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Mecklenburg County Center
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Mecklenburg County Center | N.C. Cooperative Extension
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Image by Kevin Ruck
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August Newsletter
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August, 2026
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Welcome to the latest edition from the NC Cooperative Extension, Mecklenburg County Center! August is a busy month, and we’re excited to share opportunities, resources, and ways you can connect with Extension and your community.
This month, we’re celebrating the Great Southeast Pollinator Census and the important role pollinators play in our gardens, farms, and ecosystems. Be sure to check below for more information about how you can participate and help us celebrate these essential members of our environment.
We also have some important information to share. Be on the lookout for the yellow-legged hornet, which has been spotted in Matthews. Learn more in this newsletter about what to look for and how to report a potential sighting.
And that’s not all! Follow along with “Where’s Demetria?” this August, and discover where our Extension team is making Dee-licious connections throughout Mecklenburg County.
Are you interested in getting more involved with 4-H? Do you want to start a 4-H Club? We’d love to help you learn more about the opportunities available to young people in our community.
Or perhaps you have a passion for gardening and want to share your knowledge with others. Interested in becoming a Master Gardener Volunteer? Find out how you can take the next step and become part of this rewarding Extension program.
There’s plenty happening this month, so take a few minutes to explore the newsletter and discover ways to learn, grow, serve, and connect with NC Cooperative Extension in Mecklenburg County!
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Cultivating Progress
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As I settle more into my role here in Mecklenburg County, I continue to be amazed by the incredible breadth of work taking place across our community. From flourishing community gardens and newly developed pollinator spaces to small urban farms and organizations dedicated to bringing local food to a large urban market, the dedication to the work and its people is truly inspiring.
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of attending "National Night Out" at the Arbor Glen Recreation Center. It was a wonderful celebration of our diverse community, with line dancing, a raffle and basketball and pickleball games in the background. The Cunningham "Master" Brass Band closed out the evening with a dynamic performance. It was heartening to see various government and community organizations interacting directly with citizens.
Another recent highlight was the official proclamation for Farmers Market Week at the County Commissioners meeting, which provided a wonderful opportunity to meet more of our area’s food system advocates. The West Mecklenburg Library hosted an impressive presentation from high school students in the "Seeds of Change" program. They showcased how locally raised produce can be transformed into creative, value-added products, demonstrating the inspiring potential of our youth.
I am honored to serve a county where such proactive and meaningful work is the norm. I am eager to explore further ways that Extension can help these initiatives grow in both scope and impact. While balancing community support and personal time is a constant practice, I welcome invitations to your community events and will do my very best to attend. Please feel free to reach out with details.
Please join us in the Great Pollinator Census, remember to stay on the look out for the invasive Yellow-legged Hornet and Spotted Lanternfly. And enjoy the end of summer.
Thank you to everyone who has welcomed me to the vibrant Mecklenburg-Charlotte community. I look forward to our future endeavors. .
Kind regards,
Heather Kelejian
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Bringing the Farm Home: NC Cooperative Extension Hosts Vibrant Mini Farmer’s Market Event in Mecklenburg County
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Written by Morgan Marshall
On June 24th, the NC Cooperative Extension Mecklenburg County Center brought the best of the local food system straight to the community during a dynamic, sold-out Mini Farmer’s Market event. Hosted by Family & Consumer Sciences Agent Demetria Cox-Thomas, the gathering brought together residents, growers, and food entrepreneurs to celebrate local agriculture, healthy eating, and community connection.
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| Read the full article here |
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Yellow Legged Hornet
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By Mal Harrington
Monday, July 27, 2026 | The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) has confirmed the first established presence of the invasive yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina) in North Carolina, in Matthews. Yellow-legged hornet adults were reported to NCDA&CS by a Union County homeowner who noticed suspicious hornet activity at her hummingbird feeder. A follow-up survey found additional adults near the Union and Mecklenburg County line. This nest has since been eliminated; however, a second nest has been discovered in High Point, NC.
The NCDA&CS has been monitoring for the yellow-legged hornet since 2023. The yellow-legged hornet is an aggressive predator of honeybees, as well as other pollinators. Beekeepers are asked to watch for hornets around hives exhibiting “hawking-like behavior.” This behavior is a distinctive characteristic of the yellow-legged hornet as they prey on bees. Their hives are another distinctive feature, as they can grow much larger than other hornets' nests and have a reddish, muddy color to them rather than the gray-colored nests of bald-faced hornets. Yellow-legged hornets may be present throughout the year in some areas, but they are most active between March and October. At this time in the season, hives would likely be the size of a volleyball, although they can grow in size to fill a pick-up truck bed.
The yellow-legged hornet is a serious threat to our beekeeping community. Yellow-legged hornet attacks on honeybee colonies can result in reduced foraging and colony failure, reduced honey and other honeybee products, and reduced crop production due to decreased pollination by honeybees and native pollinators.
What you can do | Homeowners and beekeepers throughout North Carolina are encouraged to build, report, and monitor traps on their property.
Traps are most effective in collecting hornets in summer. Trapping for the yellow-legged hornet can be done with just a few household materials and a simple bait mixture. This trap will catch several different kinds of wasps and hornets, but honey bees aren’t usually attracted to the trap.
Trapping Yellow-Legged Hornet
Yellow-Legged Hornet Trapping Sign-Up Form
Yellow-Legged Hornet Report Form
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Meet Me at the Farmers Market: August
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Fresh Food for the Whole Family
August brings the biggest harvest of the year. Farmers markets are bursting with color, flavor, and opportunities for families to make healthy eating fun. National Farmers Market Week, August 2-8, was recognized by the Board of County Commissioners in a special proclamation on Wednesday, August 5. Watch the proclamation here: YouTube.
Many Charlotte-area markets offer activities designed especially for children. Programs like Power of Produce (POP) Club encourage young shoppers to learn about fruits and vegetables while earning rewards for exploring the market.
Families can also enjoy cooking demonstrations where local chefs transform fresh ingredients into easy weeknight meals.
This month, be sure to visit:
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South End Farmers Market, where Library Time combines story time with local food, helping young readers connect books with healthy eating.
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Huntersville Growers’ Market brings music, cooking demonstrations and wonderful local food to one place for your community to gather.
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Cooking demonstrations throughout the month showcasing tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, herbs, and late-summer fruits.
What's in Season
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Tomatoes
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Peppers
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Eggplant
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Melons
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Peaches
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Apples begin arriving
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Green beans
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Basil
Meet Me at the Farmers Market Challenge
Let your child choose one fruit or vegetable they've never tasted before and build dinner around their selection.
It’s estimated that North Carolinians spend $35 billion on food every year. If each of us spent 10% of our grocery budget on local food, $3.5 billion would flow into our local food economy!
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Herbs & Houseplants!
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Herbs Workshop
Thursday, 8/20
6:00PM
2415 Lester St, Charlotte, NC
Dive into the world of herbs with this beginner-friendly hands-on workshop. Learn essential indoor gardening skills, focusing on herbs, and get creative by decorating your own pot to take home! Each attendee will go home with seeds or a herb plant of their choice in a 4-inch pot.
Houseplants Workshop
Thursday, 8/27
6:00PM
2415 Lester St, Charlotte, NC
Dive into the world of houseplants with this beginner-friendly hands-on workshop. Learn all about essential houseplant care and how to maintain them! Attendees will be able to select a houseplant of their choice to take home.
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N.C. Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity provider. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, N.C. Cooperative Extension will honor requests for reasonable accommodations made by individuals with disabilities. Please direct accommodation requests to: Mal Harrington, msharrin@ncsu.edu or 980-314-1400. Requests can be served more effectively if notice is provided at least 10 days before the event.
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Where is Demetria?
Here's where you can find our illustrious Family & Consumer Science Agent
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On Positively Charlotte, Queen City News WJZY-46
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Wed, Aug 19th, 2026 10-11a
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Wed, Sep 23rd, 2026 10-11a
July Recap
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July was a busy month for FCS! We were at 2 of our local farmers markets doing demos, we hosted a Local Food Event for county employees, featured on the news, & hosted 2 cooking classes.
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Farmers Markets
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At North Meck Community Farmers Market, she cooked sauteed squash with onions & kale all tossed in a sauce. She featured produce from Austin Kidd Farm, seasonings from Zolingo’s Spice of Life, & the Belle Isle sauce from Zotado Soul. All of these items were from local vendors at the market.
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At Uptown Farmers Market, she prepared a fruit salad using peaches, blueberries, & blackberries from several local farmers. The dressing for the fruit salad was peach balsamic vinegar from Hawley’s Harvest mixed with fire cider from Honest Elderberry. Check out the reviews from the dish she prepared at Uptown Farmers Market
Keep an eye on our calendar for activities for all programs: Events - Mecklenburg County Center, N.C. Cooperative Extension
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For the latest news, programming, and event updates from N.C. Cooperative Extension, Mecklenburg County Center be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
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NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C. Cooperative Extension.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
N.C. Cooperative Extension - Mecklenburg County Center, 2415 Lester Street, Charlotte, NC 28208, United States
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