The Grandma Test

I was out walking with my 4-year-old Granddaughter. She picked up something off of the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item awayfrom her and I asked her not to do that.

    "Why," my Granddaughter asked.

    "Because it's been on the ground; you don't know where it's been, it's dirty, and probably has germs," I replied.

    At this point, my Granddaughter looked at me with total admiration and asked, "Grandma, how do you know all this stuff? You are so smart."

    I was thinking quickly. "All Grandmas know this stuff. It's on the Grandma Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Grandma."

    We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information.

    "Ooh... I get it!" she beamed, "So if you don't pass the test you have to be the Grandpa."

    "Exaaaactly," I replied with a big smile on my face.

....received in an email, had to share with our readers! 

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Vegetable Garden, Anhydrous, Nutrient

Can a Vegetable Garden Save You Money?

With today’s tight economy, everyone is looking for ways to cut expenses. Growing a garden has the potential to reduce the amount of money spent on groceries. But this “potential” depends on the costs involved in growing the crops, types and amounts of vegetables grown, yields that are derived from the garden, and other factors. So, the answer to the above question is “yes” – if done correctly.

It’s possible to spend a small fortune on a garden. The humorous book, "The $64 Tomato" by William Alexander, discusses one man’s quest for the perfect garden and how it ended up costing him $64 per tomato (among other things). This astonishing figure is the result of all of the input costs (tools and equipment, fertilizers, pesticides, water, etc.) associated with gardening. These costs can add up quickly, even for a small vegetable garden. The trick to saving money with a vegetable garden is limiting the costs while maximizing yield.

While saving money may be one of the benefits to growing a vegetable garden – let’s not forget that there are others as well. Gardens are a potential means to increase our confidence in food safety and security. We know where the food is coming from and all the history of plants grown in our own gardens. We know what chemicals were used, we know what pests were problems and we essentially eliminated the whole resource-gobbling transportation chain to get the food to your plate. And all that gardening is good for you. It is a great form of physical exercise, and I haven’t met a nutritionist yet who didn’t think that fresh produce was “good for you” too!

So, growing your own vegetables can be rewarding, regardless of the potential savings. But with a few tips, it can save you some money on a grocery bill or two. First – you have to know a couple of basics of growing vegetables.

Vegetable Growing Basics

There are a wide variety of vegetables that can be successfully grown in Iowa. As I walk through the produce section of my grocery store, there are only a few things I see that are difficult to grow in Iowa. The location of the vegetable garden is crucial. Nearly all vegetables need full-sun and a well-drained soil. The vegetable garden also should be located near a source of water.
Iowa’s climate allows production of both cool and warm season vegetables.

Cool season vegetables (carrots, beets, lettuce, cauliflower, etc.) are planted in early spring and harvested by mid-summer. Warm season vegetables (tomatoes, pepper, eggplant, squash, etc.) are planted after the danger of frost has passed and harvested by early fall. With proper planning, it’s possible to grow two or three crops in a given area during the growing season. Using the same space for two or more crops is called succession planting. Other techniques, such as interplanting and companion planting, are other ways to make efficient use of garden space. The more efficiently you use garden space and resources the larger the potential savings.

Below are several other important factors to consider when growing a vegetable garden to save you money.

Select vegetables that you like. This is simple – you’re not likely to take care of …or eat things you don’t like. So don’t waste your time or money planting them in the garden.

Select vegetables that can be easily stored or preserved. Selecting vegetables that have a long storage life or that can easily be canned or frozen is a great way to stretch your grocery dollar. Potatoes, onions, sweet potatoes, and winter squash can be stored for several months when stored at the appropriate temperature. Other vegetables, like beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, beets and sweet corn, can be preserved by canning or freezing. Preserving vegetables is a great way to enjoy the “extra” produce later in the year.

Select vegetables that are expensive to buy in the grocery store. To save money, grow more expensive items, like tomatoes and melons, or large quantities of vegetables that you purchase regularly. Consider vegetables like beans, beets, onions, spinach, broccoli, peppers, carrots, summer squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, peas, and Swiss chard. These vegetables provide the biggest returns on your investment of space and time in the garden.

Do some research and start with a plan. Decide what you want to grow and determine what will be necessary to be successful. Plan the garden on paper first. Establish a network of family members, neighbors, or friends that can help you answer your questions. Don’t forget about your local county extension office. There are more than 20 vegetable gardening publications from Iowa State University Extension that can help you (see table below). Each of these can be picked up at your county extension office. They can also be ordered or downloaded online at www.iastate.edu/extension/pubs/store. County extension offices are also the meeting centers for Master Gardeners – many of whom have the knowledge and experience to keep your garden growing successfully.

Research and consider ways to reduce your inputs. Collect rainwater for irrigation. Add compost and well-rotted manure to the garden to improve the soil and reduce the use of fertilizers. Practice the principles of Integrated Pest Management to control insects and diseases, reducing your reliance on pesticides. Start with high quality seeds – most are relatively inexpensive, and most can be stored for at lea stone or two years. Find ways to reuse containers, flats, stakes, ties, etc. Remember that saving money with vegetables usually means keeping the costs as low as possible while still growing productive plants.

Start small. Like many things, gardening takes practice. Plants will require regular watering, maintenance and harvesting. Growing many different vegetables in a large garden can be overwhelming for new gardeners and can ultimately lead to failure. Limit yourself to just a few types of vegetables the first year. When you become more confident in your abilities and resources, you can increase the size of your vegetable garden and grow a wider variety of crops.

Finally, have fun growing your own vegetables. Encourage your neighbors to grow a few vegetables as well. Visit each other’s gardens and trade “extra produce” regularly. It’s surprising how something as simple as a vegetable garden can impact your life...and hopefully your pocketbook as well!

Iowa State University Extension publications on growing vegetables in home gardens area available from county ISU Extension offices or online at www.iastate.extension.edu/store.

Anhydrous Ammonia Applicators Have New Safety Issue

AMES, Iowa--High nitrogen fertilizer prices have producers and ag-input suppliers searching for ways to reduce costs and gain efficiency. Some anhydrous ammonia applicators have responded by modifying equipment to allow control of flow to individual sections of an applicator, or even to individual knives.

“These modifications are being made in order to avoid unwanted nitrogen application on overlapping rows, near field boundaries, or into waterways,” said Mark Hanna, Iowa State University Extension agricultural engineer. “Although this is a sound strategy to limit unwanted fertilizer application, operators need to take extra precautions as they service or work on the system.”

Hanna warns that individual section or knife shutoff valves on an anhydrous ammonia toolbar can trap pressurized ammonia at various locations within the system. Operators should take care to bleed all lines including those to individual soil injectors that may still be under pressure before attempting any servicing or work on or around the system.

“Installing a small bleeder valve upstream of any section or knife shutoff valve allows an operator to bleed off trapped, pressurized ammonia before working on those sections or lines,” Hanna said. “Because these systems are relatively new, and bleeder valves may not be present, it is important to empty all lines before working around the equipment.”

Hanna recommends operators take the following steps to bleed pressure from the applicator:
1.Shut off ammonia flow first at the supplying field nurse tank.
2.Then open individual knife or section valves farthest downstream in the plumbing system.
3.Follow this by opening any upstream section-control valves.
4.Finally, open the main flow valve.
This procedure opens valves successively upstream in the plumbing system allowing system pressure to be released.

Additional safety actions
In addition to bleeding pressure from hoses and fittings, individuals working around the equipment should always wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), gloves and unvented or splash proof goggles, to prevent injury from minor amounts of ammonia that still may be present in the system.

Having readily available water is especially important to flush tissue that may be affected by an ammonia release. Even if the ammonia plumbing system has been properly bled, openings in hoses, lines, or valves should be treated as exit points for ammonia. Heat from surroundings or sunlight can vaporize small amounts of liquid ammonia still contained in the system and cause unexpected release as hoses or equipment is moved. Caution is always of paramount importance.

Hoses on applicators upstream from shutoff valves must be capable of handling maximum expected pressure within the system at that point. Maximum pressure is often supply (tank) pressure or that delivered by a supply pump along with an added safety factor. All ball valves should be rated for use with anhydrous ammonia and vented to the inlet side. If not properly vented, liquid ammonia can become trapped in the valve’s closed position and later release when the valve is opened.

Read the Iowa State University Extension publication Play it safe with anhydrous ammonia – PM 1518d for additional information regarding the safe handling of anhydrous ammonia. The publication is available from the extension online store at www.extension.iastate.edu/store/.

Iowa State Offers Technical Sessions on Nutrient Managent

AMES, Iowa — Iowa State University’s agricultural and biosystems engineering department is offering two national courses in April for consultants working in farm nutrient management.

The first session is the Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) Development Course, which is scheduled for April 6-8 at the Hotel Fort Des Moines in Des Moines. This course is designed to prepare consultants for U.S. Department of Agriculture certification as Technical Service Providers (TSP).

In addition to the CNMP course, a one-day course will be offered on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Final Rule. This course will be held following the CNMP course on April 9 at the same location.

Registration for either or both courses is now open. Information about the courses, lodging and registration is available on-line at the following website: http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/cnmp/home.html

Completion of the CNMP Development Course is required to become certified as a Technical Service Provider by the Iowa State national TSP certification program. If you are interested in becoming a CNMP Technical Service Provider, certification information is available at: http://www.abe.iastate.edu/wastemgmt/cnmp-curriculum.html

The 2009 CNMP Development course is based on the CNMP Core Curriculum developed under a joint effort by Iowa State, the University of Tennessee, Michigan State University, Purdue University, the University of Idaho and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The special one-day training course, Understanding and Working with Nutrient Management Plans under the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) Final Rule, was developed to address the updated requirements released on Dec. 22, 2008, for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit process. Development of a nutrient management plan remains an integral part of the NPDES permit process and is also now a requirement for the “no-discharge” certification option.

Individuals working with and providing information to CAFO operators need to understand the permitting options in the final rule and understand how nutrient management plan terms will become a part of the NPDES permit. This training will provide an opportunity to gain the knowledge necessary to work with CAFO operators as they make decisions about meeting requirements under the CAFO final rule on their farm.

Looking For A Great Coleslaw Recipe?

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Great Thinking....

Marriage changes passion. Suddenly you're in bed with a relative!

How come we choose from just two candidates for president, and over fifty for Miss America?

Now that food has replaced sex in my life, Ican't even get into my own pants!

I signed up for an exercise class and was told to wear loose fitting clothes. If I HAD any loose fitting clothes, I wouldn't have sign up in the first place.

Don't argue with an idiot: people may not be able to tell the difference.

picture by uncommon at flickr.com

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Early Retirement

How to Be Savvy about Early Retirement Offers

In today’s struggling economy, some employers are offering retirement incentive programs to employees as a way to reduce payroll costs and help balance their budgets. Most workers look forward to retirement, but they also assume they will decide when that day will come.

Sometimes, however, it’s the employer who suggests now would be a good time for retirement.
If an early retirement offer is optional, workers need to carefully consider whether to accept. If the offer is not optional, workers need to make preparations and work through plans.

Several years ago Iowa State University Extension family resource management specialist Barb Wollan and her colleagues compiled information to help people make informed decisions. “It was another economic downturn in which those who were offered early retirement needed good information to consider the ins and outs of an offer,” said Wollan.

Wollan outlined the major steps to make a decision about an early retirement offer: Read and listen carefully Gather information Evaluate the options critically.

Wollan emphasized workers should consider their personal goals for retirement before responding to the offer. Is this offer compatible with those plans? She cautioned workers to avoid responding quickly without assessing their individual situations.

Additional topics workers should consider Is the offer really optional? If you decline, what would your future with the employer be like? Will you have group health insurance and who will pay the premiums? Will you need to seek additional employment to fill the income gap? Do you have options on how to receive the pension payout? ISU Extension has information on the Web at ‘Early Retirement: Thinking over an offer’ to guide you through early retirement options and related decisions.

ISU Extension publications that explore this topic include Decisions at the Time of Retirement -- Retirement: Secure Your Dreams, Estimating Your Retirement Expenses and more. The publications may be downloaded free or ordered through the extension online store or your county office for a nominal charge.

picture courtesy of bradipo at flickr.com

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Self Esteem

Healthy Self-Esteem: Make Sense or Nonsense?

We read and hear a lot about having ‘good’ self- esteem. “But just what is it and how do you know if our children have it?” asks Donna Andrusyk, Family Life Field Specialist for ISU Extension. Parents raise their children the best they know and just keep their fingers crossed that the child grows up with what everyone thinks is ‘good’ self-esteem. Self-esteem refers to a deep belief in one’s worth and competency, the feeling that I am okay and that life is good and I have something to contribute. This is not the same as self-centeredness.

There are 3 main sources of self-esteem for children.

FIRST – research shows the child needs to feel safe, accepted and valued within the first 24-36 months of life. If a child lacks that safe, secure environment (or experiences life as threatening and unstable), he will grow up feeling incapable of facing the normal challenges of life.

SECOND – a person learns about their physical appearance by looking in a mirror so a child learns about his/her worth by looking into the faces of people, especially their parents. If they see disgust and gloom, then the impression is created that the child is the cause. If a child sees delight and gladness in the face of a parent, they conclude that they must be a delightful person. A parent’s unabashed joy in their children is an essential building block in the development of a healthy self-esteem.

THIRD – in order for children to feel good about them, they must do well. This doesn’t mean they need to be top in their class or sport but to have successfully accomplished a chore or a skill. This could be something as simple as feeding themselves, washing the dishes, or mowing the yard. That means we, as parents, need to expect our children to do chores and to push them to learn new life skills. If we shield them too much from the hard knocks of life, they will likely develop an exaggerated sense of their own importance. In the end, the failure to meet and overcome adversity will produce mere self centeredness rather than a genuine, healthy self-esteem.

There is a fine line between helping a child develop self-esteem and spoiling them. Children naturally try to get as much as they can for themselves without having to do anything for it. Parents need to set appropriate limits for their children. Some parents do more for a child who is disabled or suffered a serious illness. Again, those parents need to push them to accomplish what they can and show their pride with words; not by doing their work for them. Sometimes parents feel inadequate and feel they owe their children the best of everything to prove their love. Adoptive parents and divorced parents often fall into this category. Children will often see this and use this “guilt” as the hook to manipulate their parents. Lastly, some parents are so insecure in their parenting that they are afraid to make any decision where their child disagrees. These parents need to set rules, make the decisions that need to be made and not be intimidated by their children.

Our greatest leaders believed that hardship does not destroy self-esteem. If you never let your child fail, struggle or go without, and think you must always be their friend, you are keeping them from life. You are guaranteeing that they will never grow up but will remain emotional babies all their life. Remember: there is no free lunch; don’t be afraid to take risks; be honest; never give up; be in charge of your own attitude; and always remember you are not alone. When your child learns to live by these lessons, they will develop a healthy self-esteem that will assure them of true success in life.

picture courtesy of Editor B at www.flickr.com

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Grapes and Fed Cattle

Speakers Bring Expertise to Fruit Growing Workshop

Franklin County Extension is holding an educational workshop on selecting cultivars of fruit trees, small fruits, and grapes for northern Iowa, Saturday, March 28, at the Franklin Farm Bureau Office in Hampton. General care, such as: planting, pruning, pest control, and harvesting will presented by graduate students and staff from the Department of Horticulture, Iowa State University. Barb Ristau, Franklin County Extension Families Program Assistant will demonstrate how to preserve harvested fruits.

Cost is $10.00 per person, $15.00 per couple. Please pre-register by calling the Franklin County Extension Office at 641-456-4811 or go on-line at www.extension.iastate.edu/franklin The workshop is approved for Master Gardener recertification training hours. Participants are asked to come dressed for an outdoor demonstration of pruning. The program will run from 8:30 -11:30 a.m.

Two of the speakers featured are Lee Goldsmith, who will be demonstrating proper pruning techniques and Dennis Portz, discussing fruit tree and plant care, pest control and harvesting.

Goldsmith received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology, with an emphasis on Ecology and Systematics, from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI). While at UNI, she also studied the anatomical development of the Vitaceae (grapes) and plant biology. Currently, she is in her second year of graduate study, in horticulture, at Iowa State University (ISU) where she continues to pursue studies in viticulture. Other functions that Lee has held have involved public events and programming. At ISU, she has been employed as a Master Gardeners program aid, leading greenhouse tours at ISU’s Horticulture greenhouse and conservatory. She has also written and implemented public programs as a conservation educator.

Portz, an Agriculture Specialist in the area of small fruit, specifically grapes, at the ISU Horticulture Research and Demonstration Station near Ames, IA.

Portz received his Bachelor of Science degree in 2004 double majoring in Horticulture and Plant Health and Protection while working as a student in the departments of horticulture, entomology, and plant pathology. He then received his Master of Science degree in horticulture from Iowa State University in 2008. Dennis’s graduate research primarily focused on using cover crops as a rotation with strawberry, while completing a secondary study looking at the effects of replant disorder in grape when rotated with different weed management techniques. Dennis was recently hired on as an Agriculture Specialist in the area of viticulture and small fruit at the Iowa State University Horticulture Research and Demonstration Station in July 2008. Dennis will be assisting with viticulture research projects in the vineyards at the four ISU farms around Iowa and will be stationed in Ames. In addition, Dennis will be co-teaching the “Understanding Grape and Wine Science” course offered in collaboration between the Horticulture and Food Science and Human Nutrition departments this spring open to all ISU students interested in learning more about viticulture and enology, including the new Iowa industry.

Fed Cattle Margin Manager Workshop to be held in Charles City

Contact: Russ Euken, Extension Livestock Specialist, Hancock County Extension, Garner, IA (641)-923-2856

A workshop that will simulate using available tools to manage the price risk of corn, feeder cattle and fed cattle will be held on Wednesday, March 11 from 9:45 am – 3:15 pm in Charles City at the NIACC center. Participants in the workshop will use computers to make pricing decisions through a set time period with the focus on trying to maximize the margin between the inputs of feeder cattle and corn and revenue of fed cattle.

Participant’s pricing decisions will be tracked and their strategies compared at the end of the workshop. Discussion on use of the risk management tools such as options, futures, insurance will also be included during the workshop. Shane Ellis, Extension Economist and Russ Euken, Extension Livestock Specialist will lead the workshop.

The workshop is sponsored by ISU Extension. Those wishing to participate need to register on or before Monday, March 9 by calling the Mitchell County Extension office at 641-732-5574, Floyd County Extension office at 641-228-1453 or Russ Euken at 641-923-2856. 10 participants are needed to conduct the workshop. There will be a $10 per person charge for the workshop payable at the door. Meals cost is not included and will be paid separately. 

picture of cows by iLoveButter at flickr.com

Get Along, Food Safety, PQA

GETTING ALONG WITH OTHERS ON THE JOB

Perhaps the most important skill you can develop for your job is the ability to get along with others. No matter how good you are at your job, if you can get along with others you will be a much happier and contented person.

The ability or skill can be learned by anyone who really wants it. Although some folks seem to have a natural skill at getting along with others, the reality is that they have worked at it so long and so conscientiously that it has become a habit.

Here are some suggestions to consider:

1. The most important thing you wear is your facial expression and to a significant extent you can control that.

2. Learn to like people. Recognize that every person has good qualities and characteristics from which you can learn or profit.

3. Be willing to share with others your knowledge, skills, and experience. Assume a “we” attitude, realizing that no person can make it alone.

4. Be mature and willing to admit your mistakes, and learn from them. Everyone at every level makes mistakes.

5. Be willing to accommodate the ideas and ways of others and to compromise.

6. Try to accept criticism gracefully. You do not have to enjoy criticism in order to accept it for the truths that it may hold.

7. Encourage the positive rather than emphasize the negative. But if you feel it is necessary to criticize, try to criticize the behavior or the act. Avoid criticizing the person.

8. Be polite and courteous. Show a genuine, humane respect for each person.

9. Try to control your tongue: that little organ has strength and influence all out of proportion to its size.

Food Safety Quality Assurance Workshop for Youth Livestock Exhibitors

The next FSQA workshop for Franklin County youth involved in livestock production is scheduled for Monday, March 16, 7:00-9:00 pm. at the Hampton State Bank. These sessions are open to all 4-H livestock exhibitors in Franklin County. Members will learn the importance of proper nutrition and health care for their animals. Ethics and handling livestock safely will also be covered. Members need to attend only one of the sessions. Certificates of completion will be kept on file at the Franklin County Extension Office.

At the 2009 Franklin County Fair all 4-H youth exhibiting beef, bucket calf, dairy cattle, dairy goat, meat goat, sheep, swine, poultry, and rabbit must be FSQA Certified. This is following the Iowa State Fair 4-H livestock rules for 2009.

Certificates are good for one year. Franklin County members age 12 and older may contact the Franklin County Extension office for a test out option. Testing is scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, 5:00-6:00 p.m. at the Extension Office in Hampton.

PQA plus certification session offered

A regional PQA plus certification meeting will be held in Garner at the Hancock County Extension office, 327 West 8^th St, on Thursday, March 12 from 1-3 pm. There is a $25 per producer fee for the class payable at the door.

PQA plus is a National Pork Board program that emphasizes good production practices aimed at pork quality, safety and animal welfare. PQA plus certification replaces PQA Level 3 certifications which are being phased out as those certifications expire. This meeting is one of several regional certification meetings being offered by ISU Extension and the Iowa Pork Industry Center on a rotating basis.

If you have questions about the March 12 meeting or the PQA plus program you can contact Russ Euken at 641-923-2856 or email reuken@iastate.edu

always on the job photo by chad k over at flickr.com 

ELEVEN RULES FOR GRADUATES (and all of us)

I received this in an email. I don't know if Bill Gates really wrote it – but whoever did was one smart cookie! Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

If you can read this - Thank a teacher!

If you can read this in English - thank a Soldier.