Warren County Connection A Publication of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Warren County
August 2020
Stout and the Tawny By David Chinery, Horticulture Turf Management Sr. Resource Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension The ditch lilies are out in force. Excuse me for using what seems to be a tawdry name, perhaps you know them by the more accepted monikers tawny orange daylilies or Hemerocallis fulva. Natives of Asia, legend has it they were brought here by sea captains bearing gifts for their wives (who might have longed for something shinier). No doubt their bright orange flowers, with pale stripes and yellow throats, delighted nineteenth century gardeners, who were daylilydeprived. Although each blossom lasts for only a day, they flower abundantly and possess a tenacious spirit, growing in a wide range of conditions and re-appearing after being mowed, grazed, or even sprayed with herbicide. Given their ability to spread, H. fulvais are considered an exotic invasive through much of the eastern U.S. and in pockets farther west. But as intruders go, it is difficult to thoroughly dislike the eye-dazzling trumpets, which seem to scream, “its summer, its hot, and so am I!”
what useless from a biological perspective, since they rarely reproduce from seed. This is because they are a triploid form, and while producing viable pollen, they are otherwise sterile. This triploid form is scientifically known as Hemerocallis fulva variety fulva. Other forms of H. fulva, many long-cultivated in Asia for food, medicine, and beauty, also made their way to European and American gardens, along with other species of day-lilies, which total about twenty in number.
Providence smiled upon the daylily when a Midwestern farm lad met H. Fulvain in the 1890’s. Young Arlow Burdett Stout was intrigued by his With both rhizomes (spreading roots) mother’s tawny daylilies, growing by as well as tubers (swollen underthe porch, which produced no seeds. ground storage organs), tawny daylil- He went on to study botany at the ies are tough customers that can University of Wisconsin, and soon move. Oddly enough, for all the earned a PhD from Columbia. By show of the flowers, most of the 1911 he was working at the New plants we see “in the wild” are some(Continued on page 3)
In this issue: Ground Ivy in Lawns
3
Shrinking Your Lawn
4
Common Milkweed
5
Woodchucks
6
Between Jobs?
8
Creating Literacy-Rich 9 Play at Home What We Know About Emotional Eating
Special points of interest:
Calendar of Events
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Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Warren County 377 Schroon River Road Warrensburg, NY 12885
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Warren County Connection
CALENDAR Please visit our website for more events www.cce.cornell.edu/warren 8/6/2020 - 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM - Salsa Party! - It's salsa time! Come and join us as we prepare salsa fresca together in real time. Participants will be provided with a list of ingredients prior to the session, so that they, along with everyone else attending the webinar, can create their own salsa fresca. Pre-registration is required, and there is no cost for the webinar. To sign up for this free webinar, register at this zoom link: https://cornell. zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAsdO-sqj8rHNbGybiCKmPVcgNE7 Dp0yg5D. For a shopping list for the class, please email MB at mem467@cornell.edu. Online Training Via Zoom CCE Warren County 8/8/2020 - 11:00 AM - Warren County Virtual Youth Fair Fun, down-home events being offered via Zoom. You must register through Zoom to receive the link. Games to include pie eating, bubble gum blowing, and hula hoop contest. Participation is limited to youth residing in Warren County or currently enrolled in a Warren County Youth program like 4-H. For more information, please call 518-623-3291. Online Training Via Zoom CCE Warren County 8/13/2020 - 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM - Pickle Party! - It's pickle time! Come and join us as we prepare refrigerator dill pickles together in real time. Participants will be provided with a list of ingredients prior to the session, so that they, along with everyone else attending the webinar, can create their own refrigerator dill pickles. Pre-registration is required, and there is no cost for the webinar. To sign up for this free webinar, register at this zoom link: https://cornell.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpdOir pjwvGt3iwwcmEPEdSvD2enYT5E08. For a shopping list for the class, please email MB at: mem467@cornell.edu. Online Training Via Zoom CCE Warren County 8/20/2020 - 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM - Refrigerator Jam Party! It's jam time! Come and join us as we prepare refrigerator jam together in real time. Participants will be provided with a list of ingredients prior to the session, so that they, along with everyone else attending the webinar, can create their own refrigerator jam. Pre-registration is required, and there is no cost for the webinar. To sign up for this free webinar, register at this zoom link: https://cornell.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEudGrrjgp EtWGD__sI9d8uPiCKcLDI8xY. For a shopping list for the class, please email MB at: mem467@cornell.edu. Online Training Via Zoom CCE Warren County
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 (Continued from page 1)
York Botanical Garden, where in the 1920’s he obtained daylily plants and seeds from Asia. Keeping meticulous records, he started hybridizing, eventually making over 50,000 crosses and raising thousands of seedlings, which were evaluated and culled, leaving only about 100 plants good enough to become named varieties. And oh what varieties they were! The first one to hit the market, in 1929, was ‘Mikado,’ a strong yellow with dark red bands. One of ‘Mikado’s’ parents was, unsurprisingly, H. fulva. Daylily popularity boomed with the introduction of more of Stout’s hybrids, encouraging other plant breeders to get involved as well. Today we have almost 50,000 named hybrid daylilies in vast array of colors, forms, and sizes. Each year, one new daylily cultivar wins the Stout Silver Medal, the highest honor given by the American Daylily Society. 2018’s winner, ‘Entwined In The Vine,’ is a lavender pink, with a darker lavender multi -colored eye, yellow-green throat, and rippled ivory edge. You’ve come a long way, tawny.
Ground Ivy in Lawns Origin and Distribution - Ground ivy was introduced from Eurasia. It is widespread throughout the eastern half of the United States (except in parts of some Southeast and South Central States) and north into Canada from Newfoundland to Ontario. Life Cycle - Ground ivy is a shallow-rooted perennial broadleaf that reproduces by seeds and creeping stems. It flowers from April to June. Habitat - Ground ivy is very common in Massachusetts lawns. It spreads rapidly by creeping stems. It is abundant in damp, rich soil. Ground ivy is shade tolerant and grows well under trees, shrubs, and hedges. It is very aggressive and out -competes grass species by shading. Description - Ground ivy has shallow roots originating from nodes on creeping stems. Stems are square or four-sided, and creeping. Leaves are round and scalloped along the edge. Leaves and stems have a strong mint-like odor. Leaves appear opposite each other on long trailing stems. Where these junctions touch the ground, ground ivy produces new roots and new branches or runners. Flowers are in axillary clusters. They are small and purplish-blue. Flowers are characterized by the typical trumpet shape of plants in the mint family. Each flower has 4 seeds or nutlets. Each nutlet is 3-sided, flat on 2 sides and rounded on the third side. Seeds are small, dark brown, and rough with a small white scar on the base. Cultural Management - It is very difficult to control ground ivy because of its perennial growth habit and reproductive capacity. However, maintaining a dense and healthy lawn is the best method of controlling many turf weeds. The use of adapted desirable grass species, adequate fertilization, proper mowing and irrigation practices are the best ways to maintain a dense healthy lawn. Because it is shallow rooted, ground ivy can be effectively removed by hand in small areas. Bare areas left from hand removal should be seeded with desirable turfgrass species. Management with Herbicides - Several herbicides are recommended for ground ivy control. Herbicides may be applied to ground ivy in the spring or fall, providing that the plants are actively growing. Early fall may be the best time to treat ground ivy. The lawn should not be mowed for two to three days before and after herbicide application. The treatment application should be done at a time when there is no rainfall expected for at least 24 hours. Repeat applications may be necessary as a follow up treatment for long-term control. Source: University of Massachusetts Amherst
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Shrinking Your Lawn By Dr. Leonard Perry, Horticulture Professor University of Vermont
Although lawns are plants, and so provide some “ecosystem services” such as producing carbon dioxide and preventing soil erosion, there are other landscape plants and features that provide even more. Trees, chosen and placed properly, can provide shade in summer and wind protection in winter. They provide enormous numbers of insects to feed birds, habitat for birds, and are essential as noted author Doug Tallamy explains (www.bringingnaturehome.net). To capture water run-off in heavy rains and snow melting in spring, consider replacing some lawn near paved areas with either rain gardens or swales. A swale is simply a linear rain garden, such as along a road or parking lot. These are areas that have plantings that tolerate such wet events, and help water infiltrate the soil rather than run-off.
If you have a lawn, have you ever considered shrinking it? You can still have a lawn for recreation and beauty, perhaps just less of it. Less grass to mow means less time on, or behind, a mower; less fossil fuels consumed; less fertilizer and watering to keep lawns at their peak; and, with proper alternatives, a landscape more conducive to wildlife. In her book Beautiful No-Mow Lawns, author Evelyn Hadden provides dozens of ways to not only shrink your lawn, but to have alternatives instead. Consider only mowing where you go. This might be along drives, paths, or near patios and garden beds. Particularly if you have large lawn areas, mow regularly only in such areas. The rest of the area can still be mowed, just perhaps a couple times a year with a brush mower. By doing this you greatly reduce your mowing yet, with mown grass around high traffic areas, you still have some lawns. The impression to viewers is that the unmown areas are being managed, and not left unkempt. If you have “fragments”—small areas between walks and buildings for instance—consider if lawn is really needed there, or if a flower bed or groundcover would be better. If you have groupings of shrubs or trees that you mow around, could they be combined into a large mulched bed instead? If you have slopes, particularly ones difficult to mow or to maintain with healthy grass, would perennial groundcovers (including spring-flowering bulbs interplanted), or spreading shrubs (such as junipers, Russian cypress, or cotoneaster) work there instead?
If you are near the shoreline of any body of water, replace a buffer strip there of at least six to eight feet wide of grass with plantings. These help decrease erosion, provide wildlife habitat, and help to filter pollutants such as fertilizers from washing into these water features. A popular trend in gardening is to create “garden rooms” outdoors—more intimate spaces separated by plantings such as borders or hedges, even by attractive solid fencing or planted trellises. These are especially useful for small landscapes. Consider transforming some lawn areas into such spaces. Think of small lawn areas as outdoor area rugs, rather than the wall-to-wall carpet of grass we so often see in landscapes. Use lawn as paths through the garden. By using hedges around such garden rooms, four to 10 feet high, you’ll be providing a nesting habitat for many songbirds. Plant fruiting shrubs, both for you and birds, such as highbush blueberries, clove currants, or bush cherries. These have other seasonal interest, too, besides just the fruiting.
If you have children, consider creating a non-lawn garden space for them. You could use an organic mulch under and around playsets, install a sandbox or similar, or just create some gardens to play in such as arches or tunnels with vines, or a “room” with sunflower walls. Already mentioned for slopes and small areas are lawn substitutes, such as groundcovers or spreading shrubs. Groundcovers also are a better choice than grass for shaded areas, such as those getting less than six to eight hours a day of direct sun. By using at least some native (Continued on page 5)
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groundcovers, you’ll provide plants more adapted to local growing conditions and native pollinators. Some native perennial groundcovers spread (but not aggressively, as do pachysandra, vinca, carpet bugle and other introduced perennials), others grow in clumps so can be planted in masses. With some, such as foamflower (Tiarella), they can spread or clump depending on “cultivar” (cultivated variety). Spreaders include greenand-gold (Chrysogonum), barren strawberry (Waldsteinia), Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum), and the little-known Meehan’s mint (Meehania). The latter is worth searching out at specialty perennial nurseries, or online, as it can take full shade and has nice blue flowers in late spring. For clump-forming native perennials to mass in shade, consider coralbells (Heuchera), ferns such as the Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), or wild ginger (Asarum canadense). Many more groundcover and perennial options for sun or shade, including their descriptions and cultural needs, can be found either in the book above, or the author’s website (www.lesslawn.com). In particular for sun, consider clovers in masses. The low white clover, or taller (to 18 inches high) red clover, both enrich the soil with nitrogen, and are loved by bees. If you don’t need a traditional turfgrass lawn to walk or play on, consider replacing some or all with a “freedom lawn.” This is one composed of low ornamental grasses, or plants with blade shapes that give the effect of a lawn, that doesn’t need mowing. Some online sources sell a no -mow lawn seed mix, composed of different varieties of fescue grass for sun or part shade.
Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone deserves a little sunshine. ~Jeffrey Glassberg
Common Milkweed General Description: Named for its milky sap , Milkweed is a moderately tall plant, averaging approximately 60-180 cm in height. The broad leaves and thick stem of this wildflower are very robust and are covered with a thin, light-gray down. The plant is light green with purplish-pink flowers arranged in a rounded cluster. When not in bloom, Milkweed is most easily identified by its distinctive, podlike fruit arranged laterally around the terminal shoot. Asclepias syricacia stalk with fruit. These large fruits are light green and contain numerous densely packed, bearded seeds. Flowers: Milkweed flowers are approximately 1.5 cm in width and are arranged in dense rounded clusters at the terminal shoot. Each flower consists of 5 purplish-pink reflexed petals and a white central crown surrounded by purplish-pink, white-edged, fleshy hoods. Milkweed is in flower from June through August.
Asclepias syricacia fruit with roughly
Fruit: This fruit, also known as a follicle, is light green and has roughly textured skin. The fruit is rounded near the stem and tapers into a point at the tip. Inside the dry fruit are numerous seeds arranged in an overlapping pattern. Each seed is unilaterally bearded with a long tuft of silky-white hair. When mature, the milkweed fruit turns brown and bursts, releasing the bearded Asclepias syricacia's overlapping bearded seeds contained inside seeds. Leaves: The large leaves of the milkweed are light green and broadly ovate. Oftentimes, the prominent mid-vein is (Continued on page 6)
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Woodchucks
(Continued from page 5)
By Paul D. Curtis and Kristi L. Sullivan Cornell Cooperative Extension, Wildlife Damage Management Program
deep red. The underside of each leaf is covered in a heavy, light-gray down. The leaves are many and are oppositely arranged positioned upward around the stem forming a V. Habitat: Milkweed grows in old fields, along roadsides, and around waste areas.
Asclepias syricacia flower with ant (photo courtesy of Professor Dan Perlman).
Fun Facts: Milkweed is a medicinal plant. Its milky sap contains cardiac glycosides that may be used to treat a variety of heart diseases. The Monarch butterfly is dependent on Milkweed for nutrition and propagation. Milkweed sap is the sole food source of the Monarch butterfly larvae. When Monarch larvae, along with other caterpillars and beetles, ingest the sap, the cardiac glycosides give their blood a toxic character that protects it against predators. Though Milkweed is effectively disseminated by its hairy seeds, it can also spread via rhizomatic activity. This method of growth can result in vast underground root networks.
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a microphone connected to your computer to create a CD). Loan the tape or CD and picture books to younger children in your neighborhood. Encourage them to listen to the tape while looking at the pictures in the book. Create a special reading nook. Creating a comfortable setting for reading conveys the importance of reading! Use blankets, pillows, tables, and chairs to create a reading fort. Make enough room for the entire family to snuggle down and read aloud together. Get creative in thinking of different places to read – a dry bathtub or under the bed with flashlights. Stumped about which books to choose? Refer to The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease for many wonderful suggestions! Prepared by Wendy Wilcox, Extension Support Specialist in the Department of Policy Analysis & Management at Cornell University. Visit the Parenting in Context website at https://www.human.cornell.edu/pam/engagement/ parenting/ ©2006 Cornell Cooperative Extension
The woodchuck (Marmota monax)—also known as the groundhog or whistle pig— is one of the largest members of the squirrel family and is closely related to other North American marmots. Historically, woodchucks were less common than they are today. As forests were cleared for farms, pastures, and orchards, settlers provided suitable habitat and the wood-chuck population expanded. Today, this highly adaptable mammal commonly inhabits farm fields, idle lands, and suburban neighborhoods. General Biology - The woodchuck has a compact, chunky body supported by relatively short, strong legs. Its tail is short and bristly. Its forefeet have long, curved claws that are adapted for digging ground burrows where it seeks refuge and hibernates during winter months. Woodchucks have yellowish-brown to blackish-brown fur. Like other rodents, they have chisel-like incisor teeth that are used to nip off vegetation. From tip of nose to end of tail, woodchucks are approximately 20 to 27 inches long and weigh 5 to 12 pounds. Woodchucks hibernate during the winter, beginning with the first heavy frosts, which usually occur in October. They emerge from hibernation during late February or March when mating season begins. After a 30-day gestation period, young are born in April or early May. Litters average three to four young, and by mid-June or early July the young leave their home burrows and establish their own territories, usually moving into old, abandoned dens. The average life span of woodchucks is four to five years. Primary predators include hawks, owls, foxes, bobcats, coyotes, dogs, weasels, and humans. Woodchucks often can be observed basking in the summer sun during the warmest hours of the day. They climb well and often sleep on fence posts, stonewalls, large rocks, fallen logs, and grassy areas, all of which are close to their burrow entrance. Even feeding woodchucks normally do not travel farther than 50 yards from their dens. There are exceptions; male woodchucks have been known to travel long distances to find a mate. Occasionally, woodchucks will travel several hundred yards to forage in time of drought or to eat fallen orchard fruit. (Continued on page 7)
Warren County Connection
Habitat and Food Habits - Woodchucks dig burrows, which they use to bear and raise young and escape from predators. Dens are typically located in open fields, meadows, pastures, fencerows, and woodland edges. In suburban areas, woodchucks commonly burrow under barns, sheds, and porches. Often woodchucks will take up residence under stone walls, woodpiles, or porches, using several auxiliary dens for shelter. The burrows dug by woodchucks are 8 to 66 feet long and 2 to 5 feet deep. They normally have two or three entrances, although there may be as many as five. The main entrance can be identified by the mound of excavated dirt and stones surrounding the entrance. A single chamber, used for sleeping and rearing young, is formed at the end of the main burrow. Another room is used for urination and defecation. In this way the den is kept relatively clean and free from disease. Secondary entrances are dug from inside the burrow and usually do not have dirt mounds. Other species such as skunks, raccoons, and foxes will remodel vacant burrows and use them to bear and raise young. In addition, rabbits may seek shelter in dens, particularly during the winter when woodchucks are hibernating below. Woodchucks are herbivores and eat a wide variety of vegetation, including grasses, weed shoots, clover, alfalfa, and soybeans. They will also consume garden vegetables such as cabbage, beans, peas, and carrots and fruits such as apples, cherries, and pears. Woodchucks prefer early morning and evening hours for feeding because they depend on dew and plant moisture for their water intake. Description of Damage - Woodchucks can become a nuisance when their feeding and burrowing habits conflict with human interests. They frequently damage vegetable and flower gardens, agricultural crops, orchards, nurseries, and areas around buildings. Damage to crops can be costly. In addition, mounds of dirt and holes at burrow entrances can be hazardous to farm equipment and livestock. Woodchucks are excellent climbers. They can damage fruit trees and ornamental shrubs as they gnaw or claw woody vegetation in orchards. Similar to ground squirrels, woodchucks may strip bark at the base of trees near their burrow entrance to mark their territories. Laws and Regulations - The woodchuck is an unprotected species in New York State. Unprotected species may be taken at any time without limit. A hunting license is required, however, to hunt unprotected wildlife with a bow or firearm. Given current Environmental Conservation Law in New York State, woodchucks captured in live traps must be humanely euthanized or released elsewhere on the landowner’s property. Only licensed nuisance wildlife control operators may transport wildlife off the property and will do so for a fee. Contact your local
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Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) office for the name of a licensed nuisance wildlife control officer in your area. When considering shooting, trapping, or both to control problem animals, local ordinances must also be followed, so it is best to consult with local law enforcement authorities or your regional DEC office if you have questions regarding specific localities. In other states, consult with your state wildlife agency about laws and regulations pertaining to woodchucks before shooting or trapping nuisance animals. Preventing Damage Population Reduction - Although woodchuck numbers can be managed by shooting, trapping, or gassing the den, the results are usually shortterm. Spring is the best time to use lethal controls because adults are active and young animals may remain in their burrow. In addition, burrows are more evident before annual vegetation conceals their entrances, and other wildlife is less likely to use burrows as shelter during spring. Shooting can be used to remove problem woodchucks from fields, but it may be illegal or unsafe in many situations near homes. New York State law prohibits the discharge of firearms within 500 feet of a building without the owner’s permission. Woodchucks can be captured using #2 foothold traps or #160 or #220 bodygripping traps placed at the burrow entrance. Bodygripping traps do not need to be baited. Live traps, baited with apples, cantaloupe, carrots with tops, lettuce, cabbage, or ample amounts of fresh peas, can also be effective. Live traps should be set near burrow entrances. Where food is abundant, however, woodchucks may not enter cage traps for bait. A cage trap should be at least 10 x 10 x 24 inches in size. Double-door see-through traps should be at least 10 x 10 x 30 inches in size. It is a good idea to conceal the trap with canvas or grass. If baiting fails, a double-door cage trap can be set directly in the woodchuck’s trail and concealed. All traps should be checked at least twice a day. Live traps should be used in areas where pets or children might be at risk. New York State law prohibits setting a trap within 100 feet of a house, school, playground, or church unless you have permission from the owner of the land where the trap is set. Lethal controls have been reported to have had limited success in controlling woodchuck populations. Shooting and trapping will not eliminate woodchucks from a farm. In a Pennsylvania study, 1,040 woodchucks were removed from a 600-acre site over four years without significantly affecting the population. Woodchuck numbers were unaffected owing to increased juvenile survival, increased birth rates, and movement of animals onto the site from surrounding areas. (Continued on page 8)
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Repellents - No products are currently registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use as woodchuck repellents. Studies in Connecticut have shown that some commercial deer and rabbit repellents, as well as some insecticides thought to have repellent properties, were generally ineffective at preventing woodchuck feeding on crops. Predator odors may be a useful repellent for woodchucks. For example, bobcat urine sprayed on the base of apple trees has been shown to reduce woodchuck gnawing by 98 percent relative to untreated trees. In addition, bobcat urine used in combination with electric or rope fences reduced damage to cabbage fields in New York. In this study, electric fences alone or electric fences with cloth strips sprayed with bobcat urine were nearly 100 percent effective at reducing woodchuck damage to cabbage. A single-strand rope fence sprayed with bobcat urine reduced woodchuck damage by 90 percent and is a simple, low-cost approach for home-owners. Fencing - Fencing can be very effective at reducing woodchuck damage, but precautions must be taken to keep woodchucks from climbing over or digging under fencing. Woodchucks may be excluded from gardens and other small areas with a 4-foot-high hardware cloth fence. To prevent woodchucks from digging under the fence, the bottom of the fence should be buried 10 to 12 inches below ground or the lower edge should be bent at an Lshaped angle leading outward and buried 1 to 2 inches below ground. To prevent woodchucks from climbing over the fence, an electric wire can be added 4 to 5 inches off the ground and the same distance away from the outside of the fence. Bending the top 15 inches of wire out at a 45-degree angle can also prevent woodchucks from climbing over fencing. Hardware cloth can be used to exclude woodchucks from under buildings, decks, and other structures. However, it may be necessary to remove existing woodchucks from under the building through trapping or the use of one-way doors. Attach the hardware cloth to the bottom of the deck or building in question, and be sure to bury the bottom of the hardware cloth 10 to 12 inches below ground. Bending the buried section of fence at an L-shaped angle leading outward can help to prevent burrowing under the fence. Cultural Practices - Modifying habitat in and around homes and gardens can help deter woodchucks and can increase the effectiveness of other control techniques. Eliminating brush piles and overgrown areas reduces the amount of food and cover available, making an area less attractive to woodchucks. Unfortunately, elimination of these areas may also remove valuable habitat for other wildlife.
Warren County Connection
Between Jobs?
Losing your job or facing a drastic drop in income is one of the most stressful events a person can experience. Unemployment can mean sudden lifestyle changes for the entire family. Because there is less money to spend, you must decide how to spend what you have. Whatever changes unemployment brings, everyone feels the impact. When you are between jobs, the paychecks may stop coming, but the bills don’t. When you don’t have enough to cover your monthly expenses and pay creditors, you face some tough financial decisions. “Concern about how to pay day-to-day expenses can become overwhelming,” says J. Michael Collins, University of Wisconsin-Extension family and consumer economics specialist and assistant professor of consumer finance at the UW-Madison School of Human Ecology. “Credit cards or a home equity loan may provide some financial resources for a short time, but many lenders are cutting back on credit offers. Unless your situation turns around quickly, more debt only creates bigger payment obligations later.” Instead, focus on cutting your spending. Make a spending plan so you can pay bills when they are due and avoid late fees. If you cannot make payments, call your creditors to ask if they can reduce your payments temporarily until your situation improves. “Every minute counts, says Collins. “Taking charge of your new financial situation is a the most important contribution you can make to your family’s well-being, and basic money management will help reduce stress as you adjust to living on less income.” Below are some specific steps that you can take. 1. Talk openly with your family about the situation. Be optimistic but honest about how long money will be (Continued on page 9)
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tight. Include kids in the conversation so that everyone understands and supports the reductions being made. 2. Reduce your expenses. Consider your “needs” versus “wants.” The little things add up; consider that if you reduced spending on something simple, such as packing a lunch instead of buying one, you could save $5 or more a day to save $1,825 per year! 3. Restrict the use of credit to emergencies; otherwise you will have a deeper hole to dig out of later. But a critical home or car repair, or health emergency, may leave little choice. 4. If you think you may have difficulty with payments to creditors, talk to them right away. Have these conversations before you fall behind on payments. Creditors will often accept a partial payment which can make a difference to your credit rating and will cut down on the stress of avoiding creditors. 5. Consider selling property or assets, especially if you can use it to pay off debt or reduce expenses. For example, selling a boat could pay off a boat loan and reduce maintenance and storage costs. 6. Consider ways to boost income. Can your spouse or partner find employment or more income? Can you find part-time or contract work? Even low-wage jobs can help. 7. Make sure you have health care coverage. Explore low-cost options through employers, as well as state programs such as NYSOFHEALTH https://nystateof health.ny.gov/ Source: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Why is it a penny for your thoughts but you have to put your two cents in? Somebody's making a penny. ~Steven Wright In the old days a man who saved money was a miser; nowadays he's a wonder. ~Author Unknown Money is power, freedom, a cushion, the root of all evil, the sum of blessings. ~Carl Sandburg
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Creating Literacy-Rich Play at Home By incorporating many print-rich activities into your child’s play, the value and importance of words is introduced. Children who are exposed to books and word play early and often will seek the pleasure of the print word in the world around them. Keep reading for more exciting word play activities! Infuse your child’s daily activities with reading and writing. Take time to point out the many ways words help us throughout the day – read aloud from the cereal box, make a list of errands to run, read aloud the list of ingredients and steps for a recipe, and read aloud from the daily newspaper. These activities will demonstrate the role of the printed word in the world around us. Children will begin to understand that words have value beyond the storybooks that you read aloud together. Try these activities to illustrate the value of the printed word: Create a pen pal who may be a friend (or stuffed animal) and write notes and letters back and forth. Or, write a letter to a friend or family member who lives far away, maybe a grandma or an uncle or a cousin. For children who cannot yet write, help them record their important thoughts on paper. Have your child make their own list, special story or letter. Write down their words on paper and reread them aloud to your child. Label elements of your home so your child can begin to make the connection between objects and their corresponding word. While taking a walk, make up rhyming words for objects you see (tree/me, car/star). Encourage your child to use his/her fingers to practice drawing letters or designs on plates or trays covered with “edible paint” such as whipped cream, pudding, or yogurt. Have your child practice their cutting by snipping coupons together. Make a grocery list and talk about the different items needed. Make a rebus puzzle grocery list with pictures and words so you child can “read” the grocery list while shopping. Choose books that relate to your child’s interests. Keep a sheet of paper on the refrigerator and write down topics your child is interested in throughout the week. Was your child particularly enthralled when digging in the dirt outside? Has your child talked all week about the fire engine that passed your house? Write these down and take the sheet to the library during your weekly visits; have a librarian help you find books on these topics. (Continued on page 10)
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Demonstrate how you can use books to find the answer to questions by searching for information on interesting subjects. Does your child wonder how birds fly or why leaves fall from the trees in autumn? Find the answers to their questions in books. Engage your child in literacy-rich pretend play. Create different settings for pretend play in your home. Designate a special location in your home for these play areas and rotate the settings throughout the year. When gathering props for each of these locations, include many print-rich items; use the following list as a starting point in developing your settings. Post Office Use shoeboxes to create a mail cubbies for sorting junk mail for family members Make a mailbag for your child to deliver mail and magazines to family members Provide paper, envelopes, and boxes for your child to create letters and packages Have your child create their own postage stamp and supply your child with rubber stamps and stamp pads to “stamp” the mail Check out relevant library books and keep them in this area – try The Jolly Postman by Allan Ahlberg, Dear Mr. Blueberry by Simon James, Dear Peter Rabbit and Yours Truly, Goldilocks by Alma Flor Ada. Library Place an old keyboard (or make a pretend one with cardboard) at a library desk Make a desk nameplate and nametag for your “librarian” Have your child design their own bookmarks and library cards Help your child choose great books for reading aloud to stuffed animal “children” Stock a bookshelf with favorite books for “checking out” Make labels for the bookshelf so your child can categorize books – animals, friends, poetry Help your child make a list of favorite books to pass out to friends and family Read Wild About Books by Judy Sierra, I.Q. Goes to the Library by Mary Ann Fraser and Beverly Billingsly Borrows a Book by Alexander Stadler. Doctor’s Office Use a blank scrap pad for writing prescriptions Use a calendar to make appointments for your patients Provide a phone book and phone to use to contact
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patients and other doctors Provide file folders with paper for patient records Make a sign advertising “Doctor’s Office” and diplomas Provide a clipboard and paper for your doctor to take notes Provide reading material for your doctor’s office – magazines, newspapers Design x-rays for your patients
School Stock your child’s school desk with paper, pencils, markers, glue, and scissors Find an old chalkboard or wipe board for lessons Provide a calendar for marking off each day of the week Stock a bookshelf with books for using in school “lessons” Post a world map for your child to explore Make a magnetic board and include magnetic letters, words, and objects for storytelling and lessons Look through magazines and cut out pictures of things that rhyme: bat, cat, frog, log. If you are unable to find pictures, draw them and hang them up on the wall. Check out Froggy Goes to School by Jonathan London, If You Take a Mouse to School by Laura Numeroff, Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard, Chrysanthemum and Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes Contact your child’s favorite authors. Write a letter or draw a picture for the author of your child’s treasured books. This will increase their understanding of how books work (picture books are created by an author who writes the words and an illustrator who draws the pictures). Your local library can help you locate their contact information. Who knows, you may receive a letter back! Act out your child’s favorite stories. Use the plots from your child’s favorite stories as the basis for pretend play. Act out the stories as they are found in the book or change the ending. Some great stories to act out are Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathan London, The Napping House by Audrey Wood, and The Wolf’s Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza. Use puppets, dolls, stuffed animals or encourage your child to act out their own play for your family to watch. Make Your Own Audio Book pick out several of your favorite picture books. Practice reading the books aloud and emphasizing the words with your voice. After practicing, read the stories aloud into a tape recorder (or use (Continued on page 6)
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What We Know About Emotional Eating
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authors found that positive emotions and social situations are also associated with eating. (Think about celebrating an accomplishment with a dinner out or a special dessert.) They also found that a broad range of negative emotions – stress, depression and sadness, shame and aggression and anger – were associated with emotional eating and specifically binge eating. Additionally, they found that these negative emotions were more likely to lead to unhealthy food choices. This type of emotional eating over time is eventually what leads to sustained weight gain.
The internet if full of memes about gaining weight during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s no surprise; being stuck at home without normal activities and constant access to food can easily lead to overeating. On top of boredom and proximity to food, the worries and stress that accompany a global pandemic can easily lead to emotional eating. In fact, there is an entire body of evidence on how our emotions influence our eating behaviors. Researchers have learned that emotional eating is more complex than they once believed, and depends on a wide range of variables that can be difficult to measure. One of the most important things researchers have learned is that emotional eating is complicated. An early systematic review established that each individual’s specific emotions and food choices are important elements in understanding emotional eating, and that secrecy surrounding eating is also a factor. The review found evidence that emotional eating is tied to obesity. Specifically, when obese study participants experienced negative emotions, such as anger, loneliness, boredom and depression, they ate more than normal-weight individuals and they reported the eating reducing the underlying experience of those feelings. Now researchers believe this may be a learned behavior, according to a more recent review, published last year in Current Directions in Psychological Science. This review found that people may learn to associate eating with specific emotions and social situations. Another recent review published in 2017 underscores the complexities in studying emotional eating. The
This all makes the COVID-19 pandemic seem like a perfect storm for emotional eating. While that may be true, research shows there are steps you can take to avoid emotional and binge eating, especially when experiencing negative emotions. In a recent study from the Netherlands, researchers measured whether elements of meditation could lead to less emotional or binge eating. They found that a specific component of meditation – acting with awareness – leads to less emotional eating. This means paying closer attention to your emotional state and making conscious food choices when you experience a negative emotion. A 2014 systematic review supported the study’s conclusions: focusing on mindfulness is an effective way to prevent emotional eating. Finally, a review article published in 2017 evaluated treatments and interventions that target emotional eating. It found that specific types of therapy – including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) – show promise for helping people to stop or avoid emotional eating. The review found a lack of research comparing these types of therapy, and found more research would help determine which types of therapy are best for specific situations. The take-home message: Yes, emotional eating is a real phenomenon that is especially prevalent when you are feeling stressed, depressed or bored. But there are steps you can take to avoid emotional eating: pay attention to your feelings; when you feel upset, consciously make healthy food choices; and, as always, if you think you are having a more serious problem, contact a medical care provider for additional support. Visit Cornell University’s Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research’s website for more information on our work: https://bctr.cornell.edu/
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