Bee Nice

                                       

Not Marcellus Explosions this Time

There have been reports of exploding watermelons in China because of a chemical fertilizer and or wet conditions. I seen some watermelons at the grocery store the other day but didn't buy them because there was no country of origin listed.

Gas wells can explode but I never heard of exploding veggies!

Watermelons are a favorite and I have my own planted in flats and if it ever stops raining they'll be in the ground by Memorial Day. Need another reason why a home vegetable garden is important?

One of the most popular spring treats are strawberries. However, it is best to grow your own considering some of the harmful chemicals used in growing them on commercial farms. Need another reason why a home vegetable garden is important?

And to think politicians and insurance folks argue over health insurance and allow this chemical poisoning to go on unfettered.

Watermelons and strawberries are two crops which rely on the bees. It's up to gardeners to take some steps to help the bees which have been having some problems lately. Bee populations are in a serious decline.

Honeybees and other Pollinators

Honeybees, first introduced by the early colonists in America in the early 1600's are vital to agriculture. Nearly 80 percent of the foods we eat are on the table because of the work of the honeybee. The bees are also largely responsible for pollinating wild food crops for our native wildlife.

In Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania State beekeepers Association, the bees are responsible for an estimated $60,000,000 in agricultural goods every year. The figures are much the same and even higher in some other states.

Hopefully, it is common knowledge by now that the honeybees are in serious decline. Researchers point to a number of reasons: the bees are malnourished because of the lack of food sources, pesticide use, invasive mites, and what is called Colony Collapse Disorder or CCD for short; a mysterious and fatal disease.

The number of beekeepers has dwindled dramatically in the last several decades because of the difficulties in keeping the bees alive. In addition, new Queen Bee replacements are expensive. In Pennsylvania in 1980 there were 80,000 registered hives, this year the number is 30,000 or less.

I spoke with Ben and Rose Johns, who have a small farm with blueberries, apples and a vegetable garden. They are an elderly couple who supplement their social security with what they can sell from home and at farmers Markets. They had 10 hives but lost them all this past winter. They can't afford to replace them this year, maybe next year.

Charles Vorisek of the Linesville, PA area had 100 hives. This past winter he lost upwards of 70 percent. Vorisek is vice president of the PA State Beekeepers Association; the bees are his source of income and he had to purchase a lot of new Queen Bees. He takes his hives to the orchards near Lake Erie so the bees can pollinate the cherry trees, apples, and peaches; during the summer months the bees travel further south to help pollinate squash and pumpkin patches.

John Glaspell, a neighbor and a beekeeper had to replace all of his hives this spring.

It is a similar story wherever you seem to look. And it's not getting any better.

What You Can Do

Support your local beekeepers, Buy their honey, it is one big step forward. Buy local honey.

Try to avoid using chemical pesticides. If they have to be used, follow the directions closely and avoid spraying anything in bloom.

Plant native flowers which will bloom throughout the season.

Leave natural areas on the property where possible, construct a brush pile.

Patches of clover can be used in under-used lawn areas. This will actually help save time and money on mowing.

Plant herbs in the vegetable garden in a designated space. Many herbs are nutritious for the bees.

Some BEE Facts

According to many estimates, the bees must visit 2 million or more flowers to produce a 16 oz jar of honey. In Pennsylvania, the average amount of honey per hive is 37 pounds (leaving about 60 some pounds for the bees in the hive to get them through winter). The number of flowers those bees in one hive have to visit is somewhat staggering.

Early blooming flowers, such as the dandelion and marsh marigold, in the spring are an important source of food for the bees. So are the late fall blooming flowers such as the golden rods and asters.

Honeybees are the only insect that produces food for humans.

And here is an interesting fact: Honeybees never sleep!

Check This Out

Raincross Motor Bikes - Go Green - Looking for a special graduation special? A less expensive means of transportation? Check the Web site and learn more Raincross Motor Bikes. Pictured are the two owners and if you get a chance watch their video.
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Good Blogs

Corning New York Step by Step

Urban Veggie Garden

ProPublica

Marcellus Money – see whose getting the money

Good Bee Sources

Pennsylvania State Beekeepers

MAAREC

May: The Real Good, the Bad and the Very Stupid

   

I suspect Memorial Day at the end of the month will be a little more patriotic following the successful Navy SEALS operation and bin Laden's demise. President Obama, the Intelligence Services and our military deserve high praise.

The President made the right choice in not releasing the gory death photos. A release would have been like throwing gasoline on a fire. His approach was intelligent and professional.

Besides there no reason to view and gawk; there's plenty of violence in our culture, from games, to movies and television. Bin Laden, like all of us, at least in the Christian viewpoint, was still born as a man in God's Image and Likeness; what sense is there in demeaning a dead body?

As for what happens next, we need to remain vigilant and prayerful. The SEALS were able to seize valuable information from the garbage strewn “mansion”.

And an additional word of caution: do not open any emails which claim to be photographs of bin Ladan dead. They very well could contain a nasty virus which will obtain much of your personal and private information. The warning comes from the FBI.

Some Native Americans were rightfully upset with use of Geronimo. Hopefully, a lesson was learned.

While the Native American concerns represent a serious issue, the political debate over who should get mre credit Bush 43 or the President, sounds like grade school playground nonsense. Let's face it; Obama changed the course of action from Iraq to Afganastan and the ultimate elimination of the world's most wanted terrorist.

Now perhaps, the end of two very costly wars is somewhat closer.

Spring

Where are you? At least we had two nice days lately and I was able to overturn a raised bed for the onion. But the ground is still to soupy to plant. However, the weather forecasts are indicating warmer and drier weather for the upcoming week. Peas and lettuce will be the next adventure; the tomatoes inside are doing nicely but peppers need to get into flats.

Beware A Word of Caution – the weather is perfect for the appearance of late tomato blight which has already made an early appearance in some areas such as North Carolina. If purchasing plants, shop at a reputable garden center or grow your own.

There are several products available to spray on the plants (the late blight can also devastate potatoes). But the sprays need to be frequent and a spray program needs to be in place before the blight arrives. Even after a rainstorm, the spray should be used.

There are claims that a baking powder spray as well as manure tea sprays are effective.

Yard Clean-Up

Winter brought down numerous branches and even trees; it is making for some harder than usual clean up efforts. There is no sense to hauling the debris to a landfill or paying to have it hauled away. Think about building a brush pile somewhere on the property. It is a project that can be done despite the soggy conditions.

There are many benefits. It provides an area of protection for small animals such as chipmunks, and rabbits, some birds will also nest or seek protection in a brush pile. It also can become a good habitat area for insects.

The brush pile doesn't have to look like a messy pile of old sticks. A few vines crops can be planted around the pile (if there is enough sunlight morning glory seeds can be used effectively) or other native wildflowers can be used.

Marcellus Politics and Money

Certainly, the large deposits of Marcellus gas underneath Pennsylvania are an economic resources for many workers. However, Pennsylvania still has not taxed the drilling companies similar to every other state. Instead, to help ease the economic hard times of the Great Recession, Republican Gov. Corbett, has decided to cut funding for many programs, including health insurance and education funding despite huge profits made by the tax exempt industry. Many politicians are also enjoying the bonanza and getting some large contributions which can be viewed at MarcellusMoney.Org

There been many other problems concerning public safety issues and water quality. PennEnviroment and other groups are concerned about the short 200 foot distance between schools, hospitals and nursing homes. Fracking is a dangerous process and there have been explosions and underground water has been seriously contaminated by the toxic chemicals used in the process.

In another twist, the Pennsylvania Game Commission will now allow some wells on our public state game lands, unless it is deemed the area is environmentally sensitive. Sorry, hunters. Gas first.

In one of the latest developments, gas drillers are allowed to drill in historic burial sites and ancient villages used by the Native Americans. Whatever clues which could be discovered about our past and insights into the future, are being quickly destroyed for mere profit.

It is a weird situation in Pennsylvania nowadays; citizens are asked to bow and worship and pay more money to the new “oil barons”.

For the Heck of It:

Get ready for the next doomsday scenario. Coming in November, from the Toronto Star.

Good Blogs

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Pro Publica

Spring Rituals Despite Weird Politics

 Woodland wildflowers are coming into bloom, one of the best free flower shows around. During the last week or so the wild leeks turned many areas a lush green, the trout lilies in many areas opened, Jack-in-the Pulpits, and  Trilliums sprang to life as did the Mayapples.

Leeks are tasty good food and grow in shaded moist areas. They have an onion-garlic taste and both the leaves and the underground bulb can be eaten. Soon hundreds of the trout lilies will bloom the shaded woodland areas in hues of gold and yellow. Mayapples and the Jack-in-the Pulpits create sort of per-historic atmosphere.

The Marsh Marigolds, pictured, are also blooming in the marshes, swamps and creek banks. These are amazing plants which are very high in nectar and are a valuable source of food for the emerging bees.

All told, it's good time to get into the woods and enjoy the show on a warm spring afternoon. One can almost tell the calender month by watching what is going on despite the wicked weather. Luckily, we have been fortunate in northwestern Pennsylvania.

Some Questions and More Facts....

This is rather amazing. The April 19^th 11:45 pm gas well blow out in Bradford County spewed dangerous fracking waste water across fields and eventually flowed into a creek, which is a tributary to Towanda Creek.

The small, un-named tributary was a mere 500 feet from the out of control well. Towanda Creek is a well known and popular trout stream which meets the Susquehanna River 16 miles downstream. Just above the spill the creek is classified as a wild trout stream by the PA Fish and Boat Commission.

It took just over 13 hours for an emergency response crew, called Boots and Coots, to arrive from Texas before the out of control well was brought under control.

While there were no reports of injuries seven families were evacuated. The well called the Atgas 2H well is located in LeRoy Township. The well was being fractured at the time of the blow out.

In an ironic twist, Chesapeake gave the nearby town Galeton's Water Authority a check for $150,000 just hours before the well incident. The money was given to the water authority for repair work since it's intake system were clogged with sediment from Chesapeake's well development activities.

Since 2008, Chesapeake has been cited for 281 violations; thirty of those violations have happened this year alone. Fracking begins after a well has been drilled. It uses millions of gallons of water and unknown chemicals under pressure to fracture the underground shale to get the gas to the surface. Even in Texas, some are calling for changes.

The water, which flows out the well during the process, is called the flowback and is is laced with salts, mineral and radioactivity, along with the unknown chemicals. The waste water is considered highly toxic.

Currently, no environmental damage to the creeks or private water wells has been discovered, although that could change with time. But the incident raises several questions. Why was the well allowed so close to a pristine watershed area? Why were PA Emergency crews not sent immediately to the blow-out?

More Off the Wall Politics

PA Gov. Corbett encouraged state universities to drill for Marcellus Gas on their campuses to help solve financial problems caused by his slashing about half of their funding. Perhaps, the good gov. should drill under his personal residence instead of putting thousands of our best students at risk. Weird Politics.  Now, want to check out what pols are getting big bucks from the drillers? MarcellusMoney.Org

Civil War -

The Grand Army of the Republic, more commonly called the GAR, was a Civil War veterans organization which was organized shortly after the war.. Nearly every small town or village had a “Post”. One Post 240 was located in the small village of Wellsboro in Western Pennsylvania. From the handwritten minute book, recorded on Dec. 21, 1882:

“On motion the Post have an oyster supper on Jan. 4 on night of installation. Each commrade to pay for his own supper and ex soldiers and their families to be invited with the understanding they pay for their own supper. The following commrades appointed to make arrangements George C Mills, Sam J. Cole, JSSalsbury, Harrison Roy and Geo W. Baird

The committee procured the following terms

75 cents per couple. No charge for Barn room but charge for grain if fed. The Post will furnish one man to care for horses.”

I have often wondered about “oysters” and where in the dead of winter in northwestern Pennsylvania they would have been obtained. My thinking is that it was an oyster soup made from the Salsify plant, an uncommon vegetable today. It is often, however, called the oyster plant because it does have a taste similar to oysters. It has the best flavor after id goes through several hard freezes and can still be found for sale on some farms in some of the smaller hamlets.

While searching Civil War- Salsify, I also came across fried Jerusalem artichokes but that will have to wait. Besides, I am wondering who took care of the horses in the “barn room” and missed the “oysters”!

Salsify, a root crop, is a good tasting and healthy vegetable when picked after a long winter. It has a long growing season but it can be planted as soon as the weather breaks. We had a neighbor who use to plant it and give us some every year.

Spring Planting

Still waiting for the weather to clear. There has been plenty of rain and the ground is too saturated to work. This is an important year to get a vegetable garden planted since food prices along with gas prices are rising. Besides homegrown food is certainly tastier and healthier besides being a lot less expensive. Once the weather clears there are many crops which can be planted such as onions, potatoes, red beets, turnips, salsify (if you want a Civil War dish), lettuce and peas.

Check this out:

This is a good energy saving idea. Go Green with a gas powered bike. Simple to install from Rain Cross Motorbikes. Michael is a good Facebook friend and a musician and a third year student in college having a great time studying economics. If you get in touch, let him know I say “Hey”. Thanks. Pictured above are  Michael Perez and a business partner who founded the new company.

Good Blogs to Read

Corning New York Step by Step

Urban Veggie Garden

ProPublica

Penn Future

Thunder and Lightning April

          

It has been a wet and cold spring in northwestern Pennsylvania and the week after Easter will continue to be rainy, although the temps will be warmer. But I guess we can't complain considering some of the violent storms in other regions, floods in others, and major fires. Although, there have been some fairly strong thunder and lightning storms and days with sudden snows.

But it is frustrating trying to get anything done outside and backyard gardens will be important this year as food prices and gas prices continue to rise. Early crops can be peas, lettuce, potatoes, onions and kale. All healthy foods which can be grown easily out the backdoor.

Try to avoid using pesticides this year; they are deadly to many good, pollinating insects, particularly the honeybees and native bees. Besides, like everything else, the prices for these deadly chemicals are much more than last year. There are safer and just as effective organic solutions.

In the woods, the leeks are growing and in some areas are large enough and can be harvested. I'm thinking potato leek soup sometime this week.

The trout lilies are also growing; snow just doesn't seem to bother them. I've yet to see any Mayapples, Trilliums or Jack-in-the-Pulpits. Nor have the dandelions or bees made an appearance. Although the spring peepers did wake up around April 7th. Needless to say, they haven't been singing much.

Civil War Commemorations Begin

In Pennsylvania the 150^th anniversary of the Civil War began on April 12^th. That date is the 150^th anniversary of the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter. The commemorations will continue for the next four years and there are many different events scheduled throughout the region.

While no battles were fought in this region, there were certainly many who joined in the Union effort. A ride just about anywhere reveals monuments and cemeteries marked with GAR markers on hundreds in graves.

Throughout the region the Underground Railroad was very active. There is scant documentation because participation was an act of Civil Disobedience and illegal. Many Churches were involved in the effort to help slaves escape to freedom usually in Canada.

John Brown was an active participant in Crawford County where he operated a tannery and a farm for just about a decade. There is a museum at the site today. The graves of his first wife and several children also remain on the property today which annually hosts the John Brown Freedom Days celebration.

Marcellus Gas

There was a significant blow out at a well in Bradford. The well was being drilled by Chesapeake Drilling. Fracking waste water has entered a creek and has likely contaminated some of the soil.

Fracking has been a source of several water quality problems in Pennsylvania. An investigation is being conducted.
This is a big problem and needs attention right now.

After the problems happened a Bradford County Commissioner wrote a letter to Gov. Corbett about the situation. It is an informative read.

Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New York, where Marcellus Gas drilling is not allowed, sit on vast quantities of the gas estimated to be in the billions of dollars. The gas could support the energy needs of much of the east coast for a generation or longer.

In many small rural communities the gas has brought much needed jobs and additional income to many. But until some technological advances and better safety practices are in place, getting the gas out of the ground remains a very iffy practices.

Check this out - A Smart Idea, Go Green and Support Local Energy

This product is a real money saver and is environmentally better than using gasoline. One of the founders of this company, Rain Cross Motor Bikes, is a good Facebook friend of mine and a talented musician. He is also a third year college student taking up economics. Check out both sites listed below and if you do get in touch with Michael, let him know you saw it here. Thanks. Pictured is Michael (purple shirt) and his business partner.

http://www.raincrossmotorbikes.com/Raincross_Motor_Bikes/Product_Info.html - click and GO Green

http://listn.to/thatartthou Band - good listening but you might have to be a member of Facebook

Dirt is Dirt - Sometimes

Soil testing is a good idea and can be done at any time of the year. The soil can be tested at any Cooperative Extension Office for a small fee. Or a soil testing kit can be purchased at garden supply stores. The test will determine the soil's Ph and other necessary minerals. It is an option to grow better and more nourishing and abundant food crops and flowers. Even if compost is used, there are many weather related elements which can diminish the soils fertility.

Porcupines

Pennsylvania recently approve an official hunting season for porcupines which lasts from September 1 through March 31. Property owners, however, could always legally shot the animals if they were causing damage, which they do at times. Dogs are often the victims of the quills and generally need to be taken to the vet to get them out.

Not so sure I have ever heard of anyone eating a porcupine not have I ever seen one mounted on someone's living room wall. The Game Commission has no idea on the exact number of porcupines so it seems rather odd a season would be created. 

Good Blogs to Read

Corning NY Step by Step 

Urban Veggie Garden

Pro Publica

Penn Future

Signs of an Early Spring as Prices Rise; Take Action Now

                                                                                                    

Signs of an Early Spring, Prices Rise; Take Action Now

There are many signs an early spring may actually happened this year. First, the groundhogs predicted an early arrival on Feb. 2^nd. Now, within the last two weeks, robins and other spring birds have been seen; the geese have returned, honking and flying and throughout the northwestern Pennsylvania region, maple trees have been tapped.

Maple syrup making is an old tradition. Native American taught the first settlers how to use the sap which has many uses. Jack Wax, or a primitive maple candy, is always popular at events like the March 19 and 20^th Taste and Tour Open House at many local sugar shacks. Other candies are also made, along with mustard, peanut butter, maple teas and other products.

It won't be long before the trilliums, mayapples and leeks make an appearance. Mayapples and trilliums both offer some possibilities for home landscaping in some of those tougher spots.

It has been a long winter with no real let up since Thanksgiving. So it's sort of nice to see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

Food Prices on the Rise; Plant a Vegetable Garden this Year. Save money.

Even before the turmoil began to shake the Middle East, gasoline prices were slowly on the rise. With the turmoil, they are seemingly rising even faster. It is all the more reason to plan a bigger and better backyard garden this growing season. Food prices are bound to rise because of the higher cost of transporting food produce.

At home, using organic, chemical-free garden practices, the food will be healthier to eat and have more flavor. Homegrown also means less gasoline money spent on trips to the supermarket. If land is hard to come by for a vegetable garden, many crops can be grown successfully in containers.

There are many options for an over-abundance of home produce. Certainly, it can be canned or frozen; donated to food banks or shelters, or in some instances, it can be sold at a roadside stand to earn a little extra cash.

Trees

Every spring, is yard clean-up time for many property owners. Instead of paying to have the broken branches and other debris hauled to a landfill, consider making a brush pile. A brush pile provides shelter for many small animals and insects and can be made more attractive than just a pile of dead stuff.

In many regions, conservation groups have seedling tree sales. The proceeds generally are used for other environmental projects throughout the year. Crawford County has one sponsored by the Crawford County Conservation District. It features native trees, bushes and shrubs at a reasonable price.

Two varieties which caught my eye, were the white flowering dogwood and the spicebush. Technically known as Lindera benzoin, it is a host plant for the larvae of the black swallowtail butterfly. The only other host plant is the sassafras bush/tree.

It is a thick shrub, can take partial sun to full sun and is a thick shrub which grows between six and 12 feet tall. It has yellow flowers in the early spring, followed by brilliant red berries in the fall. The berries are an excellent food sources for many small animals and birds. It is hardy through Zone 4.

It is on my A list, along with the dogwood, for planting this spring.

There are many reasons to plant trees. Trees are a renewable resource which enhance our environment, are beneficial for wildlife, and make the landscape more attractive. Trees can also help save money since they provide cooling shade, like the oaks,  and help to reduce heating costs. Trees also improve water and air quality and the leaves provide plenty of free compost material.

Marcellus

Increasingly, there has been more focus on the Marcellus “fracking” process. Recently, there has been serious concern about radioactivity in the waste water from the fracking process. Serious concerns have also been raised about polluted creeks and streams, even in some native trout streams.

Fracking uses a whole series of chemicals which remain secret to help break the underground rocks to release the gas. There is a lot of concern over the dangers of the waster water from the process. Blow-outs and explosions are also a growing concern as more wells are drilled.

While the Marcellus boom is somewhat new to Pennsylvania, which has plenty of Marcellus Gas deep underground, Wyoming is a state with more experience, some of it not very good.

Read about Louis Meeks; it is a little lengthy but well worth the time. The story, be warned, is sort of sad and depressing.

For more information about Marcellus Gas in Pennsylvania, click MarcellusGas.org and MarcellusMoney.org. There is some eye opening information which can be found at both Web sites. Both are excellent.

Suggested Good Blogs

Corning New York One Step at a Time

Urban Veggie Garden

Pro Publica

New York's Southern Tier

Food Prices Rising, Act Now

                                                                                                

It was a spectacular sunset last night. “Red in the morning, sailor's warning, red at night, sailor's delight.” However, today, Valentine's Day turned ugly, with high winds, rain and snow ...no delight. Usually, the weather signs are more accurate than million dollar radars but not this time. Course the million dollar radars and forecasts were way off base the other day. A half an inch of snow was predicted in the overnight hours, in the morning at daybreak there was better than six inches on the ground and a blizzard was raging....

Where's that groundhog?

Another Good Reason

Food prices are on the rise, according to many predictions, for example this article and this article. It's just another good reason to re-work, re-think or even plan a home vegetable garden this spring. A vegetable garden is going to save a lot of money, plus provide health benefits and good meals.

A good consideration is to also consider planting perennial crops which will continue to produce for years. Examples, asparagus, blueberries and rhubarb.

Considering the rising gasoline prices, the savings could be even more than expected. Yesterday, here in northwestern Pennsylvania, the price per gallon at every gas station was posted as $3.25 per gallon. I'd put money that the price will be even higher at week's end.

Many healthy foods can be planted early in the spring, such as lettuce and peas and some Cole crops like cabbage and broccoli. Seeds for peppers and tomatoes can be easily started indoors at home; there's no big mystery.

Many vegetables and herbs can also be successfully grown in containers. If a vegetable plot or container gardens are possible, consider buying from your local growers. It keeps the money in the local community. Just be sure to check, they are organic and don't use the harmful agrochemicals.

The recession is still here and prices are now rising, it's time to save some household money. For example, the price of a salad mix is between $2.00 and $2.50 (and will likely go higher).

An example: For $2.00, lettuce seeds can be purchased and with little effort a small patch of ground, or a container, can be prepared and within weeks, lettuce can be harvested, for much of the year.

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Speaking of AgroChemicals

Many beekeeping organizations are asking the EPA to ban the use of a pesticide called “clothindian” which also goes by the name of “Poncho”. This chemical is used to treat corn seed before it is planted to thwart the harmful root worm which will kill the corn.

This chemical is manufactured by Bayer, a German company (of aspirin fame). Once it was used in Germany, beekeepers noticed a dramatic decline in bee populations. It was promptly banned. France, Italy and Slovenia quickly followed suit and banned “Poncho”.

Honeybees, as well as native bumblebees and other pollinators, pollinate many of our crops and are responsible for about a third of the food we eat. Equally important, these insects pollinate a number of wild food crops which are a food source for our native wildlife, birds, deer, squirrels, to name just a few.

There are simple actions we can all do to help which are more helpful than contacting legislators.

Avoid all chemical pesticides.

Plant native flowers and herbs.

If possible, create natural, backyard habitats.

The Northern Alligator aka the Wolf Fish

Learn more about this fish, great fishing, good eating.

Snapping turtles, we all have a story about an encounter, see Myrtle, the snapping turtle.

Anc

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ient Yarrow is a good herb to consider this spring.

Good Blogs to Consider:

Corning New York, Step by Step

Urban Veggie Garden