We have nearly 50 individuals pre-registered to attend the Forage program presented by Garry Lacefield. It should be a very informative evening!

Diabetes Support Group Meets January 14th
Jane Rogers will be presenting the program at 1:30 p.m. in the Extension Building.

Need to Renew Your Pesticide Applicator License?

Extension is again offering Private Pesticide Applicator Certification Training for those who need to be licensed to purchase and apply restricted-use pesticides. It will be at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 22 in the Extension building west of Benton. There is a $30 fee for the training, which can be paid at the door. Call the office at 439-3178 if you have questions or need study materials.

Decluttering Your Life

Is all the STUFF in your life driving you crazy? Do you spend too much time piling, sorting, and moving stacks from one place to another? Are you tired of searching for things? Aren't we all!

Learn how to reduce paper and clutter in your home and at work, easily locate those important notes and phone numbers, prevent interruptions, and save yourself hours of time and stress every week. Come to a program taught by Lois Smith, University of Illinois Extension educator in consumer and family economics. It will be Tuesday, January 27 at 10:00 a.m. This program is open to anyone interested, so you will want to plan to attend. Your sanity may be at stake!

Ten Simple Steps…..

If you are interested in practical tips for making your 2009 garden more productive or improving your home landscape, you will be interested in this program. Ron McCollom, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener, will present a workshop on Thursday January 28 at 1:00 p.m. in the Extension building. He will have helpful tips for all types of gardeners. There is no fee, but we need to know if you plan to attend by January 23 so that we can have materials available. Please call 439-3178 to get your name on the list.

Make Your Own to Lower Sodium

Soup is a popular meal, especially during the winter months. While canned soup is a fast meal, the sodium content is usually higher than many of us need. Some canned soups have over 750 milligrams of sodium per serving, making a 10-3/4 ounce can add up to 1875 milligrams! Considering one teaspoon of salt is a little over 2000 milligrams, that is quite a bit of sodium in one can.

To lower sodium and make it more heart healthy, many have switched to buying lower sodium soups, or have gone back to making their own. By making your own, you can control the sodium and still have a delicious soup that usually costs less per serving than canned soup or soup mixes.

Call the Extension office if you need some low cost, nutritious soup recipes.