Purdue Extension — LaGrange County Office (260) 499-6334 www.extension.purdue.edu/lagrange

It is the policy of the Cooperative Extension Service that all persons shall have equal opportunity and access to the programs and facilities without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, veterans status, or disability. It you need special accommodations due to a disability, please

contact us. Purdue University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

THIS ISSUE INCLUDES:

4-H & Youth Development

Health & Human Sciences

Agriculture & Natural Resources

Homemaker Happenings

What’s new in the Extension Buzz?

4-H Calendar of Events

How to Improve Sleep at Night pg 4

Co-Parenting Workshop in LaGrange County pg 5

Recipe of the Month pg 6

County Homemaker Calendar pg 7

Dutch Apple Pie Recipe pg 8

Agriculture and Natural Resources pg 9-11

Steve Engleking, Ag. & Natural Resources Educator, CED Brittney Schori, Health & Human Sciences Educator

Matt Dice, 4-H & Youth Development Educator Vicki Gilliland, Office Manager

Kelsey Younce, Secretary

Edition

October 2019 The Extension Buzz

Mission Statement

We transform lives and livelihoods

through research-based education.

https://www.facebook.com/LaGrangeExtension

4-H Online Enrollment

is open! Enrollment for Indiana 4-H begins October 1, 2019 and will continue to January 15th, 2020. Registration Deadline for livestock projects will be May 15, 2020.

The program fee remains at $15 per child, $45 max per family. The program fees cover insurance, project curriculum development, and club enrichment activities.

The same enrollment dates will apply to Mini 4-H (grade K-2 ) There is no county program fee for Mini 4-H.

You can log onto 4-HOnline using the same log in information as last year. Please DO NOT make a new family or 4-Her’s enrollment page. If you can’t remember last years password, call the office and we will be happy to help you re-enroll.

We are here to help and serve you in any way we can!

260-499-6334

The theme of this year’s National 4-H Week is Inspire Kids to Do, which highlights how 4-H encourages kids to take part in hands-on learning experiences in areas such as health, science, agriculture and civic engagement. The positive en-vironment provided by 4-H mentors ensures that kids in eve-ry county and parish in the country ̶ from urban neighbour-hoods to suburban schoolyards to rural farming communi-ties ̶ are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles and are empowered with the skills to lead in life and

In LaGrange County, more than 470 4-H youth and volun-teers from the community are involved in 4-H.

One of the most anticipated events of National 4-H Week every year is 4-H National Youth Science Day, which sees hundreds of thousands of youth across the nation taking part in the world’s largest youth-led STEM challenge. The exciting theme for this year’s challenge is Game Changers, which will run throughout October. Developed by Google and West Vir-ginia University Extension Service, Game Changers will teach kids coding skills through fun exercises including gam-ing, puzzles and physical activity.

To learn more about how you can get involved, visit http://www.4-h.org/.

Health & Human Science

Did you know: Some foods could improve sleep at night?

Eating and drinking for better sleep means more than just avoiding caffeine and heavy, heartburn-inducing foods at night. Certain foods and beverages could actually help you fall asleep faster and sleep

more soundly. Here are some things to put on your grocery list for more restful nights!

Complex Carbohydrates: Skip the white bread, re-fined pasta, and sugary, baked goods, which may re-duce serotonin levels and impair sleep. Instead, choose stick-to-your-ribs whole grains for your bedtime snack: Popcorn, oatmeal, or whole-wheat crackers with nut butter are all good choices. Complex carbs increase serotonin levels which contribute to good sleep! A handful of Nuts: Nuts are a good source of heart-healthy fats. And almonds and walnuts, specifically, contain melatonin, a hormone that helps to regulate your sleep/wake cycle. Eating them can increase your blood levels of the hormone, helping you sleep more soundly. Cottage Cheese: Foods that are high in lean protein, like cottage cheese, also pack the amino acid trypto-phan, which may increase serotonin levels. Serotonin is a brain chemical and low levels of it can contribute to insomnia. To sweeten it up, top the cottage cheese with raspberries, which are rich sources of melatonin.

Bedtime Tea: A nightly cup of caffeine-free tea can be a perfect relaxing ritual. Chamomile, ginger, and pep-permint are calming choices for bedtime. Warm Milk: Although some experts think of it as an old wives’ tale, others say that milk helps you sleep be-cause it contains tryptophan. Fruits: Certain fruits that contain melatonin may help you fall asleep faster and wake up less often during the night. For instance, tart cherry juice and whole tart cherries contain a lot of melatonin, and bananas, pine-apple, and oranges are also good sources. If you have insomnia, eating two kiwis before bed can in-crease your sleep duration by an hour over the course of a month. Other fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants (like berries, prunes, raisins, and plums) may have a similar effect by helping to counteract the oxidative stress caused by a sleep disorder.

Sleep is a vital indicator of overall health and well-being. Did you know that we spend up to one-third of our lives asleep?

Article Source: National Sleep Foundation For more information, go to www.sleepfoundation.org

Do you have children? Are you and/or your kids coping with separation, divorce? Custodial issues? Are you looking to learn more about how to raise your children through this process? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you should attend the ‘Co Parenting for Suc-cessful Kids’ workshop! This is a research-based educational workshop taught by Brittney Schori, a Purdue Exten-sion Educator. Workshops are held in the County Office Building’s west conference room lo-cated at 114 West Michigan Street in LaGrange. ‘Co-Parenting for Successful Kids’ is a workshop that strengthens communication skills that can improve interactions with children and the other parent. Parents will learn to answer chil-dren’s questions and to keep children safe and out of adult conflicts. The goal of the class is to support parents to become more respectful, responsive, and responsible. Workshops are offered once per month and are one session that is scheduled from 9AM to 1PM. We will be offering an evening course in August from 3PM to 7PM. You must complete the entire workshop to receive your certificate! For more information and to register, contact Brittney Schori at Purdue Extension Office in LaGrange.

2019 Scheduled Workshops: October 15, November 5, December 10

Health & Human Science

Cost per person: $50.00

• Payment and registration is required one week prior to workshop date. • Preferred payment is check or cash. Make checks payable to Purdue Extension in

LaGrange County. Payment and registration form can be mailed to: Brittney Schori

114 W. Michigan St., LaGrange, IN 46761

Health & Human Science

This recipe will serve 4-6 people. I recommend making a double batch and freezing half, so you’ve got a no-work family dinner ready to go for another night!

Meatball Ingredients 1 egg, slightly beaten ¼ cup dry bread crumbs ¼ cup sliced green onions ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground ginger 1 lb. ground turkey Sauce Ingredients 4 tablespoons peach preserves 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons ketchup ½ teaspoon ground ginger Instructions 1. In medium mixing bowl, combine egg, bread crumbs, green onions, salt and ¼ teaspoon ground gin-

ger. Add ground turkey and mix well. Shape mixtures into meatballs-about 1 ½ inches large. 2. In small mixing bowl, combine peach preserves, soy sauce, ketchup and ½ teaspoon ginger. Set

aside. 3. In large sauté pan, brown meatballs on all sides, about 5 minutes. 4. Spoon peach mixture over meatballs and simmer about 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Conversation Starters at the Table:

• Think of a project or an assignment that you really enjoyed. What was it and why did you

enjoy it so much?

• If you woke up tomorrow and could do one thing

that you can’t do right now, what would it be?

• If you were king or queen of the world, what

would you do?

Source: The Family Dinner Project Www.thefamilydinnerproject.org

October 8… Executive Meeting Miller’s Merry Manor at 5:00pm October 21-25… Indiana Extension Homemaker Association Week October 23… ..Club Updates & President Ponderings for next newsletter—Due to County Ext. Office October 31… ..Halloween November 3… Daylight Savings Time November 11… Veterans Day November 12… President Meeting at Miller’s Merry Manor at 5:00pm November 22… Club Updates & President Ponderings for next newsletter—Due to County Ext. Office November 23… LaGrange Co. Cookie Pantry November 27… Last day to donate to Christmas Bureau at Food & Clothes Basket November 28… Thanksgiving

Indiana Extension Homemaker Happenings

LaGrange County Extension Homemakers County Office Building 114 W. Michigan Street, Suite 10, LaGrange, IN 46761

Mark Your Calendars - Upcoming Events

Indiana Extension Homemaker Happenings

Crust Ingredients: Crust Instructions: 1 egg Place egg and vinegar in measuring cup; add 1 teaspoon vinegar enough water to make 1 cup. Mix all ingredients 5 cups flour together. Makes 7 or more pie crusts. Unused ½ teaspoon salt dough can be divided and froze for later use. 1 tablespoon sugar 2 cups shortening Pie Filling Ingredients: Pie Topping Ingredients: ¾ cup sugar ½ cup butter ¼ cup flour 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ cup brown sugar Dash of salt 6 cups apples (Lodi) Pie Filling & Topping Instructions: Cut butter into flour and brown sugar for topping. Mix together fillings and place into a 9” unbaked pastry. Place topping over filling. Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Single Crust - Dutch Apple Pie A winning recipe from the 2019 Allen County 4-H Fair

Submitted by Diane Rohlf

HOME (Indoor plants and activities) • Keep poinsettia in complete darkness for 15 hours each day — for example, between

5 p.m. and 8 a.m. — for eight to 10 weeks until red bracts begin to show.

• Pot spring-flowering bulbs to force into bloom indoors. Moisten soil and refrigerate 10

to 13 weeks. Transfer to a cool, sunny location, and allow an additional three to four

weeks for blooming.

• Houseplants, especially those grown outdoors during the summer, commonly drop

some or many of their leaves in response to the lower natural light intensity in the au-

tumn and reduced light intensity indoors.

• Water indoor plants less frequently, and discontinue fertilizer as plants slow down or stop growing for the winter season.

YARD (Lawns, woody ornamentals and fruits) • Keep plants, especially newly planted stock, well-watered until ground freezes.

• Have soil ready to mound roses for winter protection. Do not mound or cover roses

until after leaves drop and soil is near freezing, usually late November or early Decem-

ber.

• Strawberry plants need protection from winter’s extremes, but applying winter mulch

too early may cause crowns to rot. Apply winter protection when plants are dormant

but before temperatures drop below 20F, usually late November or early December.

• Rake or shred large, fallen tree leaves, such as maple, to prevent them from matting

down and smothering grass. Raking smaller leaves, such as honey locust, is optional.

• Continue mowing lawn as needed.

GARDEN (Flowers, vegetables and small

fruits) • Harvest root crops and store in a cold (32 F), humid location. Storing produce in perfo-

rated plastic bags is a convenient, easy way to increase humidity.

• Harvest Brussels sprouts as they develop in the axils of the leaves from the bottom of

the stem. Brussels sprouts will continue to develop up the stem.

• Harvest pumpkins and winter squash before frost, but when rind is hard and fully col-

ored. Store in a cool location until ready to use.

Agriculture & Natural Resources

October Garden Calendar

• Asparagus top growth should not be removed until foliage yellows. Let foliage stand over winter

to collect snow for insulation and moisture.

• Remove plant debris from the garden to protect next year’s plantings from insect and disease

buildup. Compost plant refuse by alternating layers of soil, plant material, and manure or commer-

cial fertilizer.

• Have garden soil tested for fertilizer needs every three to five years.

• Plowing and incorporating organic matter in fall avoids the rush of garden activities and water-

logged soil in spring. Soils prepared in the fall tend to warm faster and allow earlier planting in

spring.

• Carve a Halloween jack-o’-lantern.

• Dig tender garden flower bulbs for winter storage. Gladiolus corms should be dug when leaves

begin turning yellow. Caladiums, geraniums and tuberous begonias should be lifted before killing

frost. Dig canna and dahlia roots after a heavy frost. Allow to air dry, then pack in dry peat moss or

vermiculite, and store in a cool location.

• Complete planting of spring-flowering bulbs.

Wet Leaves on campus

Photo Credits – Purdue Agriculture

The hot dry weather experienced throughout much of Indiana in late summer is bringing an early

leaf drop to many landscape plants. But even under the best weather conditions, the shorter, cool-

er days of autumn signal deciduous plants to begin their color change and eventual leaf drop. For

some, this marvel is overshadowed by the chores of raking and disposing of leaves.

What’s needed here is an attitude adjustment! Autumn leaves don’t have to become trash. On the

contrary, they easily can be turned into valuable soil-enhancing organic matter. There are several

ways to manage tree leaves at home.

that the leaves will not be visible by spring. Be sure to mix the leaves into the soil, rather than

leaving them on top through the winter, to avoid keeping the soil too cold and wet to work in the

spring.

Fall Leaves Are Treasure, Not Trash

Tree leaves can be recycled directly on the lawn. Use your power mower or shredder/

vacuum to break dry leaves into smaller pieces. A mulching blade on the mower will

speed this process, but even a standard blade will do an adequate job. For large leaves,

such as maple and sycamore, it may take several passes to get a finely shredded prod-

uct. Once the leaves are pulverized, they will break down quickly. A fall application of ni-

trogen fertilizer (about 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet) will help speed decom-

position of the leaves and also will benefit the grass plants.

Fall leaves also make great composting ingredients, especially when mixed with green

trimmings and grass clippings. Again, the smaller the pieces, the faster they’ll break

down, so shred or chop dry leaves before adding them to the compost pile. If you don’t

have green trimmings or grass clippings, add a source of nitrogen to the leaves, such as

commercial fertilizer or dry cow, horse, sheep, or poultry manure. The nitrogen is needed

by the microorganisms that break down the carbon in plant materials. Add a sprinkling of

soil or finished compost to introduce a source of the microorganisms, and water just

enough to moisten. The compost will heat up in the center as it breaks down. Stir the con-

tents occasionally to add air and allow for uniform heating. Generally, the more often you

turn the pile, the faster you’ll get a finished product. Compost is ready to add back into the

garden when it looks uniformly dark and crumbly. Compost improves soil aeration, mois-

ture retention and drainage, and nutrient-holding capabilities.

Last, but not least, shredded leaves can be used as a winter mulch to protect tender per-

ennials through the coming harsh weather. Shredding the leaves will help prevent them

from packing down as they get wet and smothering the plants that they are supposed to

protect. To provide winter protection, apply a 3-to 6-inch layer of shredded leaves over the

top of tender perennials after several hard freezes. The goal of winter mulch is to keep

plants dormant through the winter, so it must be applied after the ground is cold and

plants are fully dormant. The timing of application will vary from year to year with the

weather, but most years will be appropriate sometime between the Thanksgiving and

Christmas holidays.

Agriculture & Natural Resources

LaGrange County

Office Phone: (260) 499-6334

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaGrangeExtension

Purdue Extension - LaGrange County Office Directory

Steve Engleking (sengleking@purdue.edu)…………………………………………….. Ag. & Natural Resources, CED

Brittney Schori (bpender@purdue.edu)………..………………………………………. Health & Human Sciences

Matt Dice (dice@purdue.edu)……………………………………………………………4-H/Youth Development

Debra Pontecorvo (dponteco@purdue.edu)………………………………………….. Community Wellness Coordinator

Vicki Gilliland (vgillila@purdue.edu)……………………………………………………. Office Manager

Kelsey Younce (kyounce@purdue.edu)………………………………………………… Secretary

Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday

www.extension.purdue.edu/LaGrange

It is the policy of Cooperative Extension Service that all persons shall have equal opportunity and access to the programs, ser-

vices, activities and facilities without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, marital status, parental status, sexual

orientation, disability or status as a veteran. Purdue University is an Affirmative Action institution.

The Extension Buzz

PURDUE UNIVERSITY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE

114 West Michigan Street. Suite 10

LaGrange, IN 46761-1889

LaGrange County Cooperative

with U.S. Department of Agriculture

Change Service Requested

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAL

PAID LaGrange, Indiana

Permit No. 138