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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 16, 2010)
The INDEPENDENT, December 16, 2010 Page 5 Can You Dig It? By Chip Bubl, Columbia County Extension Educator Agriculture/Staff Chair Keeping Christmas Trees Fresh This one is simple. It’s the water. If you keep your tree from running out of water, it will last for a long time in all but the driest homes. When you get your tree, especially if it’s from a lot, cut the base at least one inch. Place the tree in warm water and don’t let it ever go dry. Buy a tree stand with a large reservoir, be- cause in the first few days, the tree will take up quarts of water. There is little evidence that any of the preser- vatives have much of an impact on the longevity of the tree. Trees you cut at a Christmas tree farm may come with a few insects that thought they were going to go through winter hidden in the tree. Once your tree is in- side, they wake up and start to wander around. Gently collect them and take them outside. If you find a queen yellow jacket (a rather large version of the standard yellow jacket) emerging, either carefully get her out- side or eliminate her. They can sting and don’t like be- ing awakened from their winter slumber. Winter Water for the Birds A lot of us feed birds in the winter. Yet how many of us think to provide those birds with water? As easy sources of water freeze in cold weather, birds may have trouble finding the water they need. Birds use the water not only for drinking and bathing, but as a source of water-borne foods such as insects and algae. Bird lovers can help by providing shallow puddles or bird baths. The containers should be from one to three inches deep, preferably with gentle sloping sides. The surface of the bath should be rough so the birds can get sure footing. Place flat rocks at water’s edge to allow birds a place to rest or drink from. Make sure cats cannot reach the watering area. Keep water thawed by adding warm water as need- ed. There are even some birdbath heaters available at specialty stores. Hummingbird feeders can be brought inside in the evening and put back out the next morn- ing to give our year-round hummingbirds a little extra warmth. F OR G ARDENERS What might a gardener like to see under the Christ- mas tree? Here are a few suggestions. • Nice gardening gloves, esp. the flexible kind that thorns won’t penetrate. • Gardening knee pads. • Plant markers for people who forget where they plant bulbs and perennial flowers • We love tools!! Some favorites include: high qual- ity tools, esp. spading forks, hand pruners, cool special shovels, cast aluminum hand tools and the like • A no kink hose (if there truly is such a thing). • A gardener’s journal, which might convince us to keep the records of those varieties that produce tasty tomatoes or great green beans • A neat birdhouse or bird feeder • A gift certificate to a favorite garden store or seed company OSU Master Gardener™ classes Master Gardener classes will start in Clatskanie in early March and wind up in late May. We will meet on Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Topics will in- clude vegetable gardening, plant problem diagnosis, growing fruits and berries, weed identification and management, botany for gardeners, plant propaga- tion, insects in the garden and home, and other gar- dening related topics. Students completing the classes will be expected to pay back about 50 hours of volun- teer work on community horticulture projects. Cost for the program is $75.00. For more information or to get an application, contact the Extension office at 503 397-3462. Free Newsletter The Oregon State University Extension office in Co- lumbia County publishes a monthly newsletter on gar- dening and farming topics (called County Living) writ- ten/edited by yours truly. All you need to do is ask for it and it will be mailed to you. Call 503 397-3462 to be put on the list. Alternatively, you can find it on the web: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/columbia/ and click on newsletters. The Extension Service offers its programs and ma- terials equally to all people. Contact information for the Extension office: Oregon State University Extension Service – Co- lumbia County 505 N. Columbia River Highway (across from the Legacy clinic) St. Helens, OR 97051 Church Directory V ERNONIA F OURSQUARE C HURCH S T . M ARY ' S C ATHOLIC C HURCH P IONEER B APTIST F ELLOWSHIP Carl Pense, Pastor 850 Madison Avenue, Vernonia 503 429-1103 Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 a.m. Children’s Sunday School Rev. Luan Tran, Administrator 960 Missouri Avenue, Vernonia 503 429-8841 Mass Sunday 12:00 Noon Religious Educ. Sunday 10:30 a.m. S EVENTH D AY A DVENTIST V ERNONIA C OMMUNITY C HURCH John Cahill, Pastor 939 Bridge Street, Vernonia 503-429-1161 www.pbfalive.com Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. Thursday Prayer 7:00 p.m. Larry Gibson, Pastor 2nd Ave. and Nehalem St., Vernonia 503 429-8301 Morning Worship, 11:00 a.m. Sabbath School 9:30 a.m. 957 State Avenue, Vernonia 503 429-6790 Sunday Worship 9:45 a.m. Children’s Church (Blast!) 10:15 a.m. Nursery 10:15 a.m. High School Youth 6:00 p.m. Wednesday Prayer 6:00 p.m. Preschool: Open House soon A SSEMBLY OF G OD Wayne and Maureene Marr 662 Jefferson Ave., Vernonia, 503 429-0373 Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 a.m F IRST B APTIST C HURCH 359 “A” Street, Vernonia 503 429-4027 Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Sunday Worship Service 11:00 a.m. Wednesday Prayer Meeting 7:00 p.m. V ERNONIA C HRISTIAN C HURCH Sam Hough, Minister 410 North Street, Vernonia 503 429-6522 Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Sunday Worship 11:00 a.m. (meets in Youth & Family Center) Home Group Meeting throughout the week at various locations N EHALEM V ALLEY B IBLE C HURCH Gary Taylor, Pastor Grant & North Streets, Vernonia 503 429-5378 Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. Nursery available Wednesday Service 7:00 p.m. C HURCH OF J ESUS C HRIST OF L ATTER D AY S AINTS Marc Farmer, 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. Winter Starts December 21, 2010