Farm Bureau News November 2010 · West Virginia Farm Bureau News | NOVEMBER 3 4 PRESIDENTIAL PARADIGMS 5 A Little Taste of Almost Heaven 9 Farm Bureau Leaders Share Ideas with Nationwide

Farm Bureau News November 2010

2 NOVEMBER | West Virginia Farm Bureau News

bytes

Articles for NewsBytes must be submitted by the 15th of the month prior to publication. Time-sensitive announcements must be submitted no less than 8 weeks prior to the date of the event. Electronic submissions, including photos, are preferred. Send to [email protected].

Robin Pennebaker, of Gilmer County, has been chosen to attend the 2011 National 4-H Conference in Washington, DC. Linda Pennebaker and Valeri Sprouse, also of Gilmer County, will participate in the National 4-H Congress in November, 2010. All three girls are members of the Glenville Gators 4-H Club.

Participants in these events are chosen by a panel of judges after review of an extensive a p p l i c a t i o n . C a n d i d a t e s must submit a three-to-ten page resume chronicling their p a r t i c i p a t i o n in 4-H projects, community service, awards they have received, leadership roles, and more. They also undergo a thorough interview by the panel.

Attendees to the National Conference will stay at the National 4-H Youth Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and will attend classes and discussion groups featuring topics such as leadership and citizenship. They will also have the opportunity to meet their Congressional representatives on Capitol Hill.

Participants in the National Congress travel to Atlanta, Georgia, where they will also attend workshops and have an opportunity to take part in a community service project.

The young ladies are currently working to raise money to finance their trips. If you would like to help these future leaders, donations can be sent to the Gilmer County Extension Office, 201 N. Court Street, Court House Annex, Glenville, WV 26351.

Gilmer County 4-Hers Chosen to Attend

National Events

Are you interested in participating in a conservation program? If so, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced the ranking period cut-off date for producer applications in NRCS’s Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)has been extended to January 7, 2011.

CSP is offered through continuous sign-ups with announced cut-off dates for ranking periods. The program provides many conservation benefits including improvement of water and soil quality, wildlife habitat enhancement, and adoption of conservation activities that address the effects of climate change.

All producers are encouraged to apply for CSP. The program, authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill, offers payments to producers who maintain a high level of conservation on their land and who agree to adopt higher levels of stewardship. Eligible lands include cropland, pastureland, and non-industrial private forestland.

A CSP self-screening checklist is available to help producers determine if CSP is suitable for their operation. The checklist highlights basic information about CSP eligibility requirements, contract obligations, and potential payments. It is available from local NRCS offices or online at:http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/new_csp/csp.html.

NRCS Extends Application Deadline for

Conservation Stewardship Program

West Virginia Farm Bureau News | NOVEMBER 3

4 PRESIDENTIAL PARADIGMS

5 A Little Taste of Almost Heaven

9 Farm Bureau Leaders Share Ideas with Nationwide

11 WVU Fall Update

16 Make Room for New Holiday Favorites

West Virginia Farm Bureau News

Th e voice of Agriculture in

the Mountain State

November 2010 Volume 18 Number 11

West Virginia Farm BureauOne Red Rock Road

Buckhannon, WV 26201

PRESIDENT

Charles Wilfong

VICE PRESIDENT

Denzil Huff

SECRETARY/TREASURER-ADMINISTRATOR

Steve Butler

EDITOR

Joan Harman

West Virginia Farm Bureau News is published monthly by the West Virginia Farm Bureau, Inc. Annual subscription rates: $3.32 (included in annual dues). Advertising rates and circulation information furnished upon request. Periodicals postage paid at Buckhannon, WV and additional mailing offi ces. Postmaster: return all forms 3579 to West Virginia Farm Bureau, One Red Rock Road, Buckhannon, WV 26201.

(ISSN 1076-8556) (USPS 011-537)Printed by Th e Herald, Inc.,

New Washington, OH.

web site: www.wvfarm.orgemail: [email protected]

On the cover

Blackwater FallsJoan Harman

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55

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1111


A Mixed BagBy Charles Wilfong, President, West Virginia Farm Bureau

PRESIDENTIAL PARADIGMS

Giving Thanks by GivingBy Bob Stallman, President, American Farm Bureau Federation

O v e r the years, A m e r i c a n s have carved out November as a time for gratitude. We are fortunate to live in a

country that’s rich with opportunity, sustained by democracy and blessed with a bounty of food. So, it makes sense to celebrate that abundance by giving thanks at Thanksgiving time.

But, as we sit down at the dinner table this Thanksgiving to turkey and all the trimmings, there are many who are going without. Just because our nation is plentiful with food,

doesn’t mean everyone has a meal on their table. So, this month let us give thanks by giving to others who are truly in need.

Going WithoutIt is hard to imagine that in this

great nation of plenty there are nearly 50 million Americans going hungry. According to Feeding America, 49.1 million Americans lived in food insecure households in 2008. Of those, 16.7 million were children. In fact, households that are more likely to experience a lack of food have children living within them.

Many soup kitchens and food pantries around the nation offer some Americans their only hope for feeding themselves and their

kids. For this reason, Farm Bureau members work year-round to donate food from their farms, time away from their operations and dollars from their wallets to local food banks and other charitable organizations in the hope that someday we can erase hunger from this country.

Since its inception in 2003, the American Farm Bureau Federation’s “Harvest for All” initiative, coordinated through our Young Farmers & Ranchers program, but open to all, has given nearly $1 million and more than 20 million pounds of food to food banks, soup kitchens, shelters, pantries and churches. Combined, through this

It seems there is a strong commitment from many current and newly-elected members of C o n g r e s s to address several of the

issues that we are currently struggling with. The presumptive new speaker of the House, John Boehner, and his leadership team have expressed strong support for permanently extending all of the current tax rates. This is very important, because of the impact these taxes will have on all of us. If the current rates are not made permanent, we will all face much higher income taxes, capital gains taxes, estate taxes and many others, beginning January 1, 2011.

Boehner has also expressed his strong commitment to halting government takeover of our healthcare system, as well as reigning in many of the overbearing environmental regulations from the federal government. If we want businesses to start producing jobs again, the tax, healthcare and regulatory issues must be resolved. The uncertainty of these issues has caused enormous job losses and hindered the ability of businesses to hire workers. I am confi dent that Congresswoman Capito and Congressman-elect McKinley will join Speaker Boehner in strongly supporting initiatives to address these important issues in the upcoming session of Congress.

I am concerned that President Obama may try to go around Congress and enact more of his initiatives through Executive Orders or through

government agencies. We will have to watch this closely.

On a slightly different topic, I found it quite interesting that the Federal Reserve picked the busy news day of November 3 to announce its latest decision to buy 600 billion dollars worth of U.S. Treasury bonds. I guess they wanted to minimize news coverage of this activity, because what this purchase means is that the Federal Reserve will be printing 600 billion new dollars to buy the debt of our own country. The result will be massive devaluation of our current dollars and less yield on bonds. Anyone who has investments will see their values decrease, while at the same time, infl ation will rise and increase the cost of everything. It also hurts our ability to borrow money from other countries. This monetization of our debt cannot see Wilfong, page 10

see Stallman, page 18


On October 21, 2010, four German participants in the McCloy Fellowship

program traveled to West Virginia for the second leg of their three-week-long visit to the United States.

Werner Schwarz, president of the Farmer’s Union of Schleswig-Holstein, Brigitte Wenzel, Animal Health Specialist with the German Farmer’s Association, Arno Billen, of Billen Old Distillery, and Henrik Wendorff, Managing Director of AGW Agricultural Economics Society, along with AFBF Director of Leadership Development Matt Scramlin, met WVFB Administrator Steve Butler, Director of Public Relations Joan Harman, and Field Representative Bill Aiken in Martinsburg to begin their tour of the Mountain State.

The tour kicked off at Orr’s

Orchard, where the group visited the packing house and store, and took a ride around the orchard. Then they traveled to Berkeley Springs to see Mock’s Greenhouse, a hydroponic operation.

The following day the group visited the WVU Agriculture Research Farm at Wardensville, where Jerry Yates and Stephan Cremann explained the variety of experiments being conducted at the facility. They also toured Brookedale Farm, an agri-tainment operation in Keyser. The day ended with a tour of a direct-marketing beef operation at Flying W Farms in Burlington, where they also enjoyed a prime rib dinner.

A Little Taste of Almost Heaven...

McCloy program participants tour the Mountain StateStory and pictures by Joan Harman

Mike Orr explains the process of packing apples at the facility located near Martinsburg.

see Heaven, page 19



*Must be a Farm Bureau member for at least 30 days. Contact your local Farm Bureau office for details. Farm Bureau® is a federally registered collective membership and a registered service mark of the American Farm Bureau Federation.® Cummins is a registered trademark of Cummins, Inc.


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That’s some big pumpkins ya got there...Herman and Sandy Hevener, Pendleton County FB members, grew these massive pumpkins in their garden in Fort Seybert. The pumpkins placed fi rst and second at the Treasure Mountain Festival in Franklin, weighing in at 767.5 and 656 pounds, respectively. The Hevener’s secret? “Lots of papering and watering each day.”


I am On Your Side®

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[email protected]

Five West Virginia Farm Bureau (WVFB) leaders took part in a National Policyholder Conference conducted by Nationwide Mutual Insurance, August 30-31 in Des Moines, IA. Attending from WV were Eric Hedrick, WV Farm Bureau member; John Pitsenbarger, WV Farm Bureau Executive Committee member; Steve Butler, administrator of WV Farm Bureau; and Eric Thomason, WV Farm Bureau fi eld representative.

They joined participants from seven other Farm Bureaus and two major farm cooperatives that “sponsor” Nationwide and endorse the company’s policies and agents. The purpose of the conference was to address agricultural and insurance issues to keep Nationwide

in tune with customers’ needs and expectations.

Nationwide, which was founded by Ohio Farm Bureau in 1926, has hosted policyholder conferences for more than 50 years, inviting customers from many states to voice their suggestions and questions directly to company leaders. A Nationwide board member and the president of Nationwide Agribusiness attended the meeting in Des Moines to hear fi rst-hand the interests of customers and Farm Bureau members. Several members of Nationwide’s management team also listened to the customers’ comments.

Topics discussed included policy questions and farm coverage needs related to pollution exposures,

custom farming, equine, food safety, processed foods and other risks farmers face. Exchanges such as these also take place at annual conferences conducted by Nationwide specifi cally for WVFB members, and in other states for members of seven other Farm Bureaus that sponsor the company.

Since 2004, West Virginia Farm Bureau has worked together with Nationwide in a sponsor relationship to provide WVFB members with insurance benefi ts, including auto, farm and home policies.

In turn, WVFB members play a role in shaping the coverages that Nationwide provides. Policyholder suggestions at previous meetings helped spur Nationwide farm policy innovations such as coverages for pollution liability, agritourism activities, fi xed equipment breakdown, and defense against unwarranted animal cruelty lawsuits. Other changes resulting from customer input have included WVFB member discounts on a number of Nationwide policies, the company’s auto “accident forgiveness” option, and display of Farm Bureau member status on Nationwide auto policies and proof-of-insurance cards which takes effect later this year.

Farm Bureau Leaders Share Ideas with Nationwide at National

Policyholder Conference

County FB Presidents Talk with Nationwide: At Nationwide’s National Policyholder Conference in August, from left: Terry McClure, Nationwide board member; Eric Hedrick, WV Farm Bureau member; Gary Douglas, president of Nationwide Agribusiness; Steve Butler, administrator of WV Farm Bureau; Eric Thomason, WV Farm Bureau fi eld representative; and John Pitsenbarger, WV Farm Bureau Executive Committee member.


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be good for our country. In reality, this plan makes us as a country much weaker fi nancially.

Finally, the last in a series of meetings in a six-state area concerning the Chesapeake Bay watershed was held in Romney on November 4th. Representatives from the EPA were there to “reassure” farmers that the new Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) allowed for the region was in the best interests of farmers, was fairly applied, and was based on scientifi cally accepted models using up-to-date information gathered from the affected areas. Nothing could be further from the truth. No consideration has been made concerning the impact of runoff from developed areas or the vast amounts of government-owned forests, or how wildlife affects the equation. Yet, farmers are being told to dramatically change the way they run their operations or essentially be forced out of business. Moreover, the public comment period on these changes ended just two business days after this meeting was held – November 8th. Consider carefully what this may mean for our food supply. The more pressure put on agriculture, the more you will see farmers go out of business, and our country will be increasingly dependent on foreign food imports. Is this really what we want?

Wilfong, continued


Get the most out of your hay.

When you feed hay, do not waste it

by giving cows more than they can eat

or utilize in 24 hours. Feeding twice a

day is more efficient than feeding once

a day. Feeding hay on the ground or

feeding free choice leads to excessive

waste. Using hay rings results in less

loss. The least hay loss comes from

using a “cone feeder.”

If you have a short hay crop, do not

store round bales outside without

any protection. You cannot afford

the additional loss. Hay needs to

be covered by a tarp, wrapped,

or stored in a barn.

Send replacement heifers to a feedlot for development.

You can divert their feed and hay to

the cowherd. If you can find a feedlot

that will grow your heifers at 1.5 to

1.8 pounds per day on silage, that

should be cheaper than buying feed

for them. Even after paying for

trucking and labor, you should have

less money in them than if you fed

them at home.

�� Published as a Special Insert for Farm Bureau News

Manage feed resources.

Avoid feeding hay before winter

especially if your hay crop is below

normal. Even with early conservation,

you probably will need additional feed

for cattle. If possible, move cows to

feed rather than ship feed to cows.

Wean calves.

Calves should already be weaned.

A dry cow requires about 60 percent

of the nutrients that a lactating cow

does. It is more cost-effective if you

wean and feed the calf and let the

cow forage for her needs. If a cow

goes into winter in poor shape, her

winter nutrient requirements will be

greater, and the herd’s reproductive

performance next year probably

will be hindered.

Calves can be weaned on a diet of no

more than 2 to 4 pounds of roughage

per day. Do not overfeed corn to calves

and create acidosis. Calves as young as

3 months can be successfully weaned

and fed a dry diet. With excellent

management, you may be able to

wean calves as young as 2 months.

uring drought, beef producers should make adjustments to their production program or sell livestock.

Fall 2010

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Adjust cattle management strategies during drought

D Cull poor producers.

Market worn-out bulls and open,

late-calving, and old cows as soon

as possible. Schedule your veterinarian

to check cows for pregnancy. Ship any

open or questionable cows at that time.

You may have more open cows this

year because of the stress associated

with drought and heat. When feed

resources are scarce, do not keep

marginal cattle because feed will

be your major expense.

Try alternative feeds.

Cattle can eat more than hay, and

they will do well on many other types

of feed. On a cost per unit of energy

basis, hay is usually the most expensive

feed. One pound of corn provides

as much energy as 2 pounds of hay,

but cows fed only corn will remain

hungry. (Feeding only corn plus a

protein supplement does have risks,

which include acidosis, mineral

imbalances, and restlessness.)

Consider these by-product feeds:

soybean hulls, wheat middlings,

cottonseed hulls, brewers grains,

and peanut hulls. Check with feed

suppliers on availability and prices.

– continued on page iii –


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Buy local gifts this season

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Do you struggle with holiday

shopping? You may be surprised to

know that the perfect gifts for everyone

on your list are closer to home and

easier to find than you might think.

West Virginia is full of talented folks

who produce food, harvest products

from nature, and create handmade

items. By shopping locally, you support

small, independent businesses. So,

why not look over the fence and

buy something local?

Gifts for “foodies”

Everyone likes to eat,

and food is always a

perfect fit. Jams, jellies,

pickles, relishes, salsas,

dried herbs, and dips

are good for starters.

For those who like to cook, consider

a bag of stone-ground buckwheat

flour, whole-wheat flour, or cornmeal.

A quarter or side of freezer beef, pork,

or lamb; a whole chicken or turkey;

and trout fillets are foods that an

entire family can enjoy. Those who

can’t garden but love to eat fresh

vegetables would welcome a

subscription to a West Virginia

Community Supported Agriculture

(CSA) farm (www.localharvest.

org/csa/).

Gifts for nature- lovers

West Virginia’s

woodlands supply

a variety of unique

gifts. A gallon of

maple syrup, an

evergreen wreath, a live evergreen

tree, a wooden birdhouse or bird feeder,

a shiitake mushroom log, or a cord of

firewood would suit someone who

loves the outdoors. A bushel of ear

corn is a good gift for friends who

feed birds and squirrels during

the winter.

The annual trip to a farm

to select and cut that perfect

Christmas tree is a holiday

tradition for many West

Virginians.

Though many local tree

growers have been in the

business for years, few

new landowners are

getting into the

business, leading

to a decline in the

number of

Christmas tree

producers. In fact,

nearly half of West

Virginia’s counties

do not have a choose-and-cut

Christmas tree farm.

To help landowners evaluate

whether Christmas tree

production is something

that might benefit their

farm’s bottom line, the

West Virginia Christmas

Tree Growers Association

(WVCTGA), in collaboration

with the WVU Extension

Service, is planning a series

of workshops. Interested

farmers and landowners

will learn about the

challenges and benefits of

Christmas tree production

and how to assess whether

growing trees is right

for them.

Check the WVCTGA

website (http://

wvctga.ning.com)

for more details.

Gifts for gardeners

You may not want

to buy a plant in

winter, but you

could purchase a

gift certificate from

a West Virginia native

plant nursery (www. wvdnr.gov/Wildlife/

NativeVegetation.shtm). You could also

buy hand-forged gardening tools or

split-rail fencing.

Gifts for art-lovers

Skilled state artisans

create a variety of

items – wooden

utensils, chainsaw-

carved wooden

statues, baskets, pottery, dried floral

arrangements – that are sure to become

treasured family heirlooms.

Gifts for connoisseurs

For someone who

enjoys the finer things

in life, you could

choose a knitted

wool sweater, herbal

bath and body supplies, beeswax

candles, wines, cheeses, or hand-rolled

cigars.

Many of these items are available

through farmers markets and retail

outlets. To shop online, try these sites:

• West Virginia Department of

Agriculture (www.wvagriculture.org/

Foods_and_Things.htm)

• Tamarack, The Best of West Virginia

(www.tamarackwv.com)

• Mountain Made

(www.mountainmade.com)

Contact your county WVU Extension

Office for information on farmers and

producers who sell local products.

By Georgy Plaugher, Extension Agent,

WVU Extension Service

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Use cattle management strategies

Storing vegetables ensures a long

supply of healthy, nutritious food

throughout the winter months. While

many vegetables can be stored by

canning, freezing, and drying, others

can be stored either in the ground or

in protected structures.

Root vegetables

Root vegetables, such as beets, carrots,

rutabagas, and turnips, are excellent

crops to store for use later in the year.

Carrots seeded in July or early August

are ready for fall harvest in October

and November. Late-planted beets,

turnips, and carrots can be left in the

garden until late fall or early winter.

Mulch them with straw to prevent

freezing until you use them the

following spring.

A small row cover or low tunnel

structure can be placed over crops

left in the ground to protect them

during winter.

Harvest carrots and beets when the

soil is dry. Do not wash the vegetables

before storing them. Fresh beets and

carrots can also be stored in a root cellar

or other out-building. If you remove the

tops and place the vegetables in wood

chips, sand, or sawdust, you’ll lengthen

their storage life significantly.

To store sweet potatoes in the basement,

wrap them in newspaper and put

them in bushel baskets. Store Irish

potatoes in a cool, dark environment

Store vegetables properly for good winter eating

#��$%&%�(�� !��"� !��

– continued from page i –

to prevent them from turning green

and sprouting. Avoid storing potatoes

with apples, which emit ethylene gas

that causes early sprouting of potatoes.

Late-harvested potatoes store better

than young or “new” ones.

Leafy vegetables

Green and Chinese cabbage should

be stored with the outer wrapper leaves

attached. They can also be wrapped in

newspaper and placed in a cool room.

The outer leaves can be removed as

they turn yellow or dry during storage.

Brussels sprouts can be stored on

the stem in a cool, dry environment;

remove the sprouts as needed. For

the best taste, harvest kohlrabi and

Brussels sprouts after frost.

Some need curing

Curing certain vegetables after

harvesting will increase their quality.

To cure harvested vegetables, simply

subject them to elevated temperature

and humidity for a short time.

Onions, winter squash (except acorn

squash), and sweet potatoes benefit

from curing. To cure onions, spread

freshly harvested onions on a screen

in the shade or a shed for one to two

weeks until their tops are dried and

shriveled. Then put the onions in a

mesh bag for storage in a cold, dry

room. Store onions away from other

vegetables since many vegetables

absorb the odor of onions. Dried

beans and onions can be stored in

the attic.

Pumpkins and winter squash store best

when cured for a week at 80 to 85°F.

Harvest the squash with about 1 inch

of stem attached and expose the squash

to warm, fall days. Curing toughens

the skin and concentrates sugars within

the squash. It is important not to wash

produce before storage. Dry-brush any

soil off the fruit. Butternut, buttercup,

hubbard, acorn, and kaboch winter

squashes store very well for up to

6 months in a dry, cool room

(55 to 60°F).

By Lewis W. Jett, Commercial

Horticulture Specialist,

WVU Extension Service

Store root vegetables – such as potatoes – in a cool, dark place.

Using several of these measures

together will help to conserve your

feed resources.

Include an ionophore such as

Rumensin in your feeding program

this year. Rumensin will improve

gains of cattle fed a high-roughage

diet, and it will improve feed

conversion by cattle fed high-

energy diets.

By Wayne Wagner, Livestock

Specialist, WVU Extension Service

Cure pumpkins and winter squash before storage.

StStore ro tot veg tet bablles su hch as

Row covers protect crops left in the ground.RoR w covers protte tct crops ll feftt iin tthhe

CuC re pum kkpkiiins anddd iiwi tnter squashhh


The West Virginia University

Extension Service and the

WVU Davis College of

Agriculture, Natural Resources,

and Design are pleased to

offer this educational insert

to the Farm Bureau NEWS

as a service to West Virginians.

Check our Web sites

for more news

(www.ext.wvu.edu

and www.caf.

wvu.edu).

Joyce Bower, Editor

(304-293-8703)

Greg Jacobs, Graphic Designer

Meg Baughman,

Creative Director

Editorial Planning Committee:

Joan Harman, Lewis Jett,

Miriam Leatherman, John

Murray, Ben Spong, Wayne

Wagner, David Welsh, and

Jennifer Williams

Programs and activities offered by the

West Virginia University Extension

Service are available to all persons

without regard to race, color, sex,

disability, religion, age, veteran

status, political beliefs, sexual

orientation, national origin,

and marital or family status.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative

Extension work, Acts of May 8

and June 30, 1914, in cooperation

with the U.S. Department of

Agriculture. David E. Miller,

Director, Cooperative Extension

Service, West Virginia University.

Trade or brand names used in

this publication are for educational

purposes only. The use of such product

names does not imply endorsement

by the WVU Extension Service to

the exclusion of other products that

may be equally suitable.

West Virginia University is governed

by the West Virginia University Board

of Governors and the West Virginia

Higher Education Policy Commission.

You can eat healthfully during holidays

es

or

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The holiday season brings many

opportunities for winter activities,

gatherings, and sharing meals with loved

ones. By choosing wisely this holiday

season, you can still honor long-standing

traditions while maintaining good health.

Did you know that a slice of pecan pie

can contain more than 500 calories?

Adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream

means this dessert has upwards of

600 calories. Most people need only

about 2,000 calories in a day.

Small changes for healthier holiday meals

Remember, healthier substitutions can

taste as delicious as old-fashioned foods.

• Make bread crumbs from whole-wheat

bread. Just toast, let cool, and spin in

the food processor until they reach

the desired consistency.

• Preparing a delicious fruit cobbler is

an excellent way to use frozen berries

or apples. Cobblers can contribute fiber,

B vitamins, and minerals if whole-wheat

flour and oats are included.

• Make meatballs with better beef. Local

grass-fed beef is widely available in West

Virginia, and beef from grass-fed cows

is lower in total fat, is higher in healthy

fats, and contains more antioxidants

than other beef.

• When preparing turkey or chicken for

your holiday meal, remove the skin

before serving. The skin of the bird

contains a layer of fat, which can add

unwanted calories.

Strategies for eating fewer calories

• Serve smaller portions to yourself and

your loved ones to trim down calories.

You can decrease your portion size

by 20 percent without even noticing

the difference.

• Use smaller plates, bowls, glasses, and

utensils. This will lead you to eat less

without even thinking about it.

• Always have a small snack before

leaving for a gathering. This trick is

most effective if your snack includes

fiber and some protein. Have a banana

with peanut butter or an apple and

some unsalted almonds.

• Opt for water or unsweetened tea

instead of sugar-sweetened drinks

like soda or cider. Also, watch out

for alcoholic beverages, including

eggnog. An 8-ounce glass of eggnog

contains about 224 calories and

more than 10 grams of fat – most

of them saturated.

• Schedule your holiday meals during

normal mealtimes if possible. Holiday

celebrations that take place outside of

regular mealtimes encourage people

to eat more.

• Stay physically active. People who get

regular physical activity are more likely

to maintain their weight, or even lose

weight, over the holidays.

• As an easy way to eat well during the

holidays, use the “plate method” for

meals. Fill half of your plate with

fruits and vegetables, one-quarter

with starches (like baked potatoes

or whole grains), and one-quarter

with lean protein.

By Brooke Baker, Family Nutrition

Programs Extension Specialist, and

Sarah Sturgill, Putnam County Extension

Agent, WVU Extension Service

Families can enjoy healthful traditional meals.FaF imililies can e jnjoy hhealtlthfhf lul ttradiditition lal


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60 $34.5080 $36.90

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Please make check payable to & Mail to: Jim's Cheese Pantry Inc., 410 Portland Rd. Waterloo, WI 53594, ATTN: Farm Bureau Any questions please call 877-478-0444 or Fax 920-478-2320. First time customers will be added to our mailing list and will receive a new order form with our complete product line each time an order is placed.

OFFER EXPIRES: APRIL 30, 2011

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Shipped Direct by UPS to the Address Provided Below (Allow 10-14 days for delivery) TOTAL: ___________

5 lb. Aged Cheddar Round4 lb. Baby Swiss Round30 oz. Variety Round (Combination of: Pepper Jack, Co-Jack, Mild Cheddar & Colby)

2605Gift Box: 10 oz Aged Cheddar, 10 oz Colby, 10 oz Brick, & 2-12 oz packages Beef Sausage

$37.79

4/1 lb. Aged Cheddar4/1 lb. Colby

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FFrom Wisconsin…America's Favorite Cheese Maker

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FAMILY FEATURES

Move over, green bean casserole. It’s time to bring something new to the holiday table. These recipes

make the most of holiday favorites by adding unique and fl avorful twists. Bananas and pineapples add a touch of the exotic (as well as some good nutrition) to the holiday cheesecake, sausage stuffi ng and sweet potato casserole that the family loves. And for a super simple dessert, try these easy baked bananas. Baking bananas brings out the natural sweetness even more, and they can be topped with just about anything you like.

For more Dole banana and pineapple recipes that will become the new family favorites, visit www.dole.com/bananas.

Pineapple Sausage Stuffi ngMakes: 12 to 16 servingsPrep: 30 minutesBake: 40 minutes

1 package (12 ounces) pork sausage 1 cup butter 1 1/2 cups chopped Dole Celery 1 cup chopped Dole Onion 8 cups sliced sourdough bread, cut into cubes 1 1/2 cups fi nely chopped fresh Dole Tropical Gold Pineapple 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans, toasted 1 cup dried cranberries 1/3 cup chopped parsley 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed 1 teaspoon ground sage or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage

Crumble sausage into large skillet; cook over medium high heat until pork is completely browned. Drain sausage. Set aside.

Melt butter in skillet. Add celery and onion and cook about 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Combine together bread, cooked sausage, celery-onion mixture, pine apple, pecans, cranberries, parsley, oregano and sage in large bowl; mix well. Spoon into lightly greased 3-quart casserole dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray; cover.

Bake at 375°F, 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Garnish with pineapple wedges or slices and fresh sage, if desired.

Lighter Variation: Reduce butter to 1/2 cup and increase chopped pineapple to 2 cups.

Caribbean Sweet Potato Bake

Makes: 6 to 8 servingsPrep: 20 minutesBake: 40 minutes

3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes (2 pounds) 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup melted margarine 2 tablespoons dark rum, optional Grated peel and juice from 1 lime 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 Dole Bananas, peeled, diced

Combine mashed sweet potatoes with eggs, brown sugar, margarine, rum, lime peel, juice and nutmeg in large bowl; beat until well blended. Fold in diced bananas.

Spoon into shallow 5-cup or 8-inch baking dish, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 375°F, for 40 minutes. Garnish with banana slices and parsley, if desired.

Holiday Cranberry Banana Cheesecake

Makes: 12 servingsPrep: 30 minutes; Bake: 70 minutes 2 cups graham cracker crumbs 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/3 cup margarine, melted 1 can (16 ounces) whole berry cranberry sauce 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch 3 packages (8 ounces each) light cream cheese, softened 2 teaspoons lemon peel 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 extra-ripe, medium Dole Bananas 3/4 cup light sour cream

Combine cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon and margarine. Pat on bottom and 3/4 of the way up side of 9-inch spring form pan. Bake at 350°F, 10 min utes or until lightly brown. Cool.

Combine cranberry sauce and corn starch in saucepan. Cook, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens. Remove 1/2 cup for topping; set aside.

Beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Puree bananas (1

cup); blend into cheese mixture. Spoon 2 cups cheese mixture into cooled crust. Spoon cran berry fi lling over. Cover with remaining cheese mixture.

Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven. Combine sour cream and remain ing 2 tablespoons sugar; spread over top. Spoon reserved 1/2 cup cranberry top-ping in center to form a circle. Gently swirl cranberry and sour cream. Return to oven 15 minutes more or until glaze is fi rm. Cool.

Run thin knife around inside of pan to loosen cheesecake; chill 6 hours or overnight. Remove side of spring form pan before slicing. Garnish with mint if desired.



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program farmers and ranchers have provided more than 23 million meals to those in need.

Getting CreativeFood is typically on Farm Bureau

members’ minds all of the time. As producers, we understand the importance of having a food-secure nation. That’s why farmers work throughout the year to secure food for people going without. Sometimes it takes getting creative.

In New York last year, farmers worked with third and fourth grade students at an elementary school to plant and harvest winter squash. When all was said and done, the students produced 2,500 pounds of squash, which was donated to their regional food bank.

In South Dakota, when PETA protesters were dumping gallons of milk in the streets the day before Thanksgiving, dairy producers and

Stallman, continuedother farmers rallied and went gallon-for-gallon with the advocacy group. For every gallon dumped in the street, farmers donated a gallon to the local food bank. In less than 24 hours, producers gave more than 1,000 gallons of milk – just in time for the holiday meal.

And in Pennsylvania, several Farm Bureau members worked with an organic vegetable farm that had been giving all of its excess produce to beef cows, to instead donate it to the area food bank. Farm Bureau members provided the bridge from the farm to the food bank, which resulted in more than 6,000 pounds of donated produce.

Understandably, charitable acts that we should all be undertaking year-round can sometimes fall by the wayside. So, this month, in particular, as we give thanks, let us make an extra effort to ensure that everyone has something to be thankful for.


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On the fi nal day of their visit to West Virginia, the McCloy participants took a tour of the Mount Storm Power Station and Weston Livestock Market, with a stopover at Blackwater Falls in between. A visit to the state capitol in Charleston rounded out the day.

The McCloy Fellowship program was named after John J. McCloy, a soldier, statesman, lawyer, and fi rst civilian U.S. High Commissioner for Germany. McCloy’s desire was to strengthen friendship and cooperation between Germans and Americans. The fellowship program was begun in 1976 to give young American and German professionals the opportunity to broaden their experience and to establish working relationships with their transatlantic counterparts. McCloy Fellowships are designed to enable Americans and

Germans in the fi elds of journalism, environmental affairs, or art to conduct on-site research and interviews abroad on a particular topic, and to provide professionals in agriculture or urban

affairs with extensive consultations with their counterparts overseas for up to four weeks.

Approximately 30 fellowships are awarded each year, divided equally

among Germans and Americans. Participants travel for about a month to conduct individual research or to participate in a structured group tour. Since the fi rst fellowship was awarded, more than 700 people have participated in the program.

Programs are arranged with the cooperation of U.S. and German institutions specializing in the fi elds of interest to the fellows. These institutions include the Columbia University School of Journalism, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National League of Cities, and German counterpart bodies to

these organizations: Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Deutscher Bauernverband, and Deutscher Städtetag.

The McCloy participants visited with state Farm Bureaus in Georgia, Oregon and Minnesota before returning home to Germany.

Heaven, continued

Jerry Yates and Stephan Cremann discuss cattle research at the WVU farm.

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I trust Nationwide Agribusiness with my farm.Charlie Wilfong. President, West Virginia Farm Bureau. You probably know me as president of the West Virginia Farm Bureau. But I’m also a farmer who knows the importance of working with a company and agents that understand farms and how to protect them. I trust Nationwide Agribusiness with my farm. I know you’ll enjoy working with them too.

Farm Bureau members have another reason to choose Nationwide Agribusiness – Lower insurance costs. Farm Bureau members save up to 7% on their farm insurance.

Ask your agent or call 888-370-3870 today.

Documents

Farm Bureau News November 2010 · West Virginia Farm Bureau News | NOVEMBER 3 4 PRESIDENTIAL PARADIGMS 5 A Little Taste of Almost Heaven 9 Farm Bureau Leaders Share Ideas with Nationwide