Happenings March 2024

March 2024

Tall Oaks Shines

Expanding Bountiful Meals

Why the Push to Plant Native Plants?

Beyond the Table - National Nutrition Month

Creating a Meadow - Part 1

Building Strong Family Relationships

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Tall Oaks Shines

The Tall Oaks 4-H Horse Club from Putnam County showcased their equestrian knowledge and skills at the Hudson Valley Horse Bowl competition on Saturday, February 24th. Competing against other 4-H equine clubs in the region, the novice, junior, and senior teams from Putnam County were well-prepared for the challenge. 

The event, structured like a college quiz bowl, tested the participants on various topics ranging from equine anatomy to tack and equipment. Spectators were captivated by the enthusiasm and quick thinking displayed by the young competitors as they confidently buzzed in with answers. By the end of the competition, Tall Oaks' junior team secured a commendable fourth place, while the senior team achieved an impressive second place. 

Congratulations to all the participants for their dedication and sportsmanship in this exciting and educational event, which not only enriches their experience in the New York 4-H horse program but also sets the stage for future success in the equestrian world.

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Expanding Bountiful Meals 

The Bountiful Meals program proudly announces its latest expansion. A new freezer installation at the Putnam Valley Free Library marks a significant milestone, extending the program's reach beyond senior centers to serve all community members in need of food assistance.

Supported by funding from the New York Food for New York Families Program through New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, this initiative aims to enhance food access and agricultural resilience across New York State. Local farms like Lobster Hill Farm,Space on Ryder Farm, and Fishkill Farms contribute fresh produce and meat, bolstering the local economy while providing nutritious meals.

Partnering with the non-profit Second Chance Foods, surplus food is transformed into nourishing meals for those in need. The new freezer installation signifies an innovative step forward in broadening access to food assistance within the Putnam Valley community.

The Putnam Valley Free Library will host the freezer during regular operating hours, ensuring convenient access for all. For more information and updates, visit cceputnamcounty.org or connect on social media.

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Why the Push to Plant Native Plants?

“Why does everyone keep pushing natives on me?” asked a caller to the garden help-line last year. She had just moved to a new house with a big garden, and she’d never planted anything before in her life. “Do I have to get rid of everything that’s not native?”

It’s true that in recent years, America’s gardeners have been reassessing the value of native species, usually defined as plants endemic to a region before European settlers arrived. Many colonial Americans, and then their descendants, preferred exotic plants imported from around the world, gradually elbowing natives out of their ornamental gardens.

Now we know better: Just on the most basic level of wanting to keep your garden plants alive, natives are by definition adapted to the climate, soil, insects and other conditions of our region. But even more importantly, native plants support local pollinators in multiple ways: They produce nectar and pollen used as food by insects; they provide shelter for these beneficial insects; and they host caterpillars while they’re metamorphose into future pollinators. While non-native plants serve generalist pollinators, native plants provide unique habitat for specialists who depend on a few native species for survival.

You can find an extensive list of Putnam County natives at cceputnamcounty.org/resources/native-plants-for-putnam-county. And there will be a large and diverse selection of native plants for sale at the annual Putnam County CCE Plant Sale on May 11 at Putnam County Veterans Memorial Park in Carmel. While the Tree and Shrub Seedling Sale is still on, check out our native woody plant selection as well. You don’t have to get rid of your nonnatives–just start elbowing them out.

Photo: Jen Lerner CCE Putnam

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Beyond the Table - National Nutrition Month

This year’s theme for National Nutrition Month® inspires us to look Beyond the Table when thinking about our health and the environment. Choices we make daily, including what we’re going to eat and drink, can make a big difference — both now and in the future.

School and family meals are important, but healthy choices go beyond the foods and drinks we enjoy while sitting at the lunch or dinner table. They include our snacks, breakfasts on the go, eating out with friends, and even where foods are grown and how they’re prepared.

Our food choices also can affect the health of our planet. Have you ever thought about the work that goes into producing the foods we eat? This includes how food is grown or raised, where and how it is made, as well as its safety. It’s important to think about the foods we eat and the nutrition they provide, but is there more we could be doing to improve our health and the environment?

These are a few tips to help you reach Beyond the Table:

Focus on a healthy eating routine

Making healthy food choices may seem difficult at times, especially when eating away from home, but it doesn’t have to be. Many eating places provide nutrition information right on the menu or online to help you choose healthier options. When purchasing food from a store, use a grocery list and pay attention to sales. You also can learn about resources in your community that offer access to healthy foods, such as food banks.

Seek the help of a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)

Registered dietitian nutritionists, also known as RDNs, are food and nutrition experts who help people live healthier lives. RDNs can help you explore ways Beyond the Table to reach your health goals. Make an appointment with an RDN who specializes in your specific needs to jumpstart your plan for personal wellness.

Learn what’s involved in growing your food

There are many ways you can learn about how your food is produced. Visit a local farm or farmers market and talk with the people who are growing and harvesting your food. Many farmers and food producers will be happy to answer your questions, let you sample products or provide recipes for foods that are new to you. Some local farms even have tours, so people can see how they operate.

You also can grow your own fruits and vegetables at home. Want to try gardening but have limited space? Grow herbs or lettuce indoors. Tomatoes, peppers or strawberries may work, too, if you have a patio or porch with enough sunlight. Schools, churches and other places may offer community gardens where you can participate in the growing process and share in the harvest.

Not quite ready to get your hands in the dirt? Many local farms offer programs, which include “farm shares” of produce during a growing season. Depending on the farm, additional products such as eggs or meat might be included.

Supporting farmers by buying locally grown and seasonal foods can help you eat with the environment in mind. Other steps include decreasing food waste at home by creating new dishes from leftovers or by composting. You also can add more plant-based foods to your meals and snacks.

National Nutrition Month® is a great time to start thinking about how you can go Beyond the Table to improve both your health and the planet’s.

To find a registered dietitian nutritionist in your area and get additional food and nutrition information, visit eatright.org.

Information provided by:

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. The Academy is committed to improving health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy.

Authored by Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics staff registered dietitian nutritionists.

©Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Reproduction of this tip sheet is permitted for educational purposes. Reproduction for sales purposes is not authorized.

Contact our local SNAP-Ed NY Nutrition Educator, Josephine Quiocho at 845-278-6738 or jmq24@cornell.edu for more information on how healthy habits go beyond the table.

Our team is ready to:

• share tips on saving time, saving money, and eating healthy,
• host a lesson or a series,
• attend an event,
• support your community!

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Creating a Meadow - Part 1 

Carol Ann Lutz, Master Gardener Volunteer, Jennifer Lerner, Sr. Resource Educator

What We Do with the Ground Beneath Our Feet? We… pave it, shape it, dig it, mine it, flood it, drain it, farm it, garden it, landscape it, build on it, entertain on it, play on it. We are managers, if not conscious stewards, of the ground beneath our feet. Our personal parcel or space may be large or small, but what we do with it affects life around us. This article is presented in two parts. In this first part, we will describe meadow, pasture, and lawn, the history and uses of each. In part 2, we will consider reasons why and ways to convert some or all of your lawn to meadow.

Meadow or Grassland

A meadow is defined by its vegetation, soil characteristics, and hydrology (“ Meadows ‘Why are they Important?' ”). Meadow vegetation is predominantly herbaceous, which refers to grasses and wildflowers. “Herbaceous” plants die back to the ground in winter, as opposed to “woody” plants like trees, shrubs, and vines that have hard stems above ground. The dense, fibrous roots of its native grasses combine with the vertical taproots of the wildflowers to form an underground barrier that can block other species from taking hold.

Sometimes meadows form after existing trees, shrubs, and other vegetation are cleared away due to fires, floods, volcanic, human, animal, and glacial activity. Meadows also form when shallow lakes fill with sediment.

Meadows support species not found elsewhere. They filter sediment from water flowing from surrounding slopes, which provides clean water and habitat for wildlife. Meadows provide habitat for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other animals. But their greatest biodiversity may be underground, where their perennial root systems host billions of microorganisms.

Pastures

Pasture is useful for grazing livestock. Pasture grasses were not native to the eastern seaboard in America. Grasses native to New England disappeared as European cattle, sheep, and goats spread throughout the East Coast. To bridge this gap, settlers in the 17th century imported grasses, including bluegrass and some fescues from Europe. Pasture continues to be one of the top three land uses in the United States, along with forest and cropland.

Lawns

Historic records of lawns point to their development for leisure activities in Persian pleasure gardens and later in medieval Europe. In Europe, this novel use of native European grasses increased around the homes of wealthy landowners, first in Europe, then in lands colonized by Europeans. After the invention of the lawn mower in 1830, people began to develop community lawns for sports and fitness (soccer, cricket, baseball, basketball, golf, tennis) and outdoor social gatherings (concerts, picnics, play areas). In the United States, having an impeccable lawn also became a dominant aesthetic for private homes.

Lawns are more than an aesthetic choice. They remain the least expensive cover soil, to mitigate erosion generated by construction, demolition, foot traffic, and other human disturbances. A thick dense lawn, like the perennial grassland, provides excellent air and water filtration, and boasts remarkable biodiversity in the soil, exceeding that of grassland due to the cycling of nutrients during mowing. On the other hand, many of the turf-grass species in North America are not native to our ecosystems. They require maintenance which can include mowing, watering, weed control, and fertilizing. While lawns can act as a carbon sink because they are a dense, perennial system, the use of gas-powered mowers and fertilizers can offset that benefit. In addition, gas-powered lawn mowers produce significant air and noise pollution. (Learn more about quiet, robotic electric mowers here.)

Converting Lawn to Meadow?

Lawns are sometimes called green deserts because they appear to be monocultures. But with proper management—which usually means doing less—they can contribute to carbon sequestration, improve water and air quality, offer pollinator resources, and provide habitat for macro and micro invertebrates and soil microorganisms. Most of us don’t count the biosphere below the ground as biodiversity, or at least something we can visibly enjoy. We want to see birds nesting, bees harvesting pollen, and butterflies sipping nectar. And most importantly, we want to offer habitat for the birds and insects in population decline. If you want to create biodiversity above ground, a flowering meadow of native plants may be just the thing!

In our April segment we’ll take you through the steps of assessing your landscape, defining invasive weed potential, planning, and finally prepping for a meadow of native plants.

Photo Vicki Deloach CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

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Building Strong Family Relationships

UD Cooperative Extension

Our society thrives on strong families.

Our family teaches us how to function in the world. It should provide love and warmth to all its members. A strong family gives its members the support they need to make it through life’s toughest spots.

Strong families have good communication.

Strong families have open lines of communication -- where all family members feel heard and respected. One of the best ways to strengthen your family is to increase your listening skills and those of other family members. Until we can hear each other, we cannot build strong relationships.

To build strong family relationships, listen actively to each other.

• Give the person your full attention, turn off the TV or put down what you are doing.
• Focus on what the person is telling you -- rather than thinking about your reaction or response to what is being said. (There will be time for that.)
• Listen for how the other person is feeling and relay back what you think they were saying and how they are feeling. ―I hear you saying that you do not like your sister. You look mad. Did something happen?
• Resist giving advice or your reaction until you are certain you have fully understood what the person was saying to you.

Use “I” messages rather than “You” messages when talking.

• I messages are more difficult because they require us to be clear about our own thoughts and feelings. They, however, increase the chances that our message will be heard and decrease the chances that a fight will begin.

• "I don’t like all this fighting. It upsets me to see the two of you not getting along." Rather than ― "What’s wrong with the two of you? You’ are making me crazy! Can’t you ever get along?"

• Teach everyone in your family to talk with "I" ― messages as much as possible. ―I am feeling…. (upset) when I see you (playing video games before you finish your homework).

• "You" messages should be discouraged because they often lead to bad feelings and increased fighting. ― "You" messages seldom resolve the problem.

Encourage all family members to share their thoughts and feelings.

Strong families allow all family members -- no matter how young or small -- to talk about their thoughts and feelings. This does not mean that members are not respectful of one another, but rather that feelings and ideas are respected.

Everyone should be expected to express themselves in appropriate ways -- such as with ― "I" messages. When people feel heard and respected, they feel better about themselves, are more open to solving problems, and are more likely to allow others to express themselves.

Strong families spend time together.

In today’s busy world it can be difficult for families to find time to be together. All relationships need attention -- and this includes the family.

Family rituals can offer a set time for families to get together and give each other the attention needed. A family ritual is simply a time that is set aside on a regular basis for a family to get together. This can mean having dinner together, celebrating a holiday together, going to church together, or going for a walk together. It is important that the family ritual be predictable and that other activities are not allowed to upset it.

Family rituals help define who we are as a family. It allows time for the family to get together, to share experiences with one another, and to reconnect with each other. Knowing that the family will have time together can help us deal with those times when we are apart. Even though parents may work, children can know that each evening, each weekend (or whenever works for your family) they will have some ― "special time" with you.

Every child is special, and every child needs some special time when he can have his parents all to himself.

Giving your child some "special time" helps develop a close relationship with your child. If you can make it a predictable ritual, your child can depend on it — and look forward to this time with you. Be sure that this " special time" is not easily interrupted by other activities. For example, do not answer the phone during this time.

Allow your child to help you decide how to spend this time. You could read books, sing songs, go for a walk, play a game -- or whatever your child enjoys. The more you can spend ―special time‖ with your child the stronger your relationship will be.

Look for opportunities to connect with your child.

Although setting aside time with your child is important, also look for small moments that you can use to connect with your child. Researchers say that spending frequent, brief amounts of time (as little as 1-2 minutes) involved in child-preferred activities is one of the most powerful things parents can do. You can make up stories together while doing chores, talk about concerns while on the way to the grocery store, read a book together while waiting for dinner to finish. We often think we must wait for our "special time,” but all these small moments help us stay connected in between the more scheduled times.

Strong families handle their conflict fairly.

All families have conflict – it is a natural part of human relationships. Strong families can work through things they disagree about by focusing on the problems, rather than by "tearing each other down."

To learn more information about Connecting with your Child, REGISTER for a virtual workshop on Monday, March 18, 2024, from 7:30pm to 9:00pm. This workshop is given by Human Development Educator, Suzan Sussmann of Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange and Sullivan Counties. Should you have questions related to registration, please contact Carol @ 845-344-1234. All other questions, please contact Suzan Sussmann @ sls536@cornell.edu

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Last updated February 29, 2024