Thomas Tusser was a poet in 16th century England.  His poetry contains the origin of a famous saying about April showers and what follows in May.  His best-known poem was called “Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry.”  Tusser’s rhyme was just a little different than ours today but the message is the same!

“Sweete April showers,

Doo spring Maie flowers”

Today, it reads:

April showers bring May flowers!

Happy April!

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Technically, pickles are fruit.  They are made from cucumbers which are commonly seen as vegetables; however, they are a seed containing fruit of the cucumber plant.  But what’s kind of a big “dill” is that the lucky pickles are classified correctly for importing and exporting purposes!  Pickles are to be classified in heading chapter 2001 which provides for other vegetables, fruit, prepared or preserved by vinegar or acetic acid!  Happy St Patrick’s Day!!

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Valentines Day is February 14th a day that is  common to give cards to the one you love. Did you know that Valentine’s Day cards date back to the 18th Century. Initially cards were handmade. Lovers would decorate paper with flowers and love knots and they often included lines of poetry.  These cards were then slipped secretly under a door or tied to the door handle. The first commercial Valentine’s Day cards appeared in England at the end of the 18th century. These cards were often made of wood and colored by hand. In the mid 19th century Valentines Day cards rapidly gained popularity in America. Technology allowed for more elaborate cards to be produced cheaply which helped them gain in popularity. Hallmark produced the first Valentines Day card in 1913.

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January was named for the Roman god Janus, known as the protector of gates and doorways who symbolize beginnings and endings. Janus is depicted with two faces, one looking into the past, the other with the ability to see into the future. What a fitting symbol for this first day of the year; this month is our door into the new year.

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Did you know that more than 60% of the world's holiday accessories such as lights, come from China, not the North Pole as one might think. We of course know that these lights have to clear U.S. Customs & Border Protection, but did you know that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is also watching?

Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory, such as UL or ETL which indicates conformance with safety standards. Use only lights that have plugs containing fuses.

• Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections, and throw out damaged sets. Always replace burned-out bulbs promptly with the same wattage bulbs.
• If using an extension cord, make sure the extension cord is rated for the intended use.
• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
• Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use.
• Stay away from power or feeder lines leading from utility poles into older homes.
• Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls, or other firm supports to protect the lights from wind damage. Use only insulated staples to hold strings in place, not nails or tacks. Or, run strings of lights through hooks (available at hardware stores).
• Turn off all holiday lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.
• Use caution when removing outdoor holiday lights. Never pull or tug on lights – they could unravel and inadvertently wrap around power lines.
• Outdoor electric lights and decorations should be plugged into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). Portable outdoor GFCIs can be purchased where electrical supplies are sold. GFCIs can be installed permanently to household circuits by a qualified electrician.

Trick-or-Treat! Here are some fun facts to share with the family while you hunt for the best pumpkin in the patch.

• Halloween is the second largest commercial holiday in the US, right under Christmas.

• Americans are expected to spend over $3 billion on costumes for Halloween in 2022.

• Another $3 billion will be spent on candy alone

• Think you can carve fast? The fastest pumpkin carving of a complete Jack O’ Lantern face according to Guinness World Records is 16.47 seconds. Beat that!

• The average pumpkin has about 500 seeds.

• Pumpkin seeds make a terrific snack! Click the button below for a simple toasted pumpkin seeds recipe that you can make with your family!

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It’s that time of year again. Fall is almost upon us! Fall officially starts September 22nd on the Autumnal Equinox. After months of record-breaking heat, we can finally start to wear long sleeves again, sip some warm coffee, relax, and watch the leaves change. Have you ever wondered why the leaves change? Many think it has to do with the cooling weather, but this is not the case. The beautiful red, yellow, and orange coloring we see in leaves are the result of the tree receiving less sunlight! Every leaf has a chemical inside called chlorophyll, which allows the leaf to absorb sunlight and gives them their signature green color. As the days get shorter, chemical changes take place that causes the base of the leaf to form a corklike wall where it meets the tree branch. This wall seals off the leaf from the rest of the tree, cutting off the supply of nutrients going to the leaves from the tree. The lack of nutrients and less daylight cause the chlorophyll to break down. The green color from the chlorophyll fades, and the other pigments within the leaf begin to make an appearance. Whether the leaf turns red, yellow, orange, or tan all depends on the other chemicals and pigments within the leaf.

Be sure to share these facts with your friends and family, and have a wonderful Autumn!

This August, students will begin returning to classes for the 2022-2023 school year. Let's look at some interesting facts about schooling in the US to get those brains back in action!

• Over 50 million students will be attending public schools in 2022.
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• There are nearly 98,000 public schools in the US. 
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• About 10% of students will attend private schools.
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• Back-to-school costs for 2022 are expected to average about $864 per family.
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• On average, schools spend over $13,000 per student annually. 

Independence Day is July 4th and many Americans spent this long weekend celebrating with a BANG! Fireworks have become an integral part of celebrating major holidays in America. Here are some fun facts about fireworks:

• Chinese alchemists first discovered how to make explosive black powder over 1000 years ago. This black powder consisted of charcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate. This powder would eventually be refined and developed into gunpowder – the perfect substance for launching and exploding colorful chemicals in the sky.
• Fireworks did not have color or design until the 1830s when Italian pyrotechnicians added arial shells and metal salts to the mixture. These additions would cause brilliant colorful effects and allow for multiple timed explosions with a single firework shell.
• Fireworks have been used to celebrate Independence Day since the very first anniversary of the signing of The Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1777, in Philadelphia.
• Americans spent $1.5 billion on fireworks last year. The American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) projects that spending will likely exceed $2 billion this year!
• Fireworks are getting more expensive, and there will likely be shortages. Due to rising inflation and rising shipping costs, fireworks are going up in price.
• Display fireworks are hard to ship! Since fireworks are considered explosives, importing them comes with certain restrictions. An importer will need a Federal Explosives Importer License or an ATF license specific to the activity planned for the imported fireworks. All fireworks must be properly labeled with warnings and pass inspection upon entry to the US.

Happy 4th of July!  Please make sure to be safe when using fireworks!

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Summer starts on June 21st, and experts say we are in for a hot one this year! Meteorologists are predicting above-average temperatures across the US, particularly in the North and Midwest. Here are some tips to keep you and your family cool as we enter the sunniest season of the year:

• MAKE SURE YOU ARE HYDRATED! – This cannot be emphasized enough. Hydration is key to keeping your body temperature regulated. Drink plenty of cool water or sports drinks with electrolytes and stay away from coffee or other drinks that can dehydrate you.
• Eat a popsicle – Frozen treats are a fantastic way to keep you cool when it’s hot out. As a bonus, a tasty frozen popsicle can double as a mini ice pack if you’re really burning up!
• Dress appropriately – When dressing for the heat, make sure to wear lightly colored loose clothing made of breathable fabrics like cotton or linen. Strap on some sandals or flip-flops to reduce feet sweat. Don a hat and put on some sunglasses to keep your head cool and block UV rays from the summer sun.
• Eat something spicy – Yes, you read that correctly. Eating spicy food might not be comfortable for everyone, especially in the heat. However, spicy foods can improve your circulation, which causes you to sweat more, and sweat cools the body. Who knew that a dash of hot sauce could keep you cool as cucumber?
• Freeze your sheets – Getting to sleep when it’s hot is just the worst. Combat warm nights with cold sheets! Strange as it sounds, putting your sheets in the freezer shortly before bedtime will help you cool down when you go to bed. You can also try keeping freezing gel packs between your sheets to keep you cool throughout the night.

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On April 29th, people all around the world will be celebrating Arbor Day, a special day where we get together to celebrate trees and plant new ones. The very first Arbor Day in the US took place in Nebraska on April 10th, 1872, which means this year we will be celebrating 150 years of planting trees! This is also the 50th anniversary of the Arbor Day Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees around the world. The Arbor Day Foundation has planted and distributed 500 million trees (and counting) over the last 50 years. If you would like to contribute to making the world a little greener or get some trees to plant yourself for future generations to enjoy, please visit the Arbor Day Foundation site. All donations are tax deductible and go towards making the world better for all!

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• While it is often attributed to him, Ben Franklin actually did not come up with daylight saving time as we know it today, but he did pen the idea of adjusting schedules to the available sunlight in an unpublished satirical letter from 1784. In the letter he calculated the money that Parisians could save on candles if they woke with the sun instead of lazily waking at noon.
• The actual name is Daylight Saving, not Daylight Savings, as it is often called.
• Daylight Savings was not enacted officially in the US until March 1918. This was later repealed, then enacted again during WWII. After the war, states were allowed to choose whether they wanted to utilize DST or not. This resulted in massive travel issues for citizens crossing multiple state lines.
• Modern use of DST was established in 1966, when the government passed the Uniform Time Act, creating a standard for daylight savings across the country (minus a few holdout states).
• Hawaii, Arizona, and most US Territories do not observe DST.
• There is much debate over whether DST has positive or negative effects on regions that use it, and whether it is necessary at all. Polls indicate that over 60% of Americans generally support the idea of eliminating DST permanently.
• Studies show that the second Monday in March (the day we “lose an hour” every year) there are noticeable spikes in workplace accidents, traffic accidents, losses of productivity and slight increases in health issues such as heart attacks and strokes.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! Sweep your partner off their feet with these fun Valentine’s facts.

• In 1875, a Swiss inventor Daniel Peter combined cocoa and condensed milk to create the first Milk Chocolate, which is now the most widely consumed chocolate across the globe. The milk condensation process had been created by Henri Nestlé, who's last name may sound very familiar! These men would go on to create Nestlé, one of the largest food and confectionary companies in existence today.
• The United States is the biggest importer of chocolate in the world! In 2020, the United States imported $2.9 billion worth of chocolate.
• Projections for 2022 show that Americans will likely spend over $27 billion on their Valentines. This is an increase of over $5 billion compared to last year!
• Nothing says “I Love You” like a new diamond bracelet! Lovers all across the United States spent a whopping $5.8 billion on jewelry for their significant others in 2021.  
• Conversation Hearts (also called Sweethearts), while not exactly considered the best-tasting Valentine’s candy, have become a holiday staple since their creation in 1901 by the famous confectionary company Necco. Approximately 8 billion conversation hearts are made every year!

January is National Meat Month, and what better way to celebrate than with the perfect steak dinner! Of course, you’ll need some quality ingredients to serve your protein-rich meal, but where did all these ingredients come from? It may surprise you to find that old traditional steak dinner requires foods and goods from all over the globe to come together on your dinner plate. The package label may say ‘New York Strip Steak’ but there is a fair chance that steak was imported from Canada, Mexico, or New Zealand. Once you get the steak going, you can add some flavor by topping it with some shiitake mushrooms, fresh from South Korea! Next, you’ll want a side for the meal, so scallop some Canadian potatoes and top it with some American cheddar cheese. Of course, you’ll need some greens to balance out the meal - time to toss a salad! Take a big pile of leafy lettuce and ripe tomatoes (both imported from Mexico) and top with some fancy cheese and dressing, both Italian! Considering all the countries that had to come together to plate this one meal, maybe we should call it International Meat Month?

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Mall Santas have an important question to ask themselves when picking out their jolly red attire every winter – Am I buying a Santa Costume or a Santa Suit? The answer to that question will weigh heavily on Saint Nick’s wallet! The difference is how these outfits are officially classified within the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. A cheap, lower quality costume is going to be considered a “festive article”, which is duty-free. However, a nice Santa Suit is considered clothing, sometimes categorized as “fancy dress”, which does have certain duties attached. This can hurt costume businesses hoping to import some holiday cheer. Several costume companies have petitioned the government over the years to have Santa Suits officially classified as festive articles to no avail. So, make sure your children are extra-well behaved this year when you visit Santa Claus at the mall, looking jolly can get expensive!

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Last year, NASA and ESA began an ambitious project with the intent to gather rock samples from Mars, and have those samples brought back to Earth. This multi-billion dollar project began with NASA’s launch of Perseverance, a rover designed to drill for rock samples and store them for a return trip. In order to retrieve the samples, the aerospace manufacturer Airbus has been hired to build a specialized spacecraft called the ERO, or Earth Return Orbiter – a massive structure that will cross millions of miles to Mars’ orbit. From there, it will pick up the samples stored by the Perseverance and make a return trip to Earth, resulting in what could be considered the first interplanetary cargo delivery! The ERO is expected to launch sometime in 2026. Now the real question is, what duties do NASA and ESA have to pay for several tons of Mars rock?

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International Coffee Day is celebrated each year on October 1.  Coffee has been used for centuries and grows on multiple continents around the world.  Coffee imports into the US are subject to PGA (Partner Government Agencies).  PGA requirements are diverse and require expertise to navigate.  On International Coffee Day, reflect on the expertise required to bring that beautiful concoction of caffeinated bliss to our breakfast tables!

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Labor Day in the USA commemorates the labor movement for worker’s rights.  In the 19th Century, work conditions were quite different from what they are today, and work weeks were long and difficult.  Today, workdays and weeks are much more manageable in comparison. Labor Day also brings those exciting Labor Day Sales hopefully to save little on some consumer items!  

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There’s a food dilemma that people have been questioning for a long time!  Have you ever purchased a pack of hot dogs and a pack of buns only to discover that there are 10 hot dogs and 8 buns?  Let’s finally right this wrong!  Why are there different quantities?  According to the National Hot Dog Sausage Council (NHDSC) hot dog buns are baked in clusters of four in pans that are designed to hold eight rolls.  So, there you have it!  Keep that in mind when you are grilling hot dogs during this last summer month!

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FDA regulates sunscreens to ensure they meet safety and effectiveness standards. To improve the quality, safety, and effectiveness of sunscreens, FDA issued requirements and it must pass certain tests before they are sold.  Also, how you use the product, and other protective measures you take, make a difference in how well you can protect yourself and your family from sunburn, skin cancer, early skin aging and other risks of overexposure to the sun.

Here are some key sun safety tips:

• Limit time in the sun, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun’s rays are most intense.
• Wear clothing to cover skin exposed to the sun, such as long-sleeved shirts, pants, sunglasses, and broad-brimmed hats.
• Use broad spectrum sunscreens with SPF values of 15 or higher regularly and as directed.
• Reapply sunscreen at least every two hours, and more often if you are sweating or jumping in and out of the water.

Enjoy your summer and have fun in the sun!

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Ahhh, the smell of ripe strawberries lingers in the air as one of the most wonderful times of the year has arrived…. SUMMER!  

Consider strawberry picking as a family friendly outdoor activity this year!  Most of us are accustomed to strawberries from the grocery that were shipped in from faraway places and picked perhaps a bit early to ensure smooth travels.   Local strawberries are a totally different experience.  You are selecting each one yourself at the peak of perfection.  They are ripe and red totally through and filled with flavor beyond comparison.

Here are 5 tips to make your strawberry picking experience the best!

1. Pick on a weekday when strawberry availability is at its peak. Strawberries ripen over time and supplies are best mid-week.
2. Arrive right when the farm opens on weekends.
3. Local Berries are Fragile. Eat your strawberries or freeze them within 24 hours of picking.  
4. Dress for Picking!  You are visiting a working farm so close-toed shoes, sun hat and sunscreen are in order.  
5. Please pay for your Strawberries before eating them. It is hugely tempting to eat strawberries while picking, but strawberries are sold by the pound at most farms so you will need to weigh and pay before you enjoy.

Enjoy!! Cheers to the summer!

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Did you know that the Memorial Day Holiday used to be known as Decoration Day?  The holiday was celebrated by “decorating” the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers, flags, and more, hence the name “Decoration Day.” Over time, it became known as Memorial Day.  

We honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. Military, particularly those who died in battle or because of wounds sustained in battle.

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Roll up your sleeves and get your garden ready for Summer on April 14, as it is National Gardening Day. Gardening is a fun and relaxing hobby enjoyed by many, and this is the perfect day for those who have been wanting to take up gardening to finally gather their tools and seeds and get their hands dirty. National Gardening Day happens at the height of Spring, so it is the perfect day to start growing your flowers, vegetables, herbs, and fruits, so they are ready to be enjoyed in the Summer. Even if you don't have a garden, you can still exercise your green fingers on houseplants, and bring the outside in.  Happy Spring!!

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Did you know that March 30th is National Virtual Vacation Day?  When March 30th arrives, so does National Virtual Vacation Day, reminding us all to relax, recharge, and rejuvenate no matter where we are.  Vacations restore our minds, bodies, and souls. Studies show that taking a vacation lowers the risk of heart disease. They also help hone our problem-solving skills and promote overall brain health. There has never been a better time than now to explore a virtual vacation.  Stay safe and enjoy National Virtual Vacation Day!

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As we continue to practice social distancing, share the gift of love through sending a Valentine’s card to your family, friends and loved ones this year!  Did you know that Valentine’s Day is the 2nd most popular day of the year for sending cards?  Christmas is the first most popular!  Also, did you know that 9 million people buy their pets a gift for Valentine’s Day?  Maybe get them a card!  Hopefully, they won’t eat it!  Happy Valentine’s Day!

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