Monticello Live

Courtesy of Donna Francis, County Extension Agent – Family & Consumer Sciences, Drew County Cooperative Extension Service
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Extremely cold temperatures are forecasted for Drew County and the state of Arkansas over the next few days. Here are some tips to help you cope:

1. Create a warm room in your house by closing off any un-used rooms. Close off the registers and use a blanket or towel to create a seal at the bottom of the doors.

2. Dress warmly. A hat is your number one friend at times like this. A large percentage of body heat loss occurs in the head region, so it is crucial to keep your head covered. You should wear slippers or socks. Dress in layers, especially with wool or cotton clothing. Don’t wear your winter coat in the house or you will have nothing else to put on when you go outside. When you are sitting still put on a blanket.

3. Cook. Steam will raise the moisture level in your home, making you feel warmer. While you are at it, you may wish to make a soup or stew in a boiling pot. Make cookies or a pie, too, as your oven will help to heat the kitchen area. The kitchen will be warm while you are cooking, and then you can eat the warm food.

4. Drink warm beverages. Make a cup of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. Sip some warm broth.

5. Find a pet or friend to snuggle with. The living body of any warm-blooded being is a furnace unto itself.

6. Be active. Moving around produces heat!

7. Use a hot water bottle. Great for warming your hands and lap while sitting; also put it under the covers at the foot of your bed.

8. Turn on the lights. Incandescent and halogen bulbs create light through heat and can significantly increase temperatures in the room.

9. If you can afford it, leave other heat-producing appliances on, such as computers/monitors or strong lamps.

Here are a few warnings to consider: Read the rest of this entry »

Grazing Workshop  Sept. 2-3, 2009 UAM AGRA AUDITORIUM
Registration starts at 9 am on Wednesday
Program starts at 9:30 am on Wednesday & Thursday
Lunch and Refreshments provided both days
Programs end about 2:30 pm each day

 LEARN ABOUT:
Profitable Grazing Management
Efficient Use of Nutrients
Effective Electric Fence Construction 

Please Call to pre-register by 9/1/09
870-367-8400, Ext. 3 Read the rest of this entry »

The Fall Walk Across Arkansas begins on Sunday, September 20 and will end on Saturday, November 14. Walk Across Arkansas is an eight week walking program for teams of 8 people. (The individuals do not have to all walk at the same time.) It is a friendly competition to see who can log the most miles. Each team has a captain to whom they report their individual miles. The team captains contact the county Extension Office to report the team miles. The County Office then reports the miles for the county teams. Teams can win prizes at the state-wide level for the number of miles logged.

Read the rest of this entry »

Continuous Enrollment for Producers Begins Aug. 10

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan has announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin continuous sign-up for the new Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) on August 10 with the first signup period cutoff scheduled for September 30. CSP is a voluntary program that encourages agricultural and forestry producers to maintain existing conservation activities and adopt additional ones on their operations. Read the rest of this entry »

 The Reshape Yourself weight loss classes will begin on Monday, August 17, 2009 at 12:15 p.m. in the clubroom of the courthouse. Reshape Yourself is a 15-week behavior modification class which stresses the importance of good nutrition and exercise. Each session will last approximately 30 minutes to accommodate individuals who work. Read the rest of this entry »

 Strong Women, a strength training program for mid-life and older women and men, will begin in September. The Strong Women program helps participants increase strength, increase bone density, increase balance, increase energy, and helps them to look and feel better. Program participants have also reported reduced depression and improved sleep. Read the rest of this entry »

The Drew County Cooperative Extension Service and the South Central Center on Aging are sponsoring three more Healthy Cooking Classes. The dates are July 30, August 13, and August 27.

Pre-registration is necessary and must be done by the Friday prior to the class. The classes focus on the diabetic lifestyle and include food demonstrations. A lunch meal is served.

All classes begin at 11 a.m. and are held at Immanuel Baptist Church.  

Information provided by Donna Francis
Drew County Cooperative Extension Service

The Cooperative Extension Service is sponsoring an afterschool child care provider training on Saturday, April 18 at the Municipal Building in McGehee. The program will begin at 9 a.m. and each provider will receive 5 hours of training verified by the Arkansas Early Childhood Professional Development System.

This program is designed to promote positive youth development and to teach life skills through research-based hands on curriculum. Interested participants must call the Drew County Cooperative Extension Service at 460-6270 to register.

The topics being taught include: Consumer Savvy; Electric Excitement; A Palette of Fun; He Said . . . She Said; and Different Marchers. Read the rest of this entry »

The Arkansas Forestry Commission has announced Loblolly Pines and  Sawtooth Oaks will not be delivered in the free tree order, that was offered in March. Read the rest of this entry »