By Clara Wicoff

Southwind Extension District

 

Canning season is in full swing, which makes it the perfect time to review tips for safe home canning! According to the CDC, home canned vegetables are the top cause of botulism outbreaks. Botulism can be fatal, so it is essential to follow these tips from the K-State Research and Extension Rapid Response Center to ensure the safety of all who consume your home canned food! If you fail to follow these tips, you will be playing a dangerous game of food safety roulette.

 

First, it is of the utmost importance to use reliable, tested recipes from sources such as K-State Research and Extension, the National Center for Home Food Preservation, and the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning. Using recipes from untested sources (such as internet websites, social media, and even old recipes from family members) can lead to a high risk of foodborne illness. Safe home canning starts with a reliable recipe which has been tested for safety.

 

Next, be sure to use the proper processing equipment. Only use a pressure canner for low-acid foods like vegetables, vegetable mixtures, red meats, wild game meats, poultry, seafood, and fish. High-acid foods (like fruits, sweet spreads, pickled products, tomatoes, salsa, and some tomato products) can be canned in a water bath canner.

 

When it comes to tomatoes, note that they are on the borderline between a low-acid and a high-acid food. Therefore, they must be acidified before being processed through either boiling water or pressure canning. To see specific acidification recommendations, visit bit.ly/AcidifyTomatoes.

 

You should also adjust for altitude. Failing to do this can cause your food to be underprocessed, which creates a risk of botulism. Recipes from reliable resources are often written for those processing at altitudes below 1,000 feet. Be aware of the altitude where you are processing food and what adjustments need to be made.

 

Other tips include ensuring you have adequate headspace in jars; not canning in an oven, dishwasher, or electric pressure cooker; following the proper processing time from tested recipes; only using common self-sealing lids once; and never modifying tested recipes to add any other ingredient.

 

Following these tips may just save your life! For more information, please contact Clara Wicoff, Nutrition, Food and Health Extension Agent, at [email protected] or 620-365-2242.

 

According to the drought monitor, all of the counties of the Southwind Extension District are in a moderate drought. Unfortunately, in looking at the drought forecast, it doesn’t look like we will be out of this pattern anytime soon either. If you haven’t been supplemental watering trees and shrubs, you need to be – especially any that were newly planted this spring.

Newly planted or young trees and shrubs often don’t survive the first year because of improper watering. Proper watering throughout the first growing season often means the difference between success and failure.

Water should be retained around the base of the newly planted trees by building a low berm just outside the planting hole. A weekly soaking to apply approximately 10 gallons of water should be sufficient to support spring or summer planted trees and shrubs on most sites.  Larger balled and burlaped or spade-dug trees will require more water. For every inch of trunk diameter greater than two inches, an additional ten gallon should be applied. In the absence of rainfall, continue watering newly planted deciduous trees and shrubs until their leaves fall. Evergreens should be watered until the soil freezes.

It is easy to overwater and keep the soil excessively wet and cause a different set of problems. Over watering can cause “wet wilt” which looks similar to wilt caused by dryness. When soil stays wet for an extended time, root damage can occur due to oxygen depletion. As a result, leaves wilt and do not recover, even if water is added.

During the second and third growing seasons after planting, supplemental water every 10 to 14 days if it doesn’t rain and soil moisture indicates a need. Check moisture with a trowel, rod, screwdriver or probe.

With established trees and shrubs, supplemental watering should be done during periods of drought. Trees that have been planted for three to five years will benefit from deep, regular watering.  But the interval can be extended to two to three weeks between applications.

Check the soil moisture and use it as a guide. Soak the soil to a minimum depth of 12 inches, out to and beyond the drip line, every three to four weeks if it doesn’t rain significantly. Avoid watering established trees at the base of the trunk because the absorbing roots are further out. Shrubs should also be watered so the soil is moistened to a depth of 8 to 12 inches every couple of weeks.

Water can be applied through a soaker hose or by allowing a pencil thin stream of water from a garden hose to soak the ground. Water lances or “root feeders” are not as suitable as applying to the surface because they can actually introduce the water deeper than where the surface feeding roots are located.

If you have trees or shrubs that are not looking good, give me a call and a home visit can be scheduled to evaluate the problem.

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Horticulture agent assigned to Southwind District and may be reached at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.

 

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

 

Kansas State University’s Extension Master Gardener program will be offered this fall. Applications are being accepted until August 10^th. The training class will begin September 1^st and run through December 15^th.  Classes will be a combination of on-line and in-person sessions held on Thursday afternoon’s from 1-4 pm. The in-person classes will be held at the Extension office in Iola. The Master Gardener training consists of 50 hours of instruction in all aspects of horticulture. Instructors include state specialists from Kansas State University. Once certified as an Extension Master Gardener, participants are asked to donate time in their community to help others learn more about gardening and horticulture.

Applications are available on the Southwind Extension District website – southwind.ksu.edu or they can be e-mailed to you. The fee for the course is $125. For more information, please e-mail [email protected] or call 620-244-3826.

 

By Clara Wicoff

Southwind Extension District

 

It’s hard to believe that August is almost here already! With the month of August comes the start of a new school year. For this reason, August has been appropriately designated as “Back to School Month.” As you start to think about buying school supplies and taking other steps to prepare for the start of a new school year, it is important to also think about food safety.

 

For families that pack their lunches, there are some important steps to follow to ensure the food packed in lunch boxes is safe for children to consume. In order for food to be safe in the lunch box, it must start out safe. As with any time you are preparing food, the first step is to wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least twenty seconds before preparing any food. Additionally, use hot water and soap to clean food preparation surfaces and utensils.

 

Next, it is important to think about the specific items you are packing. For example, if you are packing any fruits or vegetables, they must be rinsed with running water and blotted dry with a paper towel before being packed. These are perishable items, so they must also be chilled to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Other perishable items (such as sandwiches) should also be chilled. You should pack two cold sources with perishable foods to keep them cool inside an insulated lunch tote. Two examples of these cold sources are a small frozen gel pack and a frozen juice box. Note that frozen gel packs are not recommended for day-long storage. In addition to keeping cold foods cold, it is also important to keep hot foods hot.

 

For more helpful food safety information from the Partnership for Food Safety Education, visit www.fightbac.org/kidsfoodsafety/school-lunches. If you have questions, please contact Clara Wicoff, Nutrition, Food and Health Extension Agent, at [email protected] or by calling 620-365-2242.

Japanese beetles have become a yearly pest. They were first reported in the United States in 1916 and have since become established in many states – including Kansas. The adult beetle is one of the most destructive insect pests we face. I have recently found them attacking my rose bushes and crabapple tree.

The adult beetle is the most troublesome for the homeowner as it feeds on a wide variety of plants including rose, crabapple, birch, grapes and a whole host of other plants. They feed on leaf surfaces and will cause holes and in some cases, they will feed on the leaf tissue between the veins causing a lacelike or skeletonized appearance. However, it is the Japanese beetle larvae that is a major problem in the home lawn, golf courses, athletic fields and other turfgrass locations. They feed on the roots of turfgrass causing the grass to be unable to uptake water and nutrients.

We typically start seeing Japanese beetles in June and they feed through late August. Japanese beetles are 3/8 to ½ inch long. They are metallic green with coppery-brown wing covers and dark green legs. One distinguishing identifier is the white tufts around the abdomen area. These tufts actually look like white dots. The larvae are a white grub that looks very similar to other grubs commonly found in our area. It is actually very hard to tell the difference and would require looking under a microscope.

Japanese beetle adults are active on warm days and prefer feeding on plants that are in full sun. They begin feeding at the top of plants and gradually move down as they consume more and more leaf tissue. Fortunately, most well-established plants can tolerate some feeding damage without causing significant harm to the plant. But the plants will look rather tough after Japanese beetles have worked them over. A light fertilization will help with plant recovery.

The earlier we can implement management of the Japanese beetle, the less plant damage we will see. As for control, there are several routes that can be taken – cultural, physical and insecticidal.

Cultural control includes such things as proper watering, fertilization, mulching, and pruning. Keeping plants healthy will help them tolerate minor infestations better. Weeds should be removed.

Physical control is nothing more than removing the beetles from the plant by hand. The best time to collect beetles is early in the morning or late evening when they are less active. To remove, knock the beetles off by hand into a bucket containing soapy water. The soapy water will kill them. This works fairly well because adult beetles actually fold their legs when disturbed and will fall. Also, Japanese beetles often feed in clusters so knocking them off in masses is easy.

Chemical spray options are available. All plant parts should be thoroughly covered to be most effective. Insecticides including cyfluthrin and bifenthrin can be used. However, they will need to be applied every few weeks during the feeding period. The downfall to using insecticides is the killing of beneficial insects that can actually control other pests such as spider mites.

There are trapping systems on the market but if not used correctly they can actually increase the number of Japanese beetles! The traps contain a lure or scent that draws the beetles to the area. Therefore, they are not recommended.

Now is the time to scout your plants every few days to see if insects have moved in and started feeding. If you have questions or need help identifying a particular insect, please contact me.

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension agent assigned to Southwind District.  She may be reached at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.

 

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

 

 

 

Master Gardener Training Offered This Fall

 

Area plant lovers have a great opportunity this fall to participate in an outstanding horticulture program! The Extension Master Gardener training will be held September 1 through December 15 on Thursday afternoons from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Classes will be a combination of on-line and in person training. The Master Gardener program is a volunteer program in which K-State Research and Extension “trades” classroom training for volunteer time.

 

Master Gardener training consists of 40 to 50 hours of instruction in all aspects of horticulture. Instructors include state specialists from Kansas State University, local extension agents and local experts. After training is completed, volunteers will donate an equivalent number of hours of service as was received in instruction.

 

Topics that will be covered in the training include:

• Plant Growth & Development
• Soils, Water and Fertilizer
• Vegetable Gardening
• Insect Diagnosis & Management
• Growing Fruit
• Annuals & Perennials
• Woody Ornamentals
• Turfgrass
• Landscape Maintenance
• Plant Disease Diagnosis & Management
• Pesticide Use and Safety
• Wildlife Management

 

Although the Master Gardener program is a volunteer activity, there are some requirements that must be met prior to the selection process. Each individual wishing to participate in the Master Gardener training must meet the following requirements:

 

• Participants need to be available for about 40 hours of community horticulture service during the first year. The number of hours to be donated is equal to the number of hours of training received.
• Participants must have access to the internet, a computer/device with microphone and camera capabilities, an actively monitored email account, and be willing to travel to the in-person training site (Iola, KS).
• Enjoy sharing your love of gardening with others through various Extension Master Gardener projects.

 

The Southwind Extension District currently has an active Master Gardener program consisting of 25 individuals. The Master Gardeners have completed volunteer projects such as demonstration flower beds, vegetable research trials and various other projects in Erie, Chanute, Iola, Humboldt, Moran and Fort Scott. In addition, educational tours and activities are also planned.

 

Applications are available now and are due to the Southwind Extension District by August 10^th. Applications can be found on the Southwind website www.southwind.ksu.edu or can be mailed to you. The fee for the course is $125 which covers the cost of the Master Gardener resource notebook. For more information about the Master Gardener training, please contact the Extension office.

 

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension agent assigned to Southwind District. She may be reached at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.

 

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Staying Motivated to Exercise

Over and over again we hear that one of the best contributing factors to aging successfully is to keep active.  Regular exercise is found to help with our sleep, our mental state, brain function — not to mention keeping our physical body stronger longer that assists with better balance.

So why do we find it easy to forego that much needed daily activity?  I find excuses on occasion myself – “I’m tired,” “I ache or just don’t feel well.”  Most of the time my day just gets away from me.

As we age, we truly have those days where we don’t feel well enough to exert extra energy – and we need to heed those hints our bodies send us.  However, more than likely it could be a lack of planning or a shortage of desire that keeps us from following through.

If daily physical activity is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves to keep doing the things we enjoy as we age, how do we stay motivated?  Consider the following tips.

First, make daily exercise a priority and then find ways to fit it into your day.  We are more likely to stay moving if we consistently make time for it.  This time of year, we may plan to beat the heat with an early morning walk.  Make it a habit to park a distance away when connecting for appointments or shopping, if you can handle the extra steps.  Physical activity doesn’t all have to be done in one fell swoop.  Break it up into smaller segments and different activities to better use a variety of your muscles.

Do activities you enjoy.  It will make it more fun.  Right now the garden is a busy site for some physical activity.  With this rain, I’ve found areas where the weeds have been flourishing even when the sun doesn’t shine.  Be creative and try something new.  I’m interested in learning more about pickleball.

Make it a social activity.  Whether it’s the family dog or a neighbor close by, research has proven we are more accountable with our physical activity when others are counting on us to move with them.  This encouragement helps keep us going and provides emotional support.

Get back on track if there has been a break in your routine.  Life happens.  Well laid plans aren’t always able to be kept.  Things like weather and injury or illness interfere.  If it has been an extended break, it’s important to start slowly and gradually build back up to your previous level.  The activity types may need to be altered. However, there are some great chair activities that can be done if recuperation is needed.

Set goals and keep track of your physical activity. Tracking can be a motivator.  The tracking may begin to indicate where weaknesses might be in a plan.  Sometimes we think we are getting more exercise than we really are.  There are devices available that track steps and heart rates to help monitor exercise levels. When goals are reached reward yourself and set a new goal.

Research suggests building up to at least 30 minutes of activity on most days of the week that accelerates your breathing.  We are also encouraged to spread our activity across a variety of exercises that promote endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility.

Exercise should not hurt or make you feel really tired.  You might feel some soreness, a little discomfort, or a bit weary, but you should not feel pain.  Overall, being active will probably make you feel better and more productive.

For more information on physical activity, contact your Southwind Extension District office.

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

 

Our early life stages are pretty predictable.  We speak our first words and take our first steps — generally within a short time frame of a few months to a year or two.  We can also count on puberty taking place between a few short years of our youth.

When we become young adults, our development and maturation from there on have more to do with our environment around us and the choices we make.  These factors are what contribute to our older adults being the most diverse age sector of the world’s population.

Beyond biological changes, aging is often associated with other life transitions such as retirement, relocation to more appropriate housing and the experience of death of friends and partners. A longer life brings with it opportunities, not only for older people and their families, but also for societies as a whole.

Additional years provide the chance to pursue new activities such as further education, a new career or a long-neglected passion. Older people also contribute in many ways to their families and communities. Yet the extent of these opportunities and contributions depends heavily on one factor: health.

If people can experience their extra years of life in good health and if they live in a supportive environment, their ability to do the things they value will be little different from that of a younger person. This thought was brought home to me through a recent conference I attended.  One of my take-away statements — “At retirement, it’s important to keep our activity level up to the level it was prior to retirement. Those activities may change and should change, but we must remain involved and active.”

Maintaining healthy behaviors throughout life, particularly eating a balanced diet, engaging in regular physical activity and refraining from tobacco use, all contribute to reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases, improving physical and mental capacity and delaying care dependency.

Just as every person is unique, so too is how they age and how they choose to do it – and there is no “right” way. Sure, we can distinguish those who are in their second half of life, but we don’t dare guess their age.  Our aging processes differ so greatly that we can easily miscalculate their years through simple observations.

Every May we have the opportunity to celebrate Older Americans Month.  The theme for 2022 is ‘Age My Way’ with a focus on aging in place and exploring ways older adults can remain in and be involved with their communities.

While Age My Way will look different for each person, here are common things everyone can consider:

• Planning: Think about what you will need and want in the future, from home and community-based services to community activities that interest you.
• Engagement: Remain involved and contribute to your community through work, volunteer, and/or civic participation opportunities.
• Access: Make home improvements and modifications, use assistive technologies, and customize supports to help you better age in place.
• Connection: Maintain social activities and relationships to combat social isolation and stay connected to your community.

 

Diverse communities are strong communities. Ensuring that older adults remain involved and included in our communities for as long as possible benefits everyone.

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.