4-H Day Camps will be held during June and July.They will be held at the OSU Extension office and times will vary according to the activity.
Thursday, June 14:9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Sewing Projects: Microwave Pot Holders
Tuesday, June 19:9 a.m. -11:00 a.m. – Poster Art and Canvas Art
Friday, June 29:9 a.m. -11:30 a.m. –Shabby Flower Pots (paint project) & Poster Art
• Registration is due at least two (2) days prior to the class to allow us time to make certain we have adequate amount of supplies available.
• Sewing project is limited to six students – you may bring your own sewing machine; we have 4 available here in our office.
4-H Culinary:Wednesday, June 27 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.Registration is due by 3 p.m. Monday, June 24 to allow time to purchase food.We will be making Hot Ham and Cheese, Hot Ham and Turkey sandwiches and Rice Krispie Treats for our lunch!
Class size will be limited to 12 members.
Jefferson County OHCE group will meet Tuesday, June 19 at 12 noon at the Waurika Sr. Citizens Center.The lesson will be on “Home Invasions/Self Defense”
Co-Parenting for Resilence: Divorce or separation is not an easy or favorable decision, especially when minor children are in the home.A class for divorcing or separating parents with minor children living in the home is available monthly. Our next class is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 12, 2018. Pre-registration is required. Call Jefferson County OSU Extension Office at 580-228-2332 for registration information.This class is mandatory by law in Oklahoma and is also valuable for Grandparents and other relatives of minor children going through a divorce or separation.
4-H Has Talent Show will be Saturday, September 29 beginning at 2 p.m. at Ryan High School.Our 4-H clubs are getting busy! Watch for upcoming events and come support Jefferson County 4-H.
If you have been using Forage Insurance for your annual forages, such as wheat pasture, sudan, and other forage sorghums, there are some changes for the coming year. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Area Economist J.J. Jones outlines those changes below.
For the crop year 2018-19 the Risk Management Agency (RMA) has made some changes to the Rainfall Index – Annual Forage Insurance (RI-AF). These new changes do affect which policies producers should choose and use, but before discussing the changes let’s review just what is the Annual Forage Rainfall Insurance.
RI-AF is an insurance product offered by the Risk Management Agency (RMA) through private insurance companies to help producers protect against production losses due to lack of moisture for annual forage crops. RI-AF is similar to the Pasture Range and Forage Insurance (PRF). The difference between the two products is the type of forage crops that are covered. PRF is for perennial forage crops while RI-AF is for annual forage crops such as wheat, rye, oats, sudan, haygrazer and millet.
Like PRF the RI-AF uses the National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center data and 12 X 12 mile grid system to determine the rainfall index. Indemnity payments are calculated based on the difference between the calculated rainfall index and the normal rainfall index within a grid and for a specific time interval. Payments are not determined by individual producer’s losses.
Producers can choose to insure all or any portion of their acreage. To use RI-AF a producer must make six option choices. They are growing season, coverage level, productivity factor, insurable interest, insurable acres, and index intervals.
Changes to RI-AF
In the past producers were given a choice between two growing seasons. For 2018-19 the number of seasons in which to choose from will be four and instead of growing season the choices are for the planting season. So now, producers will choose the season in which they plant the annual forage. In addition to the changes to the number of seasons, the crop reporting dates for the different seasons have been changed as well. The four planting seasons and crop reporting dates are listed below.
Planting Seasons Crop Acreage Reporting Date
Season 1 – July 16 to October 15 October 15
Season 2 – October 16 to January 15 January 15
Season 3 – January 16 to April 15 April 15
Season 4 – April 16 to July 15 July 15
Another change is the sign up date. The sign up is now July 15, 2018 for all 2018-19 planting seasons. Producers must choose which season and number of acres by July 15, but they are not obligated or insured until they report the crop acreage by the acreage reporting date. Producers can nullify the policy by reporting zero acres planted by the crop acres reporting date.
A third change is the time in which the policy premium is due. Producers must sign up by July 15, 2018 but are not billed for the insurance until August 2019. If producers sign up and then report zero acres planted then no premium is due.
Producers wanting to use the RI-AF product should contact their crop insurance agency. More information about RI-AF can be found at http:www.rma.usda.gov/policies/ri-vi/annualforage.html.
Oklahoma State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, State and Local Governments Cooperating. The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, national origin, disability or status as a veteran, and is an equal opportunity employer.
Jefferson County OHCE (Oklahoma Home and Community Education) meet the 3rd Tuesdays in the Waurika Sr. Citizens Center unless otherwise noted. Each month we have lessons which are open to anyone interested in attending. Our February meeting will be Tuesday, February 20 at 12 noon at the Waurika Sr. Citizens Center. Brenda Gandy-Jones, Extension Educator, FCS/4-H Youth Development, CED for Stephens County will present the lesson on “Caregiving 101”. Our March meeting will be Tuesday and Wednesday (March 20 and 21) 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. each day; Pamela Varner, Extension Educator, FCS/4-H Youth Development, CED for Cotton County will lead us making “Crazy Quilt Jacket”. Contact Tara Brown for additional information.
During the upcoming Jr. Livestock show, Jefferson County OHCE will sell pies Thursday, March 1 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Co-Parenting for Resilience: Divorce or separation is not an easy or favorable decision, especially when minor children are in the home. A class for divorcing or separating parents with minor children living in the home, is available monthly or as scheduled. Our next class is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 13, 2018. Pre-registration is required. Call Jefferson County OSU Extension Office at 580-228-2332 for registration information. This class is mandatory by law in Oklahoma and is also valuable for Grandparents and other relatives of minor children going through a divorce or separation.
Early trailblazers helped ensure Extension serves all Oklahomans
STILLWATER, Okla. – For more than 100 years, the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service has been fulfilling its mission of enhancing the lives of all Oklahomans. Annie Peters Hunter, Extension’s first federally appointed black female home demonstration agent, operated in Okfuskee and Seminole counties. Beginning in 1912, she served Oklahomans as an agent for more than 12 years. Along the way, the organization has made history in some important ways with Annie Peters Hunter, the nation’s first federally appointed black female home demonstration agent, and John Russell Council, the first black Extension agent hired in Oklahoma. As the nation pauses to celebrate Black History Month, it is worthwhile to recognize the contributions of both Hunter and Council. “Extension is called to help Oklahomans of all ages and backgrounds. That’s a mission we take seriously and we remain fully committed to it,” said James Trapp, associate director of Extension. “We’re proud of our strong and ongoing tradition of service to our state and all its residents.”
Not much is known about Hunter and Council, but the few known details are significant.
Hunter, a native of Alabama, settled in Boley, Oklahoma, with her husband in the early 1900s. More than two years before the Smith-Lever Act formally created the national Cooperative Extension Service in 1914, she was putting the organization’s mission into action in Oklahoma.
Tanya Finchum, professor and oral history librarian at Oklahoma State University, partnered with Jan Scholl, associate professor at Pennsylvania State University, to write and publish an article in 2012 about Hunter in the e-journal “Forum for Family and Consumer Issues.”
According to Finchum and Scholl, Hunter was appointed as a home demonstration agent Jan. 23, 1912, as part of an effort to bolster the prosperity of black farm families. Not too unlike today’s Extension educators, early home demonstration agents were charged with helping families to conserve resources, create a little income, and safely raise and preserve food for survival from growing season to growing season.
Primarily operating in Seminole and Okfuskee counties, she served as the only black home demonstration agent within a 50-mile radius.
The researchers discovered part of her efforts included working with girls through canning clubs. There also is strong evidence her canning instructions remained popular through the 1940s and were used in homes, churches and schools.
Finchum called Hunter a visionary, dedicated leader.
“With being the first to hold any newly created position comes many responsibilities, including demonstrating that the work is necessary and beneficial,” Finchum said. “Annie served as an agent for more than 12 years, and when she vacated the position, it was immediately filled allowing the work she had begun to continue. That’s part of Annie’s legacy as an Extension worker.”
As for Council, his tenure with Extension actually predates Hunter’s by about three years. According to Donald E. Green’s “Centennial Histories Series: A History of the Oklahoma State University Division of Agriculture,” after arriving in Boley in 1908, Council petitioned and was granted an appointment with Extension in December of the following year.
As part of one of the agent’s successes highlighted by Green’s book, over the course of about three years, one of the producers with which Council worked closely rapidly advanced from a tenant farmer living in a log cabin to owning a 120-acre farm, two mules, a horse and a two-story house.
Council was originally from Tennessee and attended Tuskegee Institute in 1906-07.
STILLWATER, Okla. – As the novel coronavirus continues to make its way back and forth across the country, scams related to COVID-19 continue to multiply. Fake contact tracing has added to the growing list of ways to take advantage of people.
Oklahoma has been seeing a spike in the number of cases of the virus as businesses begin to open up across the state, said Cindy Clampet, Oklahoma State University Extension assistant resource management specialist.
“One of the provisions of the federal CARES Act allows state health departments to hire what are called ‘contact tracers’ in an attempt to help slow the transmission of the virus,” Clampet said. “We have about 600 contact tracers in Oklahoma.”
A contact tracer will contact the person who has tested positive and ask about recent social contacts at work, travel and special events, as well as interactions with family and roommates. Clampet said the tracer will also gather information regarding the infected person’s health and symptoms, and in return, provide information on how to quarantine, socially distance and test further.
A legitimate tracer will not ask for any information that can be used for identity theft, such as social security numbers, bank account/routing numbers, insurance, credit card numbers, Medicare/Medicaid numbers, the ability to pay for testing/treatment or similar details.
“Unfortunately, as we’ve seen in the past, scammers already are coming out posing as contact tracers,” she said. “Because contact tracers will be around for the foreseeable future, it’s important for the public to know what the contract tracers can and cannot do.”
The first clue is that a real tracer is not allowed to give out information about the identities of other people.
“If you receive a call and the caller names the person you were exposed to, this is a clear sign the caller isn’t a legitimate contact tracer. These scammers also are using text messaging and email as means of contacting unsuspecting people,” she said.
A typical scam goes something like this: An online email suggests that someone who came in contact with you has tested positive for COVID-19, so you should self-isolate and get tested. Then the trap beckons: “Click here for more information.”
“Whatever you do, don’t click the link,” Clampet said. “It could download harmful malware onto your device that allows the scammer to access person and financial information that can be used to steal money and your identity.”
Another variation on the scam involves a smartphone app that provides information about the infection rate in the local area. The app promises an alert if you’re close to a person who is a positive carrier of COVID-19.
Eating vegetables provides health benefits – people who eat more vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases. Vegetables provide nutrients vital for health and maintenance of your body.
Nutrients
• Most vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories. None have cholesterol. (Sauces or seasonings may add fat, calories, and/or cholesterol.)
• Vegetables are important sources of many nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, folate (folic acid), vitamin A, and vitamin C.
• Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure. Vegetable sources of potassium include sweet potatoes, white potatoes, white beans, tomato products (paste, sauce, and juice), beet greens, soybeans, lima beans, spinach, lentils, and kidney beans.
• Dietary fiber from vegetables, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease. Fiber is important for proper bowel function. It helps reduce constipation and diverticulosis. Fiber-containing foods such as vegetables help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories.
• Folate (folic acid) helps the body form red blood cells. Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant should consume adequate folate from foods, and in addition 400 mcg of synthetic folic acid from fortified foods or supplements. This reduces the risk of neural tube defects, spina bifida, and anencephaly during fetal development.
• Vitamin A keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps to protect against infections.
• Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and gums healthy. Vitamin C aids in iron absorption.
Health benefits
• As part of an overall healthy diet, eating foods such as vegetables that are lower in calories per cup instead of some other higher-calorie food may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake.
• Eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for heart disease, including heart attack and stroke.
• Eating a diet rich in some vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may protect against certain types of cancers.
• Adding vegetables can help increase intake of fiber and potassium, which are important nutrients that many Americans do not get enough of in their diet.
• Co-Parenting for Resilience Divorce or Separation is not an easy time in a married couple’s life. Can you imagine what minor children in the home are feeling? Co-Parenting for Resilience is a class for divorcing or separating parents with minor children living in the home. It is mandatory by law in Oklahoma and is also valuable for Grandparents and other relatives of minor children going through divorce or separation. My next class is 1 p.m. Tuesday, November 12, 2019; pre-registration is required. Call Jefferson County OSU Extension Office at 580-228-2332 for registration information
Check out our Facebook pages for informative topic and messagess: www.facebook.com/JeffersonCounty Fourh and JeffersonCounty Osu Extension
Orange Honeyed Acorn Squash
Ingredients
• 3 acorn squash (small)
• 2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1/8 nutmeg (1/8 teaspoon, optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut squash in half. Remove seeds and place halves in shallow baking pan.
3. Combine orange juice and honey. Mix well. Put some of the orange juice/honey mixture in each squash cavity.
4. Add 1 Tablespoon of the margarine to each squash half. Sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired.
5. Cover pan with aluminum foil to keep steam in and speed cooking.
6. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking 30 minutes more, or until squash is tender.
Jefferson County Jr. Livestock Show will be Wednesday, February 28 – Saturday, March 3, 2018. On Thursday, March 1, Sheep and Goats will weigh in at 10 a.m.; the Sheep Show will begin at 5 p.m. followed by the Goat Show. Hogs will weigh in 8 a.m. Friday, March 2 with the Hog Show beginning at 3 p.m. The Cattle will weigh in Saturday March 3 at 9 a.m. and begin showing at 10 a.m. The Premium banquet will be 6 p.m. Saturday, March 3.
Come support 4-H and FFA Exhibitors. Concession will be open Thursday and Friday.
Jefferson County OSU Extension office for additional information
Bright Nights at the Science Museum, February 16-17, 2018
Registration Due: February 1, 2018
Price: $45 per participant
$25 per Chaperone
Theme: Star Wars
State 4-H Ambassador Applications
2018 State 4-H Ambassador applications are available and can be found on the 4-H Ambassador website. Applications must be postmarked by March 15th.
2018 Special Clovers Camp
Blast Off to Better Health, Special Clovers Camp will be held March 24 and 25th. The camp is open to 4-H members (8-17 years of age) with special needs. Campers will enjoy a full 4-H camp experience, complete with team-building exercises, outdoor activities, crafts and more!
4-H members (14-18 years of age) can also serve as a Clover Buddy to mentor campers. Clover Buddies will also receive via conference call training prior to the camp.
Registration materials will be available February 1. Cost of the camp will be $15. The camp is supported through the Walmart Healthy Living grant.
Jefferson County OHCE met Tuesday, January 16 in the Waurika Sr. Citizens Center. The business meeting including planning of the Pie Sale which will be Thursday, March 1 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Jr. Livestock Show. After the business meeting, Tara Brown, Extension Educator, FCS/4-H Youth Development presented a short lesson on Finance 101- Budgeting. Tara is available to teach the Check and Balance curriculum which includes other financial topics. Call 580-228-2332.
Our February meeting will be Tuesday, February 20 at 12 noon at the Waurika Sr. Citizens Center. Brenda Gandy-Jones, Extension Educator, FCS/4-H Youth Development, CED for Stephens County will present the lesson on “Caregiving 101”. Our March meeting will be Tuesday and Wednesday (March 20 and 21) 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. each day; Pamela Varner, Extension Educator, FCS/4-H Youth Development, CED for Cotton County will lead us making “Crazy Quilt Jacket”. Contact Tara Brown for additional information.
Co-Parenting for Resilience: Divorce or separation is not an easy or favorable decision, especially when minor children are in the home. A class for divorcing or separating parents with minor children living in the home, is available monthly or as scheduled. Our next class is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, February 14, 2018. Pre-registration is required. Call Jefferson County OSU Extension Office at 580-228-2332 for registration information. This class is mandatory by law in Oklahoma and is also valuable for Grandparents and other relatives of minor children going through a divorce or separation.
How can you protect yourself from getting the flu?
1. Avoid close contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. …
The Jefferson County OHCE will meet Tuesday, November 20 at 11:30 a.m. at the Waurika Sr. Citizens Center.Come to eat lunch with us, stay and listen to our program “Repurposed Jars” presented by Tara Brown, Jefferson County OSU Extension Educator, FCS/4-H Youth Development.OHCE is open to any person who wishes to join.Melicia McFadden is our president and Deborah Farrar is our treasurer.
Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance
Tai chi: Moving for Better Balance is an evidence-based program that focuses on improving functional ability, such as balance and physical function, to reduce fall-related risks and frequency.
The series of slow continuous movements of Tai chi: Moving for Better Balance help those participating reduce stress, increase balance and flexibility as well as learn relaxation to improve their overall mind, body, and spirit. Tai chi: Moving for Better Balance is for people at all levels of mobility and can be done while sitting. Tara Brown recently received her certification through the Injury Prevention Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health to teach this program.
The class is held at 9:30 a.m. Mondays through November 19th (and longer if requested), at the Ringling Community Building.We have begun a Thursday evening class from 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. also at the Ringling Community Building. There is no cost to participate; come to join us!
Co-Parenting for Resilience:Divorce or separation is not an easy or favorable decision, especially when minor children are in the home.A class is available for divorcing or separating parents with minor children living in the home.My next class is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, December 11, 2018. Pre-registration is required. Call Jefferson County OSU Extension Office at 580-228-2332 for registration information.This class is mandatory by law in Oklahoma and is also valuable for Grandparents and other relatives of minor children going through a divorce or separation.
Holiday Cooking under Pressure was presented by Tara Brown, Extension Educator for Family and Consumer Sciences/4-H Youth Development Wednesday, November 7 at the Ringling Community Building.Tara spoke on the “fairly new” concept of cooking with Electric Pressure Cookers. There are several models from Instant Pot to Crock Pot to Power Pressure and more; each with the concept of using one pot to cook with pressure (like the Pressure cookers we use for the top of the stove) to slow cooking all in one pot. Tara prepared Beef Stroganoff in one cooker and Cinnamon Apple Slices in another.Sample tastings and recipes were provided to the group of 16.
Keep your pets safe during winter weather.
For pets that spend a good deal of time romping in the backyard or lounging in a patch of sunshine on the deck, the arrival of winter may be a rude awakening and cause of concern for safety.
Before Oklahoma experiences a deep freeze, pet owners need to make sure their pets are well-cared for when the temperature begins to fall, said Dr. Paul DeMars, associate professor in Community Practice at the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences at Oklahoma State University.
“As pretty and soft as your pet’s fur is, it isn’t necessarily the perfect insulator, especially when the temperatures are extreme or when the fur gets wet,” DeMars said. “Compare it to being outside wearing a t-shirt when it’s below freezing. Your pet’s toes, nose and ears are especially susceptible to winter weather, too.”
If you suspect your pet has frostbite, cover the animal with warm towels. Gently pat dry the affected area and contact your veterinarian.
While winter weather can be hard on any pet, very young animals, as well as older dogs and cats, should not be kept outdoors. DeMars said these young pets simply do not have the fat, metabolism or the full fur coat they need to stay warm.
The best option for pet safety during the winter is to keep them indoors. If your pet lives outside fulltime, it is imperative to provide adequate shelter from the elements. A covered enclosure with blankets or clean hay/straw/cedar shavings is a must. Another option is a heated floor mat. Check with your local pet store to see what is available.
Tara Brown at the Ringling Community Center talking about cooking under pressure. She is explaining the use of electric pressure cookers.
“Try to face the opening of the shelter away from the wind. Also, if it rains and the bedding gets wet, replace it with dry bedding,” DeMars said. “Wet bedding can grow bacteria and mold, which are not healthy for your pet.”
It is no secret exercise is good for both humans and their pets. For those who enjoy a nice walk with your pet, sidewalks and walking trails are likely to have been salted if there is ice or snow on the ground. While this is beneficial for humans to help keep them from slipping and sliding, salt can cause irritation on an animal’s foot pads.
Not only is the weather a concern for your pet, but the chances of exposing your pet to life-threatening chemicals also increases. Leaky radiators can leave pools of antifreeze in your driveway and is both a winter and summer issue. Although the sweet taste of antifreeze is appealing to your pet, it can be deadly, even in very small doses.
“Antifreeze is highly toxic and absorbs quickly into your pet’s system. The kidneys are the most affected organs and can shut down completely within 12 to 24 hours in cats and 36 to 72 hours in dogs,” DeMars said.
Tara Brown, Extension Educator for Family and Consumer Sciences/4-H Youth Development.
Another outdoor danger is animals who seek protection from the winter weather in dangerous places. Before starting and moving your vehicle, check under the hood and in the wheel wells to ensure there are no animals hiding.
Because it takes a few more calories to keep warm in the winter, your pet may need a little extra food. For pets who stay outside, make sure the water in their water bowls is not frozen.
“Winter weather will mean your pets require a little extra care to ensure their safety,” DeMars said.
Jefferson County OHCE (Oklahoma Home and Community Education) meet the 3rd Tuesdays in the Waurika Sr. Citizens Center unless otherwise noted. Our March meeting will be Tuesday and Wednesday (March 20 and 21) 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. each day; Pamela Varner, Extension Educator, FCS/4-H Youth Development, CED for Cotton County will lead us making “Crazy Quilt Jacket”. Contact Tara Brown for additional information and copy of the supply list needed for the Easy Crazy Quilt Jacket.
Co-Parenting for Resilience: Divorce or separation is not an easy or favorable decision, especially when minor children are in the home. A class for divorcing or separating parents with minor children living in the home, is available monthly or as scheduled. Our next class is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 10, 2018. Pre-registration is required. Call Jefferson County OSU Extension Office at 580-228-2332 for registration information. This class is mandatory by law in Oklahoma and is also valuable for Grandparents and other relatives of minor children going through a divorce or separation.
Making room for this season’s garden harvest
Now that the spring season is underway, many gardeners are looking forward to getting their fruits and vegetables in the ground and hoping for a productive growing season.
For those who had a bountiful harvest last season and canned or froze their crops, it is time to clear off the shelves and clean out the freezer and get ready to preserve this year’s harvest, said Barbara Brown, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension food specialist.
“There’s nothing better than opening a jar of green beans or pulling a bag of okra from the freezer in the middle of winter and being able to taste that summer freshness,” Brown said. “If you had a particularly big garden, it’s likely you’ve still got a few jars of goodness on your shelves or in your freezer. Because the quality of home-preserved foods doesn’t last forever, it’s a good idea to clear out those canned foods in the pantry or those foods in the freezer to make space for what you’re planning to grow this season.”
Although freezing will not improve the flavor or texture of any food, it can preserve most of the quality of a fresh product as long as it is frozen properly and stored at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Most fruits and vegetables will last in the freezer eight to 12 months. Certainly, these foods should be safe to eat after a year, but the eating quality and nutrition may be lower. Putting dates on all your frozen foods can help make sure you use them while they are at their best.
Some gardeners prefer to can some of their fruits and vegetables. Properly canned food stored in a cool, dry place will retain optimum eating quality for at least a year.
“Most of us don’t have a root cellar like our ancestors did, so proper storage is a must,” Brown said. “Canned food stored in a warm place near hot pipes, a range, a furnace or indirect sunlight will have a much shorter shelf life. Also, canned items stored in a damp area can cause lids to corrode and may result in leakage, so the food will spoil. Before you get started canning this year’s harvest, go through any remaining foods from last year and check for signs of spoilage.”
Check over your home canned foods for signs of spoilage. Check the seals, make sure flats are not swollen and there is no sign of gas bubbles, mold or other unwanted growth inside the jars. Do not taste food from a jar with an unsealed lid or food that shows signs of spoilage.
You can more easily detect some types of spoilage in jars stored without screw bands. Growth of spoilage bacteria and yeast produces gas which pressurizes the food, swells lids and breaks jar seals. As each stored jar is selected for use, examine its lid for tightness and vacuum. Lids with concave centers have good seals.
Next, while holding the jar upright at eye level, rotate the jar and examine its outside surface for streaks of dried food originating at the top of the jar. Look at the contents for rising air bubbles and unnatural color.
While opening the jar, smell for unnatural odors and look for spurting liquid and cotton-like mold growth (white, blue, black or green) on the top food surface and underside of lid.
“No matter which method of preservation you prefer, make sure to use proper preservation and storage methods,” Brown said. “This will help ensure you have garden-ripe fruits and vegetables all year long.”
For information on proper canning and freezing of garden produce, visit the National Center for Home Food Preservation at http://nchfp.uga.edu/index.html
Presley Reid, Loco, Oklahoma was selected to receive the Jefferson County’s E.C. Joachim Scholarship award.This scholarship is made available by the family of E.C. Joachim a true Extension supporter in Love, Jefferson and Cotton Counties.The family chose to continue his love and support for 4-H particularly in these counties where he served in Extension for many years, by providing scholarships to graduating Seniors who have been active in their county 4-H.Tara Brown, Jefferson County OSU Extension Educator, FCS/4-H Youth Development presents Presley with the award.
Presley Reid, Loco, Oklahoma was selected to receive the Jefferson County’s E.C. Joachim Scholarship award.
Presley stated “My whole life has been spent farming and ranching with family and friends. I love to play sports.I have always been active in softball, basketball and rodeo. As I have grown into my high school years, my teammates and I have been very successful on the field and the court.We own horses that we use on the farm, ranch and rodeo…. I have to give credit to our 4H program for all this success.Whether I really knew it or not, 4H has always been a huge part of my life and has made a big impact on me…. 4H has helped me gain knowledge and leadership skills that I will need in the future… I personally believe every kid needs to be involved in 4H, not just the show kids.”
Jefferson County OHCE (Oklahoma Home and Community Education) meet the 3rd Tuesdays in the Waurika Sr. Citizens Center unless otherwise noted.Dr. Lynn Null, Extension Educator, FCS/4-H Youth Development, CED Comanche County presented “10 Minutes to the Table” to OHCE members at the Jefferson County OSU Fairgrounds; she prepared a delicious dish of Chicken Enchiladas Verde.Membership to OHCE is open to any individual. Call 580-228-2332 for additional information.
Abby Davis gets ready to serve her mother “Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches” that she learned to make during 4H Cullinary Cooking club Wednesday, May 16
Upcoming lessons:Tuesday, June 19: “Home Invasion/Self Defense”
Co-Parenting for Resilience:Divorce or separation is not an easy or favorable decision, especially when minor children are in the home.A class for divorcing or separating parents with minor children living in the home is available monthly. Our next class is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 12, 2018. Pre-registration is required. Call Jefferson County OSU Extension Office at 580-228-2332 for registration information.This class is mandatory by law in Oklahoma and is also valuable for Grandparents and other relatives of minor children going through a divorce or separation.
Information is available on our website oces.okstate.edu/Jefferson and on our Facebook pages JeffersonCounty Fourh and JeffersonCounty Osu Extension.
Co-Parenting Classes: Oklahoma law mandates divorcing parents of minor children to take a Co-Parenting Class. To register for one of these classes, contact Jefferson County OSU Extension office at 580-228-2332. Pre-registration is required and there is a cost for this class. This class is also informative for Grandparents and other relatives and is offered monthly. The next class is scheduled for 1 pm Tuesday, November 8, 2022, at the Jefferson County OSU Extension Conference Room. Other dates may be scheduled as time allows. Contact Tara Brown at 580-228-2332 for additional information.
Jefferson County Oklahoma Home and Community Education (OHCE) hosts monthly programs the 3rd Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m.; these programs include research-based educational topics. These programs are open to the public.
November 15: “Gnome-body Knows You Like I Gnome You!” will be presented by Carol Hart, Comanche County Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, CED
If there are programs you would like to see, please let us know! Upcoming programs will include “Back to the Basics” and cover cooking, sewing, and Financial Budgeting, etc. Also upcoming is a class for Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance. If interested, or know someone who will be interested, call and let Tara Brown know so adequate supplies can be made available.
Our October 18 program was “Hydroponic Gardening – Growing a Living Pantry” presented by Tara Brown, Jefferson County OSU Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences/4-H Youth Development/CED. Information is available as handouts.
OHCE CREED, We believe the family should come first in the life of the individual, the community, and the nation. We will build our homes on love and mutual respect. We shall endeavor to discover the potential in our children and our neighbor’s children and to help them develop their personalities in such a manner that they make a worthwhile contribution to life. We shall maintain high standards in our homes through research and education to promote better use of our environment and better living conditions for all. We shall encourage a faith in a God of love who is forever revealed through natural laws and human personalities. We shall have faith that strong leaders shall go forth from our homes and communities, carrying with them throughout the universe the ideals which we have proclaimed.
Jefferson County 4-H and Youth Development News:
Enrollment for 2022-2023 began August 1st through 4h.zsuite.org. To enroll, students must be 8 years of age and in the 3rd grade (or older). To participate in 4-H Events and Contest, members must be actively enrolled. If you need assistance, contact Linda Whitsett or Tara Brown at Jefferson County OSU Extension 580-228-2332.
Emails and information about upcoming 4-H events will be emailed to your email address you used when signing up on 4h.zsuite.org
Many students may be planning to show an animal at the Jr. Livestock Show and/or at Oklahoma Youth Expo (OYE). OYE Nominations are due by November 10 for many animal breeds – please get with your school’s Ag teacher for assistance – You must be actively enrolled in 4-H or FFA to participate.
West District South Region Public Speaking (Speeches, Illustrated Presentations, and Demonstrations) contest will be Saturday, February 11, 2023, at the Pleasant View Mennonite Church in Hydro, Oklahoma. The contest will begin at 9 am and end by noon. There will also be a Volunteer Conference in the afternoon for those enrolled as a 4-H Volunteer. Contact Tara Brown for the link to register for the contest.
Shooting Sports – a training for those interested in becoming a Shooting Sports coach will be held Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4 at Chisholm Trail Technology Center between Kingfisher and Watonga. Due Date to Registered is November 18. There is a registration fee, contact Tara Brown for information. To be a Shooting Sports coach (which includes Archery, Air Rifle/Pistol, Shotgun, Muzzleloader, Hunting Skills, Western Heritage, County Coordinator), you must be enrolled as a volunteer in 4h.zsuite.org
