What's Happening In Buncombe

The "Big Orange" Prescription Help Bus is coming to Buncombe County on August 19.

Did you know that we each get about 40 pounds of direct mail each year? Direct mail is the unsolicited advertising, marketing or publicity material sent to you.

Before using Bluetooth, it is important to understand what it is, what security risks it presents, and how to protect yourself.

The Coen brothers’ movies; we either love them or loathe them. Join us for a critic’s roundtable event where arguments fly & opinionated people talk about the ones they love... and the ones they hate

Here are 25 ways to get the most out of each dollar.

Smoketree's claim to fame is the cloud of pinkish gray “smoke” that covers the plant in the summer.

Can you give a dog a home? Or a cat? How about a kitten? These animals need your help.

Congratulations to Chris Hetfield of Fairview for his Grilled Teriyaki Beef Kabobs recipe!

There are times when even the most motivated individual needs a little push. This is true for dieters and exercisers alike. A good way to ensure that you get the push you need is to find an eat smart and move more buddy.

Having someone who holds you accountable and can remind you to eat healthy foods and get your physical activity can help you achieve your healthy weight goals. Your buddy can be a friend, spouse, co-worker, or other relative. Anyone in your life who is also trying to make healthy changes will make a good buddy.

Once you have found your buddy, share your goals with each other. If you know what one another is trying to achieve, it will be easier to provide motivation. Don't just share that you want to lose 10 pounds, tell each other the changes you are trying to make in your diet and how often you are trying to be active. It also helps to share some of your reasons for wanting to make these changes. For example, maybe you are trying to get to a weight where you are comfortable in a bathing suit, or maybe you want to finish a 5k. If your buddy knows this, he or she can remind you of your goals when you start to lose motivation.

If you can exercise together, great! But if not, put reminders in your calendar to email or call each other at least once a week to see how things are going. If you know someone is going to ask you if you exercised, you are more likely to do it. But be honest, too. If you have a hard week and indulge in some unhealthy foods or miss a workout, share that, too. Your buddy may have some ideas on how to avoid the slip-up next time.

Celebrate your successes! If you made a delicious low-calorie dinner last night, email your buddy with the recipe. If you lost two pounds last week, share that so you can celebrate together. Change is hard. Celebrating the little successes you have along the way will help you to reach your goal. And celebrating with others is always more fun than celebrating alone.

The most important thing you and your eat smart and move more buddy can do is support each other. Sometimes, having support can make all the difference!

It’s not easy being a parent. In fact, parenting is probably the most challenging job most of us will ever have. Come to this 8 session, hands-on creative learning program for parents who want to make a difference in their child’s life and improve their parent-child relationship.

You will learn how to manage stress, improve your communication skills, avoid power struggles with your child, and build a support system to help you. The classes will meet on Tuesdays—August 19 through October 21--from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm.

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

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched a new website at www.epa.gov/fishadvisories/kids/ to help children and their parents choose the healthiest fish to eat, using interactive stories and games. The site has been selected as the August site of the month by kids.gov, the official kids’ portal for the U.S. government.

“Our new website is a fun way for kids and parents to learn about the importance of fish in a healthy diet and how to choose the healthiest fish to eat,” said Benjamin H. Grumbles, EPA’s assistant administrator for water.

Whether they catch their own fish or buy it at a store, children and their parents can use the website to learn how to select fish that are low in contaminants. The website includes stories focusing on different methods of obtaining fish, along with interactive games, to teach children ages 8-12 how to recognize common fish species and use fish advisories.

The site can be viewed at: www.epa.gov/fishadvisories/kids/. 

With two flower shows at the NC Mountain State Fair, how can you resist the opportunity to show off your prettiest flowers? There are more than 150 categories for entries.

Order a catalog now so you can start planning your entries.

Best of the West Competitions

Need pointers? You may want to attend, “Gardening in the Mountains: How to Win A Flower Show Blue Ribbon”. The program will be presented by Extension Master Gardener volunteers at the North Carolina Arboretum at 10:00 am on August 12. No pre-registration. Tuesday is free admission.

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

If you need to water landscape areas, you certainly don’t want to waste the water.

1. If you use sprinklers on landscape beds, make sure they are adjusted to throw water only where needed and water is not running down paved surfaces. Run the sprinklers long enough to put out about 1 inch of water. Less than a half inch generally will not soak in below the mulch and soil surface.
2. Soaker hoses can be a good way to restrict the water right around the roots of the plants that need it. Soakers will need to drip for several hours so set a timer or put a timer on the spigot.
3. Need to water a newly planted tree or shrub? Drill a few small holes in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket and let the water trickle out over the roots of the plant.

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