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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 2003)
T h e IN D E P E N D E N T , O c t o b e r 1 6 , 2 0 0 3 Seminar set on natural control of garden pests The Berry Botanic Garden and Metro will present a semi nar on Natural Pest Control for Gardens on Saturday, October 18, from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Gardens contain more than just fabulous plants; they con tain a multitude of leaf-sucking insects, disease-causing fungi and a gazillion weed seeds. Learn how to deal with an in festation of aphids, black spot and dandelions in the short term and how to design a gar den that attracts beneficial in sects and has healthy soil. To register and get location information, call 503-636-4112 ext. 22. What I know of the divine sci ence and Holy Scripture I learnt in woods and fields. — St. Bernard Epistle 106 By Schann Nelson The salmon are here! When the salmon are happy so are gardeners, it means that the rains have come. Even if it dries out again, at least we won’t have another dry, dry fall when the rains don’t start until No vember or December and the ground stays hard as a rock. As soon as the ground is diggable, this is a great time of year to move stuff around, plant bulbs for spring color and begin to prepare the ground for next year. If you are lucky enough to know where you will want to garden next year, don’t wait until spring to start. If you break up a future site now, there are several ways you can improve your soil over the winter. The first year we lived in this house we started our first garden bed by raking all of the leaves (this was in October) into a long row. Worms love leaves, and they will work the soil for you if you give them an opportunity. On another occasion, after we remod eled, and put a foundation under the house, I piled leaves on the bare clay left around the house. By spring, instead of rain pound ed hard pack, the ground was workable and I began my founda tion plantings. The effect of leaves alone is worth the effort, but if you can put a good layer of manure underneath the leaves, that’s even better. You could also improve drainage at this time by adding crushed rock. You’re lucky around here if you have more than an inch or two of topsoil above the red clay, but if you get to the blue clay in less than six inches, plan on building up beds. You V ernonia C ommunity C hurch F irst B aptist C hurch S eventh D ay A dventist Grant Williams, Pastor 957 State Avenue Vernonia, 503 429-6790 John Cahill, Pastor 359 “A" Street Vernonia, 503 429-1161 Kevin Reiner, Pastor, 543-2254 2nd Ave. and Nehalem St. Vernonia, 503 429-8301 Sunday Breakfast 10:00 a.m. Morning Worship 10:45 a.m. ‘ B.L.A.S.T. w/Nursery 11:00 a.m. ‘ Bible Learning and Scripture Training Youth Group 6 -8:00 p.m. (Jr. & Sr. High) Wednesday Prayer Meeting 7:00 p.m. Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. Sabbath School 9:15 a.m. Morning Worship, 11:00 a.m. Prayer Meeting, Wed. 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. Evening Service will change to 3:00 p.m. on Sept. 7,2003 Wednesday Service: All Family Bible Study, 7:00 p.m. A ssembly of G od Darwin Harvey, Pastor 662 Jefferson Vernonia, 503 429-4615 Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. Evening Worship 6:00 p.m. Bible Study, Wednesday 7:00 p.m. Youth & Kids , Thursday 7:00 p.m. Evening Worship Saturday, 6:00 p.m. N ehalem V alley B ible C hurch 500 California Ave Vernonia, 503 429-5378 Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. Nursery available Wednesday Service 7:00 p.m. S t . M ary ' s C atholic C hurch Pastoral Associate Juanita Dennis 960 Missouri Avenue Vernonia, 503 429-8841 Mass Schedule Sunday 12:00 Noon Religious Education Sunday 10:30 a.m. C hurch of J esus C hrist of L atter D ay S aints Jeff Cheney, Branch President 1350 E. Knott Street Vernonia, 503 429-7151 Sacrament Meeting, Sunday 10 a.m. Sunday School & Primary 11:20 a.m. Relief Society, Priesthood and Young Women, Sunday 12:10 p.m. S t . A ugustine (C anterbury ) E piscopal C hurch The Rev. Robert Grafe, Pastor 375 North St. (Vernonia Grange Hall) Vernonia, 503 429-3700 Sunday Services 10:00 a.m. C hristian C hurch 410 North Street Vernonia, 503 429-6522 Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 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. V ernonia F oursquare C hurch can make pottery out of that stuff, but you can’t grow plants in it. If you are using manure be sure to cover it well with leaves. This keeps the weeds from sprouting and will make spring much easier. There are several common problem plants that you do not want to chop up with a tiller in your future garden. Among these are curly dock and burdock, any kind of thistle, grass (especially any grass that makes runners) and perennial morning glory (if you see any sign of this one, dig it out and burn it!). Another method of improving soil over the winter is by planting green manures. This can be very successful in our mild, wet cli mate. If your soil can be worked enough now to provide a good medium for roots (in other words not untilled grass or pasture) you can plant a cover crop now and till it into the soil in spring to add tremendous amounts of nitrogen, improve soil tilth, and dry the ground out sooner in spring. Legumes are the crop of choice to fix nitrogen and make it available to plants. Several kinds of clover and vetch are available. If you are working a relatively new plot, be sure to add a garden innoculant to your seed before it goes in the ground. We have planted many crops of crimson clover, though it’s so pretty in the spring that I can never chop it into the soil. This year I’ve spread Austrian Field peas in all of the garden beds that don’t have stuff still growing in them. All of these crops are hardy to at least 15 degrees below freezing and will continue to grow through the winter. Speaking of freezing, it’s amazing that we haven’t had a hint of frost yet ( as of Friday the 10th). The tomatoes finally got ripe, and I have peppers that are actually yellow! Watch out though, it could happen any time now. It’s definitely time to bring the houseplants back in and clean up the garden. Remember, last years’ bumper crop of apples froze hard before anybody could pick them. Clear nights are what you want to watch for, since when it's cloudy and rainy it usually won't freeze at the lower elevations. If you get caught with a clear cold night, you can protect stuff from a frost with any kind of blanket or cover. Sometimes my yard looks like my couch has gone out in the yard, because a ll the a tg h a n s are outside. I was lucky enough to find some baby spinach plants to put in the ground. Though I had to water for a few days, they are loving this weather and look like they will produce a fine fall crop of spinach. This is a good thing, because my spring crop, from old seed, wasn’t a crop at all. I love fall. The heat isn’t driving me out of the yard, the leaves are beautiful, and fall wind is charged and vital. Thankfully, this year, we are reminded that we live in the cloud forest, where mist and dampness are part of what makes our area so beautiful. I love to stand in the protection of the porch and just listen to the rain. The sound of fall is so peaceful. And when the sun does come out, it’s still warm and wonderful. Protect and improve your soil. Think about your successes in the garden this year. Find a place to watch the salmon and breath deeply as they dance their death and begin a new generation. 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