The weather outside is getting colder, and pests like house mice are looking for a warm place with food and water to hole up for the winter. Guess what? Your house may be looking like a five-star resort to these unwanted house guests.
They may look cute on TV or the comic strip but mice can carry salmonella, a bacteria that causes food poisoning. Mice can also transmit other nasty parasites such as ringworm, mites, tapeworms, and ticks. In addition, they urinate over several thousand times a day.
(read more) 
We've been hearing a lot lately about how to avoid the flu. Handwashing, coughing into your elbow and avoiding shaking hands are some of the frequently mentioned prevention steps. But don't forget another important way to prevent illness - eating healthy.
According to Janice Hermann, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension nutrition education specialist, certain nutrients can help the body position its defense system to prevent sickness. Dr. Hermann says the immune system is particularly sensitive to subtle changes in nutrition. When we eat poorly, our immune system may become weakened. And when the immune system is weak, we are more likely to become ill.
(read more)
Do gardeners have to worry about food-borne illnesses caused by their own garden produce?
The simple answer is yes. Gardeners need to minimize the risk of contamination.
The first step is to understand possible sources of contamination. Animal manures can harbor pathogens. Gardeners who use manure or a manure-based compost to provide fertility and add organic matter to the soil may continue to do so but it is recommended to apply it at least four months before the crop is harvested.
(read more)
Winter squashes are the perfect side for your fall meals. Pumpkins, acorn, butternut, and other winter squashes are a great source of beta carotene which is converted to Vitamin A. The deeper the yellow/orange color, the higher the concentration of the beta carotene in the squash.
Lou Ann Jopp, a food science educator with the University of Minnesota Cooperative Extension, says that winter squash are known for their hard, inedible skins. Signs of a good quality squash include a smooth, dry skin that is dull in appearance. Ms. Jopp recommends that consumers test for maturity by pressing against the skin with a thumbnail; the skin should be hard and not easily punctured.
(read more)
By the look of things outdoors right now, one might think polka dots are all the rage.
Orange and black may be the colors of the fall/Halloween season but most homeowners don't want that palette crawling around their houses. How do we cope with the migration of the ladybug?
As the seasons change from summer into fall, insects adapt to prepare for the winter. Ladybugs are no exception. They are searching for places to hibernate.
(read more)
