Local Interest

By Andrea Nisely, UNL Extension Educator, Dawson County

Salt is generally added to canned foods to enhance their flavor. Canning or Pickling Salt is recommended for home food preservation. 

With the exception of fermented pickles and sauerkraut, salt is an optional ingredient. Salt can be omitted when canning tomatoes, vegetables, meats, poultry, and seafood since the amount added does not contribute to the safety of the food. However, in fermented sauerkraut and brined pickles, salt not only provides flavor but also is vital to safety since it may encourage the growth of desirable bacteria while inhibiting the growth of others. Therefore, do not attempt to make sauerkraut or fermented pickles by cutting back on the salt required. 

By Jeanne Yeoman, Nebraska Extension Master Gardener

By Jeanne Murray, Nebraska Extension Master Gardener

Are you planning to can some of your garden produce? 

Garden produce can be preserved by two canning methods, the water-bath or the pressure canner. Water-bath canning is for produce with high acidity, like pickles, most fruits, sauerkraut, tomatoes, jams and jellies. The pressure canner is used for low-acid foods, like vegetables, meats, sea foods and salsas without added acid. Improperly canned produce may result in a deadly food poisoning.

Do you need to adjust your canning time or pressure for high altitude, or can you use the recipe as printed? 

The University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center will partner with the Nebraska Dry Bean Growers Association on Aug. 23 to host the annual field tour, Panhandle Agricultural Research and Technology Tour (PARTT). The 2022 event will highlight up-to-date research on dry beans and other crops. Entry is free. PARTT will include tours of crop research plots; lunch; afternoon presentations on timely topics; and a chance to see new ag technologies. 

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Panhandle Center, 4502 Avenue I. At 9 a.m. the program will begin, and plot tours will follow starting at 9:15 a.m. Trailers will take visitors on the plot tours and each stop will last 25 - 30 minutes.  

By Elaine Pile, Nebraska Extension Master Gardener

Drought Tolerant Plants

As we once again are experiencing drought this year, we need to consider drought tolerant plants. These plants will persist for three or more years with little or no supplemental watering, and help conserve water, reduce water maintenance and still provide multi-season color and interest. They do best in full sun and well-drained soil. Areas that are difficult to water or are subject to reflected heat and light are good locations for drought-tolerant perennials. 

Marathon Kids Run More Than 5,000 Miles

More than 5,000 miles ran over the course of the summer by kids who participated in Nebraska Extension Marathon Kids. More than 200 runners signed up for the summer program and 70 runners completed marathons. 

Marathon Kids is a national running program designed to motivate kids by utilizing running logs, boost their activity, and introduce them to the joy of running! The goal for the program is for youth and their families to become more active and gain confidence through running. Whether the participants run, walk, or even skip – a mile is a mile, and being physically active is so good for their health.

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