This fall, your nose is not enough to detect a deadly situation caused by odorless gases. Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and natural gas leaks increase this time of year and now is the time to think about making sure your home is equipped with the right detectors to protect you and your family.

Cutting your own Christmas tree brings to mind a Currier & Ives image of a 19th century family in a one-horse open sleigh towing a large pine through a snow-covered field. Kentuckians can experience the modern-day equivalent on farms throughout the Commonwealth.

“Christmas tree farms enable families to make holiday memories,” Agriculture Commissioner James Comer said. “They also help Kentucky farmers make a living. I encourage all Kentucky families to buy a fresh Kentucky Proud tree this holiday season.”

During the five weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's, Americans produce an extra one million tons of trash per week compared to any other time of the year.  Thinking green this holiday season can include more than just boughs of holly. Whether it is shopping, choosing a gift or entertaining, small changes in your holiday habits can make big differences. Here are a few ideas and suggestions on how to have a wonderful, gift-giving holiday season and still be Earth friendly.

Stress is something that everyone deals with at some point in their lives, including teenagers.  Adolescence can be a difficult time of growth and self-discovery for most people. Teens not only develop stress from biological changes that their bodies are going through, but they develop stress from many things around them. Teens can experience stress as a result of family, peers, society, the media, school and even themselves.

Lindie Huffman, Agriculture and Natural Resources

Every winter we look forward to the pleasures of warming our hands and feet by a blazing fire, mesmerized by the dancing flames.

When buying firewood, two factors will determine just how hot your fire is—seasoning and the kind of wood.

Wood is made up of air and cellulose (wood fiber). The more air space that wood has, the less there is to burn. Buying wood with the heaviest/densest per unit volume will keep you toasty.

Lindie Huffman, Agriculture and Natural Resources

You may be delighted to put gardening behind you for the season, but fall is the time to manage and prevent disease in next year’s garden. Summer crops may still be standing, even after being killed by heavy frosts and cold temperatures. At this time, you can take preemptive measures to help ensure a successful and bountiful garden next season.

It’s never too early to learn about managing finances. This skill becomes extremely important as teenagers graduate high school and enter the job market or go to college. For many, this is the first time they are in charge of their finances.

Caregiving can be stressful, and these stresses can be exacerbated around the holidays as you are faced with added responsibilities and obligations. Whether this is your first holiday season as a caregiver or you have been providing care for years, you can do several things to make the holidays easier on you, the person you’re caring for and your extended family and friends by following the recommendations below.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) administers the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), a federal program that provides technical and financial assistance to land users to address natural resource concerns.  NRCS is asking for local input for the fiscal year 2013 program.

The Farm Service Agency is sending out 2012 FSA County Committee election ballots to eligible voters November 5, 2012 for Southern Pendleton County, LAA-2 and Southern Grant County, LAA-4. The deadline for eligible voters to return ballots to their local FSA office is December 3, 2012.

The FSA county committee allows producers to make important decisions concerning the local administration of federal farm programs. All eligible farmers are urged to get involved in their communities by voting in this year's election. To be an eligible voter, farmer must participate or cooperate in FSA programs.

Eligible voters who do not receive a ballot can obtain ballots at their local USDA Service Center at 814 US Highway 27 S, Falmouth, Kentucky. December 3, 2012 is the last day to vote. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than December 3, 2012.

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