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Rotate crops

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K-State
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Building-Soils-With-Cover-Crops
Photo: Klesick Family Farm

By: Scott Eckert, County Extension Agent, Horticulture

 

Plant diseases occur when the climate, fungus/disease organism and host plant converge at the same time. There are ways to help prevent or reduce disease problems from year to year. Rotating vegetable crops is a standard way of helping prevent disease from being carried over from one year to the next. Rotation means that crops are moved to different areas of the garden each year.

 

 

Planting the same crop, or a related crop, in the same area each year can lead to a

build-up of disease. Also, different crops vary in the depth and density of the root system as well as extract different levels of nutrients. As a rule, cool-season crops such as cabbage, peas, lettuce and onions have relatively sparse, shallow root systems and warm-season crops such as tomatoes, peppers and melons have deeper, better developed root

systems.

 

 

Therefore, it can be helpful to rotate warm-season and cool-season crops. As mentioned earlier, it is also a good idea to avoid planting closely related crops in the same area as diseases may be shared among them. For example, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplant are closely related.

 

 

Also, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussels sprouts share many characteristics in common. Therefore, do not plant cabbage where broccoli was the previous year or tomatoes where the peppers were.

 

 

So, why is this important to bring this up in the fall? Now is the time to make a sketch of your garden so that the layout is not forgotten when it is time to plant next year.

Sweet poatoes are healthy and tasty

By
University of Missouri
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Tammy Roberts, MS, RD, LD, Nutrition and Health Education Specialist, Bates County, University of Missouri Extension

It’s that time of year when many people are harvesting their sweet potatoes. As you dig those tasty roots from the ground, it’s hard not to think of that special sweet potato casserole that is a fall favorite. Not only do sweet potatoes taste great, they are healthful as well.

According to Encyclopedia of Foods: A Guide to Healthy Nutrition, three fourths of a cup of baked sweet potato contains 155 calories, 5 grams of fiber, 36 grams of carbohydrate, 3 grams of protein and no fat. They provide a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium.

When choosing a sweet potato, you want the skin to be a bright uniform color and firm to the touch. Sweet potatoes and yams look alike but they are not related. Yams are blander than the sweet potato. Unlike the sweet potato, yams do not contain vitamin A, but they are a good source of vitamin C, potassium and fiber. Yams can be stored, prepared and used in the same ways that sweet potatoes are used.

Sweet potatoes are very versatile. They can be baked in an oven or microwave like other potatoes. They can also be boiled but it is recommended that the skin be left on while boiling and easily removed after boiling. Mashed sweet potatoes can be substituted for pureed pumpkin in muffin, cake and cookie recipes. They also taste great added to casseroles, soups and stews.

For information on how to cure sweet potatoes once they’re harvested (if you grow your own), check out the full version of this article at http://missourifamilies.org/features/nutritionarticles/nut157.htm

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

By
Editor
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Janet Hackert, Regional Nutrition and Health Education Specialist, University of Missouri Extension

Breast cancer is so prevalent that most people know someone who has had it. In fact, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month so here are a few facts, some of which may be surprising.

A family history of breast cancer is considered a risk factor, so if a woman’s mother, sister, aunt or grandmother has had it, she should be more careful about looking for it. However, having this risk factor does not mean that you will get breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, “only 20-30 percent of women with breast cancer have a family member with this disease.” This means that 7 or 8 out of every 10 women who have breast cancer are NOT related to someone who has had it.

As a woman ages, her risk of developing breast cancer increases. “Nearly 8 out of 10 breast cancers occur in women over age 50,” says the American Cancer Society. The risk for a woman over 70 developing the disease in the next year is almost double that for a 50-year-old.

Some risk factors are out of your control, but there are some changes you can make to lower your risk of breast cancer, including maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular exercise and avoiding or limiting alcohol intake. Not using hormone therapy after menopause may also help lower your risk.

Regardless of risk factors, early detection is important!…

For more information about early detection, check out the full version of this article at http://missourifamilies.org/features/healtharticles/health81.htm

Test your smoke alarms – it could save your life

By
Editor
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Rob Allen

Sherry F. Nelson, LCSW, Human Development Specialist, Marion County, University of Missouri Extension

Each year more than 4,000 Americans lose their life to fire and approximately 25,000 are injured. At least 80 percent of fires in the U.S. occur in the home; however, there are many things we can do to prevent these fire tragedies and injuries. Testing our smoke alarms is one of the most critical things we can do to protect ourselves and our loved ones. All homes should have smoke alarms, an escape route and fire extinguishers on hand.

Smoke alarms: There should be a smoke alarm in every bedroom. Additionally having a smoke alarm on every level of your home is a must and you should test your smoke alarms monthly. Experts recommend that you change your batteries twice a year, in the fall and spring when we change our clocks for daylight saving time.

Escape plans: Having an escape plan and practicing the plan has been shown to save lives because you and your family will know exactly what to do in the event of an emergency. Practice the plan twice a year with the whole family. Be sure to know two ways out of your home and have a designated meeting place outside. Remember that once you are out of the home, have a neighbor call 911, and DO NOT go back inside. Be sure to educate babysitters/caregivers of your escape plan so they are familiar with it as well.

Fire extinguishers: Having fire extinguishers on each level of the home is a must for every homeowner or renter. An ABC type extinguisher is best because it can be used on most types of fires…

Learn more about how to use a fire extinguisher, plus other safety tips, in the full version of this article at http://missourifamilies.org/features/housingarticles/testsmoke.htm

For more information about smoke detectors, check out MU Extension expert recommends replacing older smoke detectors

Weekend full of service

By
K-State
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4-H members, volunteers and alumni to participate in two-day statewide community service project

 

MANHATTAN, Kan. – When members recite the 4-H pledge, they vow to use their hands for larger service to better their club, their community, their country and their world.
This year, Kansas 4-H members, volunteers and alumni are uniting to prove their commitment to the pledge by participating in 48 Hours of 4-H, a statewide community service project showcasing the positive impact 4-Hers can make in just one weekend.
On Oct. 11 and 12, the weekend immediately following National 4-H Week, an estimated 3,000 people from at least 58 counties are expected to participate in more than 130 different community service projects.
These numbers shouldn’t be too surprising, considering a recent study on positive youth development showing that 4-H members, grades 7-12, are four times more likely to make contributions to their communities than their peers.  They are also estimated to be twice as civically active.
Blake Foraker, Kansas 4-H youth leadership council president, said that when the state council met last spring, community service was something they felt they needed to emphasize more as a way to connect back with those founders of the organization who wrote things such as the 4-H motto, “To Make the Best Better.”
“We were looking for a way to unite 4-H across the state at the local level,” Foraker said.  “We pledge our hands to larger service, and that’s a big part of what 4-H was centered around when it was created more than 100 years ago.  As we move forward, we see 48 Hours of 4-H becoming a unique challenge and something we can watch grow over the next few years.”
For more information about how you can get involved, contact your local extension office or check out the details for 48 Hours of 4-H at www.Kansas4-H.org/484H.

Story By: Kaitlin Morgan

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