Soil Management recommendations for Hurricane-impacted WNC

Hurricane Helene caused great devastation throughout much of Western North Carolina and farm fields were not spared. There are reports of impacts to fields in all landscape positions. This situation calls for a vigilant approach to soil and crop management that includes assessment on a field-by-field basis. 

'A minor little thing:' Macon moved ahead on watershed ordinance revision

The Macon County Planning Board voted last week to recommend a revision of the water supply watershed ordinance to the county commission. Set against the backdrop of catastrophic flooding in Western North Carolina, and despite public opposition to the change, board members maintain the revision is a minor and will have little impact. 

Macon passes soil erosion and sedimentation control ordinance revisions

Macon County approved revisions to its soil erosion and sedimentation control ordinance despite an outpouring of opposition from the public — so much so that not everyone who had signed up to speak on the issue at the Aug. 13 meeting was able to do so. 

Notes from a plant nerd: Playing with a full deck

Dear reader, yeah, I mean you. You who are reading this while holding the paper in your hands or scanning through on your computer, tablet or phone. Yeah, you. I am so deeply grateful to you for reading my articles. This marks the 52nd column that I have written for The Smoky Mountain News, with one running every couple of weeks for the last two years or so. That’s one for each week in the year. One for every card in a deck.  

Haywood Soil and Water receives farmland preservation grants

The Haywood County Soil & Water Conservation District is a recipient of three of this year’s N.C. Grange grants to aid in land preservation efforts within the county. 

Visit the Extension Master Gardener Booth at Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market

NC State Extension Master Gardener volunteers staff a booth on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month (May through August) at Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market in Waynesville.

Now is a great time to submit soil samples

Experts are using the spring weather to remind people to test their soil if that has not been done in the last two to three years.

Ready, set, grow

Prepare for gardening season with “Learn to Grow: Vegetable Gardening,” a workshop offered 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8, in Waynesville. 

Research to test for contamination near Canton mill property

A research project aiming to understand contamination levels outside the fence line of the now-shuttered Canton paper mill is likely to draw more than a quarter-million dollars in state funding to test soil, water and air samples nearby. 

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