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For a healthier heart, balance potassium and sodium
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.– Doctors and nutritionists often focus on reducing sodium in our diets to maintain heart health. That’s important, but don’t overlook the role of potassium, says Lynda Johnson, nutrition and health education specialist with University of Missouri Extension.
8 reasons young children misbehave
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.–You're in the middle of a crowded grocery story and your 3-year-old grabs a candy bar from the shelf. You quietly tell him to put it back. He screams at the top of his lungs and throws himself on the floor. You feel that all eyes are on you and you want to become invisible. Most parents probably remember moments like that.
Avoid a holiday meltdown
Columbia, Mo. – We expect the winter holidays to be full of happiness and good will. Just like Charles Dickens’ "A Christmas Carol," we want a fairytale ending where troubles disappear and everyone basks in the glow of holiday spirit. But, "A Tale of Two Cities" might better represent typical holiday madness for many.
Up and down ladder safety
MARSHFIELD, Mo. – Holiday decorating season is here, and that means hauling out ladders to place holiday cheer throughout the home and yard. A ladder seems like such a simple tool, but ladder accidents are far too common and can happen in the blink of an eye.
Venison is a healthy choice but should be handled with care
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.–The deer-hunting season brings venison to the table in many households. From a nutritional perspective, it’s a good choice, says a University of Missouri Extension nutrition specialist.Three ounces of deer meat contains 134 calories and only 3 grams of fat, said Tammy Roberts. The same amount of beef can contain 259 calories and 18 grams of fat; 3 ounces of pork has about 214 calories and 13 grams of fat.
The poor, maligned poinsettia
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Every year, some well-meaning person will warn of the dangers of the poinsettia. This is an urban legend that simply will not die.Its reputation as a toxic plant is undeserved. It’s been tested for toxicity and passed as safe.
The good and bad news about holiday weight gain
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. – Contrary to popular belief, the average American only gains about a pound over the holiday season. But that extra pound usually stays with us. Year after year, those pounds add up, increasing the risk of heart disease and diabetes.Instead of making a resolution on Dec. 31 to hit the gym, it might be a better idea to avoid that pound in the first place with an ounce of prevention.
MU guides explain managing white-tailed deer on private land
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As the 2011 deer season comes to a close, hunters and landowners can learn about managing white-tailed deer from a new series of publications currently being developed by University of Missouri Extension and the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).
Winter car care can keep your vehicle running through the cold
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Winter can wear on cars and trucks, but a little preparation will keep vehicles running well throughout its coldest days.A simple checklist starts with the battery. A cold car battery can’t deliver as much current. If your car has an aging battery, you might want to see if it will be up to the job by having it load tested.
Deck the halls with proper caution
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Ornamental plants are a great way to make your home festive for the holidays. Stealing a kiss under the mistletoe or hanging a holly wreath to welcome guests are both lovely traditions. What’s not so lovely is that both these plants are toxic.Four common holiday plants, which vary in degree of toxicity, include mistletoe, holly, English ivy and Japanese yew. These plants can cause harm if eaten, which is especially true…
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Sucker gigging: A 200-year-old Ozark tradition endures
EMINENCE, Mo—Most fishermen call it a day when the sun goes down, but on this December evening Landon Howell and his friends are just getting started.
Tips for maintaining lost weight
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.–Many people start the year resolving to lose weight. A lot of those people succeed—at first. But the pounds we shed early in the year often find their way back to us by the following January.
Don’t sell your timber short
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Too many landowners sell their timber for only a fraction of what it’s really worth, notes a University of Missouri Extension state forestry specialist.“All too often a landowner accepts the first offer,” said Hank Stelzer. “This is usually because for most people selling timber is usually a one-time activity and they have no idea what the logs are worth.”
Keep the heat in your house, but keep out the radon
MARSHFIELD, Mo. –If you have made your home more energy efficient, or plan to do so, you might want to test for radon, says a University of Missouri Extension natural resource engineering specialist.
The ugly G's: Guilt and grudge
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Holding a grudge or feeling guilty can keep you from enjoying all that life has to offer.“Guilt is something we impose on ourselves,” said Vera Massey, nutrition and health education specialist for University of Missouri Extension. “We get into the ‘I should have done that,’ and the ‘shoulds’ keep us tethered to the past.”
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MU Extension teaches kids that cooking matters
MONTGOMERY CITY, Mo. – In a crowded kitchen in a church basement, nine elementary school kids are cooking lunch. You might think it’s a recipe for disaster—kids are using knives, handling raw meat, working at a big gas range, and there’s not much elbow room—but they know their jobs and the turkey tacos and fruit smoothies turn out fine, with no injuries and not too much of a mess in the kitchen.
Saving and investing go hand in hand
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Every family has its own unique financial goals. Those goals could be saving for retirement, putting money aside for a college education or buying a house. Whatever your goals, you should seriously consider investing, says a University of Missouri associate professor of personal financial planning.
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New documentary on Eliot Battle previews Feb. 25 on MU campus
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Local civil rights pioneer Eliot Battle is the subject of a new documentary that chronicles his pivotal role in desegregating schools, housing and the Columbia community. On Feb. 25 at 7 p.m., University of Missouri Extension will hold a preview screening of “Battle: Change From Within” at Bush Auditorium in Cornell Hall on the MU campus. The screening is free and open to the public.
Paying for college
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Many students have the desire to go to college, but not the funds to pay for it. Fortunately, there are options available to help students afford higher education.
Record-keeping for income taxes
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Do-it-yourself tax preparation, for complicated returns, means shuffling though statements, receipts and other records. Your record-keeping system for tax-related documents can be as simple or complex as you want.While color-coded, alphabetized records may be appealing to some, it isn’t really necessary to overcomplicate record keeping.
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The lowdown on high tunnels
COLUMBIA, Mo. – If you want locally grown produce in February, you usually don’t have many choices in Missouri other than root vegetables. However, on a chilly February morning at the Columbia Farmers Market, the Thomas family of Share Life Farms is selling not just root veggies but also lettuce, mustard greens and assorted varieties of kale.
What are your trees worth?
COLUMBIA, Mo. – This time of year Larry Godsey gets a lot of calls from woodland owners asking for advice about taxes on timber they have sold.Godsey, an economist with the Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri, usually starts by asking, “What is your basis?”A lot of woodland owners don’t know, and that means they could be selling their timber for too little, and paying too much in taxes.
Start seeds indoors to jump-start spring gardening
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Seeds hold infinite potential for a seasoned gardener.
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Managing your garden's soil moisture doesn't have to be difficult
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. – Managing soil moisture is an important part of successful vegetable gardening in the Midwest, says a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
Spring pruning: Subtraction with a plus
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Trees, hedges and bushes…. When spring comes, the impulse is to hand out haircuts.Correct pruning can help keep your plants’ size in check, remove undesirable growth and stimulate desirable growth. Spring is a good time for tree and shrub pruning for several reasons, says Chris Starbuck, horticulture specialist for University of Missouri Extension.