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FCS Newsletter Cooperative Extension Service Breckinridge County 1377 S. Hwy 261 Hardinsburg, KY 40143 (270) 756-2182 Fax: (270) 756-9016 https://breckinridge.ca.uky.edu

JULY/AUGUST 2020

Buy Kentucky Produce for Sustainable Agriculture This year it will be more important than ever to buy local fruits and vegetables, jams and jellies, and fresh-cut flowers at your local farmers’ market. As Kentuckians, we can support local farmers to help sustain our homegrown food supply. Buying from your farmer also builds a strong local econo-my. It helps keep money within the community and encourages a healthy environment. Visit your local farmers’ markets and/or join one of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) plans for fresh fruits and vegetables in abundance.

Shopping at farmers’ markets is a sustainable way to support the local economy. It provides you and your family with nutritious foods that taste delicious. Buying local fresh produce that is in-season ensures better-quality produce that tastes better because it is picked that morning. There are plenty of fruits and vegetables available July through September. Blackberries, cantaloupes, wa-termelons, apples, and plums present a rainbow of colors for your diet. Eat them immediately after washing or after making a great cobbler. You will find vegetables too, including beans, beets, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, potatoes, and more. Kentucky Proud has an in-season chart available at https://www.kyagr.com/marketing/documents/FM_ProduceAvailabilityGuide.pdf. Check it out year-round for season-fresh produce to feed your family now. You can also purchase in bulk to preserve for use during the winter months. Your local county Extension office has more information, including reci-pes.

If you really want to ramp up the amount of fruits and vegetable you are eating, consider joining a CSA. With a CSA, you support a local farmer by buying a portion of the crop before the growing season. You reap the benefits once the crops are harvested. Each week, you will receive familiar vegetables, such as tomatoes and zucchini but maybe some unusual produce such as ubatuba peppers or squash blossoms.

To find a farmers’ market near you, visit https://www.kyproud.com/farmers-markets/. And while you’ll have to wait until next season to join, visit https://kyproud.com/csa/ to find a CSA near you. Reference: Penn State Extension: https://extension.psu.edu/community-supported-agriculture-csa Source: Yolanda Jackson, Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition

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The Science of Jams and Jellies

The fruits of summer are ripening fast, and it’s time to make some jams and jellies. Besides the fresh fruit, other ingredients are needed to form the perfect jelly, namely pectin, sugar, acid, and liquid, along with the application of heat. Knowing the science behind jams and jellies can help you have the taste of summer all year round.

Fruit pectin is a starch found in fruits. When sugar is added, the natural pectin in fruit or commercial pectin forms insoluble fibers. An acid, such as lemon juice or citric acid, helps the process. These fibers create a honeycomb-like form that traps the fruit juice or other liquid, much like a sponge absorbs water. When the ingredients are heated, a gel forms. Recipes without added pectin use the natural pectin in fruit to form a gel. Tart apples, sour blackberries, cranberries, currants, gooseberries, Concord grapes, soft plums, and quinces work well in recipes without added pectin. Other fruits, such as apricots, blueberries, cherries, peaches, pine-apple, rhubarb, and strawberries are low in pectin.

There are two types of commercial pectin ― liquid and dry. Check the use-by date to make sure your pectin is fresh. Powdered and liquid pectin are not interchangeable. There are also low-methoxyl pectins that allow you to use less sugar, but the result will not be quite as thick or glossy. The acidity level is also important to jelling. The gel will not set if there is too little acid. Too much acid will cause the gel to lose liquid or weep. For fruits low in acid, add lemon juice or another acid source as instructed in your recipe. Sugar is needed for the gel to form. It also acts as a preserving agent and contributes flavor. Do not attempt to reduce the amount of sugar in regular jam and jelly recipes as a syrupy gel will form.

Other factors might affect your jelly. Too high of a temperature or cooking for too long can destroy pectin, re-sulting in a poor gel. Doubling the recipe changes the length of time needed for boiling and can result in a soft gel. Commercial pectin can be used with any fruit, even those high in pectin. Too much pectin will give the jelly a tough, rubbery consistency, making it difficult to spread. Follow the recipe guide that comes with the pectin to help eliminate this problem.

For more information, check with your local Extension office for the publications The Science of Jams and Jelly Making or Home Canning Jams, Jellies, and Other Soft Spreads for more information.

Source: Sandra Bastin, Extension professor

Blackberry Jelly (with powdered pectin) Ingredients: 3½ cups blackberry juice (about 3 quart boxes berries) 1 package (1.75 ounces) powdered pectin 4½ cups sugar Directions: Prepare juice: Sort and carefully wash fully ripe berries; remove

any stems or caps. Place berries into a flat-bottomed saucepan and add just enough cold water to prevent scorching. Crush ber-ries to start the flow of juice. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir to prevent scorching. Reduce heat and cook until soft (10 minutes or less). Do not overcook; excess boiling will destroy pectin, flavor and color. Strain mixture through a damp jelly bag to extract juice. The clearest jelly comes from juice that has dripped through a jelly bag without pressing or squeezing.

Measure juice into a large saucepan. Add pectin and stir well. Place on high heat and, stirring constant-ly, bring quickly to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.

Add sugar, continue stirring, and heat again to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for one minute. • Remove from heat; skim off foam quickly.

Pour hot jelly immediately into hot half-pint jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims with a damp-ened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal caps.

Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner. Yield: about 5 or 6 half-pint jars Nutritional Analysis (1 tablespoon): 40 calories, 0 g fat, 11 g carbohydrate, 0 g protein Recipe adapted from the National Center for Home Food Preservation website. Used with permission for educational purposes only.

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Beat the Heat!

Summertime is here, meaning more time spent working and playing outside. This leads to a higher risk for heat-related illnesses. There are several heat-related illnesses, including heatstroke (the most dangerous), heat exhaustion, and heat cramps.

The best way to prevent heat-related health risks are water, rest, and shade. Getting plenty of these three things will help you beat the heat! The best way to avoid heat-related illness is to limit exposure outdoors during hot days and by cooling off in the air-conditioning. According to the CDC, if you are outside during hot days you can also use these tips to avoid getting sick:

Stay hydrated by drinking more liquid than you think you need. Avoid or limit drinks with caffeine and alcohol.

Avoid spending time outdoors during the hottest part of the day, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Take frequent breaks when working outdoors.

Pace yourself when you run or otherwise exert yourself outside.

Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing.

Excessive exposure to heat can lead to heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke. Be on the lookout for these signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses.

Heatstroke: Heatstroke is a medical emergency. If an individual suddenly stops sweat-ing and feels hot to the touch, becomes confused, faints or has seizures, call 911 imme-diately. Place the individual in a cool, shady area, loosen and moisten clothing, and ap-ply ice or a cold compress until medics arrive.

Heat exhaustion: Signs of heat exhaustion include cool, moist skin, nausea, headache, dizziness, weakness, and rapid pulse. Individuals should immediately lie down in a cool area, drink lots of water and apply cold compresses or ice packs if available. If signs of heat exhaustion do not stop or they get worse, the individual should go to the emergency room.

Heat cramps: Sweating causes a loss of body salts and fluids, and can lead to heat cramps. An individual suffering from muscle spasms or pain because of the heat should move to a cool area, rest, and hydrate.

References

https://ehs.princeton.edu/news/beat-the-heat-these-summer-safety-tips

https://www.nsc.org/home-safety/tools-resources/seasonal-safety/summer/heat

https://www.redcross.org/local/dakotas/about-us/news-and-events/news/ten-tips-for-staying-safe-in-the- summer-

heat.html

Source: Natalie Jones, Family Health Extension Specialist

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FACS Sizzlin’ Summer

Join us for FACS Sizzlin’ Summer. Each week from June 15

through August 1, we will share programs and events that will spice

up your summer! Watch our Breckinridge County Facebook page

for information about how you can turn the summer of 2020 into a

memory making experience for the entire family. Don’t forget to tune

into the Talking FACS podcast each week to hear a show related to

the weekly topic. The Talking FACS podcast can be found wherever

you get your podcasts or online at http://ukfcsext.podbean.com/

Fun weekly-themed grab bags will be available at the

Breckinridge County Extension Office!

Week

# Dates Topic Webinar Date

1 June 14 - June 20 Kickin' Up Summer Fun June 18th

2 June 21 - June 27 Thrill of the Grill June 25th

3 June 28 - July 4 Fire Up the 4th July 2nd

4 July 5 - July 11 #OperationKYSunshine July 9th

5 July 12 - July 18 Summer Melt July 16th

6 July 19 - July 25 Oh the Places We Can Go! July 23rd

7 July 26 - August 1 #KYLovesAg July 30th

Scan the QR Code above or type the link: bit.ly/SizzlinSummer_Evaluation into your browser to complete the evaluation for FACS Sizzlin’ Summer. You may com-plete the survey each week or once and check all weeks in which you participated.

Everyone who completes a survey and provides contact information, will be entered into a prize drawing.

One prize will be awarded for each week.

Visit my2020census.gov to begin.

Like us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/breckinridgeextension

Follow Breckinridge County Homemakers Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/690159971559868/

Follow Tasha Tucker, NEP assistant on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BreckNEP/

Follow Carol Hinton, ANR agent on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/breckinridgextensioneagriculture/

Informative and educational videos are available for viewing by subscribing to the 4-H You Tube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh6TNpwupTKY1mhmX0DPNng

#shapeyourfuture

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2020 Breckinridge County Homemaker Awards Booklet

As you know with Covid19, we were unable to hold the County Annual Meeting and we are waiting

to see if we will be able to host an in-person Kick-Off event for the new Homemaker year. There-

fore we will be publishing a 2019—2020 Breckinridge County Homemakers Awards and Recog-

nition Booklet. We would like to collect all the great accomplishments of the past year and

make a permanent document to record for history.

We would like to ask each club to turn in their annual awards recipients by August 14, 2020 for the following awards:

1. Perfect attendance (Sept. 2019—Feb. 2020) 2. Reading Award List

3. Volunteer Hours (if not already not submitted for Leadership Report) 4. Homemaker of the Year Applications - Each club is encouraged to submit an application.

(The application is included in this newsletter) 6. To help document this unusual year we would like to know the number of mask you have

made or altered and donated to family, friends and the community. Please share pictures also!

Please reach out to your club president or to the Extension Office to turn in your information!

We plan to publish the booklet by mid-Sept. Every member will receive a copy.

Dear Extension Friend,

Summer is quickly passing by and I hope you and your family are enjoying it. Our office is open with

mask, social distancing and 50% of the staff reporting to the office each day. All staff continue to work and

are available through phone and email. Clients are welcome to stop in, to request materials and schedule

visits. We do ask that you wear a mask, and consider the limited lobby capacity. We want to continue to

serve the community, so we are sanitizing and working diligently to keep our visitors and staff healthy! Our

meeting schedules are still very limited, but we are learning how to host group meetings in a safe way.

Please continue to follow the Extension Facebook pages and the Homemaker group page for the latest

information and updates. The FACS Sizzling Summer Series continues until August 1 with grab bags and

other learning opportunities. Be sure to stop in and pick one up each week!

Enclosed is the flyer Crossing Through This with registration details for this special series that will be

very beneficial to farm families.

Please take care and give me a call if you have any questions or just want to visit.

Sincerely,

Lynnette Allen

County Extension Agent for FCS Education

Breckinridge County

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