Conutry Minute - Summer 2011

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SUMMER 2011

Benefits… A Word Worth Defining something, and as a member of GreenStone, that is precisely the case!

No matter how you define it, we take pride in the benefits our customers —our members— enjoy.

How would you define “benefit”?

Value added, advantage, improvement, payment, support, service…the list goes on.

Benefits are most commonly experienced when you are a part of

• GreenStone is a cooperative and you are a member. As a stockholder, you elect the governing board of directors, and therefore help run the company. The sale of stocks provide capital to GreenStone to secure funding at highly competitive interest rates for our members.

• Did you receive a check from GreenStone this past March? We paid $18.2 million to our customers as part of our Patronage Program,

Sunscreen protects against the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays.

The sun omits both UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays are responsible for aging effects and overexposure can cause skin cancer. UVB rays are responsible for both sunburns and skin cancer.

The Truth Behind Sunscreen

SPF stands for sun protection factor. These numbers refer to the product's ability to deflect the sun's burning rays (UVB). At present, there is no FDAapproved rating system that identifies UVA protection. To help protect skin from UVA rays, choose a sunscreen that states “UVA/UVB” protection or has Continued on page 2...

g r e e n s t o n e f c s . c o m

bringing the grand total to over $85 million returned to members throughout the past six years.

This is part of the value of being a member of a financially sound, and member focused organization!

• Do you know someone who could also benefit from GreenStone’s financial products and services?

Send a new qualifying customer our way and we’ll show you our thanks with a $50 gift card. Taking advantage of the Pass It On customer referral program is just one more benefit of being a GreenStone member.

Continued on page 3...

The Country Minute is brought to you by your local country living lender.

Corralling your family friend, which option is right for you? in addition to creating an exterior boundary.

It has been said that over 35 percent of United States households own a dog.

What statistics don’t say is that these dogs aren’t just canines, they are an actual part of the family who have a natural tendency to run, chase, and be social. That’s why it is important to implement proper precautions to keep your neighbors happy and your canine family member safe.

Upright Fencing– If your concern is to both keep your dog in and other dogs out, installing visible fencing may be your best option. It is important to be conscious of the fence height as certain dogs can climb and jump quite high. Also remember many dogs like to dig, and will often dig a hole under the fence. Because of these variables, and the multitude of options for fence style and material, costs range widely and can be quite expensive.

Invisible fence– Offering your dog the most freedom without the use of upright fences, electric fences, when used properly, essentially train your dog to stay in the yard. There are many brands to select from, and most offer several control options in order to best suit your individual dog’s disposition. Using an invisible fence, you can also secure specific areas in your yard like the garden or pond

[2] The Country Minute

Kennel– Another option to protect your dog from other dogs is the use of a kennel.

Like fences, be sure the sides are high enough to contain your dog, or install a top on the kennel. Likewise, unless you place the structure on cement, your dog could escape by digging a hole under the walls.

Kennels come in a variety of sizes, but time outside of the walls is important for proper exercise.

Tethering– Again, so long as you ensure ample exercise and attention off of the

tether, containing your dog this way can be another viable and less expensive option. Best suggestions include a lead anchored to a swivel point or an overhead cable. When tethering, it is important to clear the area of any obstacles that the lead could get caught on, and verify the water dish is situated in a way that it won’t be tipped over.

Whatever your family determines is the right option for your dog, it is always important to ensure your dog has ample shelter and clean, fresh water. Providing toys, routine exercise, and interaction are also principle to your dog’s health and happiness, and will help keep your dog occupied and content, therefore lessening the reasons to escape.

...Sunscreen continued “broad spectrum” protection and contains zinc oxide.

SPF ratings are calculated by comparing the amount of time needed to produce sunburn on sunscreenprotected skin to the amount of time needed to cause sunburn on unprotected skin. If a sunscreen is rated SPF 2 and a person who would normally turn red after 10 minutes of exposure in the sun uses it, it would take 20 minutes of exposure for the skin to turn red. A sunscreen with an SPF of 15 would allow that person to multiply that initial burning time by 15, which means it would take 15 times longer to burn, or 150 minutes.

While a higher SPF factor provides better protection against the suns UVB rays, protection does not actually increase proportionately with a designated SPF number. A SPF of 2 screens 50 percent of UVB rays, whereas a SPF of 15 screens 93 percent

of UVB rays, and a SPF of 30 screens 97 percent of UVB rays. The percentage of rays screened by a SPF over 30 increases by only a percent or so, remaining around 97 or 98 percent.

Sunscreens should be applied to dry skin 15 to 30 minutes BEFORE going outdoors. Coat the skin liberally and rub it in thoroughly—most people apply only 25 to 50 percent of the recommended amount of sunscreen, which results in a lower SPF than the product contains.

Sunscreens should be reapplied approximately every two hours or after swimming or perspiring heavily. Even so-called “water-resistant” sunscreens may lose their effectiveness after 40 minutes in the water. Sunscreens rub off as well as wash off, so if you've towel-dried, reapply sunscreen for continued protection.

Source: American Academy of Dermatology, http://www.aad.org/

MOSQUITO CONTROL–

...Benefits continued

Tips on keeping these pesky buggers at bay

• Need a cell phone, computer, flowers, car rental or have a move forthcoming? Why not take advantage of the national Farm Credit member discounts from companies like Sprint, Dell, 1-800-Flowers, National, Alamo, Enterprise, and United Van Lines!

With all the rain we’ve had this spring the mosquito population is high this summer.

Nothing takes the fun out of an evening barbecue or outdoor event like a bunch of pesky mosquitoes. You can keep your local mosquito population under control by limiting their habitat on your property, and avoid their annoying bites by using the right barriers and repellents. Mosquitoes require water to breed. Adult mosquitoes lay eggs in stagnant or slow moving water, on moist soil, or on leaf litter in areas likely to collect water. Here are some suggestions to diminish their water sources and other methods to control mosquitoes:

• Bats are a natural predator for mosquitoes and other insects. You can build a bat house to attract them in your yard. One bat can eat up to 600 insects in an hour.

• There are several mosquito repellants that can be applied to the skin like “Off”. The Avon product, Skin-So-Soft has also proven to have repellent properties.

• Thermacell makes a personal mosquito repellent appliance that is convenient to carry. It repels up to 98% of mosquitoes and creates a 15 x 15 foot zone of bug-free comfort. The repellent operates on a single butane cartridge which heats and releases a synthetic copy of a natural repellent found in pyrethrum flowers.

Sources; mosquitozapper.com, about.com

• If you have a pond in your garden or on your property add a fountain to it to ensure the water is not left still.

The great thing about these member benefits is they are just that –a benefit. As a GreenStone customer, you can take advantage of these and more, visit greenstonefcs.com/memberbenefits!

Recipe Corner

• Keep bird baths clean on a regular basis during mosquito season.

Cool refershing and simple—One sip of this summer drink

• If your home or garage is in a shaded area of your land, keeping debris out of the gutters is an inexpensive form of mosquito control.

• Electric bug zappers are an effective way to reduce mosquitoes around the home. Their ultraviolet light draws insects through an electrified wire grid. Many homeowners keep the machine on a timer that turns the unit off during daylight hours, but some run the machine throughout the day and night during summer season.

• Looking for an evening out or maybe a mid-day break, join us for your local Customer Appreciation Event, branch gathering, or community event.

Our customers aren’t the only ones who benefit; we value the local communities and provide benefits to several events and organizations in your area!

and you’ll be hooked... Raspberry Iced Tea

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS

1 gallon water

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, and stir in

3 (3 ounce) gallon-size tea bags

the tea bags, raspberries, and sugar until the sugar

1 cup fresh raspberries

has dissolved. Allow the mixture to steep until the

1/2 cup white sugar

desired level of tea flavor is reached, 3 to 5 minutes;

1/2 cup powdered lemonade mix (such as Country Time®)

remove tea bags, and stir in the lemonade mix until

ice cubes

dissolved. Pour tea into pitchers, and add ice to cool.

Summer 2011 [3]

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Inside this issue: - GreenStone Member Benefits - Corralling your family friend - Mosquito control

GreenStone Member notes...

Customers who receive The Country Minute do not receive GreenStone’s agricultural member publication, Partners. Therefore, the following is a snippet of news and feature stories found in the most recent issue of Partners.

More information and complete articles can be viewed at www.GreenStoneFCS.com by selecting “Publications” found under the news and media drop down.

Success—Delicious by Design “We didn’t want to be just a retail outlet, we wanted to be a destination.” Read about the DeBacker Family Dairy and their transition to an educational dairy farm and store that are now popular attractions for field trips and tourism. With 40 ice cream flavors, glass bottled milk, and a selection of food choices, it is a great place to stop on a Sunday afternoon.

NEW: Farm Credit Retail Bond Program The Banks of the Farm Credit System recently launched a Farm Credit Retail Bond Program. Farm Credit Retail Bonds are Consolidated Systemwide Bonds issued in denominations of $1,000 for fixed-rate bonds and $100,000 for floating-rate bonds. Interested investors can obtain more information at: www.farmcredit-ffcb.com.

Online Banking System Advancements GreenStone’s Online Banking system has implemented a group of user-focused enhancements, including a new URL onlinebanking.gsfcs.com customers should now use to access the login screen.

Lean & Green— Directors’ Perspective Three board members answer the question: “How do you see producers analyzing their bottom line to make use of developing alternative energy efficiencies?”

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