COMMENTS FROM MICAH
It continues to be a busy summer for Milam County 4Hers.
A Photography Day Camp was held a couple pf weeks ago in Cameron.
The Play Streets Summer Activity continues July 17 and 31, also in Cameron.
SMILE, CLICK—Photography Day Camp was held June 29 at Bea’s Kitchen in Cameron.
Eighteen kids learned about basic photography and how to take the right pictures from an experienced 4-H photography leader, Garry Karber.
Steve Young also gave a presentation on basic skills along with showing them some professional photography equipment and how to take unique pictures while the subjects move fast.
The youths then walked around the courthouse square after the lesson and took photos and shared them with the group.
Thank you to Steve Young and 4-H leader, Garry Karber for leading this wonderful workshop. Please be on the lookout for some more photography classes coming up soon.
Workshops will be geared to the advanced and novice groups separately.
PLAYTIME—Play Streets is a free and fun activity provided for families who want to be physically active and have fun with their children this summer.
We want to encourage all families to come and play and have fun together and hope they will come to these free events.
The next two Play Streets will be on July 17 and 31 and be located at the Cameron Elementary Fenced Yard by the pavilion where the Feeders of the Lambs lunch program will take place.
Play Streets will be for two hours (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
We will have a water bounce house, potato sack races, hula hoops, and activities with balls, bubbles, outdoor activities, healthy snacks, and many more fun activities for kids.
This year we will also have the Yoe Nation Reads mobile library available for the children to pick out books to read during the summer.
Come with your families to this fun, exciting, and free event and spend some time with your family!
For more information about Milam County Extension Service, please call the Milam County Extension Office at 254-697-7045 or email Micah Holcombe, FCH Agent, at mlholcombe@ag.tamu.edu. Milam County 4-H
The Milam County FCH has a Facebook page.
Please make sure and go in and “like” the page to get information about Milam County Family and Consumer Sciences! FCH Facebook: https:// www.facebook.com/pages/1/383866131781345. You can also find the sign up for the Step Up and Scale Down program on the Facebook site.
PICNIC SAFETY—
Summer is a great time to spend time with friends and family, especially at a picnic.
Having a picnic is a fun way to change up your mealtime. However, the Texas heat can wreak havoc if food is not handled or cooled properly.
Here are some precautionary measures to take when preparing your picnic meal:
• Wash your hands with soap and warm water before handling any food. Make sure to scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds.
• Make sure all food preparation areas are clean or sanitized.
• Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods to keep them out of the temperature danger zone (40-140 degrees Fahrenheit).
This is the temperature at which bacteria thrive and multiply.
Safely transporting your meal to the picnic is just as crucial as the preparation process.
Often, people pack too much food, resulting in leftovers. To prevent this, pack just enough food that will be eaten. In the case that there are leftovers, make sure they are stored properly and do not reach temperatures between 40-140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once a food item has been used, return it to the cooler immediately to keep it cold. Food that remains out of the cooler for more than an hour needs to be thrown away, especially in weather above 90 degrees.
Packing coolers with ice and using separate coolers for drinks and perishable items will help to keep foods from reaching temperatures within the danger zone.
Don’t forget to use clean hands when handling and serving the food, as well as putting it away once you are fi nished.
When searching for picnic recipes to try, stay aware of foods that must be kept cold. Those include:
• Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cooked beans or sandwiches/salads made with these foods lunch meat, cheese, salad dressing/mayo, milk, pudding, cut fruit, cut vegetables, cooked pasta, cooked rice.
When planning your next picnic, keep food safety at the top of your priority list, but also have fun and be creative.
Picnics are a wonderful way to enjoy nature, try new foods and spend time with loved ones.
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