Why I Eat At Hardees

I had a meeting at Hardees.  We (I) chose Hardees because they have free wifi.  

I got there early and saw they had a sign for fish and chips.  That's a new item out here in the Midwest.  The general manager was working the register.  I asked her how she liked the fish and chips. She swallowed, hard.  Then she looked me right in the eye and said "the fish last year was better.  It's a lot of money for fish that isn't the absolute best. " 

Give that lady a medal!  A big whopping humungous blue ribbon of a medal.  She told the truth to a customer.  Guess where I'll keep eating?

I sat down and set up my computer.  I couldn't get the wifi to connect.  The manager (same lady) brought my food back to me and asked was I okay.  I told her I couldn't get connected.  She let me know she had no idea how to get connected, but ....now get this .... the cook did!  She said she'd send him back to help me.   He was there in minutes.  Static IP problems resolved quickly.

Guess where I'll keep eating?  

Interactive Website for Tough Times

Extension Launches Interactive Learning Website for Managing Tough Times

 Hard times are hitting families, farmers, businesses and communities that are struggling to stay on their feet. Iowa State University Extension can help put some balance back into these times. At Managing Tough Times, www.extension.iastate.edu/answers,  ISU Extension brings together facts, tools and experts so individuals, businesses and communities can answer the hard times with solutions. Most of these resources are no cost or low cost.

“ISU Extension can help Iowans weather and survive the economic challenges facing our state and our nation,” said Jack Payne, vice president for ISU Extension and Outreach. “We’re bringing together many ISU Extension resources on one Web site so Iowans can take advantage of ‘one-stop shopping’ when they’re looking for help. This multiplies the outreach of our campus, county and field staff.”

The Managing Tough Times Farming in Today’s Changing Economy section offers calculators, articles, videos and expert contact information for the traditional farmer, as well as transitioning farmers and small scale farmers. Farmers who want help creating an in-depth financial plan to guide their decisions can connect with ISU Extension associates through the Web site. Farmers considering transitioning out of farming can watch a video that explains the help available through the Beginning Farmer Center.

Help lines, interactive Web sites, experts and publications that address family issues are available under the heading For Families and Households. Help is categorized under finances, nutrition and health, and coping with stress. Use the recipes, tips and expert blogs to provide nutritious meals on a limited budget. Find out how to connect with a listening and understanding ear through help lines like Iowa Concern (800) 447-1985 and Teen Line (800) 443-8336.

Businesses and communities experience special challenges during tough times, but knowing where to go for assistance makes it possible to manage those times. Managing Tough Time’s Surviving Economic Uncertainty link lists resource centers, experts, Web sites and current programs that can make a difference any time, but especially right now. Businesses that want to understand the market potential of government procurement or reduce the barriers inherent in government contracting are linked to contacts. A survey that can be used to better understand residents’ food security needs is linked to the site. It isn’t impossible to develop community and business leaders during these times; go to the site for a list of ISU Extension leadership programs.

Continually updated to meet changing needs, the Managing Tough Times Web site www.extension.iastate.edu/answers delivers the best available resources from Iowa State University Extension, land-grant universities and other reliable resources. With links to eXtension, Managing Tough Times is an interactive learning environment delivering the best, most researched knowledge from the smartest land-grant university minds across America.

Contacts:

Willy Klein, Extension Communications and External Relations, (515)294-0662, wklein@iastate.edu

John Wayne

Why not head over to the Waterloo Center for the Arts on 3/19 at 1:30 pm and see John Wayne, the fictionalized cowboy here in True Grit?  

The Waterloo Center for the Arts will be hosting a Spring Film Series entitled John Wayne, the Fictionalized Cowboy Hero, a five-film series devoted to one of Iowa's most beloved actors, John Wayne.

Follow the Duke’s journey as a Western film star and learn more about his prolific career that spanned over fifty years. All films are free, open to the public and will be held in Law Court Theatre. Open discussion will follow each film, moderated by Thorn Thornsberry.

The Waterloo Center for the Arts is located at 225 Commercial Street.  Visit this link for more info. 

photo courtesy of wikipedia

Need the dates for whats happening in Hampton Today?  Click here

Enjoy The Fruits of our Labor Workshop

“Enjoying the Fruits of Our Labor” Horticulture Workshop, March 28

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.

One of the speakers, Barb Ristau, Franklin County Extension Families Program Assistant will demonstrate how to preserve harvested fruits. Canning fruits destroy the organisms that cause spoilage, such as molds, yeasts, and bacteria; canning also inactivates enzymes that can cause undesirable changes in flavor, color and texture of raw fruits. Because fruits are high in acid they can be safely processed in either a boiling water canner or a pressure canner. Freezing fruit is a quick, convenient, and popular way to preserve extra produce. Freezing is not as economical as canning, but it preserves more nutrients in food if properly done.

To learn more about growing, harvesting, and preserving fruits please pre-register by calling the Franklin County Extension Office at 641-456-4811 or go on-line at www.extension.iastate.edu/franklin Cost is $10.00 per person, $15.00 per couple. 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.

Whats going on in Hampton?  click here   

picture courtesy of Stephen Poff over at flickr.com