NC Cooperative Extension - Union County

09/03/2026

Join NC Extension Master Gardeners of Union County to learn about gardening with perennials on Thursday, September 10, 5:30 p.m. at the Southwest Library. They will touch on growing, dividing, spreaders versus self-seeders and more!

09/03/2026

North Carolina 4-H alumni were recently honored for "making the best better" at the 2025 North Carolina 4-H Alumni Award ceremony. 🍀🏆

The achievements and service of 4-H Alumni Award recipients exemplify 4-H’s mission, living out the mission of 4-H and creating a legacy of excellence within the organization.

Read about the recipients and their accomplishments at the link in our comments.

09/02/2026

What’s next for your garden?

As summer transitions into fall, it’s time to decide what to keep, what to remove, what to propagate and what to plant for the cooler months ahead!

Join NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Union County for their next Successful Gardener program featuring Mary Roberts of Windcrest Farm. Mary will walk us through the seasonal tasks that help keep your garden productive through fall and winter while preparing your soil, plants and garden for next spring.

🔗 Register for the virtual class: https://ncsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/LlJAeyxDSWq5yiLxjj03qQ #/registration
🔗 Register for in-person attendance: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/successful-gardener-preparing-your-garden-for-what-comes-next-tickets-1978176265461?aff=oddtdtcreator

09/01/2026

We are excited to announce that Union County 4-H will be participating in Kids Voting again this year!

Kids Voting gives youth the opportunity to experience the voting process firsthand and learn more about civic engagement. Any Union County youth ages 5–17 is welcome to participate, you do NOT have to be a 4-H member!

Want to vote in person? Stop by the Union County 4-H Office anytime from 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. on November 2nd to cast your vote using a paper ballot!

Online voting will also be available. The link is not live just yet, but we will repost it once it is ready.

4-H’ers, this is also a great opportunity to participate in a civic engagement activity that you can include in your 4-H Record Book!

09/01/2026

Mark your calendars for the 2026 Union County 4-H Expo!

Join us on September 19 from 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. at the Union County Simpson Events Center for a day celebrating the hard work and talents of our 4-H youth!

This event is open to the public, and everyone is invited to stop by and see what Union County 4-H is all about. Come check out our Creative Arts Exhibit, 4-H Livestock Show, and 4-H Club Exhibits while supporting our local youth.

We hope to see you there!

08/27/2026

It’s time to strut your stuff at the State Fair Egg Contest! 🥚Bring the best your flock has to offer and put your eggs in the running for a ribbon🥇Register by September 15th using the link below and drop off your eggs in a standard carton by October 14th.

https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/nc-state-fair/competitions/general-competitions

08/27/2026

We're proud to celebrate Autumn Baucom, 4-H Youth Development Agent, who received five awards at the 2026 North Carolina Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals Annual Conference.

The awards recognize Autumn’s work to strengthen and expand 4-H programming across Union County, from launching the County’s first dedicated Cloverbud club and increasing enrollment to expanding summer camps, scholarships, leadership opportunities and community partnerships.

Through these efforts, Autumn is helping create more opportunities for Union County youth to learn, lead and grow through hands-on 4-H experiences.

We’re proud to celebrate this accomplishment and the impact Autumn is making for Union County youth! 💚👏

Read the full story: https://union.ces.ncsu.edu/news/union-county-4-h-agent-recognized-with-five-awards-at-state-conference/
Union County 4-H Youth Development

08/26/2026

Are you passionate about food, cooking, nutrition, or local foods?

You may be a great fit for the Extension Master Food Volunteer (EMFV) Program!

EMFVs work alongside N.C. Cooperative Extension to support nutrition and cooking programs, food preservation classes, cooking demonstrations, local food initiatives, community outreach, and youth cooking programs.

No matter your experience level, if you enjoy learning, sharing knowledge, and serving your community, we invite you to learn more!

📅 Mark your calendar for an EMFV Interest Meeting:

In Person: September 24 at 10 a.m. - Union County Agricultural Center
Virtual: September 25 at 10 a.m. - https://ncsu.zoom.us/j/91288453288?pwd=urTGgiX9v6LfPqQZ6K1faVVLNCMuGQ.1

Come learn more about the program, volunteer opportunities, and how you can get involved with N.C. Cooperative Extension in Union County!

08/21/2026

It’s happening this weekend! 🐝🦋

Home gardeners are encouraged to participate in The Great Southeast Pollinator Census starting today, Friday, August 21, and continuing through Saturday, August 22. You can count in your own garden, visit the NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Union County Teaching Garden (3230 Presson Rd, Monroe, NC), or visit a nearby local park. Have a lawn chair on hand, the Insect Counting & Identification Guide, the counting sheet and pick a spot in front of your favorite pollinator plant to do your count.

For more information, visit https://gsepc.org/.

Welcome to our brand-new home — you’re in the right place! Same census, same UGA Extension team, same count days: August 21 & 22, 2026. Everything you need is right here — how to count, print a count sheet, upload your counts. Look around and count with us.

08/18/2026

Happening this weekend! 🐝🦋

Home gardeners are encouraged to participate in The Great Southeast Pollinator Census this Friday and Saturday, August 21 and 22. You can count in your own garden or visit the NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Union County Teaching Garden (3230 Presson Rd, Monroe, NC), or at a nearby local park. Have a lawn chair on hand, the Insect Counting & Identification Guide, the counting sheet and pick a spot in front of your favorite pollinator plant to do your count.

For more information, visit https://gsepc.org/.

Citizen Science at Work