“Many hands make light work” takes on a new meaning when we consider the thousands of volunteers who give of their time during fair week. I’d like for you to consider volunteering with the committees of both junior and senior fair so that the many events that you enjoy, may continue.   The demonstrations in the Grange Rotunda were successful, though I still need to work on publicity to invite more people to join us.  Here are a few things that I learned from our speakers this year:

* When you have questions about Medicare, don’t guess.  Seek out individuals through your doctor or medical professional who can help navigate your questions.

*When doing flower arranging, don’t use scissors to cut the stems as it tends to crush the stems and they won’t last as long. 

*Tourism in Wayne County brings in more than 244 million dollars.  We have many treasures in our community and sometimes we don’t take advantage of the gems that are in our backyard. 

*When making smoothies with fruit juice, try cutting the juice with water to decrease the sugar content.  The smoothie bike was a great hit with the youth.

*Felting is a fun process of bonding wool fibers to silk and produces a beautiful product that could be used as a scarf, or accent piece to many garments.

*A very important part of the diet with a diabetic is to eat often.  Regular, smaller meals help to keep blood sugar more even and avoid the extreme highs and lows.

*Pottery is a form of stress relief for some and drawing for others.  Speakers challenged us to find our hidden talents by stepping out of our box and find a hobby to help with relaxation.

*The library has many forms and assistance for those who are interested in learning more about genealogy, we are fortunate to have so many resources.

*Chair caning is another art form that offers relaxation, with benefits to others as items are restored to their original form.

*Remember to rotate plants in your garden from year to year, keep a journal with a drawing from year to year to help keep diseases to a minimum.  Don’t process tomatoes from dead vines or with blemishes, as the acid content is affected.

As you can see, there were many contributions from speakers and I’ll encourage contact me with ideas as we begin to plan for next year!  From our office Victoria Birk also shared some tips for planning your next tailgating party to make sure the food you serve is safe.  Here are a few highlights from her presentation:

- Plan foods that don’t need much attention by using a crock pot to keep food hot (above 141 degrees)

- Offer fruits and vegetables with dips.  Peanut butter yogurt dip, or pumpkin fruit dip go well with apples

- Whole grain crackers, chips, wraps or trail mix can help to add vitamins and minerals plus fiber to your menu.

- Add extra ingredients to boost the nutritional content.  For example to salsa add an extra can of beans or corn.

- Fruit and yogurt is a great way to satisfy the sweet tooth, try making parfaits and keep them in a cooler or on ice for serving.

Check out our website at wayne.osu.edu for more recipe ideas for your next entertaining event.