Eggs Benedict Day

Jesse Fulbright, MSU Liberty County Extension

It seems like there is a holiday for everything anymore and April 16^th is no different.  It isn’t celebrated as “Yeah, I Got My Taxes in On Time” day, but perhaps it should be.  One of the ways April 16^th is celebrated is as Eggs Benedict Day.

One story for the origin of eggs benedict is that in 1894 stock broker Lemuel Benedict ordered “buttered toast, poached eggs, crisp bacon, and a side of Hollandaise” at the Waldorf Hotel.  They were so impressed with the dish that they put it on the menu substituting ham and English muffins in place of the bacon and toast.  Whether this story is true or not, eggs play a part in our health.

Eggs do contain a lot of cholesterol.  However, for most people, only a small amount of that cholesterol goes into the bloodstream.  According to the American Heart Association, saturated fat in a person’s diet has a greater impact on raising blood cholesterol levels than cholesterol in food.  One large egg has only 1.6 grams of saturated fat.  Compare that to one tablespoon of butter, which contains 7 grams saturated fat.

According to Colorado State University Extension there are several health benefits of eggs.  Eggs are a low-cost food rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals.  They contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which are bioactive compounds contributing to eye health.  Along with providing 6 grams of protein, an egg is a good source of B vitamins, folic acid, and iron.  Eggs are also a good source of choline, which is important for the brain and nervous system.  Eggs may also help promote weight management.  When adequate protein is eaten early in the day, a person may feel satiated for longer and consume less calories as the day goes on.

Whether selecting chicken eggs, quail eggs, or even duck eggs, there is no question that we can incorporate eggs into our healthy eating pattern.  Hard cooked, scrambled, poached, or baked are healthy ways to prepare eggs.  While fried may not be on the list as the healthiest way of preparing eggs, it is still my favorite way.

Are Non-monthly Expenses Ruining your Budget Plan?

by Wendy Wedum, MSU Extension Pondera County

I must admit I had a small moment of panic this today! I’ve been preoccupied with some family happenings and I realized the registration for my car is due…luckily it’s not expired and better yet, I have the money set aside for the bill!

If you have a system for tracking your family living expenses, you probably have a pretty good idea where your money goes. But, have you ever found that you spent more money at the end of some months or at end of the year than you thought you did?

One reason for overspending could be related to non-monthly bills like car licensing, insurance, holiday and birthday gifts, taxes or unexpected expenses like medical bills or repairs to your home or car.  If non-monthly expenses are burning up your budget, here is a potential solution. 

MSU Extension has a financial planning tool to help plan for non-monthly living expenses. The MontGuide is called Schedule of Non-Monthly Family Living Expenses and it helps you figure out how much money needs to be set aside each month to avoid the stressful feeling that can happen when several major bills are due at the same time and there is no money set aside to pay for them.

The Schedule of Non-Monthly Family Living Expenses MontGuide has a worksheet to identify and list non-monthly expenses that happen during the year.  The steps are very simple and help identify and save money for expenses before the money is needed.

You start by listing your non-monthly expenses. This might include things for school such as pictures, sports, supplies, and events or for the car such as licensing, insurance, servicing, or tires or personal expenses such as birthday and holiday gifts, household repairs, memberships, personal care or vacations.

Then you make an estimate of the cost for all your items in the month or months when that non-monthly expense happens.  After all the expenses are listed, add them up to see what your grand total is.  Divide the grand total by 12 to figure out how much money needs to be set aside each month.  Then remember to add this amount to your monthly budget and put it into your savings.  That way you will have the money you need and it will help to avoid the feeling of financial stress when the non-monthly bills are due.

For more information, there are several options.  
1. Connect with your local Extension Agent, 
2. Click on this link to download a free PDF ofthe Schedule of Non-Monthly Family Living Expenses MontGuide             https://www.msuextension.org/publications/FamilyFinancialManagement/MT198910HR.pdf
 or 
3. Call Wendy Wedum at 271-4054.  

Pruning shrubs

Kari Lewis

Now is the ideal time to prune many trees and shrubs as this time in the late dormant season is when severe cold has passed, but new growth has not yet begun.  This dormant season pruning typically enhances the plant’s vigor, and will stimulate new growth.  In addition, pruning now will provide the trees and shrubs the entire growing season to recover.

When a shrub flowers determines when is an appropriate time to prune that shrub.  Shrubs that bloom on current season’s growth which would be ok to prune now include Peegee hydrangea, potentilla, shrub rose, snowberry, and Hills of Snow bushes. 

One exception to pruning shrubs this time of year includes shrubs grown primarily for their flowers that that bloom in the spring.  Spring flowering shrubs are any shrubs that bloom at the same time or before the lilacs bloom.  These spring flowering shrubs bloom on LAST year’s growth, so should be pruned right after flowering.  Examples of these are honeysuckle, rhododendron, lilac, and rambling rose bushes. 

If you are wanting to prune shrubs into a hedge, small shrubs that are 1 to 3 years old should be cut back to about 3 to 5 inches above the ground to encourage growth of new shoots at the base.  If you have older shrubs that you would like to transition into a hedge, cut back one-third from their tops and sides to help develop a full, bushy hedge. 

The main thing to remember when pruning a hedge is that the ideal hedge is wider at the base than the top.  A hedge should look like a truncated cone shape. 

Often, I will see the exact opposite of this, that is, the top of the hedge is wider than the base.  This leads to thin, weak growth, as the wider top portion of the hedge shades the lower portion and without adequate sunlight to the lower portion of the hedge, it becomes less vigorous. 

Formal hedges should have one-third to one-fourth of their oldest branches near the ground cut back each year.  Upper branches of the hedge can also be cut back to their main parent stem to encourage fresh, new growth. 

If you prune any infected branches while pruning, make sure to clean your pruners with rubbing alcohol after each cut so that the pruners don’t transmit the disease to another portion of the hedge or to the tree you prune next. 

What my Needles Wouldn't Do for a Little Water!

Jesse Fulbright, MSU Liberty County Extension

This week, I wanted to address what I think is going on with some of the brown we may be seeing on our evergreens this time of year. 

A lot of our problems come down to what is probably winter desiccation.  Winter desiccation of evergreens is discoloration or damage of the needles.  Winter sun and wind can cause water loss.  Additionally, if the roots are in frozen soil, they are unable to replace the moisture and it will result in browning needles.  It is most common to see the damage on the south, southwest or windward sides of the plant, but the whole plant can be affected in severe cases.  This is more common in young trees.

Photos courtesy of Utah State University Extension.

For our evergreens, the best thing to do to prevent winter desiccation, or at least alleviate some of the more severe damage, is to water all trees and shrubs prior to the soil freezing.  In some winters, when we have chinooks, we also have the opportunity to water then.  Unfortunately, the past few winters haven’t necessarily provided us with many respites between storms.  If your trees are young, you can provide them with some sort of wind or sun barrier, such as burlap stretched between two posts.  However, this only works with younger trees and smaller shrubs, such as the arborvitae we see occasionally around town.  If a person does go with this method, you also need to remember not to cover the entire plant as air needs to continue to circulate around the trees to some extent.
 

 
 
Another problem that might occur around town is with our deciduous trees.  These are ones like our ash, birch, and chokecherry trees.  Bark on the south and southwest sides of tree trunks and in branch crotches may be killed by sunscald.  With sunscald, bark is warmed and the cells in tree de-hardened by afternoon sun.  Rapid temperature drop after sunset then kills the cells and bark. There are several ways to reduce sunscald.  Tree wrap, such as that made from heavy craft paper, can be applied to the trunk in October to reflect the sun and reduce abrupt temperature fluctuations.  This also helps keep rodents from feeding on the bark.  White latex paint also reflects the sun and prevents rapid temperature changes.  Wrap or paint the trunks from the soil line to the lowest branch.  The purpose of tree wraps is not to keep the trunk warm but instead to keep it cool.  Evergreen shrubs interplanted with trees help shade the tree bark during winter and reduce sunscald.

For more information about tree care, either for new or mature trees, the Extension office has a MontGuide titled, “What’s Wrong With This Tree” that is free and available to the public.

Watch Your Own Bobber...

Wendy Wedum, MSU Extension Pondera County

Over the past month, I have been feeling very stressed out.  Our 4-H District just hosted a statewide 4-H event, I have a training coming up, I volunteered to teach a couple classes at the high school and my son is moving back, among other things.

The result is feeling over whelmed and has led to poor eating habits, not exercising enough, not sleeping well and stress headaches the size of Beaverhead county.

Last weekend I asked about my son’s plans for moving and wondering about a potential Plan B in case I cannot help him.  Junior looks up at me, grins and calmly says, “Mom, watch your own bobber.”

My first reaction, because I wasn’t thinking clearly, was what does fishing have to do with moving?  Then the fog cleared and I realized what he meant as he said, "I’ve got my move handled and you don’t need to worry about it."  Then he shared he had changed his plans from what we talked about a couple months ago.

Spring can be a stressful time in rural Montana.  Sudden weather changes, calving, seeding crops, unexpected expenses, scholarship applications, graduations, planning for summer fun…whatever your list is, it can get big, fast.

If you are stressing out there are a couple strategies to help you watch your own bobber.  Write down a list of the things you are dealing with.  For each item, ask yourself what do you have control over?  Or What can you do to influence what happens with the item?  If you cannot change or do much about it, then it is time to stop watching that bobber.

If you can do something about it or have some control over the item, then it is time to do some planning or goal setting to better manage what is happening or what needs to be done.

When you are stressed out, it is hard to look at what you are doing objectively.  My son gave me a gentle reminder that he’s got this and he will ask for help when he needs it.

If you are interested in resources to cope with stress, MSU Extension has several MontGuides that may help.  One is called 50 Stress Busting Ideas for your Well Being, and there are others that deal with coping with family stress, helping children cope with natural disasters and dealing with financial crisis.

To get these resources you can call your local Extension office, or you can visit the North Central Montana Extension Blog, visit the Pondera County Extension facebook page or check out the KSEN/K96FM blog for links to downloadable pdf files on the msuextension.org website.

There are many resources available.  You don’t have to let yourself get hooked by things that are outside of your control.  My stress load dropped a lot that day and I got another good life lesson from my son when I listened to his wise words to “watch my own bobber.”

Free Resource Links (Click Download Now below "Add to Cart): 
https://store.msuextension.org/Products/50-Stress-Busting-Ideas-for-Your-Well-being__MT200016HR.aspx

https://store.msuextension.org/Products/Understanding-and-Managing-Stress__MT201605HR.aspx

https://store.msuextension.org/Products/Family-Stress-and-Coping__MT201707HR.aspx

https://store.msuextension.org/Products/Helping-Friends-Cope-with-Financial-Crisis__MT200206HR.aspx

Main Link to all MSU Extension Publications
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Walk to Better Health

Jesse Fulbright, MSU Liberty County Extension

The one-way walk to work each day is approximately 1500-1700 steps for me, or about a 10-15-minute walk, depending on the conditions of the road and whether I’m running late or not.  That’s also just a little short of a mile for me.  On a good day where I don’t have lunch meetings, that means I can walk home for lunch and then repeat the cycle at quitting time as well, giving me 6,000 steps at the minimum on my watch/pedometer.  You factor in other errands, moving at work and at home and usually I walk about 10,000 steps each day.  Through this method of walking everywhere I can usually walk about 15 miles, or 25 kilometers each week.

According to health professionals, walking 10,000 steps each day is a good goal.  Now, with our northern Montana weather, especially in the winter, walking any great distance can be a challenge.  Sometimes sidewalks aren’t cleared from snow, or in the absence of sidewalks, roadways.  There is the very real concern about slipping and falling when walking in the snow and ice, and there is the biting cold to deal with.  If you are serious about walking, I would encourage everyone to look at investing in a good set of snow boots or some sort of traction devices to put on your feet.  Other than that, bundling up in layers is the way to go to beat the cold.

There are benefits of walking, including it being a low impact way of getting in shape and losing weight.  According to other research, it also improves your sleep.  I haven’t necessarily found that to be true in my case, but it certainly could be true for others.  Walking daily has also shown to increase good cholesterol, commonly called HDL, and decrease the LDL, or bad cholesterol.  It also reduces stress, which I can fully appreciate.  That time to walk, just like driving, gives my mind time to wander and think about the day, and is much healthier than sitting in the car.  Increases in balance and endurance, along with a decrease in fatigue will grow with a consistent habit of walking daily.  For my family, who have a history of Type 2 diabetes, it is also a way to help control blood sugars, along with the other good health habits I previously mentioned that also help in managing the disease.

Whatever your reason for walking, in the words of a famous shoe logo, “just do it!”  It’s a great way to keep in shape physically and mentally!

Houseplants- Craving or Needing the Spotlight?

Jesse Fulbright, MSU Liberty County Extension

In the Master Gardener level 1 course there is discussion on plant growth and development, which runs the gamut of topics.  I wanted to touch on one portion of that specific lecture and talk about light requirements of plants and apply it to many of us that have indoor house plants. 

Plants need light for photosynthesis, which is one of the lessons that all of us picked up in high school, if not younger.  Photosynthesis is the process wherein a plant converts light, oxygen and water into carbohydrates or energy.  This energy is required by a plant to grow, bloom and produce seed.  Without adequate light, carbohydrates cannot be manufactured, the energy reserves are depleted and plants die.

When talking about light requirements of house plants, we are talking about three different things, light intensity, light duration and light quality.  Light intensity is the brightness of light, measured in foot-candles.  Foot-candle are the amount of light received by a 1-square-foot surface located one foot away from a light source equal to one candle.  Light duration is the number of hours of light per 24-hour period.  Light quality is the wavelength or color of light.  Plants use red and blue light primarily, with red light encouraging budding and blue light promoting foliage growth.  Most plants are green because they don’t absorb light in the green spectrum, so they reflect it back out.

Of course, our house plants come in all varieties, and that includes how much light they like.  Low-light plants, those that need light at 10-15 watts or 50-250 foot-candles, would be suitable for a north window or a fairly dark corner.  Examples could include plants that don’t dry out quickly such peace lilies, some begonias and Anthurium.  Medium-light plants are those that require 15-20 watts or 250 - 1,000 foot-candles.  Medium light areas are well-lit areas in the home, such as windows that face east.  A medium-light plant can also be located near a west-facing window, but out of direct light.  Examples of these type of plants include African violets, other begonias and Christmas cactus.  High-light plants are those that need light at greater than 20 watts or more than 1,000 foot-candles.  These do best near or in south or south-west facing windows.  Examples of these plants include poinsettias, ficus, and yuccas.  It is important to note that while a plant may tolerate lower light growing conditions, more light may be required to promote dense foliage and flowering.

Please let your local county Extension office know if you have any questions regarding light requirements for houseplants.