November Extension Connection Magazine 2019

Extension Connection

USPS-525-100

Sullivan County

YOUR LINK TO LOCAL, RESEARCH-BASED SOLUTIONS TO BETTER YOUR LIFE

VOLUME XC NO. 11

NOVEMBER 2019

CCE Healthy Schools Coordinator SueAnn Boyd celebrates Farm to School initiatives at “Cooking with Cornell” with Fallsburg Central School students.

Upcoming U pcoming Events Events & Programs Programs Youth Pocket Pets Program Living Healthy, Living Well in Mamakating Annual Caregiver Celebration at Yiasou Advanced Social Media Marketing Kids & Goats Program 4-H Adult Partner Rally Free ATI Farm Stands Mondays at Soul Food Cafe

Issue Isssue sue Highlights Higghhligghhts The Secret to Growing the World’s Largest Pumpkin Spotted Lanternfly Making Community Connections Count National Diabetes Awareness Month Monthly DHI Report Guest Editorial of the Month: SUNY Sullivan Activities for People with Dementia

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tips for Parents: Selecting a 4-H Cloverbud Animal Project

See page 11 for more events!

Check out page 8 for fast facts, and a healthy recipe of the month!

Welcome W elcome to to the the Issue!

Issue!

Page 3 Message from the Executive Director Page 3 Monthly DHI Report Page 4 The Secret to Growing the World’s Largest Pumpkin Page 5 Spotted Lanternfly Page 6 Making Community Connections Count Page 7 Diabetes MyPlate

Table Table of of Contents Contents Page 8 Fast Facts, Cool Tools, & News to Use! Page 9 Healthy Recipe of the Month: Lentil Stew Page 10 Community Guest Editorial of the Month: SUNY Sullivan “Sustainability Initiatives Thriving at SUNY Sullivan”

Page 11 Upcoming Programs Page 12 CCESC Spotlights Page 13 Sponsorships Page 14 Activities for People with Dementia Page 15 Tips for Parents: Selecting a 4-H Cloverbud Animal Project Page 16 CCE is on Amazon Smile!

The Extension Connection (USPS-525-100) is published monthly for $25.00 enrollment by Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County, located at 64 Ferndale-Loomis Road, Suite 1, Liberty, NY 12754-2903. Entered at Liberty, New York, as a periodical class matter.

Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in section 412, Act of February 24, 1925. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Extension Connection, 64 Ferndale-Loomis Road, Suite 1, Liberty, NY 12754-2903.

OFFICE HOURS

EXTENSION CONNECTION

8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday-Friday Phone: 845-292-6180 E-mail: sullivan@cornell.edu Website: www.sullivancce.org

Edited by: Nicole Slevin & Colleen Monaghan Designed by: Centermost Marketing, LLC

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NOTICE: Official endorsement of advertisers and their products is not intended by the acceptance of their advertisements for the Extension Connection.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Colleen Monaghan............................................................................Executive Director Thomas Bosket......................................................St. John’s Street Program Coordinator SueAnn Boyd.......................................................Healthy Schools Program Coordinator Elizabeth Clancy-DiBartolo................................................Temporary Finance Assistant Martin Colavito...........................................................St. John’s Street Program Manager Kaitlyn Conklin...........................................................................................4-H Educator Wanda V. Cruz.............................................Healthy Communities Program Coordinator Marylin Jones..........................................................................4-H Program Coordinator Bridget Kackos.............................................................Association Program Coordinator Bonnie Lewis..........................................................................Dependent Care Educator Erica Lynch.........................................................Catskills Kitchen Program Coordinator Melinda Meddaugh......................................................Ag & Food Systems Issue Leader Brenda Miller...........................................Community Horticulture Program Coordinator Barbara Moran...............................................4-H Animal Science Program Coordinator Bee Moser................................................................................Eat Smart NY Nutritionist Vanessa Petrossian...Hudson Valley Catskills Welcome Center | Taste NY Market Manager Abyssinia Pla El............................................................Association Operations Coordinator Michelle Proscia.............................................................................Agriculture Educator Nicole Slevin...............................................................Administrator & Diversity Officer Ashley Tully...............................................................................Ag Program Coordinator Tara VanHorn.......................................................................................Finance Manager Sean Welsh............................................................................Energy Resource Educator John Wilcox.........................................................................................Facilities Manager

Robert Kaplan.............................President Amy Erlwein........................Vice President Klu Padu......................................Secretary John Kiefer...................................Treasurer Nadia Rajsz........................Legislative Rep. Todd Brown Jenny Chamberlain Marcie Ehrman Denise Frangipane John “JP” Lang Amanda Langseder Klu Padu Luisa Parker Dara Smith George Stang Robert Wong

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Produced by: Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities.

STAFF MEMBERS

Extension Connection

November 2019

Hello, friends of Extension, Thank you to the 180 CCE supporters who joined us at the Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center last Sunday for the Extension Family Reunion and 105th Annual Meeting. It was so nice to break bread with all of you and to recognize our long-time volunteers and supporters.

Long-time 4-H Youth Development volunteers include Leah Waldron (48 years of service), Bob and Linda Kays (43 years), Mary Nosek (38 years), Beverly Hesse (30 years), Susan Peters (28 years), Amy Sykes (25 years), Jean Smith (21 years), and Karen Coombe (12 years).

This year’s Friends of Extension include Lily Stettner, Kathy Denman, Diana Weiner, Beaverdam Brook Farm, Ochs Orchards, Jeff Bank, MaryAnn Johnson of HVADC, ENGN, Soul Food Café, Dana Taylor of Monticello Central School District, and Suzanne Lendzian of Fallsburg Central School District.

In addition to celebrating, we announced that there will be several board of directors and program advisory committee vacancies open in 2020. If you or someone you know is interested in serving, and has strengths in fund development, engaging difficult to reach populations, and environment and natural resource issues in Sullivan County, please reach out to Board President Robert Kaplan, or myself at sullivan@cornell.edu.

November and December mark a period of reflection and planning for CCE Sullivan staff and programs. All of our federal reporting is due over the next two months and we begin to pull together our Annual Report to the Community. In addition, we have begun the bid and contract process to replace the HVAC system and to renovate and update all the teaching spaces and common areas at the Extension Education Center. This is an exciting time and we can’t wait to have you over for an open house in the early spring.

Until then, get that firewood stacked, put the soup on the stove, and take some time to reconnect with loved ones during the Thanksgiving season. Thank you so much for being a part of the Extension family!

Cheers,

naagh g an, Colleen Monaghan, rector Executive Director nell.ed du cm638@cornell.edu

DHI Report: SEPTEMBER Herdcode HERDOWNER

SAMPLE NO. TYPE BREED COWS

MILK FAT PROTEIN

21470096 BRANDON PETERS DAIRY DHI-AP

H

99.6 21409 781

663

21470146 THONY'S DAIRY

DHI-AP

H

58.4 18942 705

582

21470021 GLASSEL, ROBERT

DHI-AP

H

47.3 15135 568

461

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November 2019

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THE SECRET TO GROWING THE WORLD’S LARGEST PUMPKIN Submitted by Ashley Tully, Ag Program Coordinator Waiting in line for their weigh-in, the lumpy, pale pumpkins sag on their pallets like deflated balloons.

But to become a world heavyweight champion, looks don’t really matter.

When it comes to this competition, decades of intense selective breeding have banished the petite, perfectly ovoid and brilliantly orange fruits with a focus on one exclusive trait: massive size.

Every year, an international community of giant-pumpkin farmers loads up beastly gourds on trailers, carting them to local fairs and weigh-ins for a chance at the title.

So, the burning question: How do you make a monster pumpkin?

There are a few basic tenants to cultivating giant pumpkins: Keep them at the perfect temperature, give them continuous food and water, protect their delicate skins from drying and cracking and cover them at night for warmth. Competitive growers also lovingly prune their pumpkin plants, reducing their fruit to a few prized gems. But above all, you have to start with a champion seed.

George Hamilton, extension field specialist in fruits and vegetables at the University of New Hampshire, ranks the relative importance of a grower’s checklist something like this: “Number one is genetics, number two is genetics, number three is genetics. And then number four you’ve got sun, warmth, fertilizer and water,” he says.

These days, nearly every prizewinning pumpkin can trace its roots back to Howard Dill’s Atlantic Giant. Dill spent 30 careful years cultivating his beasts from the Mammoth pumpkin varieties, which are rooted in the squash species Cucurbita maxima.

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In 1981, Dill scored a world record with a 493.5-pound beast, trampling the previous record of 460 pounds.

He patented the seeds, and an international cohort of growers continued to selectively breed them for bigger pumpkins. Just under 35 years later, the weight record for the pumpkins has more than quadrupled.

So why can these monsters grow so large? Atlantic Giant pumpkins can pack on close to 50 pounds a day during peak growing season, says plant physiologist Jessica Savage at the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University. Though a pumpkin is roughly 90 percent water, there is still a great deal of sugar flowing into the plant’s bulk.

Oddly enough, the giant plants aren’t any better at producing sugar than their regular-sized cousins, explains Savage.

They’re just better at moving it around.

To take you back to high school biology, plants have two types of tissue that work to get food and water flowing through them: xylem and phloem. The xylem transports water into the plants, and the phloem is responsible for sugar movement. While all pumpkins easily move large amounts of water, Savage found that giant pumpkins have supersized phloem.

Growers have also harnessed the power of mycorrhizal fungi, which happily colonize the plant’s roots and assist water and nutrients flowing into the plant in exchange for carbohydrates, explains Wallace, who originally introduced the fungi to extreme gardeners.

So is there a biological factor that will eventually limit their size?

Not really. These monsters are so good at moving sugars, that given the proper conditions, there isn’t anything glaring that limits their growth, says Savage. “It seems like everything in the plant just

Extension Connection

November 2019

increased with the fruit size.”

In the end, the limit may come down to physics. Giant pumpkins already sag under their own weight, developing heart-wrenching cracks if they grow too quickly or unevenly. But the sagging may actually be one of the keys to continued growth, according to researched published in the International Journal of Non-Linear Mechanics.

Lead author David Hu and his team used vices to test how much force some ill-fated pumpkins could withstand.

They discovered that round pumpkins could put up with a lot. Based on these tests, they estimated that a perfectly uniform pumpkin could grow up to a whopping 20,000 pounds. As the pumpkins flatten, things get more complicated, but flattening does seem to help the gourds hold up their massive bulk without cracking.

Here locally, a huge 1,018-pound Atlantic Giant pumpkin grown by Sean McAndrew of Grahamsville won the top prize of $250 in the Giant Pumpkin Growing Contest that was part of the 34th Annual Daniel Pierce Library’s Giant Pumpkin Party and Children’s Parade held last Saturday at the Grahamsville Fairgrounds.

So although we might not ever have pumpkins big enough to serve as chariots, we already have some large enough for boat rides, and maybe they’ll keep expanding horizontally.

The extreme gardeners will just have to go on growing their massive gourds to find out.

Source: Wei-Haas, Maya. “The Secret to Growing the World’s Largest Pumpkin.”

Smithsonian.com. Smithsonian Institution, October 30, 2015. https:// www.smithsonianmag.com/sciencenature/surprising-science-giantpumpkins-180957099/.

SPOTTED LANTERNFLY Submitted by Brenda Miller, Community Hort. Coordinator Just a few days ago, a Spotted Lanternfly was found dead in a yard of a Jeffersonville home owner. That same week, one was reported just outside of Port Jervis. I have friends, family, and horticulture colleagues in areas of Pennsylvania with heavy infestations and it is truly a devastating pest.

Looking at the map below, you will see just how close we are to counties that are either under quarantine or where the presence of Spotted Lanternfly has been confirmed. It is not surprising that we have now had a confirmed siting in Sullivan and Orange counties.

The spotted lanternfly, also known as Chinese blistering cicada, is a planthopper native to China and Southeastern Asia. Discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014, the spotted lanternfly presents a threat to both woody and non-woody hosts that are present throughout the United States.

While their list of hosts is large, the greatest agricultural concern falls on grapes, hops, apples, blueberries, and stone fruits.

Spotted lanternfly eggs are laid on any hard, smooth surface, including plants, trunks, stones, and bricks.

Because of this, egg masses may be spread unknowingly. Spotted lanternfly nymphs are able to feed on many hosts, while adults prefer Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) and grapevine (Vitis vinifera). Furthermore, abundant excretion of sticky honeydew by swarms feeding on shade trees and the associated growth of sooty mold can severely restrict people’s enjoyment of parks and their own backyards.

Each egg mass contains 30-50 eggs that are covered in a waxy brown substance.

The first nymphs to develop are wingless, black, and have white spots.

This plant hopper is able to feed using specialized mouth parts that can pierce the plant and suck up sap. Both nymphs and adults feed this way, on leaves, stems, and trunks. Piercing the plant’s tissues and feeding on the sap weakens the plant, causing it to ooze and weep, which may result in a fermenting odor and a gray/black trail on the bark. Spotted lanternflies also excrete honeydew while feeding, which overtime may encourage the growth of sooty mold if infestation levels are high.

The presence of the fermenting odor and honeydew may also attract other insects.

Found a Spotted p Lanternæy in NY?

The final nymph stage of the spotted lanternfly is distinctively red and black.

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3. No Note te the the location lloc ocat atio ion n (street (str (s tree eett address addr ad dres esss code, and an d zi zip p co code de,, intersecting inte in ters rsec ecti ting ng roads, rroa oads ds,, landmarks, coordinates). land la ndma mark rks, s, o orr GP GPS S co coor ordi dina nate tes) s)..

Adults and nymphs commonly gather in large numbers on host plants to feed, and are easiest to see at dusk or at night.

Email location 4. Em Emai aill pictures pict pi ctur ures es a and nd lloc ocat atio ion n to spottedlanternfly@dec.ny.gov spot sp otte tedl dlan ante tern rnfl fly@ y@de dec. c.ny ny.g .gov ov and and sullivan@cornell.edu. sull su lliv ivan an@c @cor orne nell ll.e .edu du..

Photo Credit: Erica Smyers, Penn State University Source: Juliet Carroll and Nicole Mattoon, Invasive Species and Exotic Pests: Spotted Lanternfly, (New York State Integrated Pest Management Program, Cornell University), http://hdl.handle.net/1813/43943.

There is one generation per year, with adults developing in July, laying eggs in September, and overwintering as eggs.

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MAKING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS COUNT Written by Wanda Cruz, Healthy Communities Coordinator Unless you are inside a building, there is a good chance that your surroundings in Sullivan County will consist of wildlife, lakes, roads, mountains, hills, and acres of farmland or forests. The CCE Sullivan Creating Healthy Schools and Communities (CHSC) project has demonstrated across the County’s rural municipalities, that if you make options available, and provide social and physical support, communities can come together around healthy activities and food, creating a recipe for success and wellness.

Change on many levels Change is hard. Some folks like things just the way they are. There can be fear of the unknown, lack of opportunity, or habits a person does not think to change.

CCE Sullivan County CHSC (CCESCCHSC) has been working with community partners throughout the county to increase and improve opportunities and support for local residents to be physically active and have greater access to healthy foods.

Sustainable changes cannot happen overnight. Collaboration among partners on all levels towards the same goals is essential, and that takes time to accomplish. Now that many policies on worksite wellness and Complete Streets have been adopted across more than 30 worksites and 6 municipalities, we are seeing both momentum and enjoyment. Multiple groups and cohorts of friends, neighbors, and coworkers are working together to improve wellness through walking groups, nutrition challenges, and a multi-sector commitment to supporting folks to get outside and moving.

Seeing positive changes unfold in the community is powerful. It tends to Page 6

pull others into the fold who want to become part of the new movement.

Neighboring municipalities see new fitness trails and want one too.

A worksite Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) drop off is another really visible strategy that has encouraged other businesses to explore worksite wellness policies and practices. One way and another the grassroots energy and commitment for a healthy Sullivan County continues to grow.

Connecting worksite wellness with Complete Streets Worksites are collaborating with partners and making access to healthy foods, physical activity and other wellness components a reality, for their staff, and for the surrounding community as well.

Benjamin Cosor Elementary School collaborated with community service clubs, businesses, community residents, students, government agencies and CCESC-CHSC to reconstruct a trail that is open to the public during non-school hours. The trail is open for physical activity year round and has a wellness section for meditation and reading.

Catskill Regional Medical Center (CRMC), Sullivan County’s only hospital, has made changes to benefit staff, patients and visitors. Such changes include, but are not limited to, posted nutritional information, discounts on healthier items in the cafeteria, no sugar-sweetened beverages, healthy recipes for fruits of the month, how to build a healthy salad, and much more. The hospital is expanding the walking trail next to the cafeteria with accommodations to improve access for individuals with disabilities. Other activities such as reiki and yoga are also available.

CRMC collaborates with ESNY, CCESCCHSC, Sullivan Renaissance, American Heart Association, Sullivan 180, County

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Government, and other partners to reach goals for promoting wellness in and around the hospital. Staff also make contributions of healthy foods to local pantries.

The Town of Mamakating has a weekly farmers’ market for staff and community, as well as the weekly Sullivan Fresh Market on the Move to ensure residents in this rural community have regular access to fresh, healthy produce. They have physical activity programs, including dancing and rhythm, yoga, and walking.

The Town is currently working on adopting Healthy Meeting guidelines, building a fitness trail, and extending the D & H Canal Trail as a year-round, safe alternative form of transportation for individuals of all ages and abilities.

The trail will include access to the municipal building, bank, pharmacy, law enforcement, supermarket, Park & Ride bus stop, elementary school, Village of Wurtsboro business district, other trails, and three residential communities. Bike racks, bike repair station, signage, message boards, and benches are available at several access points on the trail. Partners include, Sullivan County Government, Mamakating Cadet Troop #2017, several service clubs, Monticello School District, Village of Wurtsboro, NYS Office of Children and Family Services, Sullivan County Youth Bureau, CCESC-CHSC, and others.

Continued progress and sustainability The commitment to sustainability has become a collaborative effort by all partners invested in making Sullivan County healthy. These communities no longer want to hear that we are 61st out of 62 counties in NY health rankings.

By demonstrating the positive changes our communities have achieved, we continue to attract additional partners for progress.

Stay tuned for part II in December’s issue!

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November Focus: Fast Facts, Cool Tools, & News to Use!

November is Nationa I n d i a n H e r i t a g l American e Month

Phytochemicals and essential minerals such as magnesium, selenium and copper found in whole grains may protect against some pro p ro cancers. c ancers.

THE 4-H Y DEVELOP OUTH MENT PLE

Did You Know?

Beans and lentils are packed with protein, high in åber, vitamins, and minerals, have almost no fat, are ålling, are super affordable, and are available all year round!

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Extension E Ext Ex xte te ion Connection tensi

DGE IS:

I PLEDGE CLEARER MY HEAD TO TH MY HEAR INKING, T LOYALTY, TO GREATER MY HAND SERVICE, S TO LARGER AND MY H BETTER L EALTH TO IVING, FOR MY C COMMUN LUB, MY COUNTRYITY, MY WORLD. , AND MY

November 2019 N

November Focus: Fast Facts, Cool Tools, & News to Use!

Healthy Recipe of the Month!

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SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES THRIVING AT SUNY SULLIVAN Submitted by Jay Quaintance, SUNY Sullivan President At SUNY Sullivan, sustainability runs across disciplines, through classes and all around campus. In fact, sustainability is such a large part of what we do that it’s a vibrant and vital component of our mission.

The college had the foresight two decades ago to invest in a geothermal heating and cooling system, which has saved the college hundreds of thousands of dollars in energy expenses. It has worked so well in fact that our new Master Plan promotes the expansion of the system to bring the remaining 20 percent of the buildings online.

Earlier this year, SUNY Sullivan welcomed the New York State Excelsior Conservation Corps to campus. The corps is comprised of approximately 50 young men and women who serve to protect, restore, and enhance New York’s natural resources.

This is our state’s next generation of conservation leaders, so it’s only fitting that they are housed here for a year, gaining hands-on learning.

SUNY Sullivan students also have the benefit of a multitude of hands-on learning opportunities throughout campus. They can enroll in our Green Building Maintenance and Management program, and learn on our 3 kW photovoltaic array and 2.5 kW wind turbine, as well as our nine-acre solar farm. Our Hope Farm, a multi-acre organic farm, is a partnership with New Page 10

Hope Community and provides opportunities for students enrolled in any academic program, to learn about both the technical aspects and the art of how the farm operates.

The college Foundation offers scholarships each semester for students to participate in our composting system. Food scraps from our Culinary Arts program as well as our campus dining service are composted each week, which in turn, helps Hope Farm. Then, fruits and vegetables from the Hope Farm are transformed by our Culinary students

into delicious dishes and desserts, making the term farm-to-table as real, and as close as one can get!

Our Student Activities Offices sponsors a Garden Club that meets each week, providing opportunities for students to learn about sustainability, techniques for growing vegetables from seed, our Industrial Hemp project in partnership with The Center for Discovery, and more.

The campus is also home to an apiary, where students come to understand the importance of bees in our ecosystem and the art of beekeeping.

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November 2019

“The campus is also home to an apiary, where students come to understand the importance of bees in our ecosystem and the art of beekeeping.”

In fact, honey straight from the hive was recently a menu ingredient for our Foundation’s Terrain & Table dinner, held on a warm fall afternoon within our Community Garden and the Hope Farm, and was a collaboration between the Farmhouse Project, the Outside Institute, the Catskill Hospitality Institute at SUNY Sullivan, and featured our Culinary and Pastry Arts chefs and students.

We are always ready to share our sustainability successes with the community, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to come for a visit to see them first-hand.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS Mondays

CCE In the Field at Soul Food Café — 170 North Main Main, Liberty

3:30 3:30—5:4 —5:45 45pm pm

Sept. 27 Oct. 25 Nov. 22

Youth Pocket Pets Program

6:30 —8 pm

Nov. 1

Furry Friday: Staơ bring their friendly dogs to the oƥce

8:30 am — 4:30 pm

Oct. 2 — Nov. 6

Living Healthy, Living Well (Wednesdays) — Mamakating Library

1:30 —4 pm

Nov. 5

Annual Caregivers Celebration— Yaisou Café, Liberty

6 pm

Nov. 6

Advanced Social Media Marketing

5:30 —7:30 pm

Nov. 11

Oƥce Closed ~ Holiday

8:30 am — 4:30 pm

Nov. 16 Jan 11.

Feb. 8

Kids - N - Goats Program

12:30 —2:30 pm

Nov. 19

4-H Adult Partner Rally

7 —9 pm

Nov. 20

FREE Farm Stand at ATI—309 Broadway, Monticello

10 am —1 pm

Nov. 20

Board of Directors Meeting

6 —9 pm

Nov. 28

Oƥce Closed ~ Holiday

Nov. 29

Oƥce Closed ~ Holiday

Dec. 1

Furry Friday: Staơ bring their friendly dogs to the oƥce

8:30 am — 4:30 pm 8:30 am — 4:30 pm 8:30 am — 4:30 pm

Dec. 18

FREE Farm Stand at ATI—309 Broadway, Monticello

10 am —1 pm

__

Join us! Registration is required in advance.

Events at the Extension Education Center on 64 Ferndale-Loomis Rd., Liberty NY unless otherwise listed.

Call 845-292-6180

E-mail sullivan@cornell.edu

Visit sullivancce.org

Contact C t t th the Cornell C ll Cooperative C ti Extension E t i Sullivan S lli County C unty t oĜce Ĝ e to t request requ uestt any special iall accommodations. acccommodati d ti

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CCE Sullivan Spotlights

4-HSpotlight ARIANA T. Ariana T. is a sophomore at Sullivan West High School and has been a member of the Diehl Us In 4-H club for 3 years. As part of 4-H, Ariana loves to showcase her passion for horses. For the last 3 years, she has been seriously riding and competing in horse shows throughout the county and state. Within the last 2 years, she has successfully competed in the Hippology contest and done extremely well, making it all the way to the national competition!

In her future, Ariana hopes to study in the Veterinary Program at Cornell University, with a focus on equine.

Ariana hopes to one day be a competitor at a National Horse Show as well.

Everyone at CCE is wishing Ariana the best of luck at her upcoming National Hippology Contest, and in a successful future as well.

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Program Spotlight Agriculture Spotlight 2 QUEENS HONEY 2 Queens Honey was co-founded by Charles Wilkin and Martin Higgins in 2008 in Narrowsburg, NY. This local brand specializes in honey, tea, and coffee production. Charles began the business pairing local, Catskill honey with the perfect blend of tea.

To compliment the business, Martin, with 20 years in the coffee production, began brewing hand-selected organic and fair trade beans. All 2 Queens products are all natural, small batch, and handmade.

CCE Sullivan is proud to support this new and upcoming local business. We now serve their coffee in our office for staff, programs, and meetings.

We look forward to watching this business grow!

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November 2019

WELLNESS SUMMIT The 3rd Workplace Wellness Summit was held on Friday, October 4th from 9am to 1pm at New Hope Community Center in Loch Sheldrake.

CCE- Creating Healthy Schools and Communities in partnership with Catskill Regional Medical Center, HealtheConnections, Tobacco Free Action Communities, Sullivan 180, Public Health and Sullivan Renaissance, as well as the success and presence of our worksites made this event a successful one.

Three of our experienced worksites participated as panelists and shared their experience with others. Our panel consisted of: Claire Taggart-Jeff Bank HRVP, Jill Holland-Occupational Therapist/Yoga Instructor, and Van Krzywicki-Town of Thompson Assessor.

Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum medals were awarded among 16 sites for the great work they’ve accomplished this year. Congrats!

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ACTIVITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA Submitted by Bonnie Lewis, RN, Dependent Care Educator Seniors with dementia need activities where they’re successful, as everyday activities can become too difficult. But, like all of us, they still have the need to feel successful.

Failure-free activities for people with dementia are quite important – they’ll always be successful, no matter what.

Being happily engaged in a satisfying activity reduces agitation, anxiety, depression, and anger. It may even reduce challenging behaviors like sundowning or reduce the need for medication.

3) Untie knots

8) Puzzle cube

Find or buy a length of mediumthickness rope from the local hardware store. Loosely tie a few simple knots and ask your older adult to help you untie them.

Dailycaring.com suggested a colorful and fun puzzle cube (several can be found if you search Amazon, similar to a Rubik’s cube), to provide lots of no-pressure fun for older adults who like to fidget with objects. The object of this game is to simply enjoy turning the cube pieces and creating different color combinations on each face.

4) Thread pasta with yarn or string Get some dry pasta with big holes and some thick yarn or regular string. Make a “needle” by taping around the end of the string, making it longer than the piece of pasta. Have your older adult string the pasta using their “needle” and thread.

9) Large print playing cards

This is fun for everyone, but especially for someone who used to enjoy sewing or fabric crafts. Get a box and put dozens of pieces of assorted fabrics inside. Try to get different colors and a variety of textures like lace, felt, silk, velvet, wool, cotton, etc.Your older adult can enjoy touching, folding, and sorting the fabrics.

Playing cards make a great activity for older adults, especially when the letters and numbers are large and easy to read.

Someone in early dementia might enjoy simple card games like solitaire, go fish, blackjack, or war. An older adult in later stages might enjoy simply shuffling the cards or separating them by color or suit.

Pay attention to their level of enjoyment.

If they seem overwhelmed or frustrated, you may want to remove some of the cards so they don’t have to manage so many.

1) Fold towels

6) Make a DIY picture puzzle

10) Pattern blocks and boards

Asking an older adult to help you fold laundry is a great way to keep them occupied, give them an activity they can feel successful at, and help them feel like they’re contributing to the household.

The goal is just to keep them happily engaged. No matter how well or poorly the towels are folded, the point is that your older adult feels good about the activity.

Print a copy of a favorite family photo or scenery, or a photo or image they like (like a car, colorful fruit, etc.) that’s special to your older adult. Laminate the photo and cut it into four (or more) puzzle-piece shaped pieces to make a personalized DIY puzzle.

Puzzle boards with fun shapes can be used in a variety of ways. Seniors can use the included boards to create colorful pictures, make free form shapes, or trace the shapes on paper.

To help your older adult feel productive and successful, the website dailycaring. com provides ten simple activity ideas that have no right or wrong way to do them. Each person is different, so it might take some experimenting or creative thinking to find activities that appeal to them. Safety note: Avoid sharp objects and only give items that will be safe for your older adult.

2) Create a memory box A memory or rummage box can help your older adult feel connected to their past career and previous hobbies. Get any kind of box and fill it with things they would have used at work or related to objects from hobbies. Just be creative about finding objects that will be safe to handle.

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5) Create a box of fun fabrics

7) Cut pictures from old magazines or calendars Older adults might like leafing through old magazines or calendars and cutting out the images they like. It’s best to use magazines that reflect their hobbies or interests. For those who’d enjoy it, they could also paste the pictures into a notebook, creating a fun “scrapbook.”

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Source: DailyCaring, dailycaring.com/activitiesfor-people-with-dementia-10-fun-no-fail-ideas/, September 15,2019

TIPS FOR PARENTS: SELECTING A 4-H CLOVERBUD ANIMAL PROJECT Submitted by Barbara Moran, 4-H Animal Science Coordinator

Some tips to help parents identify which animal science project to enroll their child in are:

Choosing the right 4-H project better positions youth for success.

1. Explore! Network with older members involved in animal science programs and have your child “meet” their project animal.

As we begin a new 4-H year, a new generation of 4-H’ers will reach the age where they can participate in the Cloverbud program. Choosing an animal science project for youth ages 5-8 can be challenging. However, with the proper support from parents, volunteers and 4-H staff, Cloverbuds can learn and grow in a safe and appropriate environment.

When selecting an animal science project to participate in, it is best when parents explore their child’s interests and find a project that is compatible. Children can be timid near animals, even if they have been raised around them. Finding an animal that the child is comfortable with, and can gain confidence with, is of the utmost importance.

2. Communicate—Talk to your child about their experience with the various animals. Ask them what they liked about the animal and what they didn’t like. Also, talk about the care that each animal needs in order to stay healthy. If you communicate with your child and gauge their responses, you may be able to evaluate how much time and attention your child will give to the project animal.

3. Set realistic expectations—Research shows that 5 to 8-year-old children respond best to projects that are short term; owning an animal is not short term, for the most part. Starting young children off by simply having them help with chores is a great way to expose them to the responsibility of animal ownership.

Understanding that you, the parent, are

going to have to provide a significant amount of support in the care and management of the animal is also very important.

Although there are no competitive events for 5 to 8-year-olds in Sullivan County Youth Fair 4-H Youth Development, we encourage clover buds to participate in the Show & Tell Class. Parents and 4-H leaders can use this stage of 4-H membership to focus on education and build the child’s excitement to keep them interested in animal science projects!

Source:VanderKolk, Katie.“Tips for Parents When Selecting a 4-H Animal Science Project for Cloverbuds.” MSU Extension, 2 Oct. 2018, https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/tips_for_ parents_when_selecting_a_4_h_animal_ science_project_for_cloverbuds.

Call Barbara Moran at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County office at 845-292-6180 to learn more, or visit us on the web at sullivancce.org.

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Please notify CCE Sullivan if you have a change of address:

845-292-6180 sullivan@cornell.edu