Welcome Winter!!!

Winter arrived this morning at 6:12 a.m., Eastern Standard Time. While some parts of the country already have a blanket of snow, others anxiously hope for a white Christmas. Still others have unhappy memories of recent winters and hope this one turns out to be milder. In the continental U.S., Rogers Pass, Montana holds the record low winter temperature at 70 below zero, followed by Peter's Sink, Utah, just one degree warmer. The absolute lowest temperature ever recorded in the United State was at Prospect Creek, Alaska, an unbelievable 80 degrees below. Making residential snow blowers is part of a home and garden equipment manufacturing business worth $8.2 billion a year.
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Five Tips to Rodent-Proof Your Home

As the cool temperatures start to settle in for the next few months, Orkin advises homeowners to pest-proof their homes, garages and sheds now, because fall is when most insect and rodent pests seek shelter for the winter months.


"With temperatures recently dropping into the 40s, rodents and other pests tend to move inside structures this time of year to find a warm place to overwinter and breed," said Jim Warneke, Orkin's Southeast division technical services director.

A pregnant female mouse can produce an average of eight pups in a litter, and a rat, seven pups on average, and there are typically four to five litters per year. Their gestation period is about a month, so before you know it, one mouse can turn into a major problem for homeowners.

Mice can fit through an opening the size of a dime, so it is important to fix any cracks in and under siding, doors and windows. In addition to warmth, rodents enter homes looking for food and water. They prefer cereals and grains, but will eat just about anything.

As you prepare your home for winter, Orkin recommends the five following tips:
Make sure all holes, gaps and cracks larger than 1/4 of an inch are sealed.

• Replace door sweeps and make sure doors and windows close tightly. 
• Clean out gutters and install gutter guards to prevent leaves and debris from accumulating. 
• Store firewood as far from the home as possible.
•  Trim branches, plants and bushes that hang over the home.

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I have two cats, no mice, lizards and no bunnies. Coincidence? I think not!

Fun with Winter Squash!

Winter Squash

With summer vegetables giving way to the fall harvest, I still find myself craving squash. Winter squash, acorn squash, butternut squash. Yum! In researching winter squash, here’s what I’ve learned:

TIPS ON HOW TO PICK OUT A WINTER SQUASH:

·         Look for a squash with a very hard outer shell. If you can put your thumbnail through the fruit, it's not ready. You want to look for fruit that has had a chance to mature completely on the plant. Squash that are harvested before they reach maturity haven't had a chance to fully develop their flavor and will probably have a shorter shelf life.

·         Pick a squash with as few blemishes as possible, as cracks and blemishes decrease storage life.

TIPS ON COOKING WITH WINTER SQUASH

·         Use acorns and butternuts for baking, because they have a nice flesh consistency so after baking you can easily scoop the flesh out.

·         For soups, choose a butternut rather than an acorn.

·         Butternut squash is easier to process and handle, with fewer ridges and crannies and has a higher concentration of caratonoids, the precursor to vitamin A.

·         Acorn squash and delicatas are great for stuffing, mainly because of  the shape left when the seeds are removed.

Here are a few recipes I’ve already tried:

Brown Sugar Acorn Squash

Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Please cut sides down in a foil-lined pan. Mix a half cup of brown sugar with a cup of water. Beat the mixture until the brown sugar is dissolved. Pour the mixture into the pan and cover tightly. Cook at 450 for 40 minutes. During the cooking process the mixture is drawn up into the flesh. When down, the flesh easily scoops out of the shell. It tastes like candy!

Butternut Squash Bisque with Roasted Red Bell Pepper

Ingredients:

·         2 tbsp butter

·         4-5 tbsp olive oil (divided)

·         1 cup diced onion

·         3 cloves minced garlic

·         1 1/2 cups diced carrots

·         1 tart apple, sliced but unpeeled

·         1 roasted red bell pepper

·         8 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash

·         6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

·         Salt and pepper to taste

·         Ground nutmeg to taste

·         1 cup butternut pieces diced to small crouton size

·         1 cup heavy cream

·         Sour cream for garnish (optional)

·          

Directions:

•  Heat butter and 2 tablespoons oil in large pot. Cook and stir the onion and garlic in the butter and oil until tender. Add the carrots, apples, bell pepper and squash.
•  Pour in stock and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
•  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender.
•  Meanwhile, heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet.
•  Fry butternut croutons, stirring frequently, until crispy.
• Puree soup. 
• Stir in heavy cream, heat through, but do not allow to boil.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with butternut croutons and dollop of sour cream if desired. Makes eight generous servings.

Easy Squash Side Dish

Ingredients:

·         1 winter squash (acorn, butternut, delicata)

·         Vegetable oil

·         Shredded cheese

Directions:

•   Cut squash in half and remove seeds.
• · Cut a cross-hatch pattern in the flesh.
• · Bake face down for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
• · Turn squash right side up and fill cracks with vegetable oil, bake another 20 minutesor until a knife slides smoothly in.
• · Top with shredded cheese and serve.

Tips from RISE to Keep Pests out this Winter

Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment®, RISE is campaigning to equip all homeowners, and especially first-time or new homeowners, with valuable tips to prepare their homes and yards for the coldest season of the year and to keep out pests looking for a winter home.

According to a Realtor.com survey of real estate agents and brokers, nine out of 10 new homeowners in 2012 have been interested in purchasing distressed properties. These bargains often come with tall grass, overgrown shrubs, unmanaged pools and clogged gutters that may have turned into a haven for pests that can threaten the health and safety of families, homes and communities. Exposure to weeds and rodent and insect allergens can also trigger respiratory problems and illnesses like hay fever and asthma, especially among young children, toddlers and the elderly.

Since fall is the best time to prepare for winter and spring, RISE is helping all homeowners keep their homes, yards and communities healthy and safe during National Inspect and Protect Week. Each day of the week will coincide with steps that match RISE's easy-to-follow acronym: INSPECT (INvestigate, Study, Prepare, Eliminate, Clean and Treat).

RISE is providing these simple tips to help homeowners, especially new owners of distressed properties:

Indoors:

• Proactive and preventive treatments are key to keeping pests under control from the very start of your home ownership. 
• Start off right. Eliminate pests' pathways into your house by sealing spaces around pipes and electrical wires entering the house. 
• Eliminate food sources, water and shelter that may attract pests. 
• Remove stacks of cardboard (including those moving boxes) from your home as they provide attractive shelter and food for pests. 
• Check for water leaks under the sink, refrigerator and other related areas. 
• Store food items in air-tight and pest-proof containers or in the refrigerator or freezer. 

Outdoors:

• Remove all standing water in areas such as pots, buckets, toys, pet bowls, bird baths, etc. 
• Clean out ornamental and flower beds and be sure to place mulch in the right places — at least 12 inches from your foundation. Pick up fallen leaves and branches to help eliminate places where ticks like to hide. 
• Prune back tree branches that are touching the house or roof. Branches leading to your home form a bridge for insects and rodents. 
• For pier and beam foundations, keep the area under the house free of clutter and sealed so no wildlife make it their home. 

"Maintaining your property is key to effectively avoiding a winter pest infestation," said Robin Tabuchi, research entomologist with the University of California at Berkeley. "Taking action to inspect and protect your home this fall will safeguard your family's health as well as property, helping everyone to safely enjoy the colder months ahead."

About RISE

Located in Washington, D.C., RISE is the national association representing the manufacturers, formulators, distributors and other industry leaders involved with pesticide and fertilizer products used in turf, ornamental, pest control, aquatic and terrestrial vegetation and other non-food/fiber applications. Learn more about RISE at www.debugthemyths.com.

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