Service

USDA'S REPORT TO CONSUMERS

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE- OFFICE OF INFORMATION- WASHINGTON, D.C. 20250



July 1966 No. 31
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GROCERY SHOPPING W0e 6 c.

Pick the Plentifuls. ve mon *g food, check the ads to
see what's in good supp f an foods are usually cheaper.
For a peek into the future, ,the U. S. Department of
Agriculture's List of Plentiful Foods for July: Plums, peaches,
watermelons, vegetables and broiler-fryers. In August expect
more plums, Bartlett pears, potatoes, turkeys, seasonal
vegetables, peanut butter.

Filling Your Freezer. Thinking about stocking your freezer with
beef? The simplest and easiest way to do this probably is to
buy a quarter or side of beef and have it processed. However,
if your family likes certain cuts, a better way to stock up
might be to buy your favorites when they're offered "on special"
at the retail market. The retail mark-up, according to market-
ing specialists at the U. S. Department of Agriculture, is
seldom higher than the price per pound charged by wholesalers
and locker plants for processing carcass beef.

Protein Bargains. About 40 cents of every dollar spent on food
goes for protein items. So any money a homemaker can save here
goes a long way in cutting the grocery bill. Instead of
serving high-priced protein items every day, food economists
at the U. S. Department of Agriculture suggest the homemaker
slip into her menus a few of the less expensive foods. *Serve
dry beans occasionally. Five cents worth of beans provide one-
third of a day's protein for a young man. *Prepare cheese
dishes. Four ounces of American cheese or 3/4 cup cottage
cheese will give each person a meal's worth of protein--for 9
to 12 cents. *Eggs, beef liver and chicken are three other
good protein foods. Figure 15 cents for a third of a day's
protein from each of these.

You Spend More, But Save More. Did you know that the bigger
your family, the more you save on food? Per person, that is.
According to food cost experts at the U. S. Department of
Agricultuve, a family of six spends about $7.50 per person per
week for groceries. Those of only one or two persons pay $10.20
each for food. Why? The bigger family is able to buy in
quantity. It throws away less food. And, of necessity, it
watches the food bill more carefully.






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How Much for Milk? You can save on your milk bill by buying some fresh, some canned,
some dry. A family of four uses about 1,095 quarts of milk per year. How much does
this cost? It depends on what kind you buy, and,of course, on the prices in your
community. The U. S. Department of Agriculture recently compared the costs of
several milk items for a family of four in a typical American town: Fresh, homogen-
ized milk, $295 a year; with Vitamin D added, $307; nonfat milk or buttermilk, $230;
nonfat dry milk, anywhere from $110 to $88; evaporated milk, national brand, $175;
store brand, $153.

On a Plastic Platter. Fresh pole beans that are prepackaged--either in pulp or
plastic trays, or in plastic bags--make the trip to distant markets in excellent
condition, USDA researchers find. The beans look better. They sell better. And
they stay fresh longer than non-packaged beans.

HOUSE AND YARD
Painting Pointers. Summertime is paint up time. And if you plan to paint your
house this summer--or hire it done--you'll probably be interested in these tips
from the U. S. Department of Agriculture. (1) Use the same brand and type of paint
originally used--unless, of course, it's given poor service. (2) Repaint only when
the old paint has worn thin and no longer protects the wood. (3) Ordinarily,
paint no oftener than every 4 years. (4) When applying two coats, wait 2 weeks
between the first and second. (5) To avoid heat blisters, paint the north side of
the building during the first part of the morning, the east side in late morning,
the south side early in the afternoon, and the west side in late afternoon.

Ready, Aim, Spray. It's hard to spot a chigger. They're so small. But after you've
been bitten a few times, you find this a necessity. To locate a chigger-infested
area--so you can give them the spray treatment--follow this suggestion from the
U. S. Department of Agriculture. Place a small piece of black construction paper
edgewise on the ground, or lean it against a tuft of grass or fallen branch where
you suspect there might be chiggers. Watch it for a few minutes. If you see small
orange or pinkish mites moving rapidly across the paper, you've found them!

Lawn Tips. Don't remove the clippings from your lawn (unless, of course, you've
recently fertilized and the grass is growing rapidly). Clippings, U. S. Department
of Agriculture turf experts say, help to maintain humidity long after the sun has
dried off surrounding uncovered areas.
When you water, do it early enough in the day to allow the grass time to dry out
before night. Avoid frequent, light waterings--especially during warm weather.
Never remove more than one-half of the leaf surface at one mowing.

A Spread for Your Beds. U. S. Department of Agriculture scientists have developed
a spread for flower beds--and vegetable gardens--that will keep the weeds away all
summer long. It's a loosely woven cloth treated with herbicides. Fourteen differ-
ent chemicals can be applied by the manufacturer in just the right amount to protect
your garden from unwanted weeds. You simply lay the cloth between the rows and
around the plants. Although not yet on the market, this herbicide-treated cheese-
cloth offers great promise for the future. It is not only convenient but safe to use.

Rosier Future for Roses. To make cut roses last longer, follow these directions from
the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Cut stems on a slant and remove lower foliage.
Loosely wrap flowers--everything but the cut ends--in wax paper. Put in a clean
vase containing a mixture of bath-warm water and a preservative (you can buy it at
your florist's). Let stand 4 to 6 hours in a cool place. Remove the wrapping and
arrange the flowers--still in the same vase and preservative mixture.






3-
Fortified Wheat. "Enriching grain with a protein coating is the best way to get
protein to hungry nations," says Dr. Aaron M. Altschul, special advisor to the
Secretary of Agriculture. Dr. Altschul is interested in sending wheat to hungry
people abroad. He points out that while wheat already contains more protein than
some other grains and vegetables, it can be made even more nutritious if it is forti-
fied with amino acid lysine. This would be relatively inexpensive to do, and it would
pay big dividends in the health of the people eating this wheat, Dr. Altschul says.

Pleasing the Palate. You can give a man food, but you can't make him eat it--even
though he may be starving. Such is the case in many under-developed countries. Native
customs and preferences often are as much a cause of poor nutrition as lack of food.
For this reason, the U. S. Department of Agriculture has developed WURLD wheat, a
peeled wheat that looks much like rice. In rice-eating countries, where rice is often
in short supply, this wheat could serve as a substitute. It's a good source of the
protein so needed in the diets of these people.

IN THE KITCHEN

Head Space. Here's a tip to remember when freezing fruits and vegetables. Be sure to
allow for head space--room for the product to expand. U. S. Department of Agriculture
food specialists suggest: 1/2 inch space for a dry pack (fruits and vegetables packed
without liquid added--except such things as broccoli and asparagus which pack loose).
For a liquid pack in wide-mouth containers, leave 1/2 inch per pint; with containers
having narrow top openings, 3/4 inch per pint. The exception: Juice. Each pint of
juice requires 1-1/2 inches of head space.

Cheese in Family Meals. Here's a booklet that tells all about cheese--how to select
a cheese that will suit your palate, how to store it, serve it, cook it. There are
11 pages of cheese recipes, ranging from appetizers to desserts, with recipes for
main dishes, salads and breads between. Each recipe lists the number of calories per
serving--and when it's made with cheese, this is usually good news for dieters.
"Cheese in Family Meals," HG-112, sells for 15 cents. Order from Superintendent of
Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. 20402. Please include your
zipcode.

INSPECTION

Woman's Work. More than 150 homemakers--who weekly inspect fruits and vegetables at
the supermarkets in which they shop--now get paid for doing the same type of thing
in packing plants and canneries across the country. They have become official fruit
and vegetable inspectors, employees of the U. S. Department of Agriculture or the
States in which they work. Today, 153 women inspect everything from peanuts in the
southern States to potatoes in Idaho, tomatoes in Indiana. Hired for a job that was
previously for men only, the women appear to be here to stay. USDA officials find
them capable and conscientious. More women will be hired this summer and fall,
according to USDA. Still more next year.

DO IT YOURSELF PROJECT

Build Your Own Boat Landing. If you own waterfront property and enjoy cruising and
fishing, you'll be interested in this plan for a small craft landing. It won't work
on a river or lake where masses of ice move out in the spring, but it can withstand
waves of 3 feet and a tide of 2 to 3 feet. And there's no better time than the
summer months to do the building. Any handy man-around-the house can do it--even to
sinking the pilings. (You "jet" the holes with the pressure from your water system.)
For working drawings of this boat landing--plan No.5975--write to the Extension
agricultural engineer at your state land-grant university. Or, contact your county
agent. He can help you get it--probably for less than a dollar.




UNIVERSITy FLORA

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VACATION TIPS

Too Heavy to Handle. When it takes two to lift a spare tire, there's something
funny in Denmark. But in this case it was Mexico. And the tire was being smuggled
into the United States--with 40 pounds of prohibited meat inside. It was inter-
cepted by alert USDA quarantine officials who were conducting a routine border
check. Visitors to Mexico, the U. S. Department of Agriculture warns, may not bring
back fresh meat. It may contain diseases that could spread to U. S. livestock.

Follow That Sign. Should you be visiting a National Forest and see a sign that
indicates a nature trail--follow it. It will open a wide new door to all the many
things that are in the forests, things that perhaps you didn't notice before or
didn't recognize. You can pick up a trail map at the entrance. It will point out
the various bushes, trees and flowers, and tell you a bit about them and the area
in which they live. You may find a deer trail, a tree that has been struck by
lightning, a growth of fungus. Whatever it is, it will offer an unusual educational
experience for you and your youngsters to enjoy. The trails are usually short and
easily traversed--suitable for young and old alike.

Slow-Moving Vehicles. When you hit the highway this summer, beware of slow-moving
vehicles. This is the time of year farmers and road crews are busiest, and often
they must move their equipment on high-speed roadways. To give you fair warning,
several states now require slow-moving vehicles to bear an easy-to-see emblem. But
whenever, wherever you travel, watch for this symbol of slowness--on mowers, graders,
road rollers, combines, tractors and similar slow-moving farm and construction
equipment. It may save your life.

COMMUNITY AIDS

Where to Get Help. Good water and sewage systems, libraries, schools and health
services--these are some of the things lacking in rural areas. If you and others
in your community would like to do something about bringing these modern-living
facilities to your areas, it can be done. There are many Federal programs that can
help communities build water and ewer systems, improve schools, expand health services,
construct library and community centers, and develop outdoor recreation facilities.
For a check list of what's available and where to write for more information, con-
tact the Special Reports Division, Office of Information, U. S. Department of
Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 20250. Ask for: "Federal Programs for Individual
and Community Advancement."

WATER SAFETY
Rescue Station. Each year over 3,300 persons drown within 15 feet of a bank, dock,
boat or other support. Many of these could perhaps be saved--even by non-swimmers--
were the necessary equipment handy. Anyone who owns a waterfront lot, a farm with
a pond or a home pool should install a rescue station. All that is required is to
erect an 8-foot post on the bank; hang on it a life preserver attached to 50 feet
of rope, and a rescue pole 12 to 14 feet long.


SERVICE is a monthly newsletter of consumer interest. It is designed for those who
report to the individual consumer rather than for mass distribution. For information
about items in this issue, write: Jeanne S. Park, Editor, SERVICE, Office of
Information, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 20250.

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