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THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2008
Fields gets promotion at
AgGeorgia Farm Credit
PATRICIA FIELDS of
Jackson County has been
promoted to branch manager
of AgGeorgia Farm Credit's
Royston branch office. She
will be responsible for over
seeing the day to day activities
of the office as well as manag
ing the credit, operations and
personnel of the branch.
Fields holds a degree in
business education from
The University of Georgia
and also graduated from the
University’s Terry College of
Business Georgia Banking
School.
She has been employed with
AgGeorgia Farm Credit for
13 years and has served in
various credit positions where
she gained experience in all
branch functions. Her most
FIELDS
recent position has been as
a loan officer and assistant
branch manager in the Royston
office.
The Royston office serves
Banks, Clarke, Elbert,
Franklin, Hart, Madison and
Stephens counties.
serving our country
YOUNG RIDER
A young rider gets a first-hand experience on a tractor during Saturday’s parade in Hoschton.
Head completes basic training
Tips for turkey time
How to select, thaw and cook your turkey
BY FAITH PEPPERS
AS Thanksgiving approaches,
it's time to talk turkey. There are
many questions surrounding the
age-old tradition: Should you
buy fresh or frozen? How do you
safely thaw a turkey? What's the
best stuffing? How do you cook
the turkey without drying it out?
How will you know when it's
done? Food safety experts with
University of Georgia Cooperative
Extension offer the answers.
“Whether to buy fresh or fro
zen is a personal preference,"
said Judy Harrison, a UGA
Cooperative Extension special
ist in the College of Family and
Consumer Sciences. “What you
use as stuffing is, too. But there
are serious safety measures to
keep in mind, especially if you
only cook turkey once or twice
each year.”
BUYING AND STORING
If you buy a fresh turkey, check
the date on the package and pur
chase only if the date has not
passed. If the date is a “sell by”
date, that is the last day the turkey
can be sold. It is best to prepare
the turkey by that date also. If it
is a “use by” date, cook it by that
date.
Fresh turkeys should be kept
below 40 degrees Fahrenheit in
the refrigerator until you’re ready
to cook it. Put the bird on a tray or
pan to catch any juices.
When serving fresh turkey,
Harrison recommends allowing
for one pound of turkey per per
son.
“Don't buy fresh pre-stuffed
turkeys,” Harrison warns. “If not
handled properly, any harmful
bacteria that may be in the stuffing
can multiply very quickly.”
The U.S. Department of
Agriculture recommends buying
pre-stuffed turkeys only if they
are frozen and display the USDA
or state mark of inspection on the
package. These turkeys are safe
because they’ve been processed
under controlled conditions.
Pre-stuffed turkeys should be
cooked frozen, not thawed. Follow
package directions for proper han
dling and cooking. Allow 11/4
pounds of turkey per person.
THAW PROPERLY
If you choose a frozen turkey,
allow one pound per person.
Safe handling begins when you
store and defrost the bird. USDA
recommends three ways to thaw a
turkey: in the refrigerator, in cold
water or in the microwave.
“Never thaw a turkey on the
counter,” Harrison said. “Room
temperature is a breeding ground
for bacteria.”
The basic rule for thawing a tur
key in the refrigerator is 24 hours
of thawing time for every five
pounds of turkey. Once thawed,
refrigerate the turkey for no more
than one to two days before you
cook it.
If you don’t have room in the
refrigerator for a big bird, use
the cold water thawing method.
Harrison says follow these steps:
1) Submerge the bird or cut-up
parts in cold water in its airtight
packaging or in a leak-proof bag.
2) Allow about 30 minutes
defrosting time per pound.
3) Change the water every 30
minutes to be sure it stays cold.
The following times are sug
gested for thawing a turkey in
water: 8 to 12 pound turkey, 4 to
6 hours: 12 to 16 pound turkey, 6
to 8 hours: 16 to 20 pound turkey,
8 to 10 hours; 20 to 24 pound
turkey, 10 to 12 hours
Cook the turkey immediately
after it’s thawed, Harrison said.
Turkeys can be kept frozen
indefinitely, however for best
quality, they should be wrapped
in freezer packaging and cooked
within one year, she said.
The third way to thaw a turkey
is in the microwave.
“Because every microwave is
different, it's very important to
carefully follow the manufacturer
instructions,” Harrison said. “The
instruction manual should tell you
how long to defrost per pound of
turkey and what kind of container
to put the bird in.”
Microwave-thawed turkeys
should be cooked immediately
after thawing.
COOKING
“Over the years people have
come up with all types of strange
tactics they think will make a
better turkey, like cooking it in
a brown paper bag,” said UGA
cooperative extension food safety
expert Judy Harrison. “We don’t
recommend it.”
She offers these tips for oven
roasting:
•Set the oven temperature no
lower than 325 degrees F.
•Place the turkey on a rack in a
shallow roasting pan large enough
to hold it and a meat thermom
eter.
•Check the internal temperature
at the innermost part of the thigh
and wing and at the thickest part
of the breast.
•Turkey meat, including that
which remains pink, is safe to
eat as long as it reaches at least
165 F.
•Cook turkey to as high as 180
F to remove pink appearance or
rubbery texture.
•Use a food thermometer to
check the temperature, even if
the turkey comes with a pop-up
temperature indicator.
ROASTED
Many factors can affect the
roasting time of a whole turkey,
she said. For example, a turkey in
a dark roasting pan with a lid or in
a cooking bag will cook faster. A
foil tent over the turkey can slow
cooking.
In general, an unstuffed turkey
weighing between 14 pounds to
18 pounds takes 3 and three-quar
ters hours to 4 and a quarter hours
to cook. One weighing 20 pounds
to 24 pounds, unstuffed, takes as
long as 5 hours.
A stuffed turkey that weighs
between 14 pounds and 18 pounds
takes about 4 hours to cook. One
weighing between 18 pounds and
20 pounds takes 45 minutes lon
ger.
It's OK to cook a frozen turkey,
but it takes at least 50 percent lon
ger to cook than a thawed one.
“For optimum safety, we don’t
recommend stuffing a turkey,”
she said. “We recommend you
cook your stuffing outside the bird
in a casserole dish. Use a food
thermometer to check the inter
nal temperature of the stuffing.
The stuffing must reach a safe
minimum internal temperature of
165 F.”
MORE HINTS
•Tuck wing tips under the shoul
ders of the bird for even cooking.
This is called akimbo.
•Add half of a cup of water to
the bottom of the pan.
•If the roasting pan doesn’t
have a lid, put a tent of heavy-duty
aluminum foil over the turkey for
the first hour and a half to keep
it moist.
•To prevent overbrowning, put
foil over the turkey after it reaches
the desired color.
•If using an oven-proof food
thermometer, place it in the turkey
at the start of the cooking cycle to
check internal temperature during
cooking.
•Follow the manufacturer’s
guidelines when using a cooking
bag.
Always wash hands, utensils,
sink and anything else that comes
in contact with raw turkey and its
juices with soap and water.
Tractor
parade in
Hoschton
WAVING TO
SPECTATORS
Participants in a
parade of tractors
wave to spectators
on Saturday morning.
Hoschton hosted an
annual tractor show
that featured vintage
and unique tractors
from the region.
Photos by
Kerri Testement
NAVY SEAMAN Apprentice Brandon A. Head, son of Alex
S. Head of Braselton, recently completed U.S. Navy basic train
ing at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill.
During the eight-week program, Head completed a variety of
training, which included classroom study and practical instruc
tion on naval customs, first aid, firefighting, water safety and
survival, and shipboard and aircraft safety. An emphasis was
also placed on physical fitness.
The capstone event of boot camp is “Battle Stations.” This
exercise gives recruits the skills and confidence they need to
succeed in the fleet.
Head is a 2008 graduate of Johnson High School of
Gainesville.
Santa Claus is coming to
Nicholson library Dec. 5
THE HAROLD S. Swindle Public Library, Nicholson, will
host a visit from Santa Claus from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday,
Dec. 5.
There is no charge, and those who attend are invited to bring
their own cameras for photos.
The library is located off Hwy. 441 next to Benton Elementary
School.
Tenth Anniversary
Achievement Award Banquet
Jackson County Community Outreach
A Civic-Based Organization dedicated to Education Support and
Citizen Involvement to Improve our Jackson County Community
Sat., Nov. 22, 2008, 6:30 p.m.
at
The Commerce Civic Center
Keynote Speaker
will be
THE HONORABLE MIKE BEATTY
Commissioner, Georgia Department of Community Affairs
Atlanta, Georgia
A Native of Jefferson, Georgia, a graduate of The University of Georgia,
Served in both houses of the Georgia General Assembly,
Has launched Significant Programs as DCA Commissioner since 2003,
Serves as Chairperson - Georgia Coastal Comp. Planning Advisory Committee
And The Governor’s Alternate to the Appalachian Regional Commission.
• Dr. Howard Ledford, III, Campus Director, Lanier Technical College,
Commerce, Ga. will serve as 2008 Banquet Honorary Chair.
• Hon. Jody Thompson, Jackson County Commissioner, District 2 will present
Greetings, Jackson County Government.
• Mr. Michael Williams, Director, Boys and Girls Clubs of Jackson County, will
serve as Master of Ceremonies.
• Purpose of the Banquet is to raise scholarship funds for deserving and needy
2009 high school graduates, the JCCO Endowment Fund; honor some
outstanding citizens for their leadership and contributions to our County; and,
to demonstrate JCCO’s support for education and economic development in
Jackson County.
• Six Annual County-wide Essay Contests, Seven years participation in Macy’s &
Belk’s Shop for a Cause and Charity Day fundraisers, Awarded $59,500 in
Scholarships 1999-2008, sponsored 1998 Youth Town Hall Meeting and
activated the JCCO Endowment Fund, March 2007
The Banquet Theme is
“10 Years - Of Encouraging Education Excellence”
Ticket and Information Contacts:
Mr. Jim Scott, 706-335-3367
Ms. Betty J. Scott, 706-335-3367
Ms. Charlotte Johnson, 706-335-5488
Ms. Doris Brown, 706-367-8234
Ticket prices are $25.00 per seat including a nice dinner.
Tables of 8 at $250 for group and corporate patrons should
be called in to one of the above contacts for RSVP.