Monday, March 24, 2014
Friday, March 21, 2014
Join a CSA for ultra-fresh, locally grown food
Looking forward to spring and the growing
season, I just joined a Community Supported Agriculture program, or CSA for the
first time. Most of the time, joining requires making a deposit now and full
payment before receiving any product. But in general, farmers are probably the
hardest working, most honest people I’ve ever come across. Paying at the
beginning of growing season enables them to purchase seed and start production
without having to take out a loan. Then for 20 weeks, I’ll get a share of just
harvested, seasonal produce, and the challenge of cooking and consuming all of
it. I look forward to that challenge, but most growers help out by providing
recipes along with the abundance.
Shopping at a farmers’ market is often a
social time and a great way to get to know who grows your food. Some CSA
programs deliver at the market, but also offer another delivery option. If you
find shopping on Saturday morning inconvenient, joining a CSA may be a better
way to get your nutrition through ultra-fresh, locally grown food.
Creeksong Farm
Lasts
for 20 weeks, beginning in early June. Tuesday pickups will begin June 3rd,
2014 and end October 14th at the Agricultural Conference Center
loading dock or at the farm in Creston. Another option for pick up is at the
Watauga farmers’ market on Saturdays.
Pay
a 50% deposit as soon as possible to reserve a space, with the total cost due
by May 1st.
Full shares cost $500.00 and
receive $25.00 worth of food each week.
Half shares cost $300.00 and
receive $15.00 worth of food each week.
Vegetarian shares are available.
On weeks when beef and/or eggs are included, vegetarian shares will get more
produce to make up the difference in cost. Participants are allowed a one
week vacation credit for produce at the farmers’ market.
High Country CSA
This
multi-farm CSA deliverers on Wednesdays in Boone from June 4th
through October 15th . Total payment is due by June 1st.
There are several options:
Garden Share, $300- contains
4-6 vegetables for small single households.
Full Harvest Share, $600-
contains 7-10 seasonal produce items, including herbs. Appropriate for large
households, or small households that rely on produce for a significant portion
of their diet.
Variety Share, $600-
includes a garden share plus special items like free-range eggs, breads,
chevre, molasses, jams, and more.
Elliott,
highcountrycsa@gmail.com, http://highcountrycsa.wix.com/barntall
Lively Up Farm
Delivery
will be at the Watauga County farmers’ market, with another option being
considered, starting mid to late May and lasting for 20 weeks. Every share will
contain at least 4 to 5 varieties of vegetables. Full shares cost $500 and
receive $25 of vegetables weekly. A $300 share is also available, with $15 of
vegetables weekly.
North Fork Farm
Participants
receive a monthly delivery of different cuts of beef, pork and chicken at the
Agricultural Conference Center in Boone beginning April 14th through
August 11th. Half share members receive approximately a 10 lb. box monthly at a cost
of $350 for the contract period, working well for single persons, couples or small
family. Full
share members receive approximately a 20 lb. box monthly at a cost of $600,
working well for families of 3 or more.
Octopus garden
Participants receive produce every other week
beginning May 20th through October 21st delivered on
Tuesday nights near downtown Boone. The price for membership is $250, and includes at
least $25 worth of produce in the box each delivery. Options for installments
are available for those who are interested but can’t pay $250 all at once.
Carolina Hampton, hamptoncaroline@gmail.com
Springhouse farm
This
year they are using "Eating on the Wild Side" by Jo Robinson to
select the most
nutritious varieties of vegetables that can be grown.
nutritious varieties of vegetables that can be grown.
Half
Share: Approximately $15 worth of vegetables each week, $300.
Full Share: Approximately $25 worth of vegetables each week, $500.
Saturday shares begin May 25th at the Watauga County farmers’ market and Tuesday shares begin May 28th to be picked up at the farm in Vilas between 2 and 6.
Full Share: Approximately $25 worth of vegetables each week, $500.
Saturday shares begin May 25th at the Watauga County farmers’ market and Tuesday shares begin May 28th to be picked up at the farm in Vilas between 2 and 6.
Wild Pilgrim
Homestead
The
CSA box includes a variety of what they grow on their farm as well as other
locally and regionally sourced fruits and veggies. No up front payment is
required, and you can place orders weekly as you need them. The CSA is year
round, delivering Thursdays at noon at Bare Essentials. $25 per week. Bonnie or
Jason Lewis, (828) 455-7808, wildpilgrimfarmstead@gmail.com
4-H Fruit Plant Sale
Growing your own fruits and berries is lots of fun! Order your plants and benefit Watauga County 4-H
The fruit plant sale order form is available at the Extension office at 971 West King Street, 264-3061 or can be downloaded HERE
Orders are due by Friday, March 28. The plants will be available for pick up Friday, April 11, 12:00-6:00 and Saturday, April 12, 9:30-12:30
Ways to have fun with fruits and berries:
Grow strawberries in a creative container. The Albion variety does well in containers
Make an edible landscape with blueberry bushes. Have fun making blueberry pies, pancakes, muffins and more!
Make something crazy in the kitchen. Invent a recipe, experiment- add raspberries to your salad. Make a raspberry vinegar.
Want to cool down? Pop a frozen berry in your mouth.
Blackberries make great dyes. Experiment with plant dyes from your garden.
Apples connect us with our heritage. Carve dried apple faces with your extra apples.
Explore fruit drying. Make your own solar food dehydrator.
So many fun and tasty things to learn and do in the garden!
Where is Your Teen?
image retrieved from: http://fyi.uwex.edu/swys/2013/02/27/teens-and-parental-monitoring/
While adolescence is a time of growing autonomy for teens,
they still need their parents. Parents
may be challenged to find the right balance of connection and involvement and control
and/or appropriate loosening of control.
Some research shows that parental
monitoring is a crucial component of parenting. Higher parental monitoring created more
intrinsic motivation in one study and decreased school trouble and increased
school self-esteem.
Supervision is a protective act involving knowing where the
teen is, what they are doing and who they are with.
Here are some examples of teens who receive parental
monitoring:
(a) My parents know
where I am after school,
(b) If I am going to be home later, I am expected to call my
parents to let them know,
(c) I tell my parents who I am going to be with before I go
out,
(d) When I go out at night, my parents know where I am,
(e) I talk with my parents about the plans I have with my
friends, and
(f) When I go out, my parents ask me where I am going.
These resources can be helpful in sharpening our parental
monitoring skills:
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Household water well owners encouraged to use help hotline
Household well owners
with questions about their water well system, water quality, or well
construction can contact an information hotline operated by the National Ground
Water Association at 855-420-9355 (855-H20-WELL).
The hotline is part of
a package of information resources offered by NGWA with support from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
The purpose of the
Private Well Owner Hotline is to answer basic water well-related questions.
When it comes to specific issues regarding a person’s well system or water
quality, the hotline can help guide well owners to the assistance they need.
“Ideally, every well
owner should have a trusted relationship with a water well contractor who can
answer questions and provide service when necessary,” said NGWA Public
Awareness Director Cliff Treyens. “If that is not the case, the hotline can
guide well owners to the information or assistance they require.”
The Private Well Owner
Hotline operating hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 1
p.m.Eastern Time, except national holidays.
Among the other
information resources being offered through the NGWA website,www.WellOwner.org, are free online well owner
lessons and webinars.
Protect Your Private Well Webinar Opportunities
Groundwater Protection: How You Can Protect Your Well Water
Quality
April 2nd, 1 p.m. Easter Time
Registration link: http://login.icohere.com/registration/register.cfm?reg=1035&evt=04022014&t=1394736447031&t=1395171470828
Presenter: Tom Christopherson is the program manager for Nebraska’s
Water Well Standards and Contractors’ Licensing Program for the Department of
Health and Human Services. A licensed water well drilling and pump installation
contractor, he has more than 25 years of hands-on field experience,
complemented by his 12 years in water regulation enforcement and inspection.
In this webinar, you will learn about some of the common causes
of preventable groundwater contamination and actions you can take to protect
your groundwater-supplied drinking water from contamination.
Water Well Maintenance: Where Do You Begin?
April 9th, 1 p.m. Eastern Time
Registration link:
Presenter: Gary Hix is a registered geologist, certified well
driller and pump installer, and immediate past president of the Arizona Water
Well Association.
Water wells are expertly engineered systems that sometimes
require maintenance. Learn how to stay on top of maintenance needs to protect
water quality.
Water Well Flooding: What Do You Do?
April 17th, 1 p.m. Eastern Time
Registration link:
Presenter: Michael Schnieders is a professional geologist and
hydrologist, and senior consultant for Water Systems Engineering in Ottawa,
Kansas.
In this Webinar, you will learn what to do and not to do if your
well is infiltrated by flood waters. You will learn how best to restore your
water quality and the functioning of your water well system.
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