Macon County Extension Newsletter
P. O. Box 830629/207 North Main Street
Tuskegee, AL 36083
www.aces.edu/Macon
334-727-0340
334-727-1984 (Fax)
Inside this Issue
Conquering Credit Reports
Wilbert Golden
CEC
1-2
Healthy Green Kitchen
Spring Eating Tips
Geraldine Mitchell
EFNEP Educator
Humid + Muggy =
Humidity
Ciji Griffin
Urban-REA II
The Dangers of
Hypertension
Dominquez Hurry
NEP Agent
Conquering Credit Reports
3
4
5
4th of July
Food Safety
Janet Johnson, REA
6
Everyone with
Diabetes Counts
Initiative-Free Class
Helen Jones, REA
7
Brown Patch
In your Lawn
Mallory Kelley
REA
8
2015 Workshop
Joshua Elmore, REAIII
9
New Tuskegee
University Employee
Millicent Paige Braxton
10
Scouting for
Potential Problems in
The Field
Chip East, REA
11
4-H Happening
4-H Agent
Daniel Sullen
1213
Importance of Cotton
Christy Hicks
Regional Ext. Agent
14
15
The mere words, credit report, often make people cringe and hide in their own pile of procrastination. It is no doubt that the report can be overwhelming without the ability to dissect what you are
looking at, but after reading this easy to understand breakdown, you will be able to conquer it in no
time.
First, it is important to understand what a credit report actually is. Heidi Tilenius, regional Alabama
Extension agent in consumer science and personal financial management, explained the credit report as being a file kept by credit consumer reporting agencies that has information about you and
your past credit usage. Because credit report agencies simply report what lenders report to them, it
is important to make sure that this information is correct.
According to a Consumer Reports study, 54 percent of credit reports were found to have identifying
information errors. If you find that this information is not correct, it could possibly be a sign that
someone is using your identity.
“I think that most people are intimidated by credit reports and credit in general. Do not be intimidated,” said Wilbert Golden, Extension coordinator for Macon County. “It’s your credit information, you
already know what it is, or should, and there are only four parts to the report no matter how confusing it looks or how many pages it is. Find the four parts and you will be able to read and then understand your credit report.”
Golden was able to explain the four sections as:
Identifying information. This section of the credit report includes your basic information: name, address, employer, etc.
Public record information. Any bankruptcies, judgments or tax liens (which are bad) will be found in
this section.
Payment history. This section is important in showing your history of making payments to your creditors.
Page 2
Both soft and hard inquiries are reported on the credit report. The person seeking credit initiates hard inquiries, and
soft inquiries are made by companies looking at credit histories to see if they meet an initial credit check criteria
for credit services.
Well that was easy. But wait, you will notice that your actual credit report was not included in those four sections.
This is a common
misconception. A big part of conquering your credit report is understanding that the information in it is what actually affects your credit score. Your three-digit credit score will determine what your interest rate will be and even how
your car insurance is priced.
You, as a consumer, are able to obtain free copies of your credit report once a year from each of the three credit
bureaus, Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. Digital copies can be obtained through www.annualcreditreport.com or
by calling (877) 322-8228.
In the end, it is important to remember to be proactive. “You can get incorrect information removed from the credit
report but you cannot remove accurate information,” reminds Golden. “The information contained in your credit
report is your information. There is nothing that anyone else can do with the information contained in the credit
report that you cannot do. Take charge of your information, be active and stay engaged.”
Page 3
Geraldine Mitchell
EFNEP Agent Assistant Educator
HEALTHY GREEN KITCHEN EATING TIPS
Springtime is the best to start the following changes, especially if
you are a seasonal allergy sufferer:
sneezing. These foods will also benefit red, swollen joints.
1.
Living in accordance with the shift of the seasons can benefit
your health in many ways.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Like the green shots and buds of the plants and trees, spring is
associated with the color green. Consume foods that are rich
in chlorophyll (including cereal grasses like wheat or barley
grass juice, micro algae like spirulina, blue-green, and chlorella, parsley, kale, swiss chard, and collard greens) in order to
accelerate liver rejuvenation.
Cook vegetables for a shorter time but at a higher temperature.
This way, the food (especially the interior ) is cooked slightly
‘al dente’. Think lightly steaming or minimal simmering. A
quick, high-temp saute method is also recommended.
Upon awakening, before that first cup of tea or coffee, drink
warm water with a slice of lemon to detoxify the liver and
gallbladder. Or try 1 teaspoon each of apple cider vinegar and
raw honey in one cup of water. Mint tea through the day is
another excellent remedy for soothing liver qi (energy). This is
recommended especially if you are experiencing irritability,
frustration, or notice frequent sighing.
Avoid heavy foods which can exacerbate sluggishness in the
liver. These include dairy, fried foods, poorly sourced meats
and large quantities of nuts (including nut butters).
Make sure to increase moderately pungent foods like green
onions, garlic, ginger, watercress, mustard greens, turmeric,
basil, cardamom, marjoram, cumin, and fennel in your diet.
These help to ease the transition into spring when erratic
changes in weather make us susceptible to colds, flus, allergies
and acute illness. These foods also have a powerful immune
boosting qualities.
Eat more raw foods, sprouted grains and seeds. According to
TCM, we should also be consuming root vegetables such as
potatoes, carrots, beets and turnips.
Increase foods with a slightly bitter quality as these can help
you deal with problematic heat and inflammation in the liver.
Rye, romaine lettuce, asparagus, amaranth, quinoa, radish
leaves, citrus peel, dandelion, chamomile, milk thistle seeds,
and Oregon grape root all have liver cleansing capabilities.
Include these in your diet on a regular basis if you are prone to
springtime allergies
Green Juice
Cucumber, Endive, Kale, Green Apple,
Ginger, and Meyer Lemon Juice (Green
Juice Recipe)
Yield: about 20 ounces
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
*1 organic cucumber
*1 head California endive, ends trimmed off
*4 organic kale leaves
*2 organic green apples
*1 lemon, preferably a Meyer lemon
*1 thumb size piece of fresh ginger
Directions:
1. Slice ingredients so they will fit, then process through your
juicer Stir to combine; the juice is best when served right away.
If you want to store all or part of your juice for later in the day
(or for 24 hours max), transfer it to a glass jar (an opaque jar is
even better than a clear glass one), fill to the very top, and cover
tightly. The less the juice is exposed to air, the better it will be
preserved.
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CIJI GRIFFIN
Urban Regional Extension Agent III
Family & Child Development and
Consumer Resource Development
Title: Humid + Muggy = Humugity
Every time I've stepped outdoors the last few days,
I imagined that I stepped into a room in which someone
was pouring water on hot rocks. It's hot, steamy, and hard
to breathe. But I'm not really in a sauna—I'm just in Central
Alabama on a humid day in June.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), one or
more parts of the United States will experience a heat wave
each summer. Heat waves in our part of the country tend to
combine high temperatures with high humidity.
Heat alerts are issued by the NWS Forecast office. These
alerts include
 Excessive Heat Outlooks ar e issued when ther e is
potential for an excessive heat event in the next 3-7
days. The outlook (forecast) is based on the combination of
temperature and humidity over the specified period of days.
 Excessive Heat Watches ar e issued when conditions
are favorable in the next 24 to 72 hours.
Excessive Heat Warning/Advisories ar e
issued when an excessive heat even is occurring, is imminent or has a very high probability of occurring. The warning is used when conditions pose a threat to life. An advisory is issued for less serious conditions that can cause significant discomfort that may lead to life-threatening conditions
if precautionary measures aren’t taken.
All three types of alert are based on Heat Index (HI) values.
The Heat Index is a measure of how hot it feels when relative humidity (RH) is added to the actual air temperature. For example, if the air temperature is 80° F and the
relative humidity is 70%, the Heat Index (how it feels) is
83° F, and if the air temperature is 90° F and the relative
humidity is 70%, the Heat Index is 105° F. If you’re in the
sun, these temperatures may feel up to 15 degrees hotter.

Always lock car doors and trunks—even at home.
Keep keys out of children’s reach.
Always make sure all children have left the car when you
reach your destination. Don’t ever leave sleeping children
in the car.
Extremely hot and humid weather affects our bodies’ ability to cool. Young children and older adults are very susceptible to heat illnesses. Other conditions that can make
some people more susceptible to heat are obesity, fever,
heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation, prescription
drug and alcohol use, and sunburn. Heat-related illnesses
include heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke
(sunstroke). Heat stroke can result in death.
Heat safety tips
 Reduce, eliminate or reschedule strenuous activities
until the coolest part of the day. Anyone with health problems should stay in the coolest available place.
 Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing to reflect
heat and sunlight.
 Eat cooler foods such as salads and fruit. Meat and
other proteins increase metabolic heat and increase water
loss.
 Drink plenty of water, non-alcoholic and decaffeinated drinks. Even if you don’t feel thirsty, drink plenty of
fluids—they help your body keep cool.
 Don’t get too much sun. Sunburn reduces your body’s
ability to lose heat.
 Don’t take salt tablets unless specified by your physician.
Spend more time in air-conditioned places. If you don’t
have an air-conditioner, go to a library, store or other location with air conditioning for part of the day.
Resource: Heat: A Major Killer (NWS)
(http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/heat/index.shtml
Submitted by: Ciji Griffin
Urban Agent
Page 5
Dominguez Hurry—NEP Agent
Bullock and Macon Counties
Uncontrolled blood pressure can lead to:

Cardiovascular Disease

Congestive Heart Failure

Stroke

Decline in brain function

Kidney disease

Poor circulation in legs

Vision problems
Page 6
Janet Johnson
Regional Extension Agent
Food Safety
4th of July Food Safety
The Fourth of July is just around the corner and for
many people that means barbeque, heading to the lake
with friends, and family get-togethers. Unfortunately, if
we are not careful in our planning, transporting,
preparing and serving of our meal the outing might not
end up happy. So what is the best food safety practice
for a "Happy 4th of July" celebration? Here are some tips
1. Buy a THERMOMETER and use it.
2. Thoroughly cook your foods. Cook all ground beef to
an internal temperature of 155 degrees. This will kill
E.coli completely. Cook all chicken to 165 degrees.
3. Keep all cold foods at or below 41 degrees. Bacteria
like to multiply in temperatures between 41 and 135
degrees. This is the prime source for food borne illness.
4. Try to plan ahead. If hamburger patties are to be
prepared, form them before leaving home and place
them in cooler with ice or ice packs.
5. Try to take foods that do not spoil as quickly.
6. Try to take only the amount of food that will be eaten
to cut down on leftovers.
7. DO NOT keep foods containing milk and milk
products, eggs, fish or poultry at room temperature pack these foods in a cooler with ice or ice packs.
8. Use a separate cooler for beverages because this
container will be opened more often.
9. Make sure all utensils used in cooking - knives,
cutting boards, etc., are cleaned with hot soapy water
and sanitized. Sanitize with a solution of 1 teaspoon of
bleach to 1 gallon of water.
10. ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS for 20 seconds after
using the restroom, changing a diaper, handling raw
meat or poultry. If you do not have running water, use
wet wipes or bottled water for washing hands.
11. Carry coolers inside cars or in the coolest spot in your
trunk.
12. Pack condiments in small plastic containers
13. Bring lots of plastic utensils, paper plates and paper
towels for serving and easy clean up.
14. Leftovers????? WHEN IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT!!!!!!
Have a Food Safe and Happy 4th of July
Page 7
Helen H. Jones
Regional Extension Agent
Human Nutrition Diet and Health
Everyone with Diabetes Counts Initiative – FREE Classes
Under contract with the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid (CMS), atom Alliance will be
offering free diabetes education classes in
Alabama. You can receive eight hours of
diabetes self-management training in your
community. These classes are designed to:
Educate on how to best contr ol blood sugar ,
blood pressure, and cholesterol levels;
Empower you to establish r elationships with
your primary care provider;
Encourage better nutr ition and r egular
exercise;
Encourage lifestyle changes that lead to
the reduction in the number of diabetes
complications ( heart disease, blindness,
nerve damage, etc.) and limb
amputations; and
Express the impor tance of developing
support networks of family, friends, and
existing community-based social services.
These six (6) classes present information in
simple medical terms and concepts using props
and pictures in a way that is conducive to better
understanding and make learning fun. The
classes are 60- 90 minutes long.
If you have diabetes or pre-diabetes, we invite
you to contact us for more information; or if
you are an organization that wishes to become
a community partner and provide a location for
diabetes education.
Helen H Jones -Regional Extension
Agent at (334) 201-6775 or
[email protected]
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By Mallory Kelley
Regional Extension Agent
Home Grounds, Gardens, Home Pests
Brown Patch in your Lawn
Brown patch is a serious disease on home lawns
across Alabama and it seems to be very common
right now, especially in our urban landscapes. If you
are in an area getting the feast of afternoon showers
you could be seeing brown patch starting in your
lawn. The phone calls have been pouring in so I
thought this information would be timely.
To speed evaporation of dew, prune trees and shrubs to
increase sunlight penetration and increase air circulation.
In addition, dethatch your lawn to prevent the buildup of
thatch if needed, but if you are mowing your lawn on a
regular basis there should never be a thatch problem.
Preventative fungicide of home lawns is usually
unnecessary. Routine applications should only be
Brown patch outbreaks occur on St. Augustine considered on
grass, zoysia, centipede and tall fescue, but can
also be found on Bermuda. This fungal disease is lawns damaged by brown patch year after year.
almost always tied to excessive or late use of Otherwise, spot-treat damaged areas after symptoms are
nitrogen along with several days of cloudy wet first
weather (especially afternoon showers) and high seen. Make several fungicide applications with Immunox
humidity.
or Banner Maxx to those areas every 7 to10 days to
Any lawn can be subject to brown patch damaged
when hot, wet summer weather is occurring. In the
Gulf Coast counties, brown patch often appears
during warm spells anytime from late fall to early
spring. Further north, this disease is usually seen
just before the first frosts in the fall and shortly after
green-up in the spring.
prevent further spread of the disease.
For more information on brown patch and its control, ask
your county Extension agent for circular ANR-492,
"Controlling Brown Patch on Warm-Season Turfgrasses."
Source: Dr. Austin Hagan, Extension Plant Pathologist
with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System
If you have gardening related questions, call the Master
Brown patch first appears as small brown areas a Gardener Helpline!
few inches in diameter. These patches quickly
increase in size and merge together, forming large March through August the Alabama Cooperative
patches of damaged turf. On St. Augustine, these Extension System offers a Gardening Helpline for the
patches may reach 20 feet in diameter. Damage is general public each Monday through Thursday from 9:00
often worse on shaded lawns.
a.m. until 1:00 p.m. This helpline is operated by Master
Gardener Volunteers who use research based information
Good management often helps prevent outbreaks of to best answer all of your gardening questions.
brown patch. Never water your lawn in the late
afternoon. This water remains on the blades of
If you've got home garden questions, we've got
grass throughout the night giving the fungi lots of
answers!
time to multiply and grow into a problem. Watering
first thing in the morning is best so the sun is able to
dry up the water on the blades very quickly. Also
apply low rates of nitrogen fertilizers monthly
through the growing season. Avoid fertilizing St.
Augustine grass, zoysia grass and centipede grass
with high rates of nitrogen shortly after spring greenup and do not apply high rates of nitrogen to tall
fescue in the summer.
Call 1-877-252-GROW
(4769)
Page 9
Joshua Elmore, PAS
Regional Extension Agent III
Animal Science and Forages
334-850-7859
Upcoming Animal Science and Forages Programs
2015 Beginning Farmer Rancher Workshop Series hosted at the Chilton Research and Extension
Center
The Alabama Cooperative Extension System, in conjunction with the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
and CAWACO RC&D will host a workshop series targeted to Beginning Farmers and Ranchers entitled, Introduction to Farm and Ranch Resources. This three part series will be hosted at the Chilton Research and Extension Center on May 30, June 20 and August 8 from 1-4 pm. The Beginning Farmer Rancher Program: Introduction to Farm and Ranch Resources is an extension education program focusing on resource information to beginning farmers and ranchers working to establish and sustain viable agricultural operations.
Topic will include:
Fruit and Vegetable Production and Marketing- August 8
Pre-registration is required in order to have a precise attendee count for programming needs. Seating is limited, so please register by calling the Chilton REC 205-646-3610 or email [email protected].
2015 Southeastern Hay Contest
Hay testing is one of the tools we can use to plan our winter feeding program; nevertheless it is not as heavily
utilized by farmers/ ranchers as it should be. Take advantage of testing and see how your stored forage stacks
up against your neighbors by entering in the 2015 Southeastern Hay Contest. For rules, entry form and
more information go to www.alabamaforages.com .The entry deadline is September 28, 2015.
For more information and registration regarding any of these upcoming programs contact your local county
extension office or Josh Elmore, Regional Extension Agent Animal Science and Forages. 205-646-3610 or 334850-7859
Fruit and Vegetable Production and Marketing
August 8 1 pm‐4 pm Chilton REC
Page 10
NEW EMPLOYEE FOR TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY
Millicent Paige Braxton, attended Alabama A&M University, Normal Alabama
where she received both degrees Bachelor of Science & Master of Science in Family and Consumer
Sciences (Human Development and Family Studies with a Concentration in Urban Planning)
My knowledge, and years of employment as an Extension Agent, brings a wealth of skills
and program experience to the Macon/Montgomery office. In addition to her work in the Lowndes/
Wilcox County office, Millicent has been providing nutrition related programs in the Macon County
area to the University Athletic Department, several of the local Senior
Citizens Centers, and the Senior Olympics Program. She has also been very instrumental in the
Farm to Fork Community/School Garden Initiatives and the Advance Marketing Program here on
campus.
I love my job and enjoy working with elementary students through college students, adults
and the local community. I feel that I am making a difference in someone’s life. My job is exciting
and challenging. I have learned that in order to be productive you need to enjoy what you do.
Learning is a lifelong process. I am looking forward to working in Macon, Montgomery, and
Surrounding Counties.
Page 11
Chip East
Regional Extension Agent
Commercial Horticulture
Scouting for Potential Problems in the Field
Scouting crops for potential problems is a very important step that is commonly overlooked. If
we identify problems early, often times we can correct the problem before we have a major crop loss.
Scouting involves looking for weeds, disease, insects, or insect damage on plants. Many insects will
be feeding under leaves or in the canopy of the plant. Therefore, they may be hard to find during the
day so scouting early in the morning or late evening may help. Some disease symptoms can be easily
seen and others are not. Sometimes with a disease the first thing we may notice is a wilt, reduced
growth, or problems on the fruit. However, it is very common to have nutritional problems that are
misdiagnosed as insect or disease damage. Having your soil analyzed each year helps prevent nutritional issues and for a small fee you can also send plant samples to our lab at Auburn for a nutritional
analysis.
It is extremely important to identify the pest correctly. We have a lot of insect and vegetable
disease pictures on our web site at www.aces.edu or simply take a few pictures and e-mail, text, or
hand deliver to your local Extension office. You can also send diseased plant and insect samples to
our plant diagnostic lab for an analysis. Information on collecting samples can be found on our web
site at http://www.aces.edu/dept/plantdiagnosticlab/ . There is a small fee for sending samples to the
lab, but saving a crop may outweigh the fee.
Once you identify the pest you can contact your Extension agent for the best control options. I
know of many cases where the best recommendation was something other than using pesticides.
However, whenever pesticides are used, make sure you follow the label directions.
My co-workers and I hang several insect traps around the state. We have been trapping for spotted
wing drosophila in blueberries and blackberries. I also have vegetable traps on farms to monitor for
squash vine borers, fall army worms, beet army worms, corn ear worms, and others. We trap in order
to know how the insects are spreading and let farmers know when to be scouting or managing for
them.
Try to become familiar with the pests commonly associated with the crops you are growing.
Think about the pests you have had in the past and be on the lookout for those as well. As always, if
you have questions about insects, disease, or nutrition on crops, just give us a call at the Extension
office.
Dr. Chip East
Regional Extension Agent
Commercial Horticulture
Page 12
Daniel M. Sullen
4-H Foundation Agent II
Bullock & Macon County
Cell: (334) 267-1801
Email: [email protected]
“The road to success is always under construction.”
Macon County 4-H:
As the 4-H Year comes to a close at the end of July, we would like to reflect back on Macon County’s 4-H
program highlights for the year of 2014 -2015. Mrs. Cathy Nelms, serving as a 4-H Direct Volunteer for the
county for many years, help to insure 4-H programs were still active in the county. Daniel Sullen, 4-H Foundation Agent for Bullock and Macon County, joined the Macon County 4-H family in January 2015. Mrs.
Nelms was very instrumental in making sure Mr. Sullen transition was successful in regards to 4-H programs.
The 4-H DUO of Mr. Sullen and Mrs. Nelms has resulted in some amazing across the county. These programs include the following: 4-H Innovators – teaches 4-H’ers the importance on the scientific method/
engineering process; 4-H Junior Master Gardeners – 4-H’ers were able to create and maintain their own garden while learning basic gardening concepts; 4-H Birds of Prey / HERP Journey – the Alabama 4-H Center
brought local and non-native wildlife to teach 4-H’ers the importance of being a good steward of the land; 4H Archery; 4-H Summer Camp – 4-H’ers had fun canoeing, swimming, dancing, singing, and meeting new
friends; 4-H Competitive Events – 4-H’ers worked really hard on projects use for competition such as eXTreme Birdhouse, Blocks Rocks, etc.; and Thomas Monroe Campbell Scholar Bowl – 4-H’ers from surrounding schools competed in the 1st annual scholar bowl. These are only a few of the program highlights.
We are looking forward to making Macon County 4-H bigger and better in the new 4-H year which begins
August 1, 2015. Stay tuned!!!
Page 13
4-H continue
D. C. Wolfe Elementary
4-H Innovator Science Fair
D. C. Wolfe Elementary4-H Innovator Science Fair
D. C. Wolfe Elementary
4-H Junior Master Gardners
Tuskegee Public School
4-H Summer Camp
Page 14
Christy Hicks
Regional Extension Agent I
ACES-AFNR Field
E. V. Smith Center
334-704-3370
Importance of Cotton
Cotton was grown, spun and woven into cloth 3,000 years BC in Pakistan. When Columbus
discovered America in 1492, he found cotton growing in the Bahama Islands. Cotton was
first spun by machinery in England in 1730. Eli Whitney secured a patent on the cotton gin in
1793. The gin made it possible to supply large quantities of fiber to the textile industry.
Within 10 years, the value of the U.S. cotton crop rose from $150,000 to more than $8 million.
All parts of the cotton plant are useful. The fiber or lint is used to make clothing. Linters
(the short fuzz on the seed) provide cellulose for making plastics and explosives. Linters are
also used in high quality paper products, furniture and automobile cushions. The cottonseed
is crushed for oil. The meal and hulls that remain are used as livestock, poultry and fish feed.
In 2014, Alabama produced 653,000 bales of cotton on 350,000 acres. The value of this crop
was $192.61 million dollars. We need more textile industries in the US to help support our
farmers and cotton industry.
(Information taken from cotton.org)
Page 15