Wolfe County 20 N Washington Street—PO Box 146 Campton, KY 41301-0146 (606) 668-3712 Fax: (606) 668-3732 https://wolfe.ca.uky.edu

EXTENSION EDITION Wolfe County Cooperative Extension Newsletter January 2017

With the new year comes a new newsletter! Greetings to you all! We hope that you’ve had a wonderful holiday season and are

ready for what the new year has in store.

We’re changing a few things here in the office and we’re starting with our newsletters.

Instead of receiving an FCS and an Ag newsletter, you will now receive this combined

newsletter, which will also include information about 4-H, CYFAR (a children, youth,

and family program), SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), and

Grow Appalachia.

Across the Agents’ Desk

In this section we’ll address questions that have been brought to our attention. If you

ever have a question, just ask!

Q: What exactly is Cooperative Extension?

A: Cooperative Extension is the link (extension, if you will) of the land grant uni-

versities, University of Kentucky and Kentucky State University. We are here to provide

our community with the research based information and to help people improve their

lives through an educational process focusing on their issues and needs.

Q: If I receive senior commodities, what paperwork do I need to bring in to recer-

tify?

A: Please bring in your proof of income by February 14th. If you did not receive

your proof of income in December

In This Issue

Grow Appalachia Healthy Choices for

Every Body CYFAR In the World of 4-H Announcements Fat is Not Always a Bad

Word Last Call for CAIP Timely Tips for Beef

Cattle Farm Tax Class Winter Weather

Preparations Seasonal Affective

Disorder Recipes for Santa Fe

Soup & Nutty Sweet Potato Biscuits

Healthy Choices Calendar of Events

“The art of teaching is

the art of assisting

discovery.”

- Mark Van Doren

Wolfe County Extension Office

Heather Graham

Wolfe CEA/Agriculture & Natural Resources

Jessica Morris

Wolfe CEA/4-H Youth Development

Grow Appalachia Program continues for third year

Wolfe County Extension has been awarded, for the third year, a Grow Appalachia grant for the 2017 growing season. The grant will support up to 20 families or indi-viduals eager to learn gardening or expand their knowledge in gardening, food preservation, seed saving, with an emphasis on organic practices. The program also helps create a support network of local growers to mentor others in the com-munity. This funding will support the establishment of home, community and market gardens to provide high-quality, organically-grown local food for residents in Wolfe County. In 2015, Wolfe Co. Grow Appalachia worked with 10 families and grew over 2080 pounds of food. In 2016 we worked with 15 families and grew about 5,000 pounds of food. This year we will work with 20 families and hope to grow, pre-serve, and eat exponentially more healthy and delicious food. To qualify as a participant, gardeners are required to provide an adequate, accessible area for a garden, tend the garden with regular weeding, watering and appropriate fertilizing; attend 6 required educational training meetings offered at the Extension office; keep up-to-date records on the progress of his or her garden including how much food was produced and how it was used.

If you are interested in learning more about the program, contact Laura Gregory (Grow Appalachia Coordinator) or Heather Graham (Ag.

And Natural Resource Agent) at the Wolfe County Extension office. 606-668-3712 or at wolfecogrowappalchia@gmail.com

A 2016 Grow Appalachia Garden

Make meals & memories together. It’s a lesson they’ll use for life.

Do you want to enjoy more dinners with your family? Join us for the Healthy Choice for Every Body series, where you’ll learn to make meals and memories together. It takes a little work to bring everyone together for meals. But it’s worth it and the whole family eats better. You’ll also teach your children a lesson they’ll use for life. Class will meet on Saturday, January 14th, 2017 at 1:00pm. There is no charge to participate.

Contact Stacy Trent at the Wolfe County Extension Office (606-668-3712) to sign-up.

CYFAR Fatherhood programs provide educational programs for fathers and families to strengthen parenting skills and promote family resili-ence.

Previous Workshops include:

Fishing

Gardening

Building (Lego machines, birdhouses, & toolboxes)

For fathers to join activities, call to be placed on a notification list. Or you can check upcoming projects on our Facebook page, Wolfe County Children, Youth & Families.

If you’re interested in ordering

plants (strawberries,

blackberries, blueberries,

raspberries, asparagus, or

onions) please stop by the

office.

IT’S TIME...

… To Order Plants!

Plants will arrive

in April

Deadline to order

& prepay:

March 17th

The College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is an Equal Opportunity Organization with respect to education and employment and authorization to provide re-search, education information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to economic or social status and will not discriminate on the bases of race, color, ethnic origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic infor-mation, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability. Inquiries regarding compliance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educa-tional Amendments, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and other related matter should be directed to Equal Opportunity Office, College of Agriculture, Food and

Environment, University of Kentucky, Room S-105, Agriculture Science Building, North Lexington, Kentucky 40546.

Eastern Kentucky Beekeeping School

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Hazard Community & Technical College First Federal Center Building

Registration 8am - 9am 9am - Opening Session

A variety of classes will be offered.

Great for beginning or experience beekeepers.

Morning refreshments & lunch are served $20 Pre registration (by Jan. 13)

$25 at the door

Call the Extension Office if you need more information or a registration form

Countdown to Kindergarten

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

6:00 p.m.—7:15 p.m.

Wolfe County Extension Office

Please join us to learn ways to help prepare your child

to go to school.

Door Prizes Given!!

Coordinated by: Wolfe FRC, RRVE FRC, CYFAR & 4-H

Also, if you’re interested in ordering fruit tree root-

stock, please do so before February 2.

Is fat a bad word? Not necessarily. Simply put, fat is just the body’s storage form for energy. If an animal consumes more energy than it uses, their body will store the excess calories as fat—like money in the bank they can use in an energy shortage (think cows calving in late winter). Fat imparts flavor to food (like a T-bone steak) but it also adds calories. So managing fat can be a delicate issue in the cattle business.

Presently, the quality of beef is estimated to a large degree by the amount of marbling (intramuscular fat) that it contains. Tenderness is also important but is generally a function of age; younger is better. Marbling generally increases after the ani-mal attains some maturity and external fattening has occurred. External fat is frequently used as an indica-tion of when cattle will have enough marbling to grade choice or prime.

So, why don’t we just measure marbling? We’re getting to that with ultrasound technology, and it would allow us to avoid over-finishing fed cattle. Ide-ally, marbling would occur in feedlot cattle with very little external fat being present. We would like to have Choice and Prime quality grades with yield grades of 2 or 3 for our fed cattle. But if we bred cattle to meet this criterion, it could have a negative effect on the beef cow herd by potentially taking away fleshing ability, which could have a negative effect on reproduction.

It is important to understand how cattle fatten so that we can manage them accordingly. Fat is “laid down” from front to back and top to bottom. The fore ribs and spinous processes, the bony projections on top of each vertebra, are covered first, then the fat cover continues backward and downward. That’s why folks look for cod fat (in the scrotal area) as an indica-tor of when cattle are finished. It is the last place to fatten. Loss of body fat happens in reverse order. Fat cover is the basis for condition scoring in beef cattle.

Body condition has a definite impact on reproduc-tive performance. Cows should generally be at a Body Condition Score (BCS) of five at the beginning of the breeding season. A cow with a BCS of five will have some fat reserves, with fat cover over all the ribs.

As cows lose condition, a BCS of five would be-come a BCS of four when there is no cover over the last two ribs. This would mean that the cow has very marginal energy reserves for good reproductive per-formance. If this loss of condition continues so that you can see the foreribs (BCS three), then you have a real problem. Conception rates will suffer.

You generally see a loss of condition after calving when dietary energy needs have dramatically in-creased and the feed you supply isn’t meeting those needs. The cow has to “withdraw energy from her bank” to meet her nutritional needs. It is important that some energy reserves are available.

And what about the herd bulls? Bulls need some energy reserves so they can stay active during the breeding season, but bulls are athletes and need more than just fat. They should have muscling, sound feet and legs, and they should be able to sire a large number of calves in a short period of

Managing fat, or body condition, is important in the cattle business, especially in the cow herd for op-timum reproduction. Fat is important—both too much or too little can be a problem. Astute producers recognize the importance of efficient cattle that can maintain adequate energy reserves without wasting feed resources.

Fat Is Not Always A Bad Word Source: Roy Burris, UK beef specialist

A nice looking ribeye roast.

Source: Stephen Patton, University of Kentucky

Timely Tips for Beef Cattle

General

Monitor feeding area closely. Move feeding area often. Feed hay in areas where mud is less of a problem Increase feed intake as the temperature drops During wet periods or times the grass cover is poor and sod is likely to be damaged or destroyed by traffic,

move cattle to the barn or sacrifice lot until conditions improve. Review this year’s calf crop and start plans for next year’s breeding program.

Spring-Calving Herd

Supplement with high magnesium mineral at least 30 days prior to calving Prepare a calving area and equipment Consider giving a scours vaccine to pregnant cows and bred heifers to prevent calf diarrhea

Fall-Calving Herd

Remove bulls January 20 to end the breeding season and for last calves to be born by November 1 Cows must be fed when the pasture runs out. Cows with calves need 25-30 pounds of good quality

hay or its equivalent. Supplement with grain, if needed. Consider creep feeding to add extra pounds since fall calves need more than just their dam’s milk

for maximum growth. Finish castrations, dehorning, and implanting as early as possible.

Keep your balance this winter Source: Amy Hosier, UK Extension Specialist for Family Life Education

Winter in Kentucky is often synonymous with inclement weather. Snow, ice and black ice not only make it hazardous for drivers, but such weather can also make it hazardous for pedestrians. Falls, slips or trips can result in injuries ranging from scrapes and bruises to broken limbs or serious head injuries. Here are some pointers to help you stay upright this winter. Keep your home well stocked with food and essential household

items, like batteries and toilet paper. This way you do not have to run to the store because you are out of something during or immediately after an inclement weather event.

Remove snow and salt or sand your steps, sidewalks and parking areas. If you cannot shovel, ask a neighbor, or you may consider hir-ing a service.

Wear shoes or boots with good tread. If you use a cane or walker, check the tips to make sure they have good tread.

Make sure pathways are clear before you walk on them. Find another route if they are blocked or appear wet and shiny. Find sidewalks and stairs with railings to grasp whenever possible. Take your time. If you are rushing, you are more likely to fall.

Make sure your car... ...is ready for winter weather. Keep these items in you

car in case of an emergency:

Cell phone & charger

Jumper cables

Blankets & extra clothes (gloves, boots, etc.)

Flashlight with extra batteries

First-Aid kit

Water & nonperishable snacks

Shovel & windshield scraper

In addition to self-preparations, it is

important to remember the following:

Keep a full tank of gas

Make sure antifreeze levels are sufficient

Ensure that the heat and defroster work properly

Check fluid levels (brake, windshield, etc.).

For more information visit: www.ready.gov/car

Winter 2015-2016

If you find yourself feeling down, depressed, moody or irritable during a particular time of the year, you may suffer from seasonal affective disorder.

According to the Mayo Clinic, SAD is a type of depres-sion linked to seasonal changes, and it begins and ends around the same time every year. For the majority of peo-ple, symptoms start in the fall or winter but quit with the coming of spring or early summer.

SAD can cause feelings of depression for most of the day or nearly every day. Other symptoms include low ener-gy, loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy, problems sleeping, loss of appetite, irritability, low energy and difficul-ty concentrating. A full list of symptoms is available on the Mayo Clinic’s website at http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/basics/symptoms/con-20021047. Symptoms may start out mild but progress as the season wears on for some individuals.

It is normal to feel down somedays, but if you lack mo-tivation and energy and feel blue for multiple days at a time, it is best to make an appointment to see your doctor. While there is no way to prevent SAD, a health care profes-sional can diagnose the disorder and prescribe treatments to help you better manage the symptoms. Such treatments might include brightening up your environment, getting out-side more and making physical activity a regular part of your day.

If you think you might suffer from SAD, you are not alone. According to the National Institutes of Health, this disorder affects 6 percent of the U.S. population with an additional 14 percent suffering from a lesser form of sea-sonal mood changes. Females are four times more likely to suffer from the disorder than men. Your risks also increase the farther north you live, as you are farther away from the sun compared to those in the south. People can even de-velop the disorder after moving to more northern climates.

Feeling down? It might be seasonal affective disorder

Source: Amy Hosier, Associate extension professor for family life education

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Wolfe County 20 N Washington Street PO Box 146 Campton, KY 41301-0146 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

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