Community Nutrition
Clermont County September Food Preservation Workshop
Do you enjoy food preservation?
Your last opportunity to attend a Food Preservation workshop with Clermont County Family Consumer Science Educator, Margaret Jenkins, is September 15, 2021 at 10AM. The last Food Preservation workshop will be held on the Clermont County Fairgrounds in the 4-H hall kitchen and will cover several different Food Preservation techniques. A photo from last weeks Food Preservation Workshop is posted above. Don’t miss out on the opportunity for this last workshop of the 2021 Food Preservation Season! See the flyer below for registration details.
Virtual Dining with Diabetes
Do you or someone you love have diabetes? With 30 million diabetics in America, you are not alone!
The Ohio State University, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences will be offering a free Virtual Dining with Diabetes class. The class will be offered several different dates in September and October. You will learn how to incorporate good, healthy cooking techniques and other practices to help control your blood sugar through our cooking school and nutrition education program designed for people with diabetes and their family members or caregivers. See below for dates, times, and registration information:
Dates:
September 22 10:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M.
September 29 10:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M.
October 6 10:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M.
October 13 10:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M.
Cost: Free
Registration: https://go.osu.edu/septemberdwd2021
Zoom link will be sent to your email address 24 hours before the class.
Questions: Any questions please contact Beth Stefura RD,LD, FCS Extension Educator, Mahoning County,
stefura.2@osu.edu, Marie Economos, FCS Extension Educator, Trumbull County, economos.2@osu.edu or call
(330)638-6783 or Margaret Jenkins, jenkins.188@osu.edu, FCS Educator, Clermont County.
Clermont County Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden Update
It’s time for Clermont County Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden weekly update. Last week brought high humidity with temperatures in the 80’s and 90’s all week. The pollinators in the gardens were busy. There were many varieties of butterflies spotted in the gardens as well. Lots of produce was harvested from the gardens last week. Last weeks produce was used for OSU canning classes and the rest is being donated to the Owensville Senior Center. The following is as list of produce and their weights harvested from the gardens last week and updated pictures of the gardens:
8/23/2021
Yellow tomatoes – 3 lbs. 7oz.
Red Tomatoes – 4 lbs.
Cherry Tomatoes – 1 lb. 8.9 oz.
Cucumbers – 8.6 oz.
String beans – 4.7 oz.
8/25/2021
1 little zucchini – 4.2 oz.
3 small cucumbers – 7.6 oz.
9 small Mangos – 1 lb. 14.4 oz.
15 Dark green peppers – 11.6 oz.
16 Banana peppers – 5.6 oz.
16 jalapeños – 9.4 oz.
Pepperoncini – 7.3 oz.
37 Tomatoes – 10.lbs 11.8 oz.
Cherry Tomatoes – 3lbs. 6.3 oz.
3 Pumpkins – 9.lbs 8.5 oz. (Pumpkin 1) 8.11 oz. (Pumpkin 2) 20 lbs. (Pumpkin 3)
8/27/2021
Tomatoes – 3lbs 6.4 oz.
Clermont County Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens Update
It’s time for a Clermont County Master Gardener Volunteer Demonstration Garden update! The Master Gardeners had this to say about the gardens, “All the gardens look very healthy. There are pollinators everywhere! They love all the flowers and the blooms on the garlic chives. Vegetables continue to flourish. There are still many green tomatoes and the peppers are accumulating. Cucumbers and squash are scarce. There are still green beans and several pumpkins. Potatoes aren’t ready yet. The team has done an incredible job with watering, weeding, and harvesting and scouting for bugs.” Enjoy pictures from the Clermont County MGV Demonstration Gardens.
Play Learn and Grow in the Park
The Clermont County Early Childhood Coordinating Committee is hosting a Play Learn and Grow in the Park event on Wednesday, August 25th from 11AM – 1PM. The event will be located at Union Square Park and Shelter at the corner of Bethel-New Richmond Rd. and Caroline Street. This event is for Kids ages 0-6. A free sack lunch is included and a blanket is recommended but not required.
10 Tips for Packing Waste-Free Lunches
By: Laura M. Stanton
Ohio State University
- Start with a reusable lunch box or bag. Avoid single-use items like disposable plastic or paper bags. Personalize, monogram, or label your reusable lunch container and items so they do not get lost.
- Pack reusable utensils. Avoid disposable plastic forks, spoons, and knives. Pack utensils made of durable plastic, bamboo, or stainless steel. Consider buying used utensils from a thrift store or using what you already may have at home.
- Scan your refrigerator and cupboards for appropriate lunch items so you can stretch your food budget and reduce wasted food in your home.
- Use food storage containers made of cloth, durable plastic, glass, or stainless steel that can be re-used. Avoid plastic baggies, plastic wrap, and aluminum foil. Use glass or ceramic containers to heat food items.*
- Drink from a re-fillable beverage container. Avoid single-serving drink boxes, pouches, cans, and bottles. Filtered water in a reusable bottle is the healthiest and least expensive option. Skip the straw or purchase one that is reusable and can be cleaned after each use.
- Bring your own dips and condiments. Single-use items are expensive and cost more money in the long run. Use small, reusable containers for salad dressings, ketchup, and other condiments and side dishes.
- Consider your napkin. If you prefer paper napkins, purchase napkins that are made from 100% recycled paper. The most sustainable option is a cloth napkin. Remember to use environmentally safe detergent to wash them and line-dry to save energy.
- Compost fruit or vegetable scraps. If composting is not currently offered, investigate what it would take to implement a composting program at home, school, or the office. Every item you compost makes a difference.
- Recycle what you can. Check with your local waste hauler to understand what items are recyclable in your area.
- Host a waste-free challenge at school, at your workplace, or in your home to see how small changes can lead to big reductions in waste.
Food Preservation Workshops
There is still time to attend a 2021 Clermont County Food Preservation Workshop!!
- August 24th at 5:00 PM will cover Tomato Products
- September 15th at 10:00 AM will cover Tomato Sauce
Workshops REQUIRE pre-registration and are limited to 6 people per workshop.
The deadline to register for each workshop is two days prior to the event.
Cost: $40 per workshop
Location: Clermont County Fairgrounds, 1000 Locust Street, Owensville, Ohio 45106, Located in the 4-H Hall kitchen.
Please see below for a link to registration and a workshop flyer.
Staying Active While Indoors
If the weather is bad or you prefer the indoors, there are still several physical activities you can enjoy. Check out these tips!
For more information on this topic and more, check out www.myplate.gov
Clermont County Food Preservation Workshops
Clermont County Food Preservation classes are in full swing this year. Last week’s workshop allowed attendees to make water bath salsa. Vegetables used to make the salsa were provided by the Clermont County Master Gardeners Demonstration Gardens and consisted of onions and peppers of all varieties. Workshops take place on the fairgrounds, located in the 4-H hall kitchen, and are hosted and taught by OSU Extension Clermont County’s Family Consumer Science Educator, Margaret Jenkins. Be on the lookout for future Food Preservation Workshop Dates. To register for a Food Preservation Workshop use the registration link below. For questions about future workshops or food preservation contact: Margaret Jenkins, Clermont County FCS Educator, jenkins.188@osu.edu or 513-732-7070.