Homesteading Series for Self-Reliance | Eastern NC Now

Press Release:

    With residents avoiding stores and spending more time at home, Beaufort County Community College is hosting a series of personal enrichment classes to teach new skills and activities to help make the most of this time and connect with the home in a new way. All classes will have limited enrollment to keep students safe. Social distancing and masks will be part of our classes. As spring emerges, these skills will help you bring your home buzzing and clucking to life with activity. Register and pay online for any of these classes or call (252) 940-6375.


    Beekeeping

    Honey! That's the sweet benefit of beekeeping. Also, bees are vital for the pollination of our food crops, whether in the field or in our garden. We'll address the biology of bees, colony structure and organization, beekeeping equipment, hive health, pest control, hive site selection, honey processing, beekeeping resources, and more. Along the way, you'll see how satisfying it is to keep a hive of bees. A hands-on hive inspection will be arranged for students. Thanks to the Beaufort County Beekeepers Association for teaching this course on our campus. Participation prepares one for the North Carolina State Beekeepers Association Certification written exam. Registration fee includes the class manual, and a year of membership in both local and state Beekeeping Associations. This $50 class will run on Saturdays from February 27 – March 20.


    A Coop Full of Chickens

    The biddies will soon be at the farm store, and we will help you get ready to brood and manage laying hens. Natalie Voliva and Abbie Barfield are dedicated chicken keepers, and students will leave with all the enthusiasm they share. Learn from their experience about the equipment you'll need, brooder and coop requirements and structure, healthcare concerns, feed selection, egg collection, favorite breeds, and more. It will not be long before you are enjoying country fresh eggs. This $15 class will run from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM on Tuesday, February 23.


    Native Plants for Home Landscapes

    So many of our native plants make excellent additions to the home landscape. More and more, nurseries are making native plants available, and our gardens are more beautiful with them. As well, they are favorites of pollinators. We'll investigate native perennials, shrubs, and trees. We'll discuss siting, care, maintenance, and propagation techniques. A plant list and purchasing resources will be provided. This $15 class will run from 10:00 AM – Noon on Wednesday, March 10.


    A Safer Home

    Keeping a safe home involves everything from managing the landscape to managing technology. Todd Alligood, BCCC Police Chief, will help you understand how to analyze home safety and how to plan for a safer domicile. There are so many simple things a homeowner can do, and then there's all the new technology. Todd will describe how to assess available home safety devices and the best ways to deploy them. Andrew Cocarro, BCCC Director of Fire and Emergency Management Training, will give advice on fire safety, alarm systems, and fire extinguishers. This $15 class will run from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM on Tuesday, March 23.


    Vegetable Gardening, a Smaller Approach

    A homegrown tomato can't be beat. Billy Ray Askew, former BCCC Instructor of Agribusiness Technology and Sustainable Agriculture, will lead you to make healthy, productive gardens within a limited amount of space. He'll provide techniques for growing in raised beds, square foot gardening, straw bale gardening, and using containers. After the lecture, students will construct a bus bin garden of lettuces and herbs to carry home. (Limited to 10 students.) This $25 class will take place from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM on Tuesday, April 20.

• Attila Nemecz
• Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator
• Beaufort County Community College
• 5337 U.S. Highway 264 East
• Washington, N.C. 27889
• Ph: 252-940-6387
• Cell: 252-940-8672
• attila.nemecz@beaufortccc.edu