Oldham CountyExtension Newsletter

1815 N Hwy 393 • La Grange, KY 40031 • Telephone: 222-9453 • Fax: 222-7930 • oldham.ca.uky.eduEducational programs of KY Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability. University of Kentucky, Kentucky State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Kentucky Counties, Cooperating. Disabilities accommodated with prior notification. To file a complaint of discrimination, contact Tim West, UK College of Agriculture,859-257-3879; Terry Allen or Patty Bender, UK Office of Institutional Equity and EqualOpportunity, 859-257-8927; or the USDA, Director of Civil Rights, Room 326-W Whitten Bldg., 14th & Independence Ave, SW, Washington DC 20250-9410 (202-720-5964)

4-H News–Page 1 • Ag News–Page 5 • FCS News–Page 8 • Extension Events–Page 11

Spring 2018

Join Us on Planet 4-H

Oldham County 4-H Camp signups are underway! Join us from July 16 through 20 at Lake Cumberland, as we make history by filling the camp with Oldham County campers. Check out our camp promotion featuring our campers online at oldham.ca.uky.edu/4H-camp. Applications for campers and adult volunteers are also available on our website.

See you at camp!

4-H Youth Development

Evening with Extension

Join us for an Evening with Extension on March 20th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the John Black Community Center in Buckner. Enjoy appetizers and browse displays set up to highlight award winning Extension programs. The program will begin at 6:30 p.m. to recognize state-level client and volunteer achievements. We will also present our Extension Leader of the Year Award.

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Got Chickens?

If your family is interested in keeping chickens, your first step should be attending the “Chickens 101” workshop. The first session on March 1 focuses on Breed Selection, Chick Care, Housing and Predator Control. Get the rundown on Health and Nutrition at the second session on March 8. Please call (502) 222-9453 or email traci.missun@uky.edu to register.

Oldham County Extension would like to organize a 4-H Poultry Club. If your child wants to join or you are interested in leading the club, please contact Kelly Woods via (502) 222-9453 or kwoods@uky.edu.

Volunteer at the 4-H Reality Store

South Oldham High School 4-H Reality Store will be held on Friday, April 20th. We need volunteers to make this event possible. Contact the Oldham County Cooperative Extension Office via (502) 222-9453 or kwoods@uky.edu if you can help out!

4-H Speech Program Builds Confidence

Public speaking is one of Americans’ biggest fears. 4-H presents the opportunity for youth to conquer this fear at a young age by participating in the public speaking program. By learning public speaking skills, youth will have the confidence, organizational skills and composure to become the influential leaders of tomorrow.

The important thing is for young people to give 4-H public speaking a try. The earlier they begin the program and the longer they stick with it, the stronger their public speaking skills will be. Youth can deliver speeches on any topic they find interesting. As they look for more information on the topic, they develop valuable research skills. They also learn organizational skills by composing the speech and giving it the proper structure. Finally, they must use creative techniques to get the audience’s attention.

Competition begins at the club level qualifying for the county competition on March 26th. County winners advance to a district tournament on April 14th, and district winners advance to a state tournament, held in July at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. Judges evaluate the presentation and the speaker’s ability to clearly deliver a message. It’s not too late to get involved in a 4-H speech program! Call 222-9453 for details.

HELP! We need judges for the Communication Competitions on March 26 and April 14. If you are interested in volunteering to judge a speech or demonstration contest, please contact Kelly Woods at 222-9453. We need your help to make this a rewarding experience for our 4-H’ers!

Qualifying for 4-H Competitive Events

Attention: All 4-H members must be registered with Oldham County 4-H by April 15th, 2018 in order to qualify to compete in any 4-H events. This requirement applies to all 4-H competitions including Horse Show, Horse Contest, Dog Shows, and Oldham County 4-H Fair.

4-H’ers who would like to participate in any competitive 4-H horse event (this includes 4-H horse shows) must complete six hours of instructional training taught or approved by their 4-H certified horse club leader. Please meet with your leader now to ensure you will have your completed and documented hours of instruction prior to April 15th. Documentation must accompany your registration or show paperwork.

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Bronze and Silver Award Winners Announced

Congratulations to the following Oldham County 4-H members who received the State Bronze and Silver Awards. These individuals will be recognized at Teen Conference in June at the University of Kentucky.

Bronze AwardRebekah Anderson

Peyton AshHunter Fackler

Ella Olds

Silver AwardMaggie AndersonKeirstin Kennedy

Ruby MasonShelby Shackelford

Hannah Anderson, Sarah Griffin, Beth Huffman, and Olivia Minor moved on to the interview portion for the Gold Award which will take place on March 3rd. Molly Logsdon is applying for the Emerald Award, the top 4-H award in the state. Congratulations to each of you! We are very proud of our 4-H’ers.

Oldham County 4-H Volunteers Honored

In February, two Oldham County 4-H club leaders were honored at the 2018 Kentucky 4-H Volunteer Forum. Paul Harjes received the State 4-H Certified Shooting Sports Achievement Award. This award was developed to recognize individuals who make an important, positive, measurable impact upon clubs, communities, the Kentucky 4-H Program, and the lives of 4-H members and/or volunteers. Jean Jenkins received the State 4-H Conrad Feltner Leadership Award in recognition of her exemplary 4-H leadership.

Oldham County 4-H’ers also received awards for their achievements. Molly Logsdon, Karmen Woods, Brandon Howard and Sarah Griffin received the State 4-H Ten Year Member Award. Hannah Anderson received the 4-H Community Service Youth Award.

Hannah Anderson with Mark Mains, Assistant Director of Kentucky 4-H Youth Development.

(Left to right) Molly Logsdon, Karmen Woods, Brandon Howard, and Sarah Griffin with Gary Palmer, Interim Associate Dean of Extension.

Oldham County 4-H volunteers Paul Harjes and Jean Jenkins with their awards.

Page 4Kelly Woods

4-H Youth Development AgentAmy Logsdon4-H Assistant

Teen Conference is Around the Corner – Mark Your Calendar!

Oldham County 4-H teens, if you haven’t attended Teen Conference, you’re missing out! 4-H Teen Conference is for those who have graduated from the eighth grade through the age of 19. Participants select tracks, college visits, tours, workshops, and issues seminars. The conference will be held at the University of Kentucky from June 11 through 14. Financial assistance requests must be submitted to the 4-H Council by April 1 and the complete registration is due April 15th. Contact the Oldham County Cooperative Extension Service for registration materials and additional information.

Oldham County Fair

The 2018 Oldham County Fair is scheduled for July 31 through August 4. 4-H projects will be entered on July 26 at the Oldham County Extension office and available for pickup on August 4th at the Oldham County Fairgrounds. Don’t forget: to be eligible to exhibit projects in the 4-H categories during the county fair, youth must be a registered 4-H member by April 15th. Watch for an e-mail notification about the fair catalog and the NEW online fair registration instructions.

4-H State Dog Camp

Take your dog to camp. 4-H Dog Camp is the perfect opportunity for 4-H members to

Important Summer Dates to Note

District Horse Show June 1 - 3 State Horse Judging June 7 State Horse Contest June 7 & 8 Teen Conference June 11 - 14State Horse Show June 30 - July 7Kids Cooking Camp June 26 & 274-H Camp July 26 - 20

work with their dogs one-on-one and in group instruction situations. Dog Camp will be held at J.M. Feltner 4-H Camp on May 18 through 20. Contact the Extension Office at (502) 222-9453 if you would like to receive registration information when available.

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Agriculture & Natural Resources

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Training Has Changed

Kentucky Extension agents are in the process of being certified to teach the new ‘Produce Best Practices Training’ which replaces GAP training for vegetable and fruit growers.

Note that video training is no longer available. Any producer needing this training must attend a live presentation, given by a certified trainer. If you completed GAP training in the past, your diploma is valid until January 1, 2019.

Please help spread the word to fellow growers. Check the new Kentucky Farmers Market manual online at www.kyagr.com for details. At time of print, there are currently two trainings scheduled here and nearby. Call (502) 222-9453 to register or to get information on other sessions in other counties.

Oldham County Extension Office March 10, 9:00 a.m.Shelby County Extension Office April 12, 9:00 a.m.

Two Problem Weeds – Control Them Now

One type of buttercup that grows in Oldham County. Other buttercup species may have different leaf shapes.

Young poison hemlock plants. Identify larger plants by the purple spotting/streaking on main stems.

Poison hemlock and Buttercup are two problem weeds that can be controlled in March with herbicide sprays. An herbicide containing 2,4-D as the active ingredient is usually the most economical spray choice that will give good control.

Poison hemlock can be found in pastures, hay fields, and on roadsides. It has a biennial life cycle, meaning each plant lives for two years. This weed spreads by producing many seeds. While mowing can prevent seed formation and spread of this weed, the plant is toxic to livestock. So care should be taken to control it in pastures and hay fields. The poison hemlock in this photo was growing around an old tree stump, adjacent to a hay field. Spraying this patch now will save headaches down the road.

Buttercup is a problem mostly in overgrazed pastures. There are several types of buttercup in Kentucky, and leaf shapes may

look different than what’s pictured here. Buttercup is also toxic to livestock. Best control is achieved when sprayed before these plants begin blooming, which is tricky since these may go unnoticed until flowering. Scouting pastures by walking diagonally or zigzagging through each will give a good overview of what’s growing.

When it comes to toxic plants, it’s important to note that animals usually don’t choose to graze these unless they are limited on good forages. But sometimes they don’t read the book and may graze on these plants out of curiosity.

The UK Weeds page is a great resource for more information, including videos and weed identification guides: weedscience.ca.uky.edu/forages

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Interesting Insect Pests

A client recently sent this photo for identification. While cultivating the soil in his vegetable high tunnel, he found these insect pupae about four inches deep in the ground. University of Kentucky Entomology confirmed that these are the pupal stage of the tomato hornworm.

Spring Seed Choices

Spring is coming, and it’s time to choose flowers and vegetables for our gardens. A good way to narrow down the thousands of seed choices is to look for the All-American Selections. These varieties have been grown and evaluated in test gardens in many regions throughout the United States and proven choices. The All-American Selection website (all-americanselections.org) allows you to sort and view varieties using different filters including year, type, and region. Information about performance is also available.

Among the 2018 All-American Selection vegetable winners for 2018 is Sweet Corn American Dream. An excellent germinator with tender, super sweet kernels, American Dream matures slightly earlier than other sweet corn varieties. The vigorous plants produce cobs that have a good fill of bi-color kernels.

One of the flower winners was French marigold Super Hero Spry. Super Hero Spry is compact (10-12 inches) with dark maroon lower petals and golden yellow upper petals setting on top of the dark green foliage. The blooms are more uniform with a stable color pattern, bloom earlier, and require no deadheading.

The All-American Selections are identified in the seed catalogs and have been staples in gardens for many years. It is fun browsing through the many seed catalogues, checking out all the choices, looking for something different to grow. The All-American Selection is one of many tools to help make seed choices.

These are the overwintering pupal stage of the tomato hornworm. The pupae will transform into moths and emerge later this spring.

There are typically two or three generations of this pest each year, with the final generation overwintering in the soil and emerging as a moth in spring. The adult stage of this pest belongs to the insect family often called Sphinx or Hawk Moths. This family also includes the unusual hummingbird moth.

During the caterpillar stage, the tomato hornworm feeds on tomato plants and fruits and can cause substantial yield loss. Tips for controlling hornworms and other garden pests are included online in the UK Home Vegetable Gardening Guide (www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/id/

id128/id128.pdf). Print copies of this guide are available at the office.

Photos of the caterpillar and moth stage of the tomato hornworm are available online at UK Entomology www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/insects/butterflies/sphinx/sphinx.htm#tomato) or by searching ‘Kentucky Critter Files.’

Page 7Traci Missun

Agriculture & Natural Resources AgentMichael Boice

Horticulture Assistant

Protecting Water – Not Just for Farmers

For many folks, the topic of water quality sounds less than glamorous. But paying attention to our management practices, whether on a farm or in our own back yards, is critical to protect water. The things we do in our pastures, crops, gardens, and lawns can negatively affect our water supply. What can you do to protect water?

• Use buffer zones and no-mow zones to protect water sources. These zones are areas where fertilizers and pesticides are not applied. No-mow zones encourage natural return of native plants with increased ability to hold the soil in place and prevent erosion.

The Black-eyed Susan is one Kentucky native plant that may appear in no-mow zones.

• Plant native plants along water edges to help hold soil in place. Native plants are extremely long-rooted compared to lawn grasses and most cultivated flowers.

• Don’t overstock or overgraze pastures. When overgrazing occurs, soils easily erode, carrying manure with it. And lost topsoil cannot be recovered.

• Repair failing septic systems. Sometimes cost-share funds to repair these are available from local watershed groups.

• Don’t apply fertilizer unless soil test shows a need for it.

• Don’t apply pesticides (weed killers, insect killers, etc.) unless a pest problem has been identified.

A great resource for farmers is UK’s Ag Water Quality Planning website: www.uky.edu/bae/awqp. This site includes an online tool to create an Ag Water Quality Plan, and it features videos of two Oldham County farms: TNT Farms and Sherwood Acres. Homeowners can benefit from reading ‘Living Along a Kentucky Stream,’ available online using internet search. Printed guides are available in our office.

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Family & Consumer SciencesHomemakers Offer Scholarships

The Oldham County Extension Homemakers Association offers college scholarships to its members as well as members’ children and grandchildren. Check for details online at oldham.ca.uky.edu/OC-Homemakers or stop by the Extension Office. Applications must be postmarked by April 1.

Come Sew With Us Sewing classes are free and open to the public! All ages welcome -- youth must be accompanied by an adult. The project of the day is not mandatory; you are encouraged to bring your own project to work on. Project supply lists are available online at oldham.ca.uky.edu/sewing. Please call and reserve your seat.

Monograming Monday, March 26, 3:00 – 8:00 p.m.Gardening & Outdoor Accessories Monday, April 23, 3:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Homemaker Lessons – Open to the Public Louisville Area Needlework March 13, Shelby County ExtensionLearn about Silk Ribbon, Cross Stitch, Basic Needle, Crewel Embroidery, and Creative Stitchery. Pick up an information packet at the Oldham County Extension Office, or contact us for the registration materials. Registration is due Thursday, March 8, to the Bullitt County Extension Office.

Couch Potato Challenge March 22, 10:00 a.m., Oldham County ExtensionA 12-week set of walking challenges based on the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institutes’ walking plan, this program helps you get started walking at a pace that is comfortable for you! RSVP via (502) 222-9453.

Gardening in Small Spaces April 26, 10:00 a.m., Oldham County ExtensionGardening is one of America’s most popular hobbies, and rightly so. Gardening activities help promote healthy habits. The physical activity of working in the garden burns calories. As well, consuming home-grown vegetables is good for your health. Lesson taught by Traci Missun, Oldham County Extension Agent. Save your seat by emailing lauren.state@uky.edu or calling (502) 222-9453.

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Spit Polish a Success Peggy Townsend, Louisville Area Cultural Arts Chair, facilitated a great program on preparing entries for Cultural Arts, Kentucky State Fair, and other competitions. Six counties from the Louisville Area

Asian Asparagus Salad Recipe Ingredients: • 1 pound fresh asparagus• 1½ tablespoons low sodium soy sauce• 2 teaspoons sugar or artificial sweetener

• 1 tablespoon olive oil• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Yield: 4, ½ cup servings

Directions: 1. Snap off and discard the root ends of the asparagus.2. Wash remaining stalks thoroughly.3. Slice stalks into 1½ inch lengths on the diagonal.4. Blanch asparagus for 1-3 minutes in boiling water, until

bright green in color.5. Cool immediately under cold water and drain.6. Combine soy sauce, sugar, olive oil, and sesame seeds

in a small glass bowl. Mix dressing until sugar is dissolved.7. In a gallon zip-seal bag, add asparagus and dressing. Turn

bag to coat asparagus with dressing and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Turn bag again and chill for an additional 15 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Analysis: 70 calories, 4.5 g fat, .5 g sat. fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 250 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein

Cooking for Diabetics & Everyone Else Too! Making healthy food choices is part of managing diabetes. At 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 11, learn about cooking healthy, easy meals that are both economical and tasty. This free class takes place at the Oldham County Extension Office. Call (502) 222-9453 to reserve your seat.

Extension Homemaker Association were represented. Additional presenters included Angela Morris, Faye Korthaus, Nancy Dahlgren, and Mary Bauer.

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Sherry RagsdaleEFNEP Assistant

Chris DuncanFamily & Consumer Sciences Agent

Looking Ahead to Summer Mark your calendars! Canning Boot Camp will premiere at 6:30 p.m. on June 7, to be repeated at 10:00 a.m. on June 8.

Easter Basket Twist This year, why not try non-candy gifts in your child’s Easter basket? I’m not saying not to give any candy at all — just cut back quite a bit. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kentucky has the fifth highest obesity rate in the nation. An estimated 17 percent of children and adolescents ages 2-19 are obese. It begs the question, “Do we really need all those candy filled eggs on Easter?” Some children still have candy leftover from Valentine’s Day, Christmas, and even Halloween. Health officials and dietitians assert that moderation is the key, and this applies to candy too.

Easter baskets can be filled with special treats that are not sugar filled or coated with chocolate. Parents can choose gifts that promote the spirit of the holiday or follow a theme. How about a basket centered on cooking, painting, game night, or physical activity? Both boys and girls will enjoy side walk chalk, play dough, stickers, bubbles, keychains, books, and bath toys. Girls may prefer lip balm, pretty paper and pencils, jeweled pens, hair accessories, and scented lotion. Boys might like toy cars, trading cards, Pokémon, Legos, and action figures. In the end, you know your child’s interests. Fill their baskets with less candy and little more imagination this year.

Upcoming Homemakers Meetings The 2018 KEHA State Meeting will be held at the Louisville Crown Plaza in May. Watch for the state newsletter this spring with further details. Contact FCS Agent Chris Duncan via (502) 222-9453 or crivera@uky.edu if you have any questions.

May 17 is the Oldham County Homemaker Annual Meeting at the John Black Center. The Suburbanites and Share & Sample clubs are organizing this year’s meeting. Further information should be available by the end of March.

Source: Annhall Norris, Extension Associate for Food Safety and Preservation; University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

Jefferson County is hosting this year’s Louisville Area Homemakers Annual Meeting on Monday, June 25. The meeting will be held at Riverside, The Farnsley-Moremen Landing, located at 7410 Moorman Road in Louisville. Watch your email for more details.

Kids’ Cooking Camp is scheduled for June 26 and 27. Further details to be announced.

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All activities are held at the Oldham County Extension office unless otherwise noted. Please call to RSVP for classes held at Extension offices. March

Upcoming Extension Events

1 Oldham Co Extension District Board, 9 am1 Chickens 101 (Part 1), Shelby Co Ext, 6 pm1 Leaders of the Pack 4-H Dog Club2-3 Organic Association of Kentucky

Conference, Lexington5 Dicamba Training for Grain Producers,

Shelby Co Ext, 10 am5 4-H Robotics Club 6 Growing Succulents, 6:30 pm7 4-H Budget Committee8 Registration due for Needlework Workshop8 Chickens 101 (Part 2), John Black Center,

6 pm9 Oldham Co Beekeepers, 7:30 pm10 Produce Growers Best Practices, 9 am12 Green Thumbs Garden Club, 9:30 am12 4-H Cloverbud Club13 Needlework Workshop, Shelby Co Ext15 Busy 4-H’ers of Oldham County15 Improving Garden Soils, Oldham Co Arts

Center, 6:30 pm

16 Market Scale Certification, 10 am - noon16 4-H Camp Teen Leader Interviews17 Oldham Co Master Gardeners, 10 am16 Busy 4-H’ers of Oldham County19 Delicious Delights 4-H Cooking Club20 Evening with Extension, John Black Center,

5:30 pm22 HM Lesson: Couch Potato Challenge, 10 am22 HM Executive Board, noon22-24 4-H Leadership Summit23 Louisville Area HM Council, 8 am - 3 pm26 Come Sew With Us: Monograming, 3–8 pm26 Oldham Co 4-H Communications Event27 4-H Teen Club29 Oldham Co Extension Council, 9 am29 Oldham Co Extension District Board, 10 am29 Green Thumbs 4-H Horticulture Club31 District 4-H Teen Council

April1 Homemaker Scholarship Applications Due9 Green Thumbs Garden Club9 4-H Robotics Club 10 Green Thumbs 4-H Horticulture Club11 Nutrition Basics for Diabetics, 10:30 am12 Leaders of the Pack 4-H Dog Club13 Oldham Co Beekeepers, 7:30 pm14 Tree Seedling Giveaway, Oldham Co

Conservation District14 District 4-H Communications Event16 Delicious Delights 4-H Cooking Club

17 Fairy Gardens, 6:30 pm19 4-H Council20 SOHS 4-H Reality Store23 Come Sew With Us: Gardening/Outdoor

Accessories, 3–8 pm26 HM Lesson: Gardening in Small Spaces,

10 am26 HM Executive Board, noon26 Busy 4-H’ers of Oldham County30 4-H Cloverbud Club

May3 Oldham Co Extension District Board, 9 am5-7 KEHA State Meeting, Louisville7 4-H Robotics Club 8 Native Shrubs, 6:30 pm10 Green Thumbs 4-H Horticulture Club11 Oldham Co Beekeepers, 7:30 pm14 Green Thumbs Garden Club

14 4-H Cloverbud Club17 Oldham Co HM Annual Meeting17 Busy 4-H’ers of Oldham County21 Delicious Delights 4-H Cooking Club22 4-H Camp Teen Leader Training28 Memorial Day, Office Closed

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