College of Agriculture & Natural Resources



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Bringing Knowledge to Life! |Partner Report |

Mason County | |

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|102 South Main Street, Suite 4 |E-mail: msue.mason@county.msu.edu |

|Scottville, Michigan 49454-1221 |Fax: 231-757-2977 |

|Phone: 231-757-4789 |Web: msue.msu.edu/mason |

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|February 2010 |

Mason County research highlighted at Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market Expo

Horticultural producers and farm market managers and vendors from across the state spent three days in early December at the annual Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market Expo in Grand Rapids.

As one of the program coordinators, Dr. Mira Danilovich, Interim Mason County Extension director, was involved in planning and presenting the expo’s stone fruit/peach and plum session.

Danilovich presented a report on a plum rootstock study that was conducted in the Mason County area. This research project began in 2003 with the support of the Plum Advisory Board and local fruit growers.

The study’s results showed rootstock dependency on vigor, yield potential, cropping efficiency and fruit quality in terms of size, firmness, taste and soluble solids content are of great value to nurseries and growers alike.

Nurseries use this information when planning what varieties and on what rootstocks to propagate the trees for mass distribution, offering growers the best combinations for their growing conditions.

The stone fruit session was at capacity with 30 people in attendance. The expo featured more than 50 educational sessions, three round table discussions and an apple/pear variety showcase.

Attendance at the expo was greater than 2008, with 3,700 pre-registrations and 500 registrations at the door on the opening day.

Contact: Mira Danilovich

Nutrition education benefits all ages

Low-income residents of ages benefit from MSU Extension’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) programs throughout Mason County.

Recently, 10 senior citizens at the Ludington Senior Center participated in an ongoing series of monthly classes focused on topics including reducing sodium, choosing nutrient-rich foods and eating healthy during the holidays.

At each class participants sampled a healthy food and received recipes and educational materials that reinforced what was taught. Nutrition related games, DVDs and discussion were incorporated into the lessons to make them engaging and fun.

At the other end of the age spectrum, MSU Extension offered a series of five classes for teens at the Journey High School in Scottville. These classes included presentations and activities related to food safety, whole grains, label reading, MyPyramid, fruits and vegetables, calcium and smart shopping.

Students received healthy recipes, educational booklets and kitchen items that will help them prepare healthy foods at home and put the information that was presented into practice.

An MSU Extension educator presented a series of five classes to all first grade classes at Mason County Central Elementary School in Scottville. Ninety students learned about MyPyramid, grains, fruits and vegetables, the milk food group, protein foods, physical activity, food safety and hand washing.

Continued

Nutrition lessons--continued

Books with nutrition-related themes, educational games, worksheets and age-appropriate activities were used through out the series. Students were given lesson reinforcement items to take home. These included a children’s book containing healthy recipes which can be prepared with adults at home, extending the influence of our education beyond the classroom.

Contact: Norma Stewart

4-H’ers hop into action at rabbit workshop

Every year at the Western Michigan Fair, more than 80 youngsters proudly exhibit their rabbits. In the showmanship competition, youngsters must follow a set of steps that demonstrate their ability to handle a rabbit. They must be able to answer questions about their rabbit project and display a rabbit that is appropriately groomed.

Because there is sometimes inconsistency in the way youngsters are taught to handle their rabbits and in an effort to give them the chance to ask questions about rabbit care and showing, a Mason County youth rabbit clinic was held Jan. 9.

The clinic was co-hosted by the Mason County 4-H youth development program and Mason County Small Animal Council. A local rabbit judge and a Mason County 4-H leader taught the workshop for free, costs of materials were covered by the participation fees paid to join 4-H, and a neighboring restaurant donated lunch to the participants.

Presenters used a rabbit learning lab that was purchased by the Mason County 4-H program. In addition to educational posters, the 4-H’ers had the chance to see showmanship demonstrations featuring rabbits that were brought in for the event.

Gail Newton, a local rabbit judge, reviewed dress code, how to speak to the judge and took questions from the youth and adults. She demonstrated the proper way to present a rabbit to a judge in competition. She also answered the questions that judges most often ask young people during showmanship classes.

The youth were split into five groups and given a 10-question quiz on what they had learned from Newton’s presentation. Answers were reviewed orally with all groups doing very well

Thirty-two youth and 10 adults attended the workshop. This was one of the largest turn outs Mason County has ever had for a small animal workshop.

All of the participants received educational packets and certificates upon completing the workshop

A few days after the workshop was held a mother came into the Extension office and explained that the workshop had inspired her children to work with their rabbits at home.

“The kids went home and started practicing holding their rabbits correctly and naming body parts,” she said. “Now all our rabbits’ nails have been clipped, cages have been cleaned and they’ve all been brushed.”

This is one example of feedback that demonstrated how the youth members were applying their new knowledge and practicing their new skills.

Contact: Michelle DeKuiper

Mason County MSU Extension part of Animal Health Network

The Animal Health Network was created on the recommendation of the National Center for Foreign Animal and Disease Defense in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

In the event of an emergency animal health situation, the state veterinarian's office would have a direct access communicate with animal owners through local feed stores and the established network of MSU Extension offices.

Mason County MSU Extension is part of the network with Michelle DeKuiper, 4-H Program instructor as the Mason County contact.

Contact: Mira Danilovich

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