Got Dog Problems?

Get your questions answered! Join the staff of County Animal Control Services at a community meeting in your neighborhood.

The Advanced Manufacturing Preparation Program is a two step program that takes 5 weeks of your time and leads to a great job with higher pay.

Help make Asheville and Buncombe Count cleaner and greener! The kickoff party is April 1st.

Help us find part time employees to help with early voting in Buncombe County!

Extension Master Gardeners of Buncombe County will offer several informative programs at the North Carolina Arboretum.

Get out and get moving -- it's time for those April garden chores!

Bring your best bear buddy to one of these Buncombe County Public Libraries for a pizza picnic, stories, songs, and children 5 & under will receive a free teddy bear.

If you are 50 or older, come to this class to learn how to save on auto insurance costs, how to identify & compensate for age related physical changes, & how to improve driving behavior.

This week we are featuring some animals available for adoption from FurEver Friends. Please consider making one of these animals your "FurEver" friend by giving it a loving home.

Congratulations to LeeAnn Gothberg of Asheville for her Turkey Tetrazzini recipe!

When it comes to choosing healthy foods, it is easy to get caught by surprise at the hidden number of calories and fat in foods.

Avoid consuming extra calories and feeling like a fool by taking the time to read and understand the nutrition labels. Every food package has one, and they are easy to read once you know how.

Here are some tips to help you avoid those extra calories:

• Look at the number of servings per package. Nutrition information is given per serving. That can be misleading, especially if a small container of juice or chocolate milk contains 2-3 servings.
• Pay attention to the total number of calories and the number of calories from fat. A good rule of thumb is to choose foods with no more than 1/3 of the calories from fat.
• Check for added sugar in the ingredients list. Added sugar equals added calories! If sugar, high fructose corn syrup, honey or other sugar variations are one of the first three ingredients listed....steer clear!

For information on reading food labels, visit the Eat Smart Move More Interactive Nutrition Label or go to www.healthybuncombe.org.

The popular Almanac Gardener program returns to UNC-TV on April 5 at 12 noon, and will run weekly through August 16. This production of North Carolina Cooperative Extension and UNC-TV will be celebrating its 25th season this year.

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

The Buncombe County Extension Master Gardeners are selling rain barrels. If you wish to purchase one, please fill out an order form.

• 80 gallon barrel measures 37 inches high and 28 inches wide.
• Made of 20% recycled high density polypropylene.
• Heavy concave lid channels water flow into the barrel.
• The screened entry blocks leaves, debris and insects.
• Dark green color discourages algae growth.
• Two overflow ports to move water away from your home.

The deadline to order a rain barrel is May 9th. If you have questions, contact Extension Master Gardeners of Buncombe County at 828-255-5522.

Throughout the summer, Extension Master Gardener volunteers will be available to look at plant problems and answer gardening questions the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month.

The Master Gardener Plant Clinics will be set up at the Western North Carolina Farmers’ Market, in the breezeway between the retail buildings from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm. Stop by and visit. The next clinics are April 12 & 26.

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