Jan - Feb Round Up 2023

THE CO-OP Country Round Up

Words to consider:

“The most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.”

Mark Twain

“No cowboy was ever faster on the draw than a grandparent pulling a baby picture out of a wallet.” Unknown

You Just Never Know What a Day Is Going to Bring

My office looks out over the Elks Golf Course on Hwy 200 in Ponderay. I have been blessed with this view for three years now, having moved in on January 2, 2020, right before COVID hit. I can’t quite see the lake but it is enough for me to know it is there. From here I get to see quite a bit, not that I spend my day looking out the window. But some things are just impossible to ignore once it catches the eye. Like the red car going down the highway sideways in the snow just a few weeks ago. Not too long after this I happened to see a dark blue pickup speeding along with the hood completely popped open. “Is he going to ever stop?” I wondered. He did.

I see deer crossing the highway going to and from the lake for water and marvel there is not more wildlife carnage than there is. The sirens seem endless as emergency vehicles rush to aid those in need. Our family makes a habit of praying for whomever is in trouble at the end of such runs. I have seen wayward golf balls come flying over the fence and wondered if the newer, more powerful wind storms we have will take out any trees this year? As I look out over the current blanket of white I know it is just three short months until warmer weather, a change of season and a change of view will arrive. Isn’t that the way life is? It’s always changing.

In this issue of the Round Up we have readers moving through the decades from the winter of 1969 through the yard and garden dreams of 2023. Our past can tell us something about our future but nothing definite. When it comes to what to expect for spring, we soon realize we will have to wait and see. After all, while 1969 saw in excess of 119” of snow, 1963 saw bare ground in February continuing through spring and summer. Helen Newton’s article about the winter of 1969 is on page 13. You never know so a reasonable course of action is to just be ready for anything. To that end, the CO-OP already has garden seeds. So, there’s that.

For those of you already itching to get in the greenhouse and get busy, consider taking the Bonner County Gardeners Membership Course. You can find out about this class on Page 12. It is worth the attention and you might just find yourself a new tribe of people who just love to play in the dirt and are completely serious about it.

Speaking of change it is worth noting once again that January can be very, very deceitful when it comes to the weather. Beware the January Thaw and even more the February Freeze. January is not spring and February is fickle as the day is long. Greenhouse gardening is a blessing to those anxious to get in the dirt. But if this is your first time around in our neck of the woods, you might consider finding a neighbor with a greenhouse and make him or her your new best friend. And we have lots of new mini greenhouse/plant starting products in the store right along with the garden seeds already on the racks. Plenty of bedding plants can be started in March and April in a greenhouse environment and be hardened off in time to go in the garden or on the patio at the right time.

January is planning month and while even now I am looking out over the cold, snowy golf course my mind and heart are drifting back to the memory of warm, sunny days I know are coming. I am planning my garden, cleaning out sheds, and welcoming new growth everywhere. Even those plans are likely to change. The past and the future are always with us an help us prepare for what is coming on any given day. It is probably a good idea to dream and remain flexible because you just never know what a day is going to bring.

CO-OP Gas & Supply Company is your propane, farm, home, and hardware cooperative. Being locally owned and operated means the money you spend here stays here, creating jobs for our neighbors and strengthening our economy, as we have been doing for 87 years. Why not drop by and see if membership at the CO-OP is right for you?

• Please make sure trees and shrubs around your propane tank are trimmed back. Mark the location of the tank for easy access.

• The access road to your tank MUST BE PLOWED and free of obstacles

• When placing your tank remember: The tank MUST BE ACCESSIBLE so, Tanks may not be placed under a deck Tanks protection may have three ( 3) sides and a roof or four (4) sides and NO ROOF .

• When should you call to get on the fill schedule? Call at 30%.

• Keep fill is only offered during the winter months. In the summer if you wish to have service, please give us a call.

Winter/Spring 2023 Extension Classes

All classes will be held at the Boundary County Extension Office, unless otherwise noted Pre-registration required. Contact the Boundary County Extension Office to register: 208-267-3235.

Mental Health First Aid, FREE

Wednesday, January 18 & Friday, January 20, 8:30am12:30pm

Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches you how to help someone who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge. The training helps you identify, understand and respond to signs of addictions and mental illnesses. To join the in-person training please register by emailing amrobertson@uidaho.edu or calling the Boundary County Extension Office at 208-267-3235.

Water Bath Canning, $10

Thursday, January 26, 1-4pm

Learn how to safely make and preserve your own high-acid foods including jams, jellies, tomato products, pickled vegetables, and fruits. This hands-on class will also teach participants about canning basics as well as proper storage and handling of home canned foods. Each participant will make their own jar of product which they can pick up the day after the class. Class size is limited to 9 people.

Skip the Multi-Vitamin: Maximize Nutrition from Your Garden, $5 Monday, February 13, 1-3pm

Soil depletion has decreased the nutrient content of our produce so the fruits and vegetables we eat provide less of the vitamins and minerals our bodies need to develop and function normally. In this class you will learn how to use soil testing and balancing to optimize the nutrients in your soil and grow more nutritious produce. We’ll recommend nutrient-dense vegetables to grow in your garden and provide recipes to cook and preserve your harvest.

Dehydration Basics, FREE

Thursday, February 16, 11am-Noon Via Zoom

You will learn specific techniques for using your home oven or dehydrator to dry fruits, vegetables, herbs and meats. We will also cover recommended storage for your dried foods. Your family will love these healthy snacks! To register, go to https://bit.ly/dehydration23.

Freeze Drying, $10

Wednesday, February 22, 1-2:30pm

Want to learn about freeze dryers designed for home use? This is the class for you! During this class you will learn about the various freeze dryer models, purchasing and maintenance costs, how to operate a freeze dryer, and proper storage of freeze-dried goods. You will be given the opportunity to see how to prep food and begin the freeze-drying process. We will also be sampling a variety of freezedried foods.

Soil Blocking for Seedlings Using Indoor Grow Lights, $5

Tuesday, March 7, 1-2:30pm

Learn how to save space and time by starting your seedlings in soil blocks. These are small cubes of compressed soil that serve as both the container and the soil medium allin-one. This technique allows seeds to rapidly germinate and creates vigorous seedlings with healthy root systems that can be transferred to the garden without transplant shock. We will also discuss a simple and inexpensive grow light system that can be used for seedlings started in soil blocks or in containers.

Fermentation: Sauerkraut and Other Veggies, $10

Wednesday, March 15, 1-3pm

Learn the basics of fermenting foods for preserving the harvest and enhancing the nutritional value, healthfulness, and digestibility of foods. As part of this hands-on class, you’ll take home a jar on its way to fermented goodness!

Boiling Water Canning Basics, FREE

Thursday, March 16, 11am-Noon Via Zoom

Learn to safely preserve your garden using a boiling water canner. Important steps to process foods for shelf-stable storage will be covered. Safe recipe options will also be shared! To register, go to https://bit.ly/boiling23.

Bonner County Classes

To register for the following classes, contact the Bonner County Extension Office; 208-263-8511.

Lunch Hour Learning-Huckleberries! FREE

Friday, February 3, Noon-1pm

Bonner County Extension Office, 4205 N. Boyer, Sandpoint

Ever wanted to learn more about huckleberries? Bring your brown bag lunch and learn about this interesting species. In addition to general information about the plant, we will discuss how to propagate the plants from seed.

Tree Identification, $10 Thursday, February 9, 9am-Noon

UI Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center, 10881 N. Boyer, Sandpoint

Learn identification, biology, and ecology of Idaho’s most common native forest trees.

Kids Computer Crafting, FREE Wednesday, February 15, 3-4:30pm

Bonner County Extension Office, 4205 N. Boyer, Sandpoint

Learn about using computers and cutting machines to create a felt craft project. Space is limited, pre-registration is required.

Landscaping for Fire Prevention, $10

Thursday, February 16, 9am-Noon

UI Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center, 10881 N. Boyer, Sandpoint

Forest homeowners learn how to make their home site less likely to burn and easier for firefighters to access in the event of a local forest fire.

Backyard Forestry, $10

Thursday, February 23, 9am-Noon

UI Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center, 10881 N. Boyer, Sandpoint

Homeowners with small forest acreages learn how to apply basic forestry to “home landscape” forests.

Kids Computer Crafting, FREE

Wednesday, March 1, 3-4:30pm

Bonner County Extension Office, 4205 N. Boyer, Sandpoint

Learn about using computers and cutting machines to create a paper craft project. Space is limited, pre-registration is required.

Lunch Hour Learning-Successful Seed Starting, FREE

Friday, March 3, Noon-1pm

Bonner County Extension Office, 4205 N. Boyer, Sandpoint

Learn to successfully start your own garden plants from seed. Learn about using computers and cutting machines to create a vinyl craft project. Space is limited, pre-registration is required.

Check our website for current classes and our newsletter: https://www. uidaho.edu/extension/county/boundary

A better Way to Resolution

Is it possible that the traditional New Years Resolution has finally run its course?

For as long as I can remember the grocery store check out aisles were lined with everything from pop magazines to Reader’s Digest to the tabloids all espousing ways to be successful when establishing a New Years Resolution. Judging by the reappearance of said advise from year to year, failure was common.

Generally speaking, most people have a rational view of themselves. If they are pleased with how they see themselves on the inside it is actually easier to make any desired changes, big or small, on the outside.

So after decades of human behavior studies, anecdotal suggestions, hypnotism, counseling and trips to the wild to find oneself it really boils down to this one simple thing for most people: What do we like about ourself today? And what might we want to change tomorrow?

If I already like to walk and it makes me feel better, I could add another mile a week and receive even more benefit. If I like to eat healthy, might I also like to find new recipes that incorporate even more interesting and healthful choices? If I already like the people I spend time with, might I also like to expand my relationships and find others to bring into my sphere?

The New Years Resolution has always targeted the thing we don’t like about ourselves or our life in broader terms. We are too fat. We drink too much. We don’t have the right friends. Our relationships need work. We hate our job. It is one thing to consider our situation but quite another to use a negative view as a launch pad for success. And according to the tabloids it doesn’t work anyway.

It might be worthwhile to consider that life, each of our lives has value and meaning. Not because we say so, but because God says so. And if we can believe Theoretical Physicist Michio Kaku, his search for the theory of everything in the universe keeps bringing him around to the universe being a reflection of the Mind of God. We are part of this universe. Think of it - people, all of us, as a reflection of the mind of God. Maybe we could resolute on this thought for a while and see where it takes us. Happy New Year!

Heats

sq. ft.

Total Value of Idaho Ag Production Continues to Increase

By Sean Ellis Idaho Farm Bureau Federation

The total value of agricultural production in Idaho increased half a percent in 2021 compared with 2020. The total value of Idaho ag production has increased for five straight years.

Idaho’s total agricultural production value in 2021 was $8.45 billion, up half a percent from the 2020 value of $8.41 billion, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.The total value of all crop production in Idaho last year was $3.44 billion, down 5 percent compared with 2020. However, the total value of livestock production in Idaho last year was up 5 percent, to $5 billion.

Milk remained the state’s top ag commodity last year in value of production, at $3.1 billion, which was up 3 percent from 2020 and the second highest value of production on record for Idaho milk, behind the 2014 total of $3.2 billion. Milk production continues to play an ever-increasing role in Idaho’s overall agricultural landscape and represented 37 percent of the state’s total agricultural production value in 2021. That was up from 36 percent in 2020 and 35 percent in 2019.

Cattle and calves remained in the No. 2 spot in Idaho for total value of production at $1.42 billion in 2021, up 13 percent from 2020.

Potatoes kept the No. 3 spot and remained Idaho’s top crop with a total value of production of $1.12 billion in 2021. That was a 14 percent increase over the 2020 total and a record, surpassing the previous high of $1.04 billion set in 2019.

Hay came in at No. 4 with $946 million in total production value 2021, an increase of 16 percent over 2020, and wheat ranked No. 5 in the state with a total value of production of $529 million, down 8 percent from the previous year.

The NASS value of production report differs slightly from farm cash receipt rankings because the value of production rankings include those parts of a crop that are used on the farm and not sold. For example, a lot of hay is used on the farm and does not show up in the rankings for farm cash receipts, which is the money producers receive for their product. That’s why wheat ranks ahead of hay in the Idaho farm cash receipts rankings. Those top 5 commodities – milk, cattle and calves, potatoes, hay and wheat – had a combined value of $7.1 billion, which accounted for 85 percent of the state’s 2021 production value for all ag commodities. Those same five commodities accounted for 79 percent of the total value of Idaho agricultural production in 2020.

Rounding out the Top 10 Idaho ag commodities list in 2021 were sugar beets at No. 6 with $361 million, down 1 percent from 2020, barley ($239 million, down 12 percent), corn for grain ($149 million, up 20 percent), hops ($104 million, up 5 percent) and onions ($64 million, up 11 percent).

The total value of Idaho hop production topped $100 million for the first time last year and that Idaho ag commodity has increased in total value for nine straight years.Idaho ranked No. 1 in the nation in five different ag commodity categories last year: potatoes, barley, alfalfa hay, peppermint oil and food-size trout.The state ranked No. 2 in the United States last year in sugar beets and hops, No. 3 in milk and cheese production and total milk cows, No. 4 in dry onions, spring wheat and lentils, and No. 5 in dry edible beans, corn silage and dry edible peas. Idaho ranked in the top 8 nationally in 22 different ag commodity categories in 2021.

Idaho took over the No. 1 spot in the U.S. in 2020 for alfalfa hay production, which is probably no big surprise given the state’s sizable milk and cattle industries. Idaho ranked No. 3 in that category in 2019, behind Montana and California.

Idaho ranks No. 3 nationally in total number of milk cows and No. 11 in cattle and calves.Idaho is a big cattle state and alfalfa hay plays a major role in feeding those animals, said Twin Falls County farmer Larry Hollifield.

“We have a lot of animals to feed in Idaho,” he said.

The state’s cooler climate makes Idaho a great place to grow alfalfa hay, said Bannock County hay farmer Fred Burmester. And in East Idaho, the higher altitude is also favorable to growing hay, he added.

“That’s where you get your quality from, the higher altitude,” he said. Between the cooler nights and higher altitude, “that brings the relative feed value of your hay up.”

“It has a lot to do with the weather,” said Twin Falls County farmer Rick Pearson. “It’s because of our climate – warm days and cool nights.”

The CO-OP Country Round Up

A paper for, and about, country people.

Owned by the CO-OP Gas & Supply Co., Inc. 125 Tibbetts Lane Ponderay, Idaho 83852 208-263-6820

The Round Up is published bimonthly by Round Up Publishing and printed by TPC Printing, Lewiston, Idaho.

Our distribution is 40,000 in North Idaho and West Sanders county in Montana.

The next issue of the Round Up will be out on March 3, 2023

Contributors : Ann Warwick, Sean Ellis, Vivian Bogardus Dr. Gabrielle Duebendorfer, Chase Youngdahl, and Helen Newton

For advertising rates, information and questions please call 208.265.7703 or email kathy@coopgasandsupply.com

You can find us on Facebook, Instagram and on our website coopgasandsupply.com

Groundhog Day Trivia: As Christianity spread through Europe, Imbolc, or February 2nd, evolved into Candlemas, a feast commemorating the presentation of Jesus at the holy temple in Jerusalem. In certain parts of Europe, Christians believed that a sunny Candlemas meant another 40 days of cold and snow.

Log Home Restoration and Maintenance

Whether custom home construction, restoration of an older home or maintenance of your current log home, we are here to serve you!

Family owned and operated. We enjoy working directly with our customers. 100% customer satisfaction is our goal! Licensed and Insured

Georges Annual Tree Sale

Friday April 28, 2023 8:00 AM Sharp

We are looking forward to another great tree sale event in 2023! We hope you can join us. Here are the trees, shrubs, and berries we plan to have available.

As always, availability is subject to any changes made by the supplier over which The CO-OP Has NO Control.

Ozark Strawberries

Ft. Laramie Strawberries

Jersey Blueberries

Burning Bush

Pink Lilac Varieties

Stanley Prune/Plum

Moorigild Apricot

Contender Peach

Jersey Knight Asparagus

Purple Passion Asparagus

Thorneless Blackberry

Jersey Blueberry

Patriot Blueberry

Northland Blueberry

Fallgold Raspberry

Royalty Raspberry

Elberta Peach

Bing Cherry

Rainier Cherry

Swt. Purple Asparagus

Currently this is what we expect to have on sale day for fruit bearingtrees and shrubs. This list is subject to change through April 2023. Landscaping/ornamental tree and shrub list can be found on our web site by February 15, 2023. Please check our website through the spring for any updates or corrections to this list. IT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Weed of the Month: Japanese Yew

By Chase Youngdahl, Bonner County Weeds Manager

A challenge that I often encounter is hammering home what distinguishes a noxious weed from an invasive-nuisance weed. It can be difficult for someone to wrap their head around the fact that a particular invasive weed, let’s say Red Sorrel for example, is not on the Idaho noxious weed list, despite the fact that it takes over their pasture if left unchecked. Like most everything else in government, there’s a process involved—which starts with a stakeholder (it can be a private Idaho resident) submitting a petition to the Idaho State Department of Agriculture to make a specific addition to the noxious weed list. The ISDA compiles submissions once the petitioning period has closed for the current year and performs an initial screening. Petitions that are incomplete or filled out incorrectly are typically discarded, but the ones that make it through the administrative screening process lead to a Notice of Negotiated Rulemaking. A series of public meetings are then scheduled, and the ISDA solicits recommendations from the State Noxious Weed Advisory Committee, the Idaho Association of Noxious Weed Control Superintendents (the association of all my counterparts throughout Idaho) and any other group or association appropriate to consult with for the petition(s) at hand—nursery grower associations, etc. At the conclusion of rulemaking meetings and upon gathering public comment, whether submitted in writing or provided orally at meetings, the ISDA decides whether or not to proceed. In strong cases, a draft rule advances to the legislature, where, if approved by both chambers, becomes final upon sine die (legislature adjournment). At that point, the petitioned weed has been formally added to the noxious weed list and holds the force and effect of Idaho law. In other cases, the petition dies during negotiated rulemaking and never advances to the legislature for consideration.

A relatively recent example of a “weed” that was petitioned to be added to the Idaho noxious weed list but was rejected during the rulemaking process, is Japanese Yew (Taxus cuspidata). It’s an ornamental, evergreen shrub bearing red fruit that resembles berries. There are local stories associated with Japanese Yew. As recently as last March, the death of a young moose near the Idaho Club was investigated by Idaho Fish & Game and was determined by the conservation officer to have succumb to poisoning from Japanese Yew.

As opposed to the majority of what I present, Japanese Yew poses the biggest problem during the winter and early spring. When ungulates (deer/elk/moose) run short on available browse due to heavy snow cover, they seek out alternative browse, often in suburban areas. Exotic Yews have been distributed in the ornamental industry for years, and are popular in landscaping due to the year round color, ease of shaping and being unfussy about site conditions (shade/sun, soil types, etc.). In addition to being poisonous to wildlife, it’s also toxic to pets and humans. Dogs and puppies that like to chew on sticks are vulnerable to poisoning, as are curious children who could be attracted to the berries. The mentioned reasons were laid out as support in the petitions, but it ultimately wasn’t enough. There was concern among opposing stakeholders that listing a non-invasive/ non-competitive, poisonous ornamental plant would open the door for other such plants to be listed—such as Daffodils and Rhododendrons (I could contend that Yews are unique being that they’re a palatable, true evergreen with poisonous qualities). It was argued that additions of this nature would dilute resources needed to fight currently listed noxious weeds, with the feeling that the legislature would probably not increase Ag appropriations to fund battling noxious weeds in the category of “poisonous ornamentals”. Potential listing of Japanese Yew certainly could fit within the context of how a noxious weed is defined in Idaho code; “Any plant having the potential to cause injury to public health, crops, livestock, land or other property and which is designated as noxious by the director [of the Department of Agriculture]”. The results of these rulemaking negotiations could have gone the other way, it all depends on who shows up and the level of support versus the level of opposition.

As is the case with a number of invasive and/or poisonous plants that are not on the Idaho noxious weed list—Japanese Yew deserves attention, it’s just not required by Idaho law. Consequentially, there is no government funding to assist with abatement. I provide technical assistance via control recommendations all the time for weeds that are not on the Idaho noxious weed list, I just can’t offer any cost share assistance. The fundamental definition of a weed is any plant that interferes with a given set of management objectives. The definition of a noxious weed is quoted in the paragraph above.

Idaho Fish & Game promotes education and awareness efforts regarding Japanese Yew and encourages voluntary removal. IDFG has my support in these efforts. With far more elusive issues such as Chronic Wasting Disease and Bluetongue posing a serious threat to our ungulates, additional threats that are more within our grasp should be addressed. If you have Japanese Yew in your landscape, the ethical thing to do is to get rid of it.

My Sister’s Baptism

From Kenneth Harris’ book Act Your Age

I’m not sure when it was, exactly, that my oldest younger sister Karolyn (yes, spelled with a K so our initials would be the same) began to adopt an attitude of skepticism toward my motives. But I suspect it could have been on that hot Oklahoma afternoon when she ran in excited trust to fill with water the empty bucket her older brother had handed her from his perch on the tree limb. Returning hurriedly, she strained her tiny muscles to their utmost in order to lift with both hands the now sloshing bucket to my out-stretched hand. Her expression revealed her curious innocence as to what I could possibly want with a bucket of water in a tree.

As the little innocent ran soaked and screaming for the protection of our ever vigilant mother, I knew I was in for it. But like all nine-year-old boys, I knew that my momentary rush of adrenaline was worth the worst she could dish out. As I think back on my cunning trickery, I gain new insight on that most ancient of all tricks. How that evil serpent’s heart must have raced within his demonic breast as he sat there, coiled in the Edenic tree, knowing his evil intent for our primal Mother.

Everyday Man

I never fret over red wine or white

But I sleep quite well in bed every night. Though Harvard or Yale are not schools of mine, I’m a High School Grad, I get along fine

I don’t vacation in France or Algiers.

I’ve earned few degrees in all of my years.

I’m simply old fashioned, everyday fare. I’m not Rockefeller, but I don’t care.

Don’t care if I’m pretty, or rich, or smart, Long as I’m honest and have a good heart. I do everyday the best that I can. Hurray for the simple everyday man!

by Vivian Bogardus

Native Plant Society Announces Grant

Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society

The Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society (KNPS) is now accepting applications for the Lois Wythe Grant for the 2023 year. KNPS awards up to $500 annually to an individual, school class or group proposing a project in Bonner County designed to promote awareness and appreciation of our native plants.

The 2022 grant went to Patty Ericsson, Mary Toland and Hannah Combs for the creation of a story, activity, coloring book featuring Hannah’s original art. “Busy, Buzzy Bombus Bee: Can You Color What I see?” is 16 pages of whimsical narrative and illustrations following Bombus Bee on a serendipitous visit to the KNPS Native Plant Arboretum. Coloring books are currently available for purchase at the Historic Museum, The Museum Guild store, Vanderford’s, All Seasons Garden and Floral and other downtown locations. Previous grants have been awarded to projects by school children, the Sandpoint Library, and graduate students among others.

The grant is named for Lois Wythe, an Idaho native who moved, with husband Joe, to Sandpoint in 1977. Her love of the Northwest, its natural ecology and its people, influenced her involvement in many local organizations. She was there at the beginning of the Panhandle Environmental League and the Sandpoint Farmer’s Market. Her influence led to the addition of organic gardening to the Master Gardeners program. Lois formed the group that became KNPS and was the driving energy behind the creation of The North Idaho Native Plant Arboretum in Lakeview Park.

Application forms for this year’s grant can be found on nativeplantsociety.org or by e-mailing grant@nativeplantsociety.org. Completed forms can be mailed to KNPS Grant Committee, P.O. Box 1092, Sandpoint, ID 83864 and must be received by February 28, 2023. A follow-up report outlining project results is due to KNPS by the end of 2023. The recipient is invited to make a presentation at a KNPS public monthly meeting.

Valentine Day Origins Trivia:

One theory is that while the Roman Emperor Claudius II was trying to bolster his army, he forbade young men to marry. In the spirit of love, St. Valentine defied the ban and performed secret marriages, and for his disobedience, Valentine was executed on February 14 around the year 270 A.D. Yikes!

LOG PRICES

Note that these figures represent prices paid by competitive domestic facilities in the Inland Northwest, and are based on average-sized logs and standard log lengths—usually 16’6” and 33’. MBF = Thousand Board Feet. Please note that the higher prices may reflect prices only paid in select locations within the Inland Northwest. *Pole value varies widely depending upon length. Market information as of December 15, 2022

Log prices have moved significantly upward at a few select locations, but most markets have remained fairly steady. The prevailing opinion of log buyers is that little change will occur in log prices as we move deeper into winter. - Mike Wolcott, ACF, Certified Forester

This information is provided by Inland Forest Management, Inc., a forestry consulting company. For additional information, they can be contacted at 208-263-9420, IFM@inlandforest.com or www.inlandforest.com.

The Gardener’s Corner

Last Call for BCGA Membership Course

By Ann Warwick

The Bonner county Gardeners Association

Membership Course

2023 begins on January 31, and will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am to noon until April 4. Whether you are a person new to gardening, or a seasoned veteran, perhaps from another part of the country, this course will provide an organized approach to growing plants of all kinds in our climate. From basic botany to soils to specific information on all kinds of gardening, ornamental, vegetables, fruits and berries, how to control pests and much more, this course is valuable to anyone interested in gardening. It includes speakers who are experts in their fields as well as the complete Master Gardener manual, and some hands-on classes. The deadline for signup is January 15. The class size is limited, so enrolling early is advised. The course costs $150, which includes the manual, many extra materials, and a one year membership to the Bonner County Gardeners Association. Other benefits include getting acquainted with likeminded individuals, forming new friendships, volunteer opportunities and social events. For more information, contact our website: bcgardeners.org or call us at 208-265-2070, leave a message, and someone will get back to you. Or contact us at info@bcgardeners.org.

HOORAY

FOR E-TOOLS!

Backyard gardeners are enthusiastically welcoming battery operated tools to make gardening easier. We just bought a battery operated snow blower, and we love it! It is powerful enough to move deep snow and the batteries are sufficient to completely clear all our paths and walkways. Similarly, gardeners are discovering the joy of many other e-tools—weed whackers, leaf blowers, lawn mowers, and chainsaws, among others. The advantages are many. No need to store flammable gasoline or risk spillage. No need to travel frequently to a gas station to buy fuel. No need to pull on a rope to start the machine. No cords that either don’t reach to the work area or get tangled. They are quieter, too. Most are lighter to carry or push, enabling older or physically weaker people to use them comfortably. Some brands of these tools offer one charger and interchangeable batteries for multiple tools, providing increased efficiency and flexibility for the user. And, as a bonus, as more people turn to e-tools, use of fossil fuels decreases, a boon to the environment.

This fall has been unusual, in that many trees and shrubs have not shed their leaves. Snow has fallen, which can create some problems for these plants, as the leaves hold snow, which can cause breakage of limbs from the increased weight. Some plants, such as raspberries and some roses, retained leaves as green as they were in July. If they are not fully supported, they can be damaged from heavy snow

It is doubtful whether these conditions will actually kill the trees and shrubs, as most have already formed the buds that will produce new growth in the spring. However, we can expect to face the burden of cleaning up fallen leaves and broken branches just when we are getting ready for spring planting. Keep those leaf rakes and pruners handy!!

In the Grip of the Storm

By Helen Newton

Brought to you by the Bonner County Historical Society

Winter solstice officially occurs on Dec. 21, 2022, at 4:48 p.m. although many of us would say winter has already begun. What can we expect in the winter of 2022-23? That depends on whether you subscribe to the wooly caterpillar theory or the Farmer’s Almanac. Regardless, it will be what it will be and the only thing we humans can do to escape is to follow our winged friends southward.

Our neck of the woods has seen its share of impressive winters but the winter of 1969 is still within the memories of many readers.

Bonner County fell into the grip of the granddaddy of all cold waves just as the new year arrived. A low of minus 39 surpassed the previous record low of minus 35 that had stood for 35 years without challenge. Once the cold eased somewhat, snow arrived and the county experienced very little letup in winter’s savage attack.

By the end of January, we found ourselves in the grip of an area-wide blizzard. Residents saw some of the largest drifts seen in the county since the big storm of 1948. North Boyer and the Selle valley saw drifts as high as 20 feet.

Any advantages to living in town vanished as drifts ran from four to 12 feet tall, plugging the streets. Fuel trucks were among the first to buck drifts and were the only vehicles, other than snowmobiles, which dared to go.

Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Littlejohn, operators of the city taxi service, tried to go home but the vehicle lodged in a snow drift on West Pine. Equipped with citizen band radio, they radioed for help. Police officer Gene Holt responded with the patrol car but he struck a drift hard enough he couldn’t open the doors of the police vehicle. He radioed for assistance.

Fred Hartman responded with a wrecker until he could see no farther in the storm. Over his radio he asked Holt to turn on the red light so he could find him without running over the police car. Holt switched on the red light and Hartman found the rear bumper of the police car was about four feet ahead of his wrecker.

Ultimately the stranded and would-be rescuers made it to the PP&L station (corner Pine & Lincoln), broke a window and escaped the extreme cold. Harlie Hanson and Bill Gill made it through with snowmobiles to get everyone back to town.

One year later, the News Bulletin reported that snowfall for the calendar year 1969 was 92.4 inches, 16.6 inches above normal and is completely attributable to the record-breaking snowfall during January. For the winter of 1968-69, the total snowfall was 118.9 inches which was a lot of snow. However, it was by no means a record or, for that matter, even close to one. During the winter of 1915-16, 192.5 inches fell from November to February. Now that would be some serious snow!

The City of Sandpoint invested in serious snow loading equipment in the late 1960s, including this beast, called the “Snow Eater” or “Barber Green.” It could lift snow from a front snowblower attachment up and over itself into a waiting dump truck; here it works away on 2nd Avenue between Church and Main, looking north. Photo courtesy of BCHS, donated to the collection by Sandpoint News Bulletin. 23.0075

Dump truck dumping snow off the Cedar Street bridge in Sandpoint during the winter of 1949. Photo courtesy of BCHS, donated to the collection by Jim Wolfe. R271N032

Owning Depression

by Gabrielle Duebendorfer, NMD

Last winter was really rough in the forest a thousand feet up from Sandpoint. Lots of heavy snow and several strong wind storms knocked over many mature and weakened younger trees. So far, this early snowy winter, I have avoided these obstacle paths on my cross-country ski trips, but the other day enough snow allowed me to venture deeper into the forest. It was all worthwhile finding a way around and over the blanketed branches and trees as I found myself in a magical forest filled with snow creatures and hugged close by the trees.

Working with obstacles reminds me of a good friend whose son is autistic. During a recent conversation she shared how having a clear diagnosis allowed him to fully own who HE is. It is not his disability, she says, that limits him, but only a lack of resources. Venturing into life as a young man now, he introduces himself with “Hi, I am John, and I am autistic, and I love riding my bike.” How beautiful and clear is this? No hiding or shame, but rather an empowered stepping forward into life. That kind of attitude allows for strategizing when obstacles arise – strategizing for new resources in collaboration with mother, teacher, employer, friends.

I was musing If it were possible to own depression that way. A diagnosis of depression often is avoided or at least hidden, potentially robbing people of strategies and resources. I recall the pin drop silence in the Panida, when one of the members of a teen suicide panel asked the audience where they were when 4 or 5 of their co-students that year were struggling to the point of suicide. Not only do most of us not feel comfortable approaching somebody about their mental struggle, but we also don’t like to share or ask for help when we ourselves are struggling. There is so much stigma and shame about not being able to be happy and successful.

Owning depression not only makes it possible to reach out to somebody else, whether a friend or professional, it also opens up more possibilities for help. Herbal medicine has a long track record as anti-depressants. My favorite herb is St John’s Wort, as the holes in the plant’s leaves symbolically let the light in during the summer and release it during processing into the blood red tincture or oil. My favorite way to imbibe it is as tea together with Passionflower, Lemonbalm and lavender – savoring the smell, taste and feel of the tea and quiet that comes from just sitting down with a pretty cup of tea. Vitamin D, full spectrum lights, and spending time outdoors about midday all balance neurotransmitters and hormones. Spending more time inviting joyful and at ease emotions by self-presence via meditation, prayer, breath practice, gratitude, or service increases neurotransmitters that induce feelings of well-being

Of course, prescription anti-depressants can be an absolute lifesaver. Here too, attachment to a belief that one should be able to conquer depression naturally is a form of non-acceptance that keeps one from properly resourcing. The key is to find somebody who can finetune a prescription, which can be a long process. Once stable, one wean off with nat ural remedies and begin to work deeper with underlying core beliefs that tend to pull one down the rabbit hole.

Having said that, I vividly recall a long-term patient some 20 years ago, whom I treated for depression. He was managing OK until a glorious fall day, full of de lightful colors, sunshine, and fall smells, when all the resources, even prescription meds, couldn’t get him through the depression anymore. He did commit sui cide and I recall being devastated for not having helped enough to prevent it. I questioned how somebody who was so in touch with the natural world as a hunter could not see the glorious beauty of this fall day.

I think there still is something else that needs to be considered here. We tend to favor lightness and push darkness away, which never really works as both are complementary and can’t exist without the other. The societal drive towards happiness, lightness, productiv ity doesn’t leave much room to just dwell in darkness when it beckons – in fact fear of darkness is rather fos tered – you don’t want to go there. I would suggest that the dark time of the year is a perfect time to be come more intimate with darkness and stillness – kind of like hibernating like a bear. This quote from an iRest colleague of mine resonated with me here.

Darkness is the realm of interiority, Of holding, waiting, and invoking. Reflective like the moon Or gestational as the soil. Darkness is the place of refuge and rest Of containment and acceptance. Darkness is after all the primordial womb

Form which dreams emerge. It is the origin of all life

Before it comes into being.

In other words, we have to become still, learn to be comfortable with nothing happening, even hanging in the abyss – or differently put: entering the inner sanctum of our heart. Every artist knows this at times agonizing transition time before the next creative urge unfolds. That too needs to be nurtured. Interestingly the word terrific has bliss and terror right built into one word. A teacher of mine says God or delight is right here inside my fear. We all tremble, know fear, anxiety, depression, even terror. He recommends to dive into the vibratory world of sensation beneath the emotion and thus offer our terror as prayer that opens the door to revelation.

Luminosity permeates the universe, And the secret sound that hums Everything into existence Resounds everywhere.

The revelation being that the same mystery that hums everything into existence also trembles as vibration of depression. It is not to be ashamed of but rather embraced in order to wake up and seek God, to awake to the immediacy of life. Once I felt that my skiing excursions were limited by the obstacles, I strategized, evaluated the depth of snow and ventured into the forest. I developed the resource to figure out where I can go over the trees and where I can go around and had much more of a lively interaction with the forest – waking to the immediacy of life despite all the obstacles. I wish I had had that revelation to offer to my patient a long time ago. May you be able to accept your uniqueness and be courageous enough to share that like my young friend, so that resources can be strategized with yourself and/or others. You don’t have to be limited by your obstacles whether they are internal or external.

Dr Gabrielle Duebendorfer has practiced for more than 25 years combining natural medicine with mindfulness tools. She is a licensed naturopathic physician as well as certified iRest instructor and focuses on cancer care and survivorship as well as Long-COVID and other stealth infections. She offers tele and in person consults and classes. 208-920-0583

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