Where does your food come from and how does it get to your plate?  For many Americans this is a question that is becoming more and more difficult to answer as they become further removed from the farm and less connected to agriculture.  The hard work that goes into producing our nation’s food supply is being taken for granted.

We cannot let our children grow up thinking that food comes from a grocery store.  That’s why I started the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative last year.  As outlined in USDA’s new strategic plan, the initiative offers an innovative environment for us all to learn, share, and problem solve together.  Washington doesn’t have all the answers, so I want to invite you to join us in a national conversation.

Know Your Farmer not only focuses on connecting consumers to producers, it also focuses on local and regional food systems, as they represent a new and rapidly growing market for many producers.  While only 4% of farmers sell through direct-marketing channels, that number is growing and direct to consumer sales have more than doubled in recent years, from $551 million in 1997 to $1.2 billion in 2007.

This hot summer weather means that many people will be swimming, boating and participating in other water-related recreational activities.  We all may have misconceptions about what a drowning person looks like and does. Below is a link to an article that has important information to share with family, friends and colleagues.

Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning by Mario Vittone  (June 16, 2010):  http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/drowning/?10981

Cool and tart or crisp and sweet – you can find pickled vegetables, fruits, or even meats on almost every dinner table. Pickling is the oldest way to preserve the local harvest.

The Nutrition and Health Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Fulton and Montgomery Counties will present “Pickling” on Tuesday, July 20^th, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Nutrition Program Educators and Master Food Preservers Eileen Lang and Norma Maring will teach the class in the Extension Teaching Kitchen, 55 East Main Street, Lower Level,  Johnstown.

This class will focus on the pickling and boiling water canning process for pickled vegetables, relishes and chutneys. The basics of selecting and using proper food preservation supplies and equipment will be covered as well. This is the last time this class will be offered this year. 

Canning Tomatoes using Water Bath Method class coming next Tuesday, July 13th. 6-8 p.m. Sign up on Facebook event RSVP or call 518-762-3909 x 101. $15 per person. Learn the current USDA recommendations to avoid spoilage. Take this class before tomatoes become plentiful so you will be ready to can some of that great taste!

Here's some good information from the Center of Disease Control:

Elderly people (that is, people aged 65 years and older) are more prone to heat stress than younger people for several reasons:

• Elderly people do not adjust as well as young people to sudden changes in temperature.
• They are more likely to have a chronic medical condition that changes normal body responses to heat.
• They are more likely to take prescription medicines that impair the body's ability to regulate its temperature or that inhibit perspiration.

Listen to local news or NOAA Weather Radio for emergency updates.Watch for signs of a storm, like darkening skies, lightning flashes or increasing wind. Postpone outdoor activities if thunderstorms are likely to occur. Many people struck by lightning are not in the area where rain is occurring. If a severe thunderstormwarning is issued, take shelter in a substantial building or in a vehicle with the windows closed. Get out of mobile homes that can blowover in highwinds.

If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be in danger from lightening. If thunder roars, go indoors! The National Weather Service recommends staying inside for at least 30 minutes after the last thunder clap.

Avoid electrical equipment and telephones. Use batter-powered TVs and radios instead.

Shutter windowsa and close outside dorrs securely. Keep away from windows.

Do not take a bath, shower or use plumbing.

If you are driving, try to safely exit the roadway and park. Stay in the vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers until the heavy rain ends. Avoid touching metal or other surfaces that conduct electricity in and outside the vehicle. If you are outside and connot reach a safe building, svoid high groung, water, tall, isolated trees, and metal objects such as fences or bleachers. Picnic shelters, dugouts, and sheds are NOT safe.

http://emergencypreparedness.cce.cornell.edu

Marybeth Allen totes a log back to her dorm room at Cornell University Tuesday. Allen along with two other local teens are participating in 4-H Career Exploration. During Marybeth's program, Exploring the Small Farm Dream, teens planted mushrooms inside log sections. If properly cared for these logs next year will sprout edible mushrooms. “I'm sure the mushrooms will be worth it”, she said.

Delegates at the 2010 4-H  Career Explorations Program at Cornell University are 540 strong this year. Youth and chaperones gathered together as organizers divided them into course tracks. Delegates from Fulton and Montgomery Counties include Marybeth Allen, Abigail Andrews and Victoria Guisti with chaperones Craig Clark and Laurie Guisti.

Delegates to the 2010 4-H Career Explorations Program at Cornell University arrived on campus all ready to participate in a myriad of learning activities! Delegation staff chaperone Craig Clark shared this photo.

Congratulations and Best Wishes to the 18 4-H members who are graduating from area high schools this week. The family of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Fulton and Montgomery Counties wish you success on your adventure through life. We hope that you are taking with you some valuable skills and lessons learned through project and club work in 4-H. We also congratulate all of the graduating seniors who are former 4-H members, but not currently members this year.

Congratulations to 2009-2010 4-H Member High School Graduates: Brittany Arnold, Angela Banick, Karissa Belden, Ian Chapin, Loren Conbeer, Kenneth DeBlock III, Matthew Gogis, Brittany Hotaling, Krystle Hutchison, Sarah Johnson, Cody Knowlton, Rolland Krohn, Aaron Milonovich, Catherine Opalka, Sara Orlowski, Jacob Pamkowski, Courtney Shaver, and Shelby Taylor.