Home > Our Offices > Parishes > St. Charles > Louisiana Food and Fiber Industry Monitor 11-06-09 [Image: Louisiana Food and Fiber Monitor] The big issue in the agricultural sector over the lastseveral weeks has been the persistent rainfall thathas fallen throughout most of the state. FromSeptember through the end of October, the state hasseen rainfall totals that ranged from roughly 15inches to over 30 inches depending on the location. Cook your turkey properly to avoid illness (Distributed 11/12/09) Turkey is the traditional choice for most Thanksgiving celebrations. There is no quality difference between a fresh or frozen turkey although fresh turkeys have shorter shelf lives, according to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames. Certain Pies Dangerous At Room Temperature The holidays are time to enjoy special desserts you may only make once a year. To prevent getting foodborne illness, refrigerate pies containing eggs and milk, such as pumpkin, custard and cream pies. Thanksgiving Dinner Costs Less This Year When Louisiana cooks shop for their Thanksgiving meal, they’ll find the cost of the basic dinner items will average $36.31 for 10 people, according to an LSU AgCenter survey of Baton Rouge-area prices. That’s down by $3.50 from last year’s average of $39.81 – a 9 percent drop.  more articles... Only 1 Cooking Temperature to Remember If you’ve been confused in the past about the temperature you needed to cook your holiday turkey, you now need to remember only one temperature, 165 degrees. Fried Turkey Gets Nutrition Nod When frying a turkey, it is imperative that the bird be completely thawed, or the oil will "boil" when the bird touches it – possibly causing injury or fire. To thaw a turkey in the refrigerator safely, leave it in the original wrapping, place it on a tray and refrigerate. Allow five hours thawing time per pound. St. Charles Parish Advisory Leadership Council Minutes 2009 [Image: Leadership Advisory Committee 2009] The annual meeting of the St. Charles Parish Advisory Leadership Council was held at the St. Charles Parish Extension Office, located at 1313 Paul Maillard Road in Luling, Louisiana, on Wednesday, March 18, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The minutes follow. Enrich holiday meals with Louisiana yams (Distributed 11/06/09) Thanksgiving is a perfect time to enjoy Louisiana yams. The Louisiana yam is an exceptional type of sweet potato – sweet and flavorful, with a soft, moist flesh, says LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames . Diabetes month is reminder about healthful eating (Distributed 10/29/09) Every November during American Diabetes Month, LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames reminds people healthful eating is important for managing diabetes. Louisiana Food and Fiber Industry Monitor 10/06/09 [Image: Louisiana Food and Fiber Industry Monitor 10/06/09] Producers continue to be busy with harvest. For some crops, producers are putting the finishing touches on the 2009 year while for others harvest has just started or is in the heart of the harvest season. Producers also have begun to make preparations for planting fall-planted crops such as winter wheat and ryegrass. Read more by opening the attached file. Talkin' Horses [Image: Horse trio] This newsletter features topics on the purchase, care and training of horses, and includes news and upcoming events. Home Citrus Spray Schedule This chart indicates which pesticide to spray, when to spray the pesticide, and which insects are controlled by the pesticide. River Express Newsletter October 2009 Want to know what's going on in St. Charles Parish 4-H? Check out the monthly newsletter. The newsletter will be issued at the regular monthly 4-H Club meetings throughout the school year, but you can also see them by clicking on the links at the bottom of this page. Bugs, Bugs, Bugs, September 2009 [Image: snails on foliage] Bugs of the month for September 2009 include: slugs, yellow jackets, stinging caterpillars, fire ants, love bugs, Green June beetles, loopers, Elongated Tree ants, armyworms, Diaprepes weevil.