FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF SEPT. 27, 1999:
With all these genetically modified foods being released into the marketplace, I’ve got two questions: what makes them different from other foods and why do we need "super" fruits and vegetables when the ones we have seem perfectly good enough to me?
Researchers modify foods by taking a desirable gene from a plant, animal or microorganism and adding it to the DNA of the fruit or vegetable they want to improve, says Martha Raidl, University of Idaho extension nutrition specialist.
Typically, the targeted improvements are increased contents of vitamins, minerals or cancer-fighting compounds or higher levels of resistance to crop-production problems, like bugs, viruses, fungal infections and sudden drops in temperature.
We’re thinking about trying indoor worm composting when the weather gets colder. How does it work and where should we put the composter?
Worm composting relies on red worms–not common nightcrawlers–to digest food scraps, vegetation and paper. If you can’t buy red worms locally, order them from gardening catalogs or get them from friends. "If you ask around, you’ll find that a lot more people have them than you would have thought," says Michael Colt, University of Idaho extension horticulturist.
The worms need a dark, cool (50-70 degree Fahrenheit), moist and aerobic environment. Provide a well-vented box that is large enough to let the worms process fresh food scraps through their systems in one corner while you retrieve finished compost from another. Fill the box about two-thirds deep with shredded paper, straw, peat moss and sawdust, then moisten the bedding and add the worms. Interchange shallow layers of food with new bedding and wait a few months to start harvesting the results.
"It makes a cadillac compost," says Colt. "It’s well decomposed, uniform and makes a very good potting material"–but there won’t be enough of it for your vegetable beds or flower borders. "Use it for your houseplants, your special pots or to teach your children about ecology and the connectedness of life."
My husband and I are separating. We have an eight-month old daughter and are wondering how our separation will affect her.
Infants don’t understand about separation or divorce, but they do notice changes in their parents’ responses to them, says Harriet Shaklee, University of Idaho extension family development specialist.
Your daughter may react with changes in eating or sleeping patterns. She may seem more fretful, fearful and anxious. And she may have bowel disturbances–diarrhea or constipation–or spit up more often.
"Try to keep to normal routines," says Shaklee. "Try to remain calm in front of the baby, to rest or relax when the baby is sleeping–and remember that even infants need contact with both parents."
"Expect this time to be difficult for parents as well as children," she says. "Be sure to make contact with friends and family for the support you need."
What’s involved in an annual gas furnace check? Is this something we can do ourselves?
You can do some–but not all–of it yourself, says Tom Karsky, University of Idaho extension safety specialist. For example, you can:
However, cleaning and adjusting the pilots and gas burners should be left to a qualified service person, Karsky says.
Keeping your furnace operating efficiently and safely can save you dollars. It can also save your home and even your life. Call a service person immediately if you notice: