Plan to stop by Price Chopper stores in Palatine Bridge and Johnstown on Saturday, 11 a.m.-3:00 p.m. to learn about the importance of family meal time. Meet the CCEFM nutrition educators and pledge to eat family meals together.

Cornell Cooperative Extension and Price Chopper have partnered to help people learn about the link between good nutrition and eating meals together. Read more on Price Chopper's blog:

Here are the restaurants featured in the Autumn Rush Coupon Book:

• Holiday Inn, Johnstown
• Elephant Bistro, Canajoharie
• Mary Ann's Restaurant, Broadalbin
• McDonald's, Fultonville, Johnstown, Johnstown & Gloversville
• Arietta Hotel Restaurant, Arietta
• Gianna's, Gloversville
• New York Lunch, Gloversville
• Tony's Restaurant & Pizzeria, Canajohaire
• Patricia's, Johnstown
• The Greystone Inn, Vail Mills
• Plaza Pizza & Pasta, Gloversville
• The Mayfield Grill, Mayfield
• Chef Lomanto's Kitchen, Gloversville
• Vince's Pizza & Pasta, Johnstown
• Valentino's Restaurant & Banquet Hall, Amsterdam
• Vandeline's Italian Cuisine, Broadalbin
• Fat Bellies, Gloversville
• C.P.'s Restaurant, Hagaman
• Buck's Pizza, Gloversville
• Pour Jim's, Mayfield

Deals include some buy one entree, get one free or get one half-off, some with a percentage off, and some with special price deals. Everyone will find this coupon book a great deal!

Many thanks to all of the restaurants that offered coupons for this fundraiser.

Drawing will be held at the CCEFM Annual Dinner & Meeting on November 16th. The public is encouraged to attend. You do not need to be present to win.

Thanks to all of the sponsors for providing these great prizes:

• Furniture Shopping Spree at Ruby & Quiri Value $500. Donated by Ruby & Quiri
• One Night at the Ruah Bed & Breakfast, Hague on Lake George Value $250. Donated by special arrangement of The Shults Agency
• Husqvarna 128L Weed Trimmer Value $200. Donated by Randall Implement
• ERTL Precision Model 4960 John Deere Die-cast Tractor Value $153.50. Donated by Hudson River Tractor Company
• 2 Gift Certificates for Castiglione Jewelers Value $100 each - 2 Drawings!
• Basket of Day Lily Plants Value $100. Donated by CCEFM Master Gardener Deb Landrio

Keep checking the updated list in the box to the right - more prizes added!

All proceeds support local Extension programs in Fulton & Montgomery Counties.

We're very sorry to have to do it, but Thursday's Master Gardener class about how to grow plants from bulbs has been cancelled. To obtain information and instruction about planting bulbs, please call the CCEFM Master Gardener's phone at 518-673-5525 ext. 107. If you receive the voicemail, please leave your name and phone number with a brief message explaining your question. A Master Gardener will return your call. CCEFM Master Gardeners are trained volunteers and they do not staff the phone all day every day.

Registration is still open for Monday's class about forcing bulbs. Please call 518-673-5525 ext 101 to register.

Lessons learned from Irene and Lee- flooding insurance is important!

Flooding is America's most common natural disaster, yet most homeowner insurance policies do not cover flood damage. In the wake of flooding caused by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, state and federal officials are encouraging New Yorkers to sign up for federally-backed flood insurance.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) offers federally backed insurance to property owners, business owners and renters in communities nationwide which participate in the NFIP. Participating communities have agreed to adopt and enforce floodplain ordinances that meet or exceed FEMA building requirements in the Special Flood Hazard Areas to reduce the risk of flooding.

“FEMA encourages everyone to evaluate their risk and purchase a flood insurance policy,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Philip E. Parr.

Over 5.5 million people have flood insurance policies in 21,556 NFIP communities nationwide. Homes can be insured against flood damage for up to $250,000 and commercial buildings insured for up to $500,000. Policies can be written to include contents coverage up to $100,000 for homes and $500,000 for business owners' contents. Renters can insure their personal property for up to $100,000.

Since 1978, the NFIP has paid over $39 billion dollars in flood insurance claims, helping over 1 million policyholders recover from flood events. The NFIP is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and policies are sold through private insurance agents throughout the country.

Many people don’t buy flood insurance because they believe they cannot qualify for it, or that it will cost more than they can afford. 

“Flood insurance doesn't have to be expensive," said Parr. “Talk to your insurance agent, learn about your flood risk and get covered for any flooding event.” 

Some mistakenly believe flood insurance is not available to them because their neighborhood has never flooded or they are not in a special flood hazard area. Yet more than 25 percent of claims paid are in areas at medium or low risk of flooding. In these areas, NFIP flood insurance can be purchased for as little as $129 a year for a building and its contents or $49 for contents only.

Federal disaster assistance is usually a loan that must be paid back with interest. For a $50,000 loan at 4 percent interest, your monthly payment would be around $240 a month ($2,880 a year) for 30 years. Compare that to a $100,000 flood insurance premium, which is about $400 a year ($33 a month).

Parr noted that federal disasters are declared in less than half of flooding events. “National Flood Insurance Program claims, on the other hand, are paid regardless of whether a disaster is declared,” he said.

For additional information about flood insurance contact your local agent or visit www.floodsmart.gov  to find an agent in your area. To find out if your community participates in the NFIP, visit www.fema.gov/fema/csb.shtm.

The CDC, FDA and other public health officials are continuing to investigate a multistate outbreak of listeriosis traced to whole cantaloupes.

The recalled melons were grown by Jensen Farms in Colorado and distributed under the Rocky Ford label. They were shipped between July 29 and September 19 to at least 25 states including New York. To date the CDC reports 72 people have been infected with Listeria monocytogenes and 13 people have died (none yet in New York). CDC notes: “Although Jensen Farms issued a voluntary recall of Rocky Ford cantaloupes on September 14, CDC expects that cases related to this outbreak may continue to be reported through October, because patients can develop listeriosis up to 2 months after eating contaminated food.”

The following websites provide information related to the outbreak.

Investigation Outbreak – Advice to Consumers, updated September 26, 2011

http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/cantaloupes-jensen-farms/092711/index.html#advice-consumers

Consumer Safety Information on the Recalled Whole Cantaloupes by Jensen Farms, updated September 28, 2011

http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/CORENetwork/ucm272372.htm

“The FDA advises consumers not to eat the recalled cantaloupes and to throw them away. Do not try to wash the harmful bacteria off the cantaloupe as contamination may be both on the inside and outside of the cantaloupe. Cutting, slicing and dicing may also transfer harmful bacteria from the fruit’s surface to the fruit’s flesh.”

Sign up now for fall classes taught by trained volunteer Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners. Classes range from Planting Bulbs for Spring Blooming and Forcing Bulbs to Making Wreaths with Live Plant Material and more gardening topics. Location of classes and cost per person varies by class.

Don't be disappointed. Sign up early to be sure you have a space in the classes you want to attend.

Tractor Supply stores in communities across the country have long supported 4-H clubs and now Tractor Supply company has entered into an official partnership with the National 4-H Council.  This means that Tractor Supply will help raise money for county 4-H programs like the Paper Clover Campaign, a national in-store fundraiser that benefits state and local 4-H programming. 

September 21 – October 2 is the fall 2011 Paper Clover Promotion.  Now in its 2^nd year, the fundraiser allows TSC shoppers to buy paper clovers for $1.00 at checkout.  Paper clovers will be sold at the 990 Tractor Supply Centers throughout the country to support 4-H.  In New York State 65% of the monies raised will be allocated to county 4-H programs and the NYS 4-H Foundation will receive 10% of the funds raised. 

In Fulton and Montgomery Counties we are fortunate to have two Tractor Supply Stores – one in Amsterdam and one in Gloversville – with two managers who are very enthusiastic about 4-H.  During the Spring 2011 Paper Clover fundraiser shoppers at the TSC stores in Amsterdam and Gloversville donated more than $1,000 for 4-H programs.  The Gloversville Tractor Supply Store sold $663 worth of paper clovers to support 4-H while the Amsterdam location sold $388.  The Gloversville store’s paper clover sales were the 6^th highest in New York State.

We encourage you to buy a paper clover (and suggest your friends & neighbors do the same) during this special promotion to support 4-H!

New York residents in disaster-declared localities, whose wells or septic systems were damaged as a result of the late August flooding, may be eligible for financial assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to complete necessary repairs.

Homeowners in declared areas may be eligible for grant funding to pump septic tanks, perform required repairs or replace the system as needed. Damaged private wells that are the sole source of water for the home also may be repaired or decontaminated.

"We don't want anyone living in a house with contaminated water or exposed to raw sewage," said Philip E. Parr, Federal Coordinating Officer with FEMA. "Applicants for state and federal disaster assistance should advise the FEMA inspector that they have a private well and septic system."

Home-repair grants are designed to restore the home to a livable and sanitary condition. To qualify for this disaster assistance, applicants must own their home and the home must be their primary residence. Grants are not intended to restore a home to pre-disaster condition and cannot be used for cosmetic repairs or repairs covered by insurance.

There are two easy ways to begin the application process.  Call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362.  Individuals with speech or hearing impairments can call TTY at 1-800-462-7585.  Multilingual assistance is available by phone. The toll-free line is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET, seven days a week until further notice. Applicants can also register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or with a web-enabled mobile device or smartphone at m.fema.gov. Follow the link to "apply online for federal assistance."

The deadline to apply is October 29, 2011.

September 10 & 11 - Washington County, NY

From freshly made Chèvre to ripened Camembert-style cheeses and aged Cheddar, the 5th annual Washington County Cheese Tour is set for this weekend. Five farmstead cheesemakers will open their farms to the public each day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

On a self-guided tour, visitors will sample specially selected cheeses while experiencing first hand the region's long-standing cheese making traditions reaching back to the 19th century. All are active farms raising cows, sheep, and goats that supply the milk for the cheese-making process.

Participating farms include: 3-Corner Field Farm (Shusan, NY), Argyle Cheese farmer (Argyle, NY), Consider Bardwell Farm (West pawlet, VT), Longview farm (Argyle, NY), and Sweet Spring Farm (Argyle, NY).  Start your tour at any of the five farms. All of the farms are conveniently located within a 10-mile radius.

The tour is organized by the Washington County Cheese Makers. Download a brochure.