Chicken dinner benefit planned
The American Legion chicken dinner sale fundraiser will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 15 at Post 43, corner of McLewean and North streets.
The chicken will be slow-cooked all morning before plates are prepared for eat-in or take-out customers. This is a major fundraiser for the veterans organization, with proceeds benefitting its youth programs. Tickets are available now from any Post 43 member. Five or more plates can be delivered upon request.
Regular post meetings are held at 7 p.m. first Thursdays.
Gardening Guru: Gourds are a sign of fall
Gourds are a welcome sign of fall. They are members of the cucumber family that also includes pumpkins, squash and many melons.
Historically, gourds were grown mainly for usefulness as containers or utensils. Some types are edible if prepared while young and tender. Today, gourds are often used as decorations.
Gourds are tender annuals that thrive in full sun, warm temperatures and plenty of nutrients. They produce two different kinds of flowers just like cucumbers. The male flowers begin the flowering cycle followed by the female flowers, which have an immature fruit at the base.
Cucurbita is a common type of gourd mainly grown for ornamental uses. These plants produce yellow flowers that open in the day and have unusual shaped and colorful gourds. Apple, turks turbin and egg are types of this group. They are subject to frost injury and should be harvested before cold weather.
Lagenaria, the utilitarian type of gourd, produces white flowers that open at night. These gourds are green as they grow on the vine and produce thick, hard shells when dry that last for a long time. Included in this group are long handle dipper, caveman’s club, birdhouse and swan gourds.
Gourds are ready to harvest when the stems begin to dry and turn brown. Cut the stems leaving several inches of length to avoid bruising. Fruit may need careful cleaning with water or a disinfectant to remove soil.
Surface drying is the beginning of the curing process, allowing the skin to harden. Place in a dry area with good air circulation and space so they do not touch.
Internal drying is the next step. Turning of the fruit discourages shriveling and encourages even curing. Gourds are ready for decorating when they become light and the seeds rattle inside.
Wax or paint can be used to decorate dried gourds. Designs can be cut with a knife or carving tool. Seeds can be saved from mature gourds and dried for the next year’s use.
Peg Godwin is horticulture agent, Lenoir County Cooperative Extension Center. Reach her at Peg_Godwin@ncsu.edu or 252-527-2191.
LCC offers marketing seminar
Lenoir Community College Small Business Center is offering “Inexpensive and Creative Ways to Market Your Small Business” from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday at the LCC La Grange Center, 112 E. Railroad St.
If you’d rather eat live insects than market your business, you’re not alone. Most small business owners feel the same way, according to Emily Ballance, entrepreneur who has successfully owned and marketed two businesses for more than 25 years. She will be the guest speaker at the seminar, which is free and open to public
Ballance will share marketing techniques that don’t cost and discuss different techniques to fit the business. She also suggests participants bring business cards to this session, which promises to be fun, informative and interactive. It will be a good chance to meet people and market business.
Ballance speaks on business related topics for Small Business Centers throughout the North Carolina Community College System. She travels across the country presenting keynotes on humor and stress management and workshops on generations in the workplace, plus other topics viewable at emilyballance.com.
For more information or to register, contact Misty Moye at 252-806-0522 or msmoye80@lenoircc.edu.