UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Did you set a goal to focus on your health in 2021? If you said yes or are looking for healthy, family-friendly meal ideas, be sure to stop by the Family Room Building at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days Aug. 10-12.
Penn State Extension will offer a variety of interactive displays to encourage visitors to think about their overall health, nutrition and exercise. The demonstration kitchen in the Family Room has undergone a major renovation, and extension educators are excited to continue their popular healthy cooking demos in this updated space, according to Julie Watson, extension education program assistant.
Located on Main Street between Eighth and Ninth streets at the Ag Progress Days site, the Family Room’s programming will include the following:
— Mental Health and Wellness in Agriculture: Farming can be stressful because of factors that are beyond your control like the weather, equipment breakdowns and the economy. Learn about ways to become healthier and happier by identifying and responding positively to stressors. Stop by this display to discover resources and tips to keep yourself and your family mentally and emotionally healthy.
— Food, Family and Health: If you’re looking for resources to assist you on your journey to a healthy lifestyle, then don’t miss this display. There will be information about physical fitness and nutrition and helpful resources for preventing chronic diseases. Additional resources on mental health awareness, parenting, raising healthier kids and child care also will be available.
— Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body: Did you know the health of your brain and your body are connected? Making lifestyle choices can help you stay healthy as you age. Penn State Extension has partnered with the Alzheimer’s Association to provide research-based practical strategies to age well in the areas of cognitive activity, physical health and exercise, diet and nutrition, and social engagement.
— Home Food Preservation and Consumer Food Safety: In celebration of National Food Safety Month in September, Penn State food safety specialists will provide research-based information about how to safely store and preserve foods at home.
— Pesticide Education Program: In the world of pests and pesticides, correctly identifying a pest or product can be confusing. You might even feel like you’re seeing double — could a bad bug be a good bug? The same could be said about some household products. Visit the extension pesticide education program display to learn more about things you find around your home that look alike and can be mistaken easily for something they are not.
— Food Demonstrations: Join educators from the Penn State Extension Food, Families and Health and Food Safety and Quality teams as they prepare healthy recipes and demonstrate safe home food preservation techniques.
Sponsored by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, 9 miles southwest of State College on Route 45. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 10; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 11; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 12. Admission and parking are free.
For more information, visit the Ag Progress Days website. Twitter users can find and share information about the event by using the hashtag #agprogressdays, and the event also can be found on Facebook (@AgProgressDays).