in this issue

– Fresh This Week…

– Elodie Farms Dinners on the Porch

– MoonDance Soaps & More

– Sarah’s House of Clay

– Angels Nest Bakery

– Fickle Creek Farm

– Meadow Lane Farm

– Photography by Pamela Strand

– SEEDS

– Harlands Creek Farm

– Terra Clotha

– Market ScheduleDuring the winter, the farmers’ market appears to be in our off season. There are fewer farmers selling their goods at market, we are open for fewer hours and less often. However, behind the scenes the market is buzzing with activity. During the winter, we accept applications for new vendors and inspect farms and businesses in order to uphold the integrity of our claim that we produce what we sell. We work on advertising for the new season, order merchandise, coordinate events for the coming year, plan a new Wednesday market (!!), and have our annual meeting. Not to mention, all of the spring planting that the farmers are doing!
Farmers’ markets around the country are set up in many different ways. Some are run by local governments, others, like the markets around Washington DC, are managed a non-profit group that was established to set up and mange markets in a region, and others, like many of the markets in this area, are independently run. Here in Durham, our market is a membership organization and is governed by a Board of Directors that is made up of members from the organization. No matter how the markets are set up, it is pretty common that every year, the membership meets to discuss plans, business and have some time catch up outside the hustle and bustle of market. So, with our meeting coming up, I’ve got to run, there’s lots of work to be done.

Thanks for shopping with us and supporting your local farmers, bakers, and crafters.

See you at the Market!

Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
Vegetables: Beets, Carrots, Broccoli, Cabbage, Green Onion, Kohlrabi, Napa Cabbage, Rutabega, Sweet Potato, Turnips
Greens: Arugula, Lettuce, Salad Mix, Spinach, Chard, Collards, Kale, Mustard Greens, Turnip Greens,
Herbs: Cilantro, Parsley, Rosemary
Meats: Beef, Pork, Bacon, Lard
Etc.: Eggs, Fresh & Aged Cows Milk Cheese, Baked Goods, Preserves, Honey, Pecans, Crafts and much more…
Elodie Farms Dinners on the Porch
Hello Friends,
We are all set to start taking dinner reservations for March and April. This is a new way of making reservations and we will try to make it as hassle free as possible. If you encounter any problems, please send an email to March08dinner@elodiefarms.com (for March reservations) or April08dinner@elodiefarms.com (for April reservations.) There is a link from our website (go to the Dinner on the Porch page) or you can use this link ONLINE RESERVATIONS.
Sam Poley, former chef/owner of Starlu Restaurant will be our March guest chef!! We look forward to seeing you on the Porch!
Anne & Dave
website

MoonDance Soaps & MoreOur scratch and dent bins will be fully stocked this Saturday with confetti soaps and other odds and ends. Come by early to ensure you “get your fix”. Folks wait months for these babies to appear and our “ugly stepchildren” are usually all snatched up before you know it. We’re just happy they’re all going to such loving homes where their true inner beauty is fully appreciated. See you at market!! Rachel, MoonDance Soaps & More, 919-870-8063,   info@moondancesoaps.comwebsite

SEEDS

Durham Inner-city Gardeners will return to the market this Saturday to represent SEEDS with a few turnips, chard, collards, and some baby lettuce mix. Stop by early because we will run out fast. We are looking forward to seeing everyone.

Durham Inner-city Gardeners will return to the market this Saturday to represent SEEDS with a few turnips, chard, collards, and some baby lettuce mix. Stop by early because we will run out fast. We are looking forward to seeing everyone.

Harlands Creek Farm

Harland’s Creek Farm will be at market on Saturday March 1, 2008 with fresh carrots, spinach, parsley, cabbage, and green onions. We also plan to have a few bunches of narcissus and maybe some other flowers. We hope to see you there.

Terra Clotha

Contact Information ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

email: info@durhamfarmersmarket.com

phone: 919-667-3099

web:  http://www.durhamfarmersmarket.com/   

Garner NC City Guide         

RALEIGH, N.C. – BB&T Institutional Services earned three No. 1 rankings in a national survey of 401(k) providers for companies, municipalities and organizations in the $1 million-$10 million range.

401k Exchange is a business development and market intelligence provider for the 401(k) and retirement industry serving the small- and mid-size corporate market.

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire

RALEIGH, N.C. – Now truly is a great time to buy a home, and The Home Builders Associations of Raleigh-Wake County, The Home Builders Associations of Durham and Orange County, and the Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors want to tell you why. The campaign, called

The King Partnership is a full-service marketing communications agency specializing in real estate and retail marketing. Founded in 1986, The King Partnership offers a variety of marketing, communications services, including branding, strategic real estate consulting, marketing, graphic design, public relations, media buying, direct mail, radio and TV production. Located at 1210 Trinity Road in Raleigh, TKP offers a unique entrepreneurial “Run It Like You Own It” approach to business. For additional information visit the King Partnership online at www.thekingpartnership.com

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire

RALEIGH, N.C. and BOSTON, Mass. – In anticipation of Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law’s summer 2009 move to downtown Raleigh, the school has retained Shepley Bulfinch Richardson & Abbott of Boston, Mass. and Small Kane of Raleigh, N.C. to design and oversee the renovation of its future location. Campbell Law’s selection of the two firms is the next step in bringing its $27.5 million dollar building project to Raleigh, which is currently the largest U.S. capital without a law school.

“As the chair of Campbell Law’s ‘Campaign for Raleigh,’ I could not be more pleased with the dynamic partnership between Shepley Bulfinch and Small Kane, said Frank B. Holding, Jr., CEO of First Citizens Bank. “The law school will truly have the best of both worlds: a firm that has designed several of America’s premier law schools working with a firm that understands the dynamics of successful project execution in Raleigh. It will be a win-win for Campbell Law and the Raleigh community.”

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire

A recent National Water Commission (NWC) stock take reveals an amazing array of charging regimes for household water use. The stock take of 57 of Australia’s urban supply systems found that

• 25 set a fixed service charge and then add an “inclining block” charging regime on top of this fixed charge that increases the charge per kilolitre (Kl) in a number of steps;
• 4 use an “inclining block” regime without a fixed service charge;
• 1 uses a “declining” block regime; and
• 24 use a “two part” tariff regime that superimposes a volumetric charge on a fixed service charge; and
• 3 apply a service charge only and don’t charge for the amount of water used.

The record for the maximum number of “inclining blocks” goes to Busselton Water with an eight block regime. You pay $0.48/Kl for the first 150 Kl, $0.62 for the next 150 Kl, etc.  Over 1,950 Kl per annum, you pay $2.53/Kl. Busselton, however, does not set a fixed service charge.  Lower Murray Water is the only water supplier with a seasonal charge.  Water is cheaper in winter.

Given the state of our water supply systems, what is the best way to charge for and ration household water use? Have any water suppliers of the 57 supply systems got it right or have they all got it wrong?

Clarification of objectives

Unfortunately, governments tend to use water pricing regimes to achieve equity, environmental, revenue and economic efficiency objectives simultaneously.  This approach violates a golden rule in policy development, to avoid conflicts – use a separate instrument to achieve every objective and, once an instrument is assigned to one objective, don’t try to use it to achieve another objective.

Economic efficiency when there’s lots of water

What we pay influences what we do and what we buy. If water is abundant, then the efficient price to set is the long-run marginal cost of supplying one more kilolitre – including management costs, the costs of being the supplier of last resort and providing a return on capital.

The next step in pursuing efficiency is to charge according to the actual costs of delivering water to each suburb in each season.  In regions where delivery costs vary significantly, this means that postage stamp pricing arrangements need to be replaced with city or town by town pricing arrangements.

Further, it is also necessary for the cost of upstream environmental and other externalities to be reflected in your water supply bill. To encourage you to manage for downstream externalities, however, these need to be charged separately and in proportion to their extent.

Once built, the cost of maintaining and depreciating all infrastructure becomes part of the long-run marginal cost of water supply.  The more supply reliability you want, the more you have to pay per kilolitre. Desalination plants, for example, are expensive and, once built, have to be paid for. Great when there a water shortage but an expensive white elephant if there is lots of water around.

Economic efficiency when water is scarce

When it unexpectedly gets or stays dry, water supplies have to be rationed.  There are two ways to ration water use. One way is to introduce water restrictions which impose indirect costs on many people.  The other way is to increase the price.

Economic research keeps on pointing to the fact that water users respond to price increases.  Pragmatic as ever, Quentin Grafton recommends that the best way to set a scarcity price is to estimate the amount of water in storage every quarter and charge accordingly.  As dam storage goes down, the price goes up. To drive home the scarcity message, meters need to be read and bills sent, at least, quarterly.  In the USA, many utilities read every meter every month.

As outlined in Droplet 5, another way of achieving the same outcome, is to allow urban water trading. Set the maximum amount of water that an average household can use in a quarter and let those who really want water buy it from those prepared to sell.

In times of scarcity, the water supplier collects more money than is needed to cover costs.  Some people think that this money should be returned to users, others think it should be used to finance new infrastructure.  Either way, it is quite clear that there is a need to change the way we charge for water.

Equity

Many people think that water, especially non-discretionary water (water used inside houses), should be supplied at an “affordable” price. This is why there is so much interest in inclining block tariff regimes.  “Affordable” is code for not having to pay for the full cost of the water delivered. The idea is that the first amount of water you use should be cheap.  Those who use lots of “discretionary” water (gardens, pools, etc) should have to pay more for it. The result is a cross-subsidy from large water using households to small water using ones.  At first glance, this may seem reasonable.

But when you dig a bit deeper, it becomes clear that inclining block tariff regimes transfer money from disadvantaged households to richer ones which, as a result of the block regime, gain access to cheap water.  Concerned that inclining block systems are inequitable, John Quiggin has shown that if you want to help disadvantaged households, it is better to set a uniform charge and then pay rebates to every-one or only to those in need. In short, use separate policy instrument to chase each objective you are interested in.  Remember, however, that a typical person uses around 46 kilolitres per year.  At current prices, the cost of water used per person is less than the cost of running an old fridge in your garage.

Inclining block tariffs are inequitable also because most of them are implemented on top of a fixed service charge.  For the 25 NWC’s water supplier utilities who combine an inclining block tariff with a fixed service charge, the average fixed service charge is $124 per household.  If you use of 100 kilolitres per year and are charged $0.50 per kilolitres for this first block of water, the real cost per kilolitre delivered to you is $1.74/ kilolitres. This is not cheap water.

Revenue

The real reason water supply utilities set fixed charges is that this guarantees them a revenue base.  These utilities are monopolies but it is hard to argue that they should not be subject to the same pricing disciplines as other businesses. In summary, inclining block tariff systems represent a clumsy attempt to achieve efficiency and equity objectives simultaneously.  We believe they should not be used.

Read More:Water and Wastewater.com

Six Ways to Lead a Meaningful Life in the Middle of a Busy Schedule

ARA) – Over scheduling is a nationwide epidemic. From preschoolers to CEOs, we are constantly running from one activity to the next. This busy and sometimes frantic lifestyle affects all aspects of life and many people feel the strain caused by overloaded to-do lists.

According to the authors of “Yes, You Can… Find More Meaning in Your Life”, Jack Jonathan and Sheelagh Manheim, PhD, over scheduling can create a narrow focus that prevents you from experiencing meaning in your life. These two regular contributors to www.YesYouCanOnline.info offer ways to step off the treadmill of busyness and reaffirm what is good in your life.

Jonathan and Manheim suggest finding a balance in five fundamental areas of life: positive attitude, good physical health, personal relationships, financial well-being and a passion for knowledge.

“Anyone looking to streamline their schedule can use these essentials as guidelines to help balance the way they spend their time,” said Jonathan. “Paying attention to each basic area of life may help a person to feel more at peace.”

Jonathan and Manheim offer the following six ideas to help bring a feeling of meaning into a busy life.

* Foster a Positive Attitude. Begin your day with a sense of wonder. Ask yourself, “What is in store for me today?” Then set achievable goals for the day. Remain open to other possibilities so challenges that come up will not feel overwhelming. Do at least one thing each day that creates in you a sense of happiness, delight, accomplishment or wonder.

* Nurture Your Body. Sometimes basic physical needs are set aside because of busy schedules. It is ideal to schedule time for exercise and recreation. “But, you can also nurture your body by simply paying attention,” Jonathan advises. “Why not pause a minute between activities, look out of the window, take a deep breath and exhale slowly.” Manheim advises looking forward to your lunch break, choosing foods that really appeal to you, and then savoring your meal in the presence of friends.

* Honor Your Personal Relationships. Friendships often suffer from neglect when life gets too busy. Even if you can’t fit in a weekend getaway or a night out, you can still find time to foster meaningful relationships. Connect over lunch, make regular phone calls, keep in touch frequently with meaningful e-mails or better yet, send a note or a card. Whenever you are able to contact your friend be sure to truly relax and give your friend your whole attention. Let time stand still for those precious moments you do have together.

* Pay Regular Attention to Your Finances. The only person you can count on for your financial well-being is you. Set aside a regular time each month to pay bills and review your financial situation. Jim Stowers, founder of American Century Investments, recommends that when you review your spending, you ask yourself, “Am I getting my money’s worth?” Do you spend your money in a way that brings meaning to your life? You will find that careful financial planning will set you free to enjoy your life more.

* Cultivate Your Curiosity. Having a passion for knowledge is one of our greatest innate gifts. It does not require a great deal of time – only the curiosity to ask what? or why? and then spend a few minutes to search for an answer. Learning something new goes beyond book learning. It can involve simply paying attention to what is going on in your own neighborhood. The more we know about the little piece of turf we inhabit, the more meaningful our life becomes because we step outside ourselves.

* Value Your Time. Jim Stowers, co-author along with Jack Jonathan, of the soon-to-be published “Yes, You Can… Reach Your Goals and Achieve Your Dreams,” comments, “Time is often taken for granted. Yet, properly used, time becomes a key multiplier that can be leveraged by effort and determination to help you achieve your dreams.” When you set aside small amounts of time to be truly present to your attitude, physical well being, friendships, finances and curiosity, you can increase your joy in life.

For more ways to lead a meaningful life in the middle of a busy schedule, visit www.YesYouCanOnline.info.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

ARA) – There’s more to managing cholesterol than just lowering your LDL. According to the American Heart Association, an estimated 80 million American adults have high LDL “bad” cholesterol, and more than 44 million Americans, or one in six, have low levels of HDL, the “good” cholesterol the body uses like a broom to sweep the bad cholesterol from the blood.

“Managing cholesterol involves many things, not just lowering LDL. There is a serious need for medicines that both raise “good” cholesterol and lower the “bad” components of cholesterol,” says Christie Ballantyne, M.D., Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Abbott’s SIMCOR, a combination of two widely prescribed cholesterol therapies, Niaspan (Abbott’s proprietary niacin extended-release) and simvastatin, in a single pill. When used along with diet, SIMCOR treats “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and “good” cholesterol (HDL) when treatment with Niaspan or simvastatin monotherapies is considered inadequate.

“SIMCOR represents a new option to help patients reach their treatment goals and target all their cholesterol levels,” says Ballantyne.

More than 105 million Americans have total blood cholesterol levels at or above 200 mg/dL, which is considered high. Statin therapy, which has primarily been used to lower “bad” cholesterol, is an important treatment option, but many patients may need additional lipid treatments to help them reach their treatment goals. In order to manage all of your cholesterol levels you need to learn your numbers first.

This is why it’s important to know all of your cholesterol levels and talk with your doctor about how to manage them. Start by getting your cholesterol checked today.

For more information on SIMCOR and other treatment options, talk to your doctor or visit www.abbott.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

SIMCOR Indications

* SIMCOR is the combination of two cholesterol-lowering medications: niacin extended-release (Niaspan) and simvastatin. SIMCOR is used along with diet to lower levels of total cholesterol, LDL “bad” cholesterol, and triglycerides and to increase HDL “good” cholesterol.

* SIMCOR is used when treatment with simvastatin monotherapy or niacin extended-release monotherapy is considered inadequate, and when diet and other non-drug measures alone have not been successful. Patients should stay on a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol while taking this medication.

* No additional benefit of SIMCOR on heart disease over and above that shown for niacin alone and simvastatin alone has been demonstrated.

Important Safety Information About SIMCOR

* SIMCOR should not be used by people with liver problems, stomach ulcers, or serious bleeding problems; in women who are pregnant, may become pregnant, or nursing; and in people allergic to any product ingredient.

* Patients should contact their health care provider if symptoms of unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness occur, as this may be a sign of a serious but rare muscle disorder, in which rare cases of death have occurred. Health care provider should be informed about any other medications, vitamins, or nutritional supplements people are taking to avoid possible serious drug interactions.

* SIMCOR should not be substituted for equivalent doses of immediate-release niacin. Liver damage has been reported when substituting sustained-release niacin products with immediate-release niacin at equivalent doses. Always check with a health care provider before changing medication.

* SIMCOR should be used with caution by patients who consume large amounts of alcohol. Health care providers may do simple blood tests before and during treatment with SIMCOR to check for liver problems.

* SIMCOR may cause an increase in blood sugar levels. Patients with diabetes should report any changes in blood sugar levels to their health care provider.

* Women of childbearing age should use an effective method of birth control to prevent pregnancy while using SIMCOR.

* Flushing (warmth, redness, itching, and/or tingling of the skin) is the most common side effect and may become less frequent over time. Additional symptoms may include rapid or pronounced heartbeat, shortness of breath, sweating, chills, dizziness, fainting, and/or swelling. Flushing may vary in severity and is more likely to occur when starting therapy or during dose increases. By taking SIMCOR at bedtime, flushing will most likely occur during sleep. If awakened by flushing, patients should take their time getting up, especially if feeling dizzy, faint, or taking blood pressure medications.

* Other common side effects may include headache, itching, nausea, back pain, and diarrhea.

* More information about SIMCOR, including full prescribing information, is available on the Web site http://www.rxabbott.com/pdf/simcor_pi.pdf, or by calling Abbott Medical Information at (800) 633-9110.

Niaspan Indications

* Niaspan is indicated as an adjunct to diet when the response to a diet restricted in saturated fat and cholesterol and other nonpharmacologic measures alone has been inadequate, to reduce elevated total cholesterol, LDL-C, Apo B, and triglyceride levels, and to increase HDL-C in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia.

* In patients with a history of myocardial infarction and hypercholesterolemia, niacin is indicated to reduce the risk of recurrent non-fatal myocardial infarction.

* In patients with coronary artery disease and hypercholesterolemia, niacin, in combination with a bile acid binding resin, is indicated to slow progression or promote regression of atherosclerotic disease.

Important Safety Information About Niaspan

* Niaspan is contraindicated in patients with allergies to any of its ingredients, active peptic ulcer disease, significant or unexplained persistent liver dysfunction, or arterial bleeding.

* Niaspan should not be substituted for equivalent doses of immediate-release niacin.

* Niaspan should be prescribed with caution in patients who consume substantial amounts of alcohol and/or have a past history of liver disease. Liver function tests should be performed on all patients during therapy with Niaspan.

* Use of Niaspan with other lipid-altering medications called statins may increase the risk of rhabdomyolysis, a rare condition that causes muscles to breakdown.

* The most common side effect with Niaspan is flushing of the skin.

* Patients with diabetes should carefully monitor their blood sugar and report changes to their doctor.

* Other commonly reported side effects include indigestion, headache, pain, abdominal pain, nausea, itching, diarrhea, runny nose, vomiting and rash.

* More information about Niaspan, including full prescribing information, is available on the Web sites www.rxabbott.com/pdf/niaspan.pdf and www.niaspan.com, or by calling Abbott Medical Information at (800)633-9110.

Important Safety Information About Simvastatin

* Simvastatin is a prescription tablet and isn’t right for everyone, including women who are nursing or pregnant or who may become pregnant, and anyone with liver problems.

* Unexplained muscle pain or weakness could be a sign of rhabdomyolysis, a rare but serious side effect and should be reported to a doctor right away.

* Simvastatin may interact with certain foods or other medicines including lipid-lowering medications called fibrates or niacin, increasing the risk of getting this serious side effect.

* Patients should tell their doctor about any other medications they are taking.

* The most common side effects are headache, abdominal pain, and constipation

(ARA) – Fitting diet and exercise changes into a busy lifestyle can be difficult, even for those who are 100 percent committed to taking control of their weight and health. Good health is a 24/7 endeavor, and many people are looking for weight loss success with flexible plans that can accommodate the hectic pace of modern life.

“While the fundamentals of good health are the same for everyone — eating and exercising well — there are as many paths and schedules for those goals as there are people,” says Liz Josefsberg of WeightWatchers.com. “It’s possible and essential to find ways to make positive changes that become a natural part of your lifestyle.”

For Tory Klementsen of Washington, weight loss success happened when she started focusing on improving her health, rather than just losing weight. Tory lost more than 100 pounds* through lifestyle changes that included altering her eating habits and finding forms of exercise she could enjoy. Now this self-professed “reformed couch potato” lists skydiving and marathon running among her weight-loss related achievements. Her key to success was Weight Watchers Online, a subscription based plan followed completely on the internet, which provides interactive tools to help people through the process of losing weight.

“Anyone who’s ever tried to lose weight knows that difficult moments can happen at any time of the day or night,” says Josefsberg. “Tory’s subscription to an online resource made it easy for her to stay on course and maintain important lifestyle changes.”

WeightWatchers.com and Tory offer the following five tips that will help you stay motivated and make healthy choices every day:

1. Don’t let yourself get too hungry before eating because then you’re more likely to overeat when you reach for food. Plan ahead for smart snacks, like a celery stalk with a dab of peanut butter or a cup of lowfat yogurt, and have them handy when hunger strikes. “Eating lots of little meals helps me keep from getting ravenous and out of control,” Tory says.

2. A business trip or vacation doesn’t mean a vacation from your healthy lifestyle. Tory fights off travel temptations by arriving at her destination and immediately stopping at a grocery store to stock up on healthy foods. Having a supply of good food on hand will help you avoid fast food pitfalls.

3. Start the day with a good breakfast. Avoid starchy, sugary high-calorie breakfast foods like muffins or doughnuts. Instead, opt for healthy, filling and fiber-filled choices, like healthy breakfast cereal with yogurt and fruit.

4. Find a weight loss plan that works for you; the Internet is a great resource for this. Weight Watchers Online is built on the proven approach to weight loss developed by the experts at Weight Watchers. This convenient plan, with separate customized sites for men and women, makes it easy to stay connected anywhere, anytime.

5. Vary your exercise routine so you don’t get bored. Above all, don’t be too hard on yourself. Unrealistic expectations can cause you to become discouraged and give up too quickly. Fit exercise into your schedule by walking at lunch, waking up 30 minutes earlier or joining a 24-hour gym; but commit to some form of exercise every day.

For more tips and information about a weight loss plan that could be right for you, visit www.WeightWatchers.com.

ARA) – Did you know that it’s possible to burn up to 260 calories per hour mowing a lawn with a power mower and up to 480 calories per hour gardening with other power tools? Every day chores like these are opportunities to get in better shape, tone the body and mind as well as reduce stress.

Fifty percent of people who join a gym drop out within the first three months, but there is research supporting the Biophilia Effect: that the great outdoors acts as a motivator to be physically active.

Tina Vindum, a professional trainer who leads the only accredited outdoor fitness program in the country, has teamed with power equipment manufacturer Husqvarna to offer the following tips for a great backyard workout:

* Get a leg up on yard work.
Walk-behind mowers are great for shaping legs and burning calories. A mower with variable speed capability increases the effectiveness of the workout over time. Mowing a yard that is one-third of an acre is equivalent to walking about two miles.

* Skip the slump!
It’s a natural fact that posture affects mood as well as performance. Slumping causes the body to “check out” both mentally and physically, remember to keep the back straight, shoulders square and chin up.

* Inhale down, exhale up.
Remember to breathe correctly. For example, inhale as you squat down or lunge forward, and exhale as you stand up, lift or push.

* Need to revive? Get some green.
Nature holds a special captivation for all of us. Being outdoors in fresh air has a soothing, restorative and healing effect. It’s called Biophilia, and refers to the innate affinity human beings have to nature and the natural world.

* Team up with the right equipment.
Avoid repetitive stress injuries by selecting the right equipment. Invest in quality and ergonomically correct equipment — from shoes and gloves to mowers and trimmers. Husqvarna offers a wide range of ergonomically designed tools, from the 125B Handheld Blower to the 125L Trimmer; all of their equipment is designed to work properly with your body. Test the equipment to make sure it feels good in your hands, on your wrists and body. Let fatigue be your guide — when in doubt, stop.

When using any outdoor power equipment, remember to think safety first. Read and understand the operator’s manual and be sure to wear the appropriate protective apparel.

For more information on outdoor fitness, visit http://www.MasterYourGreatOutdoors.com.

(ARA) – If your memories of high school shop and mechanics class involve a grizzled teacher shouting at students not to hammer their fingers while building a birdhouse, it’s time to go back to class. Todd Collins, a teacher at East Hickman High School in Lyles, Tenn., recently led a team of students from his auto mechanics class in building a drag race car to compete in a race televised on SPEED. Not your typical class assignment.

The students and their trials and tribulations in building their drag racer, were filmed from the first axle to the big race. The show, Drag Race High, airs on SPEED Wednesdays at 10 p.m. Eastern/9 p.m. Central. Collins couldn’t be more excited or more proud.

“Sometimes in education, you get to a point where you think you’re helping as many people as you can. You don’t know how much you actually accomplish. It’s been very rewarding to sit back and see what these kids accomplished,” Collins says. “The fact they put together this car like they did is overwhelming.”

Collins’ assignment to the group was to take a beat up Ford Mustang, strip it to the bones and rebuild it as a drag racer. The students were allowed to obtain advice from experts, but had to do all the work themselves.

“It was like a team coming together. I told the kids when we first started that I was going to be the manager and they were going to be the employees, and we were going to turn this into a business,” Collins says. “The kids looked at me funny because they had never really been a part of anything like this. They didn’t believe this was actually happening.”

High Five Entertainment, the production company for Drag Race High, knows viewers will be drawn in by the process of a group of young people building a drag racer from bumper to bumper; but it’s the students’ personalities that will keep viewers coming back for more.

Student Michael Brown is the team’s resident welder who worried he didn’t know enough about autos to make a difference for the team. Collins reassured Brown that what he didn’t know they could cover together over the summer to prepare for the task. “Michael really stepped up,” Collins says. “He’s been with me on this from the very beginning”.
Another fan favorite is sure to be Megan Stone, an athlete with a mechanical background who became close friends with Brown as they worked diligently to get their car ready for the big race.

Collins is excited to see Drag Race High, but is most enthusiastic about what the show will do for his students in the future. “I would hire any of these kids in the business on different levels for different things. All of them are capable after being this responsible,” Collins says. “Some of them will benefit from this for the rest of their lives. It has opened their eyes to different avenues of where and what type of career they may want to pursue. I hope it’s life changing all the way around and for the good.”

Courtesy of ARAcontent

SPEED is the nation’s first and foremost cable television network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 78 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the fastest-growing sports cable networks in the country and, the home to NASCAR on SPEED. For more information, visit www.SPEEDtv.com.