We hope everyone will join us this Thursday, February 19, for our
next Pathfinder Produce fresh fruits and vegetable market at the Village
Commons, from 2 to 5 p.m. We’ve got the freshest produce around, and our
prices are oh so tempting!
****
This week has
recorded some extremely cold temperatures here in Central New York, with wind
chills at times ranging in excess of -25-degrees F. Although all of us
have to go outside at times, it’s important to take precautions against the
cold, especially if you are older, are ill, or have another condition, such as asthma
or heart
disease, which may be exacerbated by the cold.
The National Weather Service offers these
general safety tips for extreme cold:
- Minimize travel.
- Stay indoors during the worst part of the extreme cold.
- Keep a winter survival kit in your vehicle if you must travel.
- Learn how to shut off water valves for potential pipe bursts.
- Check on the elderly. (Make sure they have groceries, medications, their heat is working, and they have water and emergency provisions).
- Bring pets inside.
- Wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing, and a hat.
- Mittens, snug at the wrist, are better than gloves.
- Cover your mouth to protect your lungs from extreme cold.
- Try to stay dry and out of the wind.
- Check your vehicle’s tire pressure, antifreeze levels, heater/defroster, etc.
There
are other safety tips we should all follow as well to be prepared for the worst
in cold weather. Regarding vehicles, I would add that you should keep
your gas tank full (mostly so you won’t get stranded) and to give your car door
locks a squirt of WD-40 (in the key slot and the door closing mechanism itself)
to keep your doors
from freezing. (I drive a vintage vehicle and the little
blue-and-yellow spray can has helped with lots of issues through the
years. Despite the plethora of rumors
about WD-40, its prime ingredient isn’t fish oil but petroleum distillates, so
use with care).
During
these really cold days, there’s nothing more satisfying and warming than
homemade soup, and we offer many of the ingredients at Pathfinder
Produce. My co-worker provided this recipe
for a lentil soup she had tried and really liked, despite the novel
addition of rhubarb to the basic soup recipe. The other links below sound
tempting as well for winter meals:
- Tuscan Tomato Soup from the website Ski Town Soups
- Lumberjack Stew (There are many variations of Lumberjack Stew out there … this one includes fresh and frozen veggies; you could probably use very lean beef or venison if you are mindful of fat content).
Until
next time, stay warm and well!
Lori
