Words from Wellness | October 2021

Tour de BL Bike Challenge 2021 Congratulations to the Winners! The 2021 Tour de BL Bike Challenge has concluded -- all participants put in a great effort, and special shout-out to the top riders: 1 st Place – Andy Holsopple // 437.2 miles 2 nd Place – Hugh Thomas // 342.5 miles 3 rd Place – Ken Kittredge // 340.7 miles Most Miles in one day – Mark Heeb // 62 miles Mountain Goat Challenge (most vertical feet in one day) – Andy Graves // 1,879 feet Stay tuned for an article in the upcoming issue of The Owners’ Manual for pictures, including a special BL project connection!

Tongs or Jar Lifters – rubberized lifters make removing cans from their water bath less slippery, but a good pair of tongs can work just as well Clean Cloths – used to wipe down jars, lids and rims of jars The Process of Preserving 1. Start by sterilizing your jars 2. Slice, dice, pickle & pour 3. Fill your jars 4. Process your jars 5. Remove your jars and let them cool More details on the entire process can be found here: https://simplebites.net/canning- 101-the-basics/

So, you’ve planted seeds or seedlings and then watered and weeded all summer. Now it ’s time to harvest, and while much of your garden’s bounty ends up on your dinner plates, baked into goodies and eaten fresh as your pick it, there is generally an excess of fruits and vegetables. This is where food preservation and canning comes in. Canning is a wonderful way to store your fruits and vegetables from the garden or the farmer ’s market while they are in season and make the harvest last through winter when local and seasonal foods are scarce. Canning in both water baths and pressure cooking heats the food, killing any microorganisms that may grow, and also creates a vacuum seal in the jar. The vacuum seal will prevent any air from coming in contact with the preserved food that

could encourage cell growth and cause the food to spoil. What You Need to Get Started Canning Jars and Seals – use mason-style jars with sealed lids and rings, which can be found at most grocery stores Wide-Mouth Funnel – makes filling jars with sauces or jams easier and less messy Lid Wand – for easy removal of lids and rings from boiling water Ladle – for filling jars Large Pot – for boiling canned preserves and jams, fruits, tomatoes and pickled vegetables Pressure Canner – used for canning vegetables and meats because it has the ability to reach a higher temperature

Wellness Resources & Benefits

Reminder! Past Wellness Webinars can be found on the Intranet! Documents and Resources > Video Library Solutions EAP Short‐term, confidential counseling and/or referral for employees and employee family members. www.solutions-eap.com Cigna Talkspace Convenient, safe and secure online therapy from any location. talkspace.com/cigna More resources can be found on the Intranet.

HALLOWEEN CANDY CALORIE COUNTS Halloween is coming up! Here’s a handy guide of howmany calories are in your candy.