2010 Basic Home Maintenance Course

Are there repairs around your home that need to be done but you lack the knowledge and skill to do them yourself? The Basic Home Maintenance Course will give you those skills. This series of five two hour classes will be held during the day from 10:00am – 12:00 noon, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. February 16, 18, 23, 25 and March 2, 2010. Some of the topics to be covered are:  saving on your heating and cooling bills, basic plumbing repairs, interior and exterior maintenance, landscaping and lawn care, indoor air quality, common household pest, etc. The course will be held at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Center, 94 Coxe Avenue in downtown Asheville. The registration fee of $20 includes all materials. Preregistration is necessary by calling 255-5522.

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 Tired of Spending Too Much on Winter Heating?

As thermometers drop and energy prices fluctuate, local residents can learn no- and low-cost ways to save on energy bills by attending the free educational workshop, Saving on Your Energy Bills scheduled for Thursday, January 21 at 5:30 pm. In addition to learning how to implement energy-saving measures in their homes, participants will have the opportunity to sign up for home energy audits at a special workshop price. The standard cost of $500 will be reduced to $100 and participants can have a qualified Home Energy Rater conduct an audit of their home and make energy saving recommendations on a personal level. The workshop is sponsored by the NC Cooperative Extension – Buncombe County Center, and will be held at 94 Coxe Avenue. Pre-registration is required as space is limited. Register by calling 828-255-5522.

Only individuals attending the workshop will qualify for the reduced audit price.

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2009 Survey of Needs

North Carolina Cooperative Extension-Buncombe County Center is currently evaluating our programming focus for the coming two-year period.  Please help us tailor our programs and workshops to meet your educational needs by taking this brief survey.  Thanks for your help.

Click here for Survey of Needs

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WNC AgOptions announces 2010 funding cycle:
Mountain farmers are eligible for funds to diversify operations.

More Information........

Click here to download the 2010 WNC AgOptions Application

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 We Are Updating Our Horse Mailing List

To better serve the needs of the horse community in Buncombe County, we at Buncombe County Cooperative Extension need to know who you are.  We have programs that fit most everyone from where to locate hay and how to manage your pastures, to information on short courses sponsored by NC State University and NC Cooperative Extension.  We are in the process of updating our mailing list, so if you wish to become a part of our mailing list or just update your information, please give us a call at 828-255-5522 or email at mike_ford@ncsu.edu or erin_bonito@ncsu.edu.  We are looking forward to hearing from you!

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Project Skill-Up to Help You Stay in Farming, Return to Farming or Get Trained in an Exciting New Career

Individuals who have roots in Madison and Buncombe Counties and who have been affected by changes in tobacco are eligible.  Opportunities include a NEW Certificate Program for Farmers offered through Asheville-Buncombe Community College, special training for farming in the 21st century and guidance to individuals interested in a new career.  For more information click here, or contact Maureen at 254-1921 ex.5832.

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Back to Basic$ Program to Help Buncombe County Residents Deal with Financial Stress

Buncombe County residents, like most Americans, are feeling the stress created by our nation's economic downturn.  To help them deal with the financial and emotional stressors the current economic climate has created, the Buncombe County Cooperative Extension Center has launched a new program:  Back to Basic$:  Surviving (& Thriving!) Through Troubled Times.  The program features a web page, factsheets and a series of multi-faceted educational programs that deal with broad personal and family financial issues, stress management, and farm/agri-business financial issues, as well as specific ways to extend financial resources, such as home gardening and food preservation.