Alabama Cooperative Extension System

Alabama Cooperative
Extension System
ClayCountyNewsletter
Jan./Feb. 2015
Vol. 5, Issue 1
Insidethisissue:
AL Fruit & Veg Growers 2 Leaving Money on Table? 3 Lichens 4 Turf‐grass Management 5 Christmas Tree Recycling 6 Stored Grain Workshop 7 Farmers Market Authority 8 NEP News 9 Cold Weather Prep 10‐11 Weight‐Loss Fraud 12‐13 Garden Buzz 14‐15 4‐H Corner 16‐17 All Bugs Webinars 18‐19 Published by the Alabama Coopera ve Extension system (Alabama A&M University and
Auburn University), an equal opportunity educator and employer.
Well, the new year has begun, whether you were
ready or not! So what is on your horizon for 2015?
Have you set any goals for the new year?
A few things to keep in mind as you are gearing up
for those goals:
1.
Priori ze—what is most important to accomplish?
2.
A ainable—is it something that CAN be done in
your desired me frame?
3.
Posi ve—will it make a posi ve improvement
to your life?
Keep these in mind and remember to take small
steps and you will reach your 2015 goals!
Clay County Newsle er
Vol. 5, Issue 1
Page 2
The Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Conference will be held in Lee County on February 6th and 7th, 2015. The two day event will take place at the Marrio in Opelika. The
registra on form, agenda, and hotel informa on for this mee ng can be found on the Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ web site or by visi ng your local Extension office. This
event is a great mee ng and will be very informa ve to the commercial grower. Some of
the topics to be discussed at this mee ng include vegetable produc on, fruit produc on,
cover crops, commercial greenhouse crops, organic farming, insect pest management,
weed control, irriga on, food safety, and specialty crops. Other workshops available include vegetable gra ing and transplant produc on, fruit tree gra ing and propaga on,
farm marke ng, pollina on and honey produc on, and high tunnel crop produc on.
Contact the Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Associa on, your local Extension office,
or Extension Agent Chip East (256-846-0314) for more informa on.
Clay County Newsle er
Page 3
Vol. 4, Issue 6
#2 or be er/lb‐
Are we leaving money
on the table?
Jack Tatum
Regional Extension Agent
Animal Science & Forages
[email protected]
Everybody is excited about the price of ca le and so am I. The ques on I get most is how
long will these prices last. I wish I knew.
However, with theses good prices, I wonder if we are leaving money on the table. Take a
look at this chart:
Can we come up with truckload lots? No doubt we have too many ca le in our area not to
do so. Can a small producer with 50 or less cows get into a truckload lot-yes sir- we need
them. Will I have to change my current ca le marketer-no sir-this will help them do a be er
job for you and put more money in your pocket.
Call if you have ques ons.
Clay County Coopera ve Extension
For all the latest Extension happenings
and program announcements!
Clay County Newsle er
Page 4
Vol. 4, Issue 6
Lichens
Dr. William “Chip” East
Regional Extension Agent
Commercial Hor culture
[email protected]
We get a lot of calls at the Extension office on a wide variety of topics. One thing I get asked about a lot is lichens.
Lichens are the mossy or scale type of growth on the
branches of trees and shrubs. The lichens are the result
of a fungus and an algae living together. The algae uses
photosynthesis to produce food, and the fungus supplies
water and minerals.
It will actually grow on other things such as rocks, mail
boxes, soil, etc. We get asked a lot about lichens killing
plants. A client will no ce the lichens on dead or slow
growing branches and assume the lichens are the problem. Actually, lichens do not kill a plant or cause plants
not to grow, but lichens do grow on things that do not
grow. Basically, the plant is not growing for some reason, and then the lichens begin to grow.
The plant stops growing for some reason, then the lichens grow on the branches. The key to controlling the
lichens is a healthy, ac vely growing plant. The first
thing we need to find out is why the plant is not growing. There may be more than one reason for this.
Things you need to look at include pH, fer lizer, weed
control, mulching, irriga on, compacted soil, and pruning correctly. Take a look at your plants with lichens.
Ask yourself if there is anything you can do to remove any stresses that are causing the
plants not to grow. If possible, try to correct these problems, and as the plant begins to
grow the lichens should go away. If you would like to read more about lichens visit our
web page at www.aces.edu and type lichens in the search box, or visit the Extension
office and ask for our publica on tled “Lichens on Woody Shrubs and Trees.”
Want to get our newsle er electronically?
Send an email to [email protected]
with Newsle er in the subject line!
We will add you to our email list!
Clay County Newsle er
Vol. 4, Issue 6
Page 5
Clay County Newsle er
Page 6
Vol. 4, Issue 6
Tips on What to do With
That Live Christmas Tree
A er the Holidays
Kelvin Lee Perkins
Regional Extension Agent
Aquaculture & Rec. Pond Mgmt.
Forestry, Wildlife & Natural Resource Mgt.
You bought a fresh cut tree and decorated it for the holiday season. But once the holidays are over and it’s me
to take down the tree and the decora ons, what do you
do with it? There are several environmentally friendly
ways to dispose of the tree. Here are some ps:
Make a bird feeder: A Christmas tree makes great shelter
for birds in your backyard and offers a place for them to
rest and feed. Remove all decora ons and hooks from
the tree and secure it in the ground or to a post. Make
edible ornaments from pine cones spread in peanut
bu er and rolled in bird seed or strings of popcorn. Be
sure to have a nearby water source available for the
birds, as well. Usually, the tree will turn brown as soon as the weather begins to warm in
the spring, and the branches will become bri le. Break the tree apart and recycle using
one the following methods.
Make mulch or compost: The branches of a Christmas tree can be chipped or shredded and used as
mulch in the yard to retain moisture under trees
and plants or placed in the compost pile.
Use it for covering perennials:
Branches from the tree can be used
to cover plants to help protect them
from the cold and wind.
Clay County Newsle er
Vol. 4, Issue 6
Want to get our newsle er electronically?
Send an email to [email protected]
with Newsle er in the subject line!
We will add you to our email list!
Page 7
Clay County Newsle er
Vol. 4, Issue 6
Page 8
Clay County Newsle er
Page 9
Vol. 4, Issue 6
Meaghan Robertson
Nutri on Educa on Program
Clay/Talladega Coun es
256-354-5976
Healthy Eating Habits Start at Home
Obesity is a national issue that continues to affect millions of Americans, specifically children
and adolescents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood
obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30
years.
To address this issue, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recently
mandated higher nutrition standards for schools, requiring healthier lunches. However, this
mandate alone will not solve the childhood obesity epidemic that is occurring in our nation.
Building Healthy Ea ng Habits
While healthier meals at school aid children’s diet and nutrition, these healthy eating habits
need to be reinforced in the home. Here are some of the ways families can prevent obesity
and instill healthy eating habits in their children:
Be a role model – “Modeling healthy eating and exercise is the best thing a parent can do –
the kids are always watching,” said Donna Shanklin, a regional agent in human nutrition, diet
and heath with theAlabama Cooperative Extension System. By showing your children that
you enjoy eating healthy foods and exercising, you set an example for how they should act –
at home and at school.
Involve your children – Children are more likely to eat or try foods that they have helped
make. By inviting your child to help you do the grocery shopping and prepare meals you
have the opportunity to teach your child about nutrition while giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
Eat meals together – Eating meals as a family promotes healthy eating for children. Sharing family meals give parents a chance to introduce children to new foods and to be role
models for healthy eating.
Plan for snack time – Snacks that are planned at specific times throughout the day can be
an influential part of a healthy diet. Plan snacks that will help keep children’s energy up without spoiling their appetite at mealtime. For nutritious prepackaged snacks, follow Alabama
Department of Public Health‘s (ADPH) 10-10-5 rule:

10 percent or less of the Daily Value (DV) of total fat

10 percent or less of the Daily Value (DV) of total carbohydrates

5 percent or more of the Daily Value (DV) of at least one: fiber, vitamin A, vitamin
C, calcium or iron
Guide your family’s food choices – Having a wide variety of healthy foods available in
your home will give your child the option to choose what they want to eat, while staying nutritious.
Clay County Newsle er
Vol. 4, Issue 6
Page 10
How to Prepare for Severe Cold Weather Conditions
Winter has come early in some parts of the country. In mid November temperatures dropped into the 20’s with wind chills in the teens, while in the North, records amount of snow, wind and below-freezing temperatures caused chaos. Usually severe cold and heavy snowfalls don’t occur until mid-winter (January or February). In
the northern parts of the United States, roads have
been shut down, some people have been stranded in cars
for up to 30 hours due to dangerous driving conditions,
and 12 people have died because of the severe weather.
With conditions this severe, the danger of getting caught
unprepared becomes more likely.
People living in the South are typically not as well prepared for severe cold weather conditions. When ice storms hit the Southeast in January and February of 2014, the Southeast
was unprepared. Cities were shut down, schools and universities closed and many roads
were blocked off or shut down because they were considered too dangerous to drive on.
In the hopes of helping people become more prepared, Virginia Morgan-White, administrator for outreach programs with the Alabama Cooperative Extension Systems, has compiled
some helpful tips for surviving any severe cold weather conditions that the upcoming
months may hold.
Morgan-White’s first tip is that people should always have a way to contact family, friends
and loved ones. No matter if the cold weather affects you when you’re at home, in your car,
at work or at school, being able to tell those close to you that you are safe is important.
“You should always have a plan for how you might contact members of your family and a
plan for what they could do in the event that you are separated,” Morgan-White said. “You
should have a disaster plan in place.”
Once you have your disaster plan in place, Morgan-White advises that you begin thinking
about preparing emergency kits if you haven’t already. According to Morgan-White, you
should prepare emergency kits for your home and your car. That way, no matter where you
are when the crisis happens, you will be prepared.
Morgan-White, the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) advise that a few key items be added to your emergency kit. These items include:
water, non-perishable and easy to prepare foods, a flashlight, a first aid kit, a blanket and
even a change of clothes.
If you have already prepared an emergency kit, Morgan-White advises that you check to
make sure that none of your foods have expired and that your change of clothes is weather
appropriate.
After you have prepared your emergency kit or checked to make sure that your supplies
are up to date, you should consider making a plan for if you are unable to make it home
because you get stuck on the roads.
According to Morgan-White, you should stay up to date on changes in the weather as well.
Staying up to date is made easy by being able to download weather apps on your
smartphone, such as those provided by The Weather Channel. Some apps even let you set
alerts for locations nearest you, something that Morgan-White advises that you do once
you download the app. If you do not own a smartphone, you may want to consider adding a
radio and some batteries to your emergency kit so you can listen to weather reports.
Con nued on Next Page West
Clay County Newsle er
Vol. 4, Issue 6
Page 11
Con nued from Previous Page gent
Morgan-White also advises that you make sure that you have a plan set in place for if you are
a on on the road and the weather begins to get nasty.
“You should know in advance where alternate routes are,” Morgan-White said. “If you have to
drive a long way, you might want to consider keeping an eye out for a potential place to stay,
if you need to stop at an exit along the way.”
Of course, if you are on the road when nasty weather hits, you should always drive carefully
and defensively. In addition, keeping an eye out for reckless drivers is always a good idea
because there will be fewer accidents if more drivers are aware and driving carefully.
If you keep these tips in mind during the upcoming months, you should be fully prepared in
the case of a cold weather crisis. But remember; if you are truly in trouble do not hesitate to
call emergency services to get assistance as soon as possible.
1.
Make sure your home is properly insulated. A properly insulated home helps to reduce
heating and cooling costs.
2.
Caulk and weather-strip doors and windowsills to keep cold air out and your heat in.
According to White, about one-third of the air leaks in a home occur through gaps in ceilings,
walls and floors.
3.
Protect your pipes: Water pipes can freeze and break which can cost a fortune to fix.
When the outside temperature reaches 20 degrees or below, your pipes are at risk for
breaking. The most vulnerable pipes are outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines,
water sprinkler lines, water pipes in basements, crawl spaces, attics, and garages, and water pipes that run against the exterior wall. The best way to protect your pipes is to remove
and drain outdoor hoses and store them indoors. Close inside valves supplying outdoor
hose bibs if possible. Cover hose bibs with insulated covers. Check around the home for
water supply lines: basement, crawl space, attic, garage and under kitchen and bathroom
cabinets. Hot water lines can freeze if the water is not running through the pipe and the water temperature in the pipe is cold. Insulate all exposed outdoor and attic pipes with weatherresistant material. Insulating-foam tubing designed for pipes is easy to install and inexpensive. Make sure all surfaces of the pipe are covered.
4.
Maintain your heating system. Get your heating equipment serviced annually by a reputable heating specialist. Check the furnace filters every two months during the winter
months. Clean or replace the filters as needed. Clean the fan blades annually and keep the
area around the furnace housing free of dust, lint and litter.
5.
Fireplace maintenance. If you have a fireplace or a wood or coal-burning stove, be sure
each is installed according to local codes. Have your chimneys and wood stoves inspected
annually for creosote buildup. Creosote is flammable and needs to be professionally removed periodically.
6.
Safety first. Check that your fire extinguisher is in good working order and replace it if
necessary. Test and maintain smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms. Space heaters
should be at least three feet away from blankets, clothing, curtains, furniture and anything
that could catch fire.
7.
In case of an ice storm: Never use generators, grills, or camp stoves inside your home,
basement, garage or camper, or even outside near an open window. Use the proper fuel for
the heating appliance. Cross-ventilate a room if you are using a catalytic or unvented heater
by opening a window an inch on each side of the room.
Clay County Newsle er
Weight-Loss Fraud
Abundant In
The Marketplace
Page 12
Vol. 4, Issue 6
Sharon Allen Haynes
Regional Extension Agent
Human Nutri on, Diet & Health
[email protected]
Check out this great article from our Extension Daily website!
Weight-loss fraud is flooding the marketplace. Fraudulent weight-loss claims can be
found in almost every communications medium — television, radio, print, mail and the
Internet.
Modern con artists annually cheat Americans out of an estimated $10-$40 billion in
weight-loss fraud alone. They target and exploit vulnerable children, teens, and low
income consumers desperate to find a solution to their weight problems. It causes
numerous injuries and deaths annually and fosters fear and distrust among those
who truly need help.
Unfortunately, there’s a lot of complacency about weight- loss fraud. Regulatory
agencies site budget restraints and more pressing problems as reasons for not being
more concerned about this type of fraud. And, according to the Healthy Weight Journal, many consumers don’t complain because they don’t feel it will do any good and
only draws more attention to their weight problem and failures.
Weight-loss fraud is harmful.
It increases health risks, financial
costs, emotional risks, promotes paranoia and interferes with responsible
programs.
“Misplaced belief in weight-loss
quackery and fad diets not only cost
consumers money, it batters their self
esteem and can be psychologically
damaging,” said Helen HerndonJones, a regional nutrition agent with
the Alabama Cooperative Extension
System. “Repeated attempts to lose
weight, followed by the inevitable
regain, bring shame and a sense of
failure and powerlessness to the customer.”
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Vol. 4, Issue 6
Page 13
Con nued from Previous Page Iden fying fraudulent weight-loss products or programs.
Most fall into one or more of the following categories:
 Claim or imply a large, fast weight loss, often promised as easy, effortless, guaranteed
or permanent.

Imply weight can be lost without restricting calories or exercising and discounts the
benefits of exercise.

Use typical quackery terms such as miraculous, breakthrough, exclusive, secret, ancient, from the Orient, accidental discovery or doctor developed.

Claim to get rid of cellulite. Rely heavily on undocumented case histories, before and
after photos and testimonials by satisfied customers. Most of these are paid for
their testimony by the promoter. And, if you notice the “before” pictures show full body
and the “after” pictures are usually from the waist or chest up.

Misuse medical or technical terms, refer to studies without giving complete references,
claim government approval.

Profess to be a treatment for a wide range of ailments and nutritional deficiencies as
well as weight loss.

Make claims that ingredients will surround calories, starch, carbohydrate or fat and remove them from the body.

Fail to state risks or recommend a medical exam.

Promote aids and gadgets such as body wraps, sauna belts, electronic stimulators,
passive motion tables, aromatherapy, appetite patches, earrings, accupressure devices or
acupuncture.

Sold by self-proclaimed health advisors often door to door, in health food stores or chiropractor offices.

Use high-pressure sale tactics, one-time only deals or recruitment for a pyramid sales
organization.

Demand large advance payments or long-term contracts. Payment should be pay-asyou-go, or refundable.

Distribute through hard-sell mail order advertisements, infomercials or ads which list an
800 number without an address.
What should you do if you’ve been scammed?
The first place to go is the consumer protection department of your state attorney
general’s office. To make a stronger impact, repeat your complaints to federal agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission, Postal Inspector; U.S. Food and Drug
Administration Consumer Affairs and Information, FDA MedWatch or Consumer
Product Safety Commission.
Clay County Newsle er
Garden
Buzz
Page 14
Vol. 4, Issue 6
Dani Carroll
Regional Extension Agent
Home Grounds,
Gardens & Home Pests
Check out this great ar cle wri en by Bethany A. O’Rear of the Alabama
Coopera ve Extension System, C. Beaty Hanna Hor culture & Environmental Center about Gardening Journals.
Q. I have been gardening since I was a li le girl. Working alongside my grandmother and watching her work her gardening magic are some of my fondest memories. I would love to be able to share what I have learned over the years, as well. Do you have any sugges‐
ons on how to document these experiences? I would love to create something that I could use and enjoy now as well as pass down to my children and grandchildren. A. Actually, I do - sounds like a garden journal is exactly what you are looking for! There
are many reasons to keep a garden journal. First, if consistently maintained, it is a great
tool for planning next year’s garden. Garden journals are
great records of type of plant, ming of plan ng, and plant
loca on. It’s easier to take notes during the current garden
season than trying to remember important details 6
months down the road. They are also helpful in comparing
results from year to year – what worked, what didn’t, and
why. Garden journals assist in keeping track of disease or
insect problems so preventa ve ac on can be taken in
future seasons.
When it comes to garden journal types, the sky is the limit.
Op ons range
from formal,
bound journals with ar sc influence to three-ring binders or notebooks. Addi onally, several garden journal
so ware packets are available online as well
as various journal templates to help with
organiza on.
Con nued on Next Page Clay County Newsle er
Vol. 4, Issue 6
Page 15
Garden
Buzz
Con nued from Previous Page What should you include? Anything you would like - a er all, it is your journal. However, I
will list some noteworthy ideas.
Garden layout - include bed designs, variety names and plan ng dates.
Dates of importance – weeding, fer lizing, germina on, blooming, and harvest.
Weather informa on – make note of frost dates, droughts, and rainfall amounts.
Pest outbreaks – record weather condi ons surrounding outbreak, what control
methods you used, and the type(s) of plants affected.
Details such as irriga on methods, types and amounts of mulch, materials used for
trellising or plant support.
Clippings of interes ng ar cles from newspapers or magazines.
Photographs of your garden and of gardens that you would like to pa ern yours a er.
Photographs are a great way to visually document your love of gardening.
What you like, what’s not working, and what needs to be relocated.
Now that you have decided what to include, how
should you organize the informa on? There are a
few op ons. One way is to group informa on by
plan ng bed. Another op on is assembling content
rela ve to plant type – perennials, annuals, trees,
shrubs, herbs, etc. Recording ideas and informa on
by day, week, month or season is a third, and most
commonly used, organiza on method for garden
journals.
Developing a journal should be fun. It will allow you
to be crea ve while providing a permanent garden record. A garden journal is a great resource not only to you but also to future gardeners in your family. With all of its pictures,
personal notes and memories, this journal can become a child or grandchild’s treasured
family heirloom.
I have only hit the high points. There is a vast amount of informa on available on this
topic. Do a li le research and find the method that works best for you. Happy Gardening!
Garden Talk is written by Bethany A. O’Rear of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, C. Beaty
Hanna Horticulture & Environmental Center, which is based at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
This column includes research-based information from land-grant universities around the country,
including Alabama A&M University and Auburn University. Email questions to Bethany at [email protected] or call 205 879-6964 x15. Learn more about what is going on in Jefferson County by visiting the ACES website, www.aces.edu/Jefferson. Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/
alabamacooperativeextensionsystem and follow us on Twitter @acesedu
Clay County Newsle er
4-H Corner
Page 16
Vol. 4, Issue 6
Kim Good
Regional Extension Agent
4-H and Youth Development
[email protected]
There are five Achievement Areas for Junior/Intermediate 4-H members ages 9 to
13 on January 1. Choose one of these areas to submit your records.





Animals (large or small)
Family and Consumer Science (foods, clothing, health, others)
Arts and Communication (public speaking, music, crafts, arts)
Science and Technology (electricity, wood science, aerospace)
Natural Resources and Environmental Science (fishing, soils)
Records will be submitted to Regional Extension Agents working with 4-H. Ask
your 4-H Club Leaders or county Extension staff
about the deadline date for entry.
Junior Achievement Awards Tip Sheet
Junior/Intermediate 4-H Records Form
Junior/Intermediate 4-H Records
Con nued on Next Page Clay County Newsle er
Con nued from Previous Page Vol. 4, Issue 6
Page 17
Clay County Newsle er
Vol. 4, Issue 6
Page 18
All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series
Resumes Feb. 6
The eXtension All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar series is set to resume Feb. 6, 2015.
Dr. Kathy Flanders, an entomologist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, says the 2015 series will continue to emphasize good and bad insects that affect people every day.
“This webinar series will feature insects that affect homeowners and gardeners,” says
Flanders. “These insects fall
into two categories and we
hope to provide information
that is beneficial when treating
your gardens or crops, pestproofing your home and yard,
and protecting your family and
pets. One webinar will venture
outside the insect world to discuss the small mammals that
share our backyards.”
Webinars will be held the first
Friday of each month at 2 p.m.
Eastern Daylight Time. The
first webinar in the 2015 series
will discuss how to use pesticides safely and effectively.
"Pesticide Strategy: the
Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," presented by Kaci Buhl,
Coordinator, National Pesticide
Information Center, will
be Friday, Feb. 6 at 2 p.m.
Charles Pinkston, a regional Extension home grounds agent, will be moderating the
Feb. 6 webinar. He says it is imperative to follow the directions when using pesticides.
“All too often people think that if a little is good, more is better,” Pinkston says. “Using
more pesticide than is directed is not only illegal, it can be dangerous and lead to
secondary pest outbreaks.”
Con nued on Next Page Clay County Newsle er
Vol. 4, Issue 6
Page 19
Con nued from Previous Page Upcoming webinar topics include fire ants, termites, beneficial garden helpers,
and insect-borne diseases affecting people.
Flanders says The All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar series is designed to provide
useful tips for those interested in solid, research-based information.
More information can be found at 2015 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series including how to connect to the webinars. On Feb. 6, participants can use this
link to connect to the webinar. Participants can login as a guest within 15 minutes of
the start of the webinar. Webinars will be archived and can be found on the 2015 All
Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series page.
The 2015 webinars are a continuation of the nine webinars in the 2014 All Bugs
Good and Bad Webinar Series, That series included webinars on pollinator health,
termites, spiders, ticks, mosquitoes, fire ants, kudzu bug and brown marmorated
stink bug. Links to view these archived webinars can be found here.
Upcoming Webinars in the First Friday of the Month 2014 Series

February 6, 2015 — Pesticide Strategy: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Presented by Kaci Buhl, Coordinator, National Pesticide Information Center
Moderated by Charles Pinkston and Danielle Carroll, Alabama Cooperative Extension System Regional Extension Agents

March 6, 2015 — Fire Ant Management Using Baits
Presented by Dr. Lawrence "Fudd" Graham
Moderated by Charles Pinkston and Bethany O'Rear, Alabama Cooperative Extension System Regional Extension Agents, and Vicky Bertagnolli-Heller, Clemson Cooperative Extension Consumer Horticulture Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator

April 3, 2015 —Common Termites of the Southern United States: Biology,
Behavior, and Management
Presented by Dr. Robert Puckett
Moderated by Mallory Kelley and Ellen Huckabay, Alabama Cooperative Extension
System Regional Extension Agents
Clay County Newsle er
Page 20
Vol. 4, Issue 6
Home Garden Ques ons?
Call the Master Gardener Helpline
Toll free 1‐877‐252‐GROW (4769)
(choose op on 2 for Clay Co.)
Open: Mon.—Thurs.
9:00 a.m.—3:30 p.m.
We’re on the Web!
Check Us Out At
www.aces.edu/Clay
Home Food Preservation
The only reference and recipe book of its kind published in Alabama. It is available at the
Clay County Extension office for just $10.00. The book includes information on canning,
freezing, drying, jams, jellies, pickles, relishes, and other combination foods. It is based
on the most recent USDA guidelines. For the beginner, Home Food Preservation is a
must, with its complete, step-by-step procedures. For the experienced, it provides quickreference charts with processing times. Pick up your copy today!
Pressure Canner Dial Gauge Tes ng Available
If you preserve by pressure canning, plan to have your pressure
canner lid tested yearly to determine if it is operating at the correct
pressure and temperature. The Clay County Extension office offers FREE testing for these type canner lids. Just call our office to
set-up an appointment at (256) 354-5976. During your visit, be
sure to ask for up-to-date food preservation instructions.
Free publications are available!
Auburn Cookbook
Since 1924. These time-tested recipes include a wealth of tips on meal planning, food
safety, and cooking techniques. Drawn from the wisdom and experience of Extension
educators for decades, the cookbook was updated in 1996 to include a nutritional analysis with each recipe. Nutritious, tasty meals with just the right amount of Alabama flavor! The perfect gift for the cook in your life! $10.00