County Extension Agent
September 12, 2016 - With the fall season almost upon us, it is important to remember that next month is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Today, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer death among North American women, according to Jheri-Lynn McSwain, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent in Shelby County. Unfortunately, many women with breast cancer do not even know that they have cancer until it is in its advanced stages. It is estimated that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, and 1 in 30 women will die of the disease, McSwain says.
So what can we do to decrease our risk of dying of breast cancer? Early detection via health screenings, such as mammography, is an important step. Screening examinations can detect breast cancers early, before symptoms occur, which may make it easier to treat the disease. Screening involves getting mammograms, clinical breast exams, and self breast exams, which are optional. There are many factors in predicting the chances of survival of a woman who is diagnosed with breast cancer, but finding the cancer as early as possible greatly improves the likelihood that treatment will be effective.
When should women starting screening for breast cancer? If you are over 40 years old, you need a mammogram every year, according to Courtney Schoessow, Health Program Specialist with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast that usually involves two views, or pictures, of each breast. Mammograms help find lumps or growths that are too small for you or your health care provider to feel when conducting an exam. Additionally, women who are younger than 40 and have had breast cancer or breast problems or have a family history of breast cancer need a mammogram once a year.
A clinical breast examination is an examination of your breasts by a health professional, such as a doctor, nurse practitioner, nurse, or doctor’s assistant. This exam is also known as a CBE. Clinical breast exams should be part of a periodic health exam, at least every three years for women in their 20s and 30s, and every year for women 40 and over. During your CBE, your health care provider may tell you how to perform a breast self-exam, or BSE. By regularly performing BSEs, you will learn how your breasts normally feel, and you will be able to report any changes in your breasts to your health professional as soon as you find them. Finding a breast change does not mean that there is a cancer. You may choose not to do BSEs, or you can just do them occasionally.
Some women choose not to get mammograms because of the cost. Beginning in 2011, the Affordable Care Act required that all new health insurance plans fully cover screening mammograms without any out-of-pocket expenses for the patient. This is also required of Medicare. For uninsured women and those not eligible for Medicare, resources are available for which these women may qualify. To help women learn about these resources and how to access them, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Shelby County will be conducting a Friend to Friend event on Saturday, October 1st. Mary Hebert, M.D., Radiation Oncologist from Nacogdoches Medical Center, will be at the event to provide information about both breast and cervical cancers.
In addition to the speaker, there will be discussion on the obstacles that prevent women from getting mammograms and pap tests. Nacogdoches Medical Center will be present conducting free health screenings and participants will have an opportunity to schedule a screening mammogram. Lunch will be provided at no charge, door prizes and goodie bags will be available. Help will be provided to direct women who qualify to financial resources that will cover the cost of a screening mammogram. To learn more about the Friend to Friend event, contact the Shelby County AgriLife Extension office at 936-598-7744.
In addition, East Texas Medical Center will be on the square at the Historic Shelby County Courthouse with their Mobile Mammogram Unit on Monday, October 10th providing mammograms for women with or without insurance. To schedule an appointment for a mammogram, call the Extension office at 936-598-7744 and speak to Daphne or Jheri-Lynn.
Remember: The most important screening tools we have are mammograms and clinical breast exams. To reduce your risks of dying from breast cancer, you need to follow the guidelines on when to get them. Taking charge of your health now can lead to a healthier tomorrow. Start by getting screened this month in recognition of the upcoming National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
August 23, 2016 - Each year, we can fully expect to see the devastating Fall Armyworm make it’s appearance in our hay meadows. Unlike their name, they tend to start making their damage in mid to late summer. Earlier weather patterns would appear to me to set up conditions ripe for their appearance. And with such a potential economic pest out there, it bodes well to be prepared.
From research and field observation, the fall armyworm does not apparently overwinter here. Moths fly north from south Texas each year to re-infest this area. Outbreaks can occur in late summer and fall, and follow periods of rain which create favorable conditions for eggs and small larvae to survive.
Armyworms are very small at first, causing little plant damage, and as a result, infestations often go unnoticed early on. Larvae feed for 2-3 weeks and full grown larvae are about 1 to 1 2 inches long. Armyworms consume 80% of their total food intake during the last few days of development.
Once larvae are greater than 3/4 inch, the quantity of leaves they eat increases dramatically. During the final 2-3 days of feeding, armyworms consume 80% of the total foliage consumed during their entire development. For this reason, extensive feeding damage can occur in a few days.
Development from egg to adult requires about 4 weeks during the summer and is longer during cool weather. There are several generations a year. Development ends with cold weather in November.
Given their immense appetite, great numbers, and marching ability, armyworms can damage entire fields or pastures in a few days. Once the armyworm completes feeding, in tunnels into the soil about an inch and enters the pupal stage.
A full grown armyworm tunnels into the soil and transforms to the pupae, an inactive, non-feeding stage. In 7-10 days, the moth emerges from the pupa and starts its cycle anew.
The key to managing fall armyworms is to detect infestations before they have caused economic damage. Often, landowners will notice large numbers of cattle egrets on a hay meadow. Though the birds are easy to spot, this may be too late.
The best way I’ve heard to detect armyworms is to regularly scout pastures early in the morning while there is plenty of dew on the grass. Wear your black rubber boots and walk thru fields, or drive thru them on your ATV with a foot dragging off to the side, looking for small caterpillars on your boot. Affected pasture grass may have a ragged look, different from grazed or mowed grass.
Fall armyworm larvae feed primarily during the night and during cloudy weather. Later during the day, look for armyworms under loose soil and fallen leaves on the ground.
The density of armyworms sufficient to justify insecticide treatment will depend on the stage of crop growth and value of the crop. Seedling plants can tolerate fewer armyworms than established plants. Infestations of 2-3 armyworms per square foot may justify treatment.
Hot, dry weather and natural enemies limit armyworm populations. Insect parasites such as wasps and flies, ground beetles, and other predators help suppress armyworm numbers. However, these natural factors can be overwhelmed when large numbers of migrating moths lay tens of thousands of eggs in a field.
There are a number of insecticides labeled for armyworm control in pastures. Remember that approved insecticides can kill non-target insects. Do not allow drift across fences to areas with blooming plants as beneficial pollinators will certainly be harmed.
Here are the names of some good control products: Karate Z, Lambda-Cy, Mustang Max, Tombstone Helios, Warrior II, Baythroid XL, Dimilin 2L, Prevathon, Besiege, Malathion, and (of course) the variety of Sevin products.
Always read and follow all label instructions and restrictions on any pesticide use.
Lane Dunn is the County Extension Agent for agriculture and natural resources for Shelby County. His email address is jldun@ag.tamu.edu.
July 13, 2016 - There are several competing concepts to “care for the environment” while keeping your yard and landscape looking great. Below I’ll lay out some practices that benefit our environment, saves you time, and keeps money in your pocket all while helping your lawn look good.
Most people like a beautiful, green lawn and often use more fertilizer and water than necessary. More mowing, extra back-breaking work in bagging grass clippings, and higher water bills often result.
It is a two-step plan that involves not bagging your lawn clippings and watering just once (if possible) each week.
Between March and September, the volume of residential solid waste increases 20 to 50 % due to grass clippings. During the spring and summer months, grass clippings put extra work on the garbage collection system and use up valuable landfill space.
First, don’t bag up your grass clippings. By leaving then on the lawn, you won’t have to stop every 10 minutes to empty your mower bag. Homeowners following this “Don’t Bag It” lawn care plan report they mow their lawns in 38% less time than when they bagged the grass clippings.
By leaving the clippings on the lawn, you will allow them to work their way back into the soil, recycling itself. Just imagine a free fertility product that was slow release over the complete growing season and provided all the nutrients your lawn needs. Indeed, this comes from the lawn clippings.
Grass clippings left on your lawn don’t contribute to thatch, but return valuable nutrients to the soil. They contain about 4 % nitrogen, 0.5 %phosphorus and about 2 % potassium, as well as all the necessary minor elements plants need.
If you want to go the extra mile, you could bag up some of your grass clippings to make an excellent compost for gardens. Compost use is the best way to improve garden soil because it returns nutrients to the soil and improves the soils physical characteristics.
The second step is changing your watering regimen. The best time to water is early morning so less water is lost to evaporation. The worst time to water is in the evening because the lawn stays wet all night. This mimics the time of day when the lawn is naturally wet from the dew each morning. Watering at night keeps the leaves wet for a much, much longer time frame and absolutely begs for disease to take your lawn.
Water is a needed component for a great lawn. During the driest period of summer, our lawns usually require about 1 inch of water every 5 to 6 days. If an irrigation system runs for 15 minutes every other day, you are shortchanging your lawn and not getting the most out of your water bill as well as the investment in the sprinkler system.
Furthermore, lawns watered too frequently tend to develop shallow root systems which make them more susceptible to grub damage.
If possible, apply about an inch of water to your lawn all on one day each week. This will soak the soil far deeper than the same total amount spread out over three applications in a week. If water runs off the lawn before 1 inch is applied, turn the sprinkler off, let the water soak in for about an hour, and then continue to water later the same morning.
I challenge you to take this approach with your lawn and see if you have a healthier, lower cost lawn with fewer problems.
Lane Dunn is the County Extension Agent for agriculture and natural resources for Shelby County. His email address is jldunn@ag.tamu.edu
The members of Texas A&M AgriLife will provide equal opportunities in programs and activities, education, and employment to all persons regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender identity and will strive to achieve full and equal employment opportunity throughout Texas A&M AgriLife.
Submitted by Lane Dunn Shelby County Extension Agent-AG
June 22, 2016 - Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service - Shelby County office is pleased to announce that the community garden is off to a great start. To date, 342 pounds of vegetables have been harvested and donated to the Shelby County Outreach Ministry – Senior Nutrition Site to supplement the senior adult lunch program and for distribution to homebound elderly in our county.
This project was established to fulfill the growing need in Shelby County of food insecure senior adults and to also provide fresh vegetables that are high in essential vitamins to this population to improve their nutritional health. “Vitamin A, C and E are essential to the good health of all humans, in particularly our senior adults, that may not receive ample supply through canned and processed foods,” said Jheri-Lynn McSwain, Family & Consumer Sciences County Extension Agent.
A recent study published by the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Heath found that older (age 65-93) rural adults fail to meet the recommended nutrition guidelines based on the food guide pyramid. In addition, this study also identified older rural adults as having high levels of obesity and overweight concerns and most of these adults had inadequate dietary intake (low folate, magnesium, and Vitamin E) and were at nutritional risk. Results from a nationally representative study confirm that older rural adults fail to meet recommendations for daily fruit and vegetable consumption.
The Shelby County Community Garden project was kicked-off in February 2016 after gaining approval from the Shelby County Commissioners Court. Numerous local civic organizations and business rallied to the support of this project by providing funds to get the garden started. “We truly appreciate all the support of the local residents and organizations to back this important life-changing project,” stated Lane Dunn, Agriculture & Natural Resource County Extension Agent.
“Volunteerism is integral to the success of this project.” Dunn went on to say, “We have had 4-H youth assisting with the maintenance and harvesting of the garden, but would like to invite any interested individuals to contact us if you would like to lend a helping hand.”
This past spring the Extension agents planted zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, and sweet corn. In addition, they are conducting variety trials on four hybrid tomato species to determine which grows best in Shelby County and has the finest taste between these varieties. Okra, purple hull peas, peppers, and sweet potatoes are growing and will be harvested in the near future. This fall, with the assistance of volunteers, the Extension agents are planning to plant broccoli, cauliflower, and onions, to name a few vegetables.
For more information on the community garden or to volunteer, contact Shelby County Extension agents, Jheri-Lynn McSwain at jlmcswain@ag.tamu.edu or Lane Dunn at jldunn@ag.tamu.edu or call the Extension office at 936-598-7744.
Submitted by Jheri-Lynn McSwain
June 22, 2016 - Lance Holloway and Seth Shamblin represented Shelby County 4H in the State Outdoor Challenge held in Seguin, Texas June 10th-12th.
The outdoor challenge consists of several events and participants work together as a team. This year the events included gear judging, shotgun, camping safety skills, hunting skills, kayaking, rifle, archery, biologist skills, fishing and rock climbing. They won 1st place team in the Intermediate division.
We would like to say Congratulations on a job well done representing Shelby County. If you have questions or would like more information regarding 4-H, please give us a call at 936-598-7744.
June 21, 2016 - Loren Vandrovec of the Shelby County 4-H Horse project traveled to Athens, Texas June 14th to compete in the East Region 4-H Horse Show. The horse show consists of Districts 4 and 5 with over 40 counties participating.
Lauren competed in multiple events placing 2nd in Ranch Sorting, 7th in Senior Poles, 8th in Senior Poles, and 8th in Senior Stakes.
A big thank you goes out to our horse project leaders Mike Baldwin, Rusty Hall and Robert Griffin for their time and dedication to the youth in our 4 H- horse project. When you see Ms. Vandrovec tell her congratulations for a job well done for representing Shelby County.
If you have any questions or would like more information regarding 4-H, please give us a call at 936-598-7744.
Submitted by Lane Dunn
June 16, 2016 - The 21st Annual Houston County Whizbang was held in Crockett on Friday and Saturday, June 10th and 11th. Every Shelby County 4-H Shooter came home with medals!
Shelby County 4-H shooters had six shooters compete on Friday. They were Lance Holloway, Hagan Craig, Colby Lout, Colton Gutermuth, Tucker Scarber and Dawson McFaddin. On Saturday, the seniors competed. They were Nic Lambert, Konner Windham and Logan Holloway.
Results are as follows:
Novice Trap - Dawson McFaddin (2nd place), Colby Lout (6th place)
Novice Skeet - Colby Lout (4th place)
Novice 5 Stand - Dawson McFaddin (1st place), Colby Lout (3rd place)
Junior Trap - Tucker Scarber (2nd place), Hagan Craig (5th place)
Junior Skeet - Tucker Scarber (4th place), Hagan Craig (5th place)
Junior Whizbang - Tucker Scarber (5th place), Hagan Craig (6th place)
Intermediate Trap - Lance Holloway (2nd place)
Intermediate Whizbang – Colton Gutermuth (5th place), Lance Holloway (6th place)
Senior I Trap - Logan Holloway (2nd place)
Senior I Skeet - Logan Holloway (6th place)
Senior I Whizbang - Logan Holloway (4th place), Nic Lambert (5th place)
Ladies Senior II - Konner Windham (3rd place) Trap, (2nd place) Skeet and (3rd place) Whizbang.
We would like to say Congratulations on a job well done representing Shelby County.
If you have questions or would like more information regarding 4-H, please give us a call at 936-598-7744.
Submitted by Lane Dunn
May 23, 2016 - It was another great weekend for the Shelby County 4h Shooters. Representing the 4h shooters were Colby Lout, Tucker Scarber, Dawson McFadden, Lance Holloway, Colton Gutermuth and Logan Holloway. The Walker County whizbang was held Saturday, May 21st at Creekwood Shooting Sports range in Conroe. We would like to say Congratulations on a job well done representing Shelby County.
Results are as follows:
Intermediate Novice Division
Dawson McFadden - Sporting Clays (1st place), Whizbang (2nd place)
Team Novice Sporting Clays (2nd place team) - Dawson McFaddin and his father, Neal McFadden
Junior Division
Tucker Scarber - Skeet (4th place), Whizbang (4th place), Sporting clays (5th place)
Intermediate Division
Lance Holloway- Skeet (1st place), Whizbang (5th place)
Colton Gutermuth - Skeet (2nd place), Sporting Clays (2nd place)
Senior I Division
Logan Holloway - Whizbang (6th place)
If you have any questions or would like more information regarding 4-H, please give us a call at 936-598-7744.
May 12, 2016 - The Madison County Whizbang was held on April 30th for juniors and intermediates. On Sunday, May 1st the senior I and senior II’s competed.
Shelby County 4-H shooters had five kids participate in the shoot. Participating on Saturday were Colby Lout, Hagan Craig, Lance Holloway and Colton Gutermuth. On Sunday, Logan Holloway participated. Results are as follows;
Intermediate Whizbang: Colton Gutermuth 3rd, Lance Holloway 6th
Intermediate Skeet: Lance Holloway 6th
Intermediate Trap: Lance Holloway 5th
Senior I Skeet: Logan Holloway 2nd (scored a 50/50)
Senior I Trap: Logan Hollloway 2nd
We would like to say Congratulations on a job well done representing Shelby County. If you have any questions or would like more information regarding 4-H, please give us a call at 936-598-7744.
Submitted by Lane Dunn
April 28, 2016 - The 2016 Shelby County Agriculture Education Day will be held on Friday, May 6th at the Sheriff’s Posse Rodeo Arena from 9:00 a.m. until noon. This fun, free, hands-on educational event is open to the public and geared towards children PreK – 3rd grades. Participants will learn about agriculture, food and nutrition, passenger safety, sport fishing, potato planting, and beekeeping, just to name a few. We have over 30 educational demonstrations scheduled with the Mobile Dairy, Texas Forest Service, Texas Parks & Wildlife, a petting zoo, hay ride, farm implement exhibits, and many more to present.
Our goal is to provide the opportunity for Shelby County youth to understand agriculture and how it affects our everyday lives. Last year we had over 1,000 youth and adults to attend this year. If you have any questions on this event, contact the Shelby County Extension office at 936-598-7744.
Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin The Texas A&M University System, U. S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating. A member of The Texas A&M University System and its statewide Agriculture Program.
Submitted by Jheri-Lynn McSwain
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