Invasive weed of the week
By Jeffrey Pettingill
The enemy
Foxtail barley (Hordeum
jubatum).
The strategy
Also called squirrel tail
barley, this native perennial
bunch grass invades highly
disturbed pastures and road-
sides. The silver-green plant
grows to a height of 18 inches
and forms a shiny, bushy
head at maturity. This spe-
cies of grass grows in clumps
with seed heads that contain
many seeds with long awns.
Once mature, these awns
curl outward and are easily
detached from the stem and,
Photo by Jeffrey Pettingill
uniquely, gives the seed the
Foxtail barley is a native perennial bunchgrass that can quickly take over a fi eld.
ability to tumble across a
fi eld in a light wind.
The attack
When I see this in a fi eld
I generally can tell that the
pasture has been overgrazed
for years or has a leaky ditch
which allows the pasture
to be overwatered and thus
this disturbance allows this
plant to turn into an invasive
weed. As a native it grows in
rangeland, generally where
water stood at one time.
Although it is grazed
early in the spring, it really
becomes a problem in the
summer. The seeds with the
enormous awn can cause
mouth damage to livestock
and has been known to “dig”
itself into the mouth, nose,
and ears of livestock and
even some household pets.
Photo by Rich Olds
Once established the weed
can quickly take over a fi eld. Foxtail barley has a shiny, bushy seed head at the end of stem up to 18 inches long.
The defense
Stop abusing the pasture!
Repair your ditch and reseed
a disturbed site to keep
this from becoming a weed.
Taking grass from a grass
pasture is diffi cult. Once you
see clumpy grasses forming
in your pasture you should
know that something is
wrong. Digging these small
clumps can easily remove the
BAKER CITY HERALD — 3A
COMMUNITY
plant. Application of Round-
up® very early in spring is
moderately effective as well
as Plateau like chemistry. A
new herbicide called Lambi-
ent ® is somewhat effec-
tive. Application rate of 1.2
ounces early in spring works
good. Early identifi cation is
key to keeping this native
plant from becoming a ter-
rible weed.
Series Continues
Jeffrey Pettingill, weed control supervisor for Baker
County, will be writing an occasional article about
a common noxious weed in the area. Pettingill
encourages people to call him if they have weed
questions or see a species they’re not familiar with.
His offi ce number is 541-523-0618 and his cell is
541-519-0204.
L OCAL B RIEFING
Author seeks stories about Baker’s 1972
state championship basketball game
Andrew Kaza, the author of a forthcoming book
centered on the classic 1972 Oregon boys high school
state championship game between Baker and Portland’s
Jefferson High is asking the public for their support in
his research.
The historical re-telling of Baker’s 1971-72 season and
its culmination with the heartbreaking loss to Jefferson
will include chapters on life at Baker High School, grow-
ing up in Baker County in the 1970s and the impact of
basketball on the local community.
Kaza’s book, with the working title of “Higher Ground,”
is tentatively set for publication in early 2021.
Baker, coached by Gary Hammond, surprised some of
Oregon’s bigger schools by advancing to the champion-
ship game of the Class AAA state tournament March
21-25 at Portland’s Memorial Coliseum. In 1972, Baker
competed in the AAA level, which included the state’s
largest high schools. Baker opened the tournament by
beating Corvallis, 51-45. The Bulldogs then beat New-
berg, 64-44 in the quarterfi nals, and nipped Sunset 50-49
in the semifi nals before falling 59-52 to Jefferson, which
lost only once that season, in the championship game.
Anyone with fi rsthand memories, stories related to
the subject matter and particularly any archival mate-
rial from 1971-72 are urged to contact the author via
e-mail at: hgproject72@gmail.com. Film, photos, record-
ings, clippings or diary/journal notes from that time with
relevance to the story are especially vital, Kaza said.
New At The Baker
County Library
Patrons can reserve materials in advance online
or by calling 541-523-6419. Drive-in hours at 2400
Resort St. are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5
p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
FICTION
• “Thick as Thieves,” Sandra Brown
• “Whirlwind,” Janet Dailey
• “Winter Counts,” David Heska Wanbli Weiden
• “Shadows of the Dead,” Spencer Kope
• “Squeeze Me,” Carl Hiaasen
NONFICTION
• “The Bird Way,” Jennifer Ackerman
• “America’s Heroes,” Adam Motin
• “Botany for Gardeners,” Brian Capon
• “Women and Mormonism,” Kate Holbrook
“• Apocalypse Never,” Michael Shellenberger
DVDS
• “Anatomy of a Male Ballet Dancer” (Documen-
tary)
• “Lost in Paris” (Comedy)
• “The Windermere Children” (Drama)
• “One Cut of the Dead” (Horror)
• “Konga” (Sci-Fi, 1961)
Lisa Britton / For the Baker City Herald
Photo courtesy of Carolyn Kulog
Muegge Drug Store formerly occupied the building that houses Betty’s Books.
BETTY’S
“I am so honored beyond words at the opportunity to
continue such an incredible legacy for our community,
and I won’t be doing this alone. The community
support has already been incredible, and I will have
some amazing employees helping me navigate some
changes and day-to-day operations as things unfold
for all of us.”
The entrance to Betty’s Books, 1813 Main St., is newly remodeled.
west Booksellers Association.
“The exposure to some of
Continued from Page 1A
these authors expanded our
Books were always part of
worlds in various and won-
Kuhl’s life.
derful ways,” Carolyn said.
“I remember that when-
And they wanted to share
ever she came back from a
that with the local commu-
trip out of town to vet meet-
nity.
ings with Dad, she would
Over the years they
bring a book or two home,”
organized
book signings,
— Jeana Phillips, owner, Betty’s Books in Baker City
Carolyn said.
and worked with the Baker
Kuhl opened Betty’s Books
County Library and Eastern
in 1979. She moved to its
said. “We will never regret
A love of books, the Kulogs Oregon Writers Guild to
current location, 1813 Main the time we spent there and have noticed, tends to span
hold a Literary Night on the
St., two years later.
have lifelong friends from
generations.
second Friday of each month.
“From the time the store
the period.”
“In our 32 years in the
As they close this chapter
opened in 1979, it was
But all their family lived
store, we’ve seen generations of their lives, the Kulogs re-
always a favorite spot for us in Oregon. They returned
of other families as well,”
fl ected on others who helped
to visit when we came home to Baker City in 1988 and
Carolyn said. “It was always keep the bookstore running.
with our kids,” Carolyn said began their lives at Betty’s
a joy to see people we knew
“We were fortunate to
of herself, and the families of Books.
as children bring in their
have many good employees
her three sisters. “I remem-
“Mother was happy to
own kids, sharing their love over the years,” Carolyn
ber sitting in the children’s
take us on as apprentices/
of books and reading with
said. “The two longest stand-
section once and thinking
employees,” Carolyn said.
them.”
ing were Lynne Zwanziger
how nice it would be to visit “After 9 years of running the
The bookstore reached
and Kevin McNamara. We
without young kids some-
store, she was looking ahead beyond Baker City with visi- couldn’t have done it without
time. Well, I got my chance!” to retirement for both her
tors from other places, and
them.”
Carolyn and Tom lived in and my dad.”
many would stop whenever
Betty’s Books continues to
Dayton, Ohio, for six years
The Kulogs bought the
they came through town.
bring in new books and old
before returning to Oregon. store in 1994. Their daugh-
Books wouldn’t exist
favorites even in the midst of
“As hard as it may be for
ters, Claire and Naomi,
without the people who
a worldwide pandemic.
diehard Western folks to
worked at the shop when
write them, and the Kulogs
“Jeana is taking the reins
believe, we loved our life and needed — making it a three- met many authors at trade
during a very challenging
friends in Dayton,” Carolyn generation business.
shows for the Pacifi c North- time and we hope that the
reading community recog-
nizes that and continues
to support Betty’s Books,”
Carolyn said.
The store now has a web-
site, bettysbooks.indielite.
org, where people can order
books and browse the inven-
tory.
Hours will be 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. Tuesday and Wednes-
day, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Thursday through Saturday.
It will be closed Sundays and
Mondays.
“I am so honored beyond
words at the opportunity to
continue such an incredible
legacy for our community,
and I won’t be doing this
alone,” Phillips said. “The
community support has
already been incredible, and
I will have some amazing
employees helping me navi-
gate some changes and day-
to-day operations as things
unfold for all of us.”
Updates about books and
literary news are posted
on the shop’s Facebook and
Instagram pages.
Steel on the inside where it matters most.
Shops
Garages
Commercial
Industrial
www.WSBNW.com
855 • 668 • 7211
Sandy, OR
S199240-1
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2020