Local Foods at Our Schools

https://foodcorps.org/where-we-work/north-carolina

The number one industry in North Carolina is agriculture and we have some of the best research institutions arguably in the country. Many local municipalities have partnered with universities and non-profits to help provide fresh and local produce to our children.  Programs such as The NC Farm to School program have been supplying school cafeterias across our state with the freshest, locally grown produce from North Carolina farms since 1997. http://www.farmtoschool.org/state-programs.php?id=31

See below for some statistics and school districts that participate in the program:

NC Farm to School Program:Poundage

2011-2012 Figures:

1,003,921 students served
1,599 schools
1,574,975 pounds of produce
$1,210,523.53 of produce from NC farmers sold to NC schools.

http://www.ncfarmtoschool.com/htm/resources/documents/2010-11SchoolsParticipation.pdf

Follow the link below to see more information on organizations and schools helping bring fresh local produce to our children. Help get your school involved in starting a program or buying more local produce, it benefits our children and the local farmers.  We would love to hear how you are helping bring local produce into schools.

http://www.feastdowneast.org/farmtoschool.html

http://edibleschoolyard.org/network

http://www.feastdowneast.org/farmtoschool.html

National Honey Bee Day !

According to some estimates, over 20,000 species of bees exist today, and 7 species of honeybees.  A recent phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder threatens to reduce the number of honeybees, especially in urban areas.

According to Marla Spivak, Distinguished McKnight University Professor of Apiculture/Social Insects at the University of Minnesota

"A honeybee colony contains 40,000 to 50,0000 individuals, all communicating and making decisions. Honeybees even have social healthcare. They separate out sick individuals to keep the colony healthy, and they scrape propolis resins from flowers and use this natural antibiotic to seal the hive.

Bees have survived for over 50 million years. So something is very wrong when they are dying en masse. This is happening for four interrelated reasons, all related to changes in farming practices after World War II, says Spivak. While there’s been a 300% increase in production of crops that require bee pollination since WWII, we’ve started using much more synthetic fertilizer, and created crop monocultures, systematically eliminating the flowering plants that bees need for survival. At the same time, we’ve started using pesticides, and now every batch of pollen that a honeybee collects has at least six traces of pesticides in it — including neonicotinoids. These pesticides move through plant tissue; parasites take a bite and die. But neonicotinoids make bees intoxicated and disoriented, and in high enough concentration it can kill them"

Come out this Saturday to Several local events to learn more about Honey Bees and beekeeping.

• Asheville City Market on Charlotte Street, 8am-1pm
• Carrboro Farmers Market under the Gazebo 7am-Noon
• Beekeepers of the Neuse
• Old Waynesborough Park, Goldsboro, NC: 9am-1pm
• Join us at Waynesborough Park to celebrate National Honey Bee Day and learn about the importance and fun of beekeeping! National Honey Bee Day was designated by the USDA in 2010 to further awareness of the honey bee and its importance to agriculture, the food system, and the economy. There are half as many beekeepers and a third less beehives today as there were just 25 years ago. Join us to learn how you can get started in the rewarding and beneficial hobby of beekeeping! Or just come and enjoy a great day at the park

For more information about beekeeping in North Carolina check out there website http://www.ncbeekeepers.org/ or on facebook, https://www.facebook.com/ncbeekeepers.

Back to School Safety

http://www.safechildnc.org/resources/back-to-school-tips/

Back to School Safety

As the new school year fast approaches it is important to keep in mind the safety of our children as they go back to school and enter new settings. Below are a series of back to school tips to keep in mind as your son/daughter transitions to a new school or classroom. 

www.nsc.org

Back to School Tips

• Review schedules with children including wake up and evening bedtimes, bus or carpool times, when parents will be home, who will be caring for child before and after school
• Review rules for crossing street, answering telephone, arriving at and staying at home alone, who is permitted in home when parent is not there – and PRACTICE
• Review bus safety or carpool line rules
• Visit school, and child care provider if new to child, beforehand to help child feel familiar
• Make signs together to post that list important phone numbers such as parents’ work, friends and neighbors, 911; also child’s phone number and address
• Make list of tasks to be completed after school and/or homework schedule
• Review entertainment options: is TV allowed and how much and which shows? How about computer access – which games can be played, etc. Discuss consequences for noncompliance
• Practice preparing snacks
• Get into morning and evening routine now to help child be ready for first day of school
• Put together everything you need for the morning as you prepare for bed the night before (including making lunch?) – mornings will go much smoother
• Talk with child about what school will be like, anticipating and acknowledging some of the changes, whether this is the first day of kindergarten, third grade, middle school or high school – hopefully building some enthusiasm for the coming year

Some Good Resources for Parents:

• http://www.nsc.org/safety_home/SafetyObservances/Pages/BackToSchoolSafety.aspx
• http://www.safekids.org/safetytips
• http://www.rd.com/advice/parenting/back-to-school-safety-tips/
• http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Back-to-School.shtml

Birthday Celebrations

Come Celebrate the Birth of our Favorite Animals

Happy 1st Birthday Bomassa and Apollo:

Saturday Aug 3, 2013

Join us in a first birthday celebration for the Zoo's two baby gorillas, Bomassa and Apollo! All activities are at Forest Glade gorilla exhibit.

• 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. - Special music performed by "The Healing Force"
• 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. - Gorillas will receive birthday ice cakes
• 11:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. - See the gorilla feedings, Meet the Keepers and receive a special treat as our guests!
• 2:30 p.m. - Help us sing "Happy Birthday" while the gorillas get their birthday presents

Nimbus is turning three:

At Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium

Tuesday August 13, 2013

http://www.ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores

• Nimbus, the Aquarium’s rare white sea turtle, is turning three! In honor of the unusual loggerhead and to highlight sea turtles everywhere, enjoy a daylong Sea Turtle Celebration on Aug. 13.  Find out more about these captivating reptiles, the troubles they face and how to help them. Activities are free with admission or membership
• To learn more about the story of Nimbus: http://www.ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores/exhibit-galleries/rare-white-sea-turtle-a-bright-spot

Cape Lookout National Seashore

Surprise foal (5th of 2013) born to 3 year old mare. The new mom still lives with her mom & was still nursing.