So Long, Farewell

This is the last post you will see on Mossyrock Community Blog. Sadly, no one has come forward to replace me and my attention to this blog has been diminishing to the point of nonexistence. The blog originally started years ago by Washington State University, who named it and gave it to our tiny steering committee.

After faltering for sometime, yours truly went to a weekend Seminar at WSU East with some high school recruits for a long weekend on blogging and communication skills for the Horizon Project. The weekend was unforgettable, two of our Mossy High School students booked into one hotel with myself booked into a completely different hotel. It went downhill from there, but all in all the kids came home with new knowledge and I learned a number of new life lessons.

Sometime later our committee gained independence from WSU and formed the Mossyrock Area Action League. What birthing pains we suffered setting up our own 501-c3, by laws, motto, designs, mission statements. More than one dinner meeting over my large dinning room table where people bonded and worked so hard to put MAAL together for the betterment of our town. Everyone struggled to keep what the native Mossyrock people expected and yet move us positively forward with transparency to keep our community from stagnating or worse yet disappearing. Thank you to all who volunteered your time and patience then and now.

Thanks to all of you who checked on this blogger for updates or interesting information over 30,000 times. Should you, your brother, your mom or anyone else like to take over and become a contributor to this blog please feel free to contact me.
trudreambeliever@gmail.com

Farewell and thanks for all the fish..........(Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy)

Just a few random pictures that may or may not have been published yet. Recent volunteers and pictures of our countryside.

GMA (Grocery Manufacturers Association) forced to reveal donors after illegally donating to No on 522. Nestle, Coke and Pepsi are at the top of the multi-million dollar campaign against I-522. Large, disgusting corporations from out of state peddling lies and fear to keep from revealing the truths about their products. 

 VOTE YES on Initiative 522!

 

BREAKING: GMA forced to reveal its donors after illegally donating to No on 522.
Read more: http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2013/10/18/pepsi-coke-nestle-top-multi-million-dollar-campaign-against-i-522/

1963 CELEBRATES 50TH CLASS REUNION

The Mossyrock High School Class of 1963 is making plans for its 50th Class Reunion to be held on September 7, 2013 at the Mayfield Marina. Reunion organizers are trying to locate several of our classmates.


Anyone who knows how to reach the people listed below are asked to please contact Cheryl Osborne at (253) 820-7460 or email her at osborne4@q.com.


The classmates being sought are: Don Faulkner, Norman Metzker, Doug Hooper, Norma Murphy, Allen Givens, Herb O'Shane, Robert Matthews, Marilyn Jacobsen. Don Lane, Richard Frady, Sharon Godfrey (Selfe) and Gloria Reese.

unrelated class reunion

FARMING WITH DRAFT ANIMALS WORKSHOP

 

Join us for an on-farm, experiential workshop on plowing techniques using draft horses.

When: Sunday, June 16, 2013, 1pm–5pm.
Where: Belfair, WA
Cost: $30/person and pre-registration required: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/399458

 

 There is a rich history of using draft animals in farming, logging, and transportation in Western Washington. Mechanized approaches to farming have mostly replaced the use of draft animals, but the time-tested method is making a come-back with the realization that heavy farm work can be accomplished in an energy and land-use efficient manner using animal power. This workshop is an opportunity to learn from and network with some of our region's most influential and skilled teamsters.

The workshop is intended for the small-scale farmer who is looking to incorporate draft animal power into their farm. Workshop topics will include:
- Introduction to horse powered operations: draft horse farm ecology, economics, and general care
- Cultivation basics: equipment for field cultivation, hitching and horse training, as well as safety
- Soil management basics: soil types, land impacts of various types of equipment, and soil fertility management

- A live demonstration of horse powered farm cultivation by experienced teamsters.

Presented by the Small Farms program of WSU Extension/Mason Conservation District and Pacific Salmon Center's Farm at Waters' Edge. For more info contact Lucas Patzek at: lpatzek@wsu.edu, 360-867-2151.

OUTDOOR COOKING ANYTIME

Come and Join us for some fun and
tasty outdoor cooking ideas! We will demonstrate the how–to’s of
Dutch oven, Cedar plank and foil pouch cooking; smoking meats,
and of course, barbeque!

SEE OUR BROCHURE FOR PICTURES and INFORMATION

Saturday June 15, 2013

10:00 am—1:00 pm
Borst Park, Centralia. Kitchen #1


WSU 4-H Master Food Preserver and Safety Advisors
351 NW North Street Chehalis, WA 98532
(360) 740-1212
e-mail karen.vonseggern@lewiscountywa.gov
kimberly.weiland@lewiscountywa.gov

TRANSFERING YOUR FARM/FOREST/RANCH FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT

Hello Everyone,


Here is an opportunity to receive information about legal and economic aspects of transferring your farm, forest or ranch lands from one generation to the next.

It is being held locally on Saturday, June 15, 2013 from 8am to 4 pm at the Old Credit Union Building in Chehalis, just north of the Extension office (156 NW Chehalis Avenue in Chehalis; take exit 79 from I-5, head east, turn left onto Chehalis Avenue at the third light).

The registration fee is $45 per family; bring your own lunch or purchase an optional lunch for additional $10/person.

Please send your registration to the address on the brochure in Wenatchee with a postmark no later than Friday, June 7th.

Lewis County Extension Office
Contributed by Sheila Gray

REGISTRATION FORM

KLICKITAT PRAIRIE PARK NEWS

The Park is in need of either a finish mower that can be pulled behind their tractor or a riding lawn mower for the park. If anyone would like to donate one or sell one for cheap please contact Rebecca at 360-508-7158.

Next Mossyrock Area Recreation Committee volunteer meeting is May 21st - 6 pm at the Mossyrock Community Center. This is the group of people that are building the Klickitat Prairie Park in the city of Mossyrock. Everyone is welcome so please join us and see how you can make a difference.

WEB PAGE UPDATE

Although the Mossyrock Blueberry Festival Web Page has been rather obscure in the recent past, it is now NEW and IMPROVED.
The Blueberry Festival, http://mossyrockfestivals.org pages have all been updated to include events for the expanded 2013 Festival. All details about Mossyrock's biggest event of the year will be added and updated as soon as any new attractions or mini event information becomes available. Please check it out, you will find your applications for venders, car submissions, and quilt entries too.

Blueberry Festival

MOSSYROCK AREA ACTION LEAGUE - GLENN ALDRICH - CHAIRMAN

Blueberry Festival Update:

Our new Event Book is at the printers. We are expecting to get them this week & immediately will begin distribution. We are expecting to each advertiser and local outlets as well as again from Vancouver, to the ocean beaches, to Tacoma, and eastern Washington areas of Yakima, Wenatchee, Chelan, Okanogan/Omak, Tonasket, Othello, and at least as far east as Ritzville .

VERY NICE JOB .... and a lot of time put into it by Jan Meade. Thank you very much, Jan! I believe that it will be the nicest that we have done. More advertisers than last year, which will help our budget.

Lots of 'new' about this year's Blueberry Festival. We are promoting the Festival as "Come to Mossyrock for a weekend of fun". The 'weekend' being a new reason for visitors to come & stay for a day/two...why not for a whole week!? We are providing a bunch of new reasons to 'come & stay'.

The Festival this year will begin at noon Friday 2 August and close at noon Sunday 4 August, with a Car & Boat Parts Swap as a new feature. Also this year includes a Chris Guenter concert, Friday night, free to the public, in Mayfield Village, and is being sponsored by the Lakeside Marina. Thanks to Trent Richardson. Early Saturday morning will be a 5K run, being sponsored by the MHS cross-country team. The traditional parade, organized again by the VFW & Am Vets, will again be a noon-time event, but lineup for the parade will be organized differently which is expected to produce less congestion. On Saturday afternoon will be the Dog Show sponsored by Almost Home animal rescue group as led by Kaija Plant Patio and the Weiner Dog races put on by Pioneer West Nursery... And, of course the CHAMPIONSHIP BLUEBERRY PIE EATING CONTEST, sponsored this year by Robert Morris Masonic Lodge. (Note, this year the pie eating contest is being billed as the "championship' contest....) And, of course will be the traditional Quilt Show, sponsored by the BearCanyon Quilters. Also, this year will be TWO pancake breakfasts, the traditional one on Saturday morning by the Assembly of God and the second one on Sunday morning by the Fire Dist. Also, on Sunday morning between the pancake breakfast & the regular morning church services in the community will be an hour of gospel music by Jerry Skinner, on the Blueberry Festival Stage.

All vendors and events including convenient parking this year will be in Klickitat Park.

A different way to develop the weekend of events is by utilizing EVENT SPONSORS. The various Event Sponsors are responsible for organizing and conducting their event. In exchange the Festival is providing them some public relations promotion. And a great big Thank You! It is hoped that this will become a regular way to put on the Festival and involve greater participation by the community.

More, as we get closer to the first weekend of August!



Glenn

The Klickitat Park Project is moving forward at an amazing pace! Not only is there a restroom, a fully finished children's play area with a large swing set, and picnic tables where you can enjoy your lunch, now the Community Garden Area is complete. What an improvement!

In one of the pictures (thank you Doniea) that I am posting, you will see that the City Planners have even thought of bringing water inside the fence for everyone's convenience. The water will be supplied by"rain harvesting". Please go down and take a look at the huge rain water collectors waiting for the rest of their essentials to be built in the near future.

GET YOUR GARDEN SPACE RESERVED SOON! They will run out. If nothing else, plant a garden and give the produce to the Food Bank.

 



FINISHED!



Cloning Trees!

You may ask what this has to do with those of us in Mossyrock. Our economy is supplemented by trees in many ways. Christmas Tree Farms to several Logging operations and Mills dot our surrounding area. The article below should interest all those wanting to protect our environment.

 

JOHN FLESHER AP Environmental Writer

COPEMISH, Mich. (AP) — A team led by a nurseryman from northern Michigan and his sons has raced against time for two decades, snipping branches from some of the world's biggest and most durable trees with plans to produce clones that could restore ancient forests and help fight climate change.
Now comes the most ambitious phase of the quest: getting the new trees into the ground.
Ceremonial plantings of two dozen clones from California's mighty coastal redwoods will take place Monday in seven nations: Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, Germany and the U.S.
Although measuring just 18-inches tall, the laboratory-produced trees are genetic duplicates of three giants that were cut down in northern California more than a century ago. Remarkably, shoots still emerge from the stumps, including one known as the Fieldbrook Stump near McKinleyville, which measures 35 feet in diameter. It's believed to be about 4,000 years old. The tree was about 40 stories high before it was felled.
"This is a first step toward mass production," said David Milarch, co-founder of Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, a nonprofit group spearheading the project. "We need to reforest the planet; it's imperative. To do that, it just makes sense to use the largest, oldest, most iconic trees that ever lived."
Milarch and his sons Jared and Jake, who have a family-owned nursery in the village of Copemish, Mich., became concerned about the condition of the world's forests in the 1990s. They began crisscrossing the U.S. in search of "champion" trees that have lived hundreds or even thousands of years, convinced that superior genes enabled them to outlast others of their species. Scientific opinion varies on whether that's true, with skeptics saying the survivors may simply have been lucky.
The Archangel leaders say they're out to prove the doubters wrong. They've developed several methods of producing genetic copies from cuttings, including placing branch tips less than an inch long in baby food jars containing nutrients and hormones. The specimens are cultivated in labs until large enough to be planted.
In recent years, they have focused on towering sequoias and redwoods, considering them best suited to absorb massive volumes of carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas primarily responsible for climate change.
"If we get enough of these trees out there, we'll make a difference," said Jared Milarch, the group's executive director.
Archangel has an inventory of several thousand clones in various stages of growth that were taken from more than 70 redwoods and giant sequoias. NASA engineer Steve Craft, who helped arrange for David Milarch to address an agency gathering, said research shows that those species hold much more carbon than other varieties.
The challenge is to find places to put the trees, people to nurture them and money to continue the project, Jared Milarch said. The group is funded through donations and doesn't charge for its clones.
"A lot of trees will be planted by a lot of groups on Arbor Day, but 90 percent of them will die," David Milarch said. "It's a feel-good thing. You can't plant trees and walk away and expect them to take care of themselves."
The recipients of Archangel redwoods have pledged to care for them properly, he said. The first planting of about 250 took place in December on a ranch near Port Orford, Ore. Others will be planted during Earth Day observances Monday at the College of Marin in Kentwood, Calif., and in parks and private estates in the other six countries.
"I know the trees will thrive here," said Tom Burke, landscape manager at the College of Marin. "We've had redwoods in this area since God planted them."

 Hospitality Training on the White Pass Scenic Byway

Dear Byway Stakeholder,

Register now for this fun, interactive, free workshop to sharpen your knowledge of the Byway. Learn about the new Passport program. Every participant will receive an official White Pass Scenic Byway window decal and button. Pick up our tear-sheet maps of the byway and other important material from our partners. Our goal is to present a friendly and well versed byway business community. We want to extend our welcome to all who come to visit.

When
Tuesday April 23, 2013 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM PDT
Where
Tiller Arts Center in Morton, 239 W. Main Avenue, Morton, WA 98356
OR
Wednesday, April 24 - 10:00am AND 2:00pm
Packwood Community Building

We will have presentations from:

•Mt. Rainier National Park
•Visit Rainier
•Tacoma Power
•Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
•Gifford Pinchot National Forest
•White Pass Scenic Byway

Click on the link below to register:

REGISTER HERE

 

Celebrating Arbor Day - History

Crimson Pride Page 3

The idea for Arbor Day originally came from, Nebraska. A visit to Nebraska today wouldn’t

disclose that the state was once a treeless plain. Yet it was the lack of trees there that led

to the founding of Arbor Day in the 1800s.

 

Among pioneers moving into the Nebraska Territory in 1854 was J. Sterling Morton from Detroit. He and his wife were nature lovers, and the home they established in Nebraska was quickly planted with trees, shrubs and flowers. On January 4. 1872. Morton first proposed a tree-planting holiday to be called ‘y” at a meeting

of the State Board of Agriculture. The date was set for April 10, 1872. Prizes were offered

to counties and individuals for planting properly the largest number of trees on that day.

It was estimated that more than one million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day.

Arbor Day was officially proclaimed by the young states Goy. Robert W. Fumas on

March 12, 1874, and the day itself was observed April 8, 1874, In 1885, Arbor Day was named

a legal holiday in Nebraska and April 22, Morton’s birthday, was selected as the date for its

permanent observance.

 

Today the most common date for the state observances is the last Friday in April, and several

U.S. presidents have proclaimed a national Arbor Day on that date. But a number of state

Arbor Days are at other times to coincide with the best tree-planting from February in the south

to May in the far north.

 

J. Sterling Morton was proud of the success of Arbor Day and noted, “Other holidays repose upon

the past. Arbor Day proposes for the future." He thought trees much superior to cold marble as a

memorial to persons or events. How much more enduring are the animate trees of our own

planting, he said. Although celebrated for many years prior, legislation passed in 1953 established

the official observance of Arbor Day in Ohio as the last Friday in April.

And by the way, Proper Pruning Costs Less In The Long Run...

Topping a tree is bad for its health, but did you know it also causes you to work much harder at maintaining that tree’s excessive growth” This could be costly.

• Topping is defined as severely cutting back or removing large branches in a mature tree.
• Some individuals believe that topping a tree will reduce the amount of time and money spent on tree care and maintenance.

                                      Let’s look at the facts
When large branches are cut back indiscriminately, a tree responds by quickly growing many branch shoots in order to replace the lost leaf surface(a tree’s food supply).

• The dense, bushy re-growth is very weakly attached to the main stem of the tree and grows so quickly that branches often regain the original height of the tree in just two to three years.
• As the shoots grow larger they increase in weight and must be pruned frequently in order to avoid potentially hazardous branch failures.
• The need for maintenance is increased - not decreased - and that means more of your time and money.

                                                   Expense of Tree Topping

The actual cost of topping is only the initial bill. Further expenses are incurred because:

• The tree needs maintenance more often.
• Poorly attached branches break off (possibly damaging something else),
• The tree will die prematurely and will need to be removed and replaced.
• Property values are reduced.
• Liability is increased.
• Research has shown that proper pruning techniques work with the trees biology, not against it.
• Remember the old saying. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Think before you plant.
• Research the maintenance requirements before you select the perfect tree for your yard.

For more information on tree care, go to DNR’s Urban and Community Forestry Program website.

Crimson Pride Are You Ready for Chickens?

 Part I

Questions to ask first:
 
Can I have chickens where I live? Is there a limit to how many birds I can have? Can I have a rooster? How will you dispose of waste? How old will your chicks be when you get them? For what purpose will you use the poultry you raise?

KNOW what you are going to buy.

• Buy the type of chicks that will fit your needs.
• Buy from a reliable source which could be a breeder for show birds, layers or pet quality stock; a feed store or catalog/on-line store for layers, pet! backyard quality stock, or fryer/broiler birds.
• All chickens are edible, however, not all chickens are bred specifically to be eaten. Many classes of poultry have rare or heritage breeds within them.
•  Do your research on the source of chicks/eggs before purchasing to ensure a quality source. Also,
• Check to see if it is really a rare breed or just something that is a new project color/vanity or fun crossbred. All female chickens will produce eggs: however, depending on the breed and original purpose of the breed those eggs may be few and far between or a constant and steady supply.

How will chicks be listed?

• Chicks will be listed by their breed and variety/color as well as “straight run.” pullets/sexed.’ or sex-linked.
• Straight run means that you should get a fairly even mix of male and female birds.
• Pullets oc sexed birds should give you about 90% or better accuracy on chicks that have been sexed to sort out the females from the males. Pullets are females that are under one year of age.
• Cockerels are males that are under one year of age. Generally only layers are sexed.
• Sexlinked means that the parent stock were selected for specific traits (usually in the male) so that as the chicks hatch it ¡s obvious by that trait which chicks are male (cockerels) & which are female (pullets). Sexlinked stock is usually 95% or better accuracy. Generally this is only done with layer breeds and the resulting chicks are crossbreds/hybrids.

Where will the chicks live for the first 6-8 weeks of life?

• The chicks should live in some sort of brooder. A brooder usually starts out round or has blocked corners, should be 16-18 inches minimum, and can be expanded. A good starting size is about four times the space your chicks will take up; remember there needs to be room for food and water equipment as well. The space required for fryer chicks will double almost every week. From beginning to the last expansion make sure that your chicks do not have a draft on them. Your heat source is important, most people use high wattage lights. Make sure they are not energy efficient or they may not give off enough heat to keep the chicks comfortable and growing.
• The wattage should be between 125 & 250, be cautious with the 250 watt in direct light/heat and the possibility of breakage. The glass is hot and the heat produced is high; there is a chance of starting a fire’ Your chicks should start at 92-97 degrees if they are a week or less in age. Each week you should be able to raise your light source and drop your temperature about 5 degrees.
• Lower heat each week down to 70 or 65 degrees or until they are fully feathered (all temp. are at chick level). You will be able to tell if chicks are too hot or too cold by the way they act. If they are quiet, under the light/heat source, ¡n a pile that indicates that they are too COLD. If they are quiet, spread out in the corners or as far away as they can get from the light/heat source or panting that indicates that they are too HOT.
• Your brooder should be fully prepared and preheated for 24 hours before your chicks arrive at their new home (make sure temperature is regulated). This means that bedding, feed, and water are in place.
• Feeders and waterers/fountains come in many different shapes and sizes. Your birds SHOULD NEVER RUN OUT OF WATER. Water should be dean and fresh electrolytes are o.k. to use. For chicks 0-4 weeks in fryers and 0-8 weeks in other types there are two choices of feed, Chick Starter-Medicated and Chick Starter- Non-Medicated. Most poultry feeds are all inclusive and come with exactly what the birds’ need for their age/stage of development.
• Coccidia is one of the biggest problems with chicks as their systems can become quickly overwhelmed. This is why the pen/brooder needs to stay dean and dry. The medicated chick feed comes with a coccidio-stat in it to help prevent the disease from occurring.

When your chicks arrive home get them in the warm brooder and out of the cold box as soon as possible. As you place the chicks into the brooder dip each beak into the water. This helps rehydrate chicks and shows them where the water is. Remember to wash hands every time you are finished handling the chicks.

Lewis County Extension Service WSU

Crimson Pride Newsletter
Spring Issue 2013

Hello Spring’ Well, by the calendar so far. Spring in the
Pacific Northwest can mean rain one minute and bright
sunshine the next. Living in this part of the country affords
us knowing the difference when asked, “Is it raining?
With an answer of no, its: misting, sprinkling, drizzling, or
pouring. We know when the drops are “big” or just aver
age. We don ‘t go many places without a hooded jacket or
an umbrella and can tell visitors by their lack of either. Just
the same I would rather have rain than hurricanes or tornados or deep, long lasting snow. Rain is what keeps
Washington, the Evergreen State.
The spring bulbs have begun to bloom and provide cheer to
our landscapes. And with Easter right on our doorstep, some
of you may be interested in the world of chicks, yellow fuzzy
ones, learn more about what it takes to keep them.  
April is Arbor Day” month for the
nation. Ideally, think about planting a
tree. No space for a tree, then plant
a shrub, or perennial plant.
We look forward to seeing you at our
outreach education workshops!

VETERANS DAY BANQUET

Veterans Day landed on a Sunday this year so many of our Vets were observing it at home with their families. Thank-you to our Mossyrock Student Volunteers, Michelle Burley and Rebecca Sutherland for their time in helping to prepare and serve these veterans. Commander Don Varo has done a wonderful job to insure this event is well organized.
See if you know any of the following people:

Just my opinion

All things considered, I shouldn't be writing here. My state of mind is overwhelmingly sad and probably need to put this in my private diary and not burden anyone else. I'm too lazy to load that blog though, knowing full well I will see the other pages that have been sorely neglected, adding more guilt to my sad heart.


It seems as though the Presidential Election put my state of mind over the edge. My parents instilled in their children a passionate commitment for patriotism and civic duty, knowing full well that our military is essential for our national security and protecting our way of life; believing also that we must give back to those less fortunate because we are so blessed to live in a free country.

In no way am I saying that anyone is "owed" a damn thing. My children must make their way in life just as others less/more fortunate must also find their path. Shame on those who feel entitled to live w/o working for what they have. This is the state of our nation, with a majority vote showing they are entitled to charity or feel overwhelmingly guilty of not putting in time to help those less fortunate. Gladly handing their personal responsibility over to the government. All this and to add insult to injury not taking the time to analyze what they are voting on; looking only for the big R or D beneath each name.

On a better note, I will again cook the Veteran's Dinner for our little community, doing what I can to show my "thanks" for the atrocities that I never had to see, understand or endure. Our enlisted personel (past and present)  have and are offering their lives for our security whether overseas or at home. Praise God for each and everyone of them who offered their life to serve their country. So in the end, I am blessed by them (including you) and will pull myself from this funk to move forward.

Klickitat Prairie Park

Located almost directly behind the TDS Building

Here are pictures from today and the installation of the new playground equipment at the park.

Come see for yourself!

TIFFANY BLOMSTROM:

A memorial fund has been set up for Tiffany Blomstrom at Morton Key Bank. Tiff's celebration of life will be on Saturday, 9/15 at 11:00 at the Glenoma baseball field. Please bring a dish; it's potluck style. Also, donations are being accepted for the expenses and family.

Wilma Sofranko update

This child was a victim of child slavery. He is also a total orphan. Kenya is not the only place this happens, don`t kid yourself. His name is Edwin Obare and is safe now and one of two boys under the care of the Mesaria Widows Womens group in Nyakeyo village, where I am living. For all of you who know me, you will also know this creative, imaginative, and very bright child. You can`t save all of them but you can certainly pick one or two and do something....even doing one small thing just once makes a difference. Our common humanity is there, whether we want to acknowledge it or not......

www.mesariawidowswomengroup.wordpress.com if you want to see what else is happening in this remarkable place.....  

Looking for Blog Contributors

My life is going through so many changes that I am not taking care of this blog as it deserves to be administered. Please send your blog posts and offers to author posts to
Mossyrockcommunity@gmail.com
Please give this plea your heartfelt consideration.
Sincerely,
Carlyn Jensen

Past Blueberry Festivals