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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 28, 2017)
22 // COASTWEEKEND.COM Master Gardeners teach garden ‘winterizing,’ hold plant sale ASTORIA — It’s time to give garden beds, pots, perennials and trees a rest by “winterizing” them. Winterizing helps plants survive winter and pro- motes a healthier, more productive growing season for all plants the next year. Clatsop County Master Gardeners will show peo- ple how to do this through lectures, demonstrations and advice for individual garden problems 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, at the Clatsop County Fair- grounds. Admission is free. In addition, an all-day plant sale will feature plants ready for fall trans- planting. Bring your garden soil in plastic baggies for soil pH testing. • 10:30 a.m. “Winteriz- ing Your Garden”: Teresa Retzlaff is an organic farmer whose farm, 46 North, specializes in produce, edible plant starts and fl owers. She will teach the most effective methods for soil protection with mulching and cover crops, how and what plants to cut back, overwintering edibles, transplanting and what to plant in the fall. • 12:30 p.m. “Dahlia Care & Winter Protection”: Joanie Chapel, also known as “The Dahlia Queen,” grows more than a hundred varieties of Dahlias. She will share her expertise SUBMITTED PHOTO on preparing Dahlias for winter survival, basic care methods and the best dahl- ia varieties for our growing region. Throughout the day, Joanie will demon- strate dividing tuber plants for overwintering. • 2 p.m. “Cleaning, Sharpening and Storing Garden Tools”: Chuck Meyers longtime Master Gardener and garden tool expert will discuss the importance of caring for and readying garden tools for next year. Meyers will also demonstrate effective tool sharpening. Bring your personal garden tools; Meyers will be available between noon and 2 p.m. to sharpen them for a small donation. Plant sale: The all-day Plant Sale will feature a variety of native plants, perennials, bulbs and trees — all locally grown. These plants are known to thrive in our coastal growing areas and are ready for fall transplanting. Sedges, silver weed, coastal straw- berries, mature zebra and maidenhair grasses and herbs are a few featured plants. Master Gardeners will help you select the best plants for your grow- ing conditions. Garden “treasure sale”: Everyone needs more “treasures”: gently used garden tools, wood plant- ers, books, art and even items for the home. How about a vintage outdoor water pump or decora- tive bicycle? It’s all here, waiting for a new garden home. Garden fun for kids: Crafts and learning activ- ities to inspire growing interests in gardening. Kids will have several choices to create and take home garden crafts and mini gardens. 2911 Marine Dr #B Astoria, OR 97103 503-325-3276 Mon-Sat 10 am - 8 pm Sun 11 am - 6 pm Where Astoria Shops! Professional, friendly service along with an always fresh selection of the best Oregon brands and growers, including our own. FR E E L E IVERY! HOME D toria (Within As ly.) city limits on CHANTERELLE MUSHROOMS Every Day is 420 at The Farmacy, with Cash Back Rewards!! To see our full menu, go to thefarmacy420.com INTRODU CING GR 6 $ AM SPECIALS While supplie s last Must be 21 years old with govenment issued ID. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of marijuana. Keep out of the reach of children. PHOTO BY LYNETTE RAE McADAMS By LYNETTE RAE McADAMS FOR COAST WEEKEND B eloved for their delicate fl avor and fruity aroma — not to mention that marvelous golden hue — chanterelles have been a documented delight in kitch- ens throughout the temperate regions of the Northern Hemi- sphere for at least 500 years. Found nestled on the forest fl oor, alone or in groups, this hearty fungus has one of the longest bloom times in the mushroom kingdom — fruit- ing from mid-summer all the way through late fall. Rising up from deep moss or leaf litter, fi rm stalks brandish tulip-like caps with wavy, feminine edges — all glowing with tones of deep yellow-or- ange. Beneath the cap, long, blunt ridges, known as “false gills,” dance down the stalk. Although the color and size of chanterelles vary from region to region, for the lon- gest time, the schools of both science and cuisine believed these fungal delicacies to all be of the same species, specifi cally, Cantharellus cibarius — the fl axen favorite of Northern Europe. But in recent decades, innovations in DNA sequenc- ing and genetic typing have revealed more special, subtle differences corresponding to a mushroom’s native ge- ography, proving them each to be unique, though closely related. In the Pacifi c North- west, multiple species of Cantharellus fl ourish side by side, including C. formosus, the Pacifi c golden chanterelle — offi cial mushroom of the state of Oregon. No matter the mushroom’s specifi c heritage, any edible golden chanterelle is consid- ered choice. Pairing perfectly with pasta, chicken, rice or fi sh, and taking equal pleasure in a bath of broth, butter or cream, this mushroom is an easy palate pleaser. In addition to their deli- ciousness, chanterelles are also exceptionally nutri- tious, containing signifi cant amounts of protein, potas- sium, iron, and chromium, along with eight different amino acids. Perhaps most impressively, they contain absurdly high levels of Vitamin D2, which helps the human body absorb calcium but also makes this mush- room unattractive to insects, slugs and other wildlife — a benefi t for both the forager and the connoisseur. Though many attempts have been made, it is still impossible to cultivate chanterelles — they can only be gathered from an untamed forest, where they form sym- biotic relationships with trees and certain shrubs. As with all wild mushrooms, identifi - cation is paramount, as poi- sonous lookalikes do exist. Never harvest mushrooms without absolute confi dence in their identity and never eat a wild mushroom unless it has come from an experi- enced, trusted source. To learn more about local wild mushrooms, including where to fi nd them, how to pick them properly and how best to prepare them for eating, consider partic- ipating at the annual Wild Mushroom Celebration on Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula, which takes place this year from Monday, Oct. 1, through Wednesday, Nov. 15. Visit wildmushroomcel- ebration.com for more information. CW
