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First becoming a nurse after college, then a high school teacher where she taught Food and Nutrition as a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher, Sheri Ledford is still doing what she loves - teaching in Rutherford County.
Ledford is the Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent at the NC Cooperative Extension office in Spindale. Ledford began serving the communities of Rutherford County in February.
"I feel like someone should pinch me because I feel like I am dreaming," Ledford said. "I am able to tailor my program to meet the needs of the community and those needs align perfectly with things I am most passionate about."
A native of McDowell County, Ledford grew up in Old Ford, married and moved to Dysartsville.
"We are right at the McDowell, Rutherford, Burke county lines so we are fortunate to be able to visit all areas in about the same amount of time," Ledford said. Married to her high school sweetheart, the couple has two grown children, a son-in-law, two dogs and some chickens.
"I garden and preserve our foods and I love being outdoors, especially hiking, paddle boarding."
After being a nurse and returning to college in 2011 to become a high school teacher where she worked 10 years, Ledford knew she wanted to continue teaching in another direction.
In her new role at the Cooperative Extension Office, Ledford has begun a group called "Lost Arts." It includes people who are interested in learning all "old ways" of doing things. People have developed more of a desire to know where their food is coming from and how to be more self reliant, she said.
"This desire is met with challenges because there are a lot of areas where people lack education. Sure, we can search online but let's be honest, some of that information is questionable," Ledford said. "I offer research based information from NCSU and other reliable sources as I teach classes in the Lost Arts Series. I grew up in a home that gardened, raised animals and preserved food. I am super happy to share my knowledge with the community and help others learn new skills."
Some of the classes offered are how to grow and use culinary and medicinal herbs, boiling water canning classes, vegetable pressure canning, pressure canning meats and bone broth, and handmade pasta.
In her new role she has offered Nutritious Colorful Salad workshops and at the Senior Center she taught classes on how to prepare freezer meals for one to two people.
She plans a yeast bread class in September and is working out details for sourdough classes in October.
In addition to the Lost Arts and cooking classes, Ledford will be offering a series of classes in January called Med Instead of Meds which is a 6 week series that teaches participants how to eat the Mediterranean way to reduce risks of chronic diseases.
"I am very adamant that what we consume either heals or harms our bodies and want to share this with everyone I can," she said.
She also plans to begin "A StoryWalk" soon that will be on the walking trail behind the extension service office on Callahan Koon Road in Spindale. StoryWalk is an interactive walking trail where youth and their families can read a children's storybook along the path.
In her position, Ledford is also the liaison agent for the Extension and Community Association for Rutherford County.
"This is a lovely group of volunteers that serve as volunteers for extension activities as well as different projects for the community and state. We do a lot of good for the community and have fun doing it. We are looking to expand this group and would welcome new faces in our volunteer organization," she said.
Ledford has "lots of ideas for things to enrich the community and would love to continue building relationships with the community."
She says her best support comes from those attending the classes and her social media followers.
New events will also be posted at https://rutherford.ces.ncsu.edu/
