By Morgan Watts

Rowan Cooperative Extension

Join us for an evening of learning about the basics of equine nutrition and pasture management on March 31 at 6 p.m.

The event will be held at the Rowan County Center, 2727 Old Concord Road. Everyone must pre-register either by visiting https://go.ncsu.edu/workshopequine or by calling 704-216-8970. If you register online, you can pay by credit card. If you call in, you must pay by cash or check. Please make checks payable to CES. Cash and check payments are due one week prior to the event.

The registration fee is $15 per person, and dinner is included. Topics will include: Basic Health, Basic Nutrition, Pasture Management and Soil Testing and Evaluating Your Forages. Please call Morgan Watts, livestock agent, at 704-216-8970 with any questions or for more information. 

This year, N.C. Cooperative Extension, Rowan County Center, is putting on a Pullet Project. The Rowan County Pullet Project is an opportunity for youth (ages 5-18 as of Jan. 1) to learn more about the livestock industry.

Through this project, youth will raise laying hens. In September, youth will participate in a Pullet Show where they will demonstrate to a judge their knowledge of the bird. Training for this project will be provided through workshops.

Participants must be a resident of Rowan County or a member of Rowan County 4-H to participate in the project. Each participant will receive a maximum of five chicks, approximately the same age. Participants will raise the chicks under the supervision of parents or an agricultural education class with help from Extension agents and agricultural education teachers.

Participants will raise the chicks from April until the Pullet Show at the Rowan County Fair in September. Participants will be responsible for all expenses incurred while raising the chicks, including but not limited to: feed, medication, facility, etc.

Participants will present three birds received from the project to show at the September show. Registration is due by Thursday, March 19, at 5 p.m. to the Extension office. Pullet pickup will be sometime in mid-late April. Participation is limited to the first 20 participants to register.

If you have any questions or if you would like to register your child, please call Morgan Watts, livestock agent, 704-216-8970 or email at amwatts@ncsu.edu