Beacon Dec 2023

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Page 8A THE BEACON December 2023 By Jeff Hermesch Purdue Extension jhermesch@purdue.edu Indiana Maple Syrup In 2021, Purdue Extension received a grant to work with Indiana maple syrup producers. As a member of this team, I am working statewide to help increase Indiana maple syrup demand while also helping to improve maple syrup production practices. Since 2021, the team has concentrated efforts on creating a marketing strategy, developing a web page, obtaining a bird-friendly certification, organizing field days at maple syrup farms, promoting maple syrup and value-added products at festivals and events, as well as creating networking opportunities for producers to share success stories. With vast acres of maple forests, Indiana stood as the nation’s number one maple syrup producer back in 1919 and had a strong reputation for high quality and flavor. There were no major maple syrup producers back then, rather an abundance of small farms harvesting it as a financial supplement for the winter. Maple syrup was the main source of sweetener over a hundred years ago as corn syrup didn’t exist and sweeteners like sugar cane and beet sugar were very costly. However, with decades of removing trees for row crops, this industry saw major declines in production as smaller farms disappeared taking the maple syrup with it. In 2020, Indiana accounted for only 0.6% of the USA maple syrup production which equates to 24,000 gallons. That may sound very low, but it is a 20% increase compared to the 2019 numbers. The recent increase is likely due to developments that have made harvesting and processing much easier for maple syrup producers. One such development is plastic tubing with UV protection and incredibly smooth interiors to ward off bacteria and mold. This tubing can be plumbed together throughout the woods to one collection point which helps harvesting time. The Indiana Maple Syrup Association can be found online at https://www.indianamaplesyrup.org/ or you can find them on Facebook by searching “Indiana Maple Syrup Association”. In addition, every spring, Indiana maple syrup producers open up their “sugar shacks” so you can experience how syrup is made on the farm. Please mark your calendars for the Indiana Maple Syrup Weekend which is March 9-10, 2024. For more information check out this website:https://indianamaple weekend.com/ To learn more about maple syrup production, feel free to contact me by email at jhermesch@purdue.edu or by phone at 812-926-1189. The Dearborn County Extension Office is located at 229 Main Street, Aurora, IN 47001. Look for my next article in the upcoming issue of The Beacon! Retirement Checklist Borrow Before You Buy This Holiday Season By Jake Moore, Director, Lawrenceburg Public Library Dist The holidays can be such a stressful time. Pressure comes from everywhere, not least of which is making sure to get the right gifts for friends and family. If you’re like me, every year you end up spending money on gifts for everyone (and possibly yourself) that are only used once or twice and then recycled, donated, forgotten, or thrown away. Why not make your life slightly easier by taking advantage of the Library of Things at both branches of the Lawrenceburg Public Library District? If you’re unfamiliar with what the Library of Things is, here’s a quick pitch- when you think of the Library, you think of what? Books? Maybe movies or music? You can borrow those things, but you can also borrow puzzles, games, activities, cake pans, toys, and more from a constantly-growing list, all free of charge. Let’s talk about a few of the items and why you should borrow them instead of buying them: Birdwatching Kit I have looked at birds, and I’ve watched them fly overhead, but would I be interested enough in the activity to purchase equipment? Borrowing the bird-watching kit provides a monocular telescope (with smartphone attachment) and a copy of the Field Guide to the Birds of North America, everything one needs to make the trek to the Oxbow, try out the hobby, and see if you like it. Who knows, maybe you’ll catch a glimpse of an Oriole, Wren, Swallow, or Warbler. Puzzles Have you ever put the same puzzle together twice? If you’re looking for something to pass the time during the cold winter months, borrowing a puzzle makes complete sense. Put it together, enjoy the moment, put it back in the box, bring it back to us, rinse, and repeat. You’ll never need to donate puzzles to Goodwill again! Guitars and Ukuleles The ultimate “Gift that is loved for a minute and eventually forgotten” is a guitar. For every person who took their acoustic guitar to college so they could sit on the quad playing “Wonderwall,” at least a dozen were never touched after the realization that being good is much harder than Oasis made it seem in 1996. The space-saving Hawaiian sibling of the guitar is the Ukulele. When everyone moves out of their parents’ house and realizes that they don’t have room for a full-size guitar, they look to the ukulele for their stringed instrument joy. Again, these end up sitting around gathering dust once the difficulty of anything past a “C” chord is realized. Try borrowing ours first to see if you even really want a Ukulele. You’ll need to learn at least two songs before anyone will take you seriously. Power Rangers Cake Pan I love the Power Rangers as much as the next person, but how many times will the urge to shout “It’s Morphin’ Time” hit you while you’re baking a cake? If you’re truly lucky, and you have a child, friend, sibling, or parent who is really, really into the Power Rangers, you could probably After spending decades in the working world, the last thing you want is for small details to trip you up in the home stretch toward retirement. Doing each of the things on the checklist below can help ensure that once you leave your job behind and enter retirement, you’re financially prepared to stay there. Track Monthly Expenses Knowing exactly how much you’ll spend each month goes a long way toward ensuring you don’t run out of money earlier than anticipated. Analyze Health Care Costs As many expenses often decline in retirement, health care typically becomes more costly with age, as a majority of seniors eventually need some form of long-term care. Update Beneficiaries To prevent avoidable disputes among your loved ones, be as clear as possible when explaining how you want your finances divided among your spouse, children, relatives or charities of your choice. Research Social Security All of those monthly contributions toward Social Security are about to pay off. Choosing when and how you start receiving benefits determines the size of your payouts from this point forward. Attack Debt Once you stop receiving regular paychecks, every dollar spent will come from your hard-earned savings. You’ll likely want to pay off as much debt as possible while you’re still working and making an income. Evaluate Investment Portfolio Your investment allocations may have worked well thus far, but it’s common for retirees to change their approach to avoid volatility once they have saved enough for retirement. If you’re uncertain or need help with any of the areas above, a dedicated financial professional from Conservative Financial Solutions would be happy to help. Contact our team today to set up a no obligation appointment! CONTACT US Phone: 513.367.1113 Email: info@conservativefinancialsolutions.com Securities offered through Madison Avenue Securities, LLC (MAS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered only by duly registered individuals through AE Wealth Management, LLC (AEWM), a Registered Investment Advisor. MAS and Conservative Financial Solutions are not affiliated companies. AEWM and Conservative Financial Solutions are not affiliated companies. 835296 - 3/21 The BEACON - Great News for Great People. make the same cake for two years, tops. Borrow this cake pan from us and wow them without having to commit to making this cake annually. Next year if they want the same cake just borrow it again! The real joy is when they have a new obsession, you’ll be able to look through the rest of our cake pans and beam with pride when you’ve created the Scooby-Doo cake they want for their next birthday. So many other items are available to borrow that listing them all here would completely consume this page of The Beacon, so visit either location of the Lawrenceburg Public Library District and take a peek through all we have to offer. We hope you’ll join us and “Borrow the Unexpected!” Annual Holiday (and More) Giveaway By Stefanie Hoffmeier Over the years we accumulate more and more Christmas decorations. If you are anything like me, a few things are always left in the boxes each year. Some items are saved to reminisce, and others are just too nice to throw out. Rather than hang on to those nice items, you can donate them to the Dearborn County Recycling Center (DCRC). The DCRC is hosting its fifth Annual Holiday (and More) Giveaway of holiday items, crafts supplies, and office supplies. All of the items given away are new or gently used and were donated to the DCRC by businesses and residents in Dearborn County. The Holiday (and More) Giveaway was started in 2018 due to the large volume of holiday items that the DCRC received in Creation Station. Many holiday decorations and lights end up in the trash when people replace them with different décor from year to year. The Free Holiday Giveaway is a great way to keep all of those gently used items from ending up in the landfill. The DCRC will also include some craft items, office supplies, and décor items for other holidays such as Easter and Independence Day. Shoppers will be given a bag and will be limited on the number of items that they are allowed to take. Christmas trees will also be limited to one per family or group. All items are FREE, and the public is welcome. Shoppers do not have to be a Dearborn County resident to shop. The Giveaway will take place at the DCRC on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 9:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. The DCRC is located at 10700 Prospect Ln, Aurora, IN 47001. With all of the donations that the DCRC has received from the community, this year’s Giveaway will not disappoint. Participants are not required to make a cash donation or bring items to swap. If you would like to donate items for this year’s giveaway, please drop off your donation in the DCRC Drive-Thru by Nov. 29. Item donations will not be accepted on the day of the event.
By Jack Zoller beaconsports @live.com December 2023 THE BEACON Page 9A By Melanie Alexander What a glorious morning! Although Maxine we had frost By overnight, the Klump temperature is pushing upward toward a warm afternoon. Community It seems Correspondent impossible that I’m planning for Christmas treats and the maxineklump.thebeacon@yahoo.com winter holiday season that is just a few weeks away. I love the winter holidays along with baking and the wonderful aroma coming from my kitchen. This year, I have the joy of the “greats” (aka great-grandkids) to help prepare a variety of cookies to be enjoyed over the holidays. Before the first cookie is baked, I’m going to prepare a granola treat with tart red cherries. Family and neighbors will get a package of granola as part of their cookie tray for the holiday. I got this recipe almost thirty years ago during a visit to upper Wisconsin and Michigan “cherry country” along with a delicious cherry coffee cake recipe that would be wonderful for brunch or a dessert cake. By Spencer Ford, CFP Conservative Financial Solutions Many people don’t lose money in the market because of bad investment selection. They lose money because of bad behavior. The study of investor behavior and the psychological influences and biases that affect that behavior is the topic of behavioral finance. The thought is that studying and having a better understanding of why investors choose to behave the way they do can help increase the likelihood of better investor behavior and therefore increase the probability of success when investing. Two Behavioral Finance topics need to be considered—Familiarity Bias and Recency Bias. Familiarity Bias is the tendency for investors to invest in what they know. As a result, investors are at an increased risk of not being properly diversified across multiple companies, sectors, and types of investments. Overall risk increases as well as the likelihood of negative outcomes. One of the major local companies here is Procter and Gamble, also known as P&G. P&G has been a bedrock of Cincinnati since 1837. Sometimes jokingly referred Cherry Hills Granola Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Mix the following items in a large bowl. 6 cups wheat flakes (18 oz.) 1/3 cup sweetened flake coconut 1 cup chopped almonds. 2 ½ cups rolled oats 2/3 cup sunflower seeds ½ cup brown sugar Mix the following in a small saucepan until well combined: ¾ cup honey 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/3 cup sunflower oil Heat on simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is warm. Pour over the dry mix and fold with a spatula until the ingredients are evenly coated with syrup. Place onto a cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Do not let the mixture get too brown. Remove from oven and spread onto wax paper or parchment paper to cool. Stir in 1½ cups tart dried cherries. Store in a covered container or small treat bags for gifting. Cherry Hills Coffee Cake Squares of this cake appeared on the breakfast tables at the resort. They disappeared as quickly as possible while awaiting the breakfast plates delivered to the table. The resort Behavioral Finance to as Procter and God, it employs more than ten thousand people in the Cincinnati area alone. A lot of employees and local families invest in P&G, sometimes to the point of over 90% of their net worth. P&G, historically proven to be a strong company, has paid shareholder dividends for fifty-one years and has helped turn a lot of people into millionaires. But that’s putting a lot of faith in one company. Longevity doesn’t always guarantee success. Leeman Brothers was founded in 1847 and was in business for over one hundred sixty years before going bankrupt in 2008. Over the past decade, P&G’s stock price is up 192.86%. While it outpaced the S&P 500 during that period, P&G is in the consumer staples sector. What about the technology sector? As an example, the NASDAQ index, which is heavily weighted toward technology, is up 233.74% over the last decade. That’s a 41% higher rate of return than P&G. I’m not saying you shouldn’t own P&G, but succumbing to familiarity bias can have you leaving returns on the table that come from other sectors and other companies. Over 58,200 companies are listed on stock exchanges provided copies of the recipes because of repeated requests by guests. The recipe can be baked either in a 9x13-inch rectangular pan or 2 (8- or 9-inch) round cake pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease the bottom and sides of the pan(s). Mix together: 1 cup buttermilk 1 egg ½ cup melted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla Add: 3 cups pitted tart cherries with excess juice squeezed out Mix together: 2 3/4 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup sugar ½ teaspoon salt. Stir buttermilk mix into dry ingredients, just enough to spread into pans. Sprinkle the following mix on top. 1 cup brown sugar ½ cup chopped nuts Bake for forty-five minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Leave the cake in the pan. Using a fork or skewer poke holes in the cake at intervals. Pour the following topping over the cake. Heat the following and then pour over the warm cake. ½ cup butter, melted ½ cup evaporated milk 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla around the world. Some are great companies with great opportunities you have probably never heard of. Don’t let familiarity bias hold you back. The second topic is recency bias- when the memory of a recent event leads investors to believe that the event is far more likely to reoccur. A great example is what happened during the financial crisis of 2008 which led many investors to exit the stock market with the expectation that economic hardships would continue for years to come. That financial crisis convinced many investors that the event would likely reoccur. Fortunately, it didn’t. From 2009 to 2017, the S&P 500 posted nine consecutive years of positive returns for a cumulative return of 127%. More than enough to make up for what was lost during the crisis. Investors are dealing with some recency bias coming off 2022, a year in which the S&P 500 ended up negative 18%. There is no guarantee the market is going up, but we have seen throughout history that given enough time, life-changing returns can be had. So don’t let recency bias distract you from staying the course toward your long-term goals. That’s how the game is won. DEAR MARIE By Marie Segale marie@goBEACONnews.com Dear Marie, I told my daughter I would go to the pumpkin farm with her and the kids on Saturday at 3:00. As I was leaving that day, I called my daughter and told her I was running a few minutes late. She said it was okay; her son was just getting in the shower. I was a little surprised but realized I did not have to hurry. I later found myself waiting at the pumpkin patch when I got a call from my daughter who asked, “Are you okay? Where are you?” I replied, “I’m sitting in the parking lot waiting for you.” Surprised she said, “We are waiting for you at my house, I thought you would meet us here so we can ride together.” TIRED OF YOUR BANK? WE ARE READY TO SERVE YOU! Stop by our new Service Center at 317 Ridge Ave. in Greendale, or our existing location at 600 Wilson Creek Rd. in Lawrenceburg to become a member today! Become a member today and receive a weatherproof fireside fleece throw, valued at $30! Marie, what can I do to communicate more clearly? Monica in Bright Dear Monica, Many reasons may cause difficulty when we communicate with one another. The first is the choice of wordswe must be careful when choosing how to pass to another person. And our tone of voice can alter the meaning of the words we choose. Another cause of miscommunication is time. Everyone is in a hurry which may lead us to believe quick texts will suffice. While texting has helped us be more productive in many ways, it has also caused irreparable damage when misinterpreted. The advancement of technology has been a benefit and a curse to both business and personal relationships. As little as thirty years ago, we took time to make phone calls, and most people did not have cell phones. Technology has sped up the way we communicate. Let’s all slow down and take the time to communicate in a proper way and more clearly. Have a pressing issue? Contact marie@go BEACONnews.com Scan to Learn More About Who We Are! 800.865.2612 I hoosierhills.com ENROLLING NOW FOR JANUARY CLASSES! With five start dates throughout the year and campuses conveniently located in Lawrenceburg and Batesville, you never have to wait to begin your education or start advancing your career. IVY TECH LAWRENCEBURG ACADEMIC PROGRAMS ¥ Accounting ¥ Advanced Automation & Robotics Technology ¥ Biology ¥ Business Administration ¥ Business Operations, Applications & Technology ¥ Computer Science ¥ Cloud Technologies ¥ Criminal Justice ¥ Cyber Security/Information Assurance ¥ Data Analytics ¥ Early Childhood Education ¥ Education ¥ General Studies ¥ Healthcare Specialist ¥ Human Services ¥ Indiana College Core SCAN TO SCHEDULE CAMPUS TOUR ¥ Industrial Technology ¥ Informatics ¥ Information Technology Support ¥ Legal Studies ¥ Liberal Arts ¥ Machine Tool Technology ¥ Medical Assisting ¥ Medical Imaging ¥ Nursing ¥ Patient Care Technician ¥ Professional Communication ¥ Psychology ¥ Secondary Education ¥ Smart Manufacturing ¥ Software Development ¥ Supply Chain Management/Logistics ¥ Welding Get it All at www.goBEACONnews.com
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