July 10, 2010

Dear Friends:

Check for dates and times in our newsletter!

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Music, Fun, and Food coming to Fairgrounds-July 31st!
 

 A full schedule of music, food and fun awaits you at the 11th Annual “Harvest Showcase and Lunch at the Farmers Market”! The event will be held on Saturday, July 31 and the best part is that it is free and open to the public at the Henry County Kentucky Fairgrounds located on Highway 421 between New Castle and Pleasureville, Kentucky! The musical entertainment will feature Music ‘N a Box and Patrick Henry Hughes. Henry county farmers, craftsmen, local and regional chefs, and ag business people will be showcasing their agricultural products from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. And also this year will be the Antique Tractor Pull starting at 4:00 p.m.

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Second Wind Dreams

SUMMER BODY RECALL
DEMO SCHEDULE

NOTE! 7/23 Body Recall Cancelled

2010 FAIR RESULTS

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You can enjoy a locally grown lunch under the shade of the “Big Tent”. Breakfast is being provided by the Chamber of Commerce and will open at 7:30 for those setting up booths and early birds and will be served until 11:00 or it is gone! You will get a plate with eggs from Blueberry Hill farm, country ham from J.T. Stinson and friends, biscuits and gravy, sliced tomatoes from Jason Scriber and juice, water or coffee all for just $7.00! Local chefs will prepare tasty dishes from local produce. Again this year we will have Wendell and Ernestine Thomas of the Fall City Smokers Competition Barbecue Team who reside in Smithfield. They compete annually across the south and mid-south states and cook with some of the best Barbecue cooks in the country and world! Also the Henry County Cattlemen will be grilling up some of that great local beef and returning for their second year will be the Smoke Doctors with some great beef brisket.

Local crafters will be hosting booths where you can purchase that special gift you need. This event will hold lots of appeal for children who will enjoy the old-time games sponsored by the Henry County Care Team, visiting the Livestock Pavilion and milking Kentucky Kate. There will be farm fresh produce, hay, straw, flowers and much more, including a Corn Hole Tournament at 2:00(sign up at 1:00 p.m.), a Husband Competition that should prove hilarious, and the Antique Tractor Show and games will start at 10:00 with the Tractor Pull at 4:00.

New this year is the largest watermelon contest being sponsored by David Neville of Capstone Produce. The watermelon must have been grown in Henry County (verification may be required) and will be weighed at the main stage at 1:00. There is a $100 prize and then the watermelon will be auctioned off with the proceeds going to help the Showcase. There will also be a meeting of the Community Farm Alliance at 2:30. This event is a grassroots attempt to promote the agricultural economy to local residents and also an opportunity to reach out to our city neighbors and help them to reconnect with the land. Last year there were over 4000 in attendance from Henry, Oldham, Shelby, Trimble, Jefferson, Fayette, Owen, Franklin, and Mercer counties in Kentucky and also vehicles from Indiana and Ohio.

Don’t miss this day of great family fun. Come celebrate our rural community with us! What a great chance to enjoy a day of fun and food without spending a fortune on gas! For more information contact the Henry County Extension Office at 502-845-2811. Display space is available free to Henry County farmers, Henry County crafters and Henry County agricultural business people, and also to non-profits providing service in Henry County. If you would like a spot contact Bonnie Cecil at 532-0230. Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.

 

Be Getting your Biggest Loser Team Together

Don’t forget that the Henry County Christian Church and the Henry County Extension Service in cooperation with Jewish Physician Group are co-sponsoring another Biggest Loser Competition later this summer. Registration and initial weigh-ins will be held on either Sunday, July 18 from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. or Monday, July 19 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the Henry Christian Church. After the registration week you will also be able to weigh-in on Monday mornings from 9:00 to 11:00 at the Henry County Extension Office. Teams should be 3 or more people age 18 or older and entry fee is $20 per person, with a $5 weekly fee for those who gain weight or do not show up for the weigh-in. There will also be a series of nutrition class offered by the Jewish Physician Group. For more information call 502-845-4728 Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. -2:00 p.m.  (See link above for FLYER in PDF format.)

Sincerely,
Maryellen Garrison

Henry County Extension Agent
For Family and Consumer Sciences

Zelma Winchester granted a Second Wind Dreams wish for another Zelma who is a resident at Homestead and wanted a CD player and some gospel music, as Don Dalger, Administrator watched. If you or your group is interested in granting a dream of a resident then give us a call at the Henry County Extension Office or call Committee Chairperson Sue Barnett. The Second Wind Committee has granted almost 90 dreams so far and all of those who have granted a dream have reported that they have received far more than they gave.

The spring Fifth Tuesday program sponsored by the Henry County Extension Service and Twin Oaks Assisted Living had 50 in attendance for a fascinating session presented by Mike Yount and Norma Yount of Pleasureville Florist on March 30. Mike shared many tips of the trade as he designed two lovely arrangements and Norma shared her bow tying skills with the group. Our next Fifth Tuesday program is scheduled for June 29 so be watching for details.

Farmers Market

Why should you bother to visit the farmers market? So you can taste the “still-can-smell-the-earth” freshness of the produce, to purchase the most nutritious produce directly from the grower, to support the efforts of our local farmers, or just to spend some time shopping and visiting in your own community. If you have children or grandchildren maybe to introduce them to fresh produce. If you have been watching the Jamie Oliver Food Revolution show you may have been surprised to see that many children don’t even recognize a fresh fruit or vegetable when they see it-what a great teaching opportunity. Or maybe you should visit for all of the above!

With the bounty of produce flown in from the far corners of the globe that is offered at our local supermarkets, it is sometimes easy to forget which fruits and vegetables are in season. Refresh your memory by visiting a farmers market! Shopping locally for produce means that you’ll get the freshest, tastiest produce available. You’ll also get the healthiest vegetables and fruits possible. When produce travels from farm to distributor to supermarket, some nutrients are lost over time through exposure to air and light. While grocery store produce is still high in nutrition, it’s a definite treat to eat asparagus, strawberries, or spinach just hours after harvest.

So plan to visit our local Henry County Farmers Market on Saturday mornings at the Courthouse in New Castle from now through October. The market will have a variety of flowers, herbs, bedding plants to start and each week there will be more and more garden produce ripening from our local producers. We currently have 15 farmers who have paid their dues and we expect to have about 10-15 more join. We also have several who will be participating in the WIC/Senior program. If you are a WIC recipient you will be able to get your Farmers’ Market Coupons at the Health Department whenever your recertification time is or you can go anytime after they receive them. If you are over 60 and think you might qualify for the Senior Coupons contact the Henry County Senior Center at 845-4464.

For more information contact the Henry County Extension Office at 845-2811 or Farmer’s Market President Melissa Blankenship.

4/2010

Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity is a tough issue to tackle and more widespread than many of us may realize. Studies show that nationwide, 32 percent of children between the ages of 10 and 17 are overweight or obese. In Kentucky that number climbs to 37 percent giving us the second highest rate of childhood obesity in the United States.

A number of factors complicate the problem. Lack of physical activity and poor eating habits are two principal causes.

Here are some guidelines to help your child achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.

1. Offer fruits and vegetables every day. Prepare them so they are tender but still crisp or offer raw vegetables as an alternative. Ask children to help prepare vegetable recipes. They are more likely to try new foods when they are involved in cooking them.

2. Invest in family mealtimes. Regular mealtimes promote better nutrition. For families that sit down together to eat, this means more fruits and vegetables, fewer fried foods and fewer high-sugar soft drinks. When children get the nutrition they need, it helps cut down on the desire for “empty” calorie foods.

3. Physical Activity Suggestions: Encourage noncompetitive family sports such as jumping rope, Frisbee disc, tag, or hide-and-seek. After a family meal, take the family outside. Go for a 10-minute walk or bike ride. It will help keep the family from settling in front of a screen for the rest of the evening. Even if you cannot go outdoors, you can still do a little physical activity. Put on music and dance or check out an exercise video from your local library. Perhaps most importantly, make sure that your children see you participate in some physical activity. If you do not take physical activity seriously, how can you expect them to?

Children with excessive body weight are more likely to be overweight as adults which can lead to higher risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other illnesses. One way to find out if your child is at risk for excessive weight is to determine his or her Body Mass Index (BMI). This formula is a measure of weight for height taking into account total body makeup. Ask your pediatrician to assess your child’s BMI, discuss the results and any additional steps that need to be taken. Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

New Credit Card Laws Take Effect

Congress passed the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act in May 2009. While some of the changes became effective last fall, the majority started February 22, 2010, with others not effective until August 2010. The new credit card law addresses interest rate increases, penalties, and fees.

The new credit card law will implement the following changes:

• The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on existing balances cannot be increased for one year after opening the account. The APR may be increased sooner if the credit issuer informed you at the time the account was opened, the card is a variable rate card, meaning the APR is linked to a specific published index, if the minimum payment on the card is not made within 60 days, and if the card holder had a debt reduction or concession agreement (meaning the card holder had a special circumstance agreement with the credit issuers) and did not meet the requirements of the agreement.
• At the end of the first year, the credit issuer can increase the card holder’s APR, but only on new purchases and must be within the potential rate increase information already provided to the card holder.
• The credit issuer must now provide 45 days notice to changes that will be made to the card holder account. The credit card holder will also be allowed to cancel their credit card prior to new changes taking effect, without having to immediately repay the outstanding balance. The outstanding balance would be repaid at the old rate.
• Credit card companies will still be allowed to offer teaser rates or low introductory offers, but the rate cannot increase until after the advertised period which must be at least six months. Credit card companies must be clear in disclosing information about the teaser rate.
• Credit card holder will now receive their monthly statement 21 days prior to the due date. This is an increase from 14 days.
• If you have a credit card with multiple interest rates, for example a specific interest rate for balance transfers and a different rate for new purchases, any payment over the minimum monthly payment must be applied to the highest interest rate balances first.
• Two-cycle billing will be prohibited. Double cycle billing is when the credit issuer uses both the current balance on the credit and the average daily balance from the previous period (even if a portion was paid) to calculate interest charges.
• You must now opt-in or tell your credit card company if you want to allow over-the-limit transactions. If you allow over-the-limit transactions the credit issuer can only charge one fee per billing cycle.

Perhaps the most notably change to many consumers, will be the change in their monthly credit card statement. The monthly credit card statement will now include information on how much the credit holder has paid in interest and fees during the current year. Furthermore, the credit card company must now provide the consumer with how long it will take to pay off the card, making the minimum monthly payment. Additionally, the card issuer must provide the minimum monthly payment required to pay off the credit card within 36 months. This information should help cardholders budget to be able to pay their card off more quickly. The credit card company must also provide the due date for the current statement, as well as the amount of late fees or penalties charged if the payment is late. Additional information on the new credit card laws, as credit card information in general is available from the FDIC at www.mymoney.gov, and the Federal Reserve Board’s Consumer Guide to Credit Cards. If you are looking for additional money tips, educational materials may be found on Moneywise. Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.

2/203/10

Small Steps to Health and Wealth™ Online Challenge Press Release

Just in time to keep those New Year’s resolutions to improve health and personal finances, Rutgers Cooperative Extension is launching its new online Small Steps to Health and Wealth™ (SSHW) Challenge Web site with “SSHW Worldwide Challenge 2010.” This free six-week program, open to anyone who enrolls online, will be held from Sunday, January 17, through Saturday, February 27. Prizes will be awarded for participants who report the highest point totals.

To sign up for the SSHW Challenge, follow the “Challenges” link on the Small Steps to Health and Wealth™ Web site at http://njaes.rutgers.edu/sshw/. Set up a user name and password and download a simple one-page user’s guide with instructions about how to proceed. Enroll in the Challenge titled “SSHW Worldwide Challenge 2010.”

The SSHW Challenge is part of Small Steps to Health and Wealth™, a national Cooperative Extension program developed to motivate Americans to take action to simultaneously improve their health and personal finances. SSHW was built around a framework of 25 research-based behavior change strategies. The Challenge was originally developed in a “paper and pencil” format with printed worksheets and is now available online.

It has been well documented that, when people monitor their behavior and measure their how they’re doing, they are often inspired to do better and achieve positive results. Participants in a SSHW Challenge are “on their honor” to report their activities accurately. If they “cheat” on reporting their points, they are only cheating themselves by not following the recommended daily practices.

The SSHW Challenge is based on the performance of ten recommended practices on a daily basis: five that involve health and nutrition and five that involve financial management. Ten points are given for performing each one for a maximum of 700 points per week and 4,200 points for the entire challenge. “The Challenge is a great way to convert ambitious New Year’s resolutions, like losing weight and saving money, into daily action steps,” noted Barbara O’Neill, Extension Specialist in Financial Resource Management for Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

The five daily health and nutrition practices are: eat at least 4 cups of fruits and vegetables; get at least 30 minutes of exercise; drink water or unsweetened beverages instead of sugar-sweetened beverages; walk 10,000 or more steps with a pedometer; and learn something new about health and nutrition.

The five daily financial management practices included in the SSHW Challenge are: save a $1 bill (or more) and/or pocket change; invest $5 or more per day (including automated retirement savings plan deposits); track money spent throughout the day; eat lunch prepared at home; and learn something new about personal finance. The latter activity, for both health and personal finances, can be accomplished by visiting Web sites, attending seminars, or by reading, listening to, or viewing media reports.

As participants enter their personal data, they will see their point totals for each day of the week and for each of the ten activities described above. They’ll also see a bar graph that compares their personal progress to the average scores of everyone else participating in the Challenge. Daily motivational messages will also be provided to participants. Paper tracking forms can be downloaded to keep track of daily activities until they are entered online.

Doing even one of the ten recommended daily practices is a great way to get started on the path to better health and improved financial security. The more SSHW Challenge activities that are performed by participants, the better. To sign up for “SSHW Worldwide Challenge 2010,” visit http://njaes.rutgers.edu/sshw/. If you are not on-line and would like a hard copy of the Small Steps book we have several here at the office that will be offered free on a first come first served basis. Call to reserve your copy and then simply stop by to pick it up.

1/14/10

9/10/09

Physical activity is beneficial

Recent reports in the media question the effectiveness of exercise for weight loss and weight management. However, physical activity and exercise do provide many benefits for individuals including lower disease risks, mental health improvements and weight control.

Numerous studies show exercise and physical activity help prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease, osteoporosis, obesity and diabetes. Also, people who exercise generally feel better mentally. This is because during exercise your brain releases endorphins, hormone-like substances that are the body’s own “natural pain-killers.” This release can help prevent and treat mild cases of anxiety and depression. In fact, research shows regular moderate exercise to be as effective in treating moderate depression as antidepressant medication.

The problem is most of us don’t get enough exercise and physical activity every day. In 1973, Americans could eat around 2000 calories per day and still maintain their weight. However, from 1973 to 2003, Americans decreased their daily amount of physical activity by 25 percent, which would mean it takes 500 calories less to maintain weight! During the same time, the amount of calories we consumed rose by 300 calories a day. Those two numbers combined show many Americans consume an excess of 800 calories a day. Consuming this many excess calories can cause weight gain of at least one pound per week.

It’s easy to incorporate more physical activity in your day. Here are some ways you can become more physically active:

1. Incorporate more physical activity while at home and work. Household duties such as climbing stairs, carrying laundry, running the vacuum, cleaning closets and moving boxes can help you stay in shape. When at work, take the stairs instead of the elevator or park farther away and walk to your building. Get up and move from your desk at least once every 30 minutes even if it’s only to make a copy or go to the restroom.

2. Find ways to incorporate more walking into your day. Walking can provide you with physical activity, as well as help you clear your head, listen to music or spend time with friends and family.

3. Build and maintain strong muscles. You can do this without purchasing expensive exercise equipment or weights. Utilize your available resources. For example, canned goods make good hand weights. Stretches and muscle toning are also things you can do while watching television.

While physical activity and exercise do have benefits, it may not lead to weight loss on its own for everyone. If you want to lose weight, it’s important for you to make healthy changes to your diet in addition to more physical activity. Once you reach your weight loss goal, physical activity and exercise can help you keep the weight off.

We have free Second Sunday Tee Shirts available for any group/family that is planning to be physically active on Sunday, October 11! We have 75 that will be given on a first come, first serve basis. We also have several pedometers, some water bottles, lunch bags and frisbies that will be provided to those indicating they plan to participate!

10/1/09

Preventing falls is key for older adults
and September 22 is Fall Prevention Day!

Falls are a serious concern for older adults. The consequences can be life-changing or even life-ending, especially when head injuries are involved.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one third of Americans 65 and older have serious falls every year. In Kentucky, more than 150 older adults die every year from the consequences of falls, often after extended hospital stays and nursing home care. Some 17,000 older Kentuckians have fall-related emergency department visits, and nearly 5,000 are hospitalized every year.

Falls have wide-ranging human and economic costs. There is a well-documented tendency for people who have been injured by falls to restrict their activities, thus losing important social and emotional support. Family members might need to give up paid employment to care for a relative injured by a fall, or the relative might lose the ability to live independently. moving in with caregivers.

While most of the hospital cost for Kentuckians older than 65 is covered through the federal Medicare program, subsequent nursing home and home health coverage under Medicare is limited. Kentuckians who need extended care are likely to exhaust their resources and become eligible for Medicaid, a program that is second only to public education in its share of Kentucky's state budget. Thus, fall prevention in older adults is important for all Kentuckians, not just those at high risk of falling.

The Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center is part of a statewide effort to design a coordinated fall prevention program for older adults. With our partners in the Kentucky Safety and Prevention Alignment Network, we're working to identify possible funding sources.

The evidence supporting fall prevention is strong, and many measures can be implemented at low cost. To prevent falls:

■ Exercise moderately to strengthen muscles and maintain balance.
■ Keep frequently used items within reach without the use of stepladders.
■ Clear the home of obvious risks such as trailing cords and loose rugs.
■ Screen during health visits for risk factors such as sensory deficits, medication usage or environmental dangers.

Everywhere we turn we hear about the benefits of exercise and how it can help our health and the quality of our life. But the question for many people, especially sedentary individuals, is what kind of exercise is safe for me to do and where can I find it. One of the important aspects of starting any exercise program is starting off slowly and gradually building up your exercise level. The Henry County Extension Service will again be offering a proven, tested method of easy exercise that is designed especially for the over 50 bunch. The program is called Body Recall, a lifetime fitness program for the “living longer” population. As the name indicates, Body Recall is a call back, a revival, a renewal of the movements learned or experienced in youth. Class runs from Oct. 5 through December 23 and is held from 10:30 to 11:30 at the Extension office-generally on W-W-F but call for a complete schedule. Stop by and see if Body Recall is for you. New participants pay $30. (SCHEDULE)

9/17/09

Upcoming/Ongoing Programs & Opportunities:

The Second Wind Dreams program is working on providing individual shadow boxes for each resident at Homestead Nursing Center. They will be hung at the resident’s door and will include a small life history of the resident letting visitors and staff know a little more about the individual. Pictured are Helen Davis, Pat Gray, Saundra Smith and Alvin Roberts working to stain the 64 boxes that were purchased thanks to an anonymous donor. For information on how you or your group can participate in Second Wind Dreams contact Vicki Atha or Don Dalger at Homestead, Sue Barnett-Second Wind Dreams Chairman or the Henry County Extension Office.  MORE...

Your chance to help Second Wind Dreams: Many of you know about the Second Wind Dreams program that grants dreams of residents of nursing homes! Here is an easy one! Homestead would like to have some CD’s and DVD’s donated that the residents might enjoy(they do not want VCR or cassettes). Music from the 30’s through the 70’s would be great (ex; Frank Sinatra, Big Band, Dean Martin, perry Como, Old time Country, Semi-Classical, Old Standard Blues). And movies that might be appropriate! If you have any you can either drop by the Extension Office and we will get them to Homestead or take them directly there! Vicki Atha (activity Director at Homestead) needs some volunteers to assist residents when they play Bingo-right now they are playing at 2:30 on Mondays, 10:30 on Wednesdays, and 10:30 on Saturdays. Vicki also needs some volunteers to help residents remember how to knit and crochet give her a call at 845-2861. In the 1940's, everyone pitched in to win the war, so fulfilling dreams for elders nationwide is our way of thanking the Greatest Generation.