December: Edging towards Peace, Dreams, Changes and Traditions

A Step Forward

Just a week before Christmas, on Dec. 18, the last of the active US military troops left Iraq. The action ends a brutal and tragic war which lingered for 8 and ½ years. The war action began on March 3, 2003.

Although the numbers are incomplete, over 4,484 American troops died in Iraq; the last soldier to date who was killed in action was Spc. David Hickman, 23 years old and from Greensboro, NC.

Thousands more were maimed and seriously injured for life; an unknown number of innocent civilians were also lost, estimates vary but it appears to be many more than 10,000.

It was a costly affair for America. While the actual cost is currently not accurately available, it is generally believed the military operation cost between $800 Bilion and $1 Trillion. According to one source, it cost US taxpayers $390,000 to deploy one soldier to Iraq for one year. Additionally, billions of taxpayer dollars are still not accounted for.

At the war's peak, there were 239,000 known American troops in Iraq.

While the public war has ceased much of it's operations, there sort of a clandestine operation which continues. The US embassy in Iraq is the largest in the world and thousands of private private war contractors will find work in Iraq.

Gratefully, the vast majority of our sons and daughters are now safely in other places and out of Iraq. This Christmas (and throughout the year) should be the first of many to come during which we remember the heroic actions and hard sacrifices they have endured and for those still serving in Afghanistan.

For Christians, Christmas is a celebration of Peace on Earth and Good Will to Man, that should be everyone's deepest wish and prayer this season. It's also a good time to pray for deliverance from politicians whose only thoughts are wars and bombs at the expense of our elderly, the disabled, school kids, the sick and the poor. A Christmas dream, hope and prayer, peace at home and abroad.

Merry Christmas.

The Christmas Tree

The tree was found growing in a woods among some tall black cherry trees and beechnuts. It is only about a foot tall and it is a big question if it would have survived where it sprouted. It was dug up and re-planted in a leaky old canning pot and decorated during Sunday's (Dec. 18, 2011) surprise snowstorm.

This has been a somewhat weather – odd December. Like the last several weeks, this week the temps will rise and rain will fall again. The snow cover is quite a change from last year. Usually, by this time of the year, we are knee deep or better in snow. Colder air and snow are in the forecast for later in the week and Christmas Day.

Since many use a wood stove or a fireplace, be careful with the ashes and use them in the yard or garden. They are a great resource for the soil.

A note: The first public display of outdoor Christmas lights happened back in 1912. One of Thomas Edison's assistants, Edward Johnson, came up with the idea of electric lights for Yule time trees in 1882.

A unique American Christmas tradition was born 99 years ago when someone flipped a switch.

Hunting

Beginning on Feb 16, Pennsylvania hunters will not have to display their hunting license on the outside of a jacket or hat. The new law was adopted by the State Legislature and signed by Gov. Corbett. A hunter must still carry the license while hunting as well as one other form of identification such as a driver's license. It seems like a good change, goodbye to an old tradition.

The legislature is also considering allowing Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania. Contact your local state legislator to voice your opinion on the matter. Pennsylvania is one of six states which continue to ban the sport on Sunday based on an 1870's Blue Law. For many rural communities, legal hunting on a Sunday is expected to create a significant economic impact, according to the bill's sponsor Rep. John Evans of Crawford County. A change in the Sunday hunting law would be a welcome change for many hunters, including those who own property. For more information, Sunday Hunt.

On the subject of hunting, PA muzzeloader opens the day after Christmas.

In the Woods

A surprise lake effect snow storm on Dec. 18 decorated the woodland landscape for Christmas. It wasn't very windy, nor was it bitterly cold, making for a nice walk with the dog. Although the coyotes have been heard the last week or so, no tracks were visible in the snow. Nor were there any tracks coming and going out of the brush piles.

Good Blogs to Read

Step by Step in the Kitchen

Corning New York Stepby Step

Care - Crawford Area Residents for the Environment

Energy Justice

Uncle Sam's History

What was Once a Rose: Tire Burning and Hunting

CARE

Crawford Renewable Energy (CRE) continues to move forward with plans to construct a large Tires to Energy Plant in the Greenwood Industrial Park ten miles south of Meadville and at the front door of Geneva Marsh. The Marsh is the largest in the entire state of Pennsylvania ; it is an important nesting site for Bald Eagles and an important stop-over for many migratory birds. The entire marsh area is teeming with diversity and a habitat area for many native plants and animals.

Geneva Marsh is also an integral part of the French Creek Watershed area. French Creek is one of the most biologically diverse creeks in the entire nation. It provides a habitat for many rare and endangered species.

Members of the Crawford Area Residents for the Environment, or CARE, have been concerned about the proposed tire burning facility ever since it's location was moved from the shores of Lake Erie to inland Crawford almost two years ago. There was stiff local objection to the tire incinerator on Lake Erie from residents and government officials.

On November 24, two local members of CARE, Dr. Robert Concilus and Leah Humes, filed an appeal with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) which lists 15 objections to an Air Quality Permit issued in late October by DEP. A date for the appeals hearings is uncertain at this time.

The Tire plant, which will be known as the Meadville Power Station, will burn discarded tires, about 900 tons every day, and, according to CRE, will produce enough electrical power to fuel 75,000 homes. CRE claims it will use the latest technological processes and equipment to eliminate any air and water pollutants.

CARE has taken the lead in questioning the CRE claims. CARE claims that the testing currently available for air borne pollutants are flawed and the amounts of Lead, Mercury, Dioxins and other dangerous substances are not known.

According to the DEP, there are about 2 million scrap tires in piles in Pennsylvania, a state with numerous  tire recycling industries to handle the estimate annual 12 million discarded tires. The current estimate of 2 million tires available for burning would feed the Meadville Power Station for less than a month. The CRE company has not indicated other sources of additional scrap tires to fuel the Power Station.

Donations are needed by CARE to help fund the appeals process. Please take the time to research this issue, clicking the links above, or click CARE, and/or Energy Justice, and take citizen action to protect our environment. The issue just isn't about Greenwood Township in rural Crawford. It is much larger. Contact Care if your concerned about your family's health and our environment.

Hunting

The PA State Legislature is moving closer to a compromise on the possibility of Sunday Hunting in the state under legislation introduced by State Representative John Evans. The ban of hunting dates back to the 1870's based on then held religious beliefs. The ban was enacted as part of a series of Blue Laws to protect the Sabbath as a day of rest and prayer; at one time Sunday baseball and fishing were also illegal under those laws. Sunday baseball was made legal in 1937 and fishing in 1934 was made legal.

The Pennsylvania State Farm Bureau is leading the fight against the proposed Sunday Hunting proposal. The organization claims the agricultural community needs a family day of relaxation and rest from the pressures of hunting and dealing with possible trespassing issues. Safety issue have also surfaced with nature observers and hikers and other outdoor recreation sports.

However, Pennsylvania is one of only six states which continue to ban the Sunday sport and no safety issues have surfaced in the other 44 states. And many landowners want the ability to legally hunt on their own property on Sundays and with their families as well as provide fresh and nutritious food for the table.

Please contact your local state Representative or Rep John Evans and express your views. Evans can be reached at his various district offices: Edinboro, (814) 734-2793; Girard, (814) 774-2892; Linesville, (814) 683-5550; or Harrisburg, (717) 772-9940. His e-mail is jevans@pahousegop.com.

If the rural Meadville Power Station is allowed to go online, how safe and nutritious will be the game and fish for Pennsylvania residents. Clean air and water just aren't human issues alone. Hunting is an economic boom for many small communities, and Sunday hunting will bring added revenues for many smaller ma and pop stores.

What happens to this multi-million dollar recreational sport if the wild game and fish become toxic?

Rose Hips

Rose hips are actually the fruit of a rose. They are healthy and flavorful and are decorative berries for home arts and crafts. The bright red berries are also a favorite food source for many birds and smaller animals.

The colorful berries add a touch of Yuletide color with the green Christmas Ferns to woodland areas.
Wild roses can be planted around the brush pile to make it look more attractive year round, good for wildlife and a free source of healthy food.

Good Blogs to Read

Step by Step in the Kitchen

Corning New York Stepby Step

Momma's Money Matters

Uncle Sam's History

Energy Justice

In the Woods Today

It was a cold morning and yesterday's snow is hardly melting even with the brilliant sunshine. The temperatures this morning were struggling around 15 degrees.

December Traditions and 2012

Today, Dec. 5 has been warm and rainy, similar to most of the month soggy November. I tried to get a picture of a frog but the frog was smart and quickly dove for cover every time I moved. The frog sure wasn't sluggish. But it seems late for frogs to still be this active.

The common refrain around these parts is that we are going to pay for this balmy period of weather. The snow machine can kick in anytime and the forecasts for later this week are calling for colder temperatures with snow.

With the colder weather, wood stoves and fireplaces will be lit. The wood ash is an important yard resource but it is important to understand the details.

The garlic, a late fall tradition,  is already planted in the garden; actually, there will be two garlic harvests in 2012; and later this week a few potatoes, snow permitting,  will go in the final row to see what happens come April. Nor is too late in many regions to start your own Oak Tree, the National Tree.

This is the second week of Pennsylvania rifle deer season and it appears as though hunters are harvesting some quality bucks. For many families the healthy venison in the freezer will be important for 2012 as the economy slowly seems to be pulling out of a recession. Deer hunting can also be a fun family and educational  activity. Last year, the second week of the traditional deer season was literally shut down by heavy snows or Lake Effect Storms, which could help explain the number of quality bucks this year.

The woods are brown and the only green are moss and Christmas Ferns. The Christmas Ferns, at one time, were very popular this time of the year in yuletide wreath making, so much so that they were at one time, over-harvested.

Online homemade wreaths, without the ferns, can be purchased here. If you are unable to have a Christmas Tree, these are the next best thing and they do add another dimension to the Christmas Holiday season.

Soon it will be time to say goodbye 2011 and welcome 2012, it is a busy month getting ready for the next jump. No, I don't believe the hype about Dec. 12, 2012 or whatever date and the end of the world, not even the Mayan's believe it either. 

Pearl Harbor

Just before 8 a.m. On Dec. 7, 1941, hundreds of Japanese warplanes bombed the US Naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii. After the two hour attack, 2,000 American military personal were killed, 20 American vessels destroyed, including 8 battleships and 200 planes.

The following day, President Roosevelt sent a declaration of war to Congress which almost immediately approved the declaration. The US was officially in Word War 11.

It is an important time to pause and reflect once again on the sacrifices made by our military men and women and take some action to help support our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. It doesn't really matter what time of the year or the date; it's important every year 1941, 2011 or 2012.

Herbs

December is also the month of seed catalogs and proclamations. The National Garden Bureau has chosen one vegetable, one flower and one perennial for special notice this year. The organization has decided that 2012 is the Year of Herbs; the Year of the Geranium and the Year of the Heuchera (more commonly known as Coral Bells).

Herbs are useful plants; they can be used in the kitchen, medicinally, and/or used in the garden as companion plants to attract or repel insects. Most, if not all herbs, can also be successfully grown in containers.

Some of the common and more traditional herbs would be Basil, Sage, Parsley, Thyme, and Dill. Some of the lesser known, but equally important herbs to choose this year would be: Lovage, Borage and Horseradish, three of the all time favs here. Lovage is a hardy perennial which tastes just like celery, Borage is great for attracting the bees and is sometimes called the bee plant (and makes a great tea, while Horseradish is a hardy, healthy perennial with numerous uses in the kitchen.

In Case You Missed:

Looking for a Wreath or a Tree

PA Archery Season Tells a Story

Students Help Clean-Up

Queen Bees Keep Schools Abuzz

Good Blogs to Read

Step by Step in the Kitchen

Corning New York Step by Step

Uncle Sam's History

Momma's Money Matters

Energy Justice

November Thanksgiving Mums and Oaks

The mums, purchased in late September, in the pot were done-in by a late October frost. The mums were once a brilliant white and are going to be moved to a nearby ground location when the small Oak Tree was discovered. And another acorn in the pot.

When the mums were purchased there wasn't an Oak Tree is sight for miles. But in the yard here, there's plenty of white and red Oaks. This seedling appears to be a white oak and was likely planted by a chipmunk? Perhaps, the warmer than normal temperatures and fleeting cold snaps help to germinate this seedling? It was just odd to see a seedling sprout, the National Tree, just before Thanksgiving. Any thoughts?

Garlic and potatoes are now planted in a raised bed, so the mums are next. If there is time, many other vegetables can be planted in November for an early spring harvest.

Happy Thanksgiving Thursday.

Uninvited Guests

Speaking of chipmunks and other unwanted household guests, it's that time of year to be on guard. Raccoons and possums can also be a major nuisance. But by far the most common winter time pest is the common mouse. There are several methods to get rid of these creatures, some very creative and others ghoulish. For more info on how to best handle the mice, learn more about the origins of the original mousetrap, A Better Mousetrap?

For some thoughts on other wildlife, winter problem animals, here.

The Flip Side of Powerful Winds

Earlier this past week, a series of violent thunderstorms, and even a tornado, were in the region. It's amazing while walking in the woods how many dead trees and branches were scattered about.

It's a good time to build a brush pile on some obscure corner of the property. The brushpiles provide shelter, safety and sometimes food for a wide range of smaller animals.

It is fun to watch the footprints coming and going in the snow. The tracks tell many stories.

A November Woods

 Maybe there's a big bear over there?

After the severe weather on Monday, Nov. 14, the weather improved and by Saturday it was a great day to be in the Pennsylvania woods. My friend Tyler, his dog, Niki, me and my dog Yaw, decided to take a woods walk.

Deer rifle season in Pennsylvania opens Nov. 28 (New York opened Nov19) and the the signs of deer were numerous. Several buck rubs were discovered as well as, some well used trails. While hunting is basically an adult sport, children can become involved in the deer season.

The only green in the woods are the Christmas Ferns which can make a yard plant for one of those shady, wet spots. They remain green all year.

OW

The scenes of the pepper spraying of non-violent students at UC- Davis were rather disgusting. Here is the link in case you want to view the police brutality. And here is a different angle of the police attack. The over-reaction of officials will only add more fuel to the movement as can be seen in dozens of countries in the world. There is a better way.

The OW movement stems from the Oligarchy here in the USA and the subsequent economic and social injustices. Despite what some say, the protesters are many more than students, who in Newt Gingrich's viewpoint (and other conservatives) need to take a shower and get a job (wonder what jobs?). There are many adults, senior citizens and veterans are joining in the movement.

Amazingly, a PR firm wants to charge a fee to certain clients to run a smear campaign against OW for a hefty fee. Of course twisting the truth is nothing new in America, it has been getting worse over the last decade or so. 

Rural areas also suffer from the Oligarchy and need to pay attention and help to support the movement, after all most in the rural areas are the 99 %. More importantly, there are many Christian issues involved as this movement gathers steam.

Good Blogs to Follow:

Step By Step in the Kitchen

Corning New York Stepby Step

Energy Justice

Uncle Sam's History

Momma's Money Matters

November: the Month of Thanks

                                                                                             

Veterans Day

Veteran's Day is today and there will be many activities which will continue throughout the weekend. Thanks to all the men and women who have served our country, some have died, while others have been seriously wounded and maimed; the sacrifices are mind boggling. Thank You.

Give thanks to a Vet today and every day.

Weather and Nature

It started to snow last night, Nov. 10 just at sunset; it must have sputtered snow all night since at daybreak there was about an inch on the grass. The forecasts were predicting upwards of five inches with squalls throughout 11-11. There have been intermittent heavy squalls all morning. However, the weekend will be sunny and nice with temps in the 50's.

The Great Lakes are warmer than usual and it is uncertain what that will mean when the “snow machine” kicks in the snow belts. It could be a very snowy winter in the early months. Not so sure the Wooly Bear pictured above knows either, nor does that Groundhog.

Yesterday (Nov. 10) was the Full Moon. For some it is the Full Beaver Moon, others call this moon, The Moon of the Falling Leaves. Yesterday on the tenth marked the 36 anniversary of the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior. All 29 crew members were lost during that violent storm which had winds at 60 mph with gust up too 85 mph. The waves were reported to be in excess of 30 feet.

Nov. 13 is Sadie Hawkins Day, Nov. 24 is Thanksgiving this year; Advent begins on Nov. 27.

Garden

The late Fall garden experiment will be to plant some potatoes over the weekend once the garlic is all done. Every year I have volunteer potatoes, which I missed digging in the fall, which sprout and grow early in the spring.

I checked around for seed potatoes without any luck. I'm going to take a chance and plant some from the super market which sprouted before I could use them. I guess it's worth the try; April or May will tell the story. Hopefully, some early spring spuds with some fresh garlic shoots will be reason to give a thanks.

Brush Piles

This is a good time of the year to start a brush pile before the heavy, heavy snows arrive; there are many branches down from the high winds here locally. A brush pile provides shelter for many smaller animals during the winter months and it's fun to see the tracks coming and going in the snow.

Community Spirit

About 100 Linesville High School (Linesville, PA) students spent the day of Nov. 3 picking up trash along the shoreline of Pymatuning Reservoir, the largest lake in Pennsylvania. A number of other community groups, such as the Senior Environmental Corps, also participated. This was the 5 year for the annual cleanup. According to organizers, each year, less and less rubbish is collected, although there are some problem areas. The organizations who sponsored the event are thankful for the large turn-out. The students have been involved in other environmental volunteer projects throughout the year. Read more about this latest cleanup effort at Pymatuning.

Blogs to Note:

Step by Step in theKitchen

Corning New York Stepby Step

Energy Justice

Uncle Sam's History

Free November Resources

 There's plenty to do in the garden and yard as November begins and before the heavy snows covers the landscape for the next several months. The autumn storms, like the recent east coast storm, bring down a lot of branches and trees.

These fallen branches can be used to build a brush pile for native wildlife. A brush pile provides many smaller animals and insects shelter and protection. It's always fun to check the pile when the snow is on the ground and examine the tracks to see what is using the pile.

The brush pile doesn't have to look like an ugly pile of broken sticks. Vine plants can be planted in and around the pile which offer nourishment to many animals and insects throughout the year besides making the pile look attractive. Morning glories are a good choice; they provide excellent coverage and a rich source of food for bees and butterflies.

While this region of northwestern Pennsylvania escape the brunt of the Great Halloween Storm, the weather was blustery and cold. The first hard frost was on October 27 – 28. Some inland areas had an inch or two of snow (Corry, PA and Jamestown, NY). The great snow machine will kick-in soon enough.

It is time for woodstoves and fireplaces and the wood ashes can be a valuable resource to enrich the soil in the yard and vegetable garden.

Change the Clocks

The first Sunday of November turn the clocks back, it is the end of Daylight Savings Time in much of the U.S. This year the first Sunday is November 6.

The clocks were moved forward earlier this year on the second Sunday of March. The latest timetable for the changes is the result of a 2005 federal law which went into effect in 2007. The nation has observed some form of Daylight Savings Time since World War 1 in an effort to save energy.

There are a few places which don't bother changing the clocks. They are: Arizona, Hawaii, American Somoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

The Navajo Nation also remains on Standard Time because of it's sprawling size in the western states. The Nation covers a wide area which encompasses three different states.

Old Mossback

I had a story on Old Mossback and the LeBoeuf Creeper published in the newsletter PALMS, the newsletter for the Pennsylvania Lake Management Society. It is on page four of the newsletter. There is also an excellent article on the Brown Bullhead. To get to the newsletter, just sign up.

Previously, I had an article published on Old Mossback at Associated Content. It is a fascinating story of man verses big fish. PALMS does a lot of great work in helping to maintain and restore our valuable lakes and watershed areas. Check them out.

Rose Hips

Rose hips are rich in Vitamins A and C and in the wild are readily available. Rose hips, actually the fruit of a rose, were used in many Native American cultures and by the early settlers. Picking them can be a little tricky, the throns are still sharp on the wild bushes.The bright red berries are also a source of food for many bird species and smaller animals throughout the long winter months.

The hips can be used to brew a flavorful tea and can also be used as vegetable, just be careful not to use any hips which have been sprayed with pesticides.

For the next several months, the rose hips are about the only color in the woods except for the green Christmas Ferns.

Rose hips, like broken branches, downed trees and leaves are more than a nuisance; they can be used resourcefully.

Energy Plant (or tire incinerator)

The Meadville Tire to Energy Plant, a large tire incinerator by another name, has received all of the needed permits and officials of the company claim construction could begin very shortly on the complex.

The complex will receive thousands of tires every day, which will be burned, and the electric produced sold. There have been a lot of environmental questions about the plant and what course of action environmentalists take next is uncertain. I don't think this story is over by any means.

It was an incinerator, which was partly to blame for the financial mess in the state capital of Harrisburg. The financial problems were correctly called by Mike Ewall of Energy Justice (link below in Blogs to Read). The Harrisburg story, 

Harrisburg: a city at war with itself

from Reuters is well worth the read.

Civil War

  

John Brown was an abolitionist who raided Harper's Ferry just prior to the Civil War. He wanted to start an insurrection in the Appalachian Mountains. Unknown to many, Brown for many years farmed several hundred acres in northwestern Pennsylvania and operated a tannery. He was staunchly anti-slavery and some say his actions were the actual beginnings of hostilities. Learn more about Brown's hidden life and the events at the federal fort, here. 

Good Blogs and Web Sites

Corning New York Stepby Step

Step by Step in the Kitchen

Energy Justice

Uncle Sam’s History

October - The Get Ready Month - Democracy Now and Then

 

October - The Get Ready Month

One of the pieces of folklore I remember as a kid, besides the one about the world being flat, was about spiders. The more spiders seen in the house during the autumn months was a sure sign there was going to be a nasty winter.
Well, I have been seeing lot of spiders inside, more than I have the fabled woolly bear caterpillars outside. But then again I don't really pay much attention to that groundhog either.

Although I did see a woolly bear the other day and snapped a photo ( a spider got scared and ran away). And I am still gunning for the ground hog who ravished this year's garden.

In the snow belts, winter is winter and it's going to always be cold, windy, snowy and icy regardless of the folklore.

Accu-Weather, among several other weather forecasters, are predicting a lot of winter storms and heavy snows for the Great Lakes regions. It seems La Nina is getting stronger and the forecast is for a miserable winter. The Great Lakes are relatively warm; when the cold air from the north flows down, the snow machines kick into high gear.

There are several good things to do before any winter regardless of forecasts. Get the vegetable garden in shape for the following spring. It helps to have a head start. It is also possible to get an early spring harvest by planting some crops before the snow gets here. Garlic is a natural, but an early crop of spring potatoes can also be planted in October, onions will do fine under the snow as will many kinds of lettuce, Swiss Chard and Kale.

Make some plans and build a brush pile for wildlife. A brush pile offers both protection and a source of food for many animals and insects. Besides, it fun to check the pile when there is snow on the ground and check the tracks coming and going to see what's around.

Wood ashes from wood stoves and fireplaces are a valuable resource for both the yard and the garden. Just don't burn plastics and cardboard and learn about what plants benefit for some ashes; potatoes don't care for them but tomatoes do.
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Occupy Wall Street

The movement continues to grow and spread from city to city; it's not going to go away. There is a lot of frustration and anger but for the most part it has been a non-violent movement to date. Wall Street and many politicians would do well to heed the message; the old status quo is no longer acceptable. The mega rich may jeer with cocktails in hand but “the times they are a changing”.

Support you local #occupy or help out financially if possible. What is happening is the American Spring and is as important as the Civil Rights Movement and anti-war movement of the sixties. It's about America's future and it's opportunities for all, and sorry, if your poor, that sure doesn't mean a person is a failure or lazy.

What began with a few dozen people on September 17 has now spread throughout the USA and into Canada. Here's a list of occupy events which have mushroomed. My best guess is this list is updated as more events are added.

This is a good perspective on the movement, and if your on the fence, food for thought. Here is another link to what is happening and it is not just unemployed socialist hippies regardless of what some political parties put in their Kool-Aid.

Perhaps, now is the time for some mainstream churches to get back to the basics of Christianity and #occupy the Gospel message.

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Some Food History

The Seneca andIroquois Nations inhabited much of western Pennsylvania and New York; the nations were some of the earliest democracies in this Hemisphere. They grew many crops which we are familiar with today; beans, corn, squash cucumbers and melons.

They also harvested many wild food crops in the autumn months. The harvest involved everyone, young and old, rich and poor; it was for survival. Acorns, beechnuts, hickory and butternuts were a few of the nuts gathered and saved for the long winter.

The plentiful oak trees provided bumper crops of acorns. The acorns were boiled in lye and then ground into a powder which was then used for puddings and pounded into meat for a special meal.

Nut stones can still be found today near older nut trees. These stones had small crevices in which the nuts were placed and then hit with an appropriate stone, cracking them to get the meat. Today, it is not uncommon to discover and old nut stone.

Sunchokes, pictured above (they bloom in late September and into October) were also gathered in the fall and the tuberous roots were baked and eaten. Today, the sunchokes, a member of the sunflower family, can be found in many health food stores. It is a highly nutritious native American food. For some odd reason, the tubers are now called JerusalemArtichokes; the plant has nothing at all to do with Jerusalem or artichokes. The tall plants can still be discovered in low areas were there is ample moisture or they can be grown in the home vegetable garden with care; they can spread rapidly and the plants can get up to ten feet tall.

Good Blogs

Step by Step in the Kitchen

Corning New York Step by Step

Uncle Sam's History

Energy Justice

October - More than Colorful Leaves

 

                  

October History

On October 16, 1859 John Brown began his failed assault on the federal fort at Harpers Ferry. He and his followers were captured two days later and eventually hung several months later in December.

Brown was an abolitionist and was active in the Underground Railroad. For ten years, he had a farm and a tannery not far from here in a small place called, New Richmond, PA. His first wife and two children remain buried at the site which now is a museum which documents his life in northwestern Pennsylvania.

This year, the nation began commemorating the beginnings of the tragic Civil War and it is worthwhile to recall some of the events which led up to that bloody conflict. Slavery was certainly an issue for many particularly in many of the churches and isolated farms which were active in helping slaves win their freedom.

In many of the cemeteries, large and small, graves are still marked noting service in the Civil War. There are a lot of them, including a few Confederates who settled in this region after the war and worked in the oil fields around the Titusville area.

Brown for some was a cold blooded terrorist, for others, a freedom fighter. Needless to say, he was and remains a controversial figure. A lot of histories overlook his ten years in Pennsylvania, but they were important years in the nation's history.

It is important not to forget the events and the men and women who died and suffered in that war. Sure it is a war that began a 150 years ago, but it's scars remain and fester every now and then.

October – A Reminder - Winter is Coming (as if we all didn't know that already)

Now is the time to get the garlic planted, divide perennials and plant spring/summer bulbs. Potatoes, onions and even some greens can also be planted at this time for an early spring harvest. Actually, there are some interesting crops which can go in the ground before the snow gets here. Doing the little extra work this fall is actually an investment, and will help avoid sticker shock at the supermarket and healthier eating (think cantaloupes and listeria). The most recent case of dangerous food, melons from Colorado is a horror story about the hidden dangers in large farms and the food supply.
If your safety isn't a big worry, government studies indicate food prices will continue to rise for the foreseeable future.

Enjoy the colors on the trees this month.

Garden 2011

For the most part, the garden was mediocre. The spring was cold and wet and there was a serious problem with woodchucks. But the tomatoes were fantastic. I mainly grow a variety called Speckled Romans. This tomato was developed at Seed Savers and is a cross between Antique Roman and Banana Legs.

I have grown them for about five years and save the seeds. I just seem to get bumper crops. This is a good variety to try. The seeds are available at SeedSavers.

Searching for Information and the Half King

First Old Mossback – I wrote a story for Yahoo on Old Mossback and the LeBoeuf Creeper lure. Old Mossback was a legendary muskie which lived in Lake LeBoeuf and out smarted many anglers back in the 1930's – 1940's. One angler, R. Exley made a lure called the LeBoeuf Creeper lure which caught plenty of other muskies but not Old Mossback. The lure became very popular and was made at the LeBoeuf Bait Shop. Along the way, there was a patent dispute over the lure and it was made by another company and then discontinued.

A researcher recently emailed looking for more local information on the lure and the patent dispute. If you have any information, send it along at the comment page. Thanks.

Lake LeBoeuf is in Waterford, PA and was the site of an old French Fort during the settlement years. George Washington, who was then a British General, traveled to the Fort, under orders from the governor of Virginia, to ask the French to get out of the territory. To commemorate Washington's visit, the citizens of the town had a statue erected, perhaps the only one which depicts Washington attired in a British uniform. Read more about the historic statue and the events at the Half King.

Climate Change

Here is a brief article which is, well alarming, ICE MELT.

My Rant for the Week

Issues in Christianity

http://koyotehill.blogspot.com/

Good Blogs to Read and Follow

Step by Step in theKitchen by Kathleen Richardson – This is a good blog about healthy eating and cooking. Kathleen has some great recipes here that she has discovered. I tried the Sloppy Janes but added venison burger. There wasn't anything left over.

Corning New York Stepby Step – another good pictorial blog by Kathleen Richardson

Uncle Sam's HistoryBlog – An interesting blog on early pioneer history in western Pennsylvania. Sam is a noted author and you can check out his books at samhossler.com

Urban Veggie Garden – Always some fascinating here about gardens and cooking.

Energy Justice – A good environmental and social justice blog, well worth the time.