Extension Events

Do you have your pencil or calendar out?  Today I’ll be giving you an Extension Events listing for Teton County, and, of course, we invite our surrounding areas to take part.

First up, this Saturday, August 26 is the MSU Innovation Road Show:  Sharing Innovative Ideas One Town at a Time.  A group of seven PhDs from MSU will be speaking at this FREE event at 12:30 p.m. at the Stage Stop Inn.  The event will be completed around 2:30 p.m.  Topics range from driverless cars, grain genetics, tiny houses, Asian history, Native health, nanotechnology and invasive plants.

Next in the line-up of FREE educational offerings are the Small Business Webinars. These webinars are scheduled the first Thursday of every month at 11 a.m.  The first class is on Understanding Credit Card Processing for Businesses.  This class was developed in direct response to a request from a Teton County business owner.  The webinars are free and will last 30 minutes.  There is a chat room for questions and answers during the live webinars.  They will be recorded and posted online.  Go to www.msucommunitydevelopment.org/smallbusiness.html to learn more.  Questions can be sent to commdev@montana.edu.  For the first webinar on Thursday, September 7, we will be hosting a group viewing in Choteau at the library.  Business owners can come together to learn, not only from the webinar, but from each other.  Again, these webinars are free and can be viewed from your computer or device or you can join us Sept. 7 at 11 a.m. at the Choteau Library.  Other webinars on the schedule so far are October 5 at 11 a.m., Getting Your Small Business Online, and November 2 at 11 a.m., Developing Your Story: A Foundation for Funding.

Mark your calendar for October 3 to be in Choteau from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for Leading Local. 

 The Leading Local program will focus on personal leadership skills, board member engagement and organizational management. Board members and staff will come away feeling better prepared to serve on a board, council or committee. They will recognize the components of an effective meeting and have a good understanding of different personality styles and how to work effectively together. Participants will learn about tools to increase participation on boards, board member engagement and recruitment strategies for high potential board members. The class will include Real Colors Personality Inventory and Emotional Intelligence, Energizing Your Organization and Engaging Your Board, plus more!  The class will be taught primarily by Dan Clark of the MSU Extension Local Government Center.  This class is being provided FREE to the public by our generous sponsors, MSU Extension in Teton and Pondera Counties, 3 Rivers Communication, City of Choteau and the Stage Stop Inn.  Registration is appreciated and can be made by contacting MSU Extension in Teton County at 466-2492 or teton@montana.edu. 

But wait, there’s more!  On October 4, Dan Clark will teach a Board Training class from 6-9 p.m. at the Stage Stop Inn, again, FREE to the public with the same generous sponsors as the Leading Local class.  Anyone who serves on any board in our area or is thinking about serving on a board should take this highly informative, engaging class. MSU Extension in Teton County at 466-2492 or teton@montana.edu. 

We have some upcoming wellness classes, too!  In conjunction with the Teton County Health Department, MSU Extension in Teton County is offering the Living Life Well with Chronic Conditions and Diseases Class.  Classes will be on Mondays from 6-8 p.m. at the Choteau Library starting on September 11 and running through October 16.  Instructors for the class are Glenn Deuchler, Betty Lou Deuchler and me, Jane Wolery.  Registration is required and the series costs $20.  Call 466-2462 to register. 

And, that’s not all … We are excited to be teaching the YAM – Youth Aware of Mental Health class to ninth grade students in Fairfield in September and October.  YAM is a mental health resiliency program that, when tested in Europe, provided the best evidence for preventing suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts in adolescents.  The class, taught by Jane Wolery and Luke Coccoli, gives basic mental health information, coping skills and emotional intelligence training, problem-solving and positive peer relations. 

Wolery is also looking forward to providing a class call Teen Time and Tension Tips on September 6 for the Dutton-Brady youth at the Dutton Park from 6-8 p.m.

We have a few more things to pin down in our September and October calendars, but for now, that is our Extension Events update.  We hope to see you participating in one of the many Extension offerings in the upcoming weeks! 

I Almost Woke Up Dead ...

I resurrected and updated this article that I wrote in 1998, because it still is relevant today.

I almost woke up dead . . .

My house tried to kill me. No, I'm not kidding. Just a few (more like twenty-three) years ago, I was living in a rental home and I am very lucky that I didn't wake up dead one morning. It was a bit strange how I figured out that my home was a potential killer. I had turned 25 that fall and I was depressed. I didn't know why, but I was. I was tired all the time and I had headaches, bad ones. All I could think was "How could I feel so old at 25?" I thought it had to do with my birthday (which seems laughable to me now) until one day as I rounded the corner by a large heat register I smelled a strange odor. I called the gas company.  It turned out that I had a carbon monoxide leak in my house. The reason I kept feeling progressively worse had little to do

with my birthday, except that it was autumn. Autumn meant that as it got cooler I kept my house more closed up and used my furnace more and thus the carbon monoxide was becoming increasingly concentrated. I want to stress that I while I smelled something in my house, carbon monoxide is odorless. I never really knew what it was I smelled. If it hadn't been for luck, I might not have lived to share what I learned.

I would go to work and get a little fresh air. By the time school was over I had a raging headache and all I wanted to do was go home and go to sleep. When I would get home, I couldn't seem to move. I would crash on the couch for the rest of the night, which has never been a typical habit for me.

Once I realized I was being poisoned by carbon monoxide, I moved out. It took two weeks to replace the furnace which was the main suspect.  Meanwhile, a well-meaning friend had given me a puppy thinking I might be more apt to notice signs sooner if another living thing was in my house and started acting sluggish.  My mother, more practically, sent me a carbon monoxide detector.   Of course, I also armed myself with a few more facts: 

 

1.  Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, deadly gas. Because you can't see, taste or smell it, carbon monoxide can kill you before you know it's there!

2.  The great danger of carbon monoxide is its attraction to hemoglobin in the bloodstream. When breathed in, carbon monoxide replaces the oxygen which cells need to function. CO rapidly accumulates in the blood causing flu‑like symptoms like headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizzy spells, confusion and irritability (my students were noticing this symptom with me). At increased levels, vomiting, loss of consciousness and eventually brain damage (jury is still out for the long-term effects it had on me, just in case you were wondering) and death may result.

3.  Carbon monoxide is a by‑product of combustion when fuel is burned. It is produced by common home appliances, such as gas or oil furnaces, gas appliances, gas water heaters or space heaters, fireplaces, charcoal grills and wood burning stoves. Fumes from automobiles and gas powered lawn mowers also contain carbon monoxide and can enter a home through walls or doorways if an engine is left running in an attached garage.

4.  If a home is vented properly and is free from appliance malfunctions or air pressure fluctuations/blockages, carbon monoxide will most likely be safely vented to the outside.

Frequently today's energy efficient homes are tightly sealed and can trap CO in a home year round. Furnace exchangers can crack and vents can become blocked.  Sometimes fireplaces can backdraft which can force contaminated air back into the home. Exhaust fans on range hoods, clothes dryers and bathroom fans can actually pull combustion products into the home.

5.  The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends installing at least one carbon monoxide detector per household, near the sleeping area. Additional detectors on every level of the home provide extra protection.

The dog wasn’t nearly as useful as the detector, which went off several other times while I lived in the home and could have saved my life. Incidentally, about a year after my first problem with the CO in my home I learned that a family that lived in that home almost 30 years prior was also poisoned, but were rescued when someone went to check on the family after they didn’t show up to school and work.  They were sleeping, a little more than they meant to be, aided by the gas they were breathing. I’m sure they were glad to wake up alive. I was too! It turns out I had plenty to be alive for these past few decades!

Clearing the Air!

I am not the world’s best housekeeper.  I once heard someone who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness say that they gained considerable clarity about their priorities upon receiving such news. She said she wished she had the time back she’d spent cleaning and was certainly not going to spend her remaining time doing so.  Since hearing that, I have moved cleaning much farther down on my priorities list.    I suspect my mother would vouch for that as when she last visited, I think she could have written her name in the dust on nearly every surface in my house!  The day after she left, I was actually home during daylight hours.  With the sun shining in I was able to see just how dirty the place was and like it or not, cleaning had to move up on the priority list. 

It was so dusty in our house, I was surprised no one was asthmatic from all the dust.  Home indoor air quality is one of the reasons why cleaning is important.  The five major indoor environmental triggers are secondhand smoke, dust mites, pet dander, mold and pests.  With many people spending 90% of their time indoors, it is important to learn how to protect our indoor environment to reduce asthma triggers.  The USDA has a great resource called Help Yourself to a Healthy Home that can be downloaded from the web. 

Of the five major triggers, I can at least cross secondhand smoke off the list of concerns at my own home, but I know not everyone can.  We commonly think of tobacco smoke, which with more than 40 carcinogens, is fairly well known to wreak havoc on the function of breathing.  Some other sources of secondhand smoke can be from fireplaces, candles and gas stoves.  Limiting the use of fire in the home and using exhaust fans over gas stoves can help improve indoor air quality. 

Dust mites are not quite as obvious, partly because they are too small to be seen and can be found almost everywhere in the home.  Some ways to reduce dust mites and in turn improve indoor air quality are to wash sheets and blankets weekly in hot water and use the dryer, keep indoor humidity at levels between 30-50%, when replacing flooring consider hard floors instead of carpet and vacuum often, even your furniture and mattresses.  It is also a good idea to replace pillows every five years and to limit stuffed animals in bedrooms.  For those items that cannot be washed, consider freezing.  I’ll admit that in my house cleaning fury recently, I did find my husband’s duffle bag in the chest freezer. It wasn’t there to kill off dust mites.  In that case I was concerned about bed bugs, but that it is another story entirely that I’ve been itching to share.  It was funny to open the chest freezer and find the duffle bag.  Apparently I haven’t been cooking or cleaning, since it has been in the freezer since a hotel stay in November. 

Of all the indoor air quality concerns, I get calls about mold the most.  Mold problems come from excess moisture, so the very first step is to find the source of the moisture and then work from there.  Outside of leaks and other unusual problems, we end up with moisture in our home daily from showers and baths.  Be sure to run the bathroom fan.  With mold, if you see it or smell it, clean up with a bleach solution of one part bleach to 10 parts water.  Another suggestion is to limit houseplants, especially in bedrooms, to avoid molds. 

At my house the pet is a pest, so it is hard to distinguish between the two, but either can be an asthma trigger.  If possible, keep pets outdoors.  Keep pets off beds and out of bedrooms, particularly in rooms where someone with asthma sleeps.  It is also a good idea to keep litter boxes, pet beds and cages away from sleeping rooms.  Try to keep pets off fabric covered furniture.  Vacuum often with a HEPA (High-efficiency particulate air) vacuum.  As for the pests, you don’t really want them in your sleeping rooms or other areas of your home either.  Some ways to manage for pests are to reduce clutter, clean up spills and crumbs promptly.  Caulk and seal areas where pests can get into the home.  Make the place just a little less hospitable for the pests.

My husband wondered if making the house inhospitable to his mother-in-law would work.  I actually wonder, with as dirty as the house was last time she was here, if she will ever return. If only people would visit after I cleaned and not before!  Of course, I’d rarely have company that way.  Whether or not your mother visits, I hope the indoor air quality tips will help you clear the air around your house.  

Jest for the Health of It

When was the last time you had a good laugh -- one of those deep belly laughs, a laugh that used your whole body, from the doubling over with amusement to tears running out of your eyes?  If you cannot remember, I hope you’ll make a point to find something particularly humorous today, because laughter is good for you.  I’ll spare you the reading of several journal articles, but give you the conclusions to two different studies I perused.  One study was on depression, cognition and sleep of an elderly community and the other was on depression, quality of life, resilience and immune response in cancer survivors.  Each study concluded that laughter is good medicine.  Laughter therapy is useful, cost-effective and has positive effects on depression, sleep and insomnia.  One study concluded that laughter therapy may be an effective nursing intervention as it improves quality of life and resilience. 

Laughing can also be great for social bonding.  One of my recent good laughs was with my daughters.  I was telling a story of something I thought was superbly funny and as I told the story, the thought was still tickling me, so I periodically had to stop talking as I was consumed with laughter.  Then, when each of my daughters started to understand what had amused me so, they each laughed as heartily, if not more so, and there we were laughing and laughing at the kitchen counter.  My oldest daughter laughs with such enthusiasm her whole face is consumed in the task, which, when you observe it just makes you laugh even more.  Apparently, this is inherited.  I told her the next day part of what made the story so funny was her reaction.  I told her I was laughing as much because she was laughing as because of how funny the story was.  She just looked at me, deadpan, and said, “Same.” And, then, with a twinkle in her eye admitted that my laughter was so funny it made her laugh all the more.  With her sixteen-year-old style, she said, “Your story wasn’t nearly as funny as you were.”

Our family fit of laughter was probably good, not only for our relationships, but also for our physical and mental health.  Laughter can increase blood circulation, raise your heart rate in a good way and work your abdominal muscles.  Think of it as inner jogging for the body!  Laughter lowers levels of stress hormones, releases endorphins and lowers blood pressure.  It enhances creativity, problem solving, and fosters harmony.  Laughter is a natural internal tranquilizer with no known bad side effects!

You need to figure out your own humor enjoyment, whether that is reading cartoons, reading or telling jokes, playing small practical jokes (where no one can get hurt), telling funny stories, watching videos or playing gags on friends or family.  What I find truly humorous are the stupid things I do.  One day, in an attempt to carry too much out of my office to a class, I got wedged between the wall and the desk.  As I hit both and got stuck, I happened to look up in surprise and catch my reflection in a mirror.  The look on my face was hysterical and it became obvious that it was ludicrous of me to even think I could have made it through that space with that much stuff.  Then I thought how I might have looked to anyone else and I started laughing so uproariously that my co-workers came to check on me.  I tried to explain, through the laughter, but the moment was missed on them! 

I also think my own sense of humor has either been influenced by genetics or environment.  My dad and grandpa were both famous for hiding somewhere unexpected and scaring people.  In fact, my dad would recall stories of taking people by surprise with such delight.  Two of his famous sneak attacks gave him pleasure for years.  The fun in his style caught on with me somehow and I’ve been known to plan similar attacks.  One year at 4-H camp, I was in the lodge and shutting things down for the night when I saw that one of the chaperones was headed toward the lodge.  With the lights off, I crawled over to the door to remain undetected, crouched, and waited quietly.  As he came in, I saw he had on shorts, so I just reached out and rubbed my hand lightly on his ankle.  You should have seen his reaction!  When he got over it, he was laughing as much as I was.  One night at my house, one of the girls got me by surprise and couldn’t have done so more beautifully.  After the initial adrenal rush of the scare, it was as funny on the other side of the humor equation. Plus, I was truly proud. They had thought quickly to take advantage of a situation and get me back for several times I’ve spooked them. We laughed and laughed.

Michael Pritchard is credited with saying, “You don’t stop laughing because you grow old.  You grow old because you stop laughing.”  March 22 is National Goof Off Day – who knew?  It was probably some clown who came up with that idea!  I’d suggest thinking of some great things to do that day, but more importantly, try to find something humorous today.  There have been dozens of studies on laughter, but I suggest you conduct some of your own informal research anyway – jest for the health of it!

Backlog

According to freedictionary.com the definition of backlog is 

back·log

  (băk′lŏg′, -lôg′)

n.

1. A reserve supply or source.

2. An accumulation, especially of unfinished work or unfilled orders.

3. A large log at the back of a fire in a fireplace.

Well, guess what?  I have been spending January taking care of a backlog, as in an accumulation of unfinished work.  I had over-scheduled, and under-planned for any interruptions, when all of a sudden this fall I had some.  We had a change in staffing in our office and I had to go into triage mode dealing with the most critical issues first.  Therefore, I did not get posts to this blog completed in a timely fashion.  

Even though many of the posts I'm publishing are now outdated, I wanted to complete the task just the same.  So, please forgive the multiple postings ...

Put a large log at the back of your fireplace and enjoy catching up.  I am!

Feeling Stretched as a Caregiver?

Powerful Tools for Caregivers is an educational series designed to provide you with the tools you need to take care of yourself.

This program helps family caregivers reduce stress, improve self-confidence, communicate feelings better, balance their lives, increase their ability to make tough decisions and locate helpful resources.

Classes consist of six sessions held once a week.  The class will be led by Jane Wolery, MSU Extension Teton County, and Alice Burchak, MSU Extension Toole County. Interactive lessons, discussions and brainstorming will help you take the “tools” you acquire and put them into action for your life.

You will receive a book, The Caregiver Helpbook, developed specifically for the class.  A donation of $30 to help defray the cost of the book is suggested, but not required to attend the class. The classes are offered at no cost.

Classes will be held at Choteau City Hall from 10-11:30 a.m.  Sessions are held on Tuesdays and will run from November 8 to December 13. For more information or to register, contact the MSU Extension Office in Teton County at 406-466-2491 or email teton@montana.edu.  Class size is limited and pre-registration is required.

All Shook Up!

I have been thinking about snow globes.  Sometimes they just sit there so pretty on the shelf and then someone comes by and shakes them and the snow falls softly until it settles again.  Other times someone comes by and really, really shakes them up.  You wonder how the little figurines inside don’t fall out of place.  At times my home finances feel like a snow globe – sometimes calm and settled and then sometimes something happens and it feels like our finances have been shaken up again.  The vehicle breaks down, someone needs surgery, there is a job change … it often doesn’t take much for serenity to be turned upside down!  

If you’d like to take control of your finances, MSU Extension has great resources in our Solid Finances series.  The Solid Finances program was started in 2013 and includes weekly financial webinars.  This year’s series includes topics such as health care insurance options for those nearing retirement, avoiding financial scams, Banking 101, and estate planning and family legacies.  Each webinar can be joined live on Wednesdays at noon.  This year’s webinars started on October 5, but the great news is that all webinars are recorded.  In fact, you can listen to any of the 50 webinars that are posted on the MSU Extension Solid Finances webpage.  Some of the recorded webinars include topics such as understanding credit scores, teens and money and how to reduce debt.  

There are topics for every stage of life. If your financial world is pretty settled, like a snow globe on shelf, it doesn’t hurt to dust it off every once in a while and take a look at it to be sure.  If your financial world is a little shaky, it might just do to take advantage of the free resources to establish Solid Finances.  

Babysitter Boot Camp

MSU Extension in Teton County is planning a Babysitter Boot Camp for Thursday, October 20 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Choteau Baptist Church.  Registration can be made at teton@montana.edu or 466-2491.   The class is being offered free of charge and will be filled on a first-registered basis.  Class limit is 25 participants, with a minimum required of 10 registered by Monday, October 17.  Participants need to bring a lunch and beverage to the class.

During the Babysitter Boot Camp, babysitters will learn basic training in first aid.  Babysitters will learn how to get marching orders from the families they serve, and will receive ammunition to become Purple Heart babysitters.  

All participants will have a chance to learn about how to plan enrichment activities (including crafts, games, singing, and science activities) to keep the children in their charge occupied. Babysitters will also learn about providing nutritious and safe foods for a variety of ages and will learn about foods that are common choking hazards.  Sitters will learn skills to provide top-notch customer service and to keep themselves safe as they develop their babysitting business.  

Members will leave the Babysitter Boot Camp fully armed with ideas for safe fun and tips to use throughout the year when in charge of kids.  To enlist in Babysitter Boot Camp, contact the MSU Extension Office in Teton County at teton@montana.edu or 466-2491.  

Autumn Update

While I was at the Senior Center in Fairfield last week teaching a class with Brent Roeder on frauds and scams, a woman mentioned how much she enjoyed reading the Extension articles in the newspapers.  I admitted that I have been absent from newsprint recently, which she had noticed.  I felt it would be worthwhile to do an update on the family consumer science side of MSU Extension in Teton County.  After the full 4-H summer season of educational events, I took a few days off in early August, but did write a grant application during that time.  I am excited to announce that we received a $10,000 grant from 3 Rivers and CoBank.  About the same time I received word that the grant application I wrote for Montana Financial Education Coalition was funded at $750.  Both of these grants were written to further efforts primarily in financial education from preschool age through the lifespan.  We will be purchasing a traveling iPad lab to enhance the student learning experience.  The traveling technology lab will be used by Extension throughout the region.

In August, I was invited to teach teamwork lessons for the Shelby School faculty and staff, and the Choteau volleyball team graciously let me practice the team building activities with them first.  I had the pleasure of teaching the Real Colors™ personality inventory for the Dutton-Brady faculty.  The class helps participants decipher their natural strengths, but also look for ways to appreciate and communicate with those who have very different strengths and approaches.  The class improves relationships.  The faculty will use the information to create classroom lessons for various personality strengths.

This past year, I have been involved in mental health training and attended the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) training in Conrad and Youth Mental Health First Aid classes in Shelby.  I have been working with Mark Schure from MSU on the Thrive program.  Shure was in Teton County to hold two focus groups on the potential benefit of online cognitive behavior therapy for rural communities.  Sandy Bailey, MSU Extension Family and Human Development Specialist, is part of a team at MSU who has received a sizable grant to further work in mental health in Montana.  I look forward to learning the next steps at MSU Extension Annual Conference in Bozeman and to bringing the information to Teton County.

September was a very full and productive month.  Montana hosted the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Science conference at Big Sky.  I chaired the promotional committee.  More than 700 colleagues from across the nation attended.  Planning the conference was nearly a two-year effort.  I applied and was selected to teach a four-hour session on the Art of Science and how to use science concepts to enhance FCS, 4-H and youth development programs.  My colleague, Roubie Younkin, and I were selected for a Showcase of Excellence session with Operation Concession Intervention and connected with more than 200 colleagues during that session.  I also taught Assistive Devices during one of the concurrent sessions.  You may be asking, “What difference does that make to our county?”  It allows the Extension work being done in Teton County to be shared on a national platform.  Hosting the event was an opportunity for the FCS Extension professionals in Montana to build even closer relationships, which really help as we share educational programs across the state.  During the conference I was able to attend sessions and bring back ideas for more educational programming in Teton County.  For years, I have been using classes and materials from my Extension colleagues across the nation to teach in Teton County.  It was great to meet the people behind the research and lesson plans, as well as be able to share knowledge from our county.

On the heels of the NEAFCS conference, I attended training Helena on Chronic Disease Management.  Glenn Deuchler, from Teton County Public Health, Betty Deuchler, volunteer, and I are preparing for the third session in a six-part series for people in Teton County to learn management tools to assist as they cope with a chronic disease or condition.  A total of XX people are attending this first series.  In September, Glenn Deuchler and I also continued our research with Cornell and MSU Extension through the Strong Hearts program.  The program is a National Institute of Health funded research project on cardiac disease prevention for rural women.  MSU Extension in Teton County is starting into the third year with this research project.  

Teton County 4-H was one of six counties responsible for hosting the Montana 4-H State Leadership Forum in September.  Our county handled registration, budget and finance, and evaluation.  The office staff was integral in preparing for this event that trained 170 4-H volunteers and members.  Seven Teton County volunteers and members attended the event in Lewistown.  Watson Snyder represented Teton County in his position as State 4-H Ambassador President.  While at the leadership forum, my colleague, Alice Burchak, Toole County, and I were able to unveil the 4-H communication curriculum we have been working on for nearly a year.  Other Extension colleagues joined the team and have created additional lessons for youth in the public speaking and communications area.  I am very excited to get the new curriculum in the hands of 4-H volunteers and members in Teton County and that it will be used across the state.

In October, I have been teaching a variety of classes in Teton County including the chronic disease management class, hand-washing and germ reduction at preschools, fraud and scam protection as Senior Centers and the recent Babysitter Boot Camp where twelve area youth received six hours of instruction.  We have had our planning meetings for 4-H for the year and are working on the teen leadership program.  The 4-H Food Drive in Choteau was last week and brought in nearly 1700 pounds of food and close to $500 in donations for the Teton County Food Pantry.  A team of 4-H youth plans the event each year and gains leadership skills coordinating the event. Brent Roeder, Ag Agent, and Susan Antonsen, 4-H volunteer, chaperoned six Teton County 4-H youth at the Ambassador Fall Training in Bozeman last weekend.  Research shows that the youth who learn leadership skills through 4-H apply those skills when they become adults serving in a variety of capacities in their communities.

I am looking forward to a new line up of classes in November including Strong People, Powerful Tools for Caregivers and Cooking in the Slow Lane.  

Building Strength: Strong People

The MSU Extension Office in Teton County plans to offer the StrongPeople strength training class in Choteau starting November 1 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Class will be from noon-1:00 p.m. and will continue through December 20.  This strength training class is a one-hour class, two days a week and will be held at Choteau City Hall.  Participants work through a series of weight-lifting and strength-training exercises.  Strength training improves:  muscle mass, strength, balance, bone density, arthritis symptoms, metabolic rate, glucose/lipid profiles and mental health.  The class is based on research from Dr. Miriam Nelson of Tufts University. The program, which uses free weights, is adaptable for a variety of fitness levels, and is available to both men and women.  The strength training class, taught by Jane Wolery, is for participants who are ages 16-100.  A minimum of 10 registered participants is required to offer the class.  

Please call the MSU Teton County Extension for registration packet and information about the StrongPeople class. The StrongPeople class does require a series of paperwork, including medical release forms.  The registration packets can be mailed or emailed to potential participants, as well as picked up at the Extension Office. The first 20 people with completed registration materials are guaranteed a spot in the class.  Others will be put on a waiting list. If there is ample interest, a second session may be added at 8:30 a.m.

Participants of previous classes have reported a variety of improvements, including relief from chronic pain, improved strength, increased sleep quality and an uplifted mental attitude.   

The StrongPeople participants will get an educational bonus with a variety of daily discussion topics from MSU Extension Family Consumer Science.  

eParenting -- Free Parenting Information Sent to Your Email

MSU Extension offers parenting education via free email subscription

Teton County, MT, January 6, 2017– Montana State University Extension has partnered with University of Wisconsin-Extension to deliver “eParenting® High-Tech Kids,” which provides ideas on using digital media to stay close to children and strengthen family relationships.

Beginning mid-January and running through mid-June, weekly emails will describe short, practical and positive tips on parenting and using digital media with children. The short emails will contain links to more resources for parents.  A parent who participated in Montana last year said, “"It helped me realize that I am not the only parent having these issues with my children and it offers strategies that can get you back on track with teaching and helping your child develop into an adult.”  Another parent added that the messages “reminded me to take a minute to simply reflect on being purposeful in my parenting whether technology was involved or not."

In Teton County many schools participated in eParenting last year by sending messages directly to families.  Several schools plan to start the eParenting emails soon.  People not automatically receiving eParenting messages through their schools can subscribe for the free information by visiting, http://msuextension.org/eParenting/subscription.html.   Grandparents and other adults are welcome to register, because we know having more caring and informed adults in the life of a child is a benefit.  You do not need to live in Montana to sign up, either, so feel free to share this opportunity with friends and relatives in other locations.    

To learn more about eParenting, watch the video at: http://fyi.uwex.edu/eparenting/.

MSU Extension is a statewide educational outreach network that applies unbiased, research-based university resources to address community needs. Visit msuextension.org for more information.  

Preserve@Home

Last fall, MSU Extension hosted the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Science Agents with more than 700 colleagues from across the nation in attendance.  By attending, I met colleagues from Idaho and Colorado who graciously shared an opportunity for you to participate in one of their on-line food preservation Extension classes.  

Do you want to learn how to safely can, dry or freeze your garden’s bounty? University of Idaho Extension invites you to enroll in Preserve@Home, an online food preservation class to teach individuals how to safely preserve a variety of food products. Participants learn how to produce high-quality, preserved foods and the science behind food preservation and food safety.

The registration deadline is Monday, January 17, 2017. The first lesson of the 6-week course opens online on Thursday, January 19 at 1 pm MST. Each lesson includes online text (that can be downloaded and printed), online bulletin board to facilitate participant discussion, and a real-time weekly chat to interact with classmates and instructors. The weekly online chat session for the first lesson will be on Thursday, January 26 from 1:00 to 1:45 p.m. MST. Topics to be covered include: Foodborne Illness – causes and prevention, Spoilage and Canning Basics, Canning High Acid foods, Canning Specialty High Acid Foods – pickles, salsa, jams, jellies, etc., Canning Low Acid Foods, and Freezing and Drying. Supplemental materials will include materials on planting varieties for food preservation, cold storage and root cellaring.

The cost is $35 plus the cost of supplemental materials. Many of the supplemental materials are available free, online. Class size is limited. For more information, contact Laura Sant at 208-852-1097 or lsant@uidaho.edu.

Strong People

Teton County, MT, January 5, 2017– As the morning alarm went off and I got my exercise clothes on, I was thinking about the day, not just the one ahead, but the same date thirteen years ago.  It was cold, like it has been the first week of January this year. I grabbed my tennis shoes and went to wake up my youngest daughter so she could get ready for her morning sports practice.  Thirteen years ago we weren’t taking anyone to sports practice on January 5.  We were headed to Chester for a medical appointment.  As I recall, I got a workout that day, too!  It lasted a little longer than my jog on the elliptical did this morning, but by that evening we were able to call friends and family to let them know that a healthy baby girl had arrived to join our family.

Not all workouts have such an immediate and tangible result as childbirth, but my two daughters have provided some of the motivation I need to continue exercising regularly.  One of my favorite exercise programs is the Strong People strength training program I have been teaching through MSU Extension in Teton County since 2008.  We currently have a class running from noon-1:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Choteau City Hall.  The free class is open to the public and will run from January 5 to February 9.  If you are interested, please call our office at 466-2492 or stop by Choteau City Hall on Tuesday or Thursday at noon to see the class and pick up a registration packet.  

The strength training exercises we use are ones that Dr. Miriam Nelson of Tufts University has been researching for years.  She has found strength training to nearly provide people with a “reverse aging” opportunity.  The exercises are simple and uncomplicated, but they are not easy.  Each participant can progress at his or her own rate by starting with no weights and working up to 20-pound free weights on each of the exercises.  Additional repetitions can be added or they can be done more slowly to make the strength exercises more challenging.  Participants mention immediate benefits from the exercises, including increased stamina and energy.  Past participants have had goals to travel with the younger generation of family members on a trip and the need to be able to walk and hike.  Several participants have remarked how much easier flights of stairs are or how easy it is to get out of chairs.  One even mentioned it improved his golf game markedly.  

For me, a big part of my motivation to exercise is my family.  I want to have the energy and strength to be a full and active participant in their lives now, and for many years to come. Perhaps you have some of your own motivations and reasons why you want to exercise.   I think exercising regularly can be the formula for staying as young as possible.  Not that I mind getting old.  I think that should be the goal, but it should also be the goal to be healthy and fit while we age.  People have often looked for the fountain of youth, but I’m pretty sure the fountain of youth requires sweat pouring out daily!  For me, I plan to keep exercising to combat the effects of now having two teenage daughters!  Whatever your motivation or inspiration, I invite you to join us for the Strong People class.

Do the Holidays Have You Spooked?

Do Holiday Finances Have you Spooked?

By Jane Wolery, MSU Extension Teton County

Teton County, MT, December 2, 2016– There is a famous holiday tale in which three ghosts make an appearance.  The classic tale about past, present and future offers a message so timeless that it has resonated for nearly 200 years.  All of a sudden I’m feeling a bit of pressure about the words I’m trying to string together!  I doubt what I have to write will have that kind of literary reach, but I hope it will help in the present, or should I say with the presents.

The holiday season is upon us and with it some of us will find ourselves facing the financial and perhaps, emotional, pressures of gift giving.  This week I was listening to a video on the America Saves. Start Small. Think Big. website.   The video featured two economists discussing holiday spending impacts.  As I listened, I thought about those three ghosts.  For many in our rural, ag-based economy the past year has been haunting them. I believe for many the past year has been a tremendous challenge, leaving some producers wondering if they can hang on and how to adapt spending to match a substantially diminished income.  The ag economy affects more than local producers.  Local businesses and other residents feel the secondary impacts.  We realize how interconnected we all are within our local economy.  

If the past year hasn’t been great financially for you, and you feel white as a ghost as you are faced with the holiday present, how do you manage?  The economists on the video I watched talked about mismatched earnings and expenses and how much the holiday gift giving and related holiday travel can create even more disproportion between the two.  There is more pressure to spend this time of year.  That pressure comes from advertising, non-profit fund drives, family expectations and a host of other sources.  One way to alleviate some of the pressure is to plan carefully.  Make a list of everyone you exchange gifts with and develop a budget.  Remember the “extra” places you are expected to provide a gift, such as for teachers, youth groups, social clubs, work parties, etc.  Review the list and compare it to your budget.  Consider whether the proposed spending is out of sync with your income.  If it is, it may be time to have honest conversations with the potential gift recipients and help set realistic expectations.  The bonus to this honesty is that you may lighten someone else’s burden, too.  You could suggest to friends or family to have a “second-hand swap” where you can only exchange gifts that have already been used or purchased at a thrift store.  You can also look for ways to be generous with your time and talents, rather than your money.  I have recently been reading The Five Love Languages series. No one in my immediate family has “receiving gifts” as one of their primary love languages. One of my daughters likes “quality time” to feel loved, so for her a coupon to spend time doing a craft or reading a book together would have higher value than a purchased object. My love language is “acts of service”, so for my birthday when my friend surprised me by washing my windows and mopping my floor, I really appreciated it.  For many on your gift list, there may be no better present than time.  

Readjusting your gifting to match your current economic reality may be one of the best things you can do for your financial future.  Many households are still paying off their holiday spending in April. One of the economists on the America Saves video pointed out by purchasing on credit cards, we are actually taking out a very high interest rate short-term loan.  Except that for many households it isn’t short-term and they are in the state of perma-debt with credit cards, eventually paying far more than the price tag for goods and services purchased because of compound interest. The average credit card balance looms at $16,000. The other economist mentioned that while he would not normally advocate for last minute shopping, if you are going to put purchases on a credit card that already has a balance, delaying those purchases as long as possible reduces interest.  Some households actually plan to use their tax refunds to pay off holiday spending, so any way you can narrow the gap between the purchase date and the receiving the tax refund will help.  Postponing spending as late as possible and preparing your taxes as soon as possible in the New Year can be one strategy to use to reduce the amount of your future earnings that is spent on interest payments. When the tax refund arrives, do not wait for a monthly bill, make a payment on your credit card immediately to reduce accruing interest.  See the MSU Extension Family Economics website for more information on managing your money.  

No matter what the past year has been like for you financially, I hope that in the present you can apply some strategies that alleviate financial pressure in your future.