[Image: joan]Events
Preparations under way for AgMagic at the State Fair of La.
Enter the World of Wonder and follow a path through a forest as you listen to birds chirping and water trickling in the wetlands. Feel the soft fur of different types of animals and count the years of growth on a large tree “cookie.”
These will be some of the experiences at AgMagic, an interactive, visually stimulating educational experience for children and their families at the State Fair of Louisiana this year, said Karen Martin, 4-H regional coordinator for the LSU AgCenter, which is co-sponsoring the event with the State Fair of Louisiana and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
“AgMagic is going to provide a great opportunity for youth and adults to truly see the importance of agriculture to the state,” Martin said. “The AgMagic experience will be very visual and will provide the kids that attend a fun way to learn about agriculture through some hands-on activities.”
This is a new free event at the State Fair of Louisiana, said Katherine Pace, 4-H agent in Caddo Parish. It will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the duration of the fair except for when guided tours are conducted for third- through sixth-graders Nov. 4-6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will also be open to the public once every hour for a guided tour.
On Saturday, Nov. 7, there will be hands-on activities for the public.
Schools can sign up for tours online at the Ag Magic at the State Fair site.
The site includes activities for children and facts about animals.
Martin continues the description of Ag Magic. “As you move out of the forest, you’ll enter the gardens and dig potatoes,” she said.
See the cases surrounding the house of prize-winning quilts and clothing, and enter the Louisiana Country Market where you can view a variety of Louisiana products and the canned goods with their brightly colored ribbons on them. Taste a variety of new foods and learn about the nutritious value of them.
As you leave the Country Market, you’ll enter fields where crops are grown. See the soybeans and wheat and feel the cotton as you look at all the products produced from cotton.
Travel into the barn where you’ll learn about the dairy industry and be able to hold a baby chick.
As you leave the barnyard, you’ll learn about water sources and ways to conserve water.
Bugs will come alive in the entomology area as you view insect exhibits and learn about bees.
To finish your AgMagic experience in the building, you’ll be able to leave your mark on the 4-H graffiti wall, play 4-H hopscotch and test your 4-H trivia knowledge.
As you exit, all of your senses will come alive in the 4-H mini farm where you’ll hear pigs squealing and cows mooing.
“Louisiana 4-H has always been an integral part of the State Fair of Louisiana,” said Chris Giordano, president and general manager of the State Fair of Louisiana. “The fair’s board of directors and I are truly honored to be able to give both youth and adults visual and hands-on opportunities that teach them agriculture, which is the ultimate goal of AgMagic at the State Fair.”
“We are very pleased to continue our expanded partnership with the State Fair of Louisiana in 2009,” said Dr. Paul Coreil, LSU AgCenter vice chancellor and director of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service. “Our educational exhibits were very well received in 2007 and 2008; however, this year we have partnered with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and the State Fair to expand our educational impact with an inaugural AgMagic educational experience that focuses on the importance of agriculture and forestry to everyone in Louisiana. Visitors will learn about a variety of quality of life products that are used in the home daily that come from farmers, forests and ranchers that they never thought was part of agriculture.”
The fair runs Oct. 22-Nov. 8 in Shreveport.
Schools interested in finding out more about AgMagic may also call Pace at (318) 226-6805.
Agents recommend safe game plan for tailgating
Food handling precautions can prevent illness from sidelining football fans who enjoy tailgating.
A key ingredient to safety is planning. Food-borne illnesses can be avoided by careful preparation and storage, said Connie Aclin, LSU AgCenter nutrition agent at Lunch and Ag Discovery, a monthly program of the LSU AgCenter.
“Wash your hands before and after handling food and keep your food at a safe temperature,” Aclin said. “Bacteria double every 20 minutes.”
Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold, Aclin said. “Your ice chest is your best friend.” One should be used for raw foods and another for beverages so as not to cross-contaminate, Aclin said.
On a buffet table, hot food should be kept at 140 degrees, Aclin said, and never be left out for more than two hours.
To determine whether food is done, use an instant-read thermometer placed in the thickest part of the food, not touching bone, fat or gristle, Aclin said. Recommended temperature for beef and pork is 160 degrees and 165 for chicken and turkey.
“Clean the thermometer really good before you put it back in the sleeve,” Aclin said.
“As food and consumer sciences agents, safety is our No. 1 priority,” said Joan Almond, LSU AgCenter nutrition agent in Webster Parish.
Disposable hand wipes or antibacterial gels should be kept handy. Almond puts one tablespoon of bleach in a gallon of water she brings to tailgating functions to kill germs.
“The worst thing that could happen is everyone goes home sick,” Almond said.
Almond demonstrated items on the menu of the event entitled “Tailgate: South of the Border.” Those included steak fajitas, Spanish rice, roasted peppers, salsa and pralines.
Almond suggested soaking skewers overnight before use and using a thin, long strip of meat opposed to a big cube. “Weave the meat in and out of the skewer so it cooks evenly,” she said.
She said the flavor on the meat comes from the vegetable next to it. She recommended onions, green and red peppers.
Her marinade was made with Italian dressing, fresh cilantro and limes. Marinade in which raw meat was placed should not be re-used, Almond said.
Almond shared a new find with the group, large lawn and leaf bags that can be used as a trash receptacle.
Sabine busy with Oct. activities
AgCellent Expo at the Zwolle Tamale Fiesta will be held Friday, Oct. 9, for third-graders.
Last year more than 200 students rotated to the different stations manned by the LSU AgCenter.
The Toledo Bend Lake Association will sponsor a BB gun shoot Saturday, Oct. 24, for kids in grades 1-12 to draw attention to the 4-H Shooting Sports Program. They feed everyone lunch and give trophies and BB guns to winners in grades 1-6 and trophies to winners in grades 7-12, said Julia Campbell.
Judy Wong, three-time world champion lady angler, is coming to talk about fishing and draw interest in fishing sports. There will also be a demonstration with the K-9 drug dog.
Forestry field day Oct. 13
There will be a forestry field day on Tuesday, Oct. 13, from 9 a.m. until noon in Caddo Parish at the tree farms of Ted Bryson and Ann Bryson Shocklee.
Shocklee’s home is located at 10386 Blanchard-Furrh Road in the Longwood community, which is 2.5 miles west of the Longwood Store at the intersection of Highway 169 and Blanchard-Furrh Road.
The group will look at first and second thinning of pine plantations and seeded pine stands and various other management practices. They will discuss the Conservation Stewardship Program and what it provides for forest landowners.
Please RSVP to Alison Smith at 318-965-2326 or asmith@agcenter.lsu.edu by Oct. 9 if you plan to attend, so she can obtain a head count for lunch.
Ricky Kilpatrick, area forester, has been working with faculty from the LSU School of Renewable Natural Resources to conduct GPS workshops for foresters and other land managers. Workshops were conducted in Natchitoches, Shreveport and Hammond in August and September. Other workshops are scheduled for later dates in other parts of the state.
There are lots of activities going on with Project Learning Tree. A workshop was recently conducted in Bienville Parish for teachers. Two more workshops are scheduled for October for education majors at Northwestern State University and LSU-Shreveport.
Oil City Elementary and Parkway High schools have begun conducting school energy audits with funds received through Project Learning Tree grants.
DeSoto Parish Fair promoted
The 2009 DeSoto Parish Fair kicked off Sept. 15 at the Dave Means Memorial 4-H Building on Highway 171.
Events included a 4-H talent show and cooking contest, market hog show, annual pet and dog show, livestock show with goats, beef and dairy cow shows, poultry and rabbit shows and a shotgun contest.
Molly Usrey and Mindy Kile appeared on the KTBS morning news show to promote the event.
RRRS readying for tomato crop
The fall greenhouse tomato crop at the Red River Research Station should be ready around Oct. 15, reports Dr. Hanna Hanna.
In test trials, Geronimo and Quest cultivars produced high yields with good-quality fruit and a long shelf life, Hanna said.
Webster, Bossier have livestock shows
The Webster Parish Livestock Buyer's Luncheon and Sale was held Oct. 2 at the Webster Parish Fairgrounds.
The catered lunch was sponsored by Wayne Avery Catering and was provided for the prospective buyers of the livestock auction. Kids and parents attended to meet with the many supporters of the event.
Jim Towns served as the auctioneer for the sale, which followed.
The poultry and rabbit shows were held Sept. 28.
Joan Almond is serving on the state Public Value Leadership team along with Dr. Patrick Colyer. The meetings are being held online and involve participants from all over the United States.
Fifteen 4-H’ers participated in the Bossier Parish livestock show held at the fair grounds recently. There were 49 entries at the first pet show.
A new development is the Bossier Parish 4-H Facebook page, which lists current events and photos. Join as a fan and check it out.
Bossier 4-H held its annual leaders’ training at the Louisiana Boardwalk. The 25 school volunteer leaders along with the Bossier Parish School Board superintendent and assistant superintendent attended the daylong event. Everyone was treated to lunch at Cheesecake Bistro.
Two from Pecan Station attending meeting
Dr. Randy Sanderlin and Dr. Charlie Graham attended a joint meeting of the Louisiana Pecan Producers Association and the Louisiana Pecan Growers Association on Sept. 26 in Monroe.
Graham gave a presentation about preparing orchards for harvest.
Calendar
Oct. 9 -- AgCellent Expo
Oct. 13 -- Forestry field day
Oct. 22-Nov. 8 -- AgMagic at the State Fair
Oct. 24 -- BB Gun Shoot