Lakes and rivers were busy during the Independence Day holiday and that is expected to continue throughout the summer — with many people trying their hand at kayaking. D-N-R river programs outreach coordinator, Todd Robertson, says you shouldn’t head out onto rivers without doing a little preparation.

He said learning and working on some basic paddling strokes can be very beneficial.

He says you have to be prepared for both ends of the spectrum from swollen lakes, to ones that are down.

Robertson says kayaks have been flying off the shelves the last couple of years.

Robertson says. He says the D-N-R has a kayak and canoe school you can access on their website on how to paddle. They also offer classes and Robertson says some retailers that sell boats that actually give short lessons. Robertson recommends before you buy a kayak or canoe that you rent one and they’ll give you some quick instruction. He says there are also a lot of online videos that can be helpful in learning about paddling.

The Cass County Conservation Board has partnered with the Atlantic Public Library for a Cass County #PlantWildflowers BioBlitz Informational Presentation. Lora Kanning, the Cass County Conservation Naturalist will be explaining how to participate in the upcoming Cass County #PlantWildflowers BioBlitz. Learn how to participate in this day long biological census. A BioBlitz aims to promote and improve local natural spaces by empowering citizens to better understand and protect biodiversity. It is a Citizen Science program similar to tagging Monarch butterflies and the Backyard Bird Count. This presentation will focus on how to use the applications from a smartphone or tablet and submit the users’ observations. The presentation will be held at the Atlantic Public Library Community Room on Wednesday July 13th 6 PM. Kanning will also be available for troubleshooting during the BioBlitz at the Atlantic Public Library Community Room Saturday July 16th 12 PM-2PM. We hope you will join us for this great public program.

#PlantWildflowers BioBlitz is a daylong biological census. The public can use an application called iNaturalist to submit their Cass County Observations anytime throughout the day on July 16th. A BioBlitz aims to promote and improve local natural spaces by empowering citizens to better understand and protect biodiversity.

These programs are made possible through a grant from the #Plantwildflowers Initiative with PBS Nature and HHMI Tangled Studios that the Atlantic Public Library applied for.

Cass County Extension is set to host Food Preservation 101. which is a two-hour overview of general food preservation principles. The class includes current recommendations for canning, freezing and drying, display of equipment and utensils and sources for safe and tested food preservation information.  The program will be held on Thursday, July 14 from 6 to 8 pm at the Cass County Extension office, 805 W. 10^th Street in Atlantic. There is a $10 fee for the program, but scholarships are available upon request. To ensure adequate materials are available for all participants, pre-registration is required by Wednesday July 13^th.

Call 712-243-1132 for more information and to register for the class, or visit https://go.iastate.edu/5NFQDZ to register online. A full list of all food preservation resources and upcoming classes can also be found online at the Preserve the Taste of Summer Home Page- https://www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/preserve-taste-summer.

ISU Extension offers a library of publications with recipes and instructions for preserving a wide variety of foods, from fruits and vegetables to pickles and meats. These publications are available as free downloads on the ISU Extension Store at https://store.extension.iastate.edu/, or can be picked up at your local ISU Extension Office.

Information will also be shared at this program about ISU Extension’s more in-depth food preservation workshop series; Preserve the Taste of Summer. This series of hands-on food preservation workshops is a great opportunity for those who want to go beyond the basics, according to Fuller. The cost of each workshop is $40 and Cass County Extension is planning to host a session Salsa Making on Saturday, August 13^th – Scholarships are also available for this class upon request.  Additional topics, including jams, pickles, and dehydrating will be offered at locations around Iowa throughout the summer.

In addition to learning the basics of food safety, Extension staff remind home canners that dial gauge pressure canners should be tested annually for accuracy. Dial gauges will be tested at the end of the program on July 14 free of charge, or lids can be dropped off at the Cass County Extension office at any time for free testing.

Home food preserves can also get answers to food preservation questions by calling ISU Extension and Outreach’s toll-free AnswerLine. Experts answer questions Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon and from 1– 4 p.m. In Iowa: 1-800-262-3804; Relay Iowa phone linkage for deaf/hard-of-hearing individuals, 1-800-735-2942

Questions can also be emailed to answer@iastate.edu .  Frequently asked questions and other resources are available at the AnswerLine website, www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/answerline.

All of these resources and more will be showcased at the Food Preservation 101 Workshop July 14th, so be sure to call or go online to pre-register today!