Family & Consumer Sciences

Oldham CountyExtension Newsletter

1815 N Hwy 393 • La Grange, KY 40031 • Telephone: 222-9453 • Fax: 222-7930 • oldham.ca.uky.eduEducational programs of KY Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability. University of Kentucky, Kentucky State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Kentucky Counties, Cooperating. Disabilities accommodated with prior notification.

FCS News–Page 1 • 4-H News–Page 3 • Ag News–Page 5Extension Events–Page 7 • Report to the People–Page 8

Louisville Area Homemakers News Congratulations to Dottie Crouch, the newly elected Louisville Area Homemakers President. Dottie was elected to a three year term at the Annual Area meeting on October 17 in Henry County. Seventeen Oldham County Homemakers celebrated the Area’s accomplishments over the past year with representatives from Bullitt, Henry, Jefferson, Shelby, Spencer, and Trimble Counties.

Three Oldham Countians accepted Area Chairman positions: Nancy Dahlgren as Parliamentarian, Becky Seidel for Leadership Development, and Paula State for Family & Individual Development. Peggy Townsend continues to serve as Chair of Cultural Arts & Heritage.

Winter 2017

Celebrating Old-Fashioned Holiday Traditions On November 2, Crossroads and Goshen Area Homemakers demonstrated ideas for a beautiful, economical Old-Fashioned Traditions at this year’s Holiday Showcase. Participants learned about gumdrop trees and the history of pompoms; made take-home crafts; and sampled recipes, including potato candy, Woodford pudding, and Scottish scones.

Outgoing Louisville Area President Joyce Krigler (left) passes on the gavel to Dottie Crouch (right).

Carol McKinnon describes making a pompom wreath to help decorate your home for the holidays.

Page 2Sherry Ragsdale

EFNEP AssistantChris Duncan

Family & Consumer Sciences Agent

Winter Homemaker Lessons Join us at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 25, for Vegetarian 101. Chris Duncan, Oldham County Family & Consumer Sciences Agent, explores vegetarian and vegan diets, examining history, outlining health benefits, and reviewing possible nutrient challenges of a plant-based diet.

The average person moves 11 times over a lifetime (U.S. Census Bureau), and downsizing to a smaller home has become a recent trend. Learn the Ins and Outs of Downsizing at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 22. This lesson will be presented by Jane Proctor, Trimble County Extension FCS Agent.

Get Ready for Cultural Arts Attend Spit Polish on Monday, February 5, to learn how to prepare a blue ribbon entry for Cultural Arts, county and state fairs, and other competitions. Class begins at 10:00 a.m. and ends at 2:00 p.m. with lunch provided. Free and open to the public. Reservations required by January 29.

On Friday, February 16, Oldham County Extension Homemakers will hold their annual Cultural Arts & Heritage Day at the John Black Community Center, located at 1551 North Highway 393 in Buckner. Entry tags and registration materials will be available at the Extension Office in January. See pages 27-29 of the Oldham County Homemaker Handbook for guidelines and categories.

Blue ribbon winners from the county competition will advance to the Louisville Area Homemakers Cultural Arts event on Friday, February 23, also at the John Black Center. Viewing of judged entries will be between noon and 1:00 p.m.

Fall Spiced Pumpkin Bread Recipe Try this new Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud recipe at your next family gathering.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour• 1 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder• 1 teaspoon baking soda• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice• 1/2 teaspoon salt• 1/2 cup melted margarine• 1/2 cup sugar• 1/2 cup honey• 2 cups pumpkin puree• 1/3 cup olive oil• 2 eggs• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 °F. Mix flours, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together margarine, sugar, honey, pumpkin puree, and olive oil. Blend in eggs. Add flour mixture. Stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Spray a 8-by-4 inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour batter into pan; sprinkle walnuts on top of batter. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and cover with foil. Return to oven and bake an additional 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and remove from pan.

Nutritional Analysis:

220 calories, 13 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 270 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 14 g sugars, 4 g protein

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Achievement Award Winners Recognized at 4-H Banquet

The 4-H Achievement Program recognizes members beginning in the sixth grade. The application is a detailed resume of the member’s 4-H and community involvement. Scholarships are available at each state level achieved. Congratulations to the following 4-H’ers who have completed a Clover Achievement Level:

4-H Youth Development

Clover Level 1Claire CombsRyan HawkinsBailey JohnsonRiely JohnsonSean Johnson

Clover Level 2Maggie Jones

Andrew MyersAdelle MinorCaroline Olds

Clover Level 3

Rebekah AndersonPeyton Ash

Hunter FacklerElla Olds

Will Shannon

Clover Level 4Maggie Anderson

Brooke HortonKeirstin Kennedy

Ruby MasonShelby Shackelford

Ethan Willis

Clover Level 5Noah AndersonRyann HortonMeridan Myers

Max Renner

Submitted forState Level Awards

Hannah AndersonNoah Anderson

Sarah GriffinBeth HuffmanMolly LogsdonOlivia Minor

Attention Horse Club Members

4-H members who would like to qualify for participation in any 4-H competitive horse event (this includes 4-H Horse shows) must complete six hours of instructional hours approved by their 4-H certified horse club leader. Instructional hours must be completed before April 15 and require documentation by the certified horse club leader.

Please meet with your 4-H certified horse club leader now to ensure your hours are completed and documented prior to April 15. 4-H members must also have submitted their 4-H enrollment form to the Extension office by April 15. Documentation of completed hours must accompany your registration or show paperwork.

Join Oldham County 4-Hin Making Camp History

We broke the Oldham County attendance record this past summer with 283 campers and leaders. Join us in 2018 when we make history by filling Lake Cumberland’s cabins by ourselves.

Mark your calendars now! Oldham County 4-H camps July 16 to 20. Registration will be available in February.

Page 4Kelly Woods

4-H Youth Development AgentAmy Logsdon4-H Assistant

Oldham County 4-H’ers Excel at State Shoot

The Kentucky 4-H State Shooting Sports Competition was held in Wilmore, KY on September 9 and 10. Fifty-three Oldham County 4-H’ers between the ages of nine and eighteen competed in .22 Pistol, .22 Rifle, Air Pistol, Archery, and Trap/Shotgun. Oldham County 4-H members won a total of forty-four trophies, four jackets, and three top scores. Congratulations to all State Shoot participants!

.22 PISTOL

3rd Place Individual (Age 12-14)Kaitlyn Snyder

1st Place Team (Age 12-14)Noah AndersonKaitlyn Snyder

Audra SpellmanSydney Wells

1st Place Individual (Age 15-18)John Clore

3rd Place Individual (Age 15-18)Shane Bickett

1st Place Team (Age 15-18)Shane Bickett

John CloreDain MacDonald

John Wells

AIR PISTOL

1st Place Individual (Age 15-18)Cameron Rice

3rd Place Individual (Age 15-18)John Clore

1st Place Team (Age 15-18)Shane Bickett

John CloreDain MacDonald

Cameron Rice

RIFLE .22 Sport

3rd Place Team (Age 9-11)Sam Magsig

John MoralesNeil SimonsonLaura Worth

3rd Place Individual (Age 12-14)Cole Powell

1st Place Team (Age 12-14)Sarah Grace Jackson

Cole PowellAudra SpellmanSophia Worth

1st Place Individual (Age 15-18)Cameron Rice

2nd Place Individual (Age 15-18)John Clore

3rd Place Individual (Age 15-18)Dalton Harjes

1st Place Team (Age 15-18)John Clore

Dalton HarjesDain MacDonald

Cameron Rice

ARCHERY

1st Place Barebow Individual(Age 9-11)Izzy Perez

2nd Place Barebow Individual(Age 9-11)

Tyler Zahradnicek

3rd Place Barebow Team (Age 9-11)Sawyer McLean

John MoralesIzzy Perez

Tyler Zahradnicek

3rd Place Barebow Team (Age 15-18)Sarah Griffin

Brandon HowardMax Renner

Spencer Wieland

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Agriculture & Natural ResourcesHay and Pasture – Don’t Forget the Basics

Are your pastures and hay fields yielding like they should? Or have you seen production fall off in recent years? Pastures and hay fields are important for any grazing animal operation. Better pasture and hay production means less purchased feed, and this means more money in your pocket. Well-maintained pastures also protect natural resources through prevention of erosion and manure runoff. It’s not too late to evaluate forage stands and make decisions now that will increase your production in 2018. These are things to consider:

Are your pastures overgrazed? Grazing or mowing fescue and orchardgrass below a 4-inch height greatly reduces its ability to regrow. Rotate animals to new pasture area before they overgraze. Ideally a pasture rest period of 28 days allows it to regrow sufficiently. Of course, the number of days varies with the season and rainfall, so your eye is critical in deciding when pastures should be rested and when they need to be grazed. Check your mowing equipment height, too, as some can cut lower than 4 inches.

How long has it been since you fertilized pasture and hay fields? Some nutrients are returned to the soil on pastures through manure. For hay fields, every time you cut hay you are taking away nutrients. Unless you soil test and apply nutrients as recommended, expect pastures and hay fields to decline.

Are you counting on clover or alfalfa to provide nitrogen for companion grasses in a field? If the answer is yes, remember there must be at least 25% clover or alfalfa in the stand to provide enough nitrogen for companion grasses. I’ve seen some fields where producers thought there was adequate clover, but the grass clearly showed a nitrogen deficiency. If you’re not sure, contact me to visit and survey clover/alfalfa populations. There’s a scientific method for doing this that will be more accurate than just walking the field.

Are you managing pasture and hay to keep it vegetative? Keeping forages vegetative means two things. First, quality of the forage is higher when vegetative (not flowering/producing seed heads), and second, grasses produce new stems from the base during this stage vs. producing a seed head. These new stems are how grass grows outward, fills in, and yields more for grazing or hay. A thick stand of forage helps keep weeds from moving in, too.

Are stands thinning? If so, consider reseeding. Test soil and amend as needed. Weed control may be necessary, depending on populations and time of the year. The Grain and Forage Crop Guide provides seeding rates, depths, and best planting times: www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/agr/agr18/agr18.pdf.

Do you need help getting pastures and hay fields back into shape? The best thing about being an Agriculture Agent is helping people solve problems. I’m available to look at pastures and fields with you to talk through options for improvements. All you have to do is call and set up a time.

Page 6Traci Missun

Agriculture & Natural Resources AgentMichael Boice

Horticulture Assistant

Free Soil Testing for Farms, Lawns,Gardens, and Landscapes

Free soil testing vouchers are available by email or pickup at the Oldham County Conservation District Office, located at 700 West Jefferson Street in La Grange. Vouchers are redeemable for soil testing services at the Oldham County Cooperative Extension Service.

Contact the Conservation District via (502) 222-5123 or oldhamswcd@gmail.com for more information.

Coming in March: CHICKENS 101

Keeping chickens continues to be popular for residents here. Production in Oldham County ranges from small backyard flocks to farms that raise over 500 meat chickens on pasture each year. If you’re thinking of getting chickens, make sure and take time to learn about required housing and care for them.

Oldham and Shelby County Extension Offices are offering a program in early March to provide information on caring for chickens. Space is limited, so contact us to reserve your seat for these free classes.

Breed Selection, Chick Care, Housing, &Predator ControlMarch 1, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.Presented by Walt Reichert, Shelby County Extension Horticulture Technician, at Shelby County Extension.

Health & NutritionMarch 8, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.Presented by Dr. Jacquie Jacob, UK Extension Poultry Specialist, at the John Black Community Center.

UK Extension also developed a great site to provide information on raising chickens: www.smallflocks.org, which includes printed information and videos. At the very least, I’ll leave you with two important pieces of advice. The first is everything loves chicken, so a secure coop is needed to put chickens up for the night to prevent predation. The second is pay extra to purchase sexed chicks so that you only get hens. If you’re raising chickens for eggs, you don’t need any roosters. My grandma had no problem killing the ‘extra’ roosters for the dinner table, but many people are reluctant to eat something that has become a backyard pet.

Page 7

All activities are held at the Oldham County Extension office unless otherwise noted. Please call to RSVP for classes held at extension offices. December

Upcoming Extension Events

1 Louisville Area Homemakers Council, John Black Center, 10 am

1 4-H Teen Club 4 4-H Robotics Club5 OC Homemakers Executive Board, 10 am5 Cattlemen’s Association, 6 pm7 Leaders of the Pack 4-H Dog Club8 Beef Quality Assurance Training/

Certification, 9 am8 OC Beekeepers, 6:30 pm

11 Green Thumbs Garden Club, 9:30 am11 4-H Cloverbud Club12 Green Thumbs 4-H Horticulture Club14 Private Pesticide Applicator Training/

Certification, 9 am14 Busy 4-H’ers of Oldham County18 Delicious Delights 4-H Cooking Club18 Santa’s Workshop

December 22 – January 1 Office Closed for Winter Break

January4 OC Homemaker Council, 10 am4 Leaders of the Pack 4-H Dog Club8 Green Thumbs, 9:30 am8 4-H Robotics Club8-9 KY Fruit & Vegetable Growers Conference,

Lexington9 Ornamental Grasses, 10 am11 Green Thumbs 4-H Horticulture Club11-12 KY Cattlemen’s Convention, Lexington12 OC Beekeepers, 7:30 pm14-17 American Forage & Grassland Council

Conference, Louisville15 MLK Day, Office Closed15 4-H Cloverbud Club15 4-H Teen Club

16 Plant Propagation, 6 pm17 Master Haymaker begins, Shelby Co.

Extension18 4-H Council19 Shade Gardens, 10 am20 Curing the Winter Blues with Succulents,

Oldham Co. Conservation District, 10 am22 Come Sew With Us: Serging, 10 am–2 pm22 Come Sew With Us: Repair & Up-Cycle,

3–8 pm25 Homemaker Lesson: Vegetarian 101, 10 am25 Busy 4-H’ers of Oldham County26 Private Pesticide Applicator Training, 9 am29 Delicious Delights 4-H Cooking Club

February1 OC Extension Council & District Board1 Leaders of the Pack 4-H Dog Club5 “Spit Polish,” 10 am5 4-H Robotics Club7-10 Kentucky Volunteer Forum9 OC Beekeepers, 7:30 pm12 Green Thumbs Garden Club, 9:30 am12 4-H Cloverbud Club15 Green Thumbs 4-H Club16 Oldham County Cultural Arts16 4-H Teen Club19 Delicious Delights 4-H Club

20 Garden Myths, 6:30 pm22 Alfalfa/Stored Forages Conference, Cave

City22 Homemaker Lesson: Ins & Outs of

Downsizing, 10 am22 Busy 4-H’ers of Oldham County23 Louisville Area Cultural Arts24 Fruit Production26 Come Sew With Us: Kitchen Accessories, 10 am–2 pm28 Flower Photography, 6:30 pm

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Changing Lives

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Changing Lives

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