag Biz Planner curriculum includes financial and business planning, budgeting and other money matters essential to a farm’s success.

Carolina Farm Credit is offering the Farm Credit University on-line program in conjunction with the Farm Credit Associations in North Carolina and Virginia including AgCarolina Farm Credit, Cape Fear Farm Credit, Farm Credit of the Virginias and Colonial Farm Credit. Participants will have the opportunity to interact and benchmark with producers from the other associations throughout the program and network at a conference at the conclusion of the program in Raleigh, NC.

Farm Credit’s e-learning program targets young, beginning, small, and minority farmers throughout the state.  Participants will be assigned a Carolina Farm Credit loan officer to serve as their mentor throughout the course.  Highlights of the program include modules that cover business and personal financial planning, understanding income statements, cash flow, and the smart use of credit on the farm.  Each participant will have completed a business plan for their operation by the conclusion of the class.

“The Ag Biz course offered by Carolina Farm Credit was a valuable experience.  Having the flexibility to work at my own pace, while still having an experienced mentor to help when needed was great.  Working with a company that wants to be a part of their customers’ success means a lot to me and my farming operation.”  Adam Parsons, 2015 Ag Biz Planner participant.

Carolina Farm Credit will accept up to five participants for the program which will begin in October 2016 and run through March 2017.  Applications, a course outline, and program information are available atcarolinafarmcredit.com. Applications will be accepted through September 1, 2016. Individuals selected for the program will be notified after September 15.  The course will conclude with a group conference in Raleigh, NC March 20 & 21, 2017.

Carolina Farm Credit is a stockholder-owned cooperative providing financing to full and part-time farmers and agricultural-related businesses and also provides financing for the construction and purchase of homes in 54 counties through 32 branch offices.  Other financial services available are credit life insurance, appraisal services, leasing programs and financial planning.

For 100 years Farm Credit has been supporting rural communities and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services.

Carolina Farm Credit serves over 9,200 members with loans outstanding totaling more than $1.4 billion.  The association’s territory covers the western half of North Carolina, with branch offices located in Albemarle, Asheboro, Asheville, Boone, Browns Summit, Burnsville, Carthage, Concord, Conover, Ellerbe, Graham, Hendersonville, Jefferson, Lenoir, Lexington, Lincolnton, Monroe, Murphy, Pilot Mountain, Roxboro, Rural Hall, Salisbury, Shelby, Siler City, Sparta, Spindale, Statesville, Taylorsville, Waynesville, Wilkesboro, Yadkinville, and Yanceyville.

Carolina Farm Credit was recognized as a 2015 Best Employer in North Carolina.  The list of the Best Employers in North Carolina was created by Business North Carolina, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) – NC State Council and Best Companies Group.

Directors for Carolina Farm Credit are L. Kim Starnes, Chairman, Salisbury; W. Rex Bell, Vice-Chairman, Statesville; John M. Barnard, Statesville; E. Bernard Beck, Seagrove; Mark A. Bray, Lawsonville; David M. Coltrane, Pleasant Garden; Susie J. Gambill, Sparta; Joseph A. Lail, Shelby; Clark M. Newlin, Haw River; Thomas E. Porter, Jr., Concord;  Tony L. Ragan, Sanford; D. Kaleb Rathbone, Waynesville; Lewis E. Smith, Lincolnton; Vickie N. Smitherman, East Bend; Dr. Alton Thompson, Summerfield.