Jan. 30, 2009
AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Get an early start on spring gardening
FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCE
Show your support for women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day
4-H YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Deadline for the 4-H Shooting Sports Camp approaches
Get an early start on spring gardening
Source: Rick Durham, extension consumer horticulture specialist
You don’t need to wait for warm weather to start your vegetable garden. Several types of vegetables can be started as early as March. Radishes, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, onions and many more vegetables are all quite frost tolerant, and you can seed or transplant them in the garden from mid March to early April.
If you want to get an even earlier start, you could try covering an area with clear plastic film to create a mini greenhouse where plants will thrive. To try this season-extending technique first work up the soil for your plot and stretch some black plastic over the area for a couple of weeks. This will help warm the soil and give seeds and transplants an added boost.
After a few weeks under black plastic, the soil will have warmed a few degrees, and you can prepare the bed for planting and transplanting. Once planted, you should install a wooden or metal frame over the bed and cover it with clear polyethylene film. Anchor the film at the base with boards, bricks or soil, but remember that occasionally you will have to remove the poly to tend to the plants and to harvest the crop.
For this reason, it’s best if you don’t permanently attach the plastic to the frame. It will also be necessary to open sections of the covering for ventilation on warm sunny days. You can easily accomplish this by designing the ends of the covering so you can easily open or remove them during warm weather.
For more information on early spring gardening techniques or other gardening topics, contact the (COUNTY NAME) Cooperative Extension Service.
Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.
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Show your support for women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day
Source: Debbie Murray, associate director of Health Education through Extension Leadership
Heart disease is the No.1 killer of women in the United States. Each year, about 267,000 women die from heart attacks or other heart-related diseases. This year you can show your support for women’s heart disease prevention by participating in National Wear Red Day Feb. 6.
Heart disease and heart attacks in women are commonly overlooked. Many women report early warning signs of an impending heart attack as early as a month before the attack occurs. Understanding the early warning signs of a heart attack will help decrease your chance of death. Some symptoms of heart attacks are:
· Unexplained severe fatigue or trouble sleeping, especially for an extended period of time
· Persistent indigestion like pain in the chest
· Pain that is worse with activity but decreases with rest
· Pain along with sweating, nausea, vomiting or shortness of breath
· Pain or dull ache under arms, jaw area, neck or back.
If you suffer from any of these symptoms, go to the nearest hospital emergency room immediately. If you are alone, call 911.
Everyone can help support heart disease prevention in women by wearing red. It is a simple, powerful way to help raise awareness about heart disease and stroke in women. By wearing red or making a donation to the American Heart Association, you’ll help support ongoing research and education about women and heart disease.
Remember to show your support for the fight against heart disease in women Feb.6 by wearing red. For more information about heart disease in women or other related topics, contact your (COUNTY NAME) Cooperative Extension Service.
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Deadline for the 4-H Shooting Sports Camp approaches
Source: Tony Rose, Adair County 4-H youth development agent
Over the past 20 years, Kentucky 4-H youth development agents and volunteers have helped thousands of youths learn responsibility, life skills and the safe use of firearms through the Shooting Sports Education Program. Opportunities abound for young people to get involved with this program. Once such opportunity is the statewide camp opened to young people ages 9 through 13. This year’s camp is April 8 through 11 at Lake Cumberland 4-H Camp.
Responsible, safe use of firearms is the No. 1 priority not only of the program, but of the camp. Campers will learn proper firearms safety and techniques in each of the program’s six disciplines from a certified instructor. Disciplines include rifle, trap, archery, black powder, hunter challenge and pistol. Other camp activities include night hikes, heritage foods, animal tracts, survival skills, nature events, campfires, crafts and wild animals. There will also be an opportunity for youths who do not have their “Orange” Hunter Safety Card to earn it.
Safety is of the utmost importance at the camp. Classes are small so each young person receives proper instruction. To ensure everyone has a safe, fun time, adult volunteers will accompany campers throughout the camp. Each county is required to have one adult in attendance for every five young people who attend. These adults must stay on the campground, sleep in the cabins and attend class rotation with 4-H members from their county.
The camp will provide all ammunition, guns and archery equipment; 4-H’ers should not bring their own. However, they should bring ear and eye protection, a sleeping bag, blankets, personal items, toiletries, rain gear and warm casual clothes.
Camps slots are limited to the first 120 4-H’ers who apply. The deadline is March 1. A waiting list will be formed if the limit is reached. Registration costs may vary within each county so for more information on the camp or for registration information, contact your county’s 4-H youth development agent.
Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.
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