Museum group seeks
additional members
The Vernonia M useum ’s
business meeting was held
February 12. New faces were
in attendance and applications
for membership are being ac
cepted. For application forms,
contact Frances Lentz.
One of the items discussed
at the meeting was the devel
opment of by-laws. This is a
difficult step in the forming of
an organization.
Author Ann Fulton will be at
the Vernonia Library on March
3 at 3:00 p.m. for a light-heart
ed look at local history.
Perspective on flge
When you are younger you
get blamed for crimes you nev
er committed and when you’re
older you begin to get credit for
virtues you never possessed. It
evens itself out.
— I.F Stone (1907-1989)
American journalist
March 16, 1988
Baa you dig it?
By Schann Nelson
yellow jackets every time I went in the garden. Lo and behold, the
It’s almost spring! Certainly these last nasty bugs had built a nest in the middle of my garlic bed. It took
few very nice days could lead a person to forever to get rid of them, even after destroying their nest. Since
believe that it really is almost spring. Try we didn’t want to use poison in the garden, Dennis eventually end
hard to remember the nasty late freeze of ed up using his propane torch to burn out all visible pieces that re
last year before you plant anything expen mained. Even then I couldn’t stay in the yard for more than half an
sive or delicate. But you can get outside hour before they found me and drove me indoors, though they
and do some stuff this month. Think of it as didn’t seem to bother anybody else too much.
the planning, pruning and (just barely the
Though honeybees have made a comeback in the last couple
beginning of) planting month.
of years, the importance of the native orchard mason bee is vital
Now is the time to get serious about what ly important. These small, blue-black bees are champion pollina
you are going to put in your garden this tors, especially in our cool, damp springs. I know it is hard to be
season and where. Very organized people actually put this on pa lieve, but these bees are completely non-aggressive. We have
per and create wonderful records of the progress of their gardens
had a Mason Bee house on our front porch for sev
from year to year. Sometimes I can manage to get the contents of
eral years and you really can stand within two feet of
a few beds written in my garden journal (I do have one, there’s
the block and watch them go in and out and at dusk.
just not much in it.). Most of my planning is done
Unlike honey bees (and the
standing in the garden and yard looking and
^ho rrid wasps) Mason Bees are
thinking. Then I review catalogues and dream
solitary creatures. They nest in ei
about the cool stuff I could plant. Then I go back
ther naturally occurring or man
outside and try to decide what could actually
made holes. Mason Bee blocks are
go where and do some more looking and
easy to make by drilling a series of 9/32”
thinking. Around and around in this planning
or 5/16” holes into sound dry wood. The
circle I go, all season long and into fall for
holes can be as much as 10" deep but should
those winter veggies.
not go all the way through the wood. Hang
I practice crop rotation, especially after the
your block in a sheltered, south-facing area.
yellow jacket experience. After growing garlic iri
Mason bees begin to emerge this month. Af
the same bed for the third year in a row I noticed
ter emerging and mating, females begin to lay
as the season progressed that I was attacked by
eggs in suitable holes and sealing them with mud.
Each female will lay 4 - 6 eggs over a six-week season. You can
usually watch the bees come home at dusk. When you see cham
bers sealed with mud you will know your Mason Bee Block is in
habited. You need do nothing but ensure that the block is not sub
A ssembly of G od
C hurch of J esus C hrist
ject
to rain or extreme wind and cold. Next year the bees will
of L atter D ay S aints
Darwin Harvey, Pastor
emerge in time to pollinate all manner of apples, cherries and
662 Jefferson
Lee Knowlton, Branch President
plums in your yard.
Vernonia, 503 429-4615
1350 E. Knott Street
You can also buy a ‘starter set' of Mason Bees. These bees
Vernonia, 503 429-7151
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
were nested in paper straws last year and have been kept in cold
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Sacrament Meeting, Sunday 10 a.m.
storage for the winter. We got a starter set several years ago and
Evening Worship 6:00 p.m.
Sunday School & Primary 11:20 a.m.
every year continue to have more and more bees. These bees
Bible Study, Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
Relief Society, Priesthood and
generally don’t travel far to seek a pollen source, developing your
Youth & Kids , Thursday 7:00 p.m.
Young Women, Sunday 12:10 p.m.
own population is easy. The Backyard Bird Shop (there's one on
TV Hwy in the Fred Meyer complex in Hillsboro) says they will
F irst B aptist C hurch
S eventh D ay A dventist
have Mason bees through February. They also sell a variety of
John Cahill, Pastor
Kevin Reiner, Pastor, 543-2254
ready made Mason Bee houses.
359 “A" Street
2nd Ave. and Nehalem St.
Though very early to plant outside, it is possible to plant cole
Vernonia, 503 429-1161
Vernonia, 503 429-8301
crops (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts) either in
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Sabbath School 9:15 a.m.
side to set out in a few weeks, or outside with good cover, such as
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Morning Worship, 11:00 a.m.
a cold frame. It’s also time to plant leeks (easiest in a pot for trans
Evening Worship
Prayer Meeting, Wed. 7:00 p.m.
plant to a trench later), and onions (outside) as early as the soil
Saturday, 6:00 p.m.
can be worked. If you didn’t get garlic in the ground in the fall, you
S t . A ugustine (C anterbury )
can try planting now. After last year’s fiasco, I’m waiting to plant
N ehalem V alley B ible C hurch
E piscopal C hurch
peas until the ground is a little warmer. Of course, I’m also late or
500 California Ave
The Rev. Robert Grafe, Pastor
dering seed and don’t have any yet.
Vernonia, 503 429-5378
375 North St. (Vernonia Grange Hall)
Though I did get out and prune the fruit trees and raspberries,
Sunday School 10:00 a.m.
Vernonia, 503 429-3700
I haven’t sprayed yet. Last year I didn’t spray and definitely had an
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Sunday Services 10:00 a.m.
increase of apple scab. It didn’t matter because all the apples
Nursery available
froze but it might have, and I don’t want another increase this
Wednesday Service 7:00 p.m.
C hristian C hurch
year. I spray dormant oil and lime sulfur on the apples and (if or
S t . M ary ' s C atholic C hurch
ganized enough) a copper fungicide on the roses.
Joel Stith, Pastor
410 North Street
Look for pussy willows very soon, and bring in stems of flower
Pastoral Associate
Vernonia, 503 429-6522
ing quince and forsythia to bloom indoors. Spring is almost here!
Juanita Dennis
Enjoy the sun, but hope that the rains return soon before it gets
960 Missouri Avenue
Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
too dry.
Vernonia, 503 429-8841
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Church Directory
V ernonia F oursquare C hurch
Pastor Paul Pastor
850 Madison Avenue
Vernonia, 503 429-1103
Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 a.m.
Children’s Sunday School
Wednesdays 7:00 p.m.
Evening Service
Youth Ministry
Children’s Ministry
Nursery Available
Men’s Ministry 7:45 a.m.
3rd Saturday each month
V ernonia C ommunity C hurch
Grant Williams, Pastor
957 State Avenue
Vernonia, 503 429-6790
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Children's Church w/Nursery
Sunday 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Jr. & Sr. High, AWANA, Adult Study
Nursery provided
Prayer Meeting, Wed. 7:00 p.m.
Women’s Bible Study, Thurs. 7:00 p.m.
G race R eformed B aptist
C hurch
D.J. Dickey, Pastor
Grant & North Streets
Vernonia, 503 429-1919
Sunday Services: Adult Prayer &
Children’s Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:15 a.m.
Evening Worship 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday Service:
All Family Bible Study, 7:00 p.m.
Mass Schedule
Sunday 12:00 Noon
Religious Education
Sunday 10:30 a.m.
Every Wednesday:
Ladies' Bible Study 9:15 a.m.
Children’s Choir 3:00 p.m.
Family Bible Study 6:30 p.m.
Women's Fellowship, 2nd & 4th
Wednesdays, 1:30 p.m.
C r e a t iv e M e m o r ie s
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