Mark your calendar for the Ewing Field Agronomy Tour on Thursday, June 12, at 9 a.m. More details will be available in the coming weeks on the U of I Extension website, www.extension.uiuc.edu.

The Business of Babysitting

The Business of Babysitting Clinic will be offered June 12, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. for students ages 12 and older. We will learn how to care for children of all ages. Discipline, safety, how to bathe a baby, what to charge, and many more topics will be covered. Lunch will be prepared by students and some simple crafts that can be used with children will be taught.

Participants will leave with more confidence and understanding of the business of babysitting. Register for class by calling the Extension office at 439-3178 by June 9. Cost will be $10. This covers lunch, crafts and booklet. The teacher will be Alice Hunt.

Kids Sewing Club

The Kids Sewing Club will be a fun 3 day summer opportunity for youth with an interest in sewing. Class is offered for youth 8 years and older on June 16, 17, and 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily in the Extension building. We will make a lap size quilt and a pair of elastic waist pants. You will learn to cut, sew, layer and tie a quilt and how to make a garment using a pattern. You must attend every session to participate. Bring a sack lunch and enjoy the day sewing.

Please register for class by calling the Extension Office at 439-3178 by June 11. There is no cost for the class, but you will need to request a list and bring the fabric, pattern and supplies necessary. Sewing machines will be provided or you can bring your own. The teacher will be Alice Hunt.

Summertime Parties: Keep the Food Safe

Summertime is here, and parties are a big part of the celebration. Some parties will be elaborate affairs with a served sit-down dinner while others will offer a buffet of homemade foods.

If the party features a buffet, caution is needed to prevent foodborne illness, says Jananne Finck, University of Illinois Extension nutrition and wellness educator. Bacteria are uninvited guests we want to avoid.

While bacteria are everywhere, there are a few types that especially like to crash parties. According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens and Listeria monocytogenes tend to be common problems as they frequent people's hands and steam tables.

The FSIS offers a few tips for a food-safe party:

• Always wash hands before and after handling food, and keep the food area, dishes and utensils clean.
• If cooking food ahead, be sure to cook foods to safe temperatures. Cook fresh roast veal and lamb to at least 145 degrees F for medium rare and 160 degrees F for medium doneness. Bake poultry to 165 degrees F. All other meat, fish and ground red meats should be cooked to 160 F.
• If cooking ahead, chill food quickly and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• On the buffet table, arrange and serve food in several small platters or bowls rather than putting all of one food in one large container. That way, one smaller dish is on the table while the rest of the food can be held at proper temperatures until needed.
• Replace empty dishes or platters rather than adding fresh food to the container.

The FSIS stresses perishable foods shouldn't sit at room temperature for more than two hours; if the temperature is 90 degrees F or higher, that time is reduced to one hour. Keep track of how long perishable foods have been on the buffet table, and discard perishable foods that have exceeded these times.

Remember to keep hot foods hot—at 140 F or warmer—by using chafing dishes, slow cookers and warming trays. Keep cold foods cold—40 F or colder—by nesting dishes in bowls of ice. Otherwise, use small serving containers and replace as needed for safe food handling.

For more information, visit the U.S. government food safety website at www.foodsafety.gov.