USDA will be contacting soybean, oat growers to participate in survey

EAST LANSING, Mich. — A sample of soybean and oat growers across Ohio will soon be contacted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, Great Lakes Region to participate in a survey focusing on nutrient and fertilizer use, pesticide applications and pest management practices.

Conducted annually in the fall, Phase II of the Agricultural Resource Management Survey is USDA’s primary source of information on production practices for select field crops. This year ARMS focuses on soybean and oat production practices.

NASS will conduct interviews with approximately 450 soybean and oat producers in Ohio. They will be asked to provide information on their fertilizer, nutrient and pesticide applications. The USDA assures survey participants that the confidentiality of their responses is protected by law. For more information about ARMS and other surveys conducted by NASS, contact the Great Lakes Regional Office at 1-800-453-7501 or visit the NASS website at: www.nass. usda.gov.

Pennsylvania

The USDA-NASS is also contacting Pennsylvanian farmers and agri-businesses for the 2022 Custom Rates Survey. The survey is a comprehensive assessment of custom crop and livestock service work offered in the state during 2022.

NASS will contact about 4,000 farmers and agri-businesses in Pennsylvania starting in early August with a postcard. Survey respondents are encouraged to use the new Respon- dent Portal at agcounts.usda.gov. The postcard will contain a unique survey code and instructions on how to respond online. On the portal, they can complete their survey, track upcoming surveys, access data visualizations and reports of interest, link to other USDA agencies, and more.

Aug. 11 is National Play in the Sand Day!

To ensure all survey participants have an opportunity to respond, NASS interviewers will follow up with those who did not respond by mail or online to conduct telephone interviews starting late September.

Survey results will be published in the Pennsylvania Custom Rates report to be released in December. For more information, call the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office at 800-498-1518.

t his week’s Birthdays

1874 - 31st U.s. President, Herbert Hoover

1960 - Actor, Antonio Banderas

1997 - reality televsion star and fashion designer, Kylie Jenner

Hey, ohio

Can you guess the city:

This Ohio city was founded in 1805. It is the birthplace of the National Football League and home of the William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum, and the McKinley National Monument.

CHECK MEowt ... tEaSpoon VS. taBlESpoon?

Do you help out in the kitchen? when measuring the amount of ingredients a recipe needs, there are many units of measure. we use measuring cups and measuring spoons, mostly. what if you’re missing the spoon for 1 tablespoon, and your recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of sugar? How many teaspoons of sugar should you add to your recipe?

august is Family Fun Month!

Unscramble

How they say SUnSCrEEn in ...

Spanish: protector solar

French: crème solaire

German: sonnenschutz

Hawaiian: pale la

Fish

l Lobster Risotto

• ¼ cup butter

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 med. onions, finely chopped

• Salt

• 2 cups arborio, carnaroli or other short- grained white rice

• Meat from 1 cooked lobster, chopped

• 2 Tbsp. minced chives

• ½ cup grated parmesan

• Ground black pepper

• 6 cups lobster stock

In a medium pot, heat the stock and keep warm. In a large, wide saucepan, melt the butter in the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add a large pinch of salt and then add the rice, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of broth and simmer, stirring until the broth is almost absorbed. Add more broth, a cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. Stir often. Cook until the rice is tender, and the mixture is creamy, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the lobster meat until heated through and then add the chives and ¼ cup of the parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with remaining parmesan.

l Steamed Mussels

• 2-3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

• 6 lg. garlic cloves, minced

• 1 lg. shallot or red onion, thinly sliced

• Kosher salt

• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning,

• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes

• 3 lbs. mussels

• 1½ cups chicken or vegetable broth

• ½ cup dry white wine

• 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley for garnish

• 4 Tbsp. butter

• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

• French baguette or rustic Italian bread

Rinse the mussels under cold running water, scrubbing with a brush, until the water runs clear. Discard any mussels that are not fully closed or do not close when you give them a gentle tap with your fingernail. In a large Dutch oven or 6-quart cooking pot, heat about 2 to 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallots, and season with a good pinch of kosher salt. Add the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until fragrant. Add the mussels and stir them around a bit, and then pour in the broth and wine. Cover the pot and let the mussels steam over medium-high heat for about 5 to 6 minutes or until the mussels open up. As soon as the mussel shells are open, immediately remove the pot from the heat and stir in the fresh parsley and butter. Transfer the mussels and broth to serving bowls and serve immediately with lemon wedges and French or Italian bread.

l Bacon Wrapped Cod with Asparagus

• 6 8 oz. fresh fish fillets, skinned

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme, leaves only

• 18 slices of bacon, pounded to a uniform thinness if needed

• Zest and juice of 1 large lemon

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

• Fresh ground pepper

• ½ tsp. chili powder

• 2 large bunches of asparagus, root ends trimmed

Preheat your oven to 400 F. Season the fish fillets with rosemary or thyme, finely grated lemon zest and freshly ground pepper. Lay three slices of bacon on a cutting board, slightly overlapping, and then put a seasoned fish fillet on top and wrap the slices around it. Heat a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium flame, add a splash of olive oil and lay your fish, prettiest side facing up with the seams from the bacon slices facing down, in the pan. Fry for a minute or two, and then place the pan in your preheated oven for 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until the bacon is crisp and golden. While the fish is cooking, you can make your simple lemon mayonnaise by mixing in a nice amount of lemon juice, chili powder and ground pepper. Steam the asparagus and serve on the side of the cod along with the mayonnaise.

l Honey Garlic Shrimp

• 1/3 cup honey

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tsp. ginger

• 1 lb med. uncooked shrimp, peeled & deveined

• 2 tsp. olive oil

• chopped green onion

Whisk the honey, soy sauce, garlic and ginger together in a medium bowl. You will use half for the marinade and half for cooking the shrimp. Place shrimp in a large sealable container or zipped-top bag. Pour 1/2 of the marinade mixture on top; give it all a shake or stir and then allow shrimp to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or for up to 10 hours. Cover and refrigerate the rest of the marinade for finishing the recipe. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place shrimp in the skillet and discard marinade. Cook shrimp on one side until pink, about 45 seconds and then flip shrimp over. Pour in reserved sauce and cook it all until shrimp is cooked through, about 1-2 more minutes. Serve shrimp with cooked marinade sauce and a garnish of green onion. The sauce is excellent with brown rice and steamed vegetables on the side.

Summertime and seafood go hand in hand. That’s because it’s as easy to cook as chicken, but tastes lighter and fresher on a hot, humid day.

l Crab Cakes

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1 lg. egg, beaten

• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

• 1/2 tsp. hot sauce

• 2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning

• 1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over

• ¾ cup Panko crumbs

• 1/4 cup canola oil

• Lemon wedges, for serving

In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings and hot sauce until smooth. In a medium bowl, lightly toss the crabmeat with the panko crumbs. Gently fold in the mayonnaise mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Scoop the crab mixture into eight 1/3-cup mounds and lightly pack into 8 patties, about 1 1/2 inches thick. In a large skillet, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the crab cakes and cook over medium-high heat until deeply golden and heated through, about three minutes per side. Transfer the crab cakes to plates and serve with lemon wedges.

l Salmon Caesar with Homemade Croutons

• 2 lg. garlic cloves, divided

• 4 Tbsp. butter, cut into pieces

• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 4 cups Italian bread slices, torn into 1 inch pieces

• ½ tsp. kosher salt, divided

• 2 lemons, divided

• ¾ cup mayonnaise

• ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated

• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard

• 3 drained anchovy fillets, mashed

• ½ tsp. black pepper, divided

• 1.5 lb. 1-inch-thick skin-on center-cut salmon fillet

• 8 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped for salad

• Shaved parmesan cheese, for garnish

Grate one garlic clove and place in a small microwavable bowl; add butter and oil. Cover with a paper towel, and microwave on high until butter is melted, about one minute. Stir to combine. Place bread pieces in a large bowl, and drizzle with butter mixture; toss to coat. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Set aside. Preheat a gas grill to medium-high on one side, or push hot coals to one side of a charcoal grill. While grill preheats, place 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in a small bowl. Grate remaining garlic clove, and add to lemon juice in bowl. Whisk in mayonnaise, grated Parmesan, mustard, anchovies, and ¼ tsp. pepper until combined. Set aside 1/3 cup mayonnaise mixture for spreading over salmon; reserve remaining mayonnaise mixture as dressing for serving. Cut remaining lemon in half crosswise. Sprinkle salmon with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread reserved 1/3 cup mayonnaise mixture over salmon. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place salmon, skin side down, on oiled grates on unlit side of grill. Place lemon halves, cut sides down, on oiled grates over the lit side of your grill. Grill, covered, until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of fillet registers 125 F, 20 to 25 minutes, removing lemons from grill after about 12 minutes. As lemon halves and salmon finish grilling, transfer to a baking sheet. Add bread pieces to grates over lit side of grill; grill, uncovered, turning often, until browned and crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Scatter lettuce leaves on a large platter. Using a fork, break off chunks of salmon from its skin, and arrange over lettuce; discard salmon skin. Top with croutons and desired amount of dressing. Squeeze charred lemon halves over salad. Garnish with shaved parmesan cheese.

l Key Lime Pie - Great with Fish!

For the CruSt:

• 1½ cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs

• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

• 5 Tbsp. butter, melted

For the Filling:

• Two 14-oz. cans sweetened condensed milk

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 2 Tbsp. grated lime zest

• ¾ cup key lime juice

For the topping:

• 1 cup cold heavy cream

• 2 Tbsp. confectioners’ sugar

• 1 tsp. grated lime zest

• 8 to 10 thin lime slices

Preheat the oven to 375 F and set an oven rack in the middle position. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter until the mixture is well combined. Using your fingers and the bottom of a glass or dry measuring cup, press the crumbs firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a deep dish pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes, until just slightly browned. Let the crust cool on a wire rack. Lower the oven temperature to 350 F. In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, yogurt, lime zest and lime juice. Pour the thick mixture into the graham cracker crust. Bake for 15 minutes, until the filling is almost set; it should wobble a bit. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, and then place in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly for about three hours. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until medium peaks form. Top the pie with the whipped cream. Decorate with the lime zest and lime slices. Store the pie in the refrigerator until ready to serve.