Mystery Bag Cookoff

1 pm Saturday July 18th 4-H Exhibits Building

Grab a partner and be ready to prepare a dish using the ingredients in the “Mystery Bag”. Contestants are to bring an electric skillet, a spoon, and up to three condiments. (such as catsup, jelly, chocolate syrup, etc.) At the time of judging participants will be given the “Mystery Bag” with various products included. Salt & pepper will be provided Contestants will be given ½ hour to prepare a dish using the ingredients given. Entries will be judged on taste and best use of products. A team may consist of any combination of two youth (age 13 and older) and/or adults. Pre-register at the 4-H Information Booth by noon, Friday, July 17. Limited to eight teams.

Clover Kids Exhibits

All children that participated in the Franklin County Extension summer Clover Kids program will be eligible to bring up to 3 exhibits to the 4-H Exhibits Building on Wednesday, July 15, 9-11 a.m. Participants will visit with a judge and will receive a participation ribbon on their exhibits. Look for details to be sent home with your Clover Kid!

For more information on these opportunities contact the Franklin County Extension Office at 641-456-4811.

picture courtesy of flickr.com

Hampton Today made possible by sponsors like:
Michelle Hartman – Tupperware –641-373-8880 Denise Passehl – Watkins – 641-579-6227 Franklin County Farmers Market 641-456-4811 Make a Splash Foundation jhobson@leslieklinelucas.com Patrick Palmer – The Computer Guy – 641-420-1234 Seven Stars Restaurant – 641-456-5378 Debra Brown – Melaleuca - 641-458-1114

Ready for the 150th Franklin County Fair?

It all starts on Tuesday, July 14 at 5:00pm in Hampton Iowa for the HACC Opening Fair Parade. The parade officially opens the 150^th Franklin County Fair, which takes place July 14 – 19, 2009, (www.franklincountyfair.com).

Anyone interested in participating in the parade is encouraged to get creative and have fun with it. This is a great way to promote your business, organization and/or church. And the best part is there is no entry fee. No pre-registration is necessary. Line up will begin at 4:00 pm at the Hampton Dumont High School parking lot. Please enter on the WEST side of the high school. 4-H Groups, ball teams, etc should line up at Trinity Lutheran Church parking lot.

Entries will be judged with Grand Champion (1^st Place) winning $100 of Chamber Bucks, Reserve Grand Champion (2^nd Place) winning $50 Chamber Bucks and the Pride of Franklin County (3^rd Place) winning $25 Chamber Bucks. Entries will be judged at 4:30 and awarded approximately at 4:45 prior to the start of the parade.

Franklin County Tourism will sponsor the great Diz and Dot the Franklin County Clowns. The will be roaming the parade route giving out awards to the most enthusiastic parade watcher. and ready because everyone is a potential winner.

The parade will leave the east side of the high school parking lot and proceed downtown Hampton beginning at 5:00 pm. If you should have fair parade questions, please contact the Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce at 456-5668.

The parade will leave the east side of the high school parking lot and proceed downtown Hampton beginning at 5:00 pm. If you should have fair parade questions, please contact the Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce at 456-5668.

(picture is from 2006 Fair Parade, no kidding)

Hampton Today made possible by sponsors like:
Michelle Hartman – Tupperware –641-373-8880 Denise Passehl – Watkins – 641-579-6227 Franklin County Farmers Market 641-456-4811 Make a Splash Foundation jhobson@leslieklinelucas.com Patrick Palmer – The Computer Guy – 641-420-1234 Seven Stars Restaurant – 641-456-5378 Debra Brown – Melaleuca - 641-458-1114

What's Up In The Garden by Jackie Dohlman

Tips on Planting Rutabagas, Ash Rust, and Controlling Cabbageworms

When is the best time to plant rutabagas in Iowa?

The rutabaga is a cool, long-season crop. It performs best when planted in summer for a fall crop. Sow seed at a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch from June 15 to July 15 in Iowa. Rows should be spaced 18 to 24 inches apart. Thin the planting within a few weeks of germination. After thinning, rutabaga seedlings should be spaced six inches apart.

‘American Purple Top’ and ‘Laurentian’ are suggested rutabaga varieties for home gardens. Both varieties produce globe-shaped, light yellow roots with purple tops. Their flesh is yellow.

What are the orange-colored growths on the leaves of my ash tree? Is control necessary?

Ash rust is probably responsible for the orange growths on your ash tree. Ash rust is caused by the fungus Puccinia sparganioides. The fungus produces conspicuous swellings on leaves, petioles, and twigs. Infected leaves, petioles, and twigs may become twisted and distorted. Infected areas eventually produce masses of yellow to orange, powdery spores.

Puccinia sparganioides requires two different plant hosts to complete its life cycle. Part of its life cycle is spent on ash and the remainder on cordgrass (Spartina spp.). The spores produced on ash are carried by the wind to cordgrass. The fungus then infects the cordgrass. In spring, spores from infected grasses are blown by the wind to nearby ash trees. Warm, wet weather in spring favors ash infections.

Ash rust does not seriously harm healthy, well established trees. Control measures are usually not necessary.

How do I control cabbageworms?

Cabbageworms are greenish caterpillars that eat large, irregular holes in the foliage of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussel sprouts. Cabbageworms can be controlled with biological or chemical insecticides. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a biological insecticide (a bacterium) that specifically targets caterpillars. Bt products include Dipel, Thuricide and others. Home gardeners can also use chemical insecticides, such as permethrin (e.g., Eight) or carbaryl (e.g., Sevin).

Hampton Today made possible by sponsors like:
Michelle Hartman – Tupperware –641-373-8880 Denise Passehl – Watkins – 641-579-6227 Franklin County Farmers Market 641-456-4811 Make a Splash Foundation jhobson@leslieklinelucas.com Patrick Palmer – The Computer Guy – 641-420-1234 Seven Stars Restaurant – 641-456-5378 Debra Brown – Melaleuca - 641-458-1114

Deb's Corner

I’d like to know who’s story you’d like to read. Come on guys at 3 pm coffee—which one of you will be my first interview? Tom? Barry?

Or ladies at 9 am—which one of you will step up to the mike? Jan? Jo?

See—everyone has a story. You may think it’s nothing, but I promise you people want to read about it. Our history is the one thing we carry with us all of our lives. And people really do want to know all about you.

Look for Brook Boehmler’s story in the next edition — don’t you want to know why he’s living in that beautiful Frank Lloyd Wright house? I know I do………….

Hampton Today made possible by sponsors like:
Michelle Hartman – Tupperware –641-373-8880 Denise Passehl – Watkins – 641-579-6227 Franklin County Farmers Market 641-456-4811 Make a Splash Foundation jhobson@leslieklinelucas.com Patrick Palmer – The Computer Guy – 641-420-1234 Seven Stars Restaurant – 641-456-5378 Debra Brown – Melaleuca - 641-458-1114

Come Home

Remember a time when life was simpler? When pleasures were simpler, but somehow longer lasting? Or maybe you didn't grow up in Middle America like I did. Maybe you think Andy Griffith and Ozzie and Harriet were idealized depictions of a time and place that never really existed.

Well,you'd be wrong. I grew up in that place -- and like most children growing up, accepted my life and the communities it played out in as normal -- as "just the way it is."

But then I grew up, took my Iowa education and went to work in Chicagoland for a Fortune 500 company. And a spart of that work, I traveled all around the world on their money. It was a delightful and amazing life for many years.

But for various personal reasons, when the buy-out offer came, I took it. And that buyout was generous enough that I could do what most only dream of -- I could live comfortably anywhere in the world. Having seen most of the world, the decision was still and easy one. I came home -- back to Iowa. And I came home for lots of reasons that I didn't even know were important until later. I came home to vibrant small tons and a summer concert series in Band Shell Park performed by the all-volunteer city band. I came home for world-class theatrical productions in the NIACC auditorium. I came home to a waitress who can put my breakfast order in as soon as I open the door. I came home to smiling toddlers in footy pajamas learning to clap to a J.P. Sousa march. I came home to an entire county of people who show up annually for Relay for Life. I came home to hometown festivals . . . . That's right. I came home.

All those things you're missing, or never had, are yours right now for the exploring.

Come home. Come to the Villages of Franklin County. Stay for a little or stay for a lot. And find a slice of Americana you thought only still existed in your dreams. It's no dream. Visit and see memories come alive: The Villages of Franklin County, Iowa.

Keri Holmes