Jacob Morgan, director of the North Carolina Extension Jones County Center, returns to the podcast to give Mary Ann LeRay an on the ground look at what is growing (and struggling) across the county this summer. Jacob has spent 18 years serving Jones County, and in this episode he walks through a dry mid-July growing season, the county's often overlooked timber industry, and the wide reach of the Extension office's programs.
Jacob explains that this year's drought delayed planting and growth for nearly every crop, with corn taking the hardest hit after its pollination window landed right in the middle of hot, dry conditions. He also shares a side of local agriculture many residents never think about: Jones County has far more trees than traditional crops, and timber from the Croatan and Hoffman Forest to small private landowners represents a long term, renewable resource that deserves more recognition.
From there, the conversation covers where to find local produce, eggs, and meat (think Parker Farms, White Oak River Farms, Ross Farms, and Starky Mills), and the many ways the Extension office supports the community beyond the field: 4-H clubs and livestock projects for kids, guidance for backyard and commercial livestock owners, poultry biosecurity education, nutrition classes with Sarah Ware, and horticulture help from Lisa Rayburn, including the blueberry bushes now producing fruit in the Filling Station's own garden.
The episode wraps up with a preview of the Jones County Heritage Festival, celebrating around 17 years at the Civic Center on the last weekend in September, complete with a new heritage themed kid zone, a farmer's market, and the brand new "Rooted in Jones County, North Carolina" reusable bag. Listen in for a real picture of what it takes to grow food, raise livestock, and build community in Jones County, and consider it your invitation to come see it for yourself this fall.