In Lean Times, Creative Bakers Turn To Desperation Pies

by Jessica Stoller-Conrad

A neat article from NPR on being resourceful during "lean" times. 

In Lean Times, Creative Bakers Turn To Desperation Pies

Community Service Opportunity to Help Support our Soldiers

THIS IS A SERVICE PROJECT THAT OUR CONGRESS DELEGATION WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN NEXT WEEK.  I APOLOGIZE FOR THE EXTREMELY SHORT NOTICE BUT WAS JUST MADE AWARE OF THE OPPORTUNITY THIS MORNING.  IF YOU HAVE EITHER TOWELS OR TWIN SHEETS YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO DONATE PLEASE BRING THEM TO THE EXTENSION OFFICE (90 S MAIN ST, SPARTA) EVEN IF THIS IS AFTER MONDAY.  WE WILL GET THEM TO THE SOLDIERS. 

Approximately 350 single soldiers will be returning home to live in the barracks at Fort Bragg in mid August.

Once they arrive, they receive a no driving period to adjust from their deployment and will not be able to purchase anything they need.

We are asking our NC 4-H Family to assist us with providing at least one bath towel and one twin sheet (fitted or flat). These items are basic necessities that are not provided and would make their welcome home that much better.

Sarah Kotzian has agreed for us to collect at Congress during registration and on Wednesday morning before Hands To Service assembly.

SGT. Angie Bibin, Battalion Family Readiness Liaison from Ft. Bragg, Moore County 4-H’ers, and a 4-H volunteer/alumni will assist with your donation.

Please help us support our military and bring a sheet and towel for our soldiers.

11 Great Ways Your Smartphone Can Work Smarter in an Emergency

Consumer Action and AT&T offer these tips on how you can use your mobile phone to prepare for and respond to emergencies:

1. Be Prepared: Use apps, such as FEMA’s emergency preparedness app, to develop and implement emergency preparedness plans for your family, colleagues and loved ones.
2. Stay Charged: Use solar-powered and hand crank chargers and batteries. These chargers allow you to rely on your electronics and wireless devices even in a power outage.
3. Stay Connected: Use database and location-based apps to find loved ones during and after a disaster. Register yourself with the American Red Cross “Safe and Well” database and search for other loved ones that have registered to say they are okay. You can also use AT&T FamilyMap, which provides peace of mind by enabling you to conveniently locate a family member from your wireless phone or PC and know that your family’s information is secure and private.
4. Keep It in the Cloud: Store your important documents, such as personal and financial records, in a password-protected area in the Cloud. New cloud services allow you to access your vital information anytime from anywhere with Internet access and to safely store your work where it’s not vulnerable to a damaged or left-behind computer.
5. Get Help! Consider downloading a smartphone global positioning satellite app. GPS phone trackers have the ability to deliver short messages and your GPS pinpoint location to a preferred list of contacts of your choosing in the event of an emergency.
6. Use Quick Response (QR) Codes: QR code technology can help first responders prevent misdiagnoses and adverse drug reactions in treatment of emergency victims.
7. See & Be Seen/Send an SOS: Use your smartphone as a flashlight when the power is down. There are flashlight apps for almost all smartphones (many of them are free) that use either your screen or camera flash to help you find what you need during a power outage—or help you to be found. Many flashlight apps even offer a Morse code SOS feature.
8. Help Others: Apps such as Phone Aid offer a series of quick educational and instructive “how to” slideshows designed to help jog your memory on skills such as administering CPR. It also shows basic first aid measures you may need to perform while you wait for emergency personnel to respond.
9. Locate Resources: Use mobile maps to find help and resources after a disaster. American Red Cross: Shelter View provides a searchable map of shelter locations by address, city, state and/or ZIP code and is updated every 30 minutes from the National Shelter System. It even includes the shelter capacity and how many residents are currently there.
10. Stay Informed: Create a list of Twitter handles to follow during a disaster. For example, the U.S. Geological Survey is currently studying how they can give better earthquake information via Twitter. Their official handle, @USGSted, tweets out information on occurrences of earthquakes with magnitudes of 5.5 or higher. They currently have a California-specific earthquake handle—@USGS_EQ_CA.
11. Spread the Word: Use social media and smartphone apps to help disseminate information about severe weather in real time and warn others. The NOAA Now app provides weather info from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including reports of hurricanes, tropical storms, mainland storms and tornado and severe thunderstorm alerts.

*AT&T is not responsible, nor liable for, any statements, claims, or services provided by third party apps mentioned above or your use of such third party applications.

Feed Your Family Healthy Foods on a Budget

Lorelei Jones was tapped to write a national blog to educate Veteran's and others across the U.S. about the EFNEP program.


Lorelei Jones is the State Coordinator of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). In this capacity, she provides leadership for statewide programming for nutrition education reaching limited resource families and youth. 


Here's the link to her article:
http://blog.usa.gov/post/26627944884/feed-your-family-healthy-foods-on-a-budget

Pickle Mysteries Solved

Got a pickle question, visit this website for FAQ's.  If you still have questions, let us know.  We'll be happy to help.

National Center for Home Preservation:  Pickles

Pesky Corn Silks

Ever have trouble getting rid of all those pesky corn silks from your corn on the cob??? Take  a look at this video on an easy way to do it in the microwave. It's worth trying and just in time for summer corn.

HOW TO SHUCK/DESILK CORN 

Hot Weather Tips for Seniors from DHHS

• Check up on friends or neighbors who live alone.
• Talk with your doctor and be aware of the medications you take and how they may affect you. For example, know that painkillers can reduce awareness of the heat, and diuretics, which promote fluid loss, can lead to dehydration more often during hot weather.
• Stay out of direct sunlight, put shades over windows and use cross-ventilation and fans to cool rooms.
• Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing that permits sweat to evaporate.
• Cool off by taking cool baths or showers or placing ice bags or wet towels on the body.
• Drink plenty of liquids such as water, fruit or vegetable juices to replace the fluids lost by sweating. As a person ages, thirst declines.
• Limit intake of alcoholic beverages or fluids that have too much salt, since salt can complicate existing medical problems, such as high blood pressure.
• Eat small meals and eat more often, avoiding foods that are high in protein, which increases metabolic (body) heat.
• Join your local senior center or take advantage of buildings made accessible to seniors during excessive heat.
• Take the heat seriously, and do not ignore danger signs like nausea, dizziness or lightheadedness, fatigue, confusion, labored breathing, chest discomfort, and rapid or erratic pulse. These can all be signs of trouble. Get to a cool place, drink cool water slowly and seek medical help if conditions don’t improve.

Since 1986, the Operation Fan/Heat Relief program has distributed fans and air conditioners to seniors in need through regional area agencies on aging offices. Last year, donations totaled $135,500, and with these funds 10,523 fans and 65 air conditioners were distributed. The project is made possible through donations from Dominion Resources, Duke Energy, Progress Energy and the Valassis Giving Committee.

Alleghany Senior Center:  336-372-4640

Alleghany Social Services:  (336) 372-2411

Produce Lady E-News: July 2012

The July version of the Produce Lady E-News is now available:  Watermelon the Wonder Fruit