Kathy’s Corner
585 N Main Ste. #5 • Cedar City, UT 84721
(435) 586-8132
May/Jun 2013
Just a quick note (♪):
LOOK WHAT’S COMING
So, I hope all the mothers out there felt Summer 4-H Day Camps- Dozens of
loved and appreciated over the
4-H project day camps will be
weekend—more than usual!
offered this summer for youth June
As women, many of us tend to focus on
who we are not and what qualities we
seem to lack. That is such a disservice
to our gender and the boundless love
and emotional connections we make
with family and loved ones along with
countless hours of service.
through August for youth 8-18 years
old.
Registration for all day
camps is through a new
online system called
Eventbrite. So, we will
not be accepting registrations “over
As you examine what unique gifts and the counter” for about 90% of all day
talents you have to contribute to others, camps. For a list of current offerings,
consider the wise words of Dr. Seuss:
see:
CHECK () IT OUT!
Slashing Expenses- Hot off
the press is a new USU
Extension bulletin that
contains guidelines to help
you slash your expenses
and save more. Topics
range from Boosting
Savings to Slashing
Grocery Expenses to
Slashing Utility and
Household Maintenance
Expenses. Cost is $1.00 for
22 pages of helpful
information.
Today you are you. That is truer than
http://ironcounty4-h.eventbrite.com
true. There is no one alive who is youer
than you.
Sincerely,
Pressure Gauge TestingTuesdays:
June 4 & 18
Kathy Riggs, USU Extension Professor, 10:00 a.m.- 12 Noon & 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Family and Consumer Sciences
July 9 & 16
10:00 a.m.- 12 Noon & 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Dial-type gauges will be tested free of
charge on these dates. All other days
there is a $1.00 per gauge fee.
If you have a weighted gauge, use the
15 lb. weight for all low acid foods.
Inside This Issue
Volunteering Together
Pg. 2
Shelf Life of Canned
Food Storage
Pg. 2
Ideas to Help Fresh-Cut
Flowers Last Longer
Pg. 3
Blueberry Power
Pg. 3
Increasing Water Bill
Pg. 4
MAKING SUMMERTIME MEANINGFUL
VOLUNTEERING TOGETHER
The following includes excerpts from the Hands On
Blog: http://handsonblog.org/2010/11/18/10-kidfriendly-service-projects/ .
Why involve the whole family?
Volunteering together as a family helps kids learn
that they can make a positive difference in the lives
of others – and that feels good. Family service also
cultivates empathy and helps children learn to
recognize their personal blessings. Volunteering
together fosters positive communication and
strengthens bonds.
Simple service activities:
- Box up their gently used
clothing to donate to your
local family shelter, refugee
center or charity thrift store.
- Donate their gently used books and DVDs to a
local children’s hospital.
- Collect used towels and pet toys for the local
animal shelter.
- Select a neighbor or family friend that could use
help planting and maintaining a flower bed over the
summer.
Making it a Habit
Volunteering as a family while kids are young
develops a positive service habit that sticks long into
adulthood. Use these four tips to help ensure your
kids understand the impact of their good deeds.
- Celebrate your service!
- If donating goods or money to a local charity,
deliver the items in person so they can better
internalize how they helped make a difference.
- Be sure to talk about your family’s service
experience. Discuss what you did, why you did it,
how it felt, and what you learned.
- Build on your kids’ enthusiasm and right then
choose your next service project.
SHELF LIFE OF CANNED FOOD
STORAGE
As a general rule, unopened home canned
foods have a shelf life of one year and should
be used before 2 years. This is for optimum
quality. After two years, color, texture, and
firmness decline quickly.—this is usually a
quality issue and not a food safety issue.
Commercially canned foods should retain
their best quality until the expiration code
date on the can. This date is usually 2-5 years
from the manufacture date.
High acid foods usually have a shorter shelf
life than low acid foods. For emergency
storage, commercially canned foods in metal
or jars will remain safe to consume as long as
the seal has not been broken. (That is not to
say the quality will be retained for that long).
Foods “canned” in metal-Mylar®-type
pouches will also have a best-if-used by date
on them. The longest shelf life tested of this
type of packaging has been 8-10 years
(personal communication U.S. Military
MRE’s). Therefore, storage for longer than 10
years is not recommended.
Source: Brian A. Nummer, Ph.D. USU
Food Safety Extension Specialist
ATTENTION HOME FOOD
PRESERVATION ENTHUSIASTS—
Please remember that home food
preservation is a science; not a
creative art! Once you begin the
process of preserving
foods at home, your
kitchen becomes a
laboratory.
READER’S DIGEST IDEAS FOR
HELPINGFRESH-CUT FLOWERS LAST LONGER
Aspirin-- It’s a tried-and-true way to keep roses and
other cut flowers fresh longer: Put a crushed aspirin in
the water before adding your flowers. Also, don’t forget
to change the vase water every few days.
Bleach-- Freshly cut flowers will stay fresh longer if
BLUEBERRY POWER
Did you know?
Blueberries are an antioxidant powerhouse!
Blueberries are loaded with vitamin C, an
antioxidant needed to stop free radicals from
promoting aging and disease.
you add 1/4 teaspoon bleach per quart (1 liter) of
vase water. Another popular recipe calls for 3
drops bleach and 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 quart (1
liter) water. This will also keep the water from
getting cloudy and inhibit the growth of bacteria.
They also contain vitamin E, another
powerful antioxidant that also helps us have
healthy skin and proper vision.
Coins-- Your posies and other cut flowers will stay
fresh longer if you add a copper penny and 1 tsp. of
sugar to the vase water. The copper in pennies is
thought to act like an acidifier, which prevents the
Did we mention fiber? One cup of blueberries
has 4 grams of fiber, which is almost 20% of
the fiber we need in a day!
growth of bacteria.
Hair Spray-- Just as it preserves your hairstyle, a
Tropical Blueberry Smoothie
spritz of hair spray can preserve your cut flowers and
1 cup frozen pineapple chunks or 1
can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple,
drained
help them look fresh, longer. Stand a foot away from
the bouquet and give them a quick spray, just on the
undersides of the leaves and petals.
1 large banana
Soda-- Don’t throw away those last drops of soda.
Pour about 1/4 cup into the water in a vase full of cut
1 cup frozen blueberries
flowers. The sugar in the soda will make the blossoms
1 cup milk
last longer. Note: If you have a clear vase and want the
-Up.
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Cover
and blend until thick and smooth. Serve
immediately.
Sugar & Vinegar-- Dissolve 3 tablespoons sugar and
Yield: 2 servings
water to remain clear, use a clear soda, like Sprite or 7
2 tablespoons white vinegar per quart (liter) of warm
water. When you fill the vase, make sure the cut stems
are covered by 3-4 inches (7-10 centimeters) of the prepared water. The sugar nourishes the plants, while the
vinegar inhibits bacterial growth.
Source: http://www.rd.com/home/decorating/8-ways-tomake-flowers-last-longer/
HINT: your smoothie will be more thick and
creamy if all of your fruit is frozen prior to
blending.
For more recipes, see:
https://extension.usu.edu/fsne/files/
uploads/2012%20Food%20Basics%20Lessons/
Fruits/F$FruitsBlueberryHandout.pdf
NON-PROFIT
US POSTAGE
PAID
USU EXTENSION SERVICE, IRON CO.
585 NORTH MAIN #5
CEDAR CITY, UT 84721
PERMIT 279
Change Service Requested
Other Contact Information
Phone: 435-586-8132
Fax: 435-586-3314
Check us out on the web:
http://extension.usu.edu/
INCREA$ING WATER BILL
Tips from Central Iron County Water Conservancy District and the USU Extension Service
By Candace Schaible
As temperatures warm and landscape water demands increase, homeowners may start to notice the
effect of Cedar City water rate increase that began in February. According to the Mayor’s January
Newsletter, the average residential customer could see an overall increase in their bill of about $11
per month if water usage stays the same. However, with a 12% decrease in usage, the monthly
increase would only be about $8 per month.
Keeping up with the costs related to operating and maintaining our water system and the cost of
future improvements are the driving forces behind the rate increase. The city also hopes the increase
will promote water conservation, thereby helping to preserve the water table in the valley aquifer,
which is currently being over pumped by about 4,000 acre-feet, or 1.3 billion gallons per year. The
majority of this water is being used outdoors, providing us an opportunity to conserve. Currently,
residents use about 1 million gallons per day in the winter, and about 13 million gallons per day in
the summer. That increase appears to come directly from outdoor water use.
Fortunately, water conservation doesn’t mean settling for a barren or lawn less
design. Simple adjustment to existing landscapes can improve water efficiency.
Around 50% of the water applied to the landscape is wasted, due to inefficient
practices, including: poor plant selection, overwatering, leaks, and inefficient
irrigation designs. Appropriate watering schedules, proper plant selection and
taking advantage of the latest irrigation technology all help save water.
For more water saving tips, a list of water conservation classes offered in Iron County, or to schedule
a FREE Water Check, visit: extension.usu.edu/ironmg or slowtheflow.org