Warm up with chili
In celebration of National Chili Day Thursday, Feb. 25, local chili cook-off winners share their chili-making expertise. “I always start with the burger. I usually use ground turkey. I don’t like the grease,” said Helmer. “If you use onions in your chili, then simmer them with the meat as you cook it.”
Sparing Use of Wood Ash in Garden Can Be Beneficial
Because wood ash has a fine particle size, it reacts rapidly and blends completely into the soil. Although small amounts of nutrients are applied with wood ash, the main effect is that of a liming agent.


Reducing Bad Fat in Diet One Healthy Change to Make
“Making decisions about which kind of fat to choose can be confusing. Some fat is actually needed and plays an important role in good health. Other fats should be limited,” said Tammy Roberts, a nutrition and health education specialist with University of Missouri Extension.


Dear Mr. Groundhog - We’re all sick of winter
I know you come out every year around Feb. 2 for your annual dog-and-pony show. I also know that if we’d just look at the calendar, we’d already know that on Feb. 2, it’s kind of a given that we’ll have six more weeks of winter. So I suppose I know already that winter isn’t your fault, but I’ve got to have someone to blame.