MSUcares Publications

Mulches for the Landscape

Dr. Lelia Kelly, Dr. Gary Bachman, Cathy Ivy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:57:23 -0600

Mulch helps keep your garden and landscape healthy. Mulching occurs regularly in nature with fallen leaves, twigs, spent flowers, and other materials. These natural mulches have provided a protective covering for the soil. They, along with inorganic mulches, can do the same in your garden.

FNP - What is EBT?

Carol Ball — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:55:51 -0600

Electronic Benefit Transfer, or EBT, is the distribution of food stamp benefits with a plastic debit card. It allows eligible participants to purchase food items. The EBT card, similar to a bankcard, is issued and a personal identification number (PIN) is assigned to give access to the account. You slide your card through the machine to pay for groceries. The EBT card authorizes the transfer of government benefits from a federal account to a retailer’s account to pay for goods received.

FNP - Shopping List

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:54:22 -0600

With thousands of foods to choose from, how can you get the most nutrition from
your food dollar? A smart shopper plans ahead and knows exactly what to buy. A
smart shopper knows marketing techniques that may encourage spending beyond the
shopping plan. Food shopping on a budget takes planning. Follow these steps to get the most for your money:

FNP - Safe Food Sense

Carol Ball — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:52:27 -0600

Save grocery shopping for last on your to-do list. Shop for cold foods last and get it home
fast.

Never leave food in a hot car; this will cause food spoilage bacteria to grow. The
temperature danger zone for potentially dangerous foods is 40 degrees to 140 degrees. Do not buy foods
in containers that are leaking or bulging; or damaged cans, cracked jars, or jars with loose
or bulging lids. These foods could contain the rare and often fatal botulism poison.

Become a Rural Medical Scholar

Bonnie Carew — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:10:02 -0600

The Rural Medical Scholars Program is an opportunity for high school students between their junior and senior years to learn more about a career as a family medicine physician. This intense, rigorous program will give you a chance to check out the academic requirements for becoming a physician.
You will also take a look at the day-to-day practice of medicine.

As a Rural Medical Scholar, you will be part of a 5-week summer program at Mississippi State University. You will take two pre-med courses (Biology and Pre Calculus), spend four afternoons “shadowing” a physician in a clinical setting, visit the University of Mississippi Medical School, and participate
in events geared to the interests of young, aspiring physicians like you. To help launch your college career, a study skills workshop for gifted students will kick off the program.

FNP - Master Mix

Carol Ball — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:01:45 -0600

The following recipe is for Master Mix, an all-purpose baking mix that can be made ahead of time, stored easily, and used to make many dishes. Small families may wish to half the mix and large families may wish to double it.

FNP - What is WIC?

Carol Ball — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:59:41 -0600

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children – better known as the WIC Program – provides nutritious
foods, nutrition counseling, and referrals to health and other social services to participants at no charge. WIC serves low-income pregnant, postpartum, and breast-feeding women, and infants and children up
to age 5 who meet the financial, nutritional, and medical requirements.

FNP - Grocery List

Carol Ball — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:58:04 -0600

List staples missing from your pantry and items needed to make all of the menus you have planned. Keep a list ready right on the refrigerator to write down foods as you run out. Be sure to take the list to the store and mark items as you add them to your basket.

FNP - Food Substitutions

Carol Ball — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:55:52 -0600

When a recipe calls for one of the items listed in the column on the left, you may try using the approximate equivalent in the column on the right.

Selecting & Maintaining Poinsettias

Lelia Kelly — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:03:17 -0500

Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is the traditional flower associated with the Christmas season and the top-selling flowering potted plant in the United States. The brightly colored parts of the plant (called
bracts) are actually modified leaves. The true flowers are the yellow bead-like structures in the center of the poinsettia (called cyathia). Poinsettias range in color from the traditional red to pink, white, salmon, and bicolor. Hybridizers continue to develop more colorful, stronger cultivars that have longer-lasting bracts. If properly cared for, poinsettias may last many weeks or up to several months.