Family & Home

 

Extension's Family and Community Development Program offers effective educational opportunities to help Oregon families meet the practical challenges of daily life. Programs address critical issues for individuals and families and help Oregonians become healthy, financially secure, and responsible members of society. This website provides information and resources on topics of interest to Oregon’s families.    

 

Check back often for announcements of current educational events and featured publications!

Contact information: Jeanne Brandt e-mail or call 503-821-1117.

 


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Pressure Canner Dial Gauge Testing

Pears in Pot

 

Dial gauge testing for pressure canners. Bring in the dial gauge or the lid with the gauge attached, we can test it for accuracy.

Dial gauges should be checked for accuracy and overall condition every year prior to the beginning of canning season. If you use your dial gauge canner throughout the year, check it at the same time every year.

 

Please call to make an appointment to get your pressure guage tested:  503-821-1150

 

 


Families

  • Parenting Education Resources

Oregon Parenting Education Directory - links to professionals offering parenting education classes throughout Oregon

Enhancing the Skills of Parents Program II (ESPPII)

Evaluation Tools for Parenting Educators


  • Parenting Newsletter

Just in Time Parenting Newsletter -  Age-paced newsletters, the website also includes:

Fact sheets, Frequently Asked Questions, Access to experts across the country, and links to upcoming local Extension programs.

Para Su Familia - A monthly bulletin published by Washington State University for Spanish-speaking families. English and Spanish text is included for each article. Subjects include money management, child health, parenting, and recipes.

 

  • OSU Extension Publications

You can search for many publications about families by going to http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/ and clicking on "Family & Home" then "Children" or "Marriage & Divorce"

Publication Highlights:

Helping Children Grow: Knowing Your Children (EC 1299-E)

Managing Between Jobs: Helping Children Cope (EC 1403-E)

Non Traditional Families: A Guide for Parents (EC 1412-E)

Family and Work a Delicate Balance (EC 1454)

 

  • Web sites:

National Network for Child Care  (http://www.nncc.org/)

Tufts University Child & Family Web Guide (http://www.cfw.tufts.edu/)

     

     

Healthy Aging

 

Most of Washington County’s 45,000 adults over the age of 65 are active and independent and wish to stay that way! OSU Extension Service offers information and educational programs to help older adults, their family members and caregivers face the challenges of aging in a positive and productive way. Attend one of the many public programs or view or request written materials on topics relating to healthy aging.  

Mold

Mold logo

Oregonians spend the majority of their time indoors.  Research has found that the quality of air in homes can be poorer than that of the outdoors. Oregon’s damp, mild climate contributes to mold growth in indoor environments.  Mold can be destructive to people’s home, health and belongings. 

OSU Extension Service also coordinates occasional educational workshops on mold control. If you contact our office, we will notify you when the next one is scheduled. 

The following are resources and information relating to moisture and mold control in your home and other buildings.

 

Websites and publications that provide reliable, unbiased information related to moisture & mold control, assesment, remediation, moisture resistant construction practices, and a proposal to the 2007 Oregon Legislature for updated building code requirements. 

 

Guidelines for inspecting your home for sources of moisture and steps for control.

 

One page handout discussing tips on getting rid of mold in your home.

 

One page fact sheet dicussing mold control and cleanup in homes

 

 

Jeanne Brandt, OSU Extension Service, Washington County

Family and Community Health Faculty

 

Call her at 503-821-1117 or you can email her here.

Safe and Healthy Homes

OSU Extension Service offers information to help Oregonians keep their homes safe and healthy for residents of all ages.

This page lists resources to help you identify the risks, improve the safety and comfort and cope with emergencies that you might face in your home. There are also some helpful household tips on topics such as stain removal, household cleaning and maintenance and pest control.

 

  • Home Safety

The Healthy Homes Partnership is a cooperative effort of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Cooperative Extension Service.  Resources focus on identifying and reducing risks around the home such as lead based paint, indoor air quality and pesticides. http://www.healthyhomespartnership.net/

The Oregon Well Water Program helps Oregonian’s protect the groundwater that supplies their drinking water. Information on well and septic system maintenance. http://wellwater.oregonstate.edu

  • Toy Recall

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/toy.html

  • Lead Resources

Children and Lead: Frequently Asked Questions
http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/lead/prevent_child.shtml

Oregon Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/lead/index.shtml

The National Lead Information Center
1-800-424-LEAD (5323)

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov/lead

Consumer Product Safety Commission
http://www.cpsc.gov/

  • Emergency Preparedness and Response 

It Could Happen to You is a series of publications developed by the OSU Extension Service to help Oregonians prepare for disasters and emergencies. Learn about your community's disaster plan and create a plan for your family, home and office. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/emergency/naturaldisasters.php

Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) lists publications relating to natural disasters from each state.

http://eden.lsu.edu/Resources/onlineext.aspx

Cleaning Flood Damaged Homes. The Louisiana State University AgCenter has an array of information to help people in their recovery from the multiple problems caused by a hurricane. These problems include the danger of disease from insects, other pests and flood waters as well as illness from contamination by flood waters.

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/family_home/hazards_and_threats/recovery_assistance/index.htm

  • Power outages

Your options for coping with a power failure depend on how cold it is outside, how long you're without power, and if you have equipment that can meet your need without external power sources. This publication will help you make decisions to prepare for short- or long-term power failures.  

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/em/em8734-e.pdf

 Winter power outages can be an expensive inconvenience when you have food in your freezer. You'll want to know what food to keep and what you should throw away.

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/lane/sites/default/files/images/whenPowerFails.pdf

The American Red Cross offers a variety of materials for coping with disasters such as earthquakes, fires and floods.

http://www.redcross.org/pubs/dspubs/cdelist.html

  • My Own Home

My Own home: (in English)  (en español) 

Helpful Household Tips Spot and Stain removal guide for washable fabrics. Learn how to remove pine resin, candle wax, wine, and a variety of other stains when doing home laundry.

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/lane/sites/default/files/images/PNW440stainremovalguide.pdf

Household hints and helps from the University of Nebraska Extension

http://lancaster.unl.edu/home/consumer.shtml

Iowa Families Extension Answer Line provides information and resources for consumers with home and family questions.

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/answerline/

Home maintenance and repair. Michigan State University Extension offers instructions and tips for household chores and repairs.

http://web1.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/mod02/master02.html

Maintenance of your home. Instructions for basic use of tools and repairing faucets, screens and electric plugs from Texas Agrilife Extension.

http://fcs.tamu.edu/housing/construction_maintenance_repair/index.php

  • Pest Control

OSU Master Gardeners respond to household Pest and plant problem inquiries: Click Here Controlling Carpenter Ants (EC 627)

Cockroaches: How to Control Pests Safely. Click the following link for getting rid of roaches and mice.

Small Steps to Health and Wealth

Small Steps to Health and Wealth™ encourages Oregonians  to make positive behavior changes to simultaneously improve their health and personal finances.

The program was developed by faculty with Rutgers Cooperative Extension and   provides information and ideas that you may find helpful .  Be sure to check back each month for the updates.