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dial on a pressure canner

Altitude Adjustments for Home Canning

There are many guidelines to follow when canning, an important one often overlooked is checking one’s need to adjust for altitude.

Tick that is dark brown to black in color with a reddish-orange abdomen.

Protecting Yourself From Ticks

During wet springs, tick populations tend to thrive in South Dakota. These parasitic arthropods require blood to fulfill their nutritional needs and commonly use humans as a host. Some ticks can also carry bacterial diseases that are a threat to human health.

Participants walking  in one of the Physical Activity Evidence-Based programs offered through SDSU Extension

Managing Joint Pain and Symptoms With Physical Activity

Physical activity is a key behavior to help manage joint symptoms and pain. Let’s review a few different types of arthritis and explore ways to increase mobility and manage pain with physical activity.

Mosquito with darker coloration and mosquito with white band on proboscis.

Be Ready for Mosquitos

With the very wet 2019 spring and recent rains, it inevitable that mosquito populations will be high this year. Although there are over 20 species of mosquitoes that call South Dakota home, there are really only two species that account for the majority of observed individuals.

collection of pressure canned food

Water Bathing vs. Pressure Canning

Water bathing and pressure canning are two common ways to preserve foods by canning. These techniques use heat processing to preserve foods, and which technique you use depends on the acidity of the food.

A dial pressure canner gauge

Testing Dial Pressure Canner Gauges

For accuracy before use, it is recommended that dial gauges get tested each year. Gauges that read high cause under-processing and may result in unsafe food.

an image of fresh tomatoes

Farmers Market Food Safety: Health & Hygiene

Health, hygiene and hand washing apply to all stages of production, processing and marketing. Ill food handlers can easily contaminate fresh produce with disease-causing microorganisms. Many of these organisms have the capability to survive on fresh fruits and vegetables for an extended time, from several days to weeks. Once the organism is established on fresh produce, it is very hard to remove.

neighborhood street flooded with melted snow and water runoff. FEMA News Photo

Flood Insurance

The higher amounts of snow this year will increase the chance of flooding and the potential water damage to homes and residential properties. Now is the time to consider purchasing a flood insurance policy.