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The INDEPENDENT, May 20, 2004
Can You Dig It?
By Schann Nelson
Another spring, another plant trade,
another celebration of life. Years ago we did
the plant trade at Jenelle Wiggins house
and planted her garden as she and her fam-
ily struggled with breast cancer. She
passed away on the following New Year.
This year we marked the passing of our
mentor, Irene Siedleman. She was radiant
and very pleased about the beautiful invita-
tions honoring her and her sister, Jennie.
However, while only a few of the group at the trade on Saturday
knew Irene, her plants were very well represented and will live on.
Of course, this is at least partly because many of the plants she
traded away had become like weeds in her yard…and now are
like weeds in my yard. A weed, in this case, being defined as any
plant growing, usually better than anything else around it, that you
don’t want where it is. Lupine, lemon balm, veronica, geraniums,
violets, and many others are lovely where you want them,
but can overgrow their allotted space and/or invade
where they are not wanted.
Kudos to Mike, of Mike’s Hardy Perennials in
Cornelius, who helped us identify some plants. The
perennial blue herb commonly known as a bachelor’s
button is actually a centuria (I think, but I don’t have
time to look it up ‘cause my darling editor wants this
column yesterday!). Also, thanks to Penny Costley, who
not only brought plants to the second Vernonia Country
Market but also brought plants to trade.
The plant trade now has a permanent home at the second
market of the season, and will continue to be a memorial to the
spirit of sharing and cooperation.
Today, during the garden research portion of this column, I
actually managed to pick a substantial salad. This would not be
remarkable if I had intentionally planted salad greens. However,
with the exception of the surviving four lettuce plants that stayed
in their six-pack for over a month, I did not plant salad greens.
What I did harvest were a few young dandelion greens, borage
and parsley leaves (self-seeded in the garden), a small amount of
lovage, some chive flowers and mustard flowers, and a bunch of
the tips of the Australian peas. These last, I threw out as green
manure in late fall, they have grown all winter and are now about
two feet high. I plan on serving the whole bunch with a bacon and
onion dressing as a wilted salad.
VERNONIA INN
Enjoy a quiet weekend with us.
FULL SIZE, IN ROOM
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CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
I still don’t have any peas planted but anticipate having some
time to work in the garden this week. I want to plant peas (and
hope the variety I bought is enation resistant), then green beans,
corn and maybe a few other odds and ends.
I do have one experiment I must report. This year I bought all
of my tomato plants at the county Master Gardeners’ Sale (which
was the same day as Vernonia Clean Up). I love Sun Gold, a cher-
ry tomato, so I bought two. When I went to plant all ten of my
tomatoes (I’ll put the list in next time) I realized that I must have
tossed some of my clear plastic hot caps because I only had nine.
So, all of them except one of the Sun Golds went under cover, and
have remained pretty much covered, except for a few nice days,
since then.
Not surprisingly, the covered tomato is much taller than the
uncovered one. This is an accurate experiment because both
plants were grown by the same grower and planted in exactly the
same manner on the same day. This maintains
all other conditions the same except for the
cover. Experimenting in your garden can be a
lot of fun, and the more
accurate records you keep,
the more you will learn, but
it is important to remember
the basic principles of science. In
this experiment, the uncovered
tomato is just about three inches tall,
while the one under the hot cap is at
least six inches tall and has blossom
buds on it. This is another example of
adding heat to your garden.
Get outside and enjoy! Soon it will be too hot for us moss-
backs.
1-800-354-9494 / 503-429-4006
GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE
900 MADISON AVE., VERNONIA, OR 97064
Just one block off scenic Nehalem River Hwy. (Oregon 47)
The Jamboree Committee
board of co-Presidents Mark
Hall and Garrett Abney, co-
Vice Presidents, Paula Hansen
and Ron Wright, Treasurer
Randy Parrow, and Secretary
Janet Holcomb will be busy
this year.
The 2004 theme is “Hug a
Logger, Hug a Tree, Vernonia
Friendship Jamboree 2004.”
Entries for the Theme Design
Contest will be accepted
through June 8. Entries may be
left in the Vernonia Sentry
video department or mailed to
Jamboree Committee Theme
Design Contest, P.O. Box 244,
Vernonia, OR 97064.
Events still needing volun-
teers include the Fun Run and
the Parade. Join in to make a
spectacular 2004 Jamboree.
The next meeting will be
Thursday, May 27, 6:30 p.m. at
the Buckhorn Restaurant. In
June, meetings will be on the
second Thursday at Leonetti’s
Pizza and the fourth Thursday
at the Buckhorn, at 6:30 p.m.
Church Directory
V ERNONIA C OMMUNITY C HURCH
F IRST B APTIST C HURCH
Grant Williams, Pastor
957 State Avenue
Vernonia, 503 429-6790
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.
John Cahill, Pastor
359 “A” Street
Vernonia, 503 429-1161
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Evening Worship
Saturday, 6:00 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
FOR RESERVATIONS CALL
More hands are
needed for the
2004 Jamboree
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.
S T . A UGUSTINE (C ANTERBURY )
E PISCOPAL C HURCH
375 North St. (Vernonia Grange Hall)
Vernonia, 503 795-2173
Sunday Services 10:00 a.m.
V ERNONIA C HRISTIAN C HURCH
Gary Taylor, Pastor
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.
Jim Kirby, Evangelist
410 North Street
Vernonia, 503 429-6522
Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Every Wednesday:
Ladies' Bible Study 9:30 a.m.
Ladies’ Worship 10:00 a.m.
Children’s Choir 3:00 p.m.
Family Bible Study 6:30 p.m.
S T . M ARY ' S C ATHOLIC C HURCH
V ERNONIA F OURSQUARE C HURCH
N EHALEM V ALLEY B IBLE 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.
S EVENTH D AY A DVENTIST
Kevin Reiner, Pastor, 543-2254
2nd Ave. and Nehalem St.
Vernonia, 503 429-8301
Sabbath School 9:15 a.m.
Morning Worship, 11:00 a.m.
Prayer Meeting, Wed. 7:00 p.m.
850 Madison Avenue
Vernonia, 503 429-1103
Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 a.m.
Children’s Sunday School
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.