Juab County Extension News

Juab County Extension News http://extension.usu.edu/juab/htm/news en-us Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:42:47 MST http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 360 barbara.bradford@usu.edu (Barbara Bradford) One bird's loss is another bird's gain http://extension.usu.edu/juab/htm/news/articleID=8158 News and Views from Your County Agent, Weekly News Column <p> </p> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 14pt">One bird’s loss is another bird’s gain</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">By Sally Burnham</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ece9d8; border-left: #ece9d8; background-color: transparent; border-top: #ece9d8; border-right: #ece9d8"> <div> <p align="center" style="text-align: center; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </p> </div> <div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>             Soon now, the mouth-watering aroma of roasting turkey and all the trimmings will be in the air. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2007 45 million turkeys were consumed at Thanksgiving. That's one-sixth of the 260 million birds raised that year - an increase of nearly 150% since 1970. <p> </p> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">            The turkey has been a long-standing tradition for the Thanksgiving table. But does it really date back to 1621 when the Pilgrims celebrated their first harvest by sharing a three-day meal with the Wampanoag Indians? I'm sure there must have been a few wild turkeys on their tables.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">            Benjamin Franklin thought the turkey to be noble and lobbied to have it become our national bird.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">            In January 1784, a year and a half after the Great Seal was adopted by Congress with the bald eagle as its centerpiece, Franklin wrote a letter to his daughter and shared some thoughts about this new symbol of America:</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">            "For my own part I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen the representative of our country. He is a bird of bad moral character....I am on this account not displeased that the figure is not known as a bald eagle, but looks more like a turkey. For the truth the turkey is in comparison a much more respectable bird, and withal a true original native of America. ...He is besides, though a little vain and silly, a bird of courage, and would not hesitate to attack a grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his farmyard with a red coat on."</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">            For centuries people have been setting aside a day to give thanks. Farmers gathered to celebrate their harvests. Some believed spirits lived in the plants, and they came to thank the good spirits and scare away the evil ones.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">            It was President Abraham Lincoln who declared the fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving and made it a national holiday in 1863. In his proclamation he said:</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">            “The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. …I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”</div> </div> Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 MST http://extension.usu.edu/juab/htm/news/articleID=8158 barbara.bradford@usu.edu (Barbara Bradford) Pressure Canning Meat at Home http://extension.usu.edu/juab/htm/news/articleID=8032 Message From Margie, Weekly News Column <p> </p> <div style="text-align: center; margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center"><b>PRESSURE CANNING MEAT at HOME</b></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">Venison and bear may be canned according to directions for canning beef, pork, and mutton, states the USDA Canning Guide. The following are standard guidelines recommended for successfully canning your own meat.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">The flavor and texture of the final meat product depends on how the meat is handled following slaughter. Use only meat from healthy, disease-free animals. The meat should be chilled without delay to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (F) or lower to prevent spoilage. To hold longer than a few days, freeze at 0 degrees F or lower until canning time.  Handle meat rapidly and keep everything that touches the meat clean. De-bone red meats. Trim off all gristle, bruised spots, and excess fat before canning. Any fat left on the meat may affect sealing. Remove all fat from venison as it has a strong flavor. Meat is a low-acid food and must be processed in a pressure canner for safety. Meat can be packed either raw or cooked. Pack meat loosely into clean canning jars. Keep precooked meat hot while packing and cover with boiling liquid. Salt adds flavor, but is not necessary for preservation. When ready to serve, boil canned meat and poultry 10 minutes before you taste it, even if it looks and smells all right.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">STRIPS, CUBES OR CHUNKS OF MEAT</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">PROCEDURE: Choose quality-chilled meat. Remove excess fat. Soak strong-flavored wild meats for 1 hour in brine water containing 1 tablespoon of salt per quart. Rinse. Remove large bones.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">Hot pack – Precook meat until rare by roasting, stewing or browning in a small amount of fat. Add 1-2 teaspoons of salt per quart to the jar, if desired. Fill jars with pieces and add boiling broth, meat drippings, water, or tomato juice (especially with wild game), leaving 1-inch headspace.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">Raw pack – Add to the jar 1-2 teaspoons of salt per quart, if desired. Fill jars with raw meat pieces, leaving 1-inch headspace. Do not add liquid. Adjust lids and process.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">Recommended process time for STRIPS, CUBES, OR CHUNKS OF MEAT in a dial-gauge pressure canner: At Juab County altitude, process pints for 75 minutes or quarts for 90 minutes at 13 pounds pressure (dial gauge) or 15 pounds pressure (weighted gauge).</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">GROUND OR CHOPPED MEAT</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">Choose fresh, high-quality, chilled meat. <i>Avoid flavoring sausage with sage; canning may cause a bitter, off flavor</i>. If desired, add 1 part high-quality pork fat to 3 or 4 parts venison before grinding. Shape chopped meat into patties or balls or cut cased sausage into 3- to 4-inch links. Cook until lightly browned. Ground meat may be sautéed without shaping. Remove excess fat and fill jars. Add boiling meat broth, tomato juice, or water, leaving 1-inch headspace. If desired, add 2 teaspoons of salt per quart. Adjust lids and process. At Juab County altitude, process pints for 75 minutes or quarts for 90 minutes at 13 pounds pressure (dial gauge) or 15 pounds pressure (weighted gauge).</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">MAKING YOUR OWN STOCK</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">Red Meat: Saw or crack freshly trimmed beef bones to help draw out flavor. Rinse bones, cover with water, cover pot, and simmer 3 to 4 hours. Remove meat from bones. Chill broth, skim off fat and return meat to broth. Reheat broth and meat to boiling. Fill jars, leaving <i>1-inch headspace</i>. Adjust lids and process. At Juab County altitude, process pints for 20 minutes or quarts for 25 minutes at 13 pounds pressure (dial gauge) or 15 pounds pressure (weighted gauge).</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">HELPFUL HINTS WHEN CANNING MEAT</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">Raw pack – is faster, with no added liquid, but when finished processing, the jars are only ¼ to ½ filled with liquid, the upper half of meat is not covered with liquid, the meat shrinks and there is air space above meat which makes the exposed meat go darker faster.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">Hot pack – takes longer, but you can fit more meat into the jar as it has already gone through the shrinkage process during cooking. Meat is completely covered with broth, is a better quality. You have to make sure and add the boiling liquid to jars immediately prior to processing as the prescribed time is dependent upon this initial boiling temperature.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS EXACTLY!!! If it says cut meat in 1” cubes, then do it. Don’t deviate, because the heat penetration is based upon the 1” cube size and if you use larger chunks, you make not have a completely processed product.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">MAKE SURE TO PROCESS USING ALTITUDE ADJUSTMENT FOR YOUR AREA. At Juab County altitude, DO NOT GO BELOW 13 lbs. pressure or you have to start timing all over again. You have to maintain 240 degrees inside the canner for the entire time limit to prevent harmful bacteria from growing.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">Liquid siphons out because of: too much liquid added, not enough headspace, or too much variation in temperature – cool down too fast or pressure is up and down too much. To avoid this problem, when you are processing and get to about 8 lbs. pressure, then turn burner down from high to medium and by the time it gets to 13 or 14 lbs. it stays there better, and is easier to keep constant. (Practice with your own burner and pressure canner with water only.)  Old pressure canners retain heat more evenly. New canners have to be tended more during processing time to keep a constant pressure.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">When finished processing and pressure is gone, remove jars from canner and place on cooling racks. When jars have sealed and are cooled, remove rings (prevents rusty rings) and store in cool, dark place (back in jar box is best). Never leave processed jars in pressure canner overnight!!! ‘Flat Sour’ occurs and ruins the taste of the food, and also the pressure canner lid can lock so you can’t get it open.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">Meat products with less fat have a longer shelf life, but 9 months to 1 year is the maximum. When you open jars, watch for signs of spoilage: bulging lids, spurting, bad odor (but realize that botulism doesn’t have an odor). As an extra safety precaution, you can boil meat for 10 to 15 minutes before you use it. For the latest fact sheet on preserving venison, visit http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/FN_Harvest_2009-01pr.pdf</div> Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 MST http://extension.usu.edu/juab/htm/news/articleID=8032 barbara.bradford@usu.edu (Barbara Bradford) Soil Testing http://extension.usu.edu/juab/htm/news/articleID=7570 News and Views From Your County Agent, News Column <p> </p> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">Why Should I Soil Test?</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">            Regular testing helps develop and maintain more productive soils for farming, gardening, and landscaping. Soil tests indicate whether plant nutrients are deficient and, if so, what amounts are needed for optimum growth. Soil testing is also a useful diagnostic tool to identify problems related to excessive levels of nutrients and salts, high pH, low organic matter, and poor drainage. When properly interpreted, soil tests increase profits in agricultural production systems and promote more favorable conditions for productive and esthetically pleasing gardens and landscapes.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">When Do I Sample?</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">            The best windows of opportunity for soil sampling are early spring and late fall. Field, garden, and landscape activities are limited during these periods, and samples can be collected and analyzed in time for fall or spring fertilization. Fall testing has the advantage of allowing the application and incorporation of fertilizers with fall tillage or winter precipitation. Spring testing, however, often provides a better indication of nutrient (especially nitrogen) availability immediately prior to plant growth. Regardless of when samples are collected, allow a minimum of two to three weeks for analyses, fertilizer purchase and application, and any other corrective measures to be taken before planting. Soil sampling can also be done during the growing season to aid in diagnosing plant growth problems. Landowners who observe a problem may want to sample the soil while symptoms are present to diagnose the problem and take corrective action during the current growing season. Plant tissue sampling and analysis can also be used to diagnose problems.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">            Specific plant parts and collection and handling procedures are required for accurate tissue testing.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">How Often Do I Soil Test?</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">            For perennial plants such as turf, trees, alfalfa, and pasture, soil should be tested prior to planting and once every two to three years. Soil testing prior to establishing perennials is particularly important since it provides an opportunity to incorporate immobile nutrients into the root zone before planting, and to diagnose and correct soil problems before the investment in planting is made. For annuals such as corn, small grains, and gardens, soil should be tested once every two years. Generally, as the intensity of management increases so should the frequency of soil testing. Highly productive growers making frequent fertilizer, manure, or other soil amendment applications should test more frequently to monitor changing soil conditions and prevent the build-up of excess levels of nutrients or salts. Growers should keep soil test records for all areas sampled, as well as fertilizer application and plant yield and quality information. This allows growers to relate yield and plant performance to soil test results and fertilization practices. Information in this form is "site specific." Since soils and grower management practices vary widely, knowing what soil test values correspond with optimum plant performance on a site allows the grower to customize a soil management program for individual production systems. Contact the Extension office for instructions on how to get a soil test kit or call the USU Analytical Lab directly at 435-797-2217.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">Water-Wise Plants for Utah Landscapes</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">            The Utah Division of Water Resources has developed a website to assist Utahns in identifying water-wise plants for our region. The website includes a list of ornamental trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials, ornamental grasses and ground covers.</div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">            A description as well as pictures are provided, along with soil requirements, necessary sun exposure, water requirements as well as hardiness. As you add plants to your landscaping, this website is extremely valuable: <a href="http://www.waterwiseplants.utah.gov/"><font color="#800080">www.waterwiseplants.utah.gov</font></a></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 MST http://extension.usu.edu/juab/htm/news/articleID=7570