Providing researched based educational resources to meet the needs of Long Islanders
“Come to the woods for here is rest.” This concise but poignant quote by John Muir (American naturalist, writer, and conservationist who helped establish Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks) captures the essence of how spending time in nature is associated with better mental health and well-being. Most of us agree that collecting shells with our children…
Maybe you planned for a large bounty of tomatoes to preserve or maybe you just planted more than you can eat before they go bad. Either way, to prevent wasting your time gardening and wasting your produce, plan to preserve your tomatoes. Freezing is Simple When you’ve got too many tomatoes to process at the…
Avid gardeners spend the winter months browsing through seed catalogs and gardening books. Soon they just can’t help themselves and begin seeding and placing the seed trays strategically under grow lights and near sunny windows, realizing quite quickly that they don’t have enough space for all the seeds they want to get under way. So…
By Elizabeth Takakjian Vine ripe tomatoes are one of the vegetables most gardeners think of as the iconic vegetable – fruit of summer. Picking cherry tomatoes by the handful or that plump slicing tomato as it ripens to that perfect red or golden yellow is worth the wait. My favorites, black cherries, ripen to a…
By Elizabeth Takakjian Gardeners know that their flower beds and vegetable gardens need regular watering to grow and flourish. Just how much water is enough? Well, according to the Diagnostic Lab staff at Cornell Cooperative Extension, that equals about an inch and a half of water each week. Installing a rain gauge is any easy…
By Donna Moodie, RD CDN CDE Do you hate to do exercises like using a treadmill or doing a strenuous workout at a gym? Do you resent the idea of having to pay to exercise by joining a gym or hiring an expensive personal trainer? Is your doctor trying to encourage you to engage in…
Children of preschool age (3-5 years old) and older can reap many benefits from helping out in the garden. Learning how to help plants grow can foster responsibility and patience in children. Families can become closer as children and parents share a common interest they can work on together. To reap the full benefits of gardening…
Dear Friends, If you have attended a parenting workshop, a nutrition education program, or received assistance in managing your diabetes, you know that the Family Health and Wellness Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County serves the changing needs of families residing in our county. Our programs provide information on diabetes education, nutrition, developing…
By Cristina F. Toscano, RD 10 fun ways to get moving as a family Adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic exercise each week, or a combination of the two, according to the US Department of Health & Human Services. For children and adolescents…
By Elizabeth Takakjian Most vegetable plants need a good eight hours of sunshine to flourish. If the trees in your yard block the sun or you’ve outgrown your apartment windowsill garden, then join a community garden and get growing! Community gardens typically provide you with a designated gardening area drenched in sunshine, water access, and…