In this age of confusing product claims, Bob Muth has found a simple way to describe the farming philosophy that he and his wife Leda use on Muth Family Farm in Williamstown: commonsense farming… “I went to college and studied this stuff, …
Archives for March 2015
Summer Heat Waves May Have Roots in Rapid Arctic Warming
Before the summer of 2010, Moscow had never recorded a triple-digit temperature, with records going back to 1879. But during a weeks-long heat wave that June and July, the city’s temperatures soared well above normal, setting an all-time record high of 102 degrees fahrenheit on July 30. A new study suggests that Arctic warming could have helped trigger that epic heat wave… Some researchers suspect Arctic warming influences weather in the mid-latitudes because as the pole heats rapidly, the temperature difference between it and the equator is shrinking. That difference, or gradient, is what drives the jet stream, the fast-moving river of air high in the atmosphere that guides our weather… “The small waves are like ripples that travel along the path of the main jet stream, through the large waves. They are what create individual weather systems, like high pressure cells and storms,” Rutgers University climate researcher Jennifer Francis, who reviewed the new study, said in an email.
Most Fast Food Places Do Well With Food Safety
When McDonald’s debuted the slogan “You Deserve a Break Today” in 1971, it was tacked onto a commercial that barely mentioned food. As a team of singing workers cavorted with mops and brooms, they extolled a quality you don’t ordinarily see mentioned in an ad for a fast-food chain: “At McDonald’s, it’s clean!”… Levels of cleanliness – a key part of food safety – vary widely at the individual franchise level, according to city restaurant inspection reports… “In terms of fast food, there’s not much they can do to screw it up,” said Don Schaffner, a professor of microbiology at Rutgers University and president of the International Association for Food Protection. The complex processes that can trip up exotic places that make everything from scratch, for example, are missing from these eateries, which is part of how they produce food fast”Those restaurants do a pretty good job of engineering out the risk factors,” said Schaffner, who also sits on McDonald’s Food Safety Advisory Council. “I’d be more leery going to a fancy white-tablecloth place than a fast-food restaurant.”
As New Jersey Allergy Season Arrives, Questions Arise About Impact of Climate Change
The warming weather from this past week, and the promise of higher temperatures to come, will start up the gears for Mother Nature’s annual spring allergy season this week, says a New Jersey’s expert on pollens, ragweed and molds… Springfield allergist Dr. Leonard Bielory said he expects the kick off of the tree pollen season to begin before the spring equinox on Friday… “It’s going to shoot and my prediction is it’s going to be greater than last year,” he said… Bielory is the principal investigator in a federally funded grant program at Rutgers University to study the connection between climate change and allergic airway disease… This weekend, in fact, Bielory is in Buenos Aires to make a presentation on climate change and its effects on asthma at a conference of experts on allergies, asthma and immunology. Climate change aside, Bielory says data shows increases across age groups in most areas of the country for sensitivity to various allergens.
It’s a Win/Win for Rutgers Students and Foster Horses
A new Rutgers University program involves a mutually beneficial human/equine relationship: it offers students an educational experience, while giving horses in need a chance to find homes… It’s the product of brainstorming to address animal science professor Sarah Ralston’s lack of access to horses for teaching… Department chair Wendie Cohick suggested getting horses just for teaching, and it was determined a year-round herd of four horses for that purpose and outreach, such as clinics, would be ideal. But even more horses were needed for Ag Field Day in New Brunswick at 10 a.m. April 25, a chance for students to show off their horses and what they have learned… “So many horses out there need homes, and most of the placements and rescues are full to the gills. If we take on even two or three horses, then we open up two or three spots for their parent organizations.”… Associate Professor of Animal Sciences and Extension Specialist Carey Williams noted, “The students are winning by getting to interact with different breeds and different types of horses from different backgrounds. These horses may or may not know what we are asking them to do, so approaching each one differently might be necessary… Anyone interested in seeing the horses in the Rutgers University Teaching Herd (RUTH) before Ag Field Day can attend the “Meet RUTH” get-together on the Cook Campus in New Brunswick from 1-3 p.m. April 11.
Warren County Celebrates ‘National Nutrition Month’ and Recent Grant Award
March is National Nutrition Month and the Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders has issued an official proclamation in support of its designation, while highlighting the recent Shaping NJ Healthy Community Grant awarded to the Warren County Communi…
Middlesex County EARTH Center Offers “Discover Power Gardening” Seminar
The Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County is marking the start of gardening season with a new workshop, Discover Power Gardening… This seminar is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the EARTH Center located …
Rain, Fog and Melting Snow but No Flooding in North Jersey Forecast
Despite Saturday’s rainfall and melting snow, flooding is unlikely in North Jersey over the next couple of weeks, climate experts say. But that does not mean that the threat can be written off entirely this season… Most parts of Bergen and Passaic counties collected about a half-inch to an inch of rain in 15 hours Saturday and the area’s rivers were keeping well within their banks… The potential for flooding down the road depends primarily on how fast residual snow pack melts, which in turn depends on how quickly temperatures rise, said Dave Robinson, state climatologist at Rutgers University… The melt so far this March has been “well-behaved,” Robinson said. Temperatures have climbed into the mid-40s and even 50s during the day but remained below freezing at night. Rivers that have been swollen for parts of the day have had time to recover.
SEBS Professors Participate in 1st Annual RWJUH Nutrition Symposium
On March 10, the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) held its 1st Annual Nutrition Symposium, “The Positive Impact of Today’s Nutrition on Tomorrow’s Society: Current Perspectives from the Clinical, Public Health, Food Science, Pharmaceutical and Legal Sectors.” John Quinn, assistant director of Clinical Nutrition, RWJUH, provided an overview of the symposium, which was held […]
Centenary College’s Earth Day Celebration Scheduled for April 25
This year, Centenary College’s Earth Week Committee welcomes members of the community to the celebration of Earth Day, which will be held on Saturday, April 25, on the front lawn of the college… In addition, in an attempt to educate our community on Earth-related issues, the College offers a presentation on April 22, with Tony Broccoli, Professor at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University. He will speak at the College at 2 p.m., in the Ferry Building, room 12… Broccoli’s presentation titled “The Climate Ahead: Global Changes, Local Impacts” focuses on the science of climate change, including a discussion of the basic physics, global observations of climate change and model projections of future climate change. The talk will also discuss some of the potential impacts of climate change on our region and will close with a brief discussion of society’s options for dealing with climate change. Members of the community are invited to learn more about this topic and participate in a discussion after the presentation.