The NMSU/San Juan County Extension Family and Consumer Sciences program is committed to providing information to help families deal with the complex issues of today.

Learn more about Extension programs and resources:

• Extension Family & Consumer Sciences
• Health and Family Well-Being
• Cooperative Extension Service

Personal Finance

Managing Money can be one of the most stressful parts of life. One of the best ways to reduce that stress is to have a sustainable financial plan that puts you in control of your money, rather than the other way around. The first step to creating a sustainable financial plan is to track your expenses and build a livable budget. Once you're in control of your money it becomes much easier to tackle more complex financial topics.

We offer personal finance presentations to small groups, community and faith based organizations and employee groups throughout San Juan County focused on budgeting, building credit, debt reduction and growing your saving. If you have a group that would benefit from one or all of these programs, contact Rick at 505-334-9496 to schedule a presentation or series of presentations.

In person presentations are not available at this time.

In person presentation include:

• Building a Budget
• Managing your Credit
• Pay off Debt
• Build Saving

• Family Resource Management Publications
  Family resource management publications cover topics such as home and money management, consumer protection, wills, home pests and pesticides, and home furnishings and design.

Health and Wellness

Research indicates that individual's who take care of themselves and manage their lifestyles are healthier, more productive, have fewer absences from work, and make fewer demands for medical services. Our Health and Wellness presentations are based on the NMSU Cooperative Extension's 4 pillars of wellness: stress, sleep, physical activity, and nutrition. These programs are available to employee groups, community and faith based organizations and small groups. To schedule a Health and Wellness presentation or series of presentations contact Rick.

Available presentations in San Juan County:

• Stress and Resilience
• Aerobic Training and High-Intensity Interval Training
• The Benefits of Strength Training and How to Get Started
• Sleep: The What, Why and How and Implications for Health and Performance
• Healthy Eating for Wellness!

• Health Publications
  Research based How-To guides on health topics, most are available in English and Spanish
• San Juan Regional Medical Center Diabetes Education
  SJRMC's Diabetes education program teaches free diabetes education class throughout the year and can provide diabetes related nutritional counseling from a registered dietitian.
• healthfinder.gov
  The federal gateway website to information on healthy living including disease prevention and management,tips for a healthy lifestyle, and advice for doctor visits

Community Health

Community Health issues don't just affect us individually, they affect our families, friends and every else who touches our life. Our Community Health programs are focus on the areas of emergency preparedness, food Safety/ food-Borne illness prevention, and home health and safety. If you have a large or small group that would benefit from one or all of these programs, contact Rick to schedule a presentation or series of presentations.

Available presentations in San Juan County:

• Be Ready – A guide to being prepared for the unexpected
• Business Ready – A guide for small business and community organize to be prepared for the unexpected
• Driving in winter conditions
• Food Safety Basics
• Home Safety

• Ready.gov
  The official Emergency Preparedness website of the United States, includes information on preparing and recovering from most nature disasters
• Extension Disaster Education Network Resource Catalog
  A database of extension publications on emergency preparedness and recovery from around the country.
• foodsafety.gov
  The federal gateway website to all government food safety information

Family Life

• Family Life and Child Development
  Program provides educational programs and resources focused on strengthening interpersonal relationships and promoting the understanding of human development across the lifespan.
• Just In Time Parenting Newsletters
  A monthly age based newsletter for parents of children age 0 to 5 yrs. old, includes information on age related development, parenting strategies, and common parent issues. Available in English and Spanish

Hand Washing Demonstration Kits

The NMSU/SJC extension office has multiple Glitter Bug Hand Washing Kits that can be checked out to community groups and schools for education proposes at no charge. The office provides all the supplies needed to teach a hand-washing lesson, including the Glitter Bug lotion. Groups are required to turn in a roster of those individual who completed a hand washing activity at check in.

Food Preservation

Have you ever wanted to know how to can and preserve foods? Are you a canner who needs a little refresher course?

Historically, home food preservation has been a central part of life; its purpose was to maintain a year round food supply. Today, home food preservation is reemerging as a way to create a year round supply of healthy and nutritious food. Food preservation is a SCIENCE! It must be done correctly to prevent contamination and food borne illnesses.

NMSU/SJC Extension provides food preservation information, classes and scientifically tested recipes to home canners to promote safe and healthy canned goods. Additionally, NMSU/SJC Extension provides FREE pressure canner gauge testing and information on new canning technology.

Food preservation is a part of our history and a part of our future. Canning is not as scary as it looks but it definitely needs to be done right. For more information or to schedule a Food Preservation related class contact the Extension Office.

Fall canning classes have been completed, we will announce more upcoming canning classes in the near future.

• USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning
  USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, 2015 revision, is the official source of information for all food preservation activities; it includes how-to guides, recipes, and safety information for home canning, pickling, and fermentation.
• Food Preservation Publications
  Research based how-to guides on food preservation topics including canning and freezing fruits and vegetables, pickling and fermentation, making jams and jellies, and pie fillings.

Contact Information

Rick Griffiths
Family and Consumer Sciences Agent
San Juan County Extension
Phone: 505-334-9496
Email: rickgrif@nmsu.edu