Karen's Keynotes
by Karen Armstrong, Human Development Extension Agent
Rolette County

North Dakota 4-H Starts Shooting Sports Program

A North Dakota Outdoor Skills Shooting Sports program was developed last year as part of the NDSU Extension Service 4-H and youth program. According to Al Ulmer, extension agent in LaMoure  County and shooting sports coordinator, pilot clubs were formed in five counties, with 18 volunteer leaders and 67 youth participating. Plans for this year are to expand the program to at least counties.

The program includes the shooting disciplines of  archery, rifle, pistol, shotgun, black powder and the areas of  hunting and reloading. Instructional materials for each discipline were developed by the National 4-H Shooting Sports Curriculum. Ulmer says 4-H shooting sports the skills and disciplines of shooting to help young people and their leaders  gain knowledge and develop skills. Development of life skills is implicit in the program curriculum and is explicitly stated for volunteers, he says.

"The program helps youth develop character and personal growth by learning standards for safety, sportsmanship and ethical behavior through safe and reasonable use of firearms and archery equipment," says Ulmer.

Volunteers who want to instruct and assist with the shooting sports program are required to be certified in the specific disciplines. "Since it’s the volunteers who work with the 4-H’ers throughout the year, it is important that they have the necessary tools and resources to do their jobs well," Ulmer says.

Several two-day workshops will offer volunteer leader certification in each of the disciplines along with the area of management. In accordance with national guidelines, workshop participants spend 14 hours discussing topics such as the stages of child development, the role of competition, instructional tips and the best practices for teaching youth.

Dates, places and disciplines for workshops are:
Saturday and Sunday April 20 and 21, Goose River Archery Club, Hillsboro, archery and rifle;
Friday evening April 19 to Sunday noon April 21, Casselton City Hall, shotgun only;
Saturday and Sunday April 27 and 28, Western 4-H Camp, Washburn, archery, rifle, shotgun, black powder, hunting and reloading.

The shooting sports program is open to any youth ages 8 to 18.Pre-registration for the volunteer workshops is required and there is a registration fee. For more information contact localcounty extension agents, Al Ulmer at (701) 883-5389 or e-mail at aulmer@ndsuext.nodak.edu or see the Web site at: www.ext.nodak.edu/4-h.htm .

Pasta. The Ultimate Convenience Food

If you can boil water, you can cook pasta. You can do it in less time than it takes to run to your favorite fast food restaurant and at half the price. Pasta is a great way to save time and money. Add it to basic food ingredients you have on hand for a tasty meal the whole family will love.

Simply bring a large pot of water to a boil, adding salt if desired. Add the pasta, give it a stir and set a timer so you don't overcook the pasta. Meanwhile, chop and sauté a few vegetables, such as mushrooms, broccoli, peas, peppers, onion and tomatoes. You can also sauté thin slices of beef, chicken or pork. Add a few fresh or dried herbs such as basil or oregano. There you have it a meal in minutes. Forget about the box mixes. Experiment to create your own tasty delight at one-half to three-quarters the price by combining your own sauce, seasonings and pasta.

For additional flavor to pasta add broth, Italian dressing, canned soup, wine or a prepared pasta sauce. Sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese and you have a meal that family members will love.

What to save time on tomorrow nights' dinner? Cook twice as much pasta as you need and refrigerate the leftovers. Tomorrow you can serve the same shape, but with a different sauce, in half the time.
A 1/2 cup serving of cooked pasta (spaghetti) contains a mere 99 calories, less than half a gram of fat, and less than 5 milligrams of sodium. Pasta is high in complex carbohydrates, which help give you energy. Instead of a quick burst of energy, complex carbohydrates provide a "time release" of energy.

Since January 1, 1998, new Food and Drug Administration rules have required food manufacturers to fortify grain-based foods such as pasta with folic acid, an important B vitamin. Folic acid, also known as folate and folacin, plays an important role in the body's central nervous system. FDA has determined that diets adequate in folic acid may reduce a woman's risk of having a child with brain or spinal cord defects.

Under the new rules, a 2 oz. serving of dry pasta will supply the equivalent of about 100 micrograms a day of folic acid or 25 percent of the recommended daily intake (RDI).The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid recommends we eat six to 11 servings of complex carbohydrates daily. Including pasta in your diet three times a week or more is an easy way to help meet that goal.

For additional information about pasta and over 300 pasta recipes, visit the National Pasta Association's web site at ilovepasta.org or the North Dakota Wheat Commission's site at ndwheat.com. Two other sites that feature pasta cooking tips and recipes are the National Pasta Association's site at ilovepasta.org and the Dakota Growers Pasta Company site at dakotagrowers.com

For a free brochure of : "Beef and Pasta. It's What's for Dinner," the winning recipes of this year’s contest, send a stamped, self-addressed, business-sized envelope to: "Beef and Pasta. It's What's for Dinner," North Dakota Wheat Commission, 4023 State Street, Bismarck, ND 58503-0690.

Pasta is a low cost, nutritious base ingredient to a wide range of tasty meals.Plan a quick, easy and nutritious meal with pasta tonight.

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Updated March 8, 2002 Shelley Armstrong Webmaster