Warren County Connection A Publication of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Warren County
November 2020
Cranberries for Thanksgiving
By Dr. Leonard Perry, Horticulture Professor Emeritus, University of Vermont Turkey without cranberry sauce? For most Americans that's as unthinkable as Thanksgiving without turkey! In fact, even the Pilgrims enjoyed this versatile perennial fruit with their first Thanksgiving meal.
ited production in Ontario, Quebec, the Maritimes, and British Columbia. Production of cranberries requires a large amount of water--the equivalent of about 200 inches of rainfall a year for irrigation, frost protection, harvest, pest control, and The cranberry was a staple in the winter protection. Soil pH needs to diet of Native Americans who called be between 4.0 and 5.0 because it the "bitter berry." They introduced cranberries require low pH for adethis food to the early settlers and quate nutrient intake. In Massachutaught them how to make setts, the Cape Cod area is especially "pemmican" by pounding the cransuited for commercial cranberry proberries together with dried meat and duction. fat. The settlers also made meat sauces with cranberries, and mixed About 90 percent of the cranberries them with maple sap to make a are wet harvested. Bogs are flooded sweet breakfast syrup. just prior to harvest, then a floating harvester moves through the bog to The cranberry is a native American separate the berries from the vine. wetland plant that is grown in open The hollow fruit rises to the surface bogs and marshes from Newfoundwhere it is collected and corralled in land to western Ontario and as far a section of the bog. The fruit is south as Virginia and Arkansas. Alt- moved from the bog to the waiting hough stems (actually they are vines) trucks by elevator, then taken away are rather sensitive to cold, they’ll for processing. Fruit that is harvested withstand such submersion well. The by this method is processed into vine-like plant grows from six inches juice, sauce, and other cranberry to two feet long and has small, ever- products. The rest of the crop is dry green leaves and pinkish flowers. The harvested with a picking machine, berries are harvested in October, just which resembles a large lawn in time for Thanksgiving. mower. Although this method is less efficient, growers receive a higher Massachusetts is the leading produc- price for dry harvested fruit. These er (with about half of the total U.S. cranberries usually are packaged crop), followed by Wisconsin and and sold as fresh whole berries in New Jersey. In Canada, there is lim(Continued on page 3)
In this issue: Becoming Legal (Again)
3
Compost, Don’t Burn
4
Lichen in the Garden
5
The COVID-19 Pandemic is Affecting Your Memory
6
This Old House: Fall Maintenance Tips
7
Control Your Holiday Credit Card Debt
9
Holidays with Extended Family
9
Warren County Nonprofit Spotlight—CHAMP
10
Keeping Active During Fall 11 and Winter Turkey Pot Pie Soup
Special points of interest:
Calendar of Events
11
Warren County Connection
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Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Warren County 377 Schroon River Road Warrensburg, NY 12885
Phone: (518) 623-3291 or (518) 668-4881 Fax: (518) 668-4912
Visit Our Web Site: www.cce.cornell.edu/warren
Who We Are Nation-wide, thousands of people in each state tap into their state’s land-grant university research and know-how to make sound confident decisions concerning family, home, business, finances, and the future. In New York State, the land-grant university is Cornell University. The Cornell Cooperative Extension network brings you the expertise of Cornell University, other land-grant universities across the country and locally-based Extension Educators, volunteers, and other experts through such programs as: horticulture, youth and families, leadership, environment, food, nutrition & health, home environment, and financial management.
Staff Dr. James Seeley, Executive Director John Bowe, Associate Team Leader Dan Carusone, 4-H Natural Resources Coordinator Marybeth Mitcham, Nutrition, Food Safety, and Healthy Living Educator Roxanne Westcott, 4-H Family Living Educator Jessica Holmes, Master Gardener Coordinator Sharon Bellamy, Finance Manager Amy Sabattis, Public Relations/Publications Manager Michele Baker, Administrative Assistant Chris Dittus, Administrative Assistant Samantha Sprague, Maintenance
Board of Directors
William Mason - President Laura Conway- Vice President Julie Pearl - Secretary William Hamelin - Treasurer Aimee Azaert Daniel Bruno Peter Benoit Ed Griesmer Jim Kneeshaw David Strainer Michael White
Extension Service Committee Chair - Andrea Hogan Daniel Bruno John Diamond Ben Driscoll Susan Shepler Matthew Simpson Michael Wild
Warren County Connection
CALENDAR Please visit our website for more events www.cce.cornell.edu/warren 11/1/2020 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM - 4-H Basic Archery - Ages 8-18. Participants will work on basic range knowledge/safety, eye dominance, stance, draw, anchor and release. All equipment is provided by 4H. There is a $10 fee for non-4-H youth (which includes enrollment in 4-H for a year) and $5 for members. For more information contact John Bowe at 518-623-3291. Location: Dunham’s Bay Fish & Game Club, 2080 Ridge Road, Queensbury, NY 12804. 11/2/2020 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM - Diabetic Diet Series - If you are prediabetic, have diabetes, have a friend or family member who is concerned about diabetes, or just would like more information on a diabetic-friendly diet and lifestyle, then this webinar series is for you! Topics will include carb counting, plating, nutrition label reading, diet and exercise, and more. Pre-registration is required. To register for this webinar, please contact Kim Harvish at the Conkling Center 518793-1494. Location: Online Training Via Zoom CCE Warren County. 11/4/2020 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM - Turkey Pot Pie Soup - If you have ever wondered about what to do with leftover turkey, then come and join us for a workshop where we will make healthy and delicious turkey pot pie soup together! For more information, or to sign up for this workshop, please contact the Greater Glens Falls Senior Center at 518-793-2189. Location: Greater Glens Falls Senior Center, 380 Glen Street, Glens Falls, NY 12801. 11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 12/3 & 12/10/2020 NOON or 7:00 PM Dining with Diabetes - A program for people with diabetes or prediabetes and their family members is being offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of the Capital District online via Zoom on 5 Thursdays beginning November 5 (excluding Thanksgiving Day), the program will be offered twice each day at noon and 7pm. No fee. To register go to http://ccecapitalregion.org/events. Participants will learn how to fit carbohydrates into a healthy menu, effectively use food labels, choose meals at a restaurant and adopt other healthy habits to help manage diabetes through healthy eating. Recipe ideas provided. Time provided for Q&A. Diabetes and Covid19 will be discussed. Cornell Cooperative Extension nutrition educators from Albany, Saratoga and Warren counties will present helpful tips and facilitate discussion, guest speakers will include a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. For help with Zoom or other program details contact Cornell Cooperative Extension, Albany County- 518-7653500, Saratoga County- 518-885-8995, or Warren County- 518-6233291. Online Training Via Zoom CCE Albany, Saratoga, and Warren County. 11/19/2020 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM - Floral Design - Learn the basics of floral design and the many flowers used in arrangements. To sign up, send an e-mail to Jessica at jmh452@cornell.edu and a week before the program, she’ll send you the Zoom link. To contact Jessica call 518-623-3291. Online Training Via Zoom Caldwell Library.
If you have special needs as addressed by the Americans With Disabilities Act and need assistance with attending these workshops, please make your needs known by the registration deadline. Reasonable efforts will be made for accommodations.
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Warren County Connection
Becoming Legal (Again) By Rensselaer County Master Gardener Inge Eley
forms, and in some parts, of the US. It is estimated that sale of CBD oil will generate 22 billion dollars in 2022. So, why are some enthusiastic about CBD oil? There are many health claims being made for it, including improved sleep, reduction in blood sugar, better heart function and a calming effect. (Editor’s Note: Check with your doctor before taking any form of medication).
Recently, while playing cards, I listened to one of the card players praise the virtues of CBD oil, made from Cannabis. I had never heard of CBD oil, but I knew Cannabis was marijuana. I Googled CBD oil and found that it was made from hemp (not marijuana). Now, let me explain about nomenclature. Cannabis is the genus name, but there are many species. As an analogy, all dogs are Canis(genus) familiaris (species), but we certainly know there are differences between dogs. A species is defined as a group of organisms that can breed with one another and produce fertile offspring. (We have a hard time envisioning a Great Dane and a Chihuahua mating, but both dogs could mate with something between their sizes, so they are both Canis familiaris. So, Cannabis is marijuana, but it is also hemp and many other plants. Hemp is C. sativa. CBD stands for cannabidiol and there are more than 100 different types of these molecules, nonpsychoactive. Hemp has a long history of being a cultivated crop. It was grown by native Americans and the U.S. government encouraged planting and harvesting hemp through the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. So, why is hemp grown? According to my dictionary, its tough fibers are used to make cordage. Checking on other usages for hemp, I found that tons of other materials come from hemp: cardboard, newspaper paper, oil, soap, shampoo, paint, varnish, fiberboard, rope, clothing and many, many more. I said that cultivation of hemp was encouraged through the 19th Century. What happened in the 20th and 21st centuries? The psychoactive properties of marijuana were so threatening that the U.S. government passed the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937. This act forbade the growth of any Cannabis. Recently (2018), however, Cannabis is making a comeback, and it is currently legal in some
It is an oil, so how do you use it? Put it on your skin? No! It comes in a small bottle supplied with a dropper. You put a drop under your tongue and hold it there for a few seconds and then swallow. One final comment on the differences between the two Cannabis plants: the psychoactive chemical in marijuana is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Hemp must contain less than 0.3% THC, whereas marijuana may contain up to 30% THC. With marijuana becoming legal in more and more states, this whole article may soon be an irrelevant topic. For more on Cornell’s hemp research efforts, visit: https://hemp.cals.cornell.edu (Continued from page 1)
grocery stores. Berries can be stored in their original container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or washed and frozen in a freezer container for later use. They do not need to be thawed before using them in a recipe. In addition to the traditional jelly or sauce, cranberries can be used for pies, muffins, quick breads, puddings, and sherbets. Cranberry juice, both regular and sugar-free, has become a popular drink in recent years, especially in combination with other juices. If you want to try growing some at home, you’ll need a cool moist soil with plenty of organic matter such as peat moss. One approach would be to make a “heath bed” for cranberries and other relatives of the heath family— lingonberries, lowbush blueberries, even rhododendrons. Mix roughly equal parts of peat moss and potting soil, keep the bed acidic with pelletized sulfur (amounts according to a soil test or soil test kit you can purchase inexpensively), and feed lightly with soybean meal. Bogs aren’t really needed for home growing, just keep plants well-watered. Grown in full sun, cranberries will make an attractive and low maintenance evergreen groundcover under a foot high and 2 to 3 feet wide.
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Warren County Connection
Compost, Don’t Burn By Dr. Leonard Perry, Horticulture Professor Emeritus University of Vermont You may like the smell of burning leaves, but did you know you were sending an excellent soil conditioner up in smoke? Instead of burning leaves or stuffing them in garbage bags for the trash haulers to take away, compost them. Compost improves garden soil by increasing its organic matter. This, in turn, improves soil drainage. Organic matter is especially beneficial in heavy clay or light, sandy soils. Organic matter reduces soil crusting and helps soil hold water and nutrients. Decomposing leaves in your compost or garden feed earthworms and beneficial microbes. Leaves also supply a small amount of nutrients, including those trace elements and minerals that trees have mined from deep within the soil. Between 50 and 80 percent of the nutrients that trees extract from the soil end up in leaves, ready to be recycled when the leaves fall (if left on the ground or put into compost). Microorganisms are what decompose materials to make compost. To do their work they need carbon sources for food, and nitrogen for proteins. They are most effective when the ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C:N) is an average of 30 to one, by weight. You don’t need to weigh what you add to the compost pile, just be aware of approximate amounts that you’re adding. Generally, two to three parts (by volume) of brown to one part green materials works well. Some gardeners add an “activator” to help the microorganisms, which provide a source of protein and nitrogen. You can buy these commercially, or use alfalfa meal from garden or feed stores. In general, course woody material (sawdust, leaves) is high in carbon. Moist, dense material (manure, grass clippings, non-meat kitchen scraps) is high in nitrogen. Too much carbon materials and the compost pile will decompose slowly. Too much nitrogen and you may smell ammonia gas. To compost leaves, alternate leaves with layers of soil or manure. Make layers of leaves six to 12 inches thick, layers of soil or manure about one inch thick. To hasten decomposition, shred leaves first with a rotary lawn mower or shredder. Moisten each layer. Finish the compost pile by slightly rounding the top to help the pile hold water. Cover with an inch of soil. Some also alternate layers with a sprinkling of lime and fertilizer. Some leaves such as sugar maple may be more acidic with a pH of 4.3 and
so need lime added, while other leaves such as of ash have a more neutral pH of around 6.8. Next, cover the compost pile with plastic. Hold the sides in place with wire, concrete blocks, or boards. Turn the pile every few weeks throughout the fall, adding moisture during prolonged dry periods. Both the plastic (heat) and turning (aeration) will help speed decomposition and make the final product more uniform. Unless the pile is already moist, uncover when rain is predicted. Compost piles are simple to make, but it does take time for the process to work. If you start a compost pile this fall, don't expect to use it in the spring. However, it should be ready to spread next fall. Keep in mind that you are not limited to leaves for composting. You can use any plant material that's not diseased, doesn't contain mature weed seeds, and hasn't been treated with pesticides. In addition, non-meat kitchen scraps can be composted. Plant materials and products that are easy to compost, and which generally decompose most rapidly, include egg shells, coffee grounds, pine needles, fruit peels and rinds, paper, sawdust, straw (not hay, as hay often contains weed seeds), vegetables, tea bags, wood ash, and wood shavings. Materials that are slow to decompose and may take two years to break down include coarse wood chips, branches, corncobs and corn stalks, and nut shells. Breaking these materials into smaller pieces, and adding high nitrogen materials will speed up their composting. If you don’t have room or time to compost all those fall leaves, you can put a pile aside to add to a compost pile when you need brown carbon material this coming season. Or simply rake the shredded leaves to use to mulch around perennials and shrubs. Mulch helps conserve moisture in summer, keeps soils warmer in fall and spring, and reduces frost heaving in winter. Just don’t use too much of this organic mulch (a couple inches a year is good) or you’ll smother your perennials, and provide a habitat for mice during winter which can chew bark off of trees and shrubs. For vegetable gardens and flower beds, once they’re cleaned out in fall, you can cover the soil with a couple inches of shredded leaves. Then sprinkle on some organic fertilizer, top with a half-inch or so layer of compost, and roughly mix all this into the soil. A shovel or spading fork works well. Your beds will then be rich with this simple compost, and ready for spring planting.
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Warren County Connection
Lichen in the Garden By Dianne Machesney, Master Gardener , Allegheny County, PennState Extension
Crustose lichen on stone. Photo credit: Dianne Machesney
What's that growing on my tree trunk? Is it harming my tree? Don't panic. Chances are it is a lichen. Since 1867, scientists have recognized that lichens are symbiotically associated with fungi and protists (bluegreen alga.) The fungus provides a physical structure and offers its partner protection from the environment. The algae, which is slimy and has no structure, provides the food through photosynthesis. It converts energy from the sun and carbon dioxide into sugars. The carbohydrates in this food help produce new growth, called the thallus, which looks different than the two hosts. In 2016, scientists at Purdue University uncovered a third partner, yeast. The yeast enables the lichen to produce acid that helps defend it against invasion from other microbes. Lichens are located on every continent on earth, in every climate and altitude. They only require an undisturbed surface, time, and clean air. Lichens are very sensitive to air pollution. They are rarely found in urban areas. Finding lichen in your garden means that your environment is clean enough to support them. A good thing! Lichens grow on any undisturbed surface--bark, wood, mosses, rock, soil, peat, glass, metal, plastic, and even cloth. Lichens have their favorite places to grow. For instance, a lichen that grows on bark will rarely be found on stone. Lichens can absorb water through any part of their thalli and have no need of roots. Lichens do not damage plants or rob the bark of moisture. They do not parasitize living plant cells, and studies
show that there is no association with pathogens entering plant tissue and causing disease. With more than 3,600 species in North America, lichens are beautiful, diverse, and ecologically important. They help the environment by reestablishing life on rock and undisturbed sites. As lichens colonize, they trap dust, which plays a role in soil formation. Lichens contribute to the nitrogen cycle by converting the nitrogen in the air into nitrates that help in their growth and development. Their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen is beneficial to other plant life as well. Rain leaches nitrogen from both living and dead lichens and makes it available to plants in the immediate area. When lichens die, they contribute to decayed organic matter, which enables mosses and seeds to begin developing among the pockets of new soil. Lichens are not especially tasty and few of them are poisonous. They have been used as food in numerous cultures, as medicine and as a dye. Animals use lichens for food, and shelter too. They are the basic sustenance of caribou. Around 50 species of birds regularly use fruticose lichens as their preferred nesting material. Lichens are diverse. They can be green smudges on a rock, orange, yellow, or white patches the size of your palm, or draping gossamer. They are not a moss. The misnamed reindeer moss is actually a lichen. There are three main body types—foliose, fruticose, and crustose. Foliose lichens produce leaf-like flattened, lobed thallus. They are commonly found growing on tree trunks. Fruticose lichens grow erect and have visible fruiting bodies. Crustose lichens form a crust over their host; some of these are brightly colored. Lichens do no damage to tress and should not be removed. But they should be removed from garden statues or sculptures because they can penetrate and damage the stone. Scraping does not remove the entire thallus, so use sprays containing copper salts to control lichen growth. (Continued from page 9)
overboard to include those who may behave in a way that will cause you to regret the invitation. It is possible to extend kindness to someone with whom you disagree, especially if the situation is for the good of the children. When making your decisions, take into consideration any negative aspects, and base your choice on whether the children will benefit from the visit, social gathering, or other activity. Weigh the positives and negatives and do what is best for them.
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The COVID-19 Pandemic Is Affecting Your Memory
Warren County Connection
sistent negative moods are at elevated risk of forming false memories because the memories are distorted to fit a negative take on life,” Brainerd said. “Prolonged levels of high stress from continuing financial, educational and social uncertainty are a major cause of persistent negative moods. Thanks to the uncertainties of the COVID19 pandemic, the entire country has been experiencing such prolonged levels of high stress for many months. Worse, those uncertainties have been heightened by the lack of clear federal policies to contain the pandemic.” There is another dynamic taking place this year that may also lead to false memories – the increasing incidence of misleading or false news stories.
Research demonstrates our memories are not as accurate as we believe. While most people think their memories represent the truth, the evidence demonstrates that our memories depend very much on the circumstances we are experiencing at the time and that they shift over time. A large body of research shows that emotions, especially those provoked by negative events, lead to inaccurate or even completely false memories. Depression, anxiety and stress – three mental health problems linked to the COVID-19 pandemic –consistently lead to false memories, said Charles Brainerd, a Cornell University psychologist and one of the world’s leading experts in false memories. “Continuously being in a dark mood makes it difficult to remember the details of your life,” he said. “Things that substantially elevate people’s stress levels lead to poor encoding of events as we experience them, which in turn elevates false memories.” Brainerd and his research partner, Cornell psychologist Valerie Reyna, have developed the fuzzy-trace theory of false memory, which says that there are two types of memory: verbatim and gist. Verbatim memory is a vivid, literal record of specific details. Gist memories are fuzzy recollections of past events, which capture their meaning and have a much more powerful influence over longer periods of time. In other words, if you are remembering an event from a year ago, you are more likely to rely on the gist of what happened than remember specific details. False memories occur when your brain attempts to fill in the blanks of a gist memory. “Fuzzy-trace theory predicts people who experience per-
A recent study by Irish researchers, which included more than 3,700 participants, examined how fabricated news stories about COVID-19 affected the accuracy of participants’ memories about the virus itself. People who were able to objectively assess knowledge about COVID-19 were less likely to create false memories and more likely to tell the difference between true and false stories. On the other hand, participants who believed themselves to be very knowledgeable about COVID-19 were more likely to report a memory for any story, true or false. Those who reported high levels of “media engagement” or anxiety about COVID-19 were more likely to recall both true and false stories, but also demonstrated heightened sensitivity to the difference between true and false stories. Surprisingly, participants who felt more anxious about the pandemic were less likely to report false memories. The researchers concluded that a person’s knowledge about COVID-19 and his or her tendency to think critically are important indicators as to whether or not they create false memories related to the pandemic. The take-home message: Our memories are malleable and our circumstances have a surprisingly important effect on them. The experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic – including social distancing, isolation and anxiety about the virus – are all elements affecting our memories during this time. Visit Cornell University’s Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research’s website for more information on our work.
Warren County Connection
This Old House: Fall Maintenance Tips By Tom Ellis, Michigan State University Extension, Department of Entomology
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phalt roofing put on in 1986. The house has an attached deck in back running approximately two-thirds the length of the house. The back of the garage has cabinets built in for storage of screens, storm windows and miscellaneous junk. So, grab, or borrow, an extension ladder and let's take a look at the gutters, roof, chimney and vent pipes. Gutters Gutters should be cleaned out every fall after most of the leaves have fallen. At least three or four species of mosquitoes will lay eggs in and on gutters. In addition to the mosquitoes, we can find several other species of aquatic fly species in my eave troughs.
It's time for the fall inspection of the old homestead. Winter weather will only exasperate the problems you have now. Any repairs you do will also reduce the numbers of insects and other critters that "magically" appear during sunny winter days and early spring. Many insects and similar creatures seek out houses to spend the winter. Put yourself in the bugs place. Would you rather spend the winter under a rock or bark flap of a tree, or would you rather curl up and take a five-month snooze in an attic or wall void? This is natural selection in action. Your household offers them a better deal. Let's use my house as an example. We'll take a walk around, in, and on top of it and inspect the structure for possible minor maintenance needs. Every repair that I make will dissuade one or several species of insects from becoming a member of my household. Also, any repairs that I make will totally astound my spouse and friends! Keep in mind that no house in this day and age will ever be 100 percent insect proof. In fact, insect proofing, other than a termite barrier, is never a consideration when a house is designed or constructed. Probably the last (and maybe only) insect proofing innovation in new home construction was the invention of wire window screen! My house is a basic ranch style with 1,300 sq. ft. It was built in 1957. It has three bedrooms: one for my wife and I and two for our cats. It has a basement, attached garage and scuttle-access attic. The basement is finished. There is a fireplace in the basement and living room. The siding is vinyl over wood (probably cedar). The insulation under the siding is Styrofoam. The insulation in the wall and ceiling is fiberglass batting. The house had new as-
Some are biting species, and some are not. While we're here we'll check fascia and soffits. Wasps, carpenter ants and even carpenter bees will be attracted to fascia and soffits that are not in good repair. Roof Up on the roof, we'll check for loose shingles and rotted boards. These areas are especially attractive to carpenter ants and a variety of insects that overwinter as adults. Prune back branches of trees and tall shrubs that hang over or touch the roof. Carpenter ants actively scavenge for food on these plants and will move on to the roof if we provide a "branch bridge." Chimney While we are up here, we'll check flashing around the base of the chimney and consider whether it should be tarred soon. Check for loose bricks in the chimney. Both areas are great spots for various wasp species to overwinter. Make sure there is a screen covering the chimney opening. This will discourage squirrels, birds and raccoons. If you have a fire place, you don't want to be roasting a dead raccoon with your first romantic fire of the fall season! Vent pipes One more stop and we can go back to terra firma. Let's check to see if the vent pipes are clear of debris. Check the flashing around the vent pipes too. Siding, windows and doors Back on the ground we can now inspect siding, windows and doors for cracks, holes, and weather stripping that (Continued on page 8)
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needs replacing. Check boards for rot. Probe boards, especially around door and window casings, with a pen, knife or an ice pick. Rotting boards will puncture easily. If they are rotten, check for termite and carpenter ant damage. If you discover termite damage, fall is a good time to find it. You really don't need to take corrective action until spring. This will give you ample time to select a pest control company and make the most favorable deal (economically) for you. Be wary of companies that will try to pressure you into taking quick action and those that do not find termites, but offer to sell you a "protection" contract. If you find an area that you suspect was an active wasp or hornet nest, note where the exit/entrance hole is and wait until March to caulk the hole. This will ensure that it has been vacated for the year. Do not plug the entrance if you think there is any chance of activity this fall. Wasps and hornets can chew there way out on the other side and into your living area. Insects commonly found making their way into wall voids and other suitable areas by way of cracks and crevices in the siding and through improperly sealed doors and windows include: cluster and house flies, wasp and hornet queens (and an occasional worker that has not yet died), honey bees, box elder and leaf-footed pine seed bugs, elm leaf beetles, various ants, mosquitoes that overwinter as adults, crane flies, and spiders. Basement foundation and windows As we look at the foundation and basement windows, we will be checking for cracks, holes, cracked and loose mortar, and weather stripping that needs replacing. The same critters that attempt to enter through siding, windows and doors will also try to make their way into your basement. Basements are favored habitat for pill and sow bugs also. While you are at it, get rid of cardboard boxes and other items that hold moisture and attract these beasts. Check the outside foundation for gypsy moth egg masses. They should be removed and destroyed. If you store birdseed or dry pet food in the basement, keep it in a sealed metal container. This is a good place to get a whole raft of pantry pests started. If you have a crawl space, be sure that there is plenty of air circulation through it. This will discourage rotting and the buildup of various fungi and molds.
Warren County Connection
Attic Check the attic vents. This can be done by going into your attic or with the extension ladder. From the outside, the screens should be in good repair. If they have holes, check the attic for bird and rodent nests. They will probably contain bird mites, bat bugs, and carpet beetles that will eventually find their way into the house after they've run out of feathers and other goodies to feed on. Also, remove nests from house eaves, gutters, etc. for the same reason. Attached garage and out buildings We can't quit yet. The procedure here is the same drill as the house proper. Over the course of the next month or so, insects like boxelder bugs, lady bugs and cluster flies will accumulate on house siding and on the outside surface of windows, sometimes in large numbers before finding their way under siding and into wall voids. This will be especially conspicuous on the south side of buildings. Routine removal and disposal of these insects is an appropriate pest management action.
"Giving Thanks" by Author Unknown For the hay and the corn and the wheat that is reaped, For the labor well done, and the barns that are heaped, For the sun and the dew and the sweet honeycomb, For the rose and the song and the harvest brought home Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving! For the trade and the skill and the wealth in our land, For the cunning and strength of the workingman's hand, For the good that our artists and poets have taught, For the friendship that hope and affection have brought Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving! For the homes that with purest affection are blest, For the season of plenty and well-deserved rest, For our country extending from sea unto sea; The land that is known as the "Land of the Free" Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!
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Warren County Connection
Control Your Holiday Credit Card Debt By Susan Taylor, Consumer and Family Economics Educator, University of Illinois Extension The holidays should be a joyful time for you and your family. But for many families raising grandchildren, it’s tough to find the extra cash for holiday expenses. Using your credit cards may solve the immediate problem, but the debt can create other problems. Most families don’t plan to run up high balances on their credit cards during the holidays—it just happens. Nearly one-third of adults say they spent more than they planned on holiday gifts. Most spent $100 to $500 more than they planned. It is hard to pay off an extra $500 on credit cards after the holidays. Ways to Control Spending Start by making a written plan for holiday spending. Think about how much you can afford to spend on gifts, decorations, holiday meals, and travel. Set a spending limit for gifts for each person. Include limits on other items in your spending plan. Start looking for bargains early. If it’s been a tough year for you, think about cutting back on what you usually spend. Talk with friends and family about not exchanging gifts, drawing names so you give fewer gifts, or setting dollar limits on gifts. Decide if you are going to use a credit card for holiday spending. If you use only cash, leave your credit cards at home so that you won’t be tempted. If you write checks, be sure to record each in your register and figure the balance before writing another check. Stay within your limit! Put the receipt in the envelope. When you’ve reached your limit, stop using your credit card! If you need or want to use a credit card, pick just one to use for your holiday spending. It’s easier to control your spending with one card. Write your spending limit on an envelope and put it in your wallet. When you use your credit card, write the amount on the envelope and subtract it from your limit and value but don’t take along your checkbook or credit card. Try to separate shopping trips from spending trips. Make one trip to compare prices and value but don’t take along your checkbook or credit cards. When you’ve decided what you can afford to buy, go back to make the purchases. Ways to Cut Holiday Costs Make gifts by hand or give gift certificates promising your time or talents. Have friends or family over for dessert
rather than for a meal. Make your own holiday decorations. The gift that each of us remembers as most special is usually one that involved someone’s time and thought, not large amounts of money. Credit Card Offers During the holidays, your credit card company may offer to let you skip a payment or two. Or, it may invite you to pay back only the minimum or even reduce your minimum payment. Don’t take these offers—you’ll end up paying more in the long run. Stick to Your Plan The best gifts are those that do not burden you with debt into the next year.
Holidays with Extended Family By Amy Griswold, Family Life Educator, University of Illinois Extension The holiday season is often stressful for families trying to please all the relatives, making sure everyone is included. For non-traditional families, like yours with grandchildren, the holidays can be even more complicated. How do you celebrate a special occasion when family members might not be on speaking terms, or when they're in constant conflict? According to author Sally Houtman, the one simple rule that might help is to, "Do that which you will not regret." This means doing what you think is right and not necessarily what seems to be most comfortable. Put the needs of the children first, putting aside your own resentments and personal differences. Consider what is right and best for the children involved.
You will never be able to please everyone, but it is not your responsibility to make sure all the relatives are happy. Focus your decisions on what is right and not on keeping peace or pleasing all family members. Don't allow your own anger or resentments to influence your decisions. If you don't invite the children's parent or another family member to holiday gatherings because of your own feelings, you may be punishing the children for something that is between two adults. On the other hand, don't go (Continued on page 5)
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Warren County Connection
Warren County Nonprofit Spotlight
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Keeping Active During Fall and Winter By Marybeth Mitcham, Nutrition, Food Safety, and Healthy Living Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Warren County It is easy to be physically active during the warm summer months here in the northeastern region of the United States, when the temperatures are perfect for hiking, kayaking, bicycling, jogging, or playing games of soccer, tennis, or golf. But when summer turns to fall, the hours of sunlight shorten each day, and the once-warm temperatures turn bitterly cold, it is much easier to stay inside, where it is warm, then go outside, where it is not! How, then, can you stay motivated to keep the momentum of physical activity during the colder months, especially if visiting a gym is not an option? Here are some simple ideas that can help you keep going strong during the fall and winter: Use your stairs! – walk (or run!) up and down the stairs in your home or apartment building. For a variation, try climbing two steps at a time, or skipping up or down the steps. Dance party! – turn up the music in your home, and get your heart rate up by dancing. This is a fantastic way to include other people in your home (I used to love dance parties with my children when they were younger), and maybe even learn a new dance move or two! Ice skating! – from old-fashioned pond skating and backyard ice rinks, to fancy indoor ice rinks, ice skating provides a lot of fun for the entire family, while also offering opportunities for exercise. Snowshoeing! – snowshoes are fairly inexpensive pieces of equipment that allow you to explore the great outdoors, while getting a fantastic workout. Snowshoeing is also a fairly low impact exercise, which is easy on the knees, making it a good exercise option for people of all ages. Remember that hydration during the winter months is extremely important. If you will be exercising outdoors, make sure to bring some thermoses of warm liquids to keep you hydrated and warm. Also remember to dress in warm layers, avoiding clothing material like cotton that, when wet, can retain moisture and cause you to become hypothermic. Whatever you decide to do to stay active during the fall and winter months, make sure that you have fun while you do it!
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Turkey Pot Pie Soup If you are wondering what to do with all of that leftover turkey, wonder no longer! This turkey pot pie soup is not only comforting and delicious, but is very low-fat and easy to make. If you do not have turkey, you can easily swap the turkey for cooked chicken for equally delicious results. Number of servings per recipe: 8
Ingredients: 1/4 cup flour 2 cups turkey stock 4 cups fat free milk 2 large celery stalks, chopped 1 1/2 cups chopped onion 8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms Salt and pepper to taste 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley 8 oz frozen peas and carrots 1 teaspoon turkey bullion 2 medium potatoes, cubed small 16 oz cooked turkey breast, diced small or shredded Directions: Create a slurry by combining 1/2 cup of the cold broth with flour in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside. Pour remaining broth and milk into a large pot and slowly bring to a boil. Add celery, onion, mushrooms, parsley, fresh pepper, frozen vegetables, and bullion, and return to a boil. Partially cover and simmer on low until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove lid, add potatoes and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add turkey, and slowly whisk in slurry, stirring well as you add. Cook another 2-3 minutes, until soup thickens, adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve. *Recipe from Skinny Taste Nutrition Information: 1 1/3 cups | servings per recipe: 8 | Calories: 192; total fat: 2 g; saturated fat: 0 g; trans fat: 0 g; cholesterol: 1.3 mg; sodium: 159 mg; carbohydrates: 27 g; fiber: 8.3 g; sugar: 8.5 g; protein: 18 g.
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