Virtual Walk A Weigh Group Starts On Oct. 5

LIVING WELL IN
YALOBUSHA COUNTY
By Pamela Redwine
County Coordinator
MSU Extension Agent III

It’s time to register for the virtual Walk-a-Weigh program that will get underway on October 5. The program focuses on physical activity, healthy eating and chronic disease control and prevention and will be offered by the Yalobusha County Office Mississippi State University Extension Service.
“This program encourages Mississippians to live healthier by being more physically active, eating healthier, and managing chronic diseases, “according to Juaqula Madkin, nutrition specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension.  “We know that being active and eating healthier can reduce the risk of chronic disease and can also help people who already have chronic conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes manage those better.”
The Walk-A-Weigh program will be conducted in a private group on Facebook and  from Oct. 5 to Nov. 9, and a weekly class will be presented on Facebook Live or as a recorded program. During each week’s class there will be  tips, recipes, challenges and other fun things will be posted in the Facebook Group.   Participants will also be encouraged to walk or exercise by a method they choose between sessions.
For more information call Yalobusha Extension Office at (662) 675-2730. The deadline for enrollment has been extended to Sept. 28.  Classes will be led by various agents in the Extension Service’s Northeast Region.

What Do You Know About Cranberries?  
Usually we just see fresh cranberries in the fall around Thanksgiving time.  If you cook with fresh cranberries, you know that they are very tart and recipes usually call for added sugar to offset this flavor.
Of all the fruits, cranberries have one of the lowest levels of natural sugar. One cup of fresh cranberries has only 4 grams of sugar. Compare this with raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries, all of which have 5-7 grams of sugar per cup.  Other sweet fruits like cherries and grapes can have as much as 15-18 grams of natural sugar per cup!
There are two popular types of cranberries: fresh and dried.
Dried cranberries offer a way to get and use cranberries year-round. While drying cranberries dates back to colonial times, commercially-dried cranberries became popular (and a way for cranberry farmers to diversify) in the 1990s.  Since dried cranberries are available all year, the demand for dried berries is now larger than it is for fresh berries.  Did you know that the United States is the world’s top producer of cranberries and the top supplier of cranberries to the EU?
Let’s take a moment to compare fresh and dried cranberries.
Fresh cranberries are very high in Vitamin C.  Sadly, there is no vitamin C in dried cranberries.
Both dried and fresh cranberries are good sources of antioxidants.  I was originally concerned that some of the antioxidants would be lost in the drying process, but they aren’t!
According to MyPlate, one quarter cup of dried cranberries is equal to half a serving of fruit. One whole cup of fresh cranberries, on the other hand, counts as a single serving of fruit.
Article Source: Communicating Food & Health Newsletter, September 2020  

•  Sign your child up for the next 4-H Cooking Kit. The kit will include a set of instructions, a surprise recipe with all ingredients and a surprise kitchen item!  4-H Cooking kits provide youth an opportunity to learn and practice cooking skills at home, spend time with family and explore new interests in foods.
This is open to youth ages 5 and up.  However, younger and/or inexperienced youth will require adult supervision.  Please register by Friday, September 18.  There is a $5 participation fee that will help cover the cost of the kit.  The September Kit will be available for pickup on Thursday, September 24th from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.  For more information contact Pamela Redwine at the MSU Extension office at 675-2730 or by email at p.redwine@msstate.edu. You can also check us out on Facebook at Yalobusha County 4-H.

• Don’t forget we have two new 4-H Clubs that will be starting in September in the Water Valley area.  Natalie Bryant Turner will be the volunteer leader for a 4-H Community club for youth ages 8-18 years old and a Clover bud club for youth ages 5-7 years old.
Natalie has completed all of the requirements to become a certified 4-H Volunteer with the MSU Extension Service.  She is no stranger to 4-H as she grew up in the 4-H program in Calhoun County. As of right now, all club meetings will be held virtually through Zoom.  The 4-H Club (for ages 8-18) will meet at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 12 and 26 and the Clover Bud Club will meet on Thursday, September 10 and 24 at 4:30 p.m.  More information about the clubs will be available at these meetings  If you are interested in signing up to attend these meetings please contact me at (662) 675-2730 or at p.redwine@msstate.edu.
Because these meetings will be held virtually, you must have a valid email address to attend.