Brown County 4-H is supported by Brown County United Way

DATES TO REMEMBER

May

19 – 4-H Shooting Sports Practice 2:00p.m. at 4-H Center

20 – Livestock Judging Practice 5:30p.m. at Extension Office

21 – State Qualifying Consumer Decision Making Practice 5:00p.m. at Extension Office

27 – Extension Office Closed for Memorial Day

31 – Deadline to Enter District Horse Show

4-H PAPER CLOVER FUNDRAISER AT TRACTOR SUPPLY: MAY 8^th-19^th!!

Customers at our local Tractor Supply can support Brown County 4-H by purchasing paper clovers at checkout. All funds raised will be donated to 4-H, and over 70% will remain in Brown County. There are some new items this year during the fundraiser: $1 & $5 paper clovers will be offered and each clover will have a bounce back coupon at the bottom as a “thank you” for your donation. $5 clovers will have a larger discount than $1 clovers, made possible by Purina Animal Nutrition.

Our local Tractor Supply Co. has been one of the top money raisers in this region since the Paper Clover fundraiser started; so lets help them become number one in the state, while supporting Brown County 4-H at the same time during this fundraiser.

4-H members, if you would like to volunteer to help advertise this at our local TSC store, we will have a booth set up on Saturday, May 18^th from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM. If you’re interested please sign up with the extension office.

Global agriculture’s challenge to feed two billion more people by 2050 on Planet Earth would have made a sensational episode of some 1960s-1970s hit drama television series. Agricultural technology innovations could have been the ultimate mission. Agriculture faces a daunting task to feed and clothe a world population expected to reach 9 billion people by 2050. The current population is about 7.1 billion people. Over the last decade, the global population increased by 12 percent.

To fill 2 billion more mouths, worldwide agricultural productivity must increase by 70 percent to 100 percent, according to the United Nations. Making the challenge even more…challenging…. is that agriculture will have to produce more food with less land and water.

Feeding and clothing 9 billion people will require major technological breakthroughs and the collaboration of people and organizations worldwide.

The growing demand for food can only be met by unprecedented technical and agronomic knowledge sharing across the globe.

Collaborative sharing

Collaborative sharing will involve growers, agricultural support companies, academia, policy makers, government agencies, and many others. Innovation will deliver the tools to help growers succeed at the local level.

People choose to “go green” for a number of different reasons. There are also a number of different actions people take to help preserve the environment. Being green is not an “all or nothing” type of action. With this in mind, here are a few suggestions that you can follow to start living green.

• Cook more meals at home.

By planning meals and snacks in advance, you can save money and eat healthier. When eating at home, there is less food waste and more family engagement. Today’s dinner could be tomorrow’s lunch. Don’t know what to cook? Check out: www.dinnertonight.tamu.edu

• Support local farmers.

By shopping for food locally, your produce may be fresher and more nutritious. Also, your money goes directly to the grower! Brown County Farmers Market is open for the season.  They are open Saturdays 9am to 12pm and are set up adjacent to the courthouse on the corner of Fisk and Pecan.  For a list of certified farmers markets throughout Texas check out www.gotexan.org

• Plate up healthier meals.

Eating a variety of foods and watching portion sizes can greatly benefit your health. Meat is often an expensive part of the food budget so filling your plate up with 1/4 of meat and 3/4 of fruits, veggies, and, whole grains will greatly benefit your wallet as well!

Spring and summer brings warm temperatures, fresh vegetables from the garden and lots of seasonal fruits.  It’s important to remember to wash your fruits and vegetables rather they come from your garden or from the store. Even if you don’t eat the skin, you can transfer harmful germs from the outside with your hands or by making repeated cuts with the same knife.

Federal health officials estimate that nearly 48 million people are sickened by food contaminated with harmful germs each year, and some of the causes might surprise you.

Although most people know animal products must be handled carefully to prevent foodborne illness, many don’t realize that produce can also be the culprit. In recent years, the United States has had several large outbreaks of illness caused by contaminated fruits and vegetables—including spinach, tomatoes, lettuce and most recently cucumbers.

The Food and Drug Administration says fresh produce can become contaminated in many ways. During the growing phase, fruits and veggies may be contaminated by animals, harmful substances in the soil or water, and poor hygiene among workers. After produce is harvested, it passes through many hands, increasing the contamination risk. Contamination can even occur after the produce has been purchased, during food preparation, or through inadequate storage.

Do you have an interest in Range/Wildlife Management? Do you want to find out about some proposed changes concerning endangered species which could potentially impact the way you manage your livestock/wildlife on your own land? If so then mark your calendars for Wednesday May 29, 2013. That is the date of a range/wildlife management field day for landowners, managers and brush control contractors operating in possible endangered species habitat.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will conduct the meetings in cooperation with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Texas Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative and the Texas Section Society for Range Management.

Registration for each site will last from 7:45 – 8:15 a.m. followed by the programs which should conclude by 4:15 p.m.

The field day is set for May 29 at the Muse Wildlife Management Area located on County Road 478 about a mile and a half north of Farm to Market Road 1467 in northeastern Brown County.

DATES TO REMEMBER

May

13 – Livestock Judging Meeting 5:30 p.m. at Extension Office

14 – State Qualifying Consumer Decision Making Practice 5:00 p.m. at Extension Office

14 – Brownwood 4-H Club Meeting 6:30 p.m. at Extension Office

14 – Early 4-H Club Meeting 6:30 p.m. at Early First Baptist Church

17 – Deadline to Register for State 4-H Roundup

27 – Extension Office Closed for Memorial Day

31 – Deadline to Enter District Horse Show

Fire ant baits are typically created from defatted corn cob grit that is coated with soybean oil. The soybean oil, which is attractive to fire ants, has the active ingredient (the chemical that kills ants) dissolved in it. Worker ants pick up bait for food and carry it back to the colony where it is shared among the workers, queen and larvae. Fire ant baits are cost effective, require little labor, pose little toxic threat to people and control ants in an area for a longer period of time than contact insecticides.

Broadcasting baits reduces labor since the bait is applied over an entire treatment area instead searching and applying bait to individual mounds. This method also allows ants to pick up bait that may not have a mound that is visible. The majority of baits are spread at a rate of 1-1 ½ pounds per acre. When baits are over applied, there is no added benefit, it just costs more money. Tips for using fire ant baits:

• Make sure bait is fresh

- Fire ants pick up bait as food; if bait is rancid they will not pick it up

- Fresh bait should have a nutty or corn-like scent; rancid bait smells sour

• Apply bait when ants are foraging

- On hot days, fire ants forage for food in the evening when it’s cooler

-  To see if fire ants are foraging, place bait beside the mound & check back after 15 minutes to see if the bait is being picked up

Do you like photography, scrapbooking, sewing, quilting or jewelry making?  If so, then make plans to enter your items and attend the Hobby & Craft Fair on June 5, 2013 at The Depot, 600 East Depot Street in Brownwood.  This event is sponsored by the Brown County Texas Extension Education Association. The mission of the Texas Extension Education Association (TEEA), Inc. is to work with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to strengthen and enrich families through education programs, leadership development, and community service.

The hobby & craft fair will include judging of entries in 24 different divisions.  People of all ages can enter their items for judging.  In addition to the judging there will also be various craft demonstrations and programs to include “Unique Crafts” from Julie Mize, “Re-dress for Success” by Martha Baker and “History of Texas Extension Education Association in Brown County” by Margaret Boyd.  There will also be a FREE luncheon and door prizes.  Awards and the presentation of 4-H Scholarships will take place during lunch.

Brown County 4-H is supported by Brown County United Way

DATES TO REMEMBER

May

6 – Livestock Judging Meeting 5:30p.m. at Extension Office

8 – Bangs 4-H Club Meeting 4:00p.m. at FCS Classroom

9 – State 4-H Roundup Meeting 5:30p.m. at Extension Office

12 – 4-H Shooting Sports Practice 2:00p.m. at 4-H Center

14 – Brownwood 4-H Club Meeting 6:30p.m. at Extension Office

14 – Early 4-H Club Meeting 6:30p.m. at Early First Baptist Church

31 – Deadline to Enter District Horse Show

STATE ROUNDUP MEETING

If you qualified for State Roundup or want to participate in one of the invitational contest (11 – 18 years of age) in College Station, Texas, we will have a mandatory meeting on Thursday, May 9^th 5:30 PM at the Extension office. Registration for the event will be $25 which has to be paid the night of the meeting by credit/debit card on 4-H Connect. We will be discussing lodging, cost, and schedule. Please be in attendance if you are participating.

We’ve all been there.  You enjoy a nice meal and a little while later it hits....heartburn.  For some, heartburn is a rarity.  But for others, it may be an everyday occurrence.  Of course there are numerous over the counter and prescription strength remedies for this dreadful situation, but there are also things you can change about your lifestyle that may help in managing heart burn.

What is Heartburn, or GERD?  Persistent, potentially life-altering heartburn may be a symptom of gastro-esophageal reflux disease known as GERD.  Heartburn is the most common symptom of GERD and may cause chest discomfort and an acid taste in the mouth.  Sometimes it can make you feel like you have a lump in your throat or like you always have to clear your throat.  It can also cause a sore throat-you may feel it more when you first get up in the morning.  It can cause you to have trouble swallowing or a dry cough.

What causes Heartburn, or GERD?  Sometimes the foods we eat can contribute to heartburn.  For instance, eating fat causes our stomach to produce more acid, increasing the likelihood of heartburn.  Also, some foods, like those containing caffeine or peppermint are known to relax the muscles in our throats, also increasing the likelihood for heartburn.

Brown County 4-H is supported by Brown County United Way

DATES TO REMEMBER

May

1 – Deadline for Horse Validation

4 -  District 7 Round Up, San Angelo

14 – Brownwood 4-H Club Meeting 6:30p.m. at Extension Office

14 – Early 4-H Club Meeting 6:30p.m. at Early First Baptist Church

31 – Deadline to Enter District Horse Show

DISTRICT 7 4-H ROUNDUP

District 7 4-H Roundup is on Saturday May 4th at the West Training Center in San Angelo. It will consist of many events that Brown County 4-Hers can compete in; such as public speaking, fashion show, Share - the - Fun, and educational presentations.

4-H HORSE VALIDATION – MARCH 1st TO MAY 1st

Validation is required for showing at district or state horse shows, and its purpose is to certify that ownership requirements have been met. The horse MUST be owned solely by the 4-H member, his/her parents (biological or stepparents), brother, sister, grandparents, or legal guardian. Horses under lease to, but not owned by any of the named persons, do NOT qualify. Horses owned in partnership or jointly with any person other than those previously listed do NOT meet ownership requirements. The horse validation process will be completed electronically using the 4-H Connect online management system.

Every day we read or hear different nutrition messages from the internet, television, magazines, and people we talk to.  Sometimes it’s hard to know what is fact and what is fiction.  Some of the information is NOT reliable and should not be followed.  Let’s look at some ways to find dependable nutrition information.

Reliable nutrition information is always based on science and research.  If you are searching for information on the internet look for websites from:

• The government (.gov)
• Professional organizations (.org)
• Universities (.edu)

If you are not sure where to start your search, start by looking at these 2 websites:

• Nutrition.gov – gives information on what’s in food; weight management; shopping, cooking and meal planning; nutrition and health issues; food assistance programs
• Health.nih.gov – gives information on health topics A-Z; conditions/diseases; health and wellness