“World's Most Complete Neighborpedia”
Sponsor a Community — What is Localism? | Register or Sign In
Explore:   What's happening in your neck of the woods?
Home Roy T Robinette

Roy T Robinette

Blog_tag

13 Historical Sites Close

09-14-08
Roy T Robinette
Dozens Protest Historic Site Closures
Dozens of people rallied in front of the Executive Mantion this weekend to protest the closure of 13 historic sites across the state.

Dana Thomas house volunteer Kim Perez also teaches history at Porta High School in Petersburg, she brought some of her students. She says Illinois' future looks grim.

"We firmly believe that ignoring the past jeopardizes the future," said Perez. "We have to understand and appreciate the past in order to make a better future for all of us, and that's what we're working to do."

History aside, Perez says Petersburg's economy depends largely on tourism from the New Salem historic site. She's worried what will happen on Oct. 1.
0 Comments
Blog_tag

Chuck Norris

09-13-08
Roy T Robinette

A Personal Note from Chuck Norris

Dear Friend,

America is in a fight for her future-a fight we can't afford to lose.

Illegal immigrants are swarming over our borders. Our nation and American families are crippled by debt. We are still vulnerable to Islamist terrorist attacks. And our faith and traditional values are under constant assault from the liberal establishment.

That's why I wrote my new book, Black Belt Patriotism. It's my take on the dangers that are threatening this country and the solutions we need to reawaken the American Dream and strengthen this great nation.

In Black Belt Patriotism, I get back to basics in ten practical, down-to-earth chapters. I apply the wisdom of the Founding Fathers to today's problems and share my own personal thoughts on the importance of faith and freedom.

Look, I'm no politician, and I'm not a political expert. I'm a concerned citizen, just like you. And I see too many things in this country going in the wrong direction. But I believe in this great country of ours, and I remember a better America-an America of hard work, determination, faith, and respect for history and human life. I know we can get back on track. All we need is strong faith, dedication, and a renewed commitment to Black Belt Patriotism.

Please click on one of the links below to order your copy today.

Sincerely,

Chuck Norris

0 Comments
Blog_tag

Enjoy winter squash

09-12-08
Roy T Robinette

Most varieties will benefit from a brief curing process





The fruits of summer may be nearing their end for the year, but winter squash, which comes in hundreds of varieties and a plethora of sizes, shapes, colors, and flavors, is a tasty, nutritious fall treat. Butternut squash is one of the most popular winter squash. This long, tan, pear-shaped squash has a thin rind that's easy to cut away or peel off with the use of a vegetable peeler. Acorn squash, a small fruit, is shaped like its namesake and comes in a variety of skin colors, including dark green, gold, and white. The cooked flesh of spaghetti squash resembles thin strands of pasta, hence its name - and you can use the flesh as a low-calorie, low-starch pasta substitute. The delicate, Hubbard, and buttercup varieties are also popular. Unlike summer squash, which are harvested in the immature stage, winter squash are harvested when the fruit is mature. The rind of a mature fruit is hard and cannot be punctured with a fingernail. It should have a dull, dry appearance that is free of cracks or soft spots. (It's important to avoid injuring the rind.) Cut fruit from the vine, leaving a 2- to 3-inch stem - but avoid handling fruit by the stem alone, because the weight of the fruit can cause the stem to break.
Winter squash, must be harvested before a heavy frost, generally in September or October. A light frost will kill the vines but not harm the fruit. Most winter squash, with the exception of the acorn and delicata varieties, will benefit from a curing process. Simply place your squash in an area with a temperature between 70 and 80 degrees for 10 days. Stored properly, winter squash have a long shelf life. Optimum storage conditions for most winter squash consist of a cool, dark location (50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, 50 to 75 percent relative humidity) with good air circulation. If possible, store your squash in a single layer and keep them from touching one another. Except for Hubbard squash, all winter squash should be stored with the stems attached. Properly cured and stored, squash should remain in good condition for several months. Acorn squash can be stored for as long as two months, butternut for three, and Hubbard for as long as six. Winter squash must be cooked before being eaten. Most can be baked, boiled, or steamed. The tough rind and hard seeds are not edible. The rind is a challenge for most cooks to cut.
Winter squash are often eaten as a side dish flavored with salt and butter, cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, or basil; they are also sweetened with brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey. Winter squash can also be incorporated into soups, stews, casseroles, pies, muffins, and cakes.
If you didn't have the opportunity to grow your own winter squash this year, be sure to visit the Old Capitol Farmers' Market. Most growers offer several varieties.

0 Comments
Blog_tag

Fungus takes the fun out of mulch

09-12-08
Roy T Robinette

Rainy days have brought unwanted guests into area gardens

BY JENNIFER FISHBURN


Gardeners are encouraged to mulch around their plants to conserve moisture, moderate soil temperature, reduce weed-seed germination, and beautify the landscape. With the recent heavy rainfall, however, many gardeners are finding unwanted guests in their mulch. Wood mulch, bark mulch, and other organic matter can be a source of interesting fungi and funguslike growths such as mushrooms, slime molds, stinkhorns, and artillery fungus. Organic mulches naturally decompose over time, and fungi and bacteria are the primary organisms involved in decomposition. Bacteria are microscopic organisms that are not visible. Fungi are also microscopic but may develop visible reproductive structures. The reproductive structure is often referred to as a mushroom. Usually the necessary process of decomposition goes on unnoticed by the gardener. However, occasionally these natural decomposers are noticed, particularly after rainy weather. Slime molds appear as bright-yellow or orange slimy masses that may be several inches to a foot across. (Other colors of slime mold include off-white, salmon, brown, and brick red.) This mold is a temporary nuisance and usually confined to a small area. Although slime mold isn't a true fungus, it often is called "dog vomit fungus." It feeds on bacteria growing in the mulch. Slime mold eventually dries out and turns brown, then becomes a white, powdery mass and eventually disappears. Stinkhorn, an upright 4- to 8-inch-tall fungus, has an offensive odor that emanates from the sticky spore mass on the tip of the fungus. This smell attracts flies, which land on the stinkhorn, then collect the spore mass on their legs and carry it to other areas. The structure resembles a giant slimy finger. View a photo of this fungus at Iowa State University Horticulture and Home pest news, www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/2005/9-14/stinkhorns.html. Artillery fungus resembles a tiny cream or orange-brown cup holding a spore mass that resembles a tiny black egg. Areas bearing this fungus may appear matted and lighter in color than the surrounding mulch. Moist, rotting mulch provides an ideal growing situation for this fungus. North sides of structures, which tend to stay cool and moist, are more prone to artillery fungus growth. Artillery fungus - also called cannon fungus and shotgun fungus - may pose a problem for the homeowner. The artillery fungus "shoots" a black, sticky spore mass 6 feet or higher into the air, toward bright surfaces - including houses and parked cars. The spore mass, resembling a speck of tar, sticks to whatever it hits. The spore mass is hard to remove without damaging the surface, and it often leaves a stain. To help prevent artillery fungus-induced damage, avoid using wood chips or bark mulch next to structures you want to protect. Replace or cover mulch that has been in place for three years with a fresh layer. So what are the control options for fungi? There is no control for nuisance fungi. It is a good idea to purchase or use composted products that are low in wood content. Avoid fresh, finely ground wood products. Apply mulch to a depth of 2 to 4 inches, no more (and no volcanoes!). Stir the mulch with a rake to aerate the mulch, drying it out and making it less inviting to fungi. If you have small children or pets, rake out and destroy the fungi. Avoid eating any mushrooms, which may be poisonous. Mushrooms come in various colors, shapes and sizes. Some disappear soon after they emerge; others may be seen for a few days, and still others can last a whole growing season. You can find more information about slime molds and artillery fungus on the Web site of the Penn State Department of Plant Pathology, www.ppath.cas.psu.edu/EXTENSION/PLANT_DISEASE/mulchfun.html.
Jennifer Fishburn is a horticulture educator with the University of Illinois Extension Sangamon-Menard Unit. Contact her at fishburn@uiuc.edu.

-- Unit Educator, Horticulture University of Illinois Extension www.extension.uiuc.edu/sangamon

0 Comments
Blog_tag

Here's how to avoid chemicals that poison people, pets, and wildlife

09-12-08
Roy T Robinette

Green-friendly pesticides

BY E/THE ENVRIONMENTAL MAGAZINE

Synthetic lawn and garden chemicals can poison people and pets alike. American homeowners apply some 100 million pounds of the stuff each year but are fast discovering the benefits of using more natural and less toxic approaches.

Synthetic lawn and garden chemicals can poison people and pets alike. American homeowners apply some 100 million pounds of the stuff each year but are fast discovering the benefits of using more natural and less toxic approaches.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

What green-friendly lawn and garden pesticides are available today?

Pesticides have greatly boosted agricultural yields over the last half century, so it is no wonder, given the commercial availability of many of these synthetic chemicals, that American homeowners apply 100 million pounds of the stuff each year to make their own gardens grow bigger and faster, too.

But the downside of using such chemicals is that they can poison people and pets as well as backyard wildlife: "Common insecticide ingredients such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), atrazine, and dicamba have been shown to harm mouse embryos at times equivalent to the first week after conception in humans," says Erica Glasener of The Green Guide. In light of such revelations, home gardeners are fast discovering the benefits of avoiding chemicals in favor of natural, less toxic alternatives.

Before thinking about applying pesticides, gardeners can design (or redesign) their gardens to make the most of native plants that have evolved over eons to thrive in local conditions without synthetic aid or lots of water. Choosing native plants appropriate to your elevation, soil type, drainage, and sun exposure will naturally repel many common pests and also reduce the propagation of invasive exotic species.

Similarly, embedding your plants in healthy soil replete with beneficial insects and worms can also help reduce the need for pesticides. Laura Moran of Mainstreet.com suggests that home gardeners compost their vegetable food waste, which is chockfull of nutrients that plants love, and mix it into existing soil to give the garden a healthy boost. "Aside from stimulating healthy root development," she writes, "the addition of rich compost also improves soil texture, aeration, and water retention." It also provides a nice home, she says, for the beneficial bugs that are destroyed along with the bad ones by chemical pesticides.

If pesticides are necessary, there are a handful of organic varieties available. Bacillus thuringiensis ("Bt") is a naturally occurring bacterium that is lethal to most leaf-eating caterpillars on trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetables. According to gardening writer Jeff Ball, it is harmless to all other insects, animals, and human beings. It comes in a powder form for use as a dust or, when diluted with water, as a spray. Organic chemists have formulated varieties of Bt to kill mosquitoes or potato beetles as well.

To control slugs in an environmentally friendly manner, The Green Guide's Glasener suggests recycling the black cell packs that vegetables and annuals are sold in by placing them (empty) upside down near the bases of plants. "Each morning, check the containers for pests, and if you find any, simply throw the container away with the pests inside," she says. You can use hollowed-out grapefruit rinds in a similar manner around the bases of plants, disposing of them if they turn up any slugs.

Pet owners may already be familiar with insecticidal soaps used to control fleas. Some of these soaps can also be used in the garden to repel insects. For more information, consult a local nursery specializing in organic methods and native plants. Using the free online Native Plants Nursery Directory, find one near you.

For more information: The Green Guide, www.thegreenguide.com; MainStreet.com, www.mainstreet.com; Native Plants Nursery Directory, www.plantnative.org/national_nursery_dir_main.htm.

Send questions to Earth Talk, care of E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881 or e-mail earthtalk@emagazine.com.

0 Comments