Crawford County 4-H

Miscellaneous Crafts Project Update

The 4-H Council has made a new project policy. Up to 3

miscellaneous crafts can be exhibited per 4Her that DO NOT fall under

any other Basic Craft. If you have any questions regarding this new policy

please contact Rhonda Crecelius, 4-H Council Secretary.

Placing Projects

This year all projects will be placed.

Each division will be placed

1st, 2nd, 3rd exc.

2016 County Fair July 10th

- 16th

- Check In Dates & Times - Livestock

July 10th at 6:00pm

Non Perishable July 2nd 2:00pm - 6:00pm

July 5th 4:00pm - 8:00pm

Perishable July 10th 4:00pm - 6:00pm

If you are not going to exhibit

a project during fair then

please DO NOT write in the

manual. Unused manuals

need to be returned at project

check-in along with your 4-H

binder and handbook. A fee

may be assessed if manuals

are not returned. 4-H enrollment continues

through May 15th.

Upcoming Programs for Crawford County 4-H Members Offered At A Reduced Fee

The Purdue University Crawford County Extension Office is pleased to bring several exciting programs and

opportunities to our 4-H members. Thanks to a grant obtained from the Dubois REC, limited funds are available for

partial (50%) reimbursement for these programs. But registration for each of these is fast approaching so please be

mindful of the upcoming deadline of April 22.

The programs include the following (transportation to and from each activity is not provided):

- Area 2 4-H Camp: June 3 - 5; Country Lake Christian Retreat in Clark County; Grades 3-8 completed. $155.00

- 4-H Academy @ Purdue: June 8 - 10; Purdue University; Grades 9-12 completed. $190.00

- State 4-H Junior Leader Conference: June 14 - 17; University of Indianapolis; Grades 9-12 completed. $160.00

-4-H Round-Up: June 20 - 22; Purdue University; grades 7 - 9 completed. Cost: $170.00

If you are a 4-H member and interested in attending any of

the above programs and receiving a partial (50%)

registration reimbursement, please call the Purdue

University Crawford County Extension Office at 812-338

-2352 for assistance. Requests will be accepted from April

4th to April 22 during normal business hours. The partial

(50%) reimbursement will be provided after the child

attends the program

Fair time is just around the corner...

With Spring in the air it means fair time is just around the corner so don’t wait till the

last minute to complete your 4-H projects. If you need help with a project or have any

questions give us a call. We are here to help in any way we can. Please contact the

Extension Office at 812-338-2352 to schedule a time to stop by.

Animals Please check the Handbook to make sure your animal

meets all requirements so you are not disqualified at the fair. If you have any questions please contact

Rhonda Crecelius 812-267-0900.

Super Saturday!!

The 4-H Council and Purdue University Extension Crawford County would like to say thanks to everyone who helped make Super Saturday and the Purdue Extension Annual Dinner successful events. A special thanks to

guest speakers Jim & Tina Smith from Milltown Christian Church. Jim spoke about the importance of volunteering and how even giving a little of your time can make a big difference in your community.

Thanks to all the volunteers who helped put both of these events together and for everyone's support of our Purdue University Extension Crawford County and 4-H the program.

2016 - 2017 Extension Board Members

Debbie Ade Rhonda Adams

Rollin Bach - Vice President Michael Carlisle

Don Cook - President Sarah Colglazier - Secretary

Troy Colglazier - Liaison Donald Daugherty Cindy McCracken

Troy Mason - 4-H Council Liaison Jon Mitchell Katy Morris

Abe Schwartz Sam Taylor

Faye Trambaugh

Purdue innovation could help crops survive

prolonged drought, save water

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue researchers are developing a technology that could enable specific

plants and crops to survive extreme periods of drought, while significantly decreasing agricultural

water consumption.

Ray Bressan, a distinguished professor in Purdue's College of Agriculture; Yang Zhao, a research

assistant in horticulture; Jian-Kang Zhu, a distinguished professor of plant biology; and Zhulong

Chan, a past postdoctoral fellow in Jian-Kang Zhu's lab, developed the technology.

Bressan said that because of factors such as drought, which is the most significant environmental

stress on world agricultural production, agriculture has become the largest consumer of fresh

water.

"Agriculture uses about 75-80 percent of the available clean, fresh water supply, a phenomenon that

exists all over the world and is only getting worse," he said. "In places like California, where drought

is especially prevalent, the first thing they're going to have to do to make a real difference in water

conservation is limit the amount of water that farmers need to successfully grow crops."

Zhao said current genetically modified drought-resistant crops are only successful in narrow

environmental conditions and rely on rescue irrigation if conditions become too severe.

"When plants or crops have no water, their first response is to stop growing, which makes them

much smaller and consequently produce less product. Biotech companies, however, are removing

this response so that plants and crops continue to grow even with a lack of water," he said. "The

difficulty with that strategy is that if the crops face a prolonged period of drought then they are

actually more sensitive because they don't have their natural responses for protection. If a drought

did become too severe then these companies or farmers could use rescue irrigation, if available, so

that the plants can survive.

"Irrigation is considered a luxury in farming; it's expensive and only a very small percentage of total

agriculture uses it. Also, in some areas irrigation isn't an option because there isn't enough water

available, so this method wouldn't be very effective to a lot of the farming operations."

The Purdue researchers have developed an alternative way to genetically modify crops and plants to

survive severe drought conditions. The technology utilizes a gene that causes the plant to have rapid

leaf pore closure, a reduced rate of water loss due to evaporation, alleviated cell membrane damage

and improved photosynthesis that results in an improved reaction to drought conditions.

"Our technology enables plants to protect themselves with dormancy. Some plants, such as lawns,

usually turn brown and look dead when it doesn't rain for a long time, but when it starts to rain, they

start growing again. That's the property we are interested in," Bressan said. "If a crop is under a lot of

severe stress it will become dormant, and when water is available again, even if that's after a very

long time, it revives and grows again. Our method doesn't rely on irrigation to save it and farmers

can be assured that they won't have to replant everything and start over if the drought is prolonged,

saving a lot of time and money."

Bressan said that their technology could be valuable to both subsistence farmers and commercial

farmers, and also could be used for many species of plants.

"In poorer countries where there is self-sufficiency farming in which the farmers focus on growing

enough food to feed themselves and their families, our technology could be used by itself and make

a huge impact on the survival of crops," he said. "There is also a lot of commercial farms that rely

solely on rain, so our technology would benefit them, too. A lot of plant species have evolved to

have this ability of dormancy. However, crops and other plant species, including some trees and crop

grasses, have not, so this could also help an array of different species all over the world."

The Purdue technology was tested as a proof of function prototype and a completed study in rice

and plant models showed a dramatic boost in drought tolerance.

Bressan said there are a few options on how their technology could get to market.

"We're open to a company licensing our technology to introduce it into their specialty crops, like

corn, wheat, rice, or potatoes," he said. "Since our technology is at the proof of function stage, if a

company were to sponsor us, then they could provide larger amounts of their elite germ plasm and

we could use that to prove the efficacy in a larger model."

Bressan said they may be interested in combining their technology with the current technology

being used by biotech companies in the future.

"If we could use the property that's currently being used - to allow plants to keep growing under

moderate stress, then incorporate our technology, that could enable the plant to respond to another

signal and activate the system where they could become dormant - that would be the ideal

solution," he said. "This will allow the benefit of having a boost in yield without the response to

stress in the beginning, but then the rescue ability if the drought persists and conditions become too

stressful. This way farmers wouldn't have to rely on irrigation and can wait out the drought period

without significant damage to the crops."

This technology has been patented through the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology

Commercialization.

Instructions

Heat NatureRaised Farms® Southern-Style Crispy Chicken Strips according to package

instructions. Slice cooked strips diagonally, season with garlic pepper and top with Parmesan

cheese; set aside. Heat the butter in small skillet over medium heat and add asparagus,

mushrooms and bacon. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently; set aside. Combine linguine,

Alfredo sauce and chicken broth in small skillet; simmer over medium-low heat for 4 to 5

minutes or until moisture has evaporated and pasta is warm. Add asparagus mixture and toss

to blend; portion on plate and top with chicken strips.

Chicken Carbonara

A completely satisfying and indulgent meal

featuring Southern-Style Crispy Chicken Strips

sautéed golden and juicy. Serve diagonally sliced

over linguine pasta tossed with crisp

Applewood-smoked bacon, wild mushrooms,

asparagus and light Parmesan cream sauce.

Ingredients

4 Southern Style Crispy Chicken Strips

¼ cup butter

1 Tablespoon garlic-pepper seasoning blend

2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

1 cup asparagus, fresh, sliced, blanched

½ cup wild mushrooms (such as shiitake, porcini or chanterelle), cleaned, diced

¼ cup Applewood-smoked bacon, fully-cooked

6 ounces linguine noodles, cooked

8 ounces Alfredo sauce, pre-made

1 cup chicken broth, canned

6 Ways to Spring Clean Your Health

After the remarkable winter season that much of the country endured, it’s no wonder most people are ready to embrace spring. Something about this season evokes the need to make changes – to lighten up, to slow down and enjoy life, and to simply tidy up. Why not embrace these natural inclinations and apply them to your health? Here are six ways to spring clean your health habits:

1. Bring in the sunshine. Our vitamin D status tends to take a dip in the winter months, due to lack of sun exposure. Low vitamin D levels have been linked to seasonal depression, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and even cancer. Our body will make vitamin D when our skin is exposed to the sun, but the American Academy of Dermatology warns against relying on sun exposure for vitamin D, due to the potential for skin cancer. Instead, they urge people to get the sunshine vitamin from foods that are naturally rich in vitamin D (like salmon), foods that have had vitamin D added (like dairy products) and dietary supplements. The upper limit recommended for most adults is 4,000 IU a day (if you choose to supplement), but your doctor may advise more if your blood levels are significantly low.

2. Air it out. Being cooped up inside can limit opportunities for movement, especially aerobic-type activities that raise your heart rate and help you work up a good sweat. Now that it's spring, take advantage of the weather by adding in some brisk walks, bike rides or hikes. Activities that make you breathe harder help oxygenate your blood, boost your mood, clean out your arteries and strengthen your heart.

3. Freshen up with color. One of the best ways to improve your overall diet is to simply focus on

adding a lot of color to your meals. With spring comes a fresh variety of produce that is bursting with

flavor and nutrition. Embrace the season by adding in bright berries, green artichokes, asparagus and

leafy spring mixed greens.

4. De-clutter your diet. Added sugars, sodium and fats are the tchotchkes of the diet, so to speak. Used sparingly, they enhance a healthy diet beautifully with flavor; used excessively, they are overwhelming and become clutter. Find ways to dial down your use of these additives, so you can get back to using them with purpose, rather than cluttering up your diet with too many calories and sodium. Switch out your sugary beverages to plain water or unsweetened iced tea. Experiment with fresh herbs to add flavor without the use of salt. Switch to grilled options of food rather than fried to cut down on extra fat.

5. Tidy up your kitchen. Cooking is a necessary part of eating better. Having a well-stocked, but

organized, pantry is one step toward actually wanting to be in your kitchen. Go through your kitchen

cabinets to get them clean, fresh and organized. This will make cooking much more pleasurable and

simple. Added bonus: Donate those non-perishable food items you don’t see yourself using in the next

few months – food banks are in dire need of donations at this time of year.

6. Lighten up. We have lived through another season of heavy portions and eating until we need to unbutton our pants. Spring is a time to lighten up – with eating, this means getting back to reasonable portions that don’t require sweat pants to feel comfortable. Consider switching out to smaller plates – research has shown that we automatically eat more when the plate size is larger. Eat slower so you can check in with your level of fullness. Pause before reaching for a snack and ask yourself if you're really hungry.

Farm Facts: Indiana Bicentennial

Indiana was admitted as the 19th state on Dec. 11, 1816. At that time, according to a census of the Indiana Territory, the area had a population of 63,000 people spread over 36,291 square miles. In honor of the state’s bicentennial in 2016, here are some historical farm facts:

David Baillie Warden, a French-Irish author, wrote this about Indiana in 1819: “On the best lands, the average produce of Indian corn is said to be from 50 to 60 bushels per acre; that of wheat about 50.” This contrasts to modern yields of 188 bushels per acre of corn and 69 bushels per acre of wheat in 2014 and 156 bushels per acre (estimated) of corn and 67 bushels per acre of wheat in 2015.

Most of the early Indiana settlers were farmers. For example, in Hamilton County in 1840, about 92 percent of families farmed. As late as 1880, four-fifths of the population was rural.

According to “To Market To Market” from The Indiana Magazine of History, “Long before the term ‘locavore’ was coined, buying fresh foods directly from farmers was standard operating procedure in the Hoosier state.” Lafayette’s farmers market traces its beginnings to 1839, while a farmers market was indicated on the original 1821 plat for Indianapolis, though it wasn’t actually built until 1886.

Purdue University’s catalog of 1874-75 announced a full schedule of classes for the bachelor’s degree in agriculture. There were no takers – apparently farmers didn’t originally see much value in a college degree for their sons. The first bachelor’s degree in agriculture was awarded in 1882. (Early records disagree as to whether one or three degrees were awarded.) By 1895, the records indicate that a total of 25 (or 28) individuals received bachelor’s degrees in agriculture.

Hoosier farmers initially relied on rivers for transporting their products. The National Road crossed Indiana by the late 1830s, and by the end of the 1840s, the first rail tracks had been laid in the state.

The oldest county in Indiana is Knox County (according to several sources). It was organized in 1790. The newest is Newton County, created in 1859. However, according to LaPorte County, it is home to the state’s oldest county fair, first held in 1845.

Indiana Bicentennial - Indiana Fun Facts

Adopted in 1917, the Indiana State Flag was designed by Paul Hadley as an entry in a flag-design contest for Indiana’s 100th anniversary. The torch emblem stands for liberty and enlightenment; the rays signify that freedom and knowledge are available to all; the large star represents Indiana; and the 18 smaller stars denote the 18 states comprising the union before Indiana’s admission.

April 11: Junior Leaders Meeting, 4-H Park, Clover Room at 6:30pm

April 18: 4-H Council Meeting, 4-H Park, Clover Room at 6:30pm

April 19: Birdwatching with Jane Fender, Marengo Senior Housing, 10am - Open to all

May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 & June 7: Jr. Master Gardener, 4:00pm to 6:00pm, Check out flyer

for location.

May 9: Jr Leaders meeting, 4-H Park, Clover Room at 6:30pm

May 12: Dining w/ Diabetes, Floyd Co. Extension Office 4:00 to 8:00 pm

May 14: Girl Empowerment Day, Harrison County Extension Office, 8:45am to 3:00pm

May 16: 4-H Council meeting, 4-H Park, Clover Room at 6:30pm

May 19: Dining w/ Diabetes, Floyd Co. Extension Office 4:00 to 8:00 pm

May 26: Dining w/ Diabetes, Floyd Co. Extension Office 4:00 to 8:00 pm

May 30: Memorial Day - Extension Office Closed

Extension Office Gail Peitzmeier - gpeitzme@purdue.edu Randi Howe - hower@purdue.edu

Soil & Water Rhonda Crecelius - rhonda.crecelius@in.nacdnet.net

Please donate unused items. If you have any unused items around your home that you

would like to get rid of you can bring them by the Extension

Office. We are open Monday—Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

We are in need of items that could be used for different

activities.

If you would like to be added to the mailing list for the Crawford County Extension newsletter, please contact Office Manager, Randi Howe at hower@purdue.edu or call (812) 338-2352.

Upcoming Events:

Crawford County Extension

April & May 2016

Newsletter

4-H, ANR & HHS

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