Wanna Be Happy? Be Kind.

Is there a link between happiness & kindness? A group thinks so, & they've done some research.

Read Aloud to Children - Spread the Joy!

Do you love to read? Do you like children? The Preschool Outreach Project (POP) is looking for volunteers.

Know How Much Mulch You Need?

Need to know how much mulch, topsoil or pine straw you need to cover a given area?

Garden Chores for March

Get ready for Spring! Here are the recommended garden chores for March.

Greenway Master Plan RFQ

Parks, Greenways & Recreation Services is inviting qualified consulting firms to submit Statements of Qualification.

Adopt Any Animal for $17 - March 16 & 17

$17 adoption fee for every dog, cat, puppy & kitten. Every animal is spayed or neutered, microchipped, & vaccinated.

Learn About Your Family History

Are you descended from royalty? Do celebrities share your DNA? Begin a fascinating journey into your family’s past.

Trip to Green River Plantation

Join us as we take a 1-hour tour of the Green River Plantation mansion & dine at the mansion for lunch.

Pets of the Week - Dogs & Cats Who Need Homes

Check out these adorable cats & dogs looking for a home!

Recipe of the Week - Potato Salad

Congratulations to Monica Samson for her Potato Salad recipe!

White-nose syndrome, the disease that has killed hundreds of thousands of bats in the Eastern United States, has been found in North Carolina. Although scientists have yet to fully understand white-nose syndrome, current knowledge indicates it is likely caused by a newly discovered fungus, Geomyces destructans, which often grows into white tufts on the muzzles of infected bats, hence the name of the disease.

For more information, see the news release, download a fact sheet or read the NC Wildlife Resource Commission’s white-nose syndrome response plan.

This year, North Carolina Arbor Day is March 19. National Arbor Day is the last Friday in April.

We traditionally celebrate Arbor Day by planting a tree. But the day is also intended to remind us of the importance of maintaining healthy trees. Healthy trees are an asset to our national environment, our urban setting and the aesthetics and value of our home landscape.

Planting a tree is a great thing to do, but we also have a commitment to take care of the wonderful mature trees we already have. If you damage a 150 year old oak tree during a construction project or by topping, how long will it take to grow a new one when it is gone?

It is awesome to look at that old tree and contemplate that it was alive when my great, great grandfather was alive. If we plant a tree today, we can only hope that those who come after us will protect it so our great, great, great grandchildren can play in its shade.

For early spring blooms indoors, try cutting some stems from forsythia, quince, pussy willow and spirea to “force” into bloom. Place stems in a vase, and they should bloom in a week or two. Change the water every few days.

Early daffodil varieties are some of the first flowers to bloom in late February and March. If you want to mix daffodils with other cut flowers, you'll need to take extra steps.

The sap from daffodil stems can clog the stems of other plants. Let the daffodils stand in water by themselves overnight before including them in a container with other flowers.

For more information, call Buncombe County Cooperative Extension at 255-5522.

Buncombe County Cooperative Extension is offering several gardening classes in March:

• March 16 Gardening in the Mountains, Spring Lawn Care
  10 - 11:30 a.m. at the Buncombe County Extension Office. Free, no registration required.
  
  
• March 21 Backyard Small Fruit
  5:30 -7 p.m. at the Buncombe County Extension Office. $5. Space is limited, so pre-registration is required.
  
  
• March 28 Starting a Vegetable Garden
  5:30 -7 p.m. at the Buncombe County Extension Office. $5. Space is limited, so pre-registration is required.
  
  
• April 9 Spring Garden School
  Presented by Extension Master Gardeners - AB Tech Ferguson Auditorium. Pre-registration required. Garden School brochure.

For more information, call Buncombe County Cooperative Extension at 255-5522.