It’s that time of year again when we try to live as much of life as we can in the short summer months ahead. We are going to hike, fish, garden, picnic, swim, motor bike, BBQ, trail bike, put up hay, camp, road trip, cook over a campfire, sleep under the stars, eat again and hopefully celebrate all there is to love and respect about this great country we live in: America.
We can do all of the above or none of it. This is what Liberty does for us. We can respect anything or not. We can vote or not. We can eat, drink, and be merry, or not. We can say ‘Yes’ to God, or not. And we can choose between places to work, live, and raise a family. Or not.
In this issue of the Round Up you will find a good smattering of what it means to live in and experience Bonner County, Idaho, our local home in America. From the rodeos to the county fairs. wildlife concerns, yard sales and fundraisers, museums, creeks and rivers, beaches, garden tours, parades, horse shows and more, we’ve got it all right here.
At some point the American Flag is going to appear on the horizon of our day and we will choose to either respect it and all it stands for, or not. We will choose to celebrate liberty or not. We will choose to make a difference.....or not. Liberty gives this array of opportunities to all of us even if we don’t want it.
Personally, I look forward to that lump that sticks in my throat every time the American Flag comes into view, especially in a July 4th parade. It means liberty and all that goes with it even if I don’t agree.
The CO-OP is a very old institution in this community built on a cooperative business model that also values God, home, family, farm, and community. Our roots run deep in this community. We hope to see you out there, celebrating life, liberty, community, faith, and freedom in this Great Country of America. It never gets old. Fireworks!!
Visit Us!
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History Creating Community
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Craft Fair & Fabric SALE
Saturday, July 20 9 am – 2:30 pm
Memorial Community Center Hope, Idaho (Across RR tracks, near MM 46)
*Macrame Items *Table Runners
*Fabric Totes * Pillow Cases *Aprons
*Bowl Cozies *Artisan Leather Bags & Wallets
*Tupperware * Homemade Spices * Honey
*Organic Candles
*Garden Novelties and Outdoor Decor
*Organic Stone/ Gem Jewelry *Wooden Toys and Boxes
*Cloth Shopping Bags *Quilts various Sizes
*Quality Quilting Fabrics and Fat Quarters * Patterns
*How-To Books *Sewing Tools
*Bernina Activa 140 incl Manual, Hard Case and ext table
Plus… Bake Sale, Vintage Funk, Boutique finds, lunch option and much, much more!
Bring your friends and find that “special something” you’ve been looking for!
Walking Tours
W h e t h e r y o u ’ r e v i s i t i n g t h e
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CO-OP Gas & Supply Company has been your locally owned and operated propane company since 2000. Our outstanding customer service and attention to reasonable pricing has set us apart from all other propane companies in the area.
If you are looking for a new propane company to supply all your propane needs at home, the office, or on the farm, now is the time to give us a call.
CO-OP Gas & Supply Company provides propane service to all of Bonner and Boundary Counties.
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 .
Bits and Pieces
SUMMER 2024 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.
Harvesting & Storing Garden Vegetables, FREE Tuesday, July 9, 3:30-5pm Online Via Zoom
Join us for a free online workshop on how to identify the proper stage of maturity to harvest garden vegetables for peak flavor, nutrition, and storage. Go to https://bit.ly/HarvestStore24 to register.
Keeping Garden Pests in Check!, $5
Wednesday, July 10, 1-3pm
Discover how to keep away pests like gophers, mice and problematic insects while inviting friendly bugs. Learn to cultivate a strong and healthy garden by nurturing your plants and beneficial insects. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned gardener, this class will enhance your garden by giving you tools to reduce harmful pests while encouraging the helpful ones that have an important role in fostering healthy plant growth!
Air Frying Fun!, FREE Thursday, July 18, 11am-Noon Online Via Zoom
Join us to learn how simple and fun it can be to use an air fryer to prepare a quick meal for you and others. This program will teach participants the basics of air fryers including settings, ease of use and considerations. This class is great for anyone looking to purchase an air fryer or wondering how to put one they own to better use. Go to https://bit.ly/airfry24 to register.
Fermentation, FREE Thursday, August 15, 11am-Noon Online via Zoom
Learn the basics of fermenting foods and enhancing the nutritional value, healthfulness, and digestibility of foods! Register at: https://bit. ly/fermentation24
Dutch Oven Cooking, $20 Wednesday, September 4, 10am2pm Boundary County Fairgrounds Indoor Arena
Learn how to make delicious food while cooking outdoors using a Dutch oven. We will also cover proper care, storage, and tips for the Dutch oven. This hands-on class will teach how to make a variety of dishes including breads, desserts, main dishes, and vegetables. The class will end with a picnic lunch as participants get to eat the food we make during the class.
Freeze Drying Done Right, FREE Thursday, September 12, 11am-Noon Online via Zoom
Learn about different freeze dryer models, purchasing and maintenance costs, how to operate a freeze dryer, and proper storage of freeze-dried goods! Register at: https://bit.ly/freezedrying24
Growing Garlic in North Idaho, $5 Thursday, September 12, 1-3pm
Fall is the time to plant garlic cloves! In this class you will learn about different garlic varieties and how best to grow them in your North Idaho garden. From planting in the fall to harvesting the following season we will discuss soil preparation, planting, irrigation and harvesting and storage. Although this crop is generally easy to grow, we will also discuss possible pests.
Intro to Hydroponic Gardening, $5 Wednesday, September 25, 1-3pm
Welcome to the world of hydroponic gardening. Hydroponic gardening is gardening without soil. This can be accomplished indoor or outdoor. In small spaces, or as large as you’d like to make it. With the right space, hydroponic gardening can provide food for you year round. We will be discussing several different types of hydroponic systems, from counter top to simple float systems as well as larger more productive growing. Instructor, Tonia Zink, has been successfully growing hydroponics year around for 5 years and loves to share her passion with others.
Check our website for current classes and our newsletter: https://www.uidaho.edu/extension/county/boundary
July 4th Trivia:
The first public 4th of July event at the White House took place in 1801.
Thomas Jefferson was president, and, according to the White House Association, the day was filled with music, food and even horse racing.
Opportunities for Growth. Built-In Safety.
Are you looking for a better return on your investment? While CDs offer guaranteed interest rates1, you could be missing out on opportunities to lock in even higher earnings. Let’s talk options today. Kendon Perry 302 Main St Sandpoint, ID 208.265.5895 fbfs.com/find-an-agent/kendonperry
American Heritage Wildlife Foundation Since 2001, your community supported organization helping all the wild native neighbors through rehabilitation of the injured or orphaned and public education. AHWF.ORG 2082661488 Find these seven books wherever you find your next read. Lulu, Amazon, & the library! (Adventure, Mystery, Anecdotal, Educational) Only you can help AHWF keep ID WILD!
Rural Domestic Dog Ownership: My Dog Is Loose. What now?
By Kathy Osborne, Editor CO-OP Round Up
After the last issue of the CO-OP Round Up, I was approached by a reader to address an issue, which seems county wide. The issue is real and has been a concern since I was a kid. My dad was born in Bonner County in 1934, and I recall him talking about it. The subject is domestic dog chasing and/or killing of wildlife and livestock.
This piece is not intended to be an exhaustive research article on the subject, but rather, a source of information for readers of this publication about existing law regarding at large domestic dogs.
Many years ago, Bonner County Farm Bureau, in conjunction with University of Idaho produced the booklet Code of the West. I first became acquainted with this gem when I picked it up at the DMV while renewing my drivers’ license. As a native to Bonner County, I consider this booklet a must read for all newcomers. Whether he or she chooses to regard this written rural life wisdom is up to the reader. However, ignoring it just may be at the peril of the newcomer’s dog’s life.
Written in the Code of the West, page 8 section 5.12, the document points out “Moving to the country is not a license to let pets roam. Even gentle Fido can become a deer-chasing nuisance, predator of small game, or lunch for coyotes. State law protects livestock from your dogs. Dogs found attacking or harassing livestock can be shot.”
Recent comments on public online forums site instances of domestic dogs killing entire farm poultry flocks. An event such as this is both costly and disturbing for the flock owner. While it can certainly be handled by dispatching the dog outright, I have also seen another choice: restitution. In one recent case the dog owner bought not only new chicks but feed as well for the farmer. While this merely seems a reasonable and responsible response, it is also the law.
Bonner County has code in place to deal with all manner of nuisance dogs being careful to site specifics, with clarity, the responsibilities of dog owners at all times. This code can be found on line on the Bonner County website: 10-310: DOGS TO BE UNDER OWNER’S CONTROL; NOT TO BECOME NUISANCES
This code is about a 20 minute read. It basically states the owner is responsible for the behavior of his/her dog, which is not to be allowed ‘at large’ freedom for any reason. The only caveat to this rule, and it is specific, is if the dog is working livestock.
Idaho Statute I.C. § 25-2806 provides that any owner whose dog kills, worries, or wounds any livestock and poultry is liable to the owner of the same for the damages and costs of suit, to be recovered before any court of competent jurisdiction. Further, any person, on finding any dog, not on the premises of its owner or possessor, worrying, wounding, or killing any livestock or poultry may, at the time of so finding said dog, kill the same, without liability for damages.
Idaho Statute Title 36 Chapter 11 Section 36-1101 deals with predation of wildlife by domestic dogs and punishment for owners which allow the predation.
Again, conversations about domestic dog predation of livestock and wildlife abound in on-line public forums and of course opinions are plenty. Those moving to a rural Idaho community may find established dog predation law unkind, excessive, harsh or unacceptable. However, once dogs learn to chase livestock and wildlife, they often cannot stop the behavior on their own.
Dog owners may also wish to consider another reason for keeping their pet from roaming: some wildlife won’t put up with a domestic dog. Coyotes can and do kill domestic dogs. Large cats can also be a threat although rare as they prefer poultry and smaller pets. Just know that a mountain lion can take down a small deer so really, the family dog is very much at risk in the wild.
If a dog in the county tends to get away from its owner and get into trouble, community members are well within their rights to call local law enforcement to have the problem dealt with. More than just within their rights, it could be considered the kind thing to do for the pet and the owner. Dogs running loose, especially in rural areas, is dangerous. Bonner County is a beautiful place to live and experience. Part of this experience can be responsible dog ownership. We can be responsible dog owners when we know what the law says.
Hopefully we can all experience this beautiful place with our family pets for many years to come.
The CO-OP Gas & Supply Company, Inc. is in the process of retiring stock from the cooperative. If you see your own name on this list, or know how to reach anyone on this list, please contact the CO-OP office at 208.263.6820 Thank you!
ADAMSON, JAMES E
AMES, JOANNE
ANSELMO, PAUL OR JULIE
AULELTA, RICK OR PAM
BACKUS, WAYNE
BAKER, BRUCE
BAKER, JANICE
BARNHART, JEFF OR MELISSA
BEAMS, ROBIN
BEEBOUT, E MARIE
BENGE, DOUGLAS OR SHIRLEY
BIEBERDORF, ROBIN
BIGELOW, JOAN
BLECKWENN, NOVA
BOLSTAD, RUTH
BOYLE, MARY
BRADLEY, JEFFREY
BRYANT, BRON & SUZY
BUCK, SYD
BUSSEY, ROBERT & DERSHI
CALLISTER, RYAN OR VALERIE
CARPENTER, BARBARA
CHET, HOWELL
CLARK, DENNIS
COOKE, JULIE M
CORNWELL, V JAY OR JILL
COUNCILMAN, RICHARD OR KATHRYN
DAVIS, LARRY
DAVIS, MICHAEL C
DEAL, PATRICIA A OR TERRY
DEANE, VIRGINIA
DELDUCCO, BECKY
DELEWESE, TONY L DENIO, PEGGY OR RALPH
DESHON, JOHN OR LYNN
DEWOLFE, ROB
DICKEY, JOE OR KATHLEEN
DIXON, HELEN
DORTMUND, CHIC OR LINDA EIGLER, STUART
ELLIS, DOROTHY
ENGLISH, RICHARD OR KAREN EVANS, BARBARA L EVANS, GARY OR MYRNA A FARTHING, CARRIE & TED FAUBION, HAROLD R FERGUSON, DIANE FERRIER, MARINA
FISHBAUGH, EDWARD FITCHETT, MILDRED I FRANK, CAROLYN FRAZIER IV, GEORGE & PATT FRY, TIM
FUQUA, SCOTT & KIMBERLY FURTADO, MARILYN GLAZIER, CRAIG GRAY, RICHARD W
GREGG, MICHAEL A GRIGGS, MAURICE L GROCE, BRANDY GROVE, DONALD & LINDA GURLEY, ELEANOR HALE, JANET
HAMILTON, F BOB & RUTH
HANCOCK, DAVID R
HANKS, FRANK
HANSEN, GEORGE
HARBISON, DURELL
HAYDEN, BILL
HEADINGS, PAUL R OR ROSE
HENSLEE, RICHARD
HOPPER, BRIAN
HULBERT, CHARLES
HULETT, WILLIAM
HULL, TEVIS W OR CARRIE
B
INMAN, AUTUMN & JEREMY
INMAN, FRANK OR DEBBIE
JOHNSON, STEVE & MELISSA
KAISER, JIM OR MARY
KELL, RICHARD
KELLER, EVELYN
KENNEDY, GENEVIEVE A
KETNER, CHRIS
KINGSLAND, TOM & KRISTINA
KINGSLEY, RONALD
KLOPFENSTEIN, ROGER
KNIGHT, ELIZABETH
KOLB, GABE
KRONE, BRIAN J OR SA-
RAH
KUHL, WADE OR ROBYN
LARITCHIE, ORRIN
LARSON, RICHARD
LAW ORMESHER, MILLIE
LEBARON, DON
LEONARD, DONALD OR BOBBI
LOJEK, BRIAN
LOOSEMORE, BOB
LOVE, ROBERT
LOWELL, DALE
LUCAS, JIM
MACLEOD, LOIS
MARSHALL, ROBERT W.
MARTIN, STEVE G
MARTIN, T L
MAY, DIANNA
MAY, W CARL
MCDERMOTT, ANTHONY
MCDONALD, W JASON
MCINTURFF, SHARON
MCLEISH, JENNIFER L
MCLEISH, RACHEAL
MESCHKE DVM, MARIE
MILLER, RUSS OR AVERAL
MILLER, TONY
MILLER, WILLIAM
MINDEN, ED A
MOON, KIMBERLY
MOTT, PHYLLIS
NASH, JAMES R
NELSON, EDWARD L
NOONAN, DAVID J
NORTON, SHERMAN & CONNIE
NOVAK, CHRISTOPHER B
OENS, LINDA
OTTO, HENNING OR PATRI-
CIA
PEINE, NOEL A
PERKINS, JEFFREY
PETERS, THOMAS B
PETERSON, LUKE
POHL, KRISTA
PORTER, JON C & JANICE
POWELL, HAROLD
RANSOM, GREG
REED, MIKE L OR LYNNAE
REMMETTER ELECTRIC, MARK
REMY, WILLIAM OR CASEY JO
RITCHIE, ANDREW R
RIVERA, PETE
ROBERSON, DELORIS
ROGERS, JOHN P
ROOP, ROBERT E OR GLORIA
ROOS, DONALD A OR TRACIE
SATER, JEFF OR WENDY
SCHIED, DON F
SCHILLING, FRANK
SCOTT, KEVIN
SHARDY, MATT
SHAW, JOHN OR MICHELE
SHOOK, DANIEL K
SHOOPMAN, CLYDE
SIEBEN, JIM OR SUSAN
SIEGMUND, JOHN
SIMMONS, ROBERT
SLEEP, BRENT W OR TAWNIE
SMITH, RANDY
SMYTH, WILLIAM A
SNYDER, CHARLES A OR WALLIE
STEPHAN, CAROL NOORT
STEVENS, JIM
STIPPICH, JAMES
STOVER, PHILLIP
STUART, GERALD R OR E VIVIAN
STUTZKE, RUBY
TAYLOR, RANDY OR CINDY
THOMAS, BARBARA OR DANIEL
THOMAS, HELEN
THOMAS, JOHN W
THOMAS, ROBERT J
THORESON, RANDY
TOPPENBERG, LARRY
TRAVERS, ANGUS J
TROST, JARED
VAN STONE, JEFFREY
VANGUNDY, RON
VANWAGNER, ALAN
VANWAGNER, K WOLD & A
VILLELLI, RICHARD A
VITALE, MARTIN
WAKELEY, FRANK
WALKINGTON, PATRICIA OR GEOFFREY
WATSON, MARK
WEAVER DEBBIE
WEDEL, IVAN
WELLS, JAMES R
WESTER, DAN
WESTFALL, KIRK OR DEBBIE
WILMOT, PAUL
YANN, GARRY & MARY
YOUNG, ARTHUR R
Thank you so much for your assistance with finding these folks!
Idaho Loses 144,000 Acres of Farm
Land
By Sean Ellis Idaho Farm Bureau Federation
Idaho lost farmland, and farms, at an alarming rate from 2017 to 2022. According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, 144,000 acres of working lands in Idaho were taken out of production during that five-year period. Working lands include cropland, pasture and rangeland, and private forests. That represents a 1.2 percent drop from the 11.69 million acres of total working lands in the state in 2017.
Nationwide, 20 million acres of land was taken out of production from 2017 to 2022, according to the ag census. That was a 2.2 percent drop from 900 million acres in 2017.
During that five-year period, 2,119 farms and ranches in Idaho went out of business, which amounts to more than one operation in the state closing every day during that time.Nationally, the U.S. lost 142,000 farms from 2017 to 2022, according to the ag census.
Many or most of those shuttered farms, both in Idaho and nationally, were smaller farms and ranches and, percentage-wise, account for little of the state’s and nation’s overall farm production.
Idaho still has 22,877 farms and total production of the state’s main agricultural commodities – potatoes, hay, milk, beef, wheat, barley, sugar beets, onions, hops, etc. – remains steady, if not increasing.
But the loss of agricultural operations and working lands from 2017 to 2022 is still not welcome news for the state’s farm and ranch community and the rate of that loss is on a bad trajectory, said Idaho Farm Bureau Federation President Bryan Searle.
“It’s terribly sad news when any farm or ranch goes out of business, regardless of size,” he said. “And the total loss of land in farming is troubling.”
Given Idaho’s rapid population growth, those numbers didn’t come as a major shock to many people involved in the state’s agricultural industry.
“It’s not slowing down,” said Canyon County farmer Sid Freeman, who took a drive recently along Cherry Lane from Canyon County to Ada County. “I had no idea where I was at. I had to look at the road signs to know where I was at. Things are moving extremely fast. I don’t see it slowing down.”
“The most disturbing thing to me is the loss of total acres in farming,” said New Plymouth farmer Galen Lee. “A lot of that is good productive row crop land, too. Once those acres are developed, they don’t ever go back into farm production.”
Lee tried to buy some farm ground that he currently rents but the landowner got a better offer from a developer.
“With development all around you, it gets harder and harder and harder to keep farming,” he said.
“I drive all over this state and I see the growth, so I’m not surprised by the ag census data,” said David Anderson, the Idaho program manager for American Farmland Trust, which tracks the loss of working lands in the U.S.
“And it’s not just development pressure, he added. “Idaho’s working landowner families are shouldering market, operational, regulatory, and succession pressures. The data tells us that it’s the small and middle-sized operations that are giving up and selling. The current system is not working in their favor.”
The value of land for urban development pushes out small farms close to town, said Twin Falls County Farm Bureau President Larry Hollifield. “You get more money selling it for houses versus selling it for farmland.”
The rapid loss of farm ground “is shocking but as I look around, there is a lot of farm ground in this community being sold for housing,” said Jefferson County Farm Bureau President Alan Clark.
He said there were a couple plots of farm ground he had hoped to buy but developers offered an amount that priced him out.
The developer offered more than three times what Clark could offer.
“There’s no way we can compete with that,” he said.
Anderson, who grew up working on his family’s ranch in the Lemhi Valley, noted that AFT’s Farms Under Threat: 2040 report estimates that more than 10 square miles of Idaho’s farms and ranches are permanently converted to development each year, and with continued population growth, the pace is accelerating.
“When you look at this most recent ag census data, the loss of land in production suggests that a significant amount of that land is poised to be converted permanently,” he said.
He said the recent data “reinforces the fact that we are at a point of runaway sprawl. That is an indication that the agricultural protections currently afforded in the state’s Local Land Use Planning Act, we’ve outgrown them. They’re not working for us anymore.”
“The challenge we have is that once we’re in a runaway sprawl state, then we are changing the land value economics in the path of the growth so quickly that a lot of our working landowners don’t necessarily have the resources to be able to withstand the development pressure that’s coming at them,” he added. “I think the overall challenge we’re facing is operation viability. It is easier for landowners in the path of growth to cash out rather than shoulder in and say, ‘I’m going to set this up for the next generation. I want to keep farming. My kids want to keep farming.’” Anderson said there are possible solutions to stop or at least stem the rate of farm and farmland loss in Idaho. It’s just a matter of having the will to do what it takes to make a difference.
“It’s going to take a big toolbox because it’s not a one-size-fits-all answer,” he said. “Every farm, every ranch, is uniquely its own. So we’ve got to be able to meet our working landowners halfway with a toolbox and say, ‘You want to stay in operation and your kids want to come home and take over. OK, I think this tool, this tool and this tool are what’s going to work best for you to do that.”
Any solutions will have to respect private property rights, he said, a train of thought that lines up with Idaho Farm Bureau Federation policy. “A farmer should be able to sell his land to the highest bidder,” said Freeman. “Private property rights should never be taken away from any individual.”
Our Environment
The CO-OP Country Round Up July / August 2024 Volume 24
Weed of the Month: Rush Skeleton
By Chase Youngdahl, Bonner County Noxious Weeds
Why is that big, white truck spraying along the county roads, and what is in the tank? Undoubtedly, these are questions that come to mind when residents on one of our nearly 700 miles of roads (especially those who are new to the area) sees one of our applicator rigs rumbling through their neighborhood with a spray boom in operation. Idaho Statute §22-2405 is the County Duties pertaining to noxious weeds, and one duty listed in this chapter is to detect and treat noxious weeds. This includes private property (following a process), but property under the county’s ownership and management absolutely needs to comply with responsibilities assigned in the noxious weeds chapter of statute (as well as rules promulgated by the state related to noxious weeds, which is where the Idaho Noxious Weed List is housed).
Bonner County road rights-of-way make up the bulk of county property, equaling approximately 800-900 acres of land. Transportation corridors are the primary vectors for spread of noxious weeds, being that vehicles cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time and can originate from, or be en route to, virtually anywhere. Seeds tumble off of tires and fender wells and rest in that operational zone beginning at the edge of the road surface and extending down into the bar ditches. Likewise, noxious weeds that go to seed on the edges of roads are picked up on tires and tracked elsewhere. The majority of the Idaho noxious weeds that we detect in our surveys of county roads can generally be treated with a “catch-all” chemistry combination of broadleaf specific herbicides that are labeled for use in rights-of-way. Milestone® (aminopyraid) + Escort® (metsulfuron) + Freelexx (2,4-D choline) + Syl-TacEA (spreader/sticker) + Crosshair ® (a drift control agent) generally constitute our roadside mix. In areas where Toadflaxes are noted, we substitute Telar® (chlorsulfuron) for the Escort® component. Additionally, we are in the process of transitioning to a new product called HighNoon® (aminopyralid + florpyrauxifen). This replaces Milestone® and eliminates the need for 2,4-D—as the florpyrauxifen component is a new molecule in the plant growth regulator family. Growth regulator herbicides are synthetic auxins (imitation plant hormones), which results in the plants essentially growing themselves to death—that’s why you see twisting and contorting of treated weeds.
This is my 45th article for this publication, and by now I have pretty much run through all of the Idaho noxious weeds that are widespread or semi-widespread in our area, as well as the Bonner County listed invasive weeds of concern; the main targets on our roadsides. Among the last of its kind (for now) to be featured is Rush Skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea). We have it classified in the Control category, which are the noxious weeds of mid-level infestation in the county.
Rush Skeletonweed is certainly not found everywhere in Bonner County, but it has surpassed the Early Detection, Rapid Response threshold for eradication. It’s a branched perennial with wiry stems, exhibiting few leaves, giving the stems a leafless appearance. The toothed basal leaves form a cluster, resembling that of a hairy Dandelion. Flowers are scattered across the branch tips, and produce 7-15 small yellow petals that give way to windborne seeds in the fall. Spotted Cat’s Ear can be a look-alike, but the main differentiation between the two is the flower size and structure. Another Rush Skeletonweed confirmation is a milky fluid excreted from cut leaves, stems and roots.
Rush Skeletonweed tolerates a wide variety of environmental conditions, but it thrives in areas with cold winters and hot, dry summers— like many Idahoans. :-) Sites that it likes to invade include roadsides, CRP grounds, farmlands/rangelands and pastures. It can become quite aggressive, especially in well drained soils, and extremely damaging to agriculture and natural resources. In the context of agriculture, it doesn’t take long to crowd out the desired crop, and the stems have a propensity to clog harvesting machinery. Outside of Ag land, it diminishes native plant and wildlife habitat.
Rush Skeletonweed is documented as a leading invasive species of impact to one of Idaho’s threatened plants; Spalding’s Catchfly (Silene spaldingii). Between the lightweight seeds that disburse in the wind, and taproot fragments that can send up new shoots from depths of 3 feet in the soil, Rush Skeletonweed is one that’s built to spread and persist. With that, it is incumbent upon landowners to act swiftly if discovered on their land. The longer it’s left unattended to, the more difficult it is to kill, as the taproots become stronger and more nutri-
ent-rich. Additionally, as infestations increase their footprint, the seed bank will blow further away each year, affecting neighbors. Being that Rush Skeletonweed is in the Control category in Bonner County, it is a zero tolerance specimen in our rights-of-way. It’s still well within the reach of keeping it from becoming a widespread issue. Spread the word, not the problem.
Our Community
Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society Tuesday Mysteries in the Arboretum
Turn your favorite elementary-age kid, or kids, into detectives as they discover the fascinating world of pollinators. Presented by the Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society, Tuesday Mysteries in the Arboretum kick off on July 9th, from 9-noon in the North Idaho Native Plant Arboretum on S. Ella Ave. There will be additional Mystery sessions – same time and place – on July 16th and 23rd.
To participate, simply come to the Arboretum shed in Lakeview Park any time between 9 and noon and pick up that day’s clue. Each Tuesday there will be a new mystery to solve by finding the answer in the informational posters along the Arboretum’s paved path. The first week focuses on solitary bees. On the 16th butterflies will be take center stage and on the 23rd moths will be under the spyglass.
Mystery sleuths can bring the results of their search to the Arboretum shed for a real cookie and another fun activity.
Last year’s Tuesday Mysteries focused on spiders, beetles and ants. This close-up look at insects develops understanding of how ecosystems work and how the lives of plants and insects are integral to each other, and to humans as well.
Information about Tuesday Mysteries can be found on the KNPS website: nativeplantsociety.org.
Bale Bucker’s Lament
With the coming of June, spring will soon turn to summer, and haying season will soon follow. Having been blessed with a strong back and a weak mind, it has always been my privilege to be the bale bucker. This delightful activity consists of taking a leisurely stroll about the meadow, occasionally tossing a sweet-smelling bundle of freshly baled hay to your smiling assistant on the truck, all the while carrying on a friendly chatter with the truck driver. This invigorating form of aerobic exercise was quite popular in my youth, sadly has given way to video games and the like. More’s the pity.
When you’re hauling hay out in the sun
Bucking bales don’t seem like fun
Especially when you have to run
To keep up with the truck
The poor guy out there on the ground
Always has to run around
To where the farthest bale is found
At least, that’s been my luck
The drivers never pay much heed
To what the lowly buckers need
They’ll run you right out through the weeds
To find those hidden bales
They’ll run you up and down the hills
You hope the load of hay don’t spill
It seems that it gives them a thrill
Speedin’ through hill and dale
Someday if I have some luck
I’ll be the one who drives the truck
Some other slob the bales will buck
As I take hold the wheel
Like sailor drunken I will go
A’ wanderin’ between the rows
And never will I e’re go slow
As I make those buckers squeal by Joseph
W. Smith
9B Quilters and Stitchin’ Dreams…Sewing Machine Give Away Application for 2024
This application is open to all Boundary County youth ages 8 to 17 years old. One applicant will be chosen to receive a Janome sewing machine The application is due August 31, 2024. The winner will be announced at the October 11th -12th , 2024 Quilt Show.
The Janome sewing machine is being given by 9B Quilters and Stitchin’ Dreams Quilt Shop
Applications can be picked up at: A Little Comfort Quilting Shop or Stitchin’ Dreams Quilting Shop or contact Carol Jean. Contact info listed below. They can also be printed off the 9B Quilters Facebook page, under files.
Print your name and age on this application and use a different paper to answer the questions. Please staple the papers together. Mail your application or drop it off at one of The Quilt Shops See the information listed below
Name Age_
Contact Info
1. What sewing experience do you have? (Experience not required to be eligible)
2. What have you sewn? (not required to be eligible)
3. Why do you feel we should pick you?
4. Write a short story or paragraph about something someone has sewn for you or what you desire to sew for someone else.
5. How will having a sewing machine help you?
6. Where would you store a sewing machine?
7. Do you have a family member that has a sewing machine that you use now?
8. Who do you know that can help you sew?
A community service project is required if you are chosen. We ask that you share what your project was at our 2025 Quilt Show with a small display. Example, poster with pictures.
You can choose your own project, or you can choose from these ideas: Clothing protectors for the hospital ECF wing. A humanitarian quilt for the Restorium, hospital or ministerial charities 9B Quilters will provide the fabric if you desire.
Submitting Applications:
You can choose to mail your application or drop it off at one of two shops.
Mail to: Carol Jean Hubbard- 345 Hubbard Lane, Bonners Ferry, Idaho.
For questions call 208-255-6980. If you want an application emailed to you, text Carol Jean your email address Pick up and drop off applications at:
If you choose to drop your application off at a shop, please contact Carol Jean so she can pick it up. Text or call the number listed.
The Gardener’s Corner
The CO-OP Country Round Up July / August 2024 Volume 24 Issue 5
It’s Time for the Annual Garden Tour
By Ann Warwick
Put on your favorite garden hat and gather some friends for a tour of some of the finest gardens in the area. For the annual Garden Tour, BC Gardeners present eight lovely landscapes for us to admire and from which to glean great ideas to take home. Saturday, July 6 from 10 am to 4pm is the date—a wonderful addition to the Independence Day celebrations. Bring your out-of-town guests along. They will be awed at the amazing variety of designs and the ingenuity of the garden owners. For addresses of the gardens, visit us at bcgardeners. org and click on Garden Tour. You can purchase tickets ($15) online or at the first garden you visit. The fabulous raffle basket will be on display at one of the gardens and tickets will be available at each garden. The drawing for the winner is immediately after the garden tour is over. The basket is a large handsome hand crafted garden trug, and it is packed with garden goodies, gift certificates, and many surprises, including a couple bottles of wine to celebrate your ”luck of the draw.”
North Idaho: Where the Weather Is Seldom Boring
Mother Nature can be capricious; she doesn’t like to be predictable and boring. Last year, we did not experience a frost after April until late in October. This year, many areas got a freeze in the final days of May, which killed newly planted annual flowers and tender veggies, such as tomatoes. As of the first days in June this year, the soil was still too cool for good germination of beans and squash, while last year it was ready weeks earlier.
The conditions last winter were lethal to many shrubs and trees. A period of warm weather preceded a sudden drop in temperatures to -20 in many cases, and the below zero readings lasted about a week. Fruit trees suffered from bark splitting, exposing the cambium layer. Many of them died, or failed to produce a healthy canopy of leaves. Old grape vines died or were severely affected, and shrubs such as burning bush, spirea and hardy roses were diminished, with dead branches throughout. More exotic specimen trees, such as weeping cherry or lace leaved Japanese maples perished. These are plants that are normally hardy here, but the juxtaposition of a term of warm weather followed by extreme and lasting cold was just too much for some of them.
The good news is that herbaceous perennial plants were little affected, as there was a layer of protective snow on the ground in most areas, which evened out the temperature extremes. For the most part, native shrubs faired quite well.
It is said, “In North Idaho, if you are prepared for the hottest, coldest, wettest, driest weather, you should be okay.”
The Power of Water
By Helen Newton
Brought to you by the Bonner County Historical Society and Museum
Perhaps the most significant element we share within our geographical area (northern Idaho, northwestern Montana and northeastern Washington) other than the air we breathe is water – streams, rivers and lakes. We have an abundance of water which provides us with beautiful vistas to refresh our spirits, recreational opportunities to enjoy, water for our animals and, of course, for ourselves. No water = no life. Perhaps we most appreciate our water when the well goes dry Uncontrolled bodies of water can result in floods, and this area has had its share. The worst on record for Lake Pend Oreille was in 1894 when the water level reached 2075.88. Currently pool level is considered to be 2062 to 2062.5’. Imagine 13’ more water on top of that!
The Columbia River Basin project had its genesis in the early 1900’s when organizers saw that the abundant supply of water could be used to turn arid land into productive farmland. Its first mention in a local paper was on January 25, 1927. The Northern Idaho News reported that “another big battle has been staged, fought and lost by the Columbia Basin project people. This week the legislature at Boise passed a bill which authorized the governor of the state to appropriate and hold in trust for the benefit of people of the state all the unappropriated waters of Priest, Pend Oreille and Coeur d’Alene lakes. While some future legislature may undo this legislation the matter is at least disposed of for the next two years.” Extensive and comprehensive studies were called for to document the impacts on these three lakes.
Decades of discussion, debate and legislation from the federal level to the local level have occurred since the 1920s. Today we find ourselves concerned about the condition of the Albeni Falls dam and its impact on the uses of Lake Pend Oreille we all take for granted.
Consider the following: Cabinet Gorge Dam was built in 1951-52 for $47,000,000. Albeni Falls dam (named after pioneer Albeni Poirier) was built between 1951 and 1955 at a cost of $34,000,000. Noxon Rapids Dam, constructed between 1955 and 1959 cost $85,000,000. The construction of these three dams had enormous economic impacts on our area.
It occurs to me that it must be unusual for a rural area like ours to have three important dams producing hydroelectric power within 25 miles to the west and 50 miles to the east.
Even with the dams in place, lake levels above 2,065’ occurred in 1972, 1974 and 1997. I remember my parents bringing us to town to witness the 1948 flood, the most significant flood locally after the 1894 flood. Anyone above the age of 6 or 7 who lived here at that time must surely recall it.
Flooding here paled in comparison to the disaster to our north in Bonners Ferry and along the Kootenai River where crops were destroyed, animals lost and homes and businesses seriously damaged. Those almost annual events were not brought under control until the Libby dam was built. Construction began in 1966, finished in 1972. The dam was dedicated Aug. 24, 1975.
Dams generate hydroelectric power, boost crop production, and create recreational and commercial opportunities, but they also pose challenges to our water ecosystems like impeding native fish populations. As our dams age and as technology advances, we will learn more about the impacts and possibilities dams may bring to our future. One thing is for sure, dams have played a powerful role in shaping our landscape: past, present, and future.
“Wait… is that a scam?”
“They say they’re from the IRS…should I believe them?” “Is this email asking for my credit card info for real?”
Includes FREE workbook and addi �onal resources. Refreshments provided. Thursday, July 11, 2024 (10:00 – 12:00 p.m.)
Photo credit: Lakeshore Motel and Cabins during 1948 Sandpoint flood. Photo from the Matt Schmitt Collection, courtesy of Bonner County Historical Society and Museum.
Your Health
The CO-OP Country Round Up July / August 2024 Volume 24 Issue 5
Brain Inflammation,
Brain Fog, and Depression
by Gabrielle Duebendorfer, NMD
I don’t like it when my body is not cooperating! It has been a very faithful and reliable servant for many years and I have accumulated lots of tools to support it in this crucial role. When I woke up with a crooked neck traveling a few weeks ago, the hoped -for help from a recommended chiropractor turned into a nightmare. Not being used to hard adjustments anymore, the sudden, unprepared yank of my neck strained some cervical ligaments, compressing the nerve on the opposite side and leading to severely limited range of motion and pain. Not only that, but it enlivened the trauma of a similarly unprepared neck adjustment during medical school. Despite my best care it will take time for these ligaments to heal and in the mean time I am dealing with exacerbated fatigue, brain fog and even bouts of depression.
According to Dr. Daris Kharrazian, author of Why Isn’t My Brain Working explains that neurological symptoms that are revived after renewed trauma to the brain have a predictable biological progression. The key player in this pathway are microglial cells in the brain, which were thought to be primarily glue holding the brain together. Now we understand that are important immune cells that help clean up debris and pathogens as well as regulate nerve cell and blood brain barrier function as they move about in the brain.
And yes, they have legs, which they lose together with the ability to move about when they are exposed to trauma. This trauma can be physical (traumatic brain injury), psychological, or be due to acute infection (Lyme’s, COVID 19). In the long term, this also happens with chronic disease (obesity, arteriosclerosis, auto-immune disease, chronic infections) and age as the inflammatory impact of toxins, stress, and infections accumulates. The problem is that the brain doesn’t have as good of an anti-oxidant system as the rest of the body, and is therefore more vulnerable to chronic inflammatory exposure. Nerve cell structure and function literally gets damaged as a result of both acute and chronic oxidative damage.
This glial cell priming further activates a normal inflammatory response to eliminate pathogens or tissue damage debris. Normally, this process gets balanced within 6 months by a concurrent anti-inflammatory process. However, with severe trauma a lot of the glial cells get primed just to be activated like a forest fire once a threshold is crossed with repeated neurological insult. It is the second hit that is the most damaging, leading to chronic symptoms all the way to auto-immune and severe neurological disease (coma, dementia, disorientation, seizures) as well as extreme sensitivity to any inflammatory stimulus or immune challenge (smoke, mold, volatile chemicals, EMF’s, food, stress).
I am delighted to finally have a biological explanation for my observation with for example, Long-COVID and chronic fatigue patients. Depending on previous inflammatory load and trauma, the COVID virus was like the last straw. The varied symptom response is explained by where in the brain the original trauma was located: back of the head – dizziness, vertigo and motor dysfunction; side of the head – ringing in the ears; forehead – cognitive processing problems; emotional trauma – anxiety, depression, mood swings; etc. Any exaggerated neurological symptom response to a trigger should warrant exploration into previous head, infectious, and psychological trauma.
Of course, general neuroinflammatory responses like brain fog, reduced mental processes, depression, anxiety, and fatigue is part of the overall picture, especially with concurrent viral infections or mold and other toxin exposure. It is important to understand that this is a progression with initially transient symptoms that can begin up to several years after the initial priming event. As previously mentioned, as bad as COVID-19 has been, the
virus has brought underlying inflammatory conditions to the surface that now can be properly addressed. A long COVID patient of mine had in the past dealt with chronic low grade digestive inflammation due to food sensitivities and previous emotional trauma. It expressed itself as reflux and chronic anxiety, which had now greatly been aggravated by the infection. Doing an elimination diet cleanse and rebuilding her gut as well as addressing the emotional picture has come a long way to improve her symptoms.
This improvement with cleansing is important to note because of two reasons. For one, the blood brain barrier (BBB) and the blood gut barrier (BGB) are related. Both can leak due to systemic chronic inflammatory exposure, admitting excessive toxins and inflammatory cytokines into the general circulation of the body and brain and causing oxidative damage to tissue and mitochondria. The Vagus nerve also has many pathways bringing information and inflammatory responses from a disturbed gut microbiome to the brain.
Secondly, the primed and activated glial cells cannot be reverted or eliminated by the regular immune system function, but only by autophagy - a programmed cellular self-destruction. As far as we know, the only thing that facilitates this process is fasting, which by the way is also the most efficient way to restore mitochondria.
Both facts emphasize the importance of cleansing and gut/brain barrier rebuilding, which has to be done properly in order to avoid further inflammation via release of toxins from tissue storage into circulation. Gradually implemented intermittent fasting while supporting elimination organs is a gentle way to start. Supporting anti-oxidant systems in body and brain is equally important. Turmeric and Resveratrol are two bioflavonoids that are not only anti-inflammatory but also cross the BBB. Turmeric needs to be either liposomal or taken with black pepper and fat. Resveratrol needs to be certified mold free, especially if you have mold sensitivity or illness, as it is frequently made from grapes. Of course, eating an anti-inflammatory, hypo allergenic, blood sugar balancing diet is equally crucial. None of this will be effective if the inflammatory causes are not removed. A qualified practitioner can be invaluable in sorting all this out.
Stay tuned for my next article which will expand fasting and cleansing.
Dr Gabrielle Duebendorfer, a licensed naturopathic physician and certified iRest meditation instructor, has practiced and taught for almost 30 years combining natural medicine with meditative inquiry and practices. She provides educational consults for cancer, auto-immune, and chronic viral/mold illness to facilitate and initiate the treatment decision making process. Naturopathic long-term care is reserved for patients who are interested in exploring and addressing underlying mental/emotional/stress aspects contributing to and resulting from chronic dis-ease. Her classes and individual sessions focus on teaching practical tools to regulate physical and nervous system messages while nurturing an underlying sense of well-being. You can read her articles and further references at www.aspenwellpring.substack.com and call 208-920-0583 for class schedules and appointments.
Home & Hearth
Eliminating Mites And Parasites In Poultry Flocks, Naturally
by Suzanne Tabert
Mite infestations in chickens, turkeys, and game birds can run from a nuisance to a health hazard to death, depending on the severity of the infestation. While mites can accumulate due to poor coop and pen management, even the most fastidious poultry keeper may find mites in the hen house. Mites can be brought in by wild birds, rodents, even on the shoes and clothes of people returning home from visiting other flocks or county/state fairs. Mites are able to live for several weeks to months off the host. It can be problematic to assess the type of mite infestation as mites are very small and difficult to see.
Symptoms of mite and parasite invasion can include, but not be limited to, bald patches, rough and reddened skin, scaly feet that may become misshapen or swollen, lethargy, declining or cessation of egg laying, self-plucking of feathers in an effort to relieve itching, foamy poop, reduced weight and appetite, and what seems to be early or out of season molting.
A few years ago, I had a flock of chickens that became infested with mites. The birds’ legs and feet became roughened and scaly, their tail feathers fell off, and poop came blasting out of them like little pieces of dynamite were being blown out their butts. Never a good thing to watch, let alone smell. No one wants to get that stuff on them. Assuming there were several types of parasites present, I came at treating the chickens with a several pronged attack.
First up was cleaning the coop and scraping it to bare wood. The refuse was taken far from the chicken pen in order to prevent reinfestation. Filling a 16 ounce bottle with organic, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar and 3 teaspoons of equal parts cedar, rosemary, and oregano essential oils, the entire coop was thoroughly sprayed from top to bottom, including the ceiling and roosts. Following that, diatomaceous earth was liberally sprinkled on the roosts, walls, ceiling, entrance ramps, and on the floor and nesting boxes. Cedar shavings were used as fresh bedding.
Now for the poor miserable chickens. Each chicken was held upside down and generously dusted all over down to the skin with food grade diatomaceous earth, avoiding the face. The diatomaceous earth was also put in piles in the pen for the chickens to dust themselves at will. DE is tiny, fossilized aquatic organisms called diatoms that accumulated over millennia in freshwater lakes. DE is about 85% silica, which makes it very abrasive. It kills mites and other soft bodied bugs such as parasites, worms, and lice by literally cutting into the flesh. How cool is that!? Being abrasive, care must be taken to avoid inhaling DE, as it can be harmful to lung tissue. The dusting was applied once a week for 3 weeks. Food grade DE can be found in many feed stores. Make sure it’s food grade, otherwise it may be adulterated with unwanted or unsafe ingredients.
After the birds went in to roost and were calm and docile, I went into the coop with a bowl of 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar per gallon of warm water and a jar of my homemade salve. Each bird got their legs soaked in the diluted acv for a few seconds, and then their legs were thoroughly coated with the salve. It consisted of medicinal oil of fresh cedar, usnea, saxifrage, salal, and fir tips, essential oils of rosemary and cedar, and beeswax. This treatment was done nightly for 2 weeks. Coating with the balm suffocates the mites. Any natural balm such as a good comfrey calendula salve can be used. Just take care to thoroughly coat every part of the feet and legs. Note: Typically, WD40, kerosene, and automotive oil are sometimes advised to coat poultry legs. Please don’t do this. Not only are these substances carcinogenic, but they can cause
respiratory problems in birds.
The final treatment was taken internally. Each morning, I mixed in 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar, 2 full bulbs of mashed fresh garlic, and 2 tablespoons of my anti-parasite tincture into 1 pound of organic scratch. Equal parts of Oregon grape rhizome bark, yarrow herb, and green mature cones of the alder tree are the herbs in the tincture. The chickens fell on this healing mixture every day as if they were starving, which in essence they were given that they had internal parasites. This treatment continued once a day for 10 days
1 cup unpasteurized organic apple cider vinegar was added to the 3-gallon water container. The water was changed twice a week, and the container cleaned each time.
Within just a few days, considerable improvement was detected in their energy levels, their poops returned to normal, their legs and feet began to improve, and the redness on their butt skin disappeared. After 3 weeks, pin feathers were evident, and all signs of mites and parasites were gone. The key to healing naturally is consistency in application of all treatments.
Why I chose these herbs:
Oregon Grape, Mahonia spp. The isoquinoline alkaloids hydrastine, berberine, and berbamine in Oregon grape promote bile discharge, directly kill microbes, helminths and other parasites and promote peristalsis to eliminate them from the body.
Yarrow, Achillea millefolium, also kills and expels worms, protozoa and helminths due to monoterpenes eugenol and borneol to name just a couple of its helpful constituents.
Alder, Alnus rubra. We gather the green strobiles, aka cones, of the alder to add to our anti-parasite formula. Alder cones are very bitter due to the water soluble tannins, alcohol soluble triterpenes, and alkaline soluble humins. The humins and tannins bind to substances in the digestive tract that shouldn’t be there (parasites) and allow them to be excreted from the body. Humins’ molecules are large and aren’t able to be absorbed into the bloodstream, making them perfect for eliminating intestinal parasites.
A healthy chicken is a happy chicken. That’s what we all want for them, eh? Please have a fun summer, and as always, I leave you Wild About Plants! Shalom!
Horse Owner Tips: Pasture and Herd
Life Considerations
by Samantha Harvey
Below are tips and insights to assess the individual horse, health factors, herd dynamics, safety issues, pasture management, and equine behavior when considering making changes in the horse’s living situation. Not all equines thrive in human-created horse herds or living in the same conditions.
Assessing without Assumption
Some horses’ fear and anticipation are triggered when living in a new climate (i.e., moving a desert horse to the mountains) or transitioning from barn to pasture life. Weather changes, wildlife exposure, and a lack of herd skills can become stressors. Owners should not assume the horse’s “instincts” will suddenly kick in; many common-day human practices have “taken the horse out of the horse.”
The individual horse’s curiosity, confidence, and health will affect their ability to adapt. Changes in eating patterns, sleep cycles, increased anxiety or stress, and other mental, emotional, and physical health issues can arise when abrupt changes occur. The quality or chaos of daily life affects the horse’s availability, willingness, and reasonableness to participate with humans.
If you build it... does not mean the horse will come Despite perhaps being aesthetically pleasing (to the human) depending on the design, many horse structures can create fear in the equine. The echoing effects of bad weather/snow sliding on the roof, limited air circulation, non-horse-safe layouts, difficult-to-access (for the horse and human) seasonally, lack of light, etc., may create concern in the horse.
Not all Pastures are Enough
Despite the many types of grass that may grow in the pasture, it does not always equivocate enough quality nutritional forage to maintain the horse’s health. One horse’s ability to maintain a healthy weight without supplemental feed does not indicate another horse will thrive similarly; the horse’s current health, work schedule, etc., are considerations to create a balanced diet, which may need adjustments seasonally.
Supplemental Feed Options
For those supplementing with hay, feed time can become a mental and emotional trigger for horses in a herd. Convenience often overrides consideration of what the horse experiences when attempting to eat. Limited feed locations can create chaos among the herd as horses try to access hay. If certain horses are consistently chased off at feed time, perhaps experiment with offering an extra feed location. If stressed during every feeding, the turmoil will have a trickle-down effect. Busyness, constant movement, and an overall lack of ease may be observed in the horse’s behaviors despite the other herd members seemingly content. Defensiveness can result in issues like sleep deprivation, ulcers, and anticipative behaviors that affect the horse’s demeanor with humans and equines.
Old Hay and Toxic Pasture Plants
Depending on the hay distribution setup, accumulation (especially during the wet months) of old, moldy feed can occur. “If they can, they will” is a good rule of thumb. Despite having an entire pasture to graze on, some equines may choose to eat moldy or bad hay. Regular cleaning of feed locations diminishes potential vet bills and future horse health issues.
Walk the pasture regularly to observe what is growing. Common toxic plants in the northwest include bracken fern, lupine, and tansy ragwort. WSU’s website is a great resource (with pictures) to learn about the many local poisonous species to horses, https://extension.wsu. edu/animalag/content/selected-poisonous-plants-of-the-pacific-northwest/ .
What else is “growing?”
Pasture management could be an entire article, but the minimal maintenance of regular breakdown and spreading of manure can decrease the potential harboring of harmful parasites to the equine. Keeping the feed area cleared of manure build-up (with quality drainage) can diminish the attraction of excess flies and mosquitoes. How’s the water?
A lot of older wells have unhealthy organisms living in the water. Newly dug wells are used for updated homes, while the original source often remains used for livestock. Little to no consideration of “what” may be in the horse’s water source is given.
Herd Introduction
I never take a newly arrived horse whose entire environment, location, lifestyle, etc., has changed and put him in a herd with the “let us
see what happens” mentality. Too many scenarios of horses with legs broken, avoidable injuries, or being chased over or through pasture fencing, etc., are due to a lack of preparation to help the new arrival adjust.
When I deem a horse is ready, I set up a “buddy system” by temporarily separating a “support horse” (a middle-of-the-herd pecking order, reasonable personality) and introduce him to the new one, giving them a day or two to build a bond. I then integrate the pair into the main group around feed time to decrease the remaining herd members fixating on or imposing upon the new horse as the group is more focused on food.
All is Calm... Is the horse sleeping?
Assess which or if all the horses in the herd lie down throughout the day. If there are imbalanced herd dynamics, although horses can sleep while standing, agitation in the equine (or health issues) may prevent him from lying down to reaching a REM state. Doing so is crucial for the horse’s nervous system to “reset.” So many “bad behaviors” I see in horses have sleep deprivation as a contributor.
Positive Benefits of Herd Life
It is awesome to see a horse’s instinct “reawaken” as the once socially inept equine evolves into a respectful herd member. I often see major improvements in their physical and mental health, which affects their behaviors. The more confident in the herd they become, the increased mental availability they can have to learn, think, retain, and try when with the human.
Herd Imbalance: Potential Negative Affects
Is the new horse constantly getting kicked, bit, or challenged by others? Does he relentlessly impose on other horses despite their reasonable warnings to create spatial boundaries? If there is an aggressive, socially dysfunctional horse that is experiencing pain, health issues, fear during human interactions, etc., his disruptive behaviors and inability to integrate can affect the balance of a herd. Without separating out the troubled horse to address his triggers and fears, he will be unable to safely adapt to herd life.
with
for 22 years Sam has been based from May through October at The Equestrian Center, LLC, located just 12 miles north of Sandpoint, ID. For over 26 years she has offered lessons, training, guest lectured, demos and clinics nationally. She works with students and horse of all levels and disciplines. For more information please visit www.learnhorses.com 208-265-2644
Offering Alternative Horsemanship
Samantha Harvey,
Where Walking Is Just The Beginning
Over the past few years Kaniksu Land Trust has been busy making sure the residents and visitors to the Sandpoint area have a quiet, natural, mostly untouched place to spend time in nature. We have heard quite a bit about The Sledding Hill and Pine Street Woods. But have you heard about Sherwood Forest?
If you go to the Kaniksu Trust website you will find the various trails listed and the acreage those trails run through. You will also find the names of the folks responsible for ensuring these lands remain permanently free from development and other types of encroachment.
HIKING | BIKING | TRAIL RUNNING
The name Sherwood Forest elicits an air of whimsy, even a hopeful exuberance. There’s a modern day Sherwood Forest in Sandpoint that evokes similar feelings thanks to a local couple’s desire to protect and share their own whimsical place with fellow nature enthusiasts. Sherwood Forest is comprised of 140 acres of undeveloped woods with a myriad of trails that are accessible to the public through the generosity of the landowners. The area is not only a welcome haven for recreationalists looking for a morning hike or lunchtime bike ride, but has also been identified as habitat for white-tail deer, moose, black bear and other critters.
Land owners Mark and Susie Kubiak ensured the permanent protection of this property from development and encroachment of residential, commercial and industrial uses by partnering with Kaniksu Land Trust in a conservation agreement in 2012. By doing so they provided a tremendous benefit to the local community. kaniksu.org/play
Also on the website one will find a very sobering statement about Sherwood Forest: Continued access to this private land is contingent upon respectful use.
Land is precious and private land made available to the public for personal enjoyment is a rare gift.
Many thanks to those whom have chosen public access to private land as a valued part of their stewardship plan.
Farm Land Loss continued from page 7
“I definitely believe in property rights. It is your property and you can do with it as you like,” he said. “But people need to understand, that’s where our food comes from.”
He would like to see more targeted growth, away from the most productive farmland.
The hot spots for farmland loss in the state are the Treasure Valley of southwestern Idaho, the Twin Falls area in southcentral Idaho, the Panhandle area in northern Idaho, and the Idaho Falls to Teton corridor in eastern Idaho.
The good news, Anderson said, is that more people in the state are beginning to understand what is happening and the stakes involved.
“There are a lot more people in Idaho, especially elected officials and decision-makers, that are now looking at this data and understanding what it means,” he said. “The conversation around protecting our agricultural economy is being elevated. More people are realizing that, ‘OK, we’re at a tipping point.’ It’s no longer, ‘Oh, let’s just kick that down the road anymore.’”
A farmland preservation bill supported by IFBF was passed by the Idaho Legislature this year. It allows for the creation of Agricultural Protection Areas.
An APA is a voluntary land-use designation that is requested by a landowner of their county commissioners. The landowner receives certain non-monetary benefits or incentives that protect the viability of the operation.
There is the possibility of financial incentives being added to the APA at some point in the future if lawmakers agree to that.
More than two years ago, IFBF voting delegates, who are all farmers or ranchers, adopted a policy supporting state legislation to protect agricultural lands if it is voluntary and incentive based.
That led to the creation of a farmland preservation committee that created and endorsed the APA concept.
The APA bill is just the start of addressing the issue, Searle said.
“Finding ways to stem the rapid loss of farmland that is occurring in some parts of the state is one of Idaho Farm Bureau Federation’s highest priorities,” he said.
IFBF Director of Governmental Affairs Braden Jensen said it was good to see the wide support for the APA bill in the legislature.
“It is important that our policy makers continue to prioritize the needs of the ag industry,” he said. “When it comes to having robust farms and ranches, there are a couple of resources that are irreplaceable – land and water.”
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 June 17, 2024.
Due to favorable logging conditions over the last few months many sawmills have high log inventories for this time of year. Combining that fact with anemic lumber prices has created log markets that are weak and retreating. Cedar remains somewhat of a bright spot, but news of Stimson’s Plummer sawmill closure has significantly impacted the practicality of harvesting tonwood in many locations. Indications are that log markets this summer will be challenging. - Mike Wolcott, ACF, Certified Forester This
