Have you heard? June is National Dairy Month! This month is dedicated to raising awareness of the nutritional benefits of dairy and the vital role that the dairy industry plays in our food systems and economy. UT Extension Union County does not miss this chance to get 4-H students involved. We are kicking off the month by announcing our Union County 4-H Dairy Poster Contest Winner: Emily Graves!

The Union County Farmers Market is in full swing with more produce coming in each week. We would like to introduce you to some of our more unusual, interesting offerings. Let’s get started with fennel as it has just arrived at the market.

My name is Jonathan Tindell, I am a homeschooler from Union County and I'm finishing up the 9th grade. I want to take a few minutes to explain to you what the 4-H All Star Conference is. This is a region event where 4-H'ers come together from nine East Tennessee regions.

When you push someone in a wheelchair, you may be hurting your back without knowing it. Researchers measured the forces on the spine caused by pushing a wheelchair, and discovered that people aren’t good at judging when they’re exerting forces strong enough to hurt their back. The study appears in the journal Ergonomics.

It was kind of embarrassing now that I think about it. Birds have more luck planting seeds than I do.
Our first house had a fairly large flower bed in the front of it. Tim was usually the one who tended to the pretty flowers and little bushes. Sometimes, I tried to help him by pulling the weeds, but that didn’t always go so well. To be honest, there would be times I couldn’t tell the difference between a weed and a flower.

I looked at Facebook today in a way I never have before. I looked at only the first ten posts that popped up from the “friends” in my current algorithm. I safely (hopefully) assume that what a person takes time to post is important to them. Personally, I rarely if ever post anything. I am content to occasionally comment on what my Facebook comrades choose to post.

No doubt you have heard plenty of news stories about the 17-year cicada emerging this year. I have yet to see or hear them in my area yet, but I look forward to hearing the male cicadas’ persistent and often loud chorus. The combined drone of thousands of cicadas singing at once hides the fact that there are three species of cicadas out there, each singing a different song, which chances depending on the proximity to a possible female mate.

Here is an economical shrimp salad to make. Use as much shrimp as you like. If you have a can of shrimp in your pantry and some eggs in the fridge, you are all set. Use elbow, shells or amy other macaroni shape you like.

My father, Owen Stimer, grew up in a rural farm community in the early twentieth century. Dad's beloved mother was of the Wesleyan Methodist faith. She was in church every time the doors opened, so to speak. In Dad's early years, he was, too. Dad came to resent sitting on the hard wooden pews during the long boring church services. He decided church was not for him. His father's attitude probably confirmed his decision, but went too far.

County Mayor Jason Bailey has prided himself on promoting transparency in government. His background in education probably directed his schooling of the county commission at the regular May meeting.