April 2025 Edition

Family & Consumer Sciences
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FCS Newsletter April 2025

Dates
April 12
Farmers’ Market Opening Day

April 20
Happy Easter

April 21
Tune in to WBKR

April 23
Beginner Sourdough Class

April 26
Oh Baby Community Shower

April 29
Cooking Class 5:30pm

April 30
Beginner Sourdough Class

May 6-8
KEHA State Meeting

May  13
Homemaker Council Meeting

May 20
Start Your Summer with Extension Open House

May 26
Memorial Day - Office Closed

WBKR
Be sure to tune in on April 21st to hear reviews from the on-air taste testing of the SNAP recipe: Lemon Broccoli Pasta. 

OPENING DAY
Make plans to attend the Opening Day of the Owensboro Regional Farmers’ Market!
April 12th from 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon

COOKING CLASS
Grilling season is almost here, and those side dishes are calling our name! Join us as we demonstrate some tried and true side dishes along with healthier alternatives.
April 29th, 5:30 p.m.,  at the Daviess County Extension Office.
Sign up by calling 270-685-8480 - space is limited

TREE SEEDLING GIVEAWAY
by the Daviess County Conservation District
at Yellow Creek Park (5710 KY-144) Owensboro, KY 42303
April 24, 2025, from 8 am - 3 pm or until supplies last
For questions call (270) 685-1707 Ext 3 or email DCCD3032@gmail.com

EASTER PECAN SALE
Halves and pieces $10 each

BURGER BASICS PROGRAM
Thanks to Jim Gilles, Hill View Farm Meats, and George Bittel, Bittel Heritage Meats for demonstrating making pork and beef sliders and answering questions.

 OPEN HOUSE
Come to the open house and “Start your summer with Extension”
Tuesday, May 20 from 5-7 p.m.
There will be food, giveaways, grab and go’s, door prizes, and more!

Garden Your Way to Better Health
Source:  Monica Mundy, Extension Specialist for Community and Family Health

Gardening is fun and healthy. It makes your space look nice, gives you fresh food, and helps your body. Digging, planting, pulling weeds, and watering plants are all great ways to work out and stay healthy.

Gardening is something anyone can do. It doesn’t matter how old you are. It’s a simple way to move your body while using a lot of muscles. Michigan State University says gardening can help adults reach the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s goal of 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week. Moderate exercise gets your heart rate up and makes you breathe a little faster. When you garden, it gives your whole body a workout. It offers many benefits, such as:

·  Burning Calories: Gardening can burn 200 to 400 calories an hour, based on how hard you work.

· Heart Health: It helps your heart stay healthy by raising your heart rate and getting better blood flow.

· Building Strength: Tasks like lifting tools and digging make your muscles stronger.

· Stretching and Balance: Bending, stretching, and reaching help you stay flexible and balanced.

· Stress Relief: Spending time in nature helps you feel calm, lowers stress, and lifts your mood.

By gardening regularly, you can stay active, feel happier, and enjoy the reward of growing your own plants while spending time in nature.

References:
Gardening for Health: a Regular Dose of Gardening by Richard Thompson:  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6334070/

The Importance of Trees
Source:  Hardin Stevens, Senior Extension Associate, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, September 2024

The cold, dark days of winter are a good time to consider, research, and make plans for your yard and garden for when spring arrives.
Be sure to include trees in your landscape plans.
According to the Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, trees have a great return on investment when properly cared for. Trees offer plenty of benefits:
·         They remove carbon dioxide from the air and turn it into life-giving oxygen,
·         Trees clean the air of other pollutants,  
·         When planted properly, trees help to cut down on energy costs during the summer and winter months, and
·         Tree-filled neighborhoods and shopping areas have shown to have an effect behavior such as incidents of domestic violence and consumer shopping practices.       

Trees are a wise investment for many reasons, but the most important one might be for all the people and animals that will benefit for years to come from the tree you plant today.    

References:
https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/throwing-shade-exploring-benefits-trees
(Accessed 9/12/24)

https://www.fs.usda.gov/learn/trees#:~:text=Benefits%20of%20trees&text=Healthy%20people%3A%20100%20trees%20remove,are%20safer%20and%20more%20sociable.
(Accessed 9/16/24)

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/article290918079.html
(Accessed 9/18/24)

EVERYTHING SOURDOUGH FOR BEGINNERS
April 23: 1-3 pm or April 30: 5-7 pm
Class hosted by Angie Swihart, Hancock Co FCS Agent at the Daviess County Extension Office
Topics for class:
What is sourdough
How to maintain sourdough
How to make artisan bread loaf
How to use sourdough discard for cookie recipe
Health benefits of sourdough

Receive sourdough starter to take home! Bring a 16-32 ounce jar.
Recipes provided 
Registration begins Friday, April 4. Call 270-685-8480. Class size is limited.

HOMEMAKER HAPPENINGS
Lesson for the Month
Communication Essentials for Good Impressions - A Leadership Development Lesson

Roll Call
April is National Volunteer Month. What is your favorite way to volunteer?

Thought of the Month
“A-we gonna do what they say can’t be done
We’ve got a long way to go, and a short time to get there.”
—(East Bound and Down), From Smokey and the Bandit, Jerry Reed and Deena Kay Rose - 1977

DISCOVER KEHA - A HIDDEN TREASURE
Make plans to attend the 2025 State Meeting
at Hyatt Regency Lexington from May 6-8, 2025.

· Room blocks are now open for reservations!
· Make reservations by April 7, 2025 to secure the conference rate of $149.
· Registration form with session option is now available!

· For more information go to keha.ca.uky.edu/content/state-meeting-information

FOYER DECORATIONS
The foyer was decked out in green by South Hampton Homemakers.
April’s foyer will be decorated by Homespun Homemakers.

COUNCIL MEETING
The Homemaker Council will be meeting Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. at the Daviess County Extension Office