I recently discovered the joys of vinegar. It’s one of the cheapest and most versatile cleaners around. And, it has quite a history.

According to our research, vinegar has been around for more than 10,000 years. The French dubbed it “vin aigre” (sour wine) because it was discovered when a cask of wine went past its time.

The ancients were quick to find the remarkable versatility of vinegar. Around 5,000 BC, the Babylonians used it as a preservative and as a condiment, and began flavoring it with herbs and spices.

Roman legionnaires allegedly used it as a beverage. The Greeks also made pickled vegetables or meats using vinegar. There are even some biblical references that show how it was used for healing the sick.

But what is so appealing about this sour wine is that it can be used as an environmentally friendly cleaner. Here are just a few uses:

Brass polish:
Brass, copper and pewter will shine if cleaned with the following mixture. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of white distilled vinegar and stir in flour until it becomes a paste. Apply paste to the metals and let it stand for about 15 minutes. Rinse with clean warm water and polish until dry.

Toilet bowl cleaner:
Stubborn stains can be removed from the toilet by spraying them with white distilled vinegar and brushing vigorously. The bowl may be deodorized by adding 3 cups of white distilled vinegar. Allow it to remain for a half hour, then flush.

Kill weeds:
Spray white distilled vinegar full strength on tops of weeds. Reapply on any new growth until plants have starved. (Note: vinegar solution only works on emerging young plants, not mature leaves).

So next time you are at the grocery store, you may want to pick up a bottle. You’ll probably find many more uses for it than any sweet wine.

Jennifer Dlugozima, VP of Marketing, Farmers’ Almanac TV

Technorati tags: Vinegar, Farmers’ Almanac TV

Ashcove, ME Lobster Crew A Maine Sunset

As Season 2 of our series on Public Television officially rolls out, I wanted to take a moment as the series producer and director to say what a wonderful season it will be. I had the incredible opportunity to travel the country meeting people that are inspiring, down to earth, and just plain real in every sense of the word.

I do not take those sentiments lightly. Having worked on other series for HGTV, Spike TV, Major League Baseball and OLN to name a few, I have to say that the stories we are telling at Farmers’ Almanac TV are one of a kind. I think the one major factor that separates our show from all others is the “human” quality we try to bring to each and every story we tell, not only is there great information and story telling, but you actually feel like you know the people involved, and that I fear is lost in much of the programming out there today.

We started shooting back in March of last year and after crisscrossing the country twice and going to Canada for the first time for a story, I figure we traveled about 30,000 miles or more, much of it riding in a van loaded with crew and production gear. Glamorous it is not, but that’s the point, to get to the hard to find stories, we had to dig a little deeper and travel off the beaten path, and it was worth it!

Dan and Jana Dennison

The travel wasn’t all that bad however, and there were a few perks, for instance, when we visited Ashcove Lobster in Maine, at the end of each day of shooting, they would pull freshly caught lobsters from the holding crates, and cook them up for us until we couldn’t eat anymore - thank you Fern Giard! There was also Dan and Jana Dennison who asked us if we had ever eaten fresh Iowa sweet corn, when we replied no, they drove an hour and half from their farm on the fourth of July, to deliver perfectly cooked sweet corn to our crew - amazing! When you spend the majority of time in a van traveling and eating gas station snacks, moments like those stick with you!

Doug Elliott

Our stories this year cover the gamut, they range from the light hearted and quirky like giant pumpkins weighing more then a thousand pounds, organic shoes and visiting the farm toy capital of the world, to the inspiring, like Ken Brecher’s unique collection, and of course, the first ever Special Olympics USA National Games. There’s also a lot to learn as usual as we continue to bring you Weather Wisdom, Astronomers Notebook and add several new features including Almanac Facts with Pete Geiger and Sandi Duncan and the incredible naturalist Doug Elliott.

The Giant Pumpkin Story

Some of things you’ll learn in season 2 is that it’s easier to live in one of the largest cities in the world, then it is to live on a small farm. There is a brewer in Delaware brewing beer with green raisons and St. Johns Wort. You can actually race a 700-pound pumpkin across a freezing lake. There are very few people more inspiring then the athletes of the Special Olympics. You can actually make shoes out of bamboo - and they can be fashionable, and that a very special family can farm for nine generations, and still love it! And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

In the end, this is more then a job to all of us at Farmers’ Almanac TV. We are bringing you real life stories from all around the country, and we are as passionate about telling these stories as the people featured within the stories. We care, and we hope it comes across to you at home. One last thing, it’s a big country, so if you have any ideas for stories that would be good for us to tell, send us an email, we’d love to hear them.

Enjoy season 2, and while your doing that, we’ll be out preparing for season 3 - by the way, does anyone have any advice on how to make a van ride more interesting?

Sincerely,

Paul Leone
Supervising Producer
Farmers’ Almanac TV
PaulLeone@FarmersAlmanacTV.com

This month, Farmers’ Almanac TV starts its second season on public television with hints and tips from the Farmers’ Almanac, plus a lot of inspiring, yet off-the-beaten path stories about gardening, natural cures, weather, rural destinations and more.

While the season is full of great stories that everyone in the family can enjoy, here are a few highlights:

• Meet two Portland, Maine natives who just hoped to create a better soda. In the process, they created Maine Root, an organic root beer that’s flying off the shelves of grocery stores nationwide.
• Think paddling a canoe is difficult? Try paddling a 700-pound pumpkin across a frigid Canadian lake, just to win a race. Farmers’ Almanac TV shows you this one-of-a-kind competition.
• Meet Verlyn Klinkenborg, The Rural Life author and columnist for the New York Times. He gives some unique insight about his life on the farm and writing for the Times.
• The trio, Nickel Creek, entertains us with their music and thoughts about being young musicians in a very mobile world.
• Meet folks in Grundy, County Iowa who restored their old barns by painting quilt patterns on them. In the process, they created a tourist attraction that has pulled motorists from the interstates and into their town.

Of course, there are a lot more stories about people who cherish the earth’s resources, as well as insights that have made the Farmers’ Almanac famous (like how to predict the weather just by looking at the sky).

There are also interviews with Former President Jimmy Carter, Senator Tom Harkin, Tom Arnold, Tim and Eunice Shriver as well as Willie Nelson.

So be sure to check out your T.V. Guide to find Farmers’ Almanac TV show times and dates for your local area.
For a complete run down of Season Two episodes, click here.

Technorati tags: Former President Jimmy Carter, Farmers’ Almanac TV Verlyn Klinkenborg Willie Nelson, Maine Root Nickel Creek

Ok, I’m not a southerner. But I have lived in the south for 12 years and understand that there are some things that you just do, like eat your Collard Greens on New Year’s Day.

According to Southern legend, consuming these highly nutritious greens on January 1 will bring financial reward (and some say luck) for the year.

Yet, no matter how hard I try, I just can’t develop a taste for these vegetables. I’d much rather eat the cornbread served with the greens.

So, this year I have decided to throw caution to the wind: I’m not going to eat Collard Greens no matter what.

I guess I can count on not winning the lottery or not inheriting a fortune from some distant relative in 2007.

But I do plan to take a double helping of black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day. And according to Southern legend, that should bring me luck throughout the year.

So maybe in 2007 I’ll just be lucky, not rich.

Hope you have a wonderful, safe and healthy New Year.

Jennifer Dlugozima, VP of Marketing Farmers’ Almanac TV

In 1897, Francis P. Church scribed in the New York Sun words that forever touched our hearts.

Click to play!

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.

As our gift to you, we have taken this piece of Americana and turned it into remarkable video (about 2 minutes long). Just hit play and relax. It will lift your soul.

We invite you to send this video to friends, family and anyone who questions the existence of Santa Claus, or just needs a dose of inspiration. You are also welcome to use this video on your web site or blog. Just copy the code.

Technorati tags: Santa Claus, Farmers’ Almanac TV Francis P. Church

I have never been one to sleep well during the holidays. I always worry about something: whether it’s getting to the plane on time, or cooking the right dish, or finding time to buy gifts, or reigning in my spouse’s spending… The list goes on.

So to help readers like me, we spent some time collecting ideas to “de-stress” the holidays. You will find a collection of holiday stories that include tips and hints for decorating, gift ideas, recipes and more on FarmersAlmanacTV.com.

In the meantime, here are a few guidelines for surviving the holidays:

Keep It Simple. The biggest reason for out-of-control holiday stress comes from trying to overdo it. If you’re planning your own party, or sorting out gifts for your extended family, don’t feel obligated to make it to every single party, or buy for the whole office.

Plan in advance. Buy staples, paper goods and liquor well ahead of any dinner or event. The week leading up to the get-together, polish silverware and serving pieces, wash crystal and china, and launder and iron table linens. The day before, set the table and get flowers or greenery for decoration. Give the house a final swift cleaning.

Try to do one thing a day. Make a list of holiday-related errands and try to knock out one errand a day. Scratch it off your list as you complete it. By breaking everything down into bite-size chunks, your tasks will not seem so enormous.

Accept offers of help. If someone volunteers to bring a dish, entertain the kids for a few hours while you cook or help clean up, say yes! And don’t be shy about asking for assistance. When everyone pitches in, it’s everyone’s party. Share the duties and share the fun.

By Jennifer Dlugozima, VP of Marketing

Technorati tags: holiday stress, Farmers’ Almanac TV

If you haven’t had a chance to catch up on the FFA lately, you may want to read this article from the New York Times. It clearly articulates the changes in the FFA, which in many respects, has echoed the changes in farming. It states:

A new face has emerged on this old-fashioned tradition. More FFA members now come from towns, suburbs and city neighborhoods, including Queens and the South Side of Chicago, than from rural farm regions, FFA officials say. The largest chapter in the country? At W. B. Saul High School of Agricultural Sciences in Philadelphia.

Mainly, the FFA, created to build pride among young farmers-to-be, is drawing students who say they do not in the least wish to become farmers, but rather food industry scientists, seed bioengineers, florists, landscapers and renewable fuels engineers.

When we attended the FFA convention in October, this evolution was readily apparent. While we talked to quite a few students who lived on a farm, many did not. They totally understood, though, the value of agriculture in American society.

For many, the convention was an opportunity to learn about agricultural sciences, meet others with like interests as well as take lessons in leadership. Overall, they said it was a very positive experience, even if they had to spend 18 hours on a bus to get to the Indianapolis convention.

The staff at Farmers’ Almanac TV found the whole event very inspiring. The students we met clearly were “good kids” with their hearts in the right places.

Technorati tags: public television, Farmers’ Almanac TV FFA

Not all Thanksgiving meals go swimmingly well. Sure, the turkey or one of the side-dishes can burn. But the biggest challenge - for many families- is making sure everyone gets along.

As the New York Times puts it:

Family grudges buried by time and distance resurface. New girlfriends meet ex-husbands. Prius drivers make small talk with S.U.V. owners. And vegans spend the meal defending themselves. It’s enough to break a cook’s heart.

The article gives some good advice about how to manage conflict, as well head it off. In particular:

1) Assign everyone a job; idle time often enables bad behavior.

2) If you suspect potential trouble or inappropriate conversation, have a pointed conversation with the perpetrator before the meal starts.

3) The host should try to steer a conversation away from dangerous subjects. If a guest says something designed to anger others at the table, acknowledge the guest’s opinion, then make a joke about it and ease the conversation in another direction.

4) Regarding conflict over when to watch the game: the article suggests that hosts set expectations upfront. Announce that the tv will remain on during appetizers but shut off during the main meal and dessert.

Of course, these guidelines don’t guarantee a harmonious meal, but they are a start.

Please tell us your tips for making holiday dinners easy to digest.

For many families, Thanksgiving is not only an opportunity to give thanks, but it’s also a good time to relax outdoors. Often, the weather hasn’t cooperated.

Just consider the Blizzard Bowl in 1950, when Ohio was buried under a record amount of snow. Ohio State faced Michigan in front of 50,000 fans that braved 35 mph winds and a temperature of only 5 degrees. Michigan won 9-3 on 27 total yards and never even scored a first down. (For more memorable Thanksgiving weather, see the story on our web site, www.farmersalmanactv.com or click here).

While I don’t remember that event (I was born in 1965) I do remember many Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parades when the temperature was below or near freezing.

Through this, I have learned not to take chances. After consulting the Farmers’ Almanac and learning that rain is predicted for my area, I think we’ll plan on some indoor games.

If you want to check out the weather over the next ten days, please enter your zip code into our 10-Day Weather Widget.

By Jennifer Dlugozima, VP of Marketing, Farmers’ Almanac TV

Technorati tags: weather, Farmers’ Almanac

Of all the stories we cover, there seems to be one event that always gets rave reviews: The Combine Demolition Derby.

This annual derby pits 25-year-old combines against one another in a dirt arena in Lind, Washington. Thousands of residents from nearby towns come to see the battle that often resurrects aging combines before they are consigned to the scrap heap.

The drivers, who wear helmets but not much more protection, ram their duct-tape-laden machines into one another until they are just about disabled.

But it’s more than just a crash contest. The rural tourism event is a major fundraiser for the area’s programs, such as senior and youth services.

“The Combine Demolition Derby sets a shining example of what a small American community can accomplish when they put their minds to it. And, it highlights the family - and what it means for fathers and sons to work together toward a common goal,” said Mickey Youmans, exeuctive vice president of development and production for Farmers’ Almanac TV.

Farmers’ Almanac TV has included a 5-minute segment of the event in its public television show, Farmers’ Almanac TV. The segment can also be found on our web site: farmersalmanactv.com.

On Nov. 17th, we are proud to show a 30-minute episode of The Combine Demolition Derby on RFD-TV at 9:00 p.m. We hope you enjoy the show.

To see our press release, click here.

Technorati tags: public television, Farmers’ Almanac TV RFD-TV

Combine Demolition Derby Lind