About Gila County, AZ

If you garden, you know it's not too early to be planning and ordering seeds. For cool season crops, seedlings need to be started SOON, at least in our area.

If you live in or near Payson, Arizona, consider planting a few extra veggies to sell at the Farmers Market. Won't have enough? There is a co-op table for those with only a little to sell. Come join the fun!

The Market will open at the end of May, we are considering a location change to gain parking and visibility. We are looking for more vendors (especially produce), and for enthusiastic people who would like to get involved.

For information, call Lorian- 928 468-0961

http://www.PaysonFarmersMarket.info

These days money is tight. Here are a few ways to save a penny when it comes to your vehicle.

The easiest way to maximize your fuel economy is to properly maintain your vehicle.

Here are some basic tips on doing so.

• Your vehicle should have a regular maintenance schedule for spark plugs and ignition points. Cleaning or replacing fuel and air filters will also help. Have your mechanic make sure your vehicle has proper timing and inspects for leaks. Also it is a very good idea to check electrical equipment and pollution control device such as catalytic converter.
• Tires that are underflated can cause anywhere from a 5% to 57% loss in fuel mileage.
• Radial tires may yield up to 5% improvment in town and 10% over conventional tires.
• Removing extra weight (extra stuff you lug around on a daily basis). 100 Pounds of unnecessary weight decreases fuel economy about 1%.
• Proper wheel alignment annually. Improperly aligned wheels decrease fuel economy by 1% also.

I have recently been fascinated by the little ways we can all save on our bills throughout the year.

This list that I have compiled is how to save money on bills that strictly generate from the Kitchen. For your enjoyment and hopefully an idea to help save a dollar of your hard earned cash!

1. When possible use your microwave or barbecue grill instead of the stove. I've found that microwaves use 40% less electricity than stoves and cook at a lower wattage.
2. To retain heat better while cooking use lids to cover foods while cooking (less mess too) or if using a range use pots/pans that fit the element.
3. Small cooking appliances are more economical than large appliances. A toaster, an electric skillet, waffle iron, crock pot or popcorn popper all utilize less electricity than a stove.
4. Defrost foods before baking or cooking to save as much as 50% of total cooking time.
5. Preheat the oven only when necessary and try really hard not to open the door while food is cooking. Each time the door is opened the oven loses on average 20% of its heat. The oven also will retain its heat for some time after it is turned off-- in the winter I always like baking cookies :) not only for the smell and taste but also to help warm the house.
6. The oven temperature can be lowered by as much as 25 degreese by using glass or ceramic pans to bake.
7. Both refrigerators and freezers operate at peak efficiency when they are full. A secondary refrigerator or freezer can cost and additional $5 to $15 dollars per month.
8. An appropriate temperature to set your refrigerator at is between 36 and 38 degrees. For the freezer, it is good to be between 0 and 5 degrees.
9. How does the door lining on your refrigerator and freezer look? If there is a gap between door and frame, or if it is dry and cracked its definitely time to replace your refrigerator door gasket.
10. It is a very good idea to check behind that refridgerator or freezer to make sure the cois are free from dust and lint. A clean refridgeration system does not have to work as hard
11. Try to open the refrigerator as few times as possible. An average family opens the refrigerator door about 22 times per day!
12. When hand-washing dishes, avoid running hot water continuously. Use a sink stopper to take advantage of your water heaters work.
13. Make sure dishwashers are fully loaded. Dishwashers typically cost $0.75 per load in electricity.
14. Using the "energy saver" setting on your dishwasher and air dry whenever possible. The heat-dry cycle alone uses about 700 watts of electricity.

Here are some more things I have done to save more energy on the utility bills.

• This is very basic but if you turn off the TV & DVD Player, Game Consoles, etc. A medium sized TV uses 200 watts of electiricy when it is left on.
• Use a power strip to turn off appliances completely. Eliminating this "stand by" electricity loss from home appliances could save up to 25% on electrical bills.
• Close the dampers on unused fireplaces to prevent heated air from escaping up the chimeny.
• Make sure draperies or furniture do not block heat registers.

Needless to say, winter is here. Not only are we feeling the economy crunch we are feeling our home based crunch with those high utility bills. Most importantly Electricity and Heating bills have a tendancy to really make you dread opening those envelopes when they come in. After opening them you find yourself thinking about ways to change and ways to get around these SHOCKING Bills.

I have compiled a few tips to help take advantage of those high bills and to hopefully depend a little less on them.

* Check the insulation levels (R Value) in your attic, exterior and basement walls, ceilings, floors and crawl spaces. R- values are based on local heading and cooling costs and the local climate conditions. R value means resistance to head loss. the greater the R value, the greater insulation value.

*Check for holes or cracks around your walls, ceilings, windows, doors, lighting and blumbing fixtures, switches and electrical outlets that can leak air into or out of your home.

*Check for open fireplace dampers.

*Make sure your appliances and heating and cooling systems are properly MAINTAINED. Check your owner's manuals for recommended. A personal experience if I may note-- having your propane company update the regulater and "stem" on your propane tank will have a world of difference.

*Study your family's lighting needs and use patterns, if you pay special attention to high-use areas such as the living room, kitchen, and outside lighting. There are many ways that will help reduce the energy used like occupancy sensors,