Passport to Texas

History: Butchering and Curing Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

They’re going whole hog at Barrington Living History Farm. On January 12 & 13 they’ll present a hog butchering and curing program to the public.

05—Butchering is just one part of many things that we do seasonally throughout the year.

Barb King is a park interpreter at the farm, located at Washington-on-the-Brazos SHS. The program takes place outdoors in January just as would have happened in 1850s rural Texas.

15—So, all the meat that will be produced, and the sausage and the fat that we will save for soap or cooking all needs to be at a constant temperature, which is cold—like your fridge. So that we can start the curing process without worrying about it spoiling.

The public will not witness staff dispatch the Ossabaw Island Hog: a heritage breed. After that, Barb says the rest is for public view, which is mostly a demonstration, but…

18—People are able to do a tiny bit if they choose—like helping us scrape the hogs. But cutting up the carcass into specific portions of meat is only done by staff. A lot of people come right at 10, and we normally have a big group waiting. And then on Sunday, we focus on more of the preservation aspect.

Visitors may return Sunday to see how staff cures the meat for storage.

The butchering and curing program at Barrington Living History Farm is January 12 & 13, beginning at 10 a.m. both days. Find complete details at texasstateparks.org.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Resolution: Be Smarter (Outside) Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

It’s a New Year and time for resolutions. For the past few days we’ve been talking about how time spent in nature can make us healthier…happier…and smarter. Outreach and Education director Nancy Herron says when we say “smarter”, we don’t necessarily mean increasing one’s IQ.

54—Being outdoors helps you with focus, and concentration – it clears your mind in a little different way. So when you come back inside, you’re actually more ready to work. And they have neuroscientists who talk about the importance of before an important meeting … a job interview …something you anticipate is going to be stressful: take a walk around the block. Get outside. It clears your mind a little bit. I don’t think you can find a more fertile ground for creativity than nature and outdoors. So, if you want to spark wonder – and that’s the key to learning – that’s getting outside in nature. Put these things on your calendar. Make a commitment to that in those resolutions sop, once a day you’re getting outside to be a little healthier. Once a week you’re going to do something that will help reduce that stress. And once a month get out there – put it on the calendar – you can do this. And they’re fun. They’re really fun resolutions to have.

Thanks, Nancy. Remember: Life’s Better outside.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Resolution: Be Happier (Outside) Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Happy New Year! We hope it’s going to be the best yet. Nancy Herron, director of Outreach and Education at Parks and Wildlife says resolving to be happier is as easy as spending more time outdoors.

28—Allowing yourself a little playtime outside does so many great things for you. If you put it on your calendar that once a week I’m going to do something fun for myself and it might be laying out in the grass and looking up and listening to birds, or maybe it’s riding a bike again, or trying another kind of fishing or something like that. You just feel better about yourself; you actually do feel more confident when you’ve been able to be out.

Nancy is outdoors regularly as you might imagine; she told me about coming across a sprawling live oak tree while on a walk in the woods with her granddaughter.

16— It was the best climbing tree ever. And my little monkey granddaughter just ran right up…and yes…I couldn’t resist, and I climbed up, too. It was so much fun. I felt pretty good about myself – I could actually do it at my age.

Tomorrow, Nancy Herron tells us how spending time outdoors can make us smarter.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Image courtesy of Children and Nature Network

Outdoor Resolution: Healthier Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

There’s big push to get children outdoors. But kids aren’t the only ones who benefit from fresh air and sunshine. Survey says: People of all ages – young and old – can achieve a better quality of life by spending time in the wide open spaces…as well as the forested spaces…or watery spaces…or even urban spaces with a patch of green. Outreach and Education director, Nancy Herron, shares some thoughts.

38— When you spend time outdoors you can be healthier, happier and smarter. What do we mean by that? Well, actually there is a lot of research that’s out there that shows that people of all ages actually do have benefits from being outside in nature, and that does include improvements to your health, your stress level, your sense of self esteem and confidence. Even being more cooperative. Can you believe that? Communities are more cooperative; families bond better in the out of doors. These are interesting things that we now know that we took for granted, and we just didn’t realize. That there’s a whole bevy of benefits from being outdoors.

Nancy Herron returns next week to offer New Year’s resolutions that will get you outdoors and help to make you and yours healthier… happier…and smarter.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Image courtesy of Children and Nature Network

Resolutions: Healthier...Happier...Smarter Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Healthier…happier…smarter: That’s what Texas Parks and Wildlife Outreach and Education Director Nancy Herron says you will be when you commit to spending time outdoors.

03— There’s a whole bevy of benefits from being outdoors.

Over the next several days Nancy joins us and suggests resolutions you might embrace for a healthier, happier, and even smarter New Year. Today we focus on health.

60— One of the most fun resolutions is to get a little dose of “vitamin N” every day – and that’s vitamin Nature. Being outdoors in nature, even 30 minutes a day, will make a big difference. If you get outside and take a nice walk, a stroll in the park. If you break it up even in three ten minute chunks, it just helps in a lot of ways physically. It reduces your stress. I have seen you taking a little stroll around the building before. I do try and take a little break. And you know we actually know that little walk around the block – wherever it is – there’s nature everywhere. There’s nearby nature in a city block. Just getting outdoors, just getting a little fresh air – even if you’re checking out the sky and making some shapes out of the clouds: it’s a good break for you and gets you physically moving. And that’s the biggest problem we have is we’re just not moving around. So, let’s get outside and move. And it’s as simple as thirty minutes a day, three ten minute breaks. Give yourself some recess and have fun.

Tomorrow it’s a brand New Year, and we get happy.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.