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(To view a pictures of the Kids a Cookin' recipes, go to
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/news/sty/2006/veggiegoodcasserolephoto.htm)
MANHATTAN, Kan. – January generally starts each year’s pruning season for central High Plains fruit trees. An annual trim is important to fruit tree health, said Chuck Marr, horticulturist with Kansas State University Research and Extension. Without this help, few fruit trees can develop and keep a strong enough structure to handle Plains weather and the weight of a bumper fruit crop without damage. Even with help, the trees tend to suffer some injury every year due to disease, insects, wind, ice and the like. "Many gardeners also prune to keep fruit trees small enough to work with easily – whether pruning, spraying or harvesting," Marr said. "They prune so sunlight can penetrate the canopy of leaves and help the buds develop and the fruit ripen. Allowing light to move into the tree canopy also prevents fruits from developing only at the outside of branches, where the fruits will be smaller and branches will be ‘weighted down’ more." The window for pruning appears each winter after the trees have been fully dormant for several weeks, he said. Depending on the weather, it sometimes stays open through March. But, gardeners must finish trimming before spring’s bud swell, the horticulturist warned. Otherwise they won’t have time to apply a dormant oil treatment to prevent such pests as scales, mites, aphids and pear psylla. To avoid further injury, gardeners must prune when temperatures are above
20 degrees, Marr said. For dormant oil applications to work, temperatures
must be above 40 degrees for at least 24 hours.
MANHATTAN, Kan. – When New York TV personalities complained about nor’easters this month, viewers to the west and south may have been confused. "A nor’easter is a cyclonic storm that’s typically associated with the northeast United States. But that’s not the reason for its name," said Mary Knapp, State of Kansas climatologist, based with Kansas State University Research and Extension. Nor’easter winds are a lot like hurricane winds, Knapp explained. They develop off the East Coast and travel north. Plus, they move counter-clockwise around an area of low pressure. "Their moving counter-clockwise means, nor’easters come on shore from the northeast – hence the storms’ name. People in the rest of the country would find storms’ coming from that direction most unusual, even worrisome," she said. October to March tends to be the season for the strongest nor’easters, Knapp said, but they can occur at any time. The storms bring strong winds, although generally not hurricane strength. They frequently bring heavy snows and/or flooding rains, too. "The area they affect can be quite large – as least as large as that hit
by hurricanes," the climatologist said. "They also tend to move very slowly,
sometimes staying in place for a week or longer. That can mean a lot of
moisture in a relatively short time – miserable weather."
MANHATTAN, Kan. – The two most important things for successful Chinese cooking are a hot stove and a sharp knife, according to Kathy Walsten, nutrition educator with Kansas State University Research and Extension. But Walsten has more specific advice to promote best taste, as well as food safety, when stir-frying : * Carefully follow the recipe’s instructions on whether to cook the dish at high, medium-high or medium heat. If the recipe provides no help, consider starting to cook at medium-high heat and then adjusting the temperature up or down, as needed. * Add the oil — peanut, canola or other vegetable oil — by drizzling it, so that it coats the sides and bottom of the pan. The oil will heat faster this way, too. * If the recipe calls for meat and vegetables, cook the meat first and then remove it from the pan. Then cook the vegetables and add the meat back in when the vegetables are almost cooked. * Remember that broccoli, carrots, celery and the like take longer to cook than do green leafy vegetables, such as bok choy. * Taste and adjust seasonings after the dish is complete. * Serve stir-fried dishes immediately.
MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Wintertime should create few problems with grain storage if the grain has been properly cooled, according to Kansas State University grain and livestock systems specialist Joe Harner. "Grain should have already been cooled to temperatures ranging from 30 to 40 degrees (F)," said Harner, who is the biological and agricultural engineering state leader with K-State Research and Extension. "Cooling grain below 30 degrees is not necessary and may create problems – particularly if the grain is cooled below 20 degrees." Moisture will condense on the outside of grain kernels if extremely cold grain is loaded onto a truck during warm weather. In turn, the excess moisture can cause an erroneous moisture meter reading and result in excessive-moisture price discounts for the grain, he said. "Early morning during winter is a good time to observe the roof tops of grain storage structures for potential problems," Harner said. "If frost or snow is melting more quickly off of one structure than others, that may be an indication of grain that’s going out of condition or warming up." Covering fans can prevent moisture movement and air currents in a grain bin during the winter months, he said. Moisture vapor that’s leaving the top of a bin is an example of natural air currents’ warming through a grain mass. Harner urges those who are inspecting stored grain to be cautious during the winter months: "Heavy cold-weather clothing, gloves and boots may make it more difficult to grip or maneuver up and down metal ladders. Rooftops may be slick from ice or moisture, which also can create safety problems." Still, the most important factor in maintaining the quality of grain in
storage during the winter is to not forget it – to inspect routinely, he
said.
5) Kansas Saves Campaign Beginning MANHATTAN, Kan. -- In January 2006, many K-State Research and Extension offices in Kansas are featuring the Kansas Saves Campaign. The campaign focuses on encouraging savings and reducing – or managing – debt successfully, much like campaigns that encourage wearing a seat belt or not smoking. The Kansas Saves Campaign is part of a national effort called America Saves and is sponsored by the Consumer Federation of America. More information about financial management and about Kansas Saves is available at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/financialmanagement/ and at county and district K-State Research and Extension offices. – Carol Young, Kansas State University Research and
Extension financial management specialist
MANHATTAN, Kan. – After paying off an auto loan, continue to put an amount similar to the payment into an interest-bearing savings account. When it’s time to replace your current vehicle, use the savings to pay for the next vehicle or reduce the amount of its loan. For more information on managing money successfully, contact a local or district K-State Research and Extension office or check K-State’s financial management Web site at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/financialmanagement/. - Carol Young, Kansas State University Research and Extension financial
management specialist
This colorful casserole contains kids’ favorite vegetables – green beans and corn. The recipe calls for just easy four layers, but makes a fun and healthful dish. It comes from Kansas State University Research and Extension’s Family Nutrition Program and makes 12 one-half cup servings. Ingredients:
1. Wash your hands. 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 3. Spray 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. 4. Layer green beans and corn in baking dish. 5. In small mixing bowl, combine cheese, onion, sour cream and soup. Spread over vegetables. 6. In small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and margarine. Sprinkle mixture on top. 7. Bake 30 to 40 minutes. Helpful Hints: The best way to drain green beans and corn really well is to use a colander. Crushing crackers can be more fun than messy if you place the crackers in a sealed plastic bag and then mash them with a rolling pin. Safety Tips: Shredding cheese, dicing onions and melting margarine are basic activities in any kitchen. For young kids, however, they can lead to shredded knuckles, cut hands and burned fingers. So, adults should either do these activities beforehand or carefully supervise kids’ efforts. Cleanliness helps ensure food safety in the kitchen. Before starting to cook, have children go through this checklist: Clean hands. Clean surfaces (counter, cutting board, stove). Clean tool kit (see below). Clean can lids. Clean can opener. ---------------------- Per serving: 570 calories, 25 grams of fat (5 grams saturated), 5 mg cholesterol, 13 grams protein, 74 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams dietary fiber, 1230 milligrams sodium. ------------------------ Kids a Cookin' is an educational program produced by Kansas State University Research and Extension's Family Nutrition Program and funded by USDA's Food Stamp Program through a contract with Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS). More information, more recipes and cooking tips, and a link to a Spanish version are available on the Kids a Cookin' Web site: http://www.kidsacookin.ksu.edu. – Source: Kathy Walsten, Family Nutrition Program,
K-State Research and Extension
-30- K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus in Manhattan. For more
information: Contributing
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