Cape Cod Cooperative Extension
Quarterly Newsletter
May 2020
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3195 Main Street
P.O. Box 367
Barnstable, MA 02630
508-375-6690
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A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
Michael Maguire
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This morning I awoke before dawn and made the trek to Paradise Hollow, an aptly named valley I lived in 20 years ago. As I slipped through the pitch pines and navigated my way through the green briar in the predawn twilight I was greeted by the pinkish hue of daybreak illuminating the pines – and for a fleeting, glorious moment the sun burst through the trees stopping me in my tracks. Alone in the Wellfleet woods, I took in the moment and the morning in all its grace, thankful to be alive and to be witness to such a special moment and place. As I paused, I noticed movement to my left and I watched silently as a deer fed through the thicket only a few yards away. I was overwhelmed with the beauty of the moment and my thoughts drifted to Mary Oliver’s
The Place I Want to Get Back To
and how she so vividly captured a similar experience.
There are many lessons I have taken from that poem, and chief among them is to appreciate each moment for what it is and to understand what is to live in a house of gratitude. This morning I was reminded that the place that I want to get back to is not necessarily “how things used to be” but rather the mindset to appreciate how truly remarkable this moment in time is and how incredibly important each and every individual contribution is to the collective whole.
For more than 100 years and through depressions, recessions, wars, and pandemics Cooperative Extension has served as a critical resource to bring applied research and science from Land-Grant (and in our case Sea Grant too) Universities to address many of the most pressing needs of our communities. As our community faces this new challenge, Cape Cod Cooperative Extension staff will carry on their role as educators, collaborators, researchers, problem solvers and citizens.
I hope that this newsletter finds each and every one of you well and in good health and rest assured knowing staff at Cooperative Extension are hard at work.
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NUTRITION EDUCATION & FOOD SAFETY
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Our Nutrition & Food Safety Educators are always considering budget-friendly, healthy meals for a family using what’s on hand and locally in season, but for many Cape Codders who are staying at home right now, they may never have given it so much thought and effort!
One tip while shopping is to choose leafy greens that can last a bit longer such as kale or cabbage. Try preparing it in a new way.
BFBL Kale video
If you have children at home, you might even consider starting seeds indoors. The end result is not only a fresh salad over the coming weeks, but also potentially a lesson in science, math and the culinary arts. While you’re at it, try making your own salad dressing too!
Make Your Own Salad Dressing Recipe
Another important consideration while stocking up on a week or two’s worth of food is food safety and following proper storage guidelines to extend the shelf life of groceries at this time. Now is a great time to take inventory of what you have on hand and get creative in the kitchen.
Click here for more information on freezing food.
Consider a healthy recipe exchange with family and friends. Take it a step further by eating “together” over a virtual conference call to share your experience and stay connected!
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AGRICULTURE & HORTICULTURE
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Consider growing vegetables at home. Many vegetables are easy to grow in a small home garden or even in a container. Here are a couple tips to get you started.
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Grow what you like! Focus on vegetables that you typically buy every week ~
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The Cape Cod Cooperative Extension Horticulture Clinic will now be accepting soil samples for
soil pH
testing during the COVID-19 emergency period. Soil samples must be sent by mail and must include this soil submission
form.
Please make sure the form is mailed along with the samples and filled out completely with a legible email address and crop designated for each sample. During the COVID-19 emergency the $2/sample fee will temporarily be waived with a maximum of 5 samples allowed per household. For more extensive testing, including nutrients and fertilizer recommendations, use the
UMass Soil Testing Lab.
Mail to:
Cape Cod Cooperative Extension
Soil Test
P.O. Box 367
Barnstable, MA 02630
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Over half of the oysters and clams grown in MA come from Barnstable County. You or someone you know probably makes a living harvesting or growing shellfish. The CCCE Marine Program is maintaining a resource page with
opportunities for aquaculture businesses and shellfish harvesters to apply for financial assistance.
This resource page will be updated weekly and can be found at
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Ticks have not read the book on Social Distancing. People are looking at outdoor activities as a way to manage stress in these very stressful times. That’s great but we need to be mindful of our environment. Ticks are active and can be encountered in parks, walking trails and our own backyards.
or call our County Entomologist, Larry Dapsis (508) 375-6642
Be Tick Aware
O
ne Bite Can Change Your Life
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Barnstable County Thimbles 4-H Club, with the help of some others, have been successfully sewing like crazy to help with the need for masks. Many have been donated throughout the Cape and beyond such as Cape Cod Hospital, Nantucket Cottage Hospital, WGBH Boston, Cotuit Fire Department, Barnstable Senior Center, Brookdale Assisted Living, Spaulding Rehab and so many more! Congratulations to these amazing young ladies and their families for making this possible! If you'd like to learn how to make a mask check out this YouTube video that one of our 4-H'ers, Jen Shearley, made with some easy, simple steps. Feel free to share this with families, friends and neighbors.
https://youtu.be/645j6mX6kTY
COVID-19 is spread from person to person; the risk to animals is very low and the risk from animals is even lower. There is no reason to harm wildlife or abandon a pet out of fear, and fortunately, this does not seem to be an issue in the U.S. In fact, more and more people are fostering or adopting cats and dogs during the pandemic. Our relationship with a pets can be a great source of comfort, helping to decrease depression, anxiety, and stress.
For more information about animals and Covid19 visit:
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HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE
WATER QUALITY
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The mission of the Hazardous Waste & Water Quality Program is protecting our drinking water supply, an unconfined sole-source aquifer, through public education and regional collection programs of hazardous materials.
- Creating a less toxic home environment? Go to www.loveyourlocalwater.org for tips on green cleaning, where household chemicals are found, and how to dispose of unwanted chemicals.
- Want to know how to disinfect your home? Click Here
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The Coastal Processes program provides information to residents, municipal staff, businesses, and others about protecting property from flooding and erosion, as well as information about storms, flood insurance, and building in a floodplain. Visit
https://www.capecodextension.org/coastalprocesses/
for more information.
In response to COVID-19, the National Flood Insurance Program has extended the grace period for renewals (to not lose grandfathering) and underpayment of premiums to 120 days instead of 30. For more information, visit
www.floodsmart.gov
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Our Covid-19 Farm and Food Guide provides you with farms, markets, CSA's, retail, and seafood businesses operating during the crisis. Download to your phone or computer to print out. This will be updated weekly!
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Solid Waste is an essential service due to our public health and safety. Even though we have been asked to self-isolate, we still generate trash and recycling. During this pandemic, household trash in Massachusetts has already increased by 10% according to Republic, a private trash hauler operating in 41-states. We have also seen an increase in medical waste throughout the Commonwealth, and a decrease of commercial waste due to many non-essential closures.
There are many things you can do to help the environment while in self-isolation. Learn how to recycle smart at
https://recyclesmartma.org/
. Or, Go Green While You Spring Clean with this fun article featuring simple and easy to follow tips! You can even start a home composting program! For more tips and tricks on how to reduce your waste impact, recycle smart, and compost your food waste with other yard organics, visit our website or contact Kari Parcell, M.P.A. at
kari.parcell@barnstablecounty.org
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GET INVOLVED AND STAY UP-TO-DATE
Our goal is to ensure that the next generation can enjoy
Cape Cod's natural splendor as much as we do!
Check out our calendar and sign up for our various newsletters
to find out about future events, upcoming workshops,
and available resources on our efforts.
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