NEWS

MSU Extension

PO Box 807

Columbus, MT 59019

406-322-8035

In This Issue

Personal Finance

Tips for Spring

Snacking your Way

to Good Health

Start Your Day off

Right With Breakfast

Egg handling and

Safety Tips at Easter

Recipes

Health Information

Exercise Classes

Fair Information

Happy Spring!

Spring Greetings to you! Hope you

are ready to enjoy the sunshine after

a long winter. This newsletter will

be filled with great opportunities and

ideas for making your home a better

place. Be sure to take advantage of

the many events we offer though

MSU Extension. If considering do-

ing some spring cleaning around

your house, or just plain getting rid

of things you no longer need, consid-

er inviting me to come too your club,

church or civic group for a lesson on

downsizing. “Downsizing: Are you a

prisoner of your possessions?” is a

fun and interactive lesson that helps

you to prioritize your housing needs

and organize your home life in a

more effective way. Don’t let the

“Clutter Bug” get you down. Call

me to schedule a class today!

Stillwater County FCS Newsletter April 2017

Make 1/2 your plate fruits and vegetables, 1/4 whole grains & 1/4 protein.

Stillwater Homemaker’s Spring Council Meeting! Monday, May 1st, 10:00am

Columbus Congregational Church

The Spring Stillwater Homemakers Council meeting and salad luncheon

will be held on Monday, May 1st at the Congregational Church in Colum-

bus beginning at 10:00am. The theme for the day is “May Day”. Each

club is asked to bring 4 salads, 2 desserts, and donations to project hope

(don’t bring outdated items). The speaker for the day will be Columbus

Fire Chief, Rich Cowger. For ice breakers, the Columbus Jr. Club is plan-

ning a May Day craft and roll call will be, “What is your favorite May Day

memory?” Columbus Jrs. Club will provide coffee, tea, lemonade, rolls,

butter and eating utensils.

We will also honor the Stillwater Homemaker’s scholarship recipient as

well as the ladies for their Years of Service. Please invite a guest to join us

for this exciting council meeting.

Food Pantry Needs Proteins**

Tuna

Peanut Butter

Chili

Beef Stew

Beans

Soups

Beef

Deer

Extras:

Spaghetti Sauce

Tomato Sauce

Boxed Desserts

Laundry Soap

Fruits & Veggies

Any Kind**

Cereals & Grains**

Boxed Cereal, Oat-

meal

Crackers

Mac & Cheese

Pastas

Boxed Dinners

Boxed Potatoes

Rice

Thank You For Your Help!

Personal Finance Tips for Spring

Spring is great time of year to take a fresh look at your finances to see if any spring

cleaning is needed. Here are few simple rules to follow that can help ensure that

your personal finances are ready to bloom this summer.

1. Spend less than you earn. Wealth and financial security are built by having more

money come in than goes out each month. Some accomplish this with a formal

budget, others create a spending plan and still others accomplish this in a much

less structured way. Regardless of how this is achieved, the benefits will be clear

in no time at all.

2. Create an Emergency Savings Fund. One of the benefits of accomplishing item

#1 is that extra money generated each month can help create an emergency sav-

ings fund. Having a modest emergency savings fund ($100 to $1,000) can pre-

vent an unexpected car repair, medical bill, high heating bill or other unplanned

event from becoming a financial disaster. If you are able to build your emergen-

cy savings account up to an amount equal to 3 to 6 months of your living ex-

penses, then even a major unexpected expense such as a job loss or major medi-

cal bills are much more manageable.

3. Set Goals. Personal finances are often best managed when you have clear goals

to achieve. Your goals may include debt reduction, retirement, vacation, home

purchase, college or any number of other worthy goals. Day-to-day financial

choices are easier to make if you can directly relate them to your progress to-

wards your specific goal. That mental picture of your first home, your first day

of retirement or that day when you are debt free is great motivation to achieve

your goals. (source, MSU Extension)

Snacking Your Way to Good Health

It’s a new year, and many people have goals to make this one healthy! Snacks are a big part of a

healthy eating plan, and if you choose wisely, snacks can help you reach your health goals. “Too

often, people grab calorie-dense snacks, such as chips or a cookie, because they are hungry be-

tween meals,” says Texas A&M AgriLife Extension agent Bethany Jackson. However, if you plan

ahead, you can have a variety of healthy and nutritious snacks ready to grab and go.

Choosing healthy snacks from the grains, fruit, vegetables, dairy, and protein food groups can

boost your energy between meals and keep your hunger in check so you don’t overeat at meal

time. In fact, you can think of snacks as “minimeals” and view them as opportunities to eat more

fruits, vegetables, and calcium rich dairy foods, which are often under consumed by Americans.

It’s no secret that many people are trying to lose weight. Therefore, there are a few tips you

should follow when choosing to include snacks into your day. First, most people do not need

more than one or two snacks per day. You should never snack if you are not hungry, and always

avoid the urge to eat if you are bored, stressed, worried, or angry.

Next, if you do choose to include snacks in your day, keep snacks to less than 200 calories, and be

sure that you do not exceed the total number of calories you need. To help you control snack por-

tions, measure out your foods, or choose foods that are pre-portioned, such as yogurt or canned

fruit. Some stores even offer snacks that are pre-packaged in 100-calorie portions.

Many foods make great snacks! Some snacks may just be a single food, such as an apple or pop-

corn, while others maybe a combination of foods from several food groups, such as fat-free yo-

gurt with fresh berries. Whatever snack you choose, be sure that you choose foods low in solid

fat, salt, and added sugar, but high in nutrients and fiber.

When planning your snacks, you’ll need to consider whether you need access to a refrigerator to

safely store your snack foods. Here are a few ideas for healthy snacks: Whole wheat crackers and

low fat cheese; Fresh vegetables, such as cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, with low-fat salad

dressing; Fruits canned in their own juice, such as pineapple or pears; “Grab and Go” fresh fruits,

such as bananas, apples, and peaches; Nuts, such as almonds or walnuts; Granola bars; Low-fat

popcorn; Peanut butter and celery sticks; and Bell peppers and hummus. Whichever snack you

choose, remember to keep it healthy and low in calories. (Texas A&M Extension)

START YOUR DAY OFF RIGHT WITH BREAKFAST

Breakfast provides the body and brain with fuel after an overnight

fast - that's where its name originates, breaking the fast! Without

breakfast you are effectively running on empty, like trying to start

the car with no petrol!

Apart from providing us with energy, breakfast foods are good

sources of important nutrients such as calcium, iron and B vitamins

as well as protein and fiber. The body needs these essential nutri-

ents and research shows that if these are missed at breakfast, they

are less likely to be compensated for later in the day. Fruit and veg-

etables are good sources of vitamins and minerals so try to include

a portion of your daily five at breakfast, whether a banana or glass of fruit juice.

Cognitive function: Breakfast also restores glucose levels, an essential carbohydrate that is needed

for the brain to function. Many studies have shown how eating breakfast can improve memory and con-

centration levels and it can also make us happier as it can improve mood and lower stress levels.

In studies amongst children, breakfast can improve attainment, behavior and has been linked to improved

grades. Just like any other organ in the body, the brain needs energy to work at it's best!

Energy needs : People's energy needs vary depending on activity levels and life stage but typically

men require more energy than women. Growing children require a lot of energy, as an example boys aged

7-10yrs should consume approx. 1970 kcals per day, and girls aged 7-10yrs should consume approx.

1740 kcals. For adults, men require approx. 2500 kcals and women approx. 2000 kcals per day.

Long term health: Breakfast is an excellent occasion to eat together as a family when possible. Es-

tablishing good breakfast habits in childhood and maintaining them throughout adolescence may be an

important factor in reducing the prevalence of breakfast skipping and developing good eating habits that

last a lifetime.

Egg Handling and Safety Tips at Easter

There are some important safe handling methods to remember this time of year when you’re

decorating, cooking or hiding Easter eggs since eggs are handled a great deal more than usu-

al around Easter. Remember to:

1. Wash your hands thoroughly with hot soapy water and rinse them before handling the

eggs when cooking, cooling, dyeing and hiding them.

2. Be sure and inspect the eggs before purchasing them, making sure they are not dirty or cracked. Dangerous

bacteria may enter a cracked egg.

3. Store eggs in their original cartons in the refrigerator rather than the refrigerator door.

4. If you have an Easter egg hunt, consider hiding places carefully. Avoid areas where the eggs might come into

contact with pets, wild animals, birds, reptiles, insects or lawn chemicals.

5. Make sure you find all the eggs you’ve hidden and then refrigerate them promptly. Discard cracked eggs.

6. As long as the eggs are NOT out of refrigeration over two hours, they will be safe to eat. Do not eat eggs that

have been out of refrigeration more than two hours. Refrigerate hard-cooked eggs in their shells and use them

within 1 week. If you are planning to use colored eggs as decorations, where the eggs will be out of refrigera-

tion for many hours or several days, discard them after they have served their decorative purpose.

(Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Poultry & Egg Division)

HELPFUL IDEAS FOR TAKING ON THE MEALTIME CHALLENGE.

Strawberry, Banana, Peanut butter, Granola Rollups Carb per serving: 25g

Yield: Serves 2

Active Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients 1 whole wheat tortilla

2 tablespoons peanut butter

½ banana, cut into slices

½ cup sliced strawberries

¼ cup granola

Directions Spread peanut butter onto tortilla

Add granola onto peanut butter, evenly.

Space out banana and strawberries onto tortilla

evenly.

Roll tortilla into a wrap, cut in half. Serve.

Strawberry Walnut Salad Yield: 2 servings Calories: 385

This Strawberry Walnut Salad is perfect

for Spring and very versatile! You may

add chicken, use pecans instead of wal-

nuts, or use gorgonzola in place of feta.

Strawberry Walnut Salad 1/2 c. walnuts

4 c. fresh spinach, roughly chopped 1

1/2 c. fresh strawberries, sliced 3 T hon-

ey 2 T spicy brown mustard 1/4 c. bal-

samic vinegar 1/4 t sea salt 1/4 c. crumbled feta Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place walnuts on a

rimmed baking sheet and bake until fragrant and toasted, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plate to

cool. Toss the spinach with the strawberries in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the

honey, mustard, vinegar, and salt. Drizzle 3/4 of the dressing over the salad and sprinkle the wal-

nuts on top. Serve sprinkled with cheese and with the remaining dressing on the side.

www.doctoroz.com/recipe

Strong Hearts for Montana™:

Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities

A new research study was conducted in Stillwater County with a program called Strong Hearts, Healthy Commu-

nities. This program aims to reduce cardiovascular (CVD) morbidity and mortality, improve quality of life and

reduce CVD-related health care burden in underserved rural communities through development and implementa-

tion of a community-informed intervention. The SHHC program was an hour-long class that met twice a week

for 6 months.

With this program, participants would participate in:

-15 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise twice a week, goal-setting, nutrition education based on dietary guidelines

and Mediterranean dietary pattern, as well as healthy snack demos and tastings.

-15 to 25 minutes of upper body, core, and lower body progressive strength training at least once a week.

-Participants initiated projects to support community health to enhance sustainability of lifestyle changes.

The participants in this study were women 40 and older, physically inactive at baseline, overweight or obese.

DEEP: Diabetes Empowerment Education Program

DEEP™ is a diabetes self-management program that has been shown to be successful in helping participants take control of their disease and reduce the risk of complications. Diabetes is a condition that causes the level of glucose in the blood to get too high. Over time, high glucose levels can lead to health problems.

This year, the National Diabetes Education Program’s theme is: Managing Diabetes – It’s Not Easy, But

It’s Worth It. They are using this theme to highlight the impor tance of managing diabetes to pre-

vent diabetes-related health problems such as heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, vision loss, and ampu-

tation. DEEP™ is an educational program which teaches self-management to people with diabetes and

their families.

Initial results of the DEEP™ program shows significant improvement in two areas. HbA1c levels repre-

sents the average blood sugar a person has over a three month time period and is a good indicator of di-

agnosing pre-diabetes as well. A recommended goal for most people with diabetes is an A1c level of 7%.

Participants in the DEEP™ program saw their A1c levels drop from an average of 8.2 to 7%.

The second area of improvement relates to the systolic blood pressure levels. Participants in the program

decreased their systolic blood pressure by ten points which is outstanding researched based evidence of

the effectiveness. For more information or to attend a class, contact me at the extension office.

Diabetes Empowerment

Education Program (DEEP)TM

A new program is being implemented in

Stillwater County through MSU Exten-

sion. This FREE program teaches diabe-

tes self care and management. For more

information on attending classes, contact

Lisa at the MSU Extension office at 406-

322-8035. Together we can….

Class Schedules:

Columbus StrongWomen Class

Mon.—Thurs. 4:30—5:30pm, 4th floor of the Court House.

For more information contact the Extension office at 322-8035.

Stillwater Strong Hearts Class

Monday & Wednesday—5:30—6:30pm Conference Meeting

room at the West Annex basement.

Fishtail Arthritis Class & Walk With Ease

Mon. & Fri. 10:00—11:00, Fishtail Community Center Hannah

Hall

Absarokee—StrongWomen Class

Mon. & Wed. 9:00am , Cobblestone Building

StrongWomen, Strong Hearts, Arthritis and Diabetes Classes Offered

These outstanding health education programs for midlife and older

adults are once again being offered throughout MSU Extension in

Stillwater County. Call the Extension office to sign up today!

Every homemaker member is asked to bring one pie. Each club is asked to bring 5 dozen cookies or bars. No cheesecake, cream, pecan or pumpkin. Columbus Jrs. bring pies on Wednesday.

SUNDAYJuly 16TH

9:00 am Horse/Mini Horse Show at Keyser Creek Arena

MONDAY July 17TH 9:00 am Interviews for Livestock, Dog & Indoor Project at Columbus HS Cafeteria 1:00 pm-5:00 pm Open Class Photography, Canning & Quilting Entries Received 5:30 pm Open Class Judging 6:00 pm Carcass Contest at Stillwater Pack

TUESDAY July 18TH

8:00 am Dog Show - Obedience & Showmanship 11:00 am Cat Show 1:00 pm Rabbit Show followed by Poultry Show Small Animal Round Robin (following 30 minutes after the Poultry Show) 4:00 pm Shooting Sports

WEDNESDAY July 19TH 7:30 am Dog Agility & Rally run concurrently 5:00-8:00 pm Livestock Weigh-In and Photos

Swine 5:00 pm Sheep 6:00 pm Beef 7:00 pm

5:00-7:30 pm Check-in of Round Robin Horses

THURSDAY July 20th 7:30 am Swine Showmanship 8:00- 10:00 am Silent Auction Bid cards & exhibit to Silent Auction Table (Participants with a Blue or Purple ribbon on usable exhibits may enter the silent auction) 10:00 am Sheep Show (Market, Breeding, and Showmanship) Goat Show

Dairy Goat Showmanship Dairy Goat Show Breeding Goat Show Market Goat Showmanship Market Goat Show Sheep Show (Market, Breeding & Showmanship) following 30 min after Goat Show

10:00 am Silent Auction Open for bids 5:00 pm Adult Showmanship (Community Fun!) 8:00-10:00 pm Teen Leader Dance

FRIDAY July 21st

7:30 am Market Swine Show 11:00 am Beef Show (Market, Breeding, and Showmanship) Dairy Cattle Show (following 30 minutes after the Beef Show) 3:00 pm Peewee Showmanship (Community Fun!) 4:00 pm Set-up for Pig Wrestling event 6:30 pm Pig Wrestling-Community Fun!!

SATURDAY JULY 22nd

9:00 am Round Robin 11:30 am Buyer’s and Exhibitor Lunch 12:45 am Graduating Senior Recognition 1:00 pm Market Livestock Sale (Participants with a purple ribbon on usable exhibits may enter them in the Live Auction) 4:00pm Silent Auction Closed-buyer must be present and claim item before 4:45 pm 4:30 pm Fair Officially Closed & Post Fair Clean-Up Begins

MSU Extension, Stillwater County

PO Box 807

Columbus, MT 59019

Contact Us

Give us a call for more

information about our s

services and classes.

MSU Extension

Stillwater County

PO Box 807

Columbus, MT 59019

(406) 322-8035

stillwater@montana.edu

Visit us on the web at

ww.msuextension.org/

counties/Stillwater

Stillwater County FCS Program

MSU Family and Consumer Science Agents cover a wide range of

programs for individuals, families, professionals, and businesses

including food safety, human nutrition, indoor air quality, housing,

family economics, human and child development, food preparation,

and personal development issues.

It’s Called “Extension” for a Reason

MSU Extension offers university resources for all Montanans to ex-

plore, even if they never set foot on campus. We provide access to

useful information and expert knowledge via workshops, demon-

strations, community meetings, publications, videos and the Web.

Extension links a network of MSU faculty, topic specialists on the

MSU-Bozeman campus and our Stillwater County agents, to the

people.

MSU Extension brings you research-based programs