When Louisiana cooks shop for their Thanksgiving meal, they’ll find the cost of the basic dinner items will average $36.31 for 10 people, according to an LSU AgCenter survey of Baton Rouge-area prices. That’s down by $3.50 from last year’s average of $39.81 – a 9 percent drop.

If you’ve been confused in the past about the temperature you needed to cook your holiday turkey, you now need to remember only one temperature, 165 degrees.

When frying a turkey, it is imperative that the bird be completely thawed, or the oil will "boil" when the bird touches it – possibly causing injury or fire. To thaw a turkey in the refrigerator safely, leave it in the original wrapping, place it on a tray and refrigerate. Allow five hours thawing time per pound.

The annual meeting of the St. Charles Parish Advisory Leadership Council was held at the St. Charles Parish Extension Office, located at 1313 Paul Maillard Road in Luling, Louisiana, on Wednesday, March 18, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The minutes follow.

(Distributed 11/06/09) Thanksgiving is a perfect time to enjoy Louisiana yams. The Louisiana yam is an exceptional type of sweet potato – sweet and flavorful, with a soft, moist flesh, says LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames .

Rules and regulations for 4-H Project Day.

Want to know what's going on in St. Charles Parish 4-H? Check out the monthly newsletter. The newsletter will be issued at the regular monthly 4-H Club meetings throughout the school year, but you can also see them by clicking on the links at the bottom of this page.

(Distributed 10/29/09) Every November during American Diabetes Month, LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames reminds people healthful eating is important for managing diabetes.

(Distributed 10/28/09) Today’s lifestyles might be causing people to miss out on the unique love and belonging that come from family bonds, according to LSU AgCenter family and child expert Diane Sasser.

Producers continue to be busy with harvest. For some crops, producers are putting the finishing touches on the 2009 year while for others harvest has just started or is in the heart of the harvest season. Producers also have begun to make preparations for planting fall-planted crops such as winter wheat and ryegrass. Read more by opening the attached file.