Bucolic Briefs
The N.C. Simmental Association's Fall Harvest Sale will be Sept. 7 at noon at the Shuffler Sale Facility in Union Grove. The sale will include bulls, cows, pairs and heifers. For more, go to www.ncsimmental.com or call Jennie Rucker at 336-468-1679.
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The 72nd Annual N.C. Gourd Arts and Crafts Festival will be held Sept. 7 and 8 at the Holshouser Building, State Fairgrounds, Raleigh. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The festival features gourds from around the world, special gourd workshops and vendors selling a variety of gourd-related items including dried gourds, seeds, crafts, art, books and crafting supplies. Activities also include gourd competitions, an auction on Saturday and a gourd-crafting table for kids. Admission is $2 for adults and free for children under 16, workshop students and N.C. Gourd Society members. For more information, contact Kate Mahony, festival chair, at 910-639-4577 or go to the website at www.ncgourdsociety.org/festival.
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The Lumber River Old Iron Tractor Club will host the Southeast N.C. Ag Show Sept. 20 and 21 at the Southeastern Ag Events Center in Lumberton. The event features antique tractors and equipment, crafts, food, old-fashioned children's games, farm toys, antique household items, blacksmithing and hit-and-miss engines. There will be a lawn mower pull Friday at 6 p.m. and an antique tractor pull Saturday at 1 p.m. Hours are 4-9 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Proceeds benefit Hospice House and FFA student scholarships. For more, contact Cindy Risen at 910-739-4401.
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Beekeepers with bees for rent and growers interested in bee pollination services can post their information on the BeeLinked website at www.ncagr.com/beelinked. The site is hosted by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the N.C. State University Apiculture Program. Anyone interested in listing their information can do so by filling out an online Submit Your Ad form on the BeeLinked page or by contacting NCDA&CS at 919-233-8214 or by email at NCHoneybee@ncagr.gov or call NCSU at 919-515-1660. Beekeepers participating in this program will be required to comply with all honey and bee industry regulations.
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The Piedmont Saddle Club in Colfax will open its lighted arena every Friday night from 5-9 p.m. for horse riders. The cost is $10 per horse and equine owners must provide proof of Coggins testing and sign a waiver. The events are open to the public. Contact info@piedmontsaddleclub.org for more information.
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The North Carolina chapter of Re-Run, a non-profit organization that places ex-racehorses into adoptive homes, now has thoroughbred racehorses available for adoption. Thoroughbreds are versatile and do well in any number of disciplines including shows, events, fox hunting or pleasure riding, according to Elizabeth Macdonald with Re-Run. For more, go to www.rerun.org or contact Elizabeth Macdonald at hemacd@mindspring.com.
