Brown Baggin’ It A Guide to Lunches on the Go
Follow the tips here to pack a safe and nutritious lunch.
Latest Publications
Here are the latest publications from NDSU Extension.
Measuring Soil Microbial Activity by Using Litterbags
We use litterbags filled with wheat straw to measure the organisms activity in the soil over time as it related to breaking down old crop residue. The mesh allows microbes and small arthropods to break down the litter. After a growing season, the litterbag is retrieved, cleaned, and measured for how much litter disappeared through the actions of decomposition. Litterbags offer an easy way to monitor activity of a soil’s decomposer community.
Quick Facts: Becoming the Grill Master
When done right, grilling can be one of the more healthful ways to prepare food. Preparing meats and poultry on the grill allows excess fat to drip away. Very little fat needs to be added to foods cooked on the grill.
Seniors and Food Safety: When Grandparents Take Care of Grandchildren
Many of the feeding practices you used with your own children may no longer be advocated for today’s infants and toddlers. Let’s take a look at the food safety implications of feeding a special new person in your life.
Seniors and Food Safety: What’s Cooking?
Prevent foodborne illness with these four simple steps to prepare food safely at home
Seniors and Food Safety: What’s a Senior to Eat?
Smart food choices can help reduce the risk for chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke and osteoporosis. These are the leading cause of death and disability among Americans.
Seniors and Food Safety: Why are Seniors at Risk for Foodborne Illness?
James L. Smith, a microbiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, wanted to find the answer to the question of why seniors are more at risk for foodborne illness. He reviewed data from foodborne outbreaks at nursing homes, and compared the immune and digestive systems of seniors and younger individuals, as well as evaluating the overall physical well-being of seniors.
Keep Food Safe During Summer Picnics
Although mosquitoes and flies can be annoying pests at picnics, the "bugs" you can't see, such as harmful bacteria, are a bigger problem. Use these tips to beat bacteria at your summer picnic.
Safe and Healthy Eating During Pregnancy
During pregnancy, women are more vulnerable to food-borne illness because of hormone changes that lower immunity. Fortunately, most cases of food-borne illness can be prevented by following the guidelines provided in this publication.
Safe Food for Babies and Children: Choking Dangers
Every child is at risk of choking: Older infants and children less than 5 years old easily can choke on food, toys and household objects. A single choking incident may result in death, permanent brain damage due to lack of oxygen and other complications associated with airway blockage. This publication provides tips on choking prevention.
Grass Varieties for North Dakota
Selection of the appropriate species and variety is one important step in making a grass seeding successful. Grass species and varieties differ in growth habit, productivity, forage quality, drought resistance, and tolerance to grazing, winter hardiness, seedling vigor, salinity tolerance and many other characteristics.
Keep Food Safe from Store to Storage: Shopping Food Safety Facts
Plan your trip around the grocery store, and make it the last stop before going home. Use a shopping list. Shop for nonperishable foods first, followed by frozen and refrigerated items such as meats, fish, eggs, dairy products and deli meats.
Common Arthropod Pests of Dry Beans in North Dakota
This publication describes the common arthropod pests of dry bean in North Dakota. The following pests are included: aphids, grasshoppers, potato leafhoppers, foliage-feeding caterpillars (green cloverworm, painted lady butterfly), armyworms, cutworms, seed corn maggot and spider mites. The goal of this publication is to help pest managers with proper identification. A brief description and photograph of the immature and adult life stages is provided for each pest.
Anthrax
Anthrax occurs worldwide and is associated with sudden death of cattle and sheep. Anthrax can infect all warm-blooded animals, including humans.
Exploring North Dakota Foodways: Scandinavian Cuisine (Past and Present)
Scandinavian immigrants brought many food traditions to North Dakota. You might be familiar with foods such as lutefisk, lefse, Swedish meatballs, rømmegrøt, pickled herring, pickled beets, rye bread and a variety of baked goods.
Checklist of Potato Emergence Problems
At times, potato growers may experience poor emergence of potato plants. There are number of reasons why potato plants may not emerge properly. This article is intended to provide a list of common problems that can cause poor potato emergence and stand. Utilizing this list can help growers more rapidly identify the cause and improve management of the crop and subsequent crops.
Add Some Color (and Nutrition) to Your Meals
Eating enough fruits and vegetables may help prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease, type II diabetes and cancer. Aim to have a variety of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet, because different colors of fruits and vegetables provide different nutrients. This pocket guide provides nutrition tips and recipes to add color to your meals.
Cyanobacteria Poisoning (Blue-green Algae)
Drinking water from stagnant ponds and dugouts during hot, dry weather can cause sudden death in animals. This water can contain certain species of cyanobacteria (glue-green algae) are toxic. Cyanobacteria produce neuro and liver toxins that are poisonous to nearly all livestock, wildlife and humans.
Helping Flooded Trees and Shrubs
Flooding periodically happens in North Dakota. Post-flooding management decisions can help or harm trees and shrubs on their road to recovery. A list of flood-tolerant trees/shrubs, and a list of flood-sensitive trees/shrubs, are provided.
Ecological Sites of North Dakota
A guide to ecological sites common to North Dakota
The North Dakota Grazing Monitoring Stick: A Way to Measure Range and Pasture Utilization
This document is a guide to the North Dakota Grazing Monitoring Stick. A Grazing Monitoring Stick can be a fast, user-friendly tool for measuring and monitoring utilization of pasture and rangeland. Utilization measures the percent of the plant that has been removed by grazing animals. Monitoring utilization of grass can determine livestock removal date and prevent overgrazing.
Tree Planting in North Dakota
This publication describes proper methods of tree planting and advantages/disadvantages of different types of nursery stock. Common mistakes and misperceptions are discussed, as well as post-planting care.
Grandparenting in Unique Circumstances
Grandparents occurs in a variety of unique circumstances, including situations of divorce, immigration, blended families or other contexts. This bulletin explores grandparenting in unique circumstances and how grandparents can navigate family transitions, in-law relationships, and other family situations.
Manure Spreader Calibration For Nutrient Management Planning
Livestock manures contain many beneficial and valuable plant nutrients. However, if the manure application equipment is not properly calibrated, these valuable nutrients may be wasted by overapplication or crop yield goals may not be met due to underapplication. This publication explains 2 simple manure spreader calibration techniques.
Growing Rye as a Cover Crop in North Dakota
This publication summarizes recommendations for growing rye as a cover crop. It includes guidelines for variety selection, planting date, seeding rate and termination timing the next spring.
When Grandparents Become Parents to Their Grandchildren
Millions of family relatives, particularly grandparents, become “parents the second time around” when parents experience difficulties and children need care. Grandparents in this situation need answers regarding concerns they may face, insight into feelings and experiences in their role as parent to a grandchild, and support in finding sources of strength for themselves and the grandchildren in their care.
Livestock Water Requirements
Water is an important, but often overlooked, nutrient. Livestock water requirements are affected by many factors including, size, productivity, diet and environmental conditions. Limited access or reduced water consumption can result in dehydration, which can be fatal to livestock.
Common Natural Enemies of Insect Pests
This publication describes the most common natural enemies of insect pests that are found in field crops and gardens. Pictures of each natural enemy are provided for assistance with identification. Predators, parasitoids and entomopathogenic fungi and viral diseases are covered.
2020 Dry Bean Grower Survey of Production, Pest Problems and Pesticide Use in Minnesota and North Dakota
The 2020 dry bean survey is the 31st annual survey of varieties grown, pest problems (insect pests, diseases, weeds), pesticide use, agronomic practices and pest management practices of dry edible bean growers in Minnesota and North Dakota. The survey is supported by the Northarvest Dry Bean Growers Association.
What is Soil Acidity?
Low pH or soil acidity affects nutrient availability, microbial activity as well as plant growth. This publication covers a definition of soil acidity, causes of soil acidity, effect on soil nutrients and crops, and how to identify this issue.
