September, the Month of Changes

                                                                                               

The last week or so has been "Mother Nature Strange" with a no-name earthquake and Irene. There is not much more to be said, but hopefully, if you have family and friends in those regions, they are safe and sound. Vermont is one heck of a beautiful state with some fantastic people and hopefully the recovery there this week will proceed smoothly.

Another major tropical storm is expected to reach hurricane levels in the next few days, Katria. It is unclear at the moment to know if it will pose a threat to the east coast.

Pictured above is a local dam, the Union City Dam. It holds back the French Creek watershed area and French Creek itself and slowly releases the water to help alleviate flooding further downstream. It is between 400 and 500 miles away from the heavy rains Irene brought.

When the Dam is at capacity, it forms a temporary lake almost six miles long. On Saturday, August 27, it was dry except for the creek. The northwestern Pennsylvania area was fortunate and was spared. But September is about more ritual changes; it won't be long and the leaves will put on a show and fall, sounds of chain saws and log splitters will be commonplace and forecasts will warn of killing hard frosts. And everyone knows what will happen next.

Unfortunately as September begins, thousands are still groping with recovery from Irene, and some Vermont and New York villages remain isolated, homes destroyed and bridges wiped out. There are some politicians who want to hold the storm recovery hostage to budget talks; I think that is flat out wrong and un-American, as well as, a non-Christian stance.

Perhaps, it is my idealistic pragmatism, but I think the emphasis should be on the American people and job creation, not political ideologies.

Jewelweed and the late Summer Early Fall Flower Show

Pictured above is a Jewelweed plant. The medicinal herb has been blooming now for the last several weeks; it grows on moist land. Locally, the plant, which can be five feet tall, blooms a brilliant orange color; although, in some other regions, the flowers are yellow.

It is sort of invasive and can spread rapidly. Jewelweed produces thousands of tiny seeds and it can be difficult to control, though it is easy to rip out of the ground.

However, the plant does attract hummingbirds and it is a favorite for the bumblebees. It is also a natural treatment, known by the Native Americans, as a natural remedy for poison ivy and insect bites. The stems contain a clear sappy substance when broken; it can then be applied to the skin to relieve any discomfort. From personal experience, with mosquito bites anyway, it is very effective.

September, a month of changes, is a great time of the year to enjoy what is happening in the fields and the woods. Many species of colorful, native flowers ( important to protect and keep) are now blooming besides the Jewelweed. And it won't be long before the stumpy mushrooms will appear.
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Garden Notes:

There were some failures this year because of the cool, wet spring and a hungry woodchuck (s). But the tomatoes and peppers are doing fantastic; no sign of any blight – yet. The sunflowers were amazing.

The wet spring wasn't good for the peas and the woodchuck (and other critters) got all the beans, lettuce and cauliflower, the squash and pumpkins (grrrrr).

This fall, I am going to re-work and improve my raised bed garden closer to the house. It is time to add more organic materials, overturn the ground, and maybe get a late cover crop planted. The garden closer to the house doesn't have as much wildlife, thanks to foot traffic and the the dog.

In a few short weeks, it will be time to get the garlic planted for next year.

It was a hectic summer and didn't have a lot of time this year. But it is a good idea to find the time and get the soil ready for the long winter in the next several months. The work now makes spring planting better.

Frontier at Three Rivers

Author Sam Hossler published another novel - fictional, yet historically accurate- titled “Frontier at Three Rivers”. Sam is a well known writer in much of western Pennsylvania and now lives in Florida. His books deal with the early pioneer days of settlement, the courage and tragedies faced by settlers and Native Americans. If your looking for some great reading, or getting an early start on Christmas shopping, click samhossler.com

Good Reading, Energy and Food Concerns and the Darn Woodchuck

                                                                                               

Good Reading

Sam Hossler, formerly a long time resident of Canadohta Lake has published a new book, Frontier at Three Rivers. The latest book was released on July 4.

Frontier at Three Rivers is a rewrite of two previous books, Summer of 1763 and The Great Land Grab. The latest book has new maps and is illustrated by local artist Jack Paluh. The book chronicles the stories of pioneer families in western Pennsylvania and the dangers they faced..

Sam has a unique ability to bring history alive and the latest book, as well as the others, are enjoyable and informative. Get the book and sit back for some great, good summer reading.

Sam has written hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles for some thirty years, and has been a active in the Outdoor Writers of America and served as president of the Pennsylvania Chapter. He also was the editor of the popular Canadohta Lake Breeze and was active in many community events before moving to Florida. As can be seen in the picture below, he enjoys his fishing.

All of Sam's books can be purchased online at Sam Hossler or at Amazon.com including the newest Frontier at Three Rivers. Visit his Web page at Sam Hossler.com

Energy Justice

A friend from way back is one of the co-directors of this Web page and it is well worth the time and effort to take a look. It is energyjustice.net and it examines all sorts of energy sources and valuable, more green alternatives. Stay informed and know the issues before some company knocks on the door. It is an excellent site which discusses energy sources. Good Reading.

On the subject of energy the Crawford Renewable Energy plant, which will be one of, if not the largest tire incinerator plants in the world, will be the subject of a public hearing July 25 at 6:30 p.m. At Conneaut Lake High School. Care, who group who opposes the facility because of environmental concerns has a nice web at www.stopburningtires.com

Marcellus Gas

I guess the moral of the story is don't believe everything you hear. It seems there are some questions being raised about the real economic impact of the Marcellus Gas drilling boom currently underway in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and other regions.

Certainly, property owners can realize a tidy profit, but many others are not seeing any economic impact, according to this article in a Pittsburgh paper. Some communities have seen no benefits, while others are dealing with the damages to roads, bridges and water supplies. And since there is no gas tax on the drillers, all of the citizens of Pennsylvania are taking a hit. Questions are also being raised about the common belief that less regulation means more investment.

Some outdoor sport groups are beginning to demand better controls and regulations because of water pollution in some of the best streams and problems with the states hunters. These groups claim the out of state drillers are not taking these issues seriously...and they are right. The natural resources of Pennsylvania do not belong to drilling companies from Texas, which donate a tidy sum of money to our politicos. The information can be found a MarcellusMoney.org. Interesting and good reading.

Harvest Season is Beginning

Support your local farms and buy local produce. Often, it is less expensive, it is fresher and tastier and it is usually far better for health.

A home vegetable garden can save money and can teach valuable dietary habits to younger family members. The obesity rates for Pennsylvania and many other states has risen dramatically because of the poor nutritional levels of the foods we are eating. Younger people who develop poor eating habits are destined for a later life plaque with some nasty health problems.

The Garden Here

Well, it has been so-so thus,  far and a woodchuck is now posing some problems. I scattered some dog hair around thinking that would make him pause before eating beans and cauliflower, pumpkins and squash – didn't work. I am hoping some of the plants will recover. Pictured is a white pumpkin plant some critter feasted on yesterday; it decided to bloom anyway, so maybe it'll make it.

Well, I think it is a woodchuck; I have seen it (he's a huge one) in the vicinity, whereas, I hardly ever see a rabbit anymore. There are no deer tracks. And I don't think coyotes eat cauliflower plants. The garden is huge, about the size of a football field, so a fence is out of the solution.

Tomatoes and peppers are doing good now after a cold wet spring and a late start. The weather has been warm and dry here, hopefully, those conditions keep the late blight away. Maybe I'll get a watermelon crop this year; the plants are looking nice.

Peas will have to be a fall crop this year. It was just to wet and rainy in May and June to get them planted.

NOTE: I read an article last week which raises concerns about using Round-Up weed killer and birth defects. It's well worth the read.

Good Blogs to Read

Corning New York, Step by Step

Urban Veggie Garden

Energy Justice.net http://www.energyjustice.net/

Bees, Blight, Bears and the Amazing Sachem

 For many in the northeast and Great Lakes regions, it has been a very wet spring; for many farmers, the corn crop went in late, if at all due to wet field conditions. Home gardeners were also late, and what did get in the ground just sort of sat there.

Some garden organizations are already raising the red flag about a gardeners worse nightmare this year, the late tomato blight. The blight is fatal after a few days to both tomatoes and potatoes. The late blight thrives in cool wet conditions and can spread via the wind and infect gardens for miles around.

There are some good resources to help identify the late blight and most claim the best thing to do is to check your plants regularly and if an infection is discovered, the plant should be pulled immediately and properly discarded.

It's getting a little late to plant blight resistant tomatoes but it is worth a shot and try. There are some organic copper sprays available. However, some of these sprays are not very good for beneficial insects in the garden. Some of the chemicals are not good for the soil, investigate  money saving and healthy organic gardening.

I planted about three dozen Speckled Roman tomatoes in the garden with four going into pots. Hopefully, I'll be able to build a small cold frame/greenhouse in the upcoming weeks and that’s where the potted plants will go. We'll see how that works, just in case.

Gardens can save homeowners a lot of money. They also provide tasty and healthy vegetables.

If conditions were too wet this spring, think about planting a garden which will be ready to harvest in late summer of fall. There's many different kinds of vegetables which can be planted which do not require a long growing season and which actually enjoy the cooler conditions.

Bees and Bears

While doing the yard or garden work this summer be careful if you use pesticides. Many are fatal to the honeybees and our native bees. Check out other options to control a situation instead of using harmful and toxic chemicals. The bees have been declining in numbers for the past several years and they are needed to help pollinate many of our crops.

By the same token, the bees pollinate many wild food sources which provide food for our native wildlife.

While the bees are having population problems, bears in Pennsylvania are becomng more plentiful. Sure wildlife can be troublesome such as the bears, raccoons, possums, coyotes and skunks. Follow a few basic steps to avoid problems: secure garbage in tight containers, don't leave pet food outside, never – ever feed the bears or any other wildlife except maybe the birds. (Note: It is illegal to feed bears in PA.)

If you happen to come across a bear, it's likely more scared of you than you are of it. If you must, shout and wave your arms. If the animal is aggressive, contact local police or the game commission.

Fracking

Marcellus Gas drilling has created jobs and promises to be an economic boom for Pennsylvania, New York State and West Virginia in particular. However, there have been many concerns about the effects of fracking on water quality.

Anglers and hunters, along with outdoor organizations are expressing concerns and are taking water samples.

The gas drilling industry claims the process is safe and still pays no taxes in Pennsylvania.

Civil War - The amazing story of the Sachem

His Native American Seneca name was Hasanowanda or “The Reader” and was born in 1828. He's better known today as Eli Samuel Parker. His family adopted the name Parker to deal with white settlers in the western New York – Pennsylvania region.

His father was a Tonawanda Chief and a veteran of the War of 1812, his mother a descendant of an Iroquois prophet.

In 1852, he became a sachem and adopted the name Donehogawa or “Keeper of the Western Door of the Long House of the Iroquois”. Afterward, he studied engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and landed a job with the federal government working on public works projects. He met Ulyses S. Grant during this work period.

Parker attempted to enlist in the Union Army at the outbreak of the Civil War but was unable because of his Native American heritage.

Eventually, he was commissioned by Grant to be his military war secretary. He was present at Lee's surrender at Appomattox on April 9, 1865 where he recorded Grant's orders of surrender.

When Grant was elected president, he appointed Parker to be his Commissioner of Indian Affairs on April 13, 1869. Afterward he became a successful businessman in New York City and later held positions with New York Police Department.

He died on August 31, 1895 and is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York.

Learn More about the Work of a Farrier

Read and learn some of the insights about this fascinating, yet dangerous  profession.

If not a Horse, check Out This Energy Saver.

Rain Cross Motor Bike

Good Blogs

Corning New York Step by Step

Urban Veggie Garden

Pro Publica

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

Corning NY Step by Step

Urban Veggie Garden

PennEnvironment

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