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The Lee County Ledger, Wednesday, September 7, 2005, Page 3C
Muscadine season back in Georgia
Plant a southern backyard treat.
By Gerard Krewer
University of Georgia
Muscadine season is back. And it’s
time to enjoy a fruit that is one of
the most flavorful in the world.
Most fruits are now available
nearly year-round, because they’re
grown somewhere in the Southern
Hemisphere during our winter sea
son. But not muscadines.
These great grapes are grown
commercially only in the southern
United States.
Muscadines usually begin ripening
in August in extreme south Georgia.
The harvest then moves northward
and ends in early October. Musca
dines grow everywhere in the state
except in the high mountains.
About 80 Georgia growers are
producing muscadines on about
1,200 acres of vineyards. There is
also tremendous backyard produc
tion of muscadines in Georgia.
Several distant shippers, as well
as some pick-your-own farms, are
located around the state.
Most of Georgia’s muscadines are
grown for fresh markets. But back
yard gardeners can enjoy this easy-
to-grow fruit, too. The vines are
best planted when they are dormant
in late fall to early winter.
Southerners have enjoyed eat
ing wild muscadines since we first
settled this land.
In the early 1800s, a number of
superior wild varieties were selected
for cultivation. One of these was
“Scuppernong.” Found on the Scup-
pernong River in North Carolina
in 1810, it has become the common
name for all bronze muscadines.
University of Georgia scientists
have been breeding muscadines
since the 1920s. Today’s table grape
cultivars are over an inch in diam
eter with fantastic flavor.
They come in a range of colors
from bronze to red to purple to
black. Many varieties have tender,
edible skin that makes them prized
as table grapes.
Among the bronzes, Fry, Summit,
Supreme and Tara are fresh-fruit fa
vorites. Noble and Carlos are noted
for their good wine quality. Many
others are wonderful in cider, wines,
jellies, preserves and syrups.
Studies show that muscadines are
rich in dietary fiber and important
minerals, low in fat and protein and
high in carbohydrates. They’re a
better source of calcium, iron, zinc
and manganese than many other
fruits.
Mus
cadines
also
contain
sig
nificant
quanti
ties of
ellagic
acid,
which
can
lower
the
risk of
colon,
lung
and liver cancer.
To learn more about how to grow
muscadines, contact your local UGA
Cooperative Extension office. Your
local Extension office can also give
you a list of local growers for fresh
fruit. For a list of Georgia’s winer
ies, go to www.georgiawinecountr
y.com.
Ice cream recall serves up cold reminder
Not all foods are ready-to-eat. Follow the directions.
By Faith Peppers
University of Georgia
Most Americans now know
better than to eat raw eggs.
If you eat raw cookie dough
or lick beaters slathered with
cake batter, it’s the same as
slurping down a raw egg.
Don’t do it, University of
Georgia food safety experts
warn.
“Several years ago, my son
begged me to buy a roll of
chocolate chip cookie dough
he could eat as a snack,” said
Martha Partridge, a UGA Co
operative Extension agent in
Lincoln County. “My instincts
told me not to take a chance.
If the package says to ‘cook
before eating,’ you shouldn’t
stray from the directions.”
Recall, reminder
A recent recall of a national
gourmet ice cream store’s
cake batter ice cream should
serve as a reminder. Dur
ing an investigation, the U.S.
Food and Drug Administra
tion confirmed that the sweet
cream base of the ice cream
was pasteurized but the dry
cake mix that was added to
the base was labeled a baking
mix by the manufacturer.
“The dry cake mix was la
beled to indicate that it should
be baked before using,” said
Elizabeth Andress, an exten
sion food safety expert for the
UGA College of Family and
Consumer Sciences.
Massachusetts, Virginia,
Washington, Oregon, Min
nesota, Ohio, Michigan and
California all had confirmed
cases of Salmonella ty-
phimurium illnesses from the
ice cream. A case in Illinois
was confirmed but is counted
in Virginia, since that’s where
the person ate the ice cream.
No other flavors of ice cream
have been associated with ill
ness to date.
Read the label
The cake batter ice cream
was prepared in the ice cream
shop. The preparation in
volved adding a dry cake mix
to a pasteurized sweet cream
base, and the combination did
not undergo further process
ing before freezing.
“FDA wants to increase
awareness that Salmonella
is known to occasionally be
present in flour and other
ingredients that may be listed
on the dry cake mix label,”
Andress said. “The bacteria
may also be in other non
animal foods such as barley,
cereal powders and yeast.”
“Dry cake mix is a product
designed to be rehydrated
and then cooked,” Partridge
added. “It should not be con
sidered a ready- to-eat food
because it hasn’t been pro
cessed to ensure that patho
gens have been destroyed or
reduced in numbers to an
acceptable level.”
Follow directions
Ready-to-eat foods are
typically processed to ensure
that they’re safe to eat without
further cooking. Similar prod
ucts, such as cookie dough
ice creams and cake mix milk
shakes, could also pose a seri
ous food safety risk if they’re
prepared with ingredients that
are intended to be cooked, the
FDA ruling said.
“The FDA is informing
the retail and food service
industries that incorporating
an ingredient that’s intended
to be cooked into a ready-
to-eat food that will not be
cooked or otherwise treated
to eliminate microorganisms
of public health concern can
pose a serious food safety
risk,” Partridge said.
A report on the recall says
that the FDA is also ask
ing food service operations
to review their menus for
these types of products. They
should either work with their
suppliers to ensure that all
ingredients are intended to
be ready-to-eat or to process
their final products.
“While you’re considering
whether your recipes call for
dry mixes to be added to an
uncooked product, remember
to think about other hazardous
ingredients, also,” Andress
said.
“Remember that tempta
tion to lick the cookie or cake
batter beaters?” she asked.
“Raw, unpasteurized eggs
are another source of Salmo
nella bacteria. Unless you use
pasteurized eggs, resist that
temptation. Wait until the
cookies or cakes have been
baked to indulge, or you risk
getting sick.”
Cook completely
This also means your
scrambled, fried or boiled
eggs should also be cooked
completely.
“If you choose to eat over-
easy or runny eggs, you’re
taking a risk on getting
salmonellosis,” Andress said.
“Restaurants in Georgia are
required to warn customers
that eating certain under
cooked or raw foods, includ
ing eggs, poses a health risk.”
When you’re cooking in
your kitchen, take routine
precautionary measures, too,
to prevent cross-contamina
tion from raw products and
surfaces that haven’t been ade
quately cleaned and sanitized.
“So, if you are wondering if
it’s safe to let your kids lick
the bowl,” Partridge asked,
“the answer is: Who wants to
take a chance?”
If you have further ques
tions, contact the Retail Food
Protection Program, Center
for Food Safety and Applied
Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug
Administration, at 301-436-
2440 or 301-436-2438.
Corner
By Cleo & Brad Conrad
Dogs dig for many rea
sons: because they are
bored, stressed, lonely, hot or
because they are hunting for
prey (real or imagined). The
best approach to curb this
often destructive activity is
to redirect his desire to dig
toward activities that are more
acceptable - to you and your
neighbors.
Provide plenty of exercise:
Chances are good that if you
provide your dog with plenty
of other exercise - walks,
runs, and playtime - his dig
ging activities will lessen, or
disappear all together.
Avoid temptation: For dogs
that dig out of a hunting
instinct, it’s important to keep
them away from areas that
may have burrowing animals
or insects. Keep an extra close
eye on him in natural areas
such as parks, open fields and
your yard.
Designate a digging spot:
If your dog continues to dig,
give him his own special
place to dig - such as a sand
box or small corner of your
yard. You may want to loosen
the dirt and mix in a little
sand to help it drain in the
rainy season.
Load it with buried toys,
snacks and bones. Do this
regularly, and most likely,
his pit will fast become his
favorite (and only) place to
dig. Let your dog watch the
preparations, and if he joins
in, praise him.
Supervise your dog. If he
digs outside of his designated
spot, correct him with a ver
bal reprimand, “Dig in your
pit!” Then praise him when
he returns to the appropriate
digging area.
Stay indoors: As a last re
sort, you can confine your dog
indoors for short periods of
time to try to break the habit.
Although confinement is not
the solution - and should only
ever be temporary - it will
certainly keep your dog from
destroying your garden and
yard. An added benefit is that
an extended indoor “time
out” gives you (and your dog)
a necessary break before
starting over with the previous
techniques.
(c) 2005 DBR Media, Inc.
ANNOUNCING A PROPOSED
PROPERTY TAX INCREASE
The Lee County Board of Commissioners today announces its
intention to increase the property taxes it will levy this year by
21.5%.
The budget adopted by the Lee County Board of Commission
ers requires a millage rate higher than the rollback millage rate.
Therefore, before the Lee County Board of Commissioners may
set a final millage rate, Georgia Law requires that three public
hearings be held to allow the public an opportunity to express
their opinions on this increase.
All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearings on this
tax increase to be held at the Administration Building located
at 104 Leslie Highway, Leesburg, Georgia, at the following dates
and times:
September 14, 2005 - 6:00 p.m. -
Lee County Administration Building
September 19, 2005 - 6:00 pm. -
Lee County Administration Building
September 29, 2005 - 6:00p.m. -
Lee County Administration Building
The public hearing and adoption of the final millage rate will be
held during the September 29, 2005 meeting,
Photo: Faith Peppers
Cooking with kids can be fun and educational.
Tasting the batter before it’s cooked can lead to
hard lessons. Eating uncooked mixes can cause
foodborne illnesses including Salmonella.
Flowers and Happy Birthday
Marcela Price
Compliments of
Leesburg Flower and Gift
Walnut Street Leesburg, Georgia
Phone 759-6917
Flowers may be picked up at Leesburg Flower and Gift
Wishes A Happy Birthday:
September 8: J.D. Stabler, Jason Wilson, Haley Brown, Betty
Childress, Heather Colvin, Bo Spires, Jill Collins, Faith Olson,
Adam Lawrence, Dillon Long, Perry Gene Randall, Pete Stroud,
R.S. Boney Sr., Ashley Maples, Amanda Maples, Terry Holt, Billy
Spivey, Chan L. Heard, Kathryn Campell, Kristan Andrews, C.
B. Bashline, Cayla Wells; September 9: Mike McDonald, David
Burgamy, Dianne Matheny, Ed Konesky, Linda Smith, Patsy Scott
Summerlin, Johnie Tucker, Denise Moore, Bob Widman, Ray
Clower, Tiffany Roberts, Rhea Bekeris, Clace Morey, Michael
Breeden, Brad Barber, Mike Gormley, Debi Piercey, Maranda Wat
kins, Nancy Berryhill, Adam Miller, Matthew Gregors, Eva Lynn
Bell, Tosha Smith, Michael R. Butts, Ruby Ann Akins Carson;
September 10: Richard Chambless, Josh Lott, Callie Futch, Stacey
Winters, Beverly Everitt, Jeff Potter, Loula Anderson, Linda Bell
French, Judy Miles, Chad Miller, Britt Freeman, Pamela Ranew,
Tammy Barber, Robin S. Gardner, Robert Hill, Mitch Upton, Vicki
Johnson, Aaron Simpson, Agnes Martin, Johnathan Griffith, Terrie
Cooley; September 11: Jason Aired, Seth Nelson, Jill Kleckley,
Debi Piercey, Pat Noel, Paul Short, Phillip Gohman, Ed Fox,
Raymond Wiley, Sandra Moncus, Khodarius Thomas, Sam Deiter,
John McClung, Mitzi Moore, Bessie Giles, Kelly Arrington, Jeffery
Cook, Sherry Dowdy, Christopher Baltenberger, Brian Wetherald,
Jr., Dennis Sherman, Randy J. Reese, Jonathan Rethford; Septem
ber 12: Hayley Freeman, Tracy Moshell, Royce L. Ledden, Brian
Isler, Casie Wright, Elizabeth Gohman, Patricia Edge, Bobby Sapp,
Ellis Chestnut, Irene Willis, Andrea Chambers, Ray Clower, Jr.,
D. Matthew Vorse, Michael Lewis, Gary Carter, Caryle Lilly, Sue
Crain, James Ulm, Amanda Whately, Ann Zoellick, Melissa Hines,
Mae Williford, Brenda Garland, Frances Brown, Sheila Gibson;
September 13: Marcela Price, Samantha Mathis, Morgan Robin
son, Emma Burney, Denise King, Erin Whatley, Neta Pressley, Dar
win Bullock, Tammy Hatcher, Brian Marbury, Annie Ruth Minter,
Stephanie Thomas, Ann Williams, Travis Hatfield, L.T. Tison, Ethel
Ryan, Donna Layless, Keith Harcrow, Kelly Harcrow, Andrew Dis-
muke, Cathy Clardy, Zac Lawton, Elizabeth Ivery, Rhonda Wood,
James Wilson, Billy C. Mathis, Jr., Tony Connell, Brook Raper
Wishes a Happy Anniversary:
September 8: Mr. and Mrs. Gene Hollomon, Mr. and Mrs. Michael
Brown; September 9: Mr. and Mrs. Tony Garcia, Mr. and Mrs.
Richard Hunt, Mr. and Mrs. Doug Robinson, Mr. and Mrs. Mike
Gormley, Mr. and Mrs. Shane Archer, Mr. and Mrs. Mike Harper,
Mr. and Mrs. Danny Coxwell, Mr. and Mrs. Rick Olson; Septem
ber 10: Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Futch, Mr. and Mrs. Keith Roberts, Mr.
and Mrs. Alan Ford, Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Murrey; September 11:
Mr. and Mrs. Tyrone Wingate, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Williams,
Mr. and Mrs. Homer Nolan, Mr. and Mrs. David Reed, Mr. and
Mrs. Timothy Smith; September 12: Mr. and Mrs. Brian Davis,
Mr. and Mrs. Dallas Mills,Mr. and Mrs. Steve West, Mr. and Mrs.
Tom Sumners, Rev. and Mrs. Stan Garland; September 13: Mr. and
Mrs. Lorenzo Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. Ross Dismuke, Mr. and Mrs.
Lou Taylor