1. food and drink
2. desserts and baking

EAST VALLEY VOICES
EAST VALLEY TIMES
www.eastvalleytimes.com
January 2, 2014—PAGE 7
How to decrease, not increase, poverty
A View from the Ranch
By Bob Williams
The burden of inequality rests most heavily on the
shoulders of those at the bottom of the scale of inequality, those in poverty. In the US the criterion for poverty
in 2012 for a family of four was total income less than
$23,050. This year the Census Bureau reported a record
46.5 million poor in the U.S. This is 15 percent of the
population, one in every seven. We have endured a poverty rate near this level for six years now.
Children from families in poverty often go to school
without having eaten. A school-provided lunch is their
one good meal of the day. They often miss school. Medical care, usually too long delayed, takes place in an emergency room. Parents, if present, frequently make bad
decisions. Drug and alcohol abuse are common and help
hold many down.
The problem of poverty is connected to the overall increase of economic inequality over the past 30 or more
years. The economist Joseph Stiglitz has shown that this
is largely a result of the “excessive financialization” of
our economy -- legal and regulatory change favoring financial markets over the industrial and agricultural economies. Some countries have made the conscious choice
to avoid this trend and have not suffered the increase of
inequality so rampant here.
By reversing this process we could reverse the growing economic inequality, but many politicians prefer to
ignore this. They continue to advocate piece-meal measures compatible with their political biases. Some argue
that growing inequality is a natural result of an increasingly technological society. Others say there is simply
not enough emphasis on job creation. Then there is the
old hereditarian argument encapsulated in the phrase,
“the cream will rise to the top,” which would only be true
in an environmentally level playing field -- which is never
present.
Recent research in cognitive sciences suggests however, that simply reversing the policies that caused excessive financialization may not be enough to address the
problems of those at the bottom, those in poverty.
Let us start some years back with a finding that seems
unrelated to this topic. Teenage thrill-seeking begins
with puberty. This leads to a high auto accident rate when
teens begin to drive. A NIH/UCLA study showed this to
be associated with a late maturing part of the brain “about
as thick and wide as a silver dollar” in the right lateral prefrontal cortex of the brain. This region does not mature
in males until about age 25, and age 24 in females. This
is the locale of “executive functions” or what parents call
common sense. It is the region that imposes caution over
impetuous decisions. These findings led to changes in
driver licensing in many states and have reduced the accident rate. They have also provided much material for humor about the teenage brain. But these studies have been
extended into unexpected areas in the past few years.
For convenience we shall refer to this right lateral prefrontal cortex as the prudence center of the brain. Prudence, once considered premier among the four cardinal
virtues, is defined as caution or circumspection in making
decisions. There are hints that many in the so-called millennial generation have never encountered this word, but
Letter to the Editor
it is the prudence center which provides this ability, this
virtue. This is a brain structure unique to our species.
Another set of studies has shown that the prudence center of brain is significantly thinner among children raised
in poverty. The young and adults raised in poverty, as
noted above, frequently make bad decisions. (This is the
same kind of impulsive decision making that otherwise
circumspect people will make in experimental situations
where a mild electric current is passed unidirectionally
through the prudence center.) This is not the only effect
of poverty on the developing brain but is the one relevant
to anti-poverty programs. It means that those so affected
cannot lift themselves by their bootstraps. It means that
children must have a safety net providing at least minimal
conditions to be capable of prudent decisions, otherwise
poverty is self-perpetuating.
Cutting food stamp programs, as has happened recently, is clearly the wrong move. Two-thirds of food stamp
recipients are children. In 2012 Paul Ryan said, “We don’t
want to turn the safety net into a hammock that lulls ablebodied people to lives of dependency and complacency,”
in arguing to discontinue the Federal food stamp program.
This bias against the impoverished must be replaced
with a saner re-extension of safety net features for developing children if we are ever to have that more productive
and just nation we all desire.
Bob Williams is an emeritus professor of the University of
California. He now operates a cattle ranch in Millville. He can
be reached by email at [email protected]
ADOPT ME
Reader advocates for Financial Transaction Tax
Dear Editor:
Might we agree that “We the People” are in need of funds
for education, repair of roads, clean water and air, and other
public necessities? We have had over five million folks
disappear from the count we maintain of under employed
and unemployed. The Lowdown by Jim Hightower offers the following
comparison, “When I buy a package of toilet paper for $3,
I pay 8.25% tax. (where he lives in Austin, TX they have a
tax rate similar to ours here). If I buy a cuppa joe, book,
bicycle or blue jeans same thing. If a high roller in the
HFT High Frequency Traders buys $10 million worth of
corporate stock, 10 million worth of oil futures or 10 million
of Goldman Sachs package of derivatives, he or she pays
zero tax on the sales. A Financial Transaction Tax FTT is
not an idea whose time has come but simply returned. From
1914 to 1966 our country taxed all sales and transfers of
stock....
Today, 40 countries have FTT’s, the seven with the
fastest growing stock markets in the world. Members of
the European Union voted for a financial transaction tax
to help blunt the rising poverty, restore services and put
their people back to work. This is no soak-the-rich idea.
Rather than ask Wall Street to join us in paying a 6 to 12 %
sales tax, the major FTT proposal gaining traction in the
US calls for 0.5% assessment on stock transactions. That’s
50 cents on a $100 stock buy versus the $8.25 tax I would
pay for a hundred dollar bicycle. Even at this minuscule
rate the high volume speed trades means an FTT would net
about $300 to 350 billion a year for our public treasury.” This tax is supported by a broad range of folks, from
Bill Gates and Occupy Wall Street to the Vatican. A major
push is on in Congress. Please feel free to check this out
further via the Robin Hood Tax www.RobinHoodTax.
org; National Nurses United www.nationalnursesunited.
org; National People’s Action www.npa-us.org, Public
Citizen’s Congress Watch www.citizen.org/congress and
Health Global Access Project www.healthgap.org.
We can gripe all we want, but if the citizens of a
democracy do not invest themselves in it, it will no
longer function as a democracy. We live in such a blessed
wonderful community. May we take the moments as we are
able to invest our time, our creativity and our know how
into solving our challenges rather than giving up or griping
about them. Blessings and well being to each of us. Susan Bradfield,
Palo Cedro
Boogie is a seven year spayed female purebred boxer.
She lost her home when her owner passed away. She is
around 55 lbs., gets along with other dogs and maybe cats
with the proper introduction. She is spayed, up to date on
shots and hearworm tested negative. To meet Boogie contact Another Chance Animal Welfare League at 229-7833
The Lighter Side
Alligator's teeth
A tourist was admiring the necklace worn by a local Australian.
"What is it made of?" she asked.
"Alligator's teeth," the Aussie said. "I suppose," she said
in a patronizing manner, "that they mean as much to you as
pearls do to us?"
"Oh, no," the Aussie objected. "Anybody can open an
oyster!'
How was I born?
A little boy goes to his father and asks, "Daddy, how was I
born?"
The father answers, "Well, son, I guess one day you will
need to find out anyway! Your Mom and I first got together in
a chat room on Yahoo. Then I set up a date via email, and we
met at a cyber cafe. We sneaked into a secluded room and
googled each other. There, your mom agreed to a download
from my hard drive. As soon as I was ready to upload, we
discovered that neither of us had used a firewall.
Since it was too late to hit the delete button, nine months
later a little pop-up appeared that said, "'You've got male!'"
8 iron
Jim and Bob are playing golf when Jim slices a ball deep
into a wooded ravine. He grabs his 8 iron and goes down the
embankment in search of his ball. The brush is thick.
Suddenly, he spots something shiny. As he gets closer, he
realizes the shiny object is an 8 iron in the hands of a skeleton
lying near an old golf ball.
Jim calls out, "Hey, Bob, I got trouble down here."
Bob runs over to the ravine saying, "What's the matter?"
Jim shouts, "Will you throw me my 7 iron? I don't think I
can get out of here with an 8!"
Cup Of Joe
A grandmother was surprised one morning when her
grandson, age 7, brought her a cup of coffee. It tasted awful,
but she drank it. Then, she saw three little green army men at
the bottom and asked why he put them there.
The grandson said, "Grandma! It says on TV that, "The
best part of waking up is soldiers in your cup!"
DOWNHOME COOKING
PAGE 8—January 2, 2014
EAST VALLEY TIMES
www.eastvalleytimes.com
Happy New Year from around the world
The annual rite of consuming good luck food on New
Year’s Day is observed all over the world. Exactly what
you consume depends largely on where your ancestors
came from and what was available there during the winter.
From the American South to the hills of Romania, here
are some of the ways that families ring in the new year.
Armenia—Mothers make a special bread for their
family, kneading luck and good wishes into the dough
before it is baked.
Bahamas—People spend months creating elaborate
costumes for the Junkanoo parade. The strangest and
most beautiful costumes win prizes.
Bolivia—Families hang little homemade straw or
wooden dolls outside their homes for good luck.
Denmark—The Danes throw old dishes at the doors of
friends’ homes for good luck. Finding a big pile of broken
dishes on the morning of January 1 means you have lots
of friends!
Ecuador—Families celebrate “Año Viejo” by stuffing
old clothing with newspaper and firecrackers, much like
a scarecrow. At midnight, each family sets its dummy
ablaze, representing the departure of the old year.
Greece—Parents fill their children’s shoes with
presents at night. They tell the little ones the gifts are from
St. Basil, who was known for his kindness and generosity
to children and the poor.
Japan—The Japanese decorate their front doors with
pine branches and bamboo to bring health and long life.
They may also add fans, seaweed, or ferns for happiness
and good luck. Children are given small gifts of money
called otoshidamas. At midnight, bells and gongs are rung
108 times to chase away 108 troubles, and people laugh to
drive away the bad spirits.
Portugal—In the north, children go caroling, singing
old songs called Janeiros from home to home, where they
are given sweets and coins.
Puerto Rico—Children throw pails of water out the
window at midnight to rid their homes of evil spirits.
Romania—Children wish people a happy new year by
touching them lightly with a bouquet called a sorcova,
which consists of twigs from an apple, pear, cherry,
or plum tree to represent fertility, health, and purity.
Traditionally the twigs would have been placed in water
on November 30 so they’d blossom by New Year’s Eve.
Today people decorate the twigs with flowers made of
colored paper.
The Southern United States—Many Southerners eat
black-eyed peas for good luck. Round foods are traditional
for the New Year in many cultures because circles
represent continuity. Black-eyed peas are considered
especially lucky because they contain two concentric
circles
Spain—When the clock strikes midnight, people eat
12 grapes, one for every stroke of the clock and for good
luck in each month of the new year.
Switzerland—The Swiss let a drop of cream land on
the floor on New Year’s Day to bring good luck.
SOUTHERN NEW YEAR’S BLACK-EYED PEAS
1/2 pound black-eyed peas
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 to 3/4 pound ham, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup long-grain white rice
Rinse the peas in a strainer, then put them in a large
saucepan. Pour in four cups of water and bring the peas to
a boil for two minutes. Then remove them from the heat,
cover the pan, and let the peas stand for one hour.
When the peas are ready, melt the butter in a large
skillet. Add the ham, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, pepper
flakes, and salt and black pepper and sauté them until the
vegetables are just tender (about 10 minutes).
Add the peas with their liquid to the skillet, stirring
with a wooden spoon. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then
lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the peas are tender
(about 15 minutes).
Pour in another cup of water, then stir in the rice. Cover
the skillet and simmer for 25 minutes or until the rice is
cooked. Stir again and serve. Makes eight cups.
CHIACCHIERE
Chiacchiere, or honey drenched balls of fried dough,
always ensures a sweet year in Italy.
7 oz all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 3/4 oz sugar
1 liqueur glass of dry white wine
Oil for frying
Icing (powdered) sugar
Salt
Prepare the dough. Put flour, sugar and salt in a bowl
or on a work surface. Stir to blend. Make a well in the
centre and add the eggs, oil and wine. With a fork or
your fingertips, gradually, incorporate the flour until a
soft dough forms. Sometimes you’ll have to add some
flour if the dough is very sticky. Knead the dough on a
floured work surface for 8-10 minutes until it is smooth
and elastic. Cover with a napkin and allow to rest for at
least one hour.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface,
beginning from the centre, to a thickness of 0.3 cm
(1/8in); you have to use a long pasta rolling pin for this.
Using a chef’s knife or a pasta wheel, cut the dough into
long strips, 3-4 cm (1 1/2in) wide and then cut every
strip into 10 cm (4 in) rectangles. Make some cuts in
every rectangle.
Fry the dough rectangles. Scoop them out when they
are nice and crisp and drain off the oil putting them on
kitchen paper.
Dust with icing sugar. Serve warm or cold.
GREEK SHORTBREAD
In Greece, the big midwinter feast isn’t at Christmas
but at New Year’s Day, says Greek-born textile designer
Danae Kouretas. “It’s the feast day of St. Basil, the
founder of the Greek church, and on that day everyone
has a Vasilopitta--Basil’s bread--a big sweet bread with
a cross baked on top and a coin buried inside. You cut
a slice for everyone, and the tradition is that whoever
gets the gold will be lucky that year.” But there are also
foods special to Christmas, says Kouretas. “We stuff the
turkey with chestnuts, rice, raisins, pine nuts and spices.
And everyone has to have something sweet on hand for
the carolers who come to the house: nuts and raisins,
and traditional cookies like kourabiedes, which are
shortbreads, or diples, which are supposed to look like
Christ’s swaddling clothes.”
1 cup blanched almonds
1 lb. sweet butter
3 to 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp. scotch, sherry or brandy
2 to 2 1/2 cups flour
In a 350 degree oven, toast the almonds until they are
creamy colored. Grind them in a nut mill or food processor
and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter with 1/4
cup of the confectioners’ sugar, the egg yolks, the baking
powder and salt for 10 minutes. Add the ground almonds
and the liquor and beat for another five minutes. Stir in 1
1/2 cups of the flour.
When the dough gets stiff, start to knead it by hand.
Add the rest of the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, kneading well
after each addition. Pull off pieces of dough the size of a
walnut and shape them into ovals. Place them on a
cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, until
the cookies are pale gold; do not brown. Sift generously
with confectioners’ sugar. Makes four dozen cookies.
SAUSAGE AND LENTILS
In Italy, lentils are eaten as a symbol of good luck and
prosperity because they resemble tiny coins. Tuscans eat
lentils with “Cotechino,” a large pork sausage. People
in Bologna and Modena eat lentils with “Zampone,” the
same sausage mixture stuffed into the skin of a pig’s
foot. In the Piedmont, little grains of rice symbolize
money, so New Year’s Day menus feature risotto and for
added luck, a plate of beef or chicken served with spinach
and lentils. 1-1/2 cups lentils
1 pound Italian sausage
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup pancetta, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Place the lentils in a large saucepan. Add two quarts
of water and bring to a boil. Pierce the skin of the
sausage all over with the tip of a sharp knife. Place the
sausage in the saucepan with the lentils. Reduce heat
to a simmer, cover, and cook 45 minutes, or until the
lentils are tender. Remove the sausage and set it aside to
cool. Drain the lentils and set aside.
When the sausage is cool enough to handle, slit open
the skin and remove. Cut the sausage into 1/2-inch
slices. Cook the sausage slices in a skillet until golden
brown on both sides, about two minutes. Remove the
sausage and set aside.
Add the olive oil to the skillet and heat over mediumhigh heat. Sauté the pancetta, onion, carrots, and celery
in the olive oil until soft, about six to eight minutes. Add
the tomato sauce, lentils, and bay leaf. Cook over low
heat, covered, for five minutes. Season with salt and
pepper. Remove the bay leaf.
Pour the lentils onto a serving platter and arrange the
sausages around them. Serves four to six.
HONEY-SESAME COOKIES
In Roman times, guests were given honey-sesame
cookies so the new year would be filled with sweetness.
(Makes 48 cookies)
2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
About 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sesame seeds
In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and
baking soda. Set aside. In another bowl, combine
butter, honey and eggs with an electric mixer until well
combined. Gradually beat in the flour mixture.
Cover and chill the dough about one hour or until firm.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease two baking
sheets. Form chilled dough into one-inch balls. Roll
the balls in a small bowl of milk then roll them in the
sesame seeds. Place balls on prepared baking sheets.
Flatten each ball slightly. Bake 10 minutes or until
golden brown. Remove cookies from baking sheets and
cool on a wire rack.
LONG LIFE NOODLES
Long Life Noodles are a traditional dish served to
celebrate the Chinese New Year. Be sure not to cut the
noodles while cooking or eating, as only long noodles
symbolize a long life.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 dozen shrimp, peeled and de-veined
4 cups of cabbage, chopped
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh green peas (if using frozen, thaw them first)
1/2 cup green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon chili paste
1 pound linguine noodles, cooked and drained
Cook the linguini noodles according to package
directions, drain and set aside. Heat the oil and garlic in a
large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp.
Continue to cook until the shrimp turns pink, then remove
the shrimp from the pan and set aside. Add the cabbage, scallions, bell pepper, peas and
sprouts to the pan along with the ginger and curry powder.
Stir fry everything until the vegetables become tender.
Add the shrimp back to the pan and cook together until
the shrimp is heated through.
In a small bowl, whisk together the stock, soy sauce,
sugar and chili paste. Pour the mixture over the cooking
vegetables and shrimp. Mix well. Add the noodles to the
pan and mix everything together, making sure to coat the
noodles with the sauce.
Have Tractor, Will Travel
547-3788
leave message
Call Larry - 547-3788
• Mowing
• Tilling
• Grading
• Post Holes
Brooke
Massage
Therapist
Heavenly Escape Massage
Call Brooke for
an appointment 949-5828
Brenda Lee & Co
Hair Designs
9434 Deschutes Road #104
• Palo Cedro
(Next door to the Palo Cedro Post Office)
Brenda Lee
Foil Weaves Special
2 colors for $60
includes hair cut
Call Brenda Lee
for an appointment
604-0859
Store Items:
Hair Products &
Local Artist Wall Art
COUNTRY LIVING
EAST VALLEY TIMES
www.eastvalleytimes.com
January 2, 2014—PAGE 9
New foal’s improvement makes it a Happy New Year at Chilly Pepper Miracle Mustang
By Palomino Armstrong
Dec. 27
It has been a very busy time here at Chilly Pepper
- Miracle Mustang. Ikey and Mikey were just starting
to get on their feet and getting their weight closer to
where it should be when we got Precious. Thanksgiving was a time filled with so many thanks that Precious
had not only survived the trailer ride home, but that
she was still with us the next day. She is definitely
another “miracle mustang” and was truly blessed as
God sent angels to help us. When we picked her up,
her core temperature was way too low, although we
couldn’t get an accurate temperature as she was suffering from complications caused by her body shutting
down. Her condition was very similar to Honey Bandit’s; she literally couldn’t even move her head when
she was lying in the trailer. Every time we stopped our
hearts were filled with dread. Would we find a dead
baby in the back, or would she still be with us?
In the wild, when foals are left behind, it is often
because their moms instinctively know that something
is wrong. When those babies are left alone to die, they
give up the fight and nature takes its course. I truly
believe, and it has been proven scientifically many
times with numerous types of animals, that any baby
left alone without nurturing has much less chance of
survival. We have seen it many times, when someone takes a foal off of the range and feeds it but then
feet, we would go for short walks down the driveway. She really seemed to enjoy her walks, and although it
was extremely cold out, the fresh air and exercise were
critical to her road to survival. Without the daily exercise and physical therapy, she would have no chance of
ever getting enough muscle strength back so she could
stand up on her own. We rigged up a device where we could use an electric hoist to help lift her up, as she was too heavy for us
to lift without it. At first she was simply dead weight
and did not even try to help us get her up. Her back
end was so emaciated that she had no muscle strength
whatsoever, and we had to be consistent with her physical therapy so she would get strong once again.
Palomino takes Precious on a little walk in the snow at
Chilly Pepper Miracle Mustang. For awhile the foal could not
get up by herself, but was able to walk just fine once she was
on her feet.
leaves it alone in the barn over night. These babies often die. They not only need to be fed as much as every
hour, depending on their condition, (not all need to be
fed that often) but they need to be kept from becoming
depressed and losing the will to live. A compromised
foal can crash in minutes, so they must be monitored
continuously.
Our first few weeks with Precious were filled with
those “will she make it” moments. She would get
so cold and lethargic, and then she would have better
times. We would pick her up and once she was on her
Locally Owned & Operated • ASE Master Tech on Staff
Quality Tires, Wheels & Full Service Auto Repair
TREAD TECH
“Your Brand Name Tire Store”
Backed by the
BEST TIRE
WARRANTY
in the West!
FREE
Tire Rotation
Flat Repair
Inspection/Air Check
Tire Replacement *
Mounting/Rebalancing
*Limited warranty. Ask for details.
Hours:
M-F: 8-5:30 Sat. 8-4
COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR
Tread Tech Tire Factory
2101 Barney Rd.
Anderson, CA 96007
Ph 365-4995
9090 Deschutes Road
Palo Cedro, CA 96073
Ph 547-4995
Mimosa
for $1.00
Bring in this COUPON
must be over 21 years old
Happy New Year from
the Cedar Tree Gang
Lic # 613824
(530) 222-0539
OPEN 7 DAYS
A WEEK
2900 Old Oregon Trail-Redding
Family owned
& operated
since 1975
Lic. # 911130
275-2195
275-2195
We do Asphalt &
Chip Seal Repairs
• Chip Seal
• Grading
• Private Rds & Driveways • Gravel
• Backhoe Services
• Culverts
Since 1967
Cedar Tree Restaurant
Hwy 44 & Deschutes Rd.
Palo Cedro — 547-4290
The East Valley Times
welcomes all stories
about goings on at
local community and
schools events. If you
have a special event you
would like us to cover,
please contact Sharyn
at 547-3788 or Sharyn@
eastvalleytimes.com.
But please also feel
free to submit stories
at any time, and we will
make an effort to print
them.
Until she was brought in because she was starving,
she was wild, so we still had to deal with that factor
also. There were times after we helped her up when
she would turn with her mouth open, as if to take a bite
out of us, or she would whimper, showing her discomfort. She never did actually try to bite, but was just
letting us know that she was in pain and pretty much
sore all over. My heart would break when I heard her
whimper like a child. I have to say that this is the first
baby that has ever vocalized her discomfort in such a
way. Precious is definitely showing more signs that
she is still wild. But slowly and surely, she is also beginning to trust us and realize that she is safe, and the
fact that she is not so sore to the touch is also a huge
plus.
Today, (December 27, 2013) she is finally free from
her “lifting straps,” and although we are celebrating
this monumental progress, we are getting ready to have
a sling made for the future foals that might be a little
bit easier to use and more comfortable for the babies. If anyone would like to help us with this endeavor,
please call us at 530 474 5197 or email us at Palomino.
[email protected]. We are always looking for
good ideas to ensure the greatest comfort for these babies.
Brake Service
Battery & Electrical
Shocks & Struts
Alignment & Accessories
Anderson Tire Factory
It is dangerous for a baby, or even a full grown horse
to lie too long on one side, as they will end up squishing their own organs. Their blood pools and it can be a
deadly situation. So every couple of hours I would
wake up Matt to help lift her up. I would come to her
stall and ask her if she wanted to get up and she would
start “swimming”. Her little legs were moving and she
was squealing and she was trying to lift her head. She
had heart and she wanted to live. The will to live is the
deciding factor every time.Once she was on her feet
she was able to stand for longer and longer periods. So our little Precious is well on her way to recovery. She is still seriously under weight, but continues to gain
the much needed pounds slowly and steadily. Thank
you to everyone who has been part of this, whether
it be prayers, financially or just getting the word out. As always, y’all are the ones that make these miracles
happen.
Mikey and Ikey are both doing very well. Ikey is
recovering from his surgery and Mikey is ready for his
forever home. God bless you all and please be safe in
the New Year!
Matt, Palomino & the Gang
Food and Farm News
A service of the California Farm Bureau Federation
December 18, 2013
Inspections aim to detail freeze damage
Inspectors have been cutting open citrus
fruit in California groves, to determine how
much of the fruit may have been damaged by
a string of freezing nights earlier this month.
Farmers say they expect damage to vary based
on farm location, crop maturity and other
factors. Mandarins appear to have suffered
worse than navel oranges did. Packers and
inspectors have put controls in place to make
sure only top-quality citrus fruit reaches
market. Daily glass of wine could
help immune system
New evidence has been added to reinforce
the health benefits of moderate wine
consumption. A study published Tuesday
found that moderate alcohol consumption
could bolster the human immune system and
help people fight infections. A researcher at
the University of California, Riverside, says
the study adds the immune system to the list
of health benefits for moderate alcohol use,
along with improvements to cardiovascular
function.
Christmas tree farms
expand sales of wreaths
Handmade wreaths have become a key
offering for more California Christmas
tree farms. Farmers point out that some
people who may not have room in their
homes for a Christmas tree still can enjoy
a fresh wreath. Selling wreaths also gives
tree growers another way to compete
with artificial trees. One Santa Clara
County Christmas tree grower describes
wreaths as the fastest-growing part of his
business.
Official offers ‘ag plates’ as a gift idea
If you’re looking for a last-minute
holiday gift, the state secretary of food
and agriculture has a suggestion: Why
not give that special someone a set of
“California Agriculture” license plates?
The specialty plates features a design
that honors the “food, fiber, fuel and
flora” grown on California farms. State
agriculture secretary Karen Ross notes
that a portion of the license plate fees
benefits agricultural education programs.
Food and Farm News is a service of the California Farm Bureau Federation. For
more information about any story, contact the Communications/News Division at
916.561.5550, or email [email protected]. The information is also available on the Farm
Bureau Federation website www.cfbf.com.