Summer Slump will soon be upon us

During the summer in southeast Kansas cattle on cool season fescue grass pastures may tend to perform poorly. Often times, this is due to summer slump, otherwise known as fescue toxicosis. The fescue grass plant contains an endophyte (fungus). This endophyte helps make the plant hardy, but it also produces a chemical (alkaloid) that can cause negative effects in cattle, if eaten in high doses.

Symptoms of summer slump include poor hair coat, elevated body temperatures, feet problems (fescue foot), and poor breeding rates. While these symptoms can affect all cattle, it is most generally noticed in black hided cattle.

Summer slump increases core body temperatures. Affected cattle spend the majority of their time in ponds or in under shade, rather than grazing in the pasture. Some strategies to mitigate the effects of summer slump include feeding a good mineral supplement (specifically formulated for use on fescue pastures), culling poor performers from the herd, and providing alternative feed sources.

For more information on fescue and its effect on cattle, contact me a (620)-223-3720 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Kathy S. McEwan, Southwind Extension District, Family and Consumer Sciences, Foods and Nutrition

For many people, the Memorial Day Holiday marks the “official” beginning of summer and means enjoying time outdoors and firing up the grill. Elizabeth Boyle, meat safety and quality specialist for K-State Research and Extension, said barbecuing requires some safety practices to ensure everyone enjoys the food and the summer grilling season.

1. Avoid cross-contamination

Boyle’s first food safety tip is to avoid cross-contamination. Frequently washing hands is necessary.

“Washing your hands becomes important, especially with grilling,” Boyle said. “We are taking food outside, handling door knobs, handling tongs, handling raw meat and poultry, and handling fresh fruits and vegetables.”

If you don’t have a sink readily available or soap and water on hand, at least use hand sanitizing wipes to try to decontaminate your hands, she said.

Also, make sure to decontaminate utensils and cooking supplies. Common items that could lead to cross-contamination include cutting boards, knives and other tableware, and meat thermometers.

Boyle said to use separate cutting boards for meat and produce, or thoroughly wash the cutting board after each use with soap and hot water. This prevents uncooked meat juices from contaminating fresh, uncooked produce.

Between checking temperatures of meat using a meat thermometer, make sure if the product hasn’t reached necessary doneness to wash the stem off in hot soapy water and rinse it before checking the temperature of the meat again, she said.

2. Cook meat to appropriate temperatures.

For many, marinating meat comes before grilling. Boyle said to make sure to marinate at refrigeration temperatures.

“We want to keep foods out of the danger zone which is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit,” she said. “Foods can’t be in that temperature range for more than two hours. Otherwise, we have concerns not only with spoilage but also with potential growth of microorganisms that cause foodborne illness.”

To make sure that the food you are serving is safe after grilling, use a meat thermometer, Boyle said. Most retail stores offer inexpensive meat thermometers and many different versions to fit your preference.

“For a hamburger patty, I would insert (the thermometer) about an inch into the patty so I get my tip to the center,” she said. “Don’t take (the temperature) from the top down but from the side.”

For ground beef, lamb or pork, cook that product to an internal temperature of 160 F. Whole cuts such as steaks and chops should be cooked to at least 145 F. All poultry products need to reach at least 165 F.

“We can’t rely on color,” Boyle said. “Different factors play into meat color, and those can lead to a condition called persistent pink, where even though the product has reached 160 degrees (F), the meat is still pink in the middle. There’s also a condition called premature browning, where the meat can turn brown at 140 degrees, not be safe but look like it’s done.”

3. Wash produce, not meat.

When you’re working with produce, make sure you wash it before eating, Boyle said. This prevents potential microorganisms on the surface of produce from making people sick.

Make sure to scrub melons such as cantaloupes and watermelons with a vegetable brush. Wash your leafy lettuce, head lettuce, and other fruits and vegetables under running water. Then, dry off produce before putting it on a clean cutting board and cutting it.

Some consumers think they need to wash their meat before they grill it or before they get it ready for marinating, Boyle said, but unlike fresh produce, you do not need to wash meat products.

“Our modern harvesting practices have washing procedures inherently associated with them, so when you buy your meat at the grocery store, there’s no need for you to wash it,” Boyle said. “Even if you did wash it, what could result is a lot of cross-contamination in your sink area and on your counters from the splatters or the drops that aspirate from hitting the meat surface.”

4. Store leftovers properly.

Usually, barbecues with family and friends mean everyone is having fun and doing activities together, Boyle said, but make sure the meal and any leftovers don’t sit out longer than two hours. Make sure to package up leftovers, and put them in the refrigerator or cooler with ice or ice packs to keep them out of that temperature danger zone.

More information about food safety for grilling can be found at the Southwind Extension offices or by contacting Kathy at [email protected] or by phone at 620-365-2242.

Kathy S. McEwan,Family, and Consumer Sciences Agent Foods & Nutrition, SNAP-Ed Coordinator, Southwind Extension District – Iola Office, P.O. Box 845, Iola KS 66749, 620-365-224, [email protected]

Time to get ready for canning season

Fresh pickles, ripe tomatoes, and other garden goodies may still be months away, but if you plan on canning those foods, now’s a good time to check on your supplies.

And if that includes buying a new canner, Kansas State University food safety specialist Karen Blakeslee says there is a lot to think about before selecting a canner.

“The first thing to think about is what kind of cooktop do you have on your stove,” said Blakeslee, who is also the director of the university’s Rapid Response Center. “The cooktop is going to dictate what type of canner you’re going to get.”

She said most canners will work on a gas stove or a coil-type stove. But the newer, smooth top stoves could create some problems with some canners.

“Some of the smooth top stoves have automatic shutoffs on them if they get too hot,” which could mean the food is not properly heated and thus preserved, according to Blakeslee.

“The other thing to think about is the weight that you’re putting on that stove top. Canners are heavy, and when you add water and full jars of food, that increases weight, and you could end up cracking your stovetop because of the weight and the heat.”

She recommends following the stove manufacturer’s recommendations for using canners on a smooth stovetop.

“There are some canners that I would not recommend using on a smooth top surface,” Blakeslee said. “One example is a water bath canner like the old Granite-Ware, which are speckled blue or black enamel canners. Many people have them and they work great, but the problem with those is they have the bumpy bottoms. On a smooth cooktop surface, you do not get maximum heat contact from the burner into the canner, so it takes forever to heat up water.”

Blakeslee, who teaches classes on canning through K-State Research and Extension offices in the state, suggests a stainless steel water bath canner sold by the Ball company that has a flat bottom. Presto is another company that says its product can be used on a smooth top, but Blakeslee says “make sure that your burner is as large as possible.”

She adds that the bottom of the canner should not extend beyond the burner more than one inch to get maximum heat transfer from the burner into the canner.

Canners sold by All American and Mirro warn consumers not to use them on a smooth cooktop.

“An alternative to using your stove top for water bath canners is an electric water bath canner sold by the Ball company,” Blakeslee said. “This is a stand-alone canner; it has its own heater/burner system and is separate from your stove, so you don’t have to worry about what kind of canner to use on top of your stove.

“This is a good investment if you do a lot of water bath canning. It can also be used for general cooking such as making soup or stew.”

Blakeslee has some other timely tips leading up to canning season:

Use a canner that is recommended for the type of food you want to can. “If you’re canning plain vegetables, like green beans, you have to use a pressure canner because green beans are low acid foods,” she said. “Plain vegetables like green beans, carrots, corn, even meat…those types of foods must be pressure canned.”

She added that you can use a water bath canner for such foods as fruits, jams, jellies, and pickles.

“A pressure canner can be used like a water bath canner. Just leave the weight off so the pressure is not applied,” Blakeslee said.

Have your dial gauge tested.  Southwind Extension offers this service for free. Gauge brands that can be tested include Presto, National, Magic Seal and Maid of Honor dial gauge pressure canners.

“Check dial gauges every year so you know how accurate the gauge is reading,” she said.

Check your canning supplies. The food safety specialist says you should check to make sure jars are not scratched or chipped and that the rims of jars are not damaged. A damaged jar could crack inside a canner, “and that’s not good,” she said.

Other supplies you may need to have in stock include pectin for jams and jellies; lemon juice or citric acid for tomatoes; and other supplies that vary based on the type of food you plan to can.

“We want you to be smart and safe when it comes to home canning,” Blakeslee said. “It’s a great way to preserve produce you grow or buy from a farmer’s market. Be smart about how you’re canning food. While there are some things that haven’t changed over the years, there are some procedures and methods that have changed, so make sure you’re up to date on what you’re doing when it comes to home canning.”

As part of our Grow, It Prepare It series, I will be offering preservation classes in Iola beginning May 9 with Preservation 101.  This class is a pre-requisite for the other “hands-on” classes to follow.  For more information or to register for the Preservation 101 class, call Kathy at 620-365-2242.  Class details are available on the Southwind District website at www.southwind.kus.edu.

Spring Safety Around the Farm
Submitted by: Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District Director & Agent
For Release: week of April 9, 2018

Preparing for spring does is not limited to preparing the soil and crops on those warm spring days. This is also the perfect time for farmers, ranchers and homeowners alike to take the steps necessary to prevent injuries in order to have a truly productive season. Placing emphasis on agriculture safety recognizes the rich tradition of our farming and ranching culture in producing the safest and most abundant food in the world, and the involvement of all members of the farm family in age appropriate tasks.

One good way to manage safety on the farm is to establish a checklist. The Farm Safety 4 Just Kids program offers the following safety checklist suggestions:

* Are the keys removed from idle equipment?
* Are riders NOT allowed on tractors, farm machinery and lawn mowers?
* Are slow moving vehicle (SMV) emblems in place and still reflective?
* Are power take off (PTO) shields in place on tractors and machinery?
* Are other safety shields and guards in place on machinery and lawn equipment?
* Are warning and danger decals prominently displayed on all equipment, including grain handling equipment?

Children being carried along as extra riders on farm and lawn care equipment continues to be a concern among safety professionals.
It is difficult, if not impossible, to pay full attention to operating the machine when you have a youngster in your lap or riding on the fender. More than 100 children are killed on U.S. farms each year. Many of these deaths are from accidentally falling off the operator’s station of a tractor or farm implement and being run over by the tractor or trailed equipment.

When there is only one seat, the rule of thumb is for the operator and no one else to occupy the seat. For safety sake, never allow extra riders. This rule applies to farm as well as lawn and garden tractors.

For more information on farm safety, visit www.ksre.ksu.edu

Earlier this year, I highlighted the All-America Selections (AAS) vegetables for 2018. There is also a listing of new flowers that have been chosen. These plants have proven themselves to do well in trials across North America. The AAS winner label is like a stamp of approval.

The flower descriptions were taken from All-America Selections material.

Canna, South Pacific Orange F1 – This newest AAS Winner is compact in habit and well suited for both landscape and container use. This variety is more vigorous, more uniform, and has more basal branching than comparison cannas. It offers an outstanding bloom color in an attractive, vivid bright orange that contrasts nicely with the bright green foliage. Pollinator gardens will love this addition of an attractive canna that sports uniformly colored flowers over a long blooming period.

Cuphea, FloriGlory Diana – Cuphea, commonly known as Mexican Heather, is an ideal plant for borders, mass plantings and containers. FloriGlory Diana was highly praised by the AAS judges for its larger flowers, the impressive number of flowers and the darker, more intensely colored magenta flowers. The dark green foliage complement the flowers and really makes a statement for this new AAS winner. Gardeners will be delighted with the compact (10-12 inch) size, longer flowering time, heat and weather tolerance.

Gypsophila, Gypsy White Imported – Semi-double blossoms on this new, improved variety of gypsophila will make your garden sparkle! Not only are the flowers semi-double, but are also a bit larger in size and produce more flowers per plant, resulting in a fluffy white mound of beauty. Gypsy White Improved has better branching and a better growth habit than its predecessor, making it perfect for containers, small spaces and garden beds. A much longer bloom season and better heat tolerance than Gypsy Comact White will make this your new garden favorite.

Marigold, Super Hero Spry – Super Hero Spry is a lovely compact (10-12 inches) French marigold with dark maroon lower petals and golden yellow upper petals perched on top of the dark green foliage. The list of winning attributes continues: a more uniform and stable color pattern, earlier to bloom and no deadheading required.

Ornamental Pepper, Onyx Red – Onyx Red is one of those stunning double-take plants that steal the show! This is an unprecedented compact, well-branched ornamental pepper adorned with eye-catching dark black foliage. The contrast between the diminutive black foliage and tons of shiny red fruits is striking and makes a bold statement in the garden. Plants are vigorous, continually growing but retain their neat, compact habit, making Onyx Red a wonderful plant for beds, borders, containers and dramatic mass plantings.

Zinnia, Queeny Lime Orange – A “wow” color in an easy-to-grow zinnia is what Queeny Lime Orange brings to the garden. Sporting lovely, large, dahlia-like blooms on a sturdy, compact plant, this variety provides cut flower gardeners and growers with a wonderful hue for today’s floral trends. The unique color evolves from dark coral/peach/orange to light peach with a dark center as the flower ages. Each uniform plant produces prolific deeply fluted blooms that last about three weeks without preservatives or feed.

For a complete description of the 2018 All America Selections, visit www.all-americaselections.org.

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

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