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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