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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 6, 2016)
Polk County Living Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 6, 2016 9A Give seeds a test for A+ performance Will they or won’t they? That’s the perennial question when you nestle seeds into the soil each spring and wait for sprouts to make an ap- pearance. Whether you’ve selected and saved seeds from the garden, ordered from a cata- log or bought off the rack, they can be a disappoint- ment. But there is a way to minimize your frustration. “It’s easy to check veg- etable and flower seed viabil- ity, and it can save you time later when the gardening sea- son begins,” said Ross Pen- hallegon, a horticulturist with Oregon State University’s Ex- tension Service. “Some seeds remain viable for a year and others for three or more years.” To find out whether a vari- ety of seed will germinate and grow, Penhallegon sug- gests the following test: Place 10 seeds an even dis- tance apart on a damp paper towel. Roll up the towel and place in a plastic bag. Leave the damp, rolled towel in a warm spot. The lo- cation’s lighting doesn’t mat- ter. After three to seven days, check the paper towel to see Baldwin—90th K YM P OKORNY Lloyd (Hap) Baldwin, of Dallas, will celebrate his 90th birthday on Sunday, Jan. 10 with family and friends at Dallas Masonic Lodge, 140 SW Clay St., from 1 to 4 p.m. He was born Jan. 8, 1926, in Opheim, Mont. He has lived in Polk County for 46 years. He retired in 1989 as an electrician at Bonneville Power, B.P.A. Your Garden which seeds have germinat- ed. “The percentage of seed germinating in the towel will give you a fairly good idea how the same seed will do in the garden,” he said. “If half the seed did well in the towel, half of the same batch of seed will probably do well in the garden.” Seed is best stored through the winter at 50 degrees with 50 percent humidity. Place packets in a sealed jar with a desiccant or powdered milk at the bottom to absorb moisture. Keep jars in a cool room or refrigerator. Seed can also be sealed in a plastic bag and stored in the freezer. Some seed types last longer than others. Here is the average seed life for com- mon homegrown vegetables and flowers: Bush and pole beans — 3 years Beets — 2 years Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, PHOTO BY SAMUEL A simple test will tell you if your seeds are likely to make an appearance in the garden this spring. c a b b a g e , c a u l i f l o w e r, kohlrabi — 3 to 5 years Carrots — 3 years Collard, kale — 3 to 5 years Sweet corn — 2 years Cucumbers — 3 years Leeks, onions — 2 years Lettuce — 2 years Melons — 3 years Oriental greens — 3 years Parsley — 2 years Parsnips — 1 season Peas — 3 years Peppers — 2 years Radishes — 4 years Rutabags — 3 years Spinach — 1 season Squashes — 3 years Swiss chard — 2 years Tomatoes — 3 years Turnips — 4 years Flower seed — annuals are generally good for 1 to 3 years and perennials for 2 to 4 years. MI TOWN We bid a fond farewell to 2015 under a bright and star- ry sky, with hopes that this New Year will bring good things to everyone. Whether you shared a Champagne toast at midnight or enjoyed a cup of tea and a brand new book to celebrate a brand new year, many of us are op- timistic that good things will happen in 2016. — Presidential debates have begun, and the primaries will soon be happening in states far away from Oregon, but we all have the opportu- nity to learn more about the candidates running for elec- tive office. There’s a good deal of information avail- able — and an incredible amount of myth and folk- lore and downright hateful rhetoric — from both sides of the aisle. With politics, it’s MILESTONE P ATTY T AYLOR D UTCHER Columnist sometimes difficult to sepa- rate truth from fiction, and conversations can range all over the map. All politics begin at the local level, and we can get involved by at- tending city council meet- ings and keeping informed about the good things hap- pening in MI Town. Learn- ing about candidates for public office gives you the opportunity to support those whose values you trust and believe. — If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to get in- volved in an exercise pro- gram, stop by the Mon- mouth Senior Center any weekday morning at 7:30, where you’ll be welcomed by the yoga group. Wear comfortable clothing and bring a mat (or a towel to lie upon). We practice and lis- ten to a Jon Kabat-Zinn yoga CD for about an hour, then share coffee and conversa- tion (if you wish) for people of all ages. — The Monmouth Senior Center will begin the year with all kinds of good and interesting activities for those over 55, including travel, Wii bowling and hik- ing, as well as many classes for all interest groups. Please call Sue Teal at 503-838-5678 about activities that might be interesting and fun. — Have you heard about the new craze that seems to be taking off all over the coun- try? Lots of bookstores and online retailers have been selling a lot of crayons and pencils and all kinds of col- oring books for grown-ups. There are anecdotal stories that coloring and drawing is an incredibly good stress-re- liever, and also an opportu- nity for people to get togeth- er to relax. Those of us who have spent time with chil- dren and grandchildren and coloring books can now admit that it is indeed fun. Thursday, is Adult Coloring Night at the Monmouth Public Library. All supplies are provided, including re- freshments — and a great time is promised. The fun begins at 6 p.m. for MI- Town’s grown-ups. See you there! in Portland. Lloyd loves spending time with family and reading. He is a member of many Shrine organizations. His family includes his wife Patricia; and their children Lloyal Anne and Tyrone Harris, of Puyallup, Wash.; Mike Baldwin, of Haslet, Texas; and Donna Jean and Monty Weld, of Dallas. He has six grandchildren, and one great- grandchild. BIRTHS Shafer Vivienne Jean Shafer was born to Jesse and Nicole Shafer, of Monmouth, at 3:35 a.m. on Dec. 22 at Bella Vie Gentle Birth Center in Salem. She weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces, and was 19.5 inches long. Vivienne joins Stella, 2. Grandparents are Tom and Sherry Perry, of Monmouth, and Doug and Paula Gillespie, of Lewiston, Idaho. Peters Aria Nicole Peters was born to Thomas Peters IV and Sabrina Eddins, of Dallas at 9:24 p.m. on Dec. 26 at Salem Hospital Family Birth Center. She weighed 9 pounds, 4 ounces, and was 20.5 inches long. Aria joins Aiden, 6. COMMUNITY CALENDAR Continued from page 8A — • Polk County Republican Women — 11:30 a.m., Oak Knoll Golf Course, 6335 Highway 22, Independence. No-host lunch available; everyone welcome. 503-623-5759. • Free Blood Pressure Check Clinic — 2 to 3 p.m., West Valley Hospital (surgery admitting area), 525 SE Washington St., Dallas. 503-623-7323. • Monmouth Senior Center Music Jam — 6:30 p.m., Mon- mouth Senior Center, 180 S. Warren St., Monmouth. Open to the public; musicians of all types welcome. 503-838-5678. • Dallas American Legion Post No. 20 — 7 p.m., Academy Building, Room 108, 182 SW Academy St., Dallas. 503-831-3971. • Helping Hands Emergency Food Bank — 10 a.m. to noon, Monmouth Christian Church, 959 Church St. W., Monmouth. For eligible community members; available every Wednesday. 541- 404-6517. PEDEE NEWS Christmas comes and goes so fast now that I’m al- most glad that the stores start decorating right after Halloween! Judy Guida, my daughters Suzanne Bur- bank and Lorraine Odell, and I got together at my house the first Saturday in December and made Christmas cookies all day — six varieties — which got the season started for me, although not much was left by Christmas day. — One of the best parts of Christmas is the children’s Christmas pageant at the church. This year Allison and Jacob Barnhart directed the program, which was pre- sented on Dec. 18, and was the epitome of an old-fash- ioned Christmas play, right down to the little shepherds and angels. One shepherd’s sole part was “AAGHH,” played perfectly when he A RLENE K OVASH Columnist saw the costumed heavenly hosts, and another memo- rable moment was when the angel kids were singing as one little angel kept saying, “She’s standing in MY place!” The children in the play were Blake and McKen- zie Houck, Leo and Annika Mellein, Janae Traglia, Ma- hayla Benoit, Liam Castle, and Alanna, Alex, Abby, and Aliyah Russell. — Steve and Audrey Cameron’s granddaughter Ana Barth was an angel in the Rickreall pageant and son Bob’s daughter played Puck in the Tigard High School production of “Mid- summer’s Night’s Dream.” Five of the grandkids sang the Swedish songs in Steve and Audrey’s “Tre Kronor” program in Salem, where one was the “Lucia Bride.” Ana was also a star in her Sunday school program and cousin Eliana was an angel at Mt. Scott Church of God’s program. — Christmas Eve for the Camerons was at son James and Jenny’s in Milwaukie, where son Chris and Natasha drove up from As- toria and they celebrated Bob’s Christmas Birthday. Clayton and Noah joined everyone on Dec. 26 for the “farm” Christmas party where they cooked a Christ- mas goose. — Paul and Diane Telfer fi- nally got their water back a few days before Christmas, after not having any for three weeks because of pump problems. Since Salem firefighter Paul was working on Christmas day, Diane took dinner in to him that day, then they celebrat- ed Christmas with their family later. — Bob and Lynda Schnekenburger went to the Virgin Islands and stayed on St. Thomas for al- most three weeks and St. John for three days right be- fore Christmas. They en- joyed snorkeling, sailing, and sunning — the three S’s of a wonderful vacation. They had a great time and can’t wait to go back. — Don’t forget the Polk Sad- dle-ites’ New Year’s ride on Saturday at president Jerry Mentzer’s place on Pedee Creek Road. They’ll get started around 10 a.m. It’s likely that your retirement income may come from many sources, such as Social Security, pension distributions, a 401(k) or IRA withdrawals. That’s why, if taxes are a concern for you, it’s important to choose the right investments for your portfolio. At Edward Jones, we have many options that can give you more control over your taxes, so you can enjoy what you’ve worked so hard to achieve. Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors cannot provide tax advice. You should consult with a qualified tax specialist for professional advice on your specific situation. ___________________________________________________________ Call today to see how our unique, face-to-face approach makes us best suited to help long-term investors meet their current needs and future financial goals. Ben Meyer, AAMS ® Bob Timmerman Financial Advisor Financial Advisor 503-606-3048 503-623-5584 193 E. Main Street Mon- mouth, OR 97361 159 SW Court Street Dallas, OR 97338 Kelly K. Denney Financial Advisor Call us. 503-623-2146 244 E. Ellendale, Suite 2 Dallas, OR 97338 The Itemizer Observer can help you ex- pand your market share and make your business more profitable. Call us at 503-623-2373 and make an appointment with our Advertising Consultants, Heidi, Rachel or Karen ADVERTISING THAT WORKS. Recycle this newspaper.
