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.
C lin t V a n d e h e y
C a rp e t &
U p h o ls te r y
Your One Stop
Petorating Shop
• Mohawk
• Wilsonart
• Shaw
• Pergo
850 Madison Avenue
Vernonia, 503 429-1103
• Congolcum • Hunter-Douglas
Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 a.m.
FREE Estimates
FREE Loaner Samples
Children’s Sunday School
Page 7
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