SEPTEMBER GREETINGS!!

Have you ever heard the saying about old things becoming new again? Well, guess what, that’s kind of what is happening to the McCracken County Homemakers for the next couple of years.

As one of your senior members, I have accepted the position to be the new county President. I want to thank you all for your support and confidence. Together we can reach out to encourage others to join us in many various ways, along with ‘Continuing our Education’ through the lessons we receive. We continue to grow our varied special interest groups, so please invite someone to attend a meeting or a specialty group, check out the newsletter for upcoming activities or our website, McCracken County Extension Homemakers. Make sure you don’t miss out on joining others in learning, making new friends and sharing new beginnings. I’m looking forward to seeking familiar faces, along with new ones as we strive to increase our membership.

It’s that time of the year to recall a poem from the past, ‘September’’ by Helen Hunt Jackson; so check it out and let’s enjoy the coming year ahead together.

Thursdays Adult Sewing, 9am to 12pm

Sept. 2 Labor Day, office closed

Sept. 3 Toolbox Series, “Bluebirds”, 5pm

Sept. 5 Crochet Club, 1pm

Sept. 9 Knitting Club, 9:30am, rescheduled due to holiday

Sept. 9 Quilt Club, 9:30am

Sept. 12 No adult sewing due to Quilt Show

Sept. 16 Knitting Club, 9:30am

Sept. 17 Bags of Love, 9:30am

Sept. 18 Needlework Club, 10am

Sept. 19 Crochet Club, 1pm

Sept. 23 Beginning Quilting Class, 9:30am

Sept. 23 Garden Club, 9:30am

Sept. 25 Lesson, “Healthy Homes: Hazardous Household Products

September 2019 Notes from President Angie Loyd

Upcoming Events

The County Annual Day Committee would like to thank all those who helped make this event

spectacular. We received wonderful evaluations with some recommendations for next year.

Thank you.

Arts & CraftsScarf Demo & Ribbon Pin

September 139:30am $3

Make a scarf pin and watch a demonstration by Linda Kaletch on how to wear scarves. Class is limited so call or email now to save your spot.

270-554-9520 or nancy.williams@uky.edu

October 11Creative Craft Bash

9:30am

Fun crafts with prices ranging from $2 to $6 per craft. Registration forms available at the

Extension office.

County Annual Day

Homemaker Week

Save the DateOctober 15 10am

“Understanding Dementia & Alzheimer’s “

Holiday BazaarNovember 2 8am to 1pm

Vendor applications available at the Extension office and online at http://mccracken.ca.uky.edu/.

They are due into the office by October 25.

Who Attends Board & Advisory Council Meetings?

Homemaker Board members are all county officers, educational chairman, as well as others listed in the yearbook on pg. 6 (Arts

& Crafts, Bazaar, Scholarship, etc.).

Advisory Council members are all of the above plus club presidents.

County Hubs for LessonsMcCracken (270) 554-9520

Marshall (270) 527-3285Graves (270) 247-2334

Hickman (270) 653-2231

With many different safety concerns in the home, it is not always easy to tell if your home is unhealthy or may have safety hazards. Pollutants, moisture issues, and various hazards in the home can have an effect on your health and on the environment. This series will guide participants in understanding what it means to make green choices when selecting and using cleaning products, how to determine moisture risk, identify potential safety hazards, and evaluate ventilation within the home.

Clubs & Mailbox members must now call the Extension office to register no later than 1 week ahead of class time to tell us how many lesson leaders will be attending.

Healthy Homes: Hazardous Household Products” Lesson

September 25 10am

September isFood Safety Month

How 26 Percent of Participants Transferred Bacteria from Raw Chicken to Their Salads

The debate on whether or not to wash raw poultry is a fierce one, but until recently it was not a debate backed by science. A recent study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) further demonstrates that individuals are putting themselves at risk of illness when they wash or rinse raw poultry.“During this year’s study, 26 percent of participants that washed raw poultry transferred bacteria from that raw poultry to their ready to eat salad lettuce,” said Dr. Mindy Brashears, the USDA’s Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety. “Fortunately, small changes in the kitchen can lead to big health benefits for you and your family. Not washing meat and poultry reduces your risk of cross-contamination and can keep your family safe from foodborne illness.”Many individuals may be unknowingly contaminating foods and causing illness for themselves or their family members. The good news is that the USDA has a few easy options to help prevent illness when you are preparing meat and poultry.• Significantly decrease your risk by preparing foods that will not be cooked, such as vegetables and salads,

BEFORE handling and preparing raw meat and poultry. o Of the participants who washed their raw poultry, 60% had bacteria in their sink after washing or

rinsing the poultry. Even more concerning was that 14% of participants still had bacteria in their sinks after they attempted to clean the sink.

• Thoroughly clean and sanitize ANY surface that has potentially touched or been otherwise contaminated from raw meat and poultry, or their juices.

o Of the participants that did not wash their raw poultry, 31% still managed to get bacteria from the raw poultry onto their salad lettuce.

o This high rate of cross-contamination was likely due to a lack of effective handwashing and contamination of the sink and utensils.

Clean sinks and countertops with hot soapy water and then apply a sanitizer. Use one cutting board for raw meat and poultry a different one for fruit, vegetables and cooked

foods. Wash hands immediately after handling raw meat and poultry. Wet your hands with water,

lather with soap and then make sure you scrub your hands for 20 seconds.• Destroy any illness causing bacteria by cooking meat and poultry to a safe internal temperature as measured

by a food thermometer. o Beef, pork, lamb and veal (steaks, roasts and chops) are safe to eat at 145°F.o Ground meats (burgers) are safe to eat at 160°F.o Poultry (whole or ground) are safe to eat at 165°F.

Washing, rinsing, or brining meat and poultry in salt water, vinegar or lemon juice does not destroy bacteria.

Source: usda.gov

If your church or civic organization would like to know more about food safety and/or nutrition or would like to schedule one time classes or multiple classes,

contact Stephanie Caldwell, SNAP Assistant McCracken County Cooperative Extension Service.

270-554-9520 or stephanie.caldwell@uky.edu

2020 Census QuiltThe Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association is partnering with the U.S. Census Bureau to create a unique quilt featuring one square from each of Kentucky’s 120 counties. This special quilt will travel statewide, demonstrating that each county matters, and reminding viewers that every person must be counted for Kentucky to have appropriate congressional representation and federal funding.

The completed quilt will be on display at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, from September 16-21, 2019. A brief program is planned for 2:00 p.m. on September 16th. Karen Hill, KEHA President, and Marlene McComas, KEHA Past President, will speak on behalf of KEHA. This will be KEHA’s formal presentation of the quilt to the Census Bureau.

Purchase Area Homemakers will have a booth set up by the quilt promoting membership on September 16th. A representative from each county will be present to accept new membership forms. Please plan to stop by and bring a friend.

Not Your Grandma’s Brussel Sprouts

Makes 2 servingsServing size: 1 cup

Ingredients:

1 pound Brussels sprouts, quartered1 T. olive oil2 tsps. Garlic powder½ tsp. salt½ tsp. pepper2 T. grated Parmesan cheese

McCracken County Cooperative Extension2025 New Holt RoadPaducah, KY 42001-9755

Phone:(270) 554-9520

Events held at the address below unless stated otherwise.

Nutrition facts per serving:100 calories; 5 total fat; 1.2g saturated fat;0g trans fat; 5mg cholesterol; 230mg sodium; 11g carbohydrate; 5g fiber; 3g sugar; 5g protein

Source: Adapted from USDA What’s Cooking?

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Lay Brussels sprouts on baking sheet or oven safe skillet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Toss to coat.

Bake 10 minutes, shake the pan to turn and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes, until crisp and golden.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Kindness Quote

When you carry out acts of kindness you get a

wonderful feeling inside. It is as though something

inside your body responds and says, yes, this is how I

ought to feel. Harold Kushner

~http://wisdomquotes.com/kindness-quotes/

Download this and past issues of the Adult, Youth, Parent and Family Caregiver Health Bulletins: http://fcs-hes.ca.uky.edu/content/health-bulletins

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 9

FARM SAFETY AND HEALTHAccording to a new national poll

sponsored by the American Farm Bureau Federation, a majority of farmers and farmworkers say financial issues (91 percent), farm or business problems (88 percent), and fear of losing the farm (87 percent) impact their mental health. A strong majority, 91 percent, of rural adults and farmers or farmworkers add that mental health is important to them and/or their family.

It is not an easy time to be in agriculture right now. Higher rates of mental health issues often go unaddressed among farmers or farmworkers and can sometimes lead to dire, but avoidable, consequences.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that male farmers across

McCracken County Extension Office 2025 New Holt Road Paducah, KY 42001 (270) 554-9520

Written by: Natalie JonesEdited by: Alyssa SimmsDesigned by: Rusty ManseauStock images: 123RF.com

17 states took their own lives at a rate two times higher than the general population. Recent research from the California Polytechnic State University shows that suicide rates in agriculture are higher than any other occupation at 84.5 per 100,000 people. That means farmers are some of the most at-risk people in rural communities, making it extremely important to reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues so that people seek help. Keeping good health, including mental health, is a key factor in one’s ability to farm.

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. If you experience mental health problems, that could affect your thinking, mood, and behavior.

Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including genetic factors and life experience. If you are a farmer, rancher, or farmworker, you already know that your work can expose you to a variety of hazards.

Factors affecting farm wellness• Financial concerns: equipment purchases,

borrowing for farm operations, mortgages, rent, or insurance.

• Personal or family concerns• Work-related injuries• Change in farm policies• Chemical exposure• Loss of crop or livestock• Weather

How can I help someone struggling with mental health?

Here are some ways you can help:

• Encourage them to seek professional help. A mental health specialist can help with talk therapy, medicine, or both. A mental health or behavioral health specialist can help those who struggle with depression, anxiety, grief, and addiction.

• Encourage healthy lifestyle choices like eating nutritious foods, getting enough sleep, and getting daily physical activity. These all have positive effects on mental health.

• Listen, and let them know you understand.• Be patient. It takes time to build

up positive mental health.

SOURCES:• https://www.fb.org/newsroom/new-national-poll-shows-

impacts-of-rural-economy-on-farmer-mental-health• https://www.ocj.com/2019/03/breaking-the-

stigma-of-mental-health-in-farming• https://www.agrisafe.org/total-farmer-health• https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health

Make healthy lifestyle choices like eating nutritious foods, getting enough sleep, and getting daily physical activity.

9/4/2019

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International Travel:What You Need to Know Before 

You Go

International Travel

• Over the past decade, the travel industry has experienced an increase in international travel

– Senior citizens, in particular, are traveling abroad more 

• International travel requires a few special considerations

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Planning Your Trip 

1. Determine where you would like to travel– You need to keep a budget and your travel goals in mind

2. Apply for or renew your passport– The average processing time for a passport application is 4 to 6 

weeks

– There are several documents that you will need to gather prior to applying for your passport such as a birth certificate, Social Security card, and/or driver’s license

Planning Your Trip 

3. Register your trip with the U.S. Department of State

– Doing so will ensure that the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate is able to contact you or your family back home in the event of a local emergency situation or a family emergency

4. Research the local exchange rate

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Planning Your Trip 

4. Speak with your bank

– Inform your bank of your travel destination and travel dates to avoid cancellation of your card (your bank may cancel your card if they suspect fraudulent activity)

– Check to see if your bank card will work in your destination country

– Be aware of any foreign transaction fees associated with use of your bank card

Planning Your Trip

5. Speak with your healthcare insurance provider

– Check to see which medical services, if any, will be covered internationally

– Also, be aware that medical evacuations back to the United States are rarely covered and cost an average of $100,000

– Consider purchasing supplemental traveler’s insurance for any healthcare needs 

– Medicare does not cover medical expenses overseas

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Planning Your Trip

6. Contact your healthcare provider

– Talk with your provider about any possible vaccination requirements for your destination country

– Ask your provider for a list of your prescription medications with their generic names and dosages

Planning Your Trip

7. Consider purchasing a guidebook or travel apps

– Many guidebooks and travel apps include simple phrases or words in the local language, maps, sample itineraries, and helpful hints

– A number of language apps can help you to learn simple phrases in the local language before you embark on your trip 

9/4/2019

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Planning Your Trip

8. Think about what to pack!

– Try to pack as light as possible

– A wardrobe capsule consisting of 10 to 12 pieces of clothing that can be easily mixed, matched, and layered is easiest

– Comfortable walking shoes

– Be sure to pack spare hearing aid batteries, a spare pair of eyeglasses, and an international electronic converter