Page 4
PRESS PERSPECTIVES
THE WALSH COUNTY PRESS ° WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014
FROM THE
EDITOR'S DESK...
By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
BY ALLISON OLIA4B
EDITOR, WALSH COUNTY PRESS
My husband likes to chat with
random folks. This weekend we
made a quick stop at Wal-Mart in
Grand Forks on our way home
Hello,
As usual, it is Monday morning
and I have no idea what to write
about. And I have very little time to
do it, because I have hungry cows
and calves waiting for that early
morning feed.
And, per usual, I rely on Shirley
to tell me what to write about. She
suggested, that beings Thanksgiving
is coming up in a couple days,
write something thankful! So I was
going to. And then I found this old
article. Enjoy...
And a Happy Thanksgiving to
you and yours! I usually write about
how many relatives came to Thanks-
giving dinner and try to do a sum-
mary of what it cost. It is kind of like
the deal where they talk about
"killing the fatted calf'. Only we do
it with a 30 pound turkey, a nice big
prime rib, and a delicious ham.
Now, I know the turkey gets all the
credit, but I tell you what, that
prime rib goes pretty darn fast
around our table.
I was at a cattle meeting the oth-
er night and it gave me a lot of food
for thought. Reasons why we raise
from a long weekend with his fam-
ily. He asked the checkout gal who
was helping us with our haul how
her Thanksgiving was she said that
Hat
cows and kids and wheat and corn
and horses and dogs and cats.
As you looked around the room,
you saw a wide variety of people.
Young. Old. Couples with small
children. Oldsters that have been to
meetings for fifty years trying to help
rural America survive. I had a great
speech in my head for ending the
meeting. But one rancher spoke up
before I had a chance. His voice was
choked as he simply said, "I have a
ten year old son that talks about
wanting to be a cowboy and a
rancher. IfI don't work to make this
industry survive, he won't have
that opportunity. That's why I go to
meetings."
I thought about it on the way
home that night. Is there any better
sound than a horse munching oats,
[ . Happenings at 0ur
,samaritan Good Samaritan
) soeicn
.... lt, Rr.'za Nannette Hoeger, Activities Dir.
I
This week Nov.
30th- Dec. 6th
Nov. 30th Worship
2:30 w/Pastor Totman,
3:30 Christmas Stories
Dec. 1 st 10am Em-
broidery Group, lpm
Baking C0ok/e' 3;;
5pm Ros 6:45 Bin ....
go
Dec. 2nd 2:30 De-
votions Photo: Submitted
Dec. 3rd 3pm Bingo
Dec. 4th 2:30 Devo- /ld]oTe: I. to R Virginia Meyer, Virginia Hallostad,
tions w/Communion, Bomk b'/0el, Nannette H0eger, and Unda
3:15 Birthday Party Nelson. Helping make for ThanksgMng.
hosted by St. Johns A1-
tar Society, 6:30 Movie
Night
Dec. 5th 10:30 Nail Time, 3:30
Making Christmas Cards
Dec. 6th Mass 9:30 w/Father
Luiten, lpm Christmas Craft, 2:15
Bingo
Next Week Dec. 7th- Dec. 13th
Dec. 7th Worship 2:30 w/Pastor
Haugaas, 3pm Pearl Harbor Trivia
Dec. 8th 10am Embroidery
Group, 4pm Hymn Sing, 5pm
Rosary, 6:45 Bingo
Dec. 9th lpm Frosting Cookies,
3:30 Bible Study
Dec. 10th 3pm Bingo
Dec. llth 3:15 Piano w/Father
Luiten, 6:30 Movie Night
Dec. 12th 10:30 Nail Time, 3pm
Making Christmas Cards and Wrap-
ping Gifts
Dec. 13th 9:30 Mass w/Father
Lniten, lpm Christmas Crafts, 2:15
Bingo
Thank You to our Volunteers for
all your help, a special thank you for
Larry Amundrud and family for
coming in on your day off to help
decorate for Christmas, and Donna
Settingsgard for helping roll Lefse,
Pastor Totman, Shirley Sobolik,
Cornella Wylie, Barb Elefson,
Dorothy Novak, Pastor Hinrichs, St.
Johns Altar Society, Terry Hagen,
Corinne Ramsey, Father Luiten, I
am sorry ifI missed anyone. If you
would like to volunteer please call
Rose Ulland at 701-284-7115.
Maa00-vm00
]E00b00He00;b Walsh County Health District
P ..... ,P .... " Short Shots
NDSU Agriculture Communication
In January 2014 recreational
marijuana was legalized in Col-
orado. This followed medical
marijuana legalization in 2009.
Since Jan 1, 212 recreational
marijuana stores have opened in
Colorado, joining about 500
medical marijuana dispensaries
that already existed. Concems
have been voiced about this level
of visibility that is normalizing
marijuana use since we know
that the more normalized it be-
comes the higher youth use will
be. While law enforcement
groups say marijuana problems
are on the rise in schools, teen
use in Colorado remains below
the national average (36.9% in
Colorado compared to 40.7% in
the US).
Of concern to public health
are marijuana edibles. Nearly
half of the marijuana sales in
Colorado have been edible mari-
juana items. Edible items in-
clude things like chocolates,
sodas, brownies, cookies, and
candies. There is a lack of regu-
lation on edible marijuana that
has led to a significant number of
emergency room visits by adults
(usually not life threatening if
they ingest too much) and chil-
dren (can develop breathing
problems depending on how
much they ingest). Colorado has
a state task force working on the
regulation of edible items.
It is too soon to tell what effect
recreational marijuana has had
on impaired driving. About 497
people have been cited for im-
paired driving while under the in-
fluence of marijuana, but half of
those cases also involved alcohol
or another drug. All parties agree
that more research needs to be
done in the area of impaired driv-
ing.
Also needing more study is
whether legalization will lead to
an increase in marijuana addic-
tion and treatment. It is antici-
pated that getting accurate data
on this will require a number of
years to determine.
It has not taken long for mari-
juana to become big business in
Colorado. Marijuana is expected
to bring in more than $100 mil-
lion in tax revenue this fiscal year
in Colorado. There are many
more lessons to be learned from
Colorado; let's take the time to
learn those before we expand on
recreational marijuana use in
other states.
she spent it at the store. Normally, So I am thankful for the life les-
this would be a comment that sons of strangers.
would get me all fired up about re-
tail over-stepping its bounds and
putting dollars before families, but
she had an amazing perspective.
She said that the first year she had
to work the holiday was difficult
but after that, it was easier because
it made her realize that you can't
wait for acertain day to be thankful
for your family since you never
know what the next day will hold.
The next day is never guaranteed.
Tips
after you've put in a long day in the
saddle and are just sitting down in
the barn? Is there anything better
than helping your kids pull their first
calf Or take them on their first ride
through the cows?
Is there anything better for a kid
than knowing if they are going to go
to the dance on Friday night, there
are chores that need done first, and
there will be chores that need done
at daylight on Saturday?
I know there are millions of
people out there that don't have that
opporttmity. But it always seems to
me, that as a rural parent, we have
a little advantage that makes our job
a little easier. I think most in people
in the Dakotas have that advantage.
Shirley was at a meeting with one
of the commanders of a unit from
While a random Thursday in
November forces us to count our
blessings, this woman does it every
day.
I have a lot to be thankful for and
as the holiday season approaches I
intend to look past the traditions of
the day and make each day mean
just a little be more.
Like" the Walsh County Press on Face-
book.com.
North Dakota that had been in Iraq.
This was some time ago. The ques-
tion was asked"ifthe troops had the
supplies and armament that they
needed". The soldier thought a
minute and replied that they didn't,
but he had a bunch of boys from
North Dakota that could pull a
truck into the motor pool and with
a welder and some scrap iron im-
provise. I'm glad they can help. But
I wish they were home.
We have a lot to be thankful for.
Oh, there are always problems.
There is drought and war and sick-
ness. There will be loss of loved ones
and those that can't make it to din-
ner.
But, when you get up in the
morning, and watch that sun com-
ing up in the east. And you know that
next year is going to be a good crop
year. And you are surrounded by
kids and grandldds, take the time to
be thankful. And say a prayer for
those that can't be at the table this
week.
Later, Dean
' Grinch City ' LooMng for
Christmas Decor
"We look like Grinch City,"
grumbled Orville Jordan, the re-
tired railroad depot agent, as he
joined the t0wn's ! other electors
inthe frigid Bohemian hall for,g
midwinter meeting of the Com-
munity Homeland Committee.
"If we had bought those Christ-
mas candles from Sudsberg when
the town folded we would have
something snazzy to decorate our
town," he complained loudly so all
could hear.
The other freezing electors had
pulled the cold metal folding
chairs in a tight circle under the
largest sun-filled window, hoping
closeness would warm the air. It
didn't.
Chairman Ork Dorken
thumped the meeting to order with
his buffalo mitt.
"Didn't we name a committee
in February to recommend some-
thing about those big street can-
dles?" asked Little Jimmy, the
town's perennial online student
and only scholar. He was now
majoring in climatology.
"The committee met in Stam-
stead's carrot patch but we only
looked at starting a horticultural
society," reported Madeleine Mor-
gan, the jane-come-lately from
Montana. She had been in town
only 15 years and was already
talking at meetings.
"Are those Sudsberg candles
still around? Maybe we can still
get them for a song?" Holger Dan-
ski asked hopefully.
"No use even thinking about
them," Chief Alert Officer Garvey
Erfald stated firmly. "There were
eight of them and we have only
seven street lights to hang 'em
on."
"I wasn't enthusiastic about
them anyway," he continued. "If
we put those big things up, nobody
would see the alert warnings."
'Who needs alert warnings?"
Dorsey Crank taunted. "We
haven't seen a genuine terrorist
since we put those warnings up
seven years ago. The terrorists all
went to Affyganistan."
"We can't afford those Christ-
mas candles on our budget,"
Orville noted. "I 'spose we could
offer time payments, like $20 a
year," Orville explained.
"Let's downsize to something
that fits our budget - like candles
on the four Main Street lights,"
Einar Stamstead proposed.
"Not on your life!" exclaimed
Dorsey Crank. He lived on Back
Street.
"Maybe we should just pick
one building on Main Street - like
the blacksmith shop - and deco-
rate it with lights," suggested
Madeleine.
"But that's 400 feet from the
nearest light socket," protested
Little Jimmy.
"Smitty hated Christmas. He
thought it was a capitalistic plot
and wouldn't even light a candle
at Christmas," Holger explained.
"It would be unchristian to light
up his building when he's dead."
"I say light up one nice big
Christmas tree next to the old liv-
ery stable," proposed Josh.
"And who's got one nice big
Christmas tree?" grilled
Madeleine.
"That's the second time she put
in her two cents," Old Sievert
growled to Einar. He claimed he
wasn't a sexist. He just thought
women should know their place.
"Well, there's a big evergreen
out in the abandoned Riba ceme-
tery that nobody has maintained
since the Bohemian Hall blew
away 50 years ago," Ork reported.
"Taking that tree would be
stealing," warned Einar.
"Stealing is when you take
something that belongs to some-
body," Garvey rationalized. "That
cemetery belongs to nobody - the
county doesn't even want it."
"It would still be stealing," re-
peated Einar.
"Worse yet, everybody in the
county would know where we got
the tree and that would be more
embarrassing than leaving the
town in the dark at Christmas,"
Little Jimmy supposed.
"We need some sort of ethics
committee to check this issue with
Father Gorinski or Pastor Erduff
by next Christmas," Madeleine
proposed.
"Great idea!" exclaimed
Dorsey as he rose to his feet while
pulling his ear flaps down and his
sheepskin collar up.
That triggered a rush. The
meeting turned into dashaway
dashaway before Ork could get his
mittens on.
The town would be "Grinch
City" for another year.
'VVe look like Grinch City" grumbled
Orville Jordan, the retired railroad de-
pot agent,as he joined the town's 13
other electors in the frigid Bohemi-
an hall for a midwinter meeting of me Com-
munity Homeland Committee.
Prairie Fare
NDSU Extension Service
Put on Your Baking Scientist Hat
I pushed my cart around the
mountains of baking ingredients
on pallets in the grocery store
aisles the other day. Many of the
store shelves were empty, espe-
cially the shelves that noted a
coupon was needed. The store had
just gotten a large shipment of
bags of flour, granulated sugar,
brown sugar and chocolate chips.
Yes, holiday baking season is
upon us and cookies often top the
list of holiday food traditions. Of
course, you can buy cookies read-
ily in grocery stores, but they
usually do not taste the same as
homemade.
The word cookie comes from
the Dutch word "koekje," which
means "little cake." According
to food historians, bakers would
bake a small amount of cake bat-
ter to test the oven temperature.
While growing up, my relatives
often made cookies associated
with our Scandinavian heritage. I
remember the deep-fried rosettes
dipped in sugar. They looked like
crispy flowers. I especially liked
the krumkake, which were made
with a special iron and rolled into
a tube.
If you decide to bake this year,
put on your mathematician's hat
and your scientist lab coat. Actu-
ally, tying back your hair if you
have long hair and putting on an
apron will suffice.
Wearing a chef's hat, or toque,
may get you in the baking spirit,
though. When my children were
younger, I bought a couple of
chef's hats to motivate them to
help me.
Baking is an effective way to
teach kids about measuring and
the functions of ingredients while
having fun in the process. If you
are doubling or tripling recipes,
you may want to get out a piece of
paper and write down the new
recipe. Double-check the math
to avoid culinary disasters.
Incorrect measurements and
mixing can affect your final prod-
uct. If you add too much of a par-
ticular ingredient, such as flour,
your end product may have a dry,
crumbly texture. If you use too lit-
tle baking powder or soda, your
baked good might not rise prop-
erly. If you mix cookies too much,
you may develop the gluten (pro-
tein) in the flour and get a tough
cookie instead of a tender one.
In preparation for baking sea-
son, try this little quiz about meas-
uring.
This ingredient should be
spooned into a measuring cup
and then leveled offwith the back
of a knife.
This ingredient should be
packed in a measuring cup. The in-
gredient should hold its shape
when placed in the mixing bowl.
Your recipe calls for 2 cups of
butter. How many sticks of butter
should you use?
Your recipe calls for 1/2 pint of
cream. How many cups is that?
When you measure these types
of ingredients, you should bend
down and look at them at eye lev-
el.
The answers: 1. Flour should
not be dipped. It should be
spooned in and leveled. 2. Brown
sugar should be firmly packed, un-
less the recipe says otherwise. 3.
Use four sticks of butter for 2 cups
because each stick is 1/2 cup of
butter. 4. One-half pint of cream
is equal to 1 cup. 5. Liquid ingre-
dients, such as water and oil,
should be measured using a liquid
measuring cup. Set the measuring
container on a countertop and
view at eye level.
Enjoy holiday treats in moder-
ation to avoid New Year's weight
loss resolutions. Visit
http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/food for
more seasonal mixes for soups and
other baked goods.
Here's a delicious baked good
recipe that calls for antioxidant-
rich dried fruit, such as blueberries
or cranberries. You can place the
ingredients in a jar and add some
trim to have a nice gift to share
with a friend.
Blueberry or Cranberry Scone
Mix in a Jar
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. nonfat dry milk powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. shortening
1 c. dried blueberries or cran-"
berries
Stir together the flour, sugar,
dry milk, baking powder and salt.
Use a fork to cut in the shortening
until the mixture looks crumbly.
Pour into a 1-quart glass jar and
top with the blueberries. Add
more dried fruit to fill in the gap
between the flour and top of the jar
if needed. You also may place the
mix in a zipper-top plastic bag.
Copy the scone recipe and add it
to the jar or plastic bag. Use im-
mediately or store up to six weeks
at room temperature or freeze for
up to six months.
Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D.,
L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Ex-
tension Service food and nutn'tion specialist and
professor in the Department of Health, Nutri-
tion and Exercise Sciences.
Editor's Note 1
• The Extension Ex.l/ange columnn was not available this week. It will
return as soon as posslole.
Extension on Ag
around the state
Central Dakota Ag Day Set
The North Dakota State Uni-
versity Extension Service is host-
ing an agricultural program Dec.
16 at the NDSU Carrington Re-
search Extension Center.
The Central Dakota Ag Day
program begins with coffee and
doughnuts at 9:30 a.m. Work-
shops start at 10 a.m.
"The daylong program will
provide a wealth of educational in-
formation on a variety of topics,
some old, some new, to crop and
livestock producers not only in
central North Dakota but
statewide," says Joel Lemer, an
Extension agent in Foster Coun-
ty. "There also are horticultural of-
ferings for the nontraditional pro-
duction agriculturalist."
Workshop topics include:
Managing herbicide-resistant
weeds
Crop issues such as soybean
production, soybean cyst nema-
tode and white mold manage-
ment; why green crops are yellow;
and making wheat viable in to-
day's market
Durum wheat contracts in 2015
2015 crop budgets
2014 farm bill
Agricultural uses for unmanned
aircraft system
Cover crops for livestock feed
Veterinary feed directives
Beef cattle body condition scor-
ing
Cow-calf budgets
Livestock marketing outlook
Horticultural issues such as
apple tree selection for North
Dakota growing conditions and
high-tunnel gardening
Farm and ranch succession
planning
No registration is required.
Lunch will be provided. For more
information, contact Lemer at
(701) 652-2581 or
joel.lemer@ndsu.edu.
The Carrington Research Ex-
tension Center is 3 1/2 miles north
of Carrington on U.S. Highway
281.
Editor's Note
The Around the County columnn was not available this week. It will return
as soon as possible.
