July - September Webb Wellness

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Family & Community Health Learn, Grow, Eat, & Go! Virtual Program

Better Living for Texans Beating the pandemic blues and Recipe of the month

Agriculture & Nat. Resources Grazing Management and CFAP-2 Assistance for Ag

4-H & Youth Development State Validations and Program Updates

Prairie View - Cooperative Extension Programs During COVID- 19 and Recognitions Table of Contents

Family & Community ...... Angie Sifuentes Health ...... Corina Garcia

Better Living for ...... Genesis Hernandez Texans ...... Valeria Arredondo Agriculture & Natural Resources ...... Amanda Salinas

4-H & Youth ...... All Staff and Development Agents Cooperative ...... Ashley Gastineau Extension Program Contact Us ...... All

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service AgriLifeExtension.tamu.edu More Extension publications can be found at AgriLifeBookstore.org Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status. Family & Community Health

Hello Webb County,

With our summer almost over, schools starting up again, and COVID-19 restrictions still in place, it feels like our year flew by. But we have plenty to look forward to within the next coming months. Here at the Extension office, we have strived to assist our community as much as possible. Through a collaboration of efforts with the State of Texas, AgriLife Extension has been County Extension tasks to become a point of contact for Personal Protective Agent - Family & Equipment distributions, educational resources, and COVID- Community Health 19 contact tracing to help stop the spread. All of the Family & Community Health staff at the Webb Active Programs: County Extension office is putting in 20 hours of Contact Learn, Grow, Eat Tracing work by taking calls and cases and informing the & Go public of safety measures that need to be taken when in Walk Across contact with someone who may have the virus. We have Texas made it a priority to provide this service for our community. Dinner Tonight: We will also begin our push for safe, virtual programming Healthy Cooking starting with Cooking Well with Diabetes, Step Up Scale School Down and Learn, Grow, Eat & Go! I have continued our Step Up, Scale fruitful collaboration with United I.S.D. to continue proving Down our Webb County youth with exposure to garden beds, fresh Cooking Well with vegetable and physical activity; while providing our adult Diabetes community with resources and educational material to 4-H FCH Projects better control their health and wellness. And we're just getting started. Your County Agent, Angie Sifuentes Family & Community Health PPE DISTRIBUTION for Webb County

130 CHILD 1,636 MASKS CARE & DAY & CARE 375 FACE CENTERS SHIELDS Received hand sanitizer, face- Provided for an masks, gloves, and estimated 818 workers thermometers provided to for November elections child-care and day-care and polling places. centers.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension was asked to use its network of county offices to distribute personal protective equipment to our community to ensure the safety of our child care providers and to ensure a safe and smooth voting process for this year's elections. Family & Community Health

LGEG Starts Again! One of the strongest programs in Webb County begins again with four elementary schools participating in this year's virtual program. Each week, teachers are receiving recorded lessons, recipes, resources, and assignments for students to enjoy!

L.G.E.G. In-House Training: An employee training was led for all agents to understand and implement the program appropriately. The one-day training consisted of lesson-by-lesson activities led by Angie Sifuentes. L.G.E.G & Healthy Texas - Parent Session Presentation: In partnership with Ms. Lisa Dunn, G.T. & Advanced Academics Coordinator, a parent session was held for all United I.S.D. parents in attendance to promote and showcase the work done by the participating U.I.S.D. schools. Over 60 parents attended the Healthy Texas Designated Campus presentation, highlighting Learn, Grow, Eat & Go! L.G.E.G School Implementation Four United. I.S.D. schools are implementing the program this year; of which, two schools are aiming to become a recognized campus for the 3rd year in a row. These schools are Nye Elementary and San Isidro Elementary. The schools working towards their 2nd yearly recognition are J.W. Arndt Elementary School and Col. Santos Benavides Elementary. A total of 402 students are expected to receive their L.G.E.G. certification this year. 4-H & Family Community Health

Howdy Webb County!

Fall is finally here and our fall programming started up again! I am excited to share with y'all that I performed my first cooking demo for our Learn, Grow, Eat, & Go! program with UISD. This program, along with others, thrives really well here in Laredo. I have included the recipe I Family & Community Health used, and I hope you enjoy making it at home! Mental Health & Wellness

Education on Food Quality

We are also in the process of planning Education on Youth Obesity with childcare centers and preschools Nutrition & Smart Shopping for our Color Me Healthy program which focuses on nutrition and Money Management & Budgeting physical activity. Stay tuned for more! Awareness & Education on Family Time

It's a pleasure to serve you, Awareness & Education on Family Dynamics

Education of Your Financial Literacy Corina A. Garcia '18 Parenting Education 4-H & Family Community Health Assistant Extension Agent General Sex Education CINNAMON CARROT CRUNCH

4 medium carrots, peeled 3/4 cup of & grated raisins, soaked overnight in 1 cup of water 1 celery rib, chopped 3/4 cup low- fat vanilla 2 medium yogurt apples, chopped 1 teaspoon of 1 tablespoon cinnamon lemon juice

This recipe is refreshing and easy!

1. dump everything in a bowl 2. mix!

It is ready to eat immediately or you can leave it in the fridge for later. If you're looking for a recipe to get your little ones involved, this one is perfect! Better Living for

Texans BLT: July-September A word from Genesis

HHoowwddyy,, WWeebbbb CCoouunnttyy!! I'm your local Webb County Extension Agent and I have some updates for you! The first update is that this summer I participated in a State Pilot program where we delivered our Fresh Start to a Healthier You Series to a partnering site. I was fortunate enough to partner with Laredo Job Corps, a special shout out to Adriana Hernandez for facilitating the program to her students. The program was a success and students enjoyed the Follow and Like program, safely and from the comfort of their homes. My second update is that I blt.webb also worked on strengthening our social media presence and keeping connected bltbwlte.wbbecbobunty with our previous participants. Although nothing beats real-time interaction, I'm trying my best to educate our community about nutrients our body needs, Myplate and physical activity. Right now, I'm planning on delivering programs through virtual mediums and possibly face to face with the proper measures taken to ensure our safety! Better Living for

Texans BLT: July-September A word from Valeria

HHoowwddyy,, WWeebbbb CCoouunnttyy!! Following the updates, as the spread of Covid-19 continues, the Better Living for Texans staff have found ways to cope through this pandemic and deliver our programs out to the public. Blessed to have the partnering communities around us that love to come together and help us in times like these. Classes have been scheduled with elementary schools around Webb County and we're super excited to start! I will be Follow and Like delivering the classes via Zoom and find ways to make this as educational and blt.webb entertaining as I can make it. Updates will be posted daily on our web pages, so follow bltbwlte.wbbecbobunty us for more behind the scenes. Better Living for

Texans BLT: July-September

Create a well-crafted grocery list Tips to -Such as Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and beat the especially condiments and spices

Pandemic Return to breakfast -What breakfast options make us feel our best? Not sure what to eat? Conduct a breakfast experiment Blues by eating a different breakfast every day for a week. Record what you eat and how you feel after eating. Record how you feel again two hours later. Note energy, mood, and physical symptoms. Here is a sample week:

Monitor cravings -Strong emotions and the need for security might trigger strong cravings for foods that can sabotage our diet or perpetuate an already low mood. Make sure you check in to your body, hydrate, limit your sugar and salt intake, and make sure you're eating enough! It's stressful time, nourish yourself.

source: https://medicine.umich.edu/dept/psychiatry/michigan-psychiatry- resources-covid-19/your-lifestyle/making-nutrition-priority-during-pandemict Better Living for

Texans BLT: July-September Recipe of the Month

Ingredients 6 corn tortillas 1 pound catfish fillet 2 tbs Cajun Creolo Seasoning For pico de gallo cherry tomatoes diced white onion diced jalapenos seeded and diced 1/4 cup cilantro chopped 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 pepper 1 lime

Instructions 1.Wash hands and clean kitchen surfaces. 2.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Season the catfish fillets with the Cajun creole seasoning and bake for 25 minutes or until fillets reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. 3.While the catfish is baking, prepare the Pico de Gallo. Combine all of the finely diced vegetables (tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, cilantro) in a medium bowl. Mix in the lime juice, salt, and pepper. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve to let flavors combine. 4.After making the Pico de Gallo, make the avocado crema. In a bowl combine the avocado and Greek yogurt, mash, and mix until well combined. Make the garlic clove into a paste using either a Microplane or by mincing the clove then running your knife blade back and forth over the minced garlic (see our tips on garlic paste). Add in garlic paste and juice of 1 lime into avocado mixture and combine well. 5.To Assemble: flake the catfish and arrange evenly among tortillas, evenly distribute the Pico de Gallo and Avocado crema among tacos. Top with additional cilantro if desired. Agriculture & Natural Resources

Hello all!

It's been quite a challenge to provide the county with hands on programs. However, while we've been on lockdown we've still been hard at work. From planning state validations for livestock to coordinating programs with other disciplines in the office, and even attending continued professional developments. We are looking forward to the time that we can Webb County Issues

begin have events and be able to Soil Health meet with everyone face to face again. Water Quantity & Quality Although our office may be closed Grazing & Brush Management to the public but we are still

working. Please call or e-mail with Awareness & Education of Eminent any questions or concerns. We are Domain here to help! Stay safe everyone. Awareness & Education of Federal Funding

Amanda Salinas Youth Education and Awareness of Ag. & Nat. Resources Agirculture & Agriculture Issues County Extension Agent Grazing Management

Definition: Grazing management systems aim to produce high-quality forage to feed livestock for as much of the year as possible. There are several different system options: continuous, simple rotational, and intensive rotational.

Why manage?

Many pasture problems, such as slow growth, weed invasions, and bare ground, are caused by the pasture management methods being used. Good management is the key to healthy, productive pastures, and healthy, productive pastures are the key to healthy, productive animals. Some Benefits: • Improved forage quality and yield • Decreased feeding of hay and silage • Improved distribution of manure • Decreased weed infestations • Decreased soil compaction • Decreased soil washouts and erosion • Improved animal health and productivity • Increased number of animals on the same acreage CFAP-2 Assistance for Agriculture

An additional $14 billion dollars will be made available for farmers and ranchers who continue to face market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19. Signup for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 2) will begin Sept. 21 and close on Dec. 11. Farmers and ranchers can apply for CFAP 2 at USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices. This program provides financial assistance that gives producers the ability to absorb increased marketing costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Farmers and ranchers will be compensated for ongoing market disruptions and assisted with the associated marketing costs.

More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus. 4-H & Youth Development

Important Upcoming Dates & Information Agriculture & Natural Resources Club Manager Training Tuesday, October 20 at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom 4-H AgNR Program Committee Meeting Tuesday, October 20 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom L.I.F.E. Validation Dates Saturday, October 17, 2020: 4-H and FFA Chapters (A-M) This includes: Alexander FFA, Bad Breed 4-H, Bangora 4-H, Bruni FFA, Brush Kuntry 4-H, Cactus Country 4-H, Chaparral 4-H, Cigarroa FFA, Del Norte 4-H, El Cielo 4-H, Johnson FFA, Lil Brush Country Trail Riders 4-H, Magnum 4-H, Martin FFA Saturday, October 24, 2020: 4-H and FFA Chapters (N-Z) This includes: Nixon FFA, Ranch Hand 4-H, Round up 4-H, Sta Andrea 4-H, South Texas Breed 4-H, Southern Pride 4-H, The Shepherds 4-H, Texas Lone Star 4-H, Unidos 4-H, United FFA, United South FFA, Webb Shooting Sports 4-H and Wrangler 4-H.

Family & Community Health Food & Nutrition Workshops Thursday, October 15 and Thursday, October 22 at 6:00 p.m. via ZOOM Consumer Education Workshop Thursday, October 29 at 6:00 p.m. via ZOOM 4-H FCH Program Committee Meeting Tuesday, October 20 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom

Youth Development 4-H Leadership Committee Meeting Tuesday, October 20 at 6:30 p.m. via Microsoft TEAMS 4-H Promotion Campaign Week of October 18th - October 24th Highlighting Webb County 4-H Achievements and Recognitions S A T U R D A Y , O C T O B E R 1 0 T H STATE LAMB, GOAT, & HEIFER VALIDATION

Q U E S T I O N S ? C O N T A C T T H E E X T E N S I O N O F F I C E A T 9 5 6 . 5 2 3 . 5 2 9 0

T H E M E M B E R S O F T E X A S A & M A G R I L I F E W I L L P R O V I D E E Q U A L O P P O R T U N I T I E S I N P R O G R A M S A N D A C T I V I T I E S , E D U C A T I O N , A N D E M P L O Y M E N T T O A L L P E R S O N S R E G A R D L E S S O F R A C E , C O L O R , S E X , R E L I G I O N , N A T I O N A L O R I G I N , A G E , D I S A B I L I T Y , G E N E T I C I N F O R M A T I O N , V E T E R A N S T A T U S , S E X U A L O R I E N T A T I O N O R G E N D E R I D E N T I T Y A N D W I L L S T R I V E T O A C H I E V E F U L L A N D E Q U A L E M P L O Y M E N T O P P O R T U N I T Y T H R O U G H O U T T E X A S A & M A G R I L I F E . Cooperative Extension Program

Programs During COVID-19

Extension Agent, Ashley Gastineau, did not let COVID- 19 stop her from doing programming. She had some amazing programs that helped with these hard times. Programs afford were Family Time Mindfulness, Yoga for Families, Nutrition, and Mind Matter- Building Resilience. These programs were delivered via Zoom and were afford to those clients from the Southwest Key Program, UISD After-school Program and SCAN! Cooperative Extension Program

Congrats to Extension Agent, Ashley Gastineau, on this recognition!!! Texas Communities Future Forum Webb County Identified Issues

What does Extension do? Ag. & Natural Resources The Webb County Extension office offers research- based educational programming within the scope Soil Health of the below subject areas, identified in 2020.

Water Quantity & Quality Family & Community Health

Grazing & Brush Management Mental Health & Wellness

Awareness & Education of Eminent Education on Food Quality Domain

Education on Youth Obesity Awareness & Education of Federal Funding Nutrition & Smart Shopping

Youth Education and Awareness of Money Management & Budgeting Agirculture & Agriculture Issues

Awareness & Education on Family Time Youth Development Awareness & Education on Family Youth Leadership & Public Speaking Dynamics

Community Involvement & Service Education of Your Financial Literacy

Education of Social Media Parenting Education

Access to Education & Opportunity General Sex Education

Texas A&M AgriLife does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender identity and provides equal access in its programs, activities, education and employment. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension 7209 E. Saunders St., Suite 5 Laredo, TX 78041 Office #: 956.523.5290

Angie Sifuentes Amanda Salinas County Extension Agent County Extension Agent Family & Community Health Agriculture & Natural Resources [email protected] [email protected]

Ashley Gastineau Genesis Hernandez Cooperative Extension Agent Extension Agent Family & Community Health Better Living for Texans [email protected] [email protected]

Corina Garcia Valeria Arredondo Assistant Extension Agent Nutrition Educator 4-H/Family & Community Health Better Living for Texans [email protected] [email protected]

Nancy Olivares Imelda Cavazos Office Manager Administrative Clerk [email protected] [email protected]

Texas A&M AgriLife does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender identity and provides equal access in its programs, activities, education and employment.