Don't miss out on our Pecan Management Workshop

Food Handlers Class this November.

Cooking Class coming up.

Mark your calendar for CEU class

Wise County 4-H Takes District 3 4-H Livestock Judging Contest By Storm

Once again hard work and dedication pays off for Wise County 4-H’ers.   On Wednesday, November 4th, 24 counties and 179 4-H members converged to Vernon, Texas to compete at the District 3 Livestock Judging Contest only to be dominated by 19 4-H members from Wise County. 

Of the three age divisions, Wise County 4-H won first place in two age divisions and second place in the other.  Wise County had 3 members in the top ten individual in all three age divisions.

The Junior Team placed 1^st with team members of Mason McComis, Creed Vineyard and Brandt Rasco.  Mason was 4^th High Point Individual, Creed was 8^th High Point Individual, and Brandt was 9^th High Point Individual.  Creed Vineyard also placed 3^rd High Point Individual in Reasons. 

In the intermediate division, Wise County placed 1^st, 6^th and 11^th.  The first place team included, Kaylyn Shallene, Dustin Meadows, Clint Demmitt and Cassady Craddock.  The 6^th and 11^th place teams were made up of Blake Johnson, Brandon Fraser, Rebecca Lambert, Cale Laaser, Chloe Malone, Emily Fraser, Charlotte Hale and Kooper Martin. The top ten High Point Individuals included, Blake Johnson 3^rd High Point Individual, Clint Demmitt 5^th High Point Individual, Dustin Meadows 7^th High Point Individual, and Kaylyn Shallene 9^th High Point Individual.  Kaylyn Shallene was also 2^nd High Point Individual in Reasons.

The Senior Team placed 2^nd and has qualified to compete at State Roundup in June.  Thaine Laaser was 4^th High Point Individual, Sheridan Shallene was 5^th High Point Individual, Seth Byers was 9^th High Point Individual, Carson Read was 12^th High Point Individual and Michaela Martin.  Sheridan Shallene was 1^st High Point Individual in reasons, and Seth Byers was 3^rd High Point Individual in reasons.

Wise County should be very proud of our 4-H members and what they represent for our county.

Cooking Healthy for the Holidays Seminar

“Healthy” and “holiday” don’t usually find themselves in the same sentence, especially when it comes to food. But that doesn’t have to be the case.

Join Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in collaboration with the Decatur Public Library, for a healthy cooking class where you can learn to reduce the amounts of fats and sugar usually found in holiday recipes. With a little planning and a few simple changes, you can enjoy great tasting holiday foods while maintaining a healthy lifestyle and avoiding the weight gain often associated with the holiday season.

Making wise menu choices can be a challenge and sometimes keep you from enjoying these festive occasions. Healthy eating can be part of party menus too.  For those who want to find out more about eating healthy during the holidays and enjoying those special-occasion meals, please join me for the presentation  ‘Focus on the ‘Stars’ Cooking Healthy for the Holidays’ on November 16 . The hour long seminar will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Decatur Public Library at 1700 Highway 51 S. in Decatur. To register, call the library at 940-393-0290, visit their website at www.decaturpubliclibrary.com, or ask at the front desk or call Texas A&M AgriLife Extension at 940-627-3341.

Healthy Eating for Healthy Joints

Found: one more reason for healthy eating! AgriLife Extension’s Walk Across Texas website recently shared information from the Human Performance Resource Center which indicated that  we can take control of how our daily eating habits help or hurt our body’s joints. The physical demands of everyday, along with day-to-day exercise, overuse, injury, and aging—can take their toll on joints over time. There are certain eating habits we can practice to help keep joints happy and healthy for the long run.

• Aim for a healthy weight. Extra weight means extra stress on joints – walking alone can cause our knees to take on 3–6 times your body weight. Maintain a healthy weight or lose weight if needed.
• Fight inflammation. Include omega-3 fatty acids on your plate to reduce the body’s inflammation. Salmon isn’t the only source; foods such as English walnuts, flaxseeds and their oil, canola oil, and other fish contribute omega-3s to your eating plan.
• Fill up on fruits and veggies. Fruits and vegetables, all of which are nutrient-heavy, have been linked to a lower incidence of joint diseases such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables at meals, and build snacks around them too.
• Revive with vitamin C. Because of its role in forming collagen (the main component of connective tissue) and as an antioxidant, foods high in vitamin C are important for joint health. Oranges, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, red peppers, and kiwi are excellent sources.

Focusing on a healthy weight and filling up on nutrient-rich foods, along with regular exercise and stretching, can help optimize the long-term health and performance of your joints.