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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 2011)
Page 6 The INDEPENDENT, September 21, 2011 Can You Dig It? By Schann Nelson Columbia County Master Gardener topic of conversation. This is true because the ‘weath- ly decimated my late planting of basil, which was just er’ can be so different from one place to another as starting to look like plants instead of seedlings. She your move through the landscape of your day, and as also has us both so frustrated at chasing her out that How can it possibly be mold the day progresses. It’s become obvious over the last we don’t even bother anymore. She doesn’t seem to season again already!?! It’s couple of years, that the microclimate in my yard has be doing much more actual damage in the garden. weird to be thankful for cooler changed dramatically because of the trees around us She may even be doing some good by eating bugs, damper air when we had so lit- growing to a more mature height and blocking a large though I’m sure she’s more interested in worms. She has not been inclined to mess with the trellised cu- tle real heat. Only two days at percentage of sun from the yard. Trees, in general, grow really, really well here so be cumbers or the pole beans. However, she’s discov- my house with temperatures in excess of 90. Getting back to careful what you plant. If you live with existing conifers ered the gravel which leads to the road. This usually be aware of their eventual domination of large portions does not work out well for the bird. the seventies feels good. Time to go pick a bath of slightly overripe pole I’m afraid we’ve settled into of the landscape – this may not make you a favorite the all too familiar pattern of 40-60 degree, mostly neighbor on a small lot. The big firs are a lot easier to beans. A good crop this year, I love fresh green beans overcast days and nights. My opinion, we’ll still get get rid of when they’re small. You can also prune them cooked in a bunch of different ways, beginning with some nice warm days you may be able to take advan- into submission for a while and grow your own Christ- steamed just enough to get limp and served with a tage of, but here in our valley bowl we will continue to mas tree, but you have to commit to annual pruning. good sauce, or stir-fried hot and served with almonds collect overcast for at least part of most days. I don’t Or, look for a cultivar that can provide you with an or chopped bacon or…? If we get enough to freeze, I think it will actually freeze for a while yet, but I’ve been evergreen in your landscape without taking over the can look forward to a green bean-based stroganoff. wrong on that before. It can be a passive-aggressive neighborhood. You just have to be able to consult with Yum! way to reduce the number of plants I have to find your local nurseryman or do a little research to find the places for indoors. right variety for your conditions, then find I heard the dreaded words “Pineapple Express” on and be able to afford an alternative. a weather report this morning and couldn’t but help a My poor garden was extremely shudder. For the uninitiated, the Pineapple Express is stressed this year. During the first hottish Oregon is one of ten states, Oregon’s minimum wage will warm moisture-laden air that streams straight across weather we had, we did not have irrigation rise to $8.80 per hour next with Washington, Vermont, the ocean, collecting moisture all the way, and dump- water for the garden. I wrote last month year. The 30-cent increase mir- Ohio, Nevada, Montana, Mis- ing it into the Pacific Northwest every few years. De- about watching the onions swell visibly, rors a 3.77% increase in the souri, Florida, Colorado, and pending on the timing, the resultant rainfall amounts even when we were packing in watering Consumer Price Index since Arizona, that adjusts the mini- can be devastating. Not too much chance of that when cans from the house – the response to August 2010. Oregon’s mini- mum wage annually based on it’s been so dry, but watch for rising streams and lots regular irrigation has been amazing. In all mum wage rate remains at inflation and the CPI. The CPI, of run-off. The ground is far too dry to absorb much these years, this is only the second time $8.50 per hour for all hours published by the United States water, especially if it comes down really fast. By the I’ve managed to grow a decent onion crop. worked in 2011. Washington, Bureau of Labor Statistics, is a time you read this, you will all know how prepared you The chicken has scratched several prom- where the minimum wage is measure of the average were for the first real rain of the season, expected to ising specimens out of the ground though currently $8.67 per hour, will change in prices over time for a arrive Sunday the 18th. Maybe passive-aggressive – darn her! announce its 2012 minimum fixed “market basket” of goods behavior is induced by our teasing climate, a way to The fertile, watered garden has inspired wage on September 30. and services, such as food, help us deal with all the garden chores that simply one of the chickens to fly over the fence “Safeguarding the wages of shelter, medical care, trans- never get done. resulting in significant damage to much of low-income workers is espe- portation fares and other goods Gardeners across the globe watch the weather. the garden. She uncovered most of the cially critical in a tough econo- and services people purchase Oregonians in general and Oregonian gardeners are potatoes, which were ready to harvest my,” said state Labor Commis- for day-to-day living. obsessed with the weather. It is always a dependable anyway, but disappointing. She complete- sioner Brad Avakian. “Oregon’s “Oregonians recognize the economy will not rebound if we rising cost of living facing every allow 144,538 minimum wage one of us, and our strong mini- earners to fall behind inflation.” mum wage law is essential in- Ballot Measure 25, enacted surance that Oregon workers V ERNONIA F OURSQUARE C HURCH F IRST B APTIST C HURCH P IONEER B APTIST F ELLOWSHIP by Oregon voters in 2002, re- and their families can maintain Pastor John D. Murray John Cahill, Pastor Carl Pense, Pastor quires a minimum wage adjust- their purchasing power and 359 “A” Street, Vernonia 939 Bridge Street, Vernonia 850 Madison Avenue, Vernonia ment annually, based on continue to contribute to our lo- 503 860-3860 503-429-1161 503 429-1103 changes in inflation as meas- cal economies,” said Avakian. Sunday School 9:45 a.m. www.pbfalive.com Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 a.m. ured by the Consumer Price In- “At the same time, although Sunday Worship Service 11:00 a.m. Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Children’s Sunday School dex (CPI). The Commissioner five out of six Oregon employ- Wednesday Prayer Meeting 7:00 p.m. Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. S EVENTH D AY A DVENTIST Thursday Prayer 7:00 p.m. of the Bureau of Labor and In- ers don’t offer minimum wage V ERNONIA C OMMUNITY C HURCH dustries (BOLI) is directed to jobs, I know that it’s important Larry Gibson, Pastor N EHALEM V ALLEY B IBLE C HURCH 2nd Ave. and Nehalem St., Vernonia adjust the minimum wage for to continue my dialogue with Ralph Young, Pastor Gary Taylor, Pastor 503 429-8301 957 State Avenue, Vernonia inflation every September, the businesses, many of them Grant & North Streets, Vernonia Morning Worship, 11:00 a.m. 503 429-6790 rounded to the nearest five small operations, that do. Un- 503 429-5378 Sabbath School 9:30 a.m. Sunday Bible Classes 9:00 a.m. derstanding their challenges cents. Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Family Praise & Worship 10:30 a.m. will benefit our entire econo- “During my tenure, BOLI has A SSEMBLY OF G OD Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. Wednesday Prayer 6:30 p.m. my.” fought to return nearly $12 mil- Nursery available Thursday Ladies Study 7:00 p.m. Wayne and Maureene Marr Wednesday Service 7:00 p.m. Revised minimum wage lion to Oregonians unfairly de- Nursery 10:15 a.m. 662 Jefferson Ave., Vernonia, nied their wages or faced with posters reflecting the new rate Vernonia Community Preschool 503 429-0373 C HURCH OF J ESUS C HRIST discrimination,” Avakian contin- will be available for free down- Sunday School 9:45 a.m. OF L ATTER D AY S AINTS Morning Worship 11:00 a.m V ERNONIA C HRISTIAN C HURCH ued. “Thousands of Oregon load from BOLI’s website in Marc Farmer, Branch President families are fighting to keep December. That site, which in- Sam Hough, Minister S T . M ARY ' S C ATHOLIC C HURCH 1350 E. Knott Street, Vernonia food on the table and a roof cludes additional information 410 North Street, Vernonia 503 429-7151 Rev. Luan Tran, Administrator 503 429-6522 over their heads by working about all of BOLI’s activities, is Sacrament Meeting, Sunday 10 a.m. 960 Missouri Avenue, Vernonia Sunday School 9:45 a.m. full-time at minimum wage jobs http://www.oregon.gov/BOLI. Sunday School & Primary 11:20 a.m. 503 429-8841 Sunday Worship 11:00 a.m. and this agency is committed to Relief Society, Priesthood and Mass Sunday 12:00 Noon (meets in Youth & Family Center) defending their wages.” Young Women, Sunday 12:10 p.m. Religious Educ. Sunday 10:30 a.m. Various Home Group Meetings BOLI announces 2012 wage rate Church Directory
