The Press-Dispatch
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The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, June 10, 2020 B-3 HOME LIFE TO ADVERTISE: Call: 812-354-8500 Email: ads@pressdispatch.net Visit: 820 E. Poplar Street, Petersburg Deadline: 5 p.m. on Monday Down on the Farm Asian jumping worms recognized YOUTH FIRST TODAY OUT with the old, COSTLY UNIT In with the NEW ENERGY- EFFICIENT unit from Carrier 812-354-4273 This Winter's Forecast: Whatever Makes You Comfortable. To find the system that's right for you, contact your local Carrier ® dealer. ©CARRIER CORPORATION 8/2014. With smart temperature management and remote-access options, new technology from Carrier makes it easier than ever to control your home's climate. Carrier's energy-efficient systems can help reduce utility bills without sacrificing comfort. For more complete control and greater peace of mind, turn to the experts at Carrier. ENERGY STAR ® QUALIFIED EFFICIENCIES MAXIMIZE YOUR COMFORT Special rebates still available. Call today for details! ON ALL SERVICE CALLS! OFFER ENDS 6/30/20 SAVE 30% MYERS IS PIKE COUNTY'S CARRIER DEALER! REBATES UP TO $250 Hurry! Offer ends 6/30/20 EXTENDED! SENIORS & VETERANS Clip & Save! EASY FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE MEALS IN Monica's MINUTES By Monica Sinclair It's strawberry season! Just re- cently, I went to a local farm mar- ket and picked up several quarts of strawberries. I always look for- ward to this time of year because there is nothing like biting in- to a fresh strawberry, especial- ly when the temperature starts rising, as it has this week. I usu- ally just eat these delicious fruits by themselves, but I thought I would try to make something with them this year. I found an extremely easy pie recipe that should be absolutely amazing! Enjoy! INGREDIENTS • 1 sheet refrigerated pie crust • 3/4 cup sugar • 2 tablespoons cornstarch • 1 cup water • 1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin • 4 cups sliced fresh strawberries • Whipped cream, optional DIRECTIONS 1. Unroll crust into 9 -in. pie plate. Trim edge. Line unpricked crust with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil or parchment. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack. 2. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, corn- starch and water until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Re- move from the heat; stir in gelatin until dissolved. Refrigerate until slightly cooled, 15 -20 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, arrange strawberries in the crust. Pour gelatin mixture over berries. Refrigerate until set. If desired, serve with whipped cream. Source: tasteof home.com` Family dinners beneficial for youth development By Salita Brown Youth First, Inc. Has your family enjoyed more time together, including family meals, dur- ing the pandemic? Before the world- wide health crisis, many families had seen the demands of everyday life cause a decline in traditional sit-down family dinners. Many families run from activity to activity, and it seems as though this family tradition from the past no longer seems relevant. So, before some of us remove this ritual from our lives completely, let's stop and discuss the true importance of family dinners. For many years, family dinners were a part of daily life in the household. These dinners represented much more than a time of sustenance. They were a time to unwind and reconnect as a fam- ily over a good meal. They took place at the family dinner table, with face-to- face communication and no technolo- gy. They reminded families what was really important–each other. In recent years, researchers have found that family dinners promote healthy development in youth. They provide a connection to important fam- ily and cultural rituals, which can be beneficial to a youth's mental health. These face-to-face interactions be- tween parents and their children fa- cilitate communication, which in turn helps parents guide their children's be- havior. According to the website stan- fordchildrens.org, youth in families that regularly engage in family meals are about half as likely to need treat- ment for depression, anxiety, and oth- er emotional problems, compared to their peers. Additionally, the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Co- lumbia University (CASA) reported findings for children that had frequent family dinners compared to peers that did not. Benefits for youth that had fre- quent family dinners included: • Less likely to smoke, drink, or use illicit drugs • Less likely to have friends who use illegal drugs • Better school performance • Less likely to report tension among family members • Greater communication among family members. Of course, every family is different, and the process of gathering the whole family every night over a meal may not be possible. For these families, I would recommend finding at least one day a week that can be devoted to having a family meal, and that meal does not have to be dinner. Family meals can occur over breakfast, lunch or even at a restaurant or the park during an outing to the store. Choose whatever works best for your family. So, what if a family is not good at ini- tiating positive communication during family dinners? For those families, I would recommend creating a conver- sation jar. A conversation jar can in- clude a variety of questions and topics that can be discussed during the meal. Each time you eat, have a family mem- ber select and read a question and give everyone a chance to answer. To encourage youth to feel more buy- in for this activity, begin with easy and silly questions. As the weeks go by, add in more serious, thought-provoking questions. Just take steps to ensure the dinner never turns into a blame game and no one ever leaves feeling down and defeated. Now you know the importance of family dinners as a positive tool for your children's development. As we slowly return to our normal routines, let's try to find time to continue tradi- tional family dinners, gathering our families together and engaging in pos- itive communication over a good meal. Bon Appétit! This column is written by Salita Brown, LCSW, school social worker for Youth First, Inc., a local nonprofit ded- icated to strengthening youth and fami- lies. Youth First provides 59 Master's lev- el social workers to 81 schools in 10 In- diana counties. Over 39,500 youth and families per year have access to Youth First's school social work and afterschool programs that prevent substance abuse, promote healthy behaviors, and maxi- mize student success. Share your favorite recipe! www.facebook.com/mealsinminutes Monica's Meals in Minutes PO Box 68, Petersburg, IN 47567 mealsinminutes@pressdispatch.net FACEBOOK MAIL EMAIL By Hans Schmitz Purdue Extension Educator hschmitz@purdue.edu In a sudden turn of events, the Pur- due Landscape Report last week high- lighted the Asian Jumping Worm as a potential invader in Indiana. This pest has been reported informally around this region for a couple of years now. This spring, calls about potential in- festations have gone up significantly. Gardeners and homeowners, particu- larly those near wooded areas, should be on the lookout for this worm, as it's degrading effects on the soil are well-noted. Known to exist in other states from Wisconsin to New Hamp- shire and states south, this pest has shown itself to significant- ly impact forest understo- ry plants. This worm goes by many names, including Asian Jumping Worm, Cra- zy Worm, Alabama Jump- er, and Snake Worm. A quick lesson in identifica- tion is worth revisiting. If one encounters this worm in the wild, one will remember the experience. Compared to traditional earthworms, this worm expresses itself. When provoked by touch, the worm does not wriggle. In- stead, this worm thrashes more than one of the Headbangers. Younger ver- sions appear to flick them- selves from end to end, while adults act like threatened snakes. This activity, in addi- tion to a milky white band en- circling the body that is flush with the rest of the body, not raised, identified the worm as the Crazy Worm. That band is known as the clitellum. The adults are also smaller than nightcrawlers, maxing out at five inch- es long. This genus, known in Latin as Continued on page 8