March - April 2023 Round Up

THE CO-OP Country Round Up

Words to consider:

“But if the laws are to be so trampled upon with impunity, and a minority is to dictate to the majority, there is an end put at one stroke to republican government, and nothing but anarchy and confusion is to be expected thereafter. “

President George Washington

“Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is a little like expecting the bull not to attack you because you are a vegetarian.”

Dennis Wholey

NOTICE • NOTICE • NOTICE The CO-OP Gas & Supply Co., Inc.

Of Ponderay, Idaho will hold its 88 th Annual meeting of the voting membership

Saturday March 11, 2023

At The CO-OP Gas & Supply Company

Propane & Marketing Annex 1201 Fontaine Dr. Ponderay, Idaho beginning at 9:30 AM.

The purpose of this meeting is to elect 2 directors for the term of 3 years and any other business that may come properly before this assembly. Attendance of the Annual Meeting is limited to VOTING MEMBERS ONLY.

CO-OP Gas & Supply Co., Inc.

Liz Robinson, Secretary

What’s Happening at The CO-OP

We have quite a lot going on here at the CO-OP

For those folks in the community whom are Voting Members of the CO-OP Gas & Supply Company we have our Annual Meeting of the Membership on March 11, 2023. See the NOTICE on the front page of this publication. This is when we discuss everything having to do with the running of the cooperative and vote in Board Members for terms.

It is also Scholarship Season. The CO-OP offers scholarships each year in Agriculture and Conservation courses of study for those students already attending college, university or trade school and going into their junior year, or second year of trade school. For more information on these scholarships and to fill out an application please go to our website: coopgasandsupply.com.

George’s Annual Tree Sale is coming up in April. You can find out more about the sale on page 8 of this publication as well as on our website. We are particularly excited about Antiquity Apple Trees we have ordered for this years sale. We hope you can join us for this wild and fun day!

Patti has been very busy bringing in the soils amendments and greenhouse items you folks have come to expect from the CO-OP. We already have a great selection of garden seeds and Amber has been adding some new ones as we go along. If you don’t see what you are after, please let us know.

As the snow begins to melt and the front parking area clears be sure to look for the stacks of soil amendments and organic fertilizers and mulches to appear! We know our gardeners are getting anxious! If you are already working in your greenhouse be sure to check our the heat mats and seed starting mixes we already have in stock.

In addition to an already great selection of amendments, Patti has added quite a few new products from Down to Earth. The really excit-

Start Up Beekeepers Class.

March 11, 2023

Sandpoint Area Seniors Building

820 Main Street - Sandpoint Idaho

8 am to Noon

Break for lunch

1pm to 4pm.

Morning will be for newbees, afternoon will be geared towards advanced.

As always, you are welcome to attend all day. No need to sign up, just show up.

ing thing about this line is BIGGER BOXES! Now several Down to Earth amendments come in 2 lb. options. This is great news for those of you with larger garden spaces.

Please note the above announcement of the Start Up Bee Keepers class. This is a good class to go to even if you are only learning about this very important pollinator. Honeybees can travel up to 5 miles in any direction and if you provide the right flora in your garden and lay withing that 5 mile radius of a hive, you will likely benefit! You will see better pollination, thus, a greater harvest.

So much happening this spring at The CO-OP and in the community! We will see you here at the store, out in your orchard and garden, and maybe at some of the classes! Happy Spring!

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

LAURENCE R GRAHAM

MARK A GRANT

ROBERT M GREEN

DALE OR LISA GREENE

JAMES & MARSHA GREENSLITT

MARK E GRUNER

SYDNEY L GUTIERREZ

ROBERT HAFTERSON

MICHAEL T HAGADONE

RONALD HAGADONE

DEWEY HALL

JOHN W HALL

WARREN W HALL

MARK A HALLIDAY

TED OR MARCY HANSEN

RONALD H HANSON

DARLENE HARMS

GEORGE OR LINDA HARPER

DALE HARRINGTON JR

WALTER D & BELINDA HART

LEE ALAN & LISA HARTWIG

BOB HATTOX

NINA HAUCK

J STEPHEN HAWKES

PATRICK HAYES

DORIS HEAD

OLIVE M HEALEA

P N HEKI

EDWARD A HENDRICKSON

FRED K HENDRICKSON

JACQUELINE RAE HERUM

RUSSELL C HIATT

ART HIGH

BRENDA BROWN HILL

STEPHEN C HILL

MERLE HILL

JOHN HOBDAY

MARCUS & STEPHANIE HODGES

GLENNDON W HOFFMAN

GEORGE HOPKINS

CHET HOWELL

JAMES A HUBBARD

JIM HUBBELL

L D OR MARGARET HUGGINS

PIERRE HUGUENIN

KURTIS J OR BETSY HULL

STAN HUNT

ELDON W HURST

SCOTT W HUTZLER

ROD IMPER

CHRIS INGBRETSON

TERRY IVERSON

PHIL OR LOUISE JENISON

ART JENSEN

BARRY JOHNSON

DAVID JOHNSON

KENNETH D JOHNSON

LINDA D JOHNSON

JAMES B JOHNSTON

THOMAS D JONES

BILL JUSTICE

RICHARD JUSTUS

TERRY N OR CATHY L KAYSER

ROBERT P OR PAMELA R KEENE

DALE & CAROL KELLEY

BILL KICE

DEAN KINCAID

P A GERRITY KING

ROGER KLOPFENSTEIN

AARON KNIGHT

STEVEN KNOTEN

CECILLE KNOTT

CLIFFORD OR MARY KRAMER

DAVID E OR ANDREA KRAMER

KARL F KRATZBERG

DAN KRMPOTICH

ROY KROHMER

TONY KUCHERRY

PHILLIP & STACY KURANZ

JOHN S LANGS

WILLIAM A LARUE

DR W HUGH LEEDY

MR & MRS WILLIAM LEFEBVRE

R E LENKER

JON OR KATHIE LEWIS

DAVID C LOVEJOY

DALE LOWELL

JERRY LUTHER

RICHARD MACDONALD

MARSHA R MACFARLANE

MICHAEL M MAHONEY

MIDGE A MARCY

DONALD V MARKWELL

TIMOTHY D MARTIN

MICHELE M MARTIN

WAYNE MARTIN

CHARLES & BETTY MASON

ROBERT L MAURICE

WILLIAM H MCCREIGHT

JACK R MCELROY

WILLIAM B MCINTURFF

JEFF MCLAGAN

JOHN MCNEIL

THOM A OR LORNA MEDITZ

K THOMAS MEHLER

BRUCE L MENARD

BRUCE OR DEANEA MERRIFIELD

JACK W MESSICK

MARYELLEN MESSICK

DENNIS F MICKLON

TONY MILLER

DUANE MILLER

D JOSEPH MIRE

CLELL MOBERLY

DAVID S MOORE

JAMES MORAN

RANDY MORRIS

BRENT MORSE

STEVEN R MOYER

JOHN F MURPHY

LINDA D MURPHY

JAMES R NASH

MICHAEL A NAUMANN

BEN L NEFF

STEVEN M NELSON

RON NESS

ROBERT NIBOLI

WENDALL PAUL NIERMAN

KIRK W OR LAURIE F NIX

J PAUL NOLT

DAVID J NOONAN

HOWARD P NUSBAUM

DON NYSTROM

WILLARD OSMUNSON

WILLIS N OVERLAND

JOHN W OWENS

LAUREL PARAMORE

ERIC OR LISA PAULL

PAUL P PECUKONIS

JOHN C OR PEGGY PELZ

LORYN PETERSON

LARRY PETERSON

Thank you!

JOEL W PETTY

RICHARD P PLATTS

C DANIEL PLUID

M MARTIN & VIRGINA POPP

RANDY POWERS

STEVEN C PUFFER

PAT RADEMACHER

GARY REGEHR TOWER

KELLY RESSO

MIKE W & CATHY REYNOLDS

BEN A RICE

LORETTA M RICKMAN

ROBERT OR DEBRA RIGGINS

STERLING RINK

ANNA RITCHEY

CHESTER ROBBINS

DONALD R ROBERTS

DANIEL & DEB ROBERTSON

MARY C ROCCO

EVAN ROOS

MIKE ROSENBERGER

CURT W ROSMAN

ROBERT A ROSS

GARY A RUEBELING

JOHN W RUPLEY

HURLEY & FELICIA RUSSELL

ANSON S SACCOMANNO

HENRY SAMUELS

CHARLES A SCHOONOVER

KIM SEVERSON

BRIAN H SHAY

PATRICIA SHIRA

TODD SHOEMAKER

GARY & DONNA SHORT

MONTE L & LESLIE SLINKARD

RANDY D SMITH

LEE T OR DEBBIE SMITH

MIKE L SMITH

PATRICIA G SMITH

THOMAS M SMITH

WILLIAM H SMITH

PETER J SMITH III

WILLIAM A SMYTH

JOHN SNEDDEN

DALE SNODGRASS

ANN SOUZA

JOE STEVENS

JAMES STIPPICH

KENT STOCKTON

TOM STRIZICH

H C STUDER

RUBY STUTZKE

RONALD RAY STUTZKE

TERRY SUNDSTED

RANDY OR CINDY TAYLOR

JUDITH A TERRY

ALVIN OR NANCY THOMAS

JOHN P & DEBBIE THOMAS

LARY R THOMAS

TONY R THOMPSON

RANDY THORESON

GARY THURMAN

MICHAEL D & HEIDI TILTON

JOHN TRAVERS

DONALD E TRUEBLOOD

MAURICE VACHON

JOHN M VALDEZ

J RANDALL VANOOYEN

LINDA F VERWOLF

RICHARD A VILLELLI

TOM VINION

4

Bits and Pieces

The CO-OP Country Round Up March / April 2023 Volume 23 Issue 3

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

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 all-in-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.

Plan the Garden, Preserve the Harvest, FREE

Wednesday, March 22, 3:30-5p Via Zoom

Learn how to plan out your garden, so you are prepared when it’s time to plant! This class will also cover harvesting and safely preserving your garden. Research-based recommendations will be shared for preparing a great garden and also consuming it! There will be opportunities to ask questions, so you are ready to plant, grow, harvest, and store your garden’s bounty! To register, go to https://bit.ly/PlanPreserve23.

Basic Orchard Care, $5 Thursday, March 23, 1-4pm

Kyle Nagy, with the U of I Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center, will be sharing information on how to properly care for your home orchard. In this class you will learn some of the basic tips and tricks to take care of your fruit trees successfully.

Short Season Gardening, $5 Monday, April 17, 1-3pm

Introduction to short season gardening in Boundary County. Learn tips and tricks to getting the most from our garden whether you are growing vegetables or flowers.

Pressure Canning Basics, FREE Thursday, April 20, 11am-Noon Via Zoom

Learn the basics to safely using your pressure canner to process shelf-stable foods! In this class important safety factors will be addressed, and safe recipe options will be shared! To register, go to https://bit.ly/pressure23.

Mason Bees, $5 Tuesday, April 25, 1-3pm

Mason bees are very effective pollinators. Just two or three females can pollinate a mature apple tree! As a homeowner, you can play an important role in attracting these gentle, non-stinging bees as well as other pollinators. In this class, you will build your own mason bee hotel and learn where you can order cocoons.

Bonner County Classes

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

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

Bonner County Extension Office, 4205 N. Boyer, Sandpoint

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

Community, Sustainability, and Purpose

Kaniksu Folk School Brings it All Together

by Marcy Timblin, Kaniksu Land Trust Communications Director

Matt was interested in taking his wood carving hobby to the next level. After getting as much knowledge (and cut fingers) as he could from books and YouTube videos, he began researching folk schools back East for a more disciplined study of the craft. Little did he know that he would find one in his hometown.

Known for classes and coursework on traditional skills, folk school education is based on personal growth, culture, sustainability, and community connection. Founded in Denmark in the 1800’s, and popular in the eastern United States, folk schools attract students from all over the world to learn a craft from highly sought after artisan instructors. And, now, we have one right here in Bonner County.

Kaniksu Folk School (KFS) is a nature-based educational program for adults with the purpose of enriching lives and fostering an ethic of stewardship through the sharing of traditional crafts and music. The program supports area craftspeople through paid instruction, infusing the artisan community with over $30,000 since its inception in the spring of 2021.

More than arts and crafts, folk school classes are viewed as an investment in personal development, self-sufficiency, and community resilience. Most folk school instructors have spent their entire lives curating a variety of skills and refining their craft to share with others professionally.

Unlike a skills share group or advanced coursework, KFS offers beginner-level classes, usually held during a single day or weekend. No prior experience is necessary. In fact, students have commented that a valuable byproduct of KFS is the small group instruction that gives them a chance to meet and share their learning experience with others in the community. Perhaps that is what was missing from the books and YouTube videos from which Matt was learning.

For Matt, community encompasses a connection with both the people and the land.

“Learning to carve a spoon is about connecting with the object in front of you and connecting with the trees.” Matt says, “Learning these skills makes you look at the forest with a different lens. When you see that downed birch tree, you see a way to repurpose a part of it into a beautiful spoon that can last a lifetime,” he observed.

After taking a woodcarving class with instructor Shaun Deller, Matt spent the following weeks refining his skill carving over 200 spoons! He has since offered demonstrations at KFS gatherings and will be co-instructing a class with Shaun Deller in the current season’s line up:

Kaniksu Folk School - Foundations in Herbal Medicine: A 2-Part Series. Sat, March 25th at 10 AM-2 PM in The Yellow Room. Licenced Herbalist, Katherine Spann includes instruction in botany and foraging, the principles of plant energetics and classical tissue states, foundational anatomy and physiology, ethno-medica, and seasonal green pharmacy as it relates to caring for nerves and bioelectricity (Part 1Feb. 23) and blood, heart, and circulation (Part 2 - Mar. 25). $45 registration.

Kaniksu Folk School - Weaving: Garlic Baskets. Fri, March 3rd at 1:304:30 PM in The Yellow Room. Artisan basket weaver, Ann Neal will teach simple weaving, twining, and finishing techniques for beginners. It is a basket that can easily be made again and again with a variety of materials and colors. $40 registration.

Kaniksu Folk School - Spoon Carving. Sat, March 4th at 12-4 PM in The Yellow Room. Regionally acclaimed wood working artisans, Shaun Deller and Matt Honsinger teach a beginner-level carving class. Learn to safely handle the basic tools and come away with your own handmade spoon. $50 registration.

Kaniksu Folk School - Traditional “Hussif” Sewing Kit. Sat, March 18th at 9 AM - 4 PM in The Yellow Room. Local traditional craftswomen, Hilary Petterson and Kirsten Longmeier will guide beginners in basic stitches, hems, using bias tape and sewing on a button along with expert tips, tricks, historical tidbits, songs and stories. Learn about primitive sewing technology and sewing with deer sinew, a renewable and traditionally-used resource, connecting us to the materials that our ancestors have used for thousands of years. $75 registration.

Kaniksu Folk School - Crafting Jewelry: Antler Earrings. Wed, March 22nd at 4 - 6 PM at the Outdoor Recreation Center at Pine Street Woods. Natural materials become jewelry with beginner-level techniques taught by artisan crafter Suzie Kretzschmar. Take home a stun-

ning set of earrings for yourself or as a gift. $25 registration.

Kaniksu Folk School - Birch Wood Shrink Jars. Sat, April 1st at 10 AM - 4 PM in The Yellow Room. Known as “krympburkar” in Swedish, these containers use a traditional Scandinavian meth od of hollowing out a cylindrical piece of green wood and then allowing the wood to shrink tight around a base plug of dry wood. The finished product is something like a jar or cup that can be used for storing things or even to drink from. Artisan Shaun Deller will instruct in using saws, hand-powered drills and carving knives for you to create a craft to take home or give as a gift. Prior carving experience not required. $75 registration. Each class size is limited. For more information about Kaniksu Folk School or to register for classes, visit www.kaniksu.org/kaniksufolkschool or call (208)263-9471.

Annual Family Forest Landowners & Managers Conference Slated for March 26-28, 2023

For 34 years the Family Forest Landowners & Managers Conference has given Idaho’s forest landowners and the forestry professionals that support them an opportunity to gather together to share experiences, information, and their mutual passion for Idaho’s forest lands. The 2023 conference theme is “Boots (on the ground), Bugs (in your trees), and Buck$ (in your pocket)!” This year’s conference will be held on March 26-28, 2023 at the University Inn-Best Western Plus, 1516 W. Pullman Road in Moscow, Idaho.

Congressional and local experts will provide a perspective from the 30,000-foot level with information on high level policy and regulatory issues, and the latest developments in funding sources for forest management in Idaho.

We won’t be ignoring the ongoing issue of fire in Idaho forests. Mark Boyle, Idaho DEQ, and Heather Heward, Idaho Prescribed Fire Council, will describe best practices for smoke management, while Dr. Nancy Hayes of Hayden will explain how one community organized for fire readiness. Greg Dillon of the US Forest Service will explain how maps of wildfire hazard and risk can help forest landowners reduce wildfire danger in their forests, and the importance of county level Community Wildfire Protection Plans will be discussed.

Ara Andrea of the Idaho Department of Lands will provide a progress report on the statewide Shared Stewardship initiative followed by a Circle of Stewards panel featuring forest landowners and the projects they’ve implemented in their forests. Isabella Valdez from the Idaho Department of Lands will bring everyone up to day on the latest challenges in forest health detailing the bugs and diseases that plague our trees. For those planning to plant a forest or to replant following a harvest, a panel of experts will explain where to find seedlings, and when and how to plant them.

Pend Oreille Master Naturalist Chapter Membership Education Classes Coming Up

The Pend Oreille Chapter of Idaho Master Naturalists (IMN) will begin their 2023 membership classes on March 17. If you love the outdoors and would like to join likeminded people to work towards the stewardship of Idaho’s natural environment, our organization welcomes you. This chapter is sponsored by IDFG, there are 9 other chapters statewide. The first step to becoming an IMN is to complete 40 hours of education. Our education committee has worked countless hours to put together amazing classes, Fish and Wildlife, Mycology, Geology, Lake and Regional Land Use Concerns, to name a few. Each new member will also complete 40 hours of volunteering to certify. To maintain certification, members must complete 40 hours of volunteering and 8 hours of education a year.

The P.O. Chapter is based out of the Waterlife Discovery Center on Lakeshore Dr. in Sagle, or the “old fish hatchery.” This IDFG property has a few uses, in the spring the agency uses the outside runs to hold Rainbow Trout before distributing them to area lakes. The other use is the community Waterlife Discovery Center. This chapter works closely with IDFG to maintain and run the property as a science center. There are many activities, including a signed wetland nature trail, a pond with viewing window, an indoor science center with exhibits, microscopes and a Bull Trout movie. In the spring, many of the area’s students come for field trips. The P.O. Chapter are docents during the summer, it’s a great way to meet tourists and locals, to show them the amazing WDC. It’s an easy way to get volunteer hours. This Chapter also has Memorandums of Understanding with most of the local conservation organizations. For instance if you do a volunteer activity with Scotchman’s Peak, you can use the hours to certify for the IMN. Last year our P.O. Chapter volunteered 3,225 hours to help North Idaho’s natural environment. The hours consisted of being goat ambassadors at the trailhead to Scotchman’s Peak, helping with field trips, gathering Grizzly Bear fur on tree rubs, planting in sensitive areas, working to maintain the Kokanee Fisheries in Pend Oreille Lake and visiting with guests at the WDC. These are just a few of the volunteer opportunities available, there are too many to list. A few of the activities are physically demanding, but there are others that any fitness level can do. The fee for the class is $65.00 for the first year and $15.00 a year after that. If this sounds interesting to you, email: imn. sandpoint@gmail.com with questions or to sign-up

The final set of sessions “walking on the wild side” will address managing the forest for wildlife. Rita Dixon from Idaho Department of Fish and Game will review the new State Wildlife Action Plan and its impact on forest landowners. Rita will be followed by Derek Antonelli of the Idaho Native Plant Society to discuss Idaho’s threatened and endangered plants. Brenda L. Erhardt from Latah SWCD will describe a wildlife management success story with her session on steelhead recovery in the Potlatch River watershed. Finally, Ken Bevis from Washington DNR will cover improving wildlife habitat in actively managed forests.

Lunches and refreshment breaks are included as part of the registration fee. Sponsored socials on Sunday evening and Monday afternoon and a “Spit & Whittle” Q&A session with foresters from the Idaho Department of Lands give attendees an opportunity for networking and sharing experiences. In addition, the conference features a multitude of vendor displays useful to small-scale, resource-based operations. Businesses, agencies, and associations offering equipment, financial assistance, or other land management services will also be on hand.

A “Ties to the Land-Your Family Forest Heritage” estate planning workshop will be offered on Sunday, March 26th to help families with intergenerational planning for transitioning forest, farm or ranch land intact to succeeding generations.

For an early Conference registration reduced price by March 23rd, download the registration form at https://www.idahoforestowners.org/ event-registration. At-the-door admission is an additional $10 per person. For registration or program information, e-mail evpifoa@gmail. com or call 208-755-8168.

Patrick’s Day Trivia: celebrates the life of Saint Patrick—the patron saint of Ireland. This influential missionary has been credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day takes place on March 17 each year because St. Patrick’s death is believed to have been on March 17, 461.Jan 6, 2023

Log Home Restoration and Maintenance

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

Thorneless Blackberry

Jersey Blueberry

Patriot Blueberry

Northland Blueberry

Fallgold Raspberry

Royalty Raspberry

Elberta Peach

Bing Cherry

Rainier Cherry

Purple Passion Asparagus Swt. Purple Asparagus

Bristol Black Raspberry

We now expect to have Antiquity Apple Trees and at least one plum!

Holstein Apple Honey Crisp

Northern Spy Apple Spigold

Shiro Plum 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.

Our Landscaping/ornamental tree and shrub list is now available for viewing on our website coopgasandsupply.com

Please check our website through the spring for any updates or corrections to this list. IT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

The Murphy Cabinet Bed is a truly instant guest bed. Convert it from a handsome cabinet to a comfy queen bed in less than a minute. When all closed up it just takes 10 area or bonus room.

fabrics and over 80 leathers

Bay Bridge Sofa, available in over

over 80 leathers

Kingman swivel glider, available in fabric, Kashmira, Nuvo Leather, and Genuine Leather Pricing subject to configuration and cover choice

Kingman swivel glider, available in fabric, Kashmira, Nuvo Leather, and Genuine Leather Pricing subject to configuration and cover choice

Our Environment

Weed of the Month : Buffalobur

By Chase Youngdahl, Bonner County Weeds Manager

Idaho is thought to have 12 seasons—winter, fool’s spring, second winter, spring of deception, third winter, mud season, actual spring, summer, Hell’s front porch, false fall, second summer (1 week) and actual fall. I estimate that we are somewhere between spring of deception and third winter. Last “spring” felt perpetually stuck in third winter and I think I’m scarred for life because of it. Hoping nature has

An integrated approach to weed control consists of utilizing multiple tools in the toolbox; mechanical, cultural, chemical and biological control methods built on the pillar of prevention. Prevention is the first line of defense against invasive weed infestations. Some prevention methods include washing equipment between sites, scrubbing footwear after hiking and using weed free products to the extent possible. I generally advise against using wildflower mixes, and recommend opting for individual seed packets instead. You can empty the contents of an individual flower packet onto a paper plate and cull out any seeds that appear non-uniform as potential contaminants. If a variety mix is a must, try to seek out options that have some kind of language indicating that no noxious weed seeds were found. By no means does that guarantee noxious weed free seed, but at least you know the source did their due diligence to mitigate the risk.

Something else to watch for is contaminated bird seed. Feeding song birds is fun, especially through the winter months—I partake in it. Just keep an eye out under the feeders for any new plants that seem out of place as we progress through spring. A common bird feed contaminant is Buffalobur (Solanum rostratum), an Idaho state listed noxious weed. Buffalobur is the only one of its kind on the Idaho noxious weed list, being that it’s actually native to the United States. I went over how a weed lands (or fails to land) on the noxious weed list in my previous article. I suspect that the Idaho Wool Growers Association may have been a force behind the listing, being that the bur-like fruiting bodies get caught in sheep wool, devaluing the product. Buffalobur is also a host for the Colorado Potato Beetle—an obvious threat for economic loss in Idaho.

Buffalobur is an annual, and grows to heights of about 2 feet tall with leaves that are hairy and deeply lobed, almost to the midvein. Flowers are bright yellow and measure about 1 inch wide. The fruiting bodies develop into seeds with Velcro-like qualities. The entire specimen with the exception of the flower petals is covered with spines that range from ⅛ inch to ½ inch in length. Being native to this part of the world, there are indigenous bugs and diseases that serve as mitigating factors, so it is not highly competitive the way weeds from Eurasia typically are. With that, eradication is more tenable.

Buffalobur does not have a confirmed presence in Bonner County, so it would be an EDRR (early detection, rapid response) if it shows up. Being that it’s on the Idaho noxious weed list, it comes with obligations to control. Monitor areas under those bird feeders—this is a specimen that can usually be identified early in the lifecycle due to its unique features (having deeply lobed leaves with spines). The sooner an annual can be addressed, the better. Dig them up and discard, or use a broadleaf herbicide appropriate for the use site. If you source hay or gravel from outside of Bonner County that happens to be contaminated with Buffalobur, it could result in a larger infestation than what you would end up with from contaminated bird feed. If that’s the situation, get in contact with me for confirmation if you tentatively identify it. As an EDRR, we may be able to directly assist with treatments, as is the case with other EDRR species. The full list can be found on our website.

Local Businesses Support Annual Ski Racing Event by

Shep Snow

The CO-OP loves kids! The local business has donated to the Independence Junior Race series for more than 20 years. The series, conducted every January at Schweitzer Mountain, gives local children that might not ever get a chance to race a taste of the sport.

What you may not know is that this series was conceived in a small farm town in upstate New York. Cave Mountain (later Windham Mountain) started operations in 1960. Mountain management immediately reached out to the community and created a children’s ski program. The 600 kids in the K12 school would board busses and head to the mountain at 11AM every Monday. For $3 they’d get a lift ticket, ski lesson and rentals. Kids not participating had to have a note from their mothers, because it screwed up the bus transit. Presto, an instant pool of lifetime ski bums, much to the dismay of the Dad’s needing someone to do chores. Fifth grader Shep Snow was one of those children.

Fast forward to 1998 when Shep formed the Independence Racing Team to provide local children a ski racing opportunity. The team is the only 100% free, fully certified and insured, team in the US. In an effort to introduce kids to ski racing, Independence collaborated with Schweitzer Mountain to create this January program. Lots of folks chip in to make it happen, as follows:

The key ingredient is the coaching staff. All the coaches are volunteers Some are Masters racers giving back to the sport they love. Jaime Emmer and Carlos Suarez have been doing this for 20 years. Some of the coaches come from the Independence Racing Team staff. We try to match a teenage member of Independence with each adult coach — it helps the young coach grow up and seems to bridge the gap with the youngest participants.

The families of Independence do all the leg work. One parent, Shannon Johnston, works three months as registrar, orders shirts and monitors prize solicitations. Other parents visit local merchants seeking donations. They also help as facilitators during the series and on the final night.

Schweitzer Mountain actively supports the program, preparing and opening the NASTAR course Friday nights and charging only a nominal fee for the cost of the program.

And finally, our amazing and generous local merchants ante up the prizes for the event.

Registration begins in October and ends January 1st. Teams are organized “socially,” not by skill level. We strive to ensure every racer has at least one person of his or her gender and age on the same team. Team sizes range from 8-10 with two coaches. The groups meet four consecutive Friday nights, ski as a group, get two race runs, plus some extra instruction on the side. All awards are based on percent improvement. Naturally we recognize fastest Boy and Girl, but the real emphasis is on Improvement. Every member of the most improved team gets a big Gold medal.

Perhaps the best part of the series is the final night. After racing, the teams and all family members gather in the lodge for an ice cream feast. The local grocers provide all the goodies, and seconds are encouraged! Each racer gets a commemorative T-shirt, awards are presented, and we have a drawing for the prizes.

This program represents far more than just racing. Kids get to meet other kids who love skiing. Parents meet parents, which makes supporting their skier easier. The mountain gets a steady flow of lifetime skiers. And the merchants get some advertising value. Finally, ski racing as a sport grows. When Shep moved here in 1997 there were five local USSA racers. Today, between the Independence Racing Team and the Schweitzer Alpine Racing School there are more than 30. One even made it to the US Ski Team. Much of this growth is attributable to the race series. Thank you to the CO-OP for your continued support.

Thanks to Schweitzer for supporting the program and recognize the NASTAR crew that always has things up and ready on time.

These are the local businesses that donate to this event thus making it possible:

Alpine Shop Army Navy Store

Bluebird Bakery

Burger Express

CO-OP Gas & Supply Co. Dominos

Fast Stik

Hoot Owl

Larsons

Pie Hut

Greasy Fingers

Joel’s

Outdoor Experience

Pizza Hut

Powderhound Pizza Safeway

Sandpoint Super Drug Saint Bernard

Second Ave Pizza Super One

Walmart

Yokes

Winter Ridge

The Gardener’s Corner

BCGA Plans Plant Sale and Garden Classes

BY Ann Warwick

Warmer weather brings gardeners out of hibernation, and The Bonner County Gardeners Association is gearing up for spring with a plant sale, which is scheduled for Friday, May 12 from 9 to 5pm and Saturday, May 13, from 9am to 2pm. Members provide all the plants, including tomato and pepper starts, vegetable plants, perennial ornamentals, berries, and some annual flowers, as well as garden tools and whimsical offerings for Mother’s Day. The sale takes place in the parking lot of the Ponderay Events Center behind Sandpoint Furniture in the Ponderay Mall.

After an extended hiatus due to COVID, BCGA will resume the popular spring Home Horticulture Series of classes. The public is invited to learn about various aspects of home gardening from experts and experienced folks who have information useful to all gardeners. The classes are held at the BCGA office, 401 Bonner Mall Way, Suite F, from 6 to 8 pm. There will be four spring classes, on Wednesday evenings starting on March 29 through April 19. The schedule is: March 29: Orchard management with Kyle Nagy, April 5: Growing your own mushrooms with Art Church, April 12: Soil Nutrition for optimal productivity with Manuela Eiring, and April 19: Design and planning of the vegetable garden with Karen Bennett. Check our website, bcgardeners.org for details or to reserve a seat.

Featured at all these events is the annual raffle basket, which is a hand -made garden basket full of fabulous items, including gift certificates, gardening books, many garden related surprises, wine, and much more. It will be on display at all events; tickets sell for $5 each or 3 for $10. The drawing will take place following the annual garden tour in July.

GET ACQUAINTED WITH YOUR SOIL

Successful gardening begins with the basics, and what is more basic to gardening than the soil that nourishes and supports all plants? All soils are not the same; hence, we need to get the “dirt” on what we have as a growing medium. Is your soil acidic or alkaline? Is it sandy or more dense with clay? What nutrients are present? Which are deficient?

To determine the texture of your soil, try the “mason jar test.” Take a quart jar with a tight lid, half fill it with your garden soil, fill with water, shake it, and let it sit for 24 hours. The sand component will sink to the bottom. Silt makes another layer, and clay will layer on top. Organic material will usually float toward the top of the water. Measure the depth of each layer to determine the percentage of each component. Take a look at your soil by digging up a shovelful; how many worms do you see? Worms are a good indicator of soil health, the more the merrier. This, however, does not tell the gardener the entire picture. To discover the pH (degree of acidity or alkalinity) of your soil and the individual nutrients therein, it is best to have a soil test done by a laboratory. The U of Idaho Extension Service can provide collecting instructions and a collection bag, which is sent to the U of I for analysis. Another resource is Stuckenholz Laboratory, stuckenholz.com. Both of these resources charge a fee for the analysis, but the cost is well worth it for the information you will receive. The data will provide the gardener with a guideline for what nutrients need to be added to the soil, or what measures one can take to improve the pH for optimal growing conditions.

Knowledge of soil conditions is essential for the backyard gardener. Armed with good information, one can then plan what crops to grow and where to grow them, and how to amend the soil to improve productivity and plant health.

SPRING BREAKUP IN BONNER COUNTY

By Helen Newton

Brought to you by the Bonner County Historical Society

Spring breakup is a term that has less meaning today than it did once upon a time. Many of us can remember what it was like when roads simply “went out” in the spring. It wasn’t just in the rural areas of the county. City streets and state highways were no exception.

Roads originally built for horses and buggies weren’t meant to support loaded logging trucks, milk trucks which gained weight with every farm stop, or school buses. Once those roads were severely compromised during spring breakup, they certainly couldn’t handle the road graders and dump trucks filled with gravel that were necessary to keep them passable.

1956 was one such year. All three county commissioners were in agreement that “The breakup now going on is by far the worst we have ever experienced!”

In District 1, the breakup on state highway 95 between Algoma and Westmond was severe. The county assisted the state highway department with equipment and materials to keep it open. Traffic on highway 2 near Laclede was virtually halted. A 14-mile stretch between East Hope and east of Clark Fork supported only light traffic. About 200 feet of the Garfield Bay Road was washed out near the Brisboy place. On the Dufort road west of Morton, Tanner Creek went on a rampage nearly cutting through the highway.

Residents everywhere were finding it difficult to reach main highways. On my parents’ farm, the 300+ foot driveway from the Farm-toMarket road to our milk barn was impassable. My father had to use a tractor to haul the milk cans on a make-shift road through the hay field to the county road for pickup.

Once road restrictions were put into place, truckers agreed to an honor system of reduced speed limits in hopes of avoiding a worse breakup. However, by March overload citations were being issued left and right for overages and fines were being exacted.

The school district’s extensive transportation system was paralyzed by the unprecedented breakup, and schools here were closed for two weeks. Things were no better in neighboring Montana where the Bull River school bus had not been able to complete its trip to the Sanders-Lincoln county line for two weeks.

Many city streets were virtually impassable. It was reported in the Sandpoint News Bulletin that all wreckers in the city were busy night and day pulling cars out of holes in city streets. Even the wreckers were getting stuck themselves and had to call on other wreckers to pull them out.

Near the Frances Jay Market (intersection of Main and Florence), some wag parked the top of a car body in a mudhole and it looked for all the world just as if the car had fallen into a deep hole with just the upper part of the windows above the ground. If I recall the local folklore about this prank correctly, I believe the outcome was that Jim Hunt beat out the incumbent Mayor in the 1957 election.

Top of car from Ponderay Wrecking Yard placed in the mud in Main Street of Sandpoint as a protest on street upkeep. Jim Hunt is inside the car. This was part of Jim Hunt’s campaign for Mayor of Sandpoint; he was the youngest mayor in Idaho at the time. Photo courtesy of the Bonner County Historical Society, donor unknown.

Anxiety Within Self Love

by Gabrielle Duebendorfer, NMD

One recent afternoon, on a personal retreat in a lovely cottage in the Thai jungle, I had the good fortune to watch a winged flying lizard for about an hour. At first, I thought it was just a regular lizard whose camouflaged right into the tree bark. At some point she flashed bright yellow orange appendages just below the neck – repeatedly. Another time a long tongue reached super quickly for an invisible fly. And then it suddenly sprouted wings like a bird, showing brilliant colors. Being so immersed in nature, being still with open senses, can pull one into pure presence, literally revealing miracles.

At a prior delightful 7 day meditation retreat, I spent most mornings in my kayak paddling, starting at dark to catch the jungle waking up in me. The sounds are deafening for just about a half hour – amazing! Then they become more mellow, sporadic, with lovely individual bird songs emerging, the strange whooping sound of a hornbill popping out, the hauntingly beautiful cries of Gibbons flowing through the air –even elephants crashing through the brush followed by a loud trumpet. Lying on my back on the kayak I engaged in sky meditation soaking it all up, just Being Presence. What a delight.

I felt no anxiety whatsoever – anxiety that usually is a constant companion during regular work life. Vague anxiety about nothing in particular upon waking first thing in the morning with a hot flash –chasing me out of bed; worry about a particular patient - pulling me to the computer to do some research; shame about something I said that wasn’t kind and considerate – urging me to respond to feel better; concern about not enough time to possibly even get 1/10 through today’s list - causing outright panic; a feeling of doom about warming temperatures, hot summers, fire danger – making me urge my husband to make sure our fire insurance is adequate. The list goes on and on.

You might not have anxiety about climate change, but perhaps your anxiety is about the looming economic collapse due to the World Economic Forum and high-tech corporations; or about simply struggling to make ends meet or being in a hurtful relationship. Regardless of the cause, it is crucially important to be aware of its impact on your body. If we don’t know anxiety in an embodied way there really is no way to address it - just like you can’t feel a sense of ease and peace if you never stop and listen for it.

Anxiety was not an emotion that was allowed in my family of origin. Strength and success in what you do is what was valued. So, it took me a long time to even acknowledge that I had been dealing with anxiety. How can you hold something that you are not even aware of? Now I know that familiar feeling of distress in the pit of my stomach –almost hollow; a feeling of heat rising to my head, which starts twisting itself into a giant tangle of live wire electrical knots. Now, I am able to tell it “Hello darling, I know you; it’s alright for you to be here; bI am willing to hold the space for you to be here as long as you need to; I’m listening.” Why is that useful?

There was an excellent recent podcast on anxiety that you might want to check out: https://www.wbur.org/ onpoint/2023/01/26/why-anxiety-is-good-for-you-eventhough-it-feels-bad. They explained that anxiety pro vides an evolutionary advantage to deal with an uncer tain future - if we consider it an ally to negotiate with! If we engage with it, rather than avoid or suppress it, we can recognize it as a messenger with information about our environment, learn to surf it like a wave rather than drowning in it, develop the capacity to work through the problem, and come up with innovative solutions.

I am currently volunteering at a Women’s Resource Center https://wrccambodia.org/ in Siem Reap, Cam bodia, that provides services and resources to poor women in abusive relationships. Yesterday I facilitated a meeting for 10 women, guiding them through a ly ing down body-sensing meditation after we had danced and introduced each other with what brings us joy. I was amazed that most women found it easy to drop into a deep state of ease and peace. Living in a country where Buddhism is the main religion, meditation is not foreign concept.

One woman however spoke up and told us that she could not settle down, because her thoughts kept racing as to how to get rid of the rats in her house that are eating the chickens, how to feed her kids, and how to escape the abuse by her husband. My heart just broke

and I wanted to go and get a trap – both for the rats and the husband! My inherent knowing that it is not in my power to change anything in these circumstances, regardless of how desperate they are, has certainly been challenged and strengthened here. What I do know to do though, is hold the pain, the anxiety that doesn’t let you settle down, the desperation of wanting to die, in my own heart - showing that she is not alone, that she is not broken, that we can support each other I suggested to the whole group, to feel this emotion in and express it with the body. It is easy to keep talking about one’s plight, ultimately suppressing a useful emotion, but it takes a willingness to welcome the actual sensation of it – a willingness that is easier when somebody who is grounded holds the space without falling apart. As we had talked already about what brings them joy, I then encouraged the women to feel their happy place and express that with their body, which again was quite easy for them. They were incredulous when I asked them to alternate both for a few times and then embody both at the same time.

Witnessing a shimmer of hope on this young woman’s face will stay with me for a long time. A shimmer of hope that her desperate anxiety about her circumstances doesn’t have to define her; that anxiety and happiness can exist at the same time; that stopping long enough to stay present with sensation of both distress and feelings of ease and peace can establish the resiliency to look for solutions; that practicing body and breath sensation on a daily basis will make that more available and provide relief.

The staff here all came from similar backgrounds and are amazingly committed to empower these women. Their counseling and social work education is quite minimal and they are very eager

Witnessing a shimmer of hope on this young woman’s face will stay with me for a long time. A shimmer of hope that her desperate anxiety about her circumstances doesn’t have to define her; that anxiety and happiness can exist at the same time; that stopping long enough to stay present with sensation of both distress and feelings of ease and peace can establish the resiliency to look for solutions; that practicing body and breath sensation on a daily basis will make that more available and provide relief.

The staff here all came from similar backgrounds and are amazingly committed to empower these women. Their counseling and social work education is quite minimal and they are very eager to learn any skills they can. What my teachings have boiled down to in the past 2 weeks, is that when we are able to be present in the body via breath and body sensing, the mind eventually calms down, as you can’t think and feel at the same time. With self-presence, self-love blossoms all on its own. When there is self-love, the heart opens and allows joys and challenges to be present just as they are, unfolding a sense of serenity that is beautifully expressed here in the ever-present Article continued on page 15

Anxiety Self Love Continued from Page 14

statues and images of the sitting meditating Buddha.

With that self-presence, self-love, open-heartedness, and serenity, courage emerges all on its own to make a choice to change what can be changed. That courage facilitates a sort of curiosity towards creative solutions. Being able and willing to stop long enough to dare to rest to feel both the happy place and the challenges in one’s body, also nurtures the capacity to feel oneself as the knower of all this; being the knower of this inherent wisdom. It is this inherent power and wisdom that motivates these incredible women to empower hundreds of other poor and abused women.

That power and inherent wisdom is available to you as well. The permission to feel even unpleasant emotions without falling apart encourages a curious explorer rather than a condemning judge - allowing exploration of a variety of useful skills to learn to co-regulate the nervous system. You too can develop this inherent emotional intelligence.

God grant me the

Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference

Living one day at a time

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Springtime Horse-Related Checklist

& Tips by Samantha Harvey

As horse folks look forward to warmer temperatures, I wanted to share a suggested annual, if not semi-annual checklist covering the basics of tack, barn equipment, trailer safety, emergency items, etc. This general list can help increase your and your horse’s safety and be prepared for unexpected scenarios.

Tack Assessment

Is your leather tack stretched, has overstretched holes, or is worn thin? Have you inspected your girth or cinch for any cracking (including synthetic items), noticed loosened elastic, or is it missing any stitching? Is there missing or broken hardware on your bridle, saddle, or other tack items? Does your saddle show odd wear marks or compaction, such as in the flocking (in English saddles)? Place your saddle on a balanced surface to assess/replace uneven stirrup leathers/fenders.

If you use a lifter, wither-relief pad, or one with shim options, are the inserts worn unevenly or need replacement? Wash saddle pads or string cinches/girths (warm water with no or mild soap). If your tack is exposed to the elements or is stored in varying temperatures, have you checked for mold growing on it? Do any protective boots or leg wraps have tears or uneven wear or do they need to be washed?

Wash your bit in warm, clean water to remove debris frequently. Do you have any tack-cleaning supplies, and if so, when were they last used? Do your leather cleaning supplies, conditioning products, or sponges need to be replaced? If tack items, blankets, etc., need alterations or repairs, get them fixed early, before everyone else realizes they too need repairs.

If you use clippers, have you sharpened the blades recently and restocked on oil and clipper blade wash?

If you ride with a helmet, have you checked the expiration date (yes, they really expire)? If you have worn one when in an accident, all helmet manufacturers suggest replacing it immediately, even if it does not appear structurally damaged.

Around the barn

Have you checked for cracked/damaged manure fork heads or rake handles that need replacement? If you use a muck bucket on wheels or a wheelbarrow, does the tire(s) need patching, repairs, or replacement? Do you have any split or leaking hoses, handles, or nozzles? If you use extension cords, are any damaged or have unsafe wire exposure? Do you need to replace expired fire extinguishers in the tack/ barn area and/or in your horse trailer?

Are all items in the horse and human first aid kit stocked? Do you need to replace any expired or add new human or equine emergency medicines? Do you have or need to update an emergency contact list? Is it easily viewable or accessible if you are unable to be onsite and cannot personally access your horse during an emergency or disaster?

Have you restocked “regular” supplies like duct tape (it really can be a temporary fix in an emergency), WD40, wasp killer, etc.? When were any grain storage bins thoroughly cleaned to eliminate potential pest feces contamination or old feed? Is there old/bad/moldy winter hay that needs to be removed before new hay is delivered? Do any watering tubs need replacing?

The Horse Trailer

When was the horse trailer last inspected, had an axle service, or had the bearings packed? Keeping a written record of such services is handy. Have the trailer’s electric brakes and pads been checked, and do they communicate correctly with your current tow vehicle? Is your tow vehicle capacity and hitch rating class appropriate for the gross trailer weight- trailer weight when horses are loaded? Have the trailer wires been inspected recently?

What are the current conditions of the trailer tires (including the spare)? Have you checked the tires’ air pressure for any potential slow leaks? Do you have a usable and accessible jack (that you understand how to operate) for the trailer? Do you have tire blocks in case you have to unhitch unexpectedly or on uneven ground?

Is there a horse and human emergency kit that stays in the trailer? Does anything in it need to be replaced or restocked? Are there designated trailer supplies such as buckets, water jugs, extra halters, lead ropes, tow strap, highline rope, baling twine, snaps, tool kit, sharp knife, wasp spray, manure fork, muck bucket, hay net(s), hoof pick, nippers, extension cord, tire blocks, etc. that remain with it?

Always inspect the trailer (before loading your horse) for potential wasp nests in the roof and under the trailer coupler.

If your trailer has wooden floorboards, have you inspected them for splitting or rot damage? Is there rust damage that makes closing/ opening doors dangerous? If the trailer has an electric jack, is the battery charged? If your trailer has drop-down windows, are they opening and latching correctly? If it has screens, do they need repairing?

If your tack room has a lock, do you have a spare key hidden on the trailer in case you lock yourself out? (This inevitably seems to happen if you are in a really remote location...)

Is there a spare change of clothes, including various weather-appropriate gear for you? (Speaking of which, how is your horse if you pull out a rain slicker?)

This list might seem initially daunting. Assess each aspect (before you “need to”) to become prepared without becoming overwhelmed. Incorporating regular safety and restocking diminishes so many of the common (but often preventable and avoidable) accidents and situations that horse owners find themselves in.

Tree Planting Best Practices

Tree planting is an important part of the harvesting and reforestation cycle in the north Idaho timber economy. The spring tree planting season is just around the corner – have you locked in your seedling order yet?

Why plant trees?

The first reason to plant trees is to gain control of the tree species on a site. Planting seedlings allows the landowner or site forester to choose what species to reforest a site with. For example, natural regeneration is often heavy to grand fir and western hemlock in our area which are both vulnerable to drought and many forest diseases. We’ve all seen patches of dying grand fir in our local forests after the recent drought years.

Planting can focus on reforesting a site with the more desirable species of western larch, white pine, or Douglas-fir along with ponderosa pine on dry sites and western redcedar in wet or shaded areas.

Planting also allows control of tree stocking levels per acre. Natural regeneration often results in clumps of very thick trees and areas of too few trees. Target planting spacing in our area is often 12’x12’ (300 trees per acre) or 10’x10’ (440 trees per acre).

The second reason to plant trees is to improve site genetics within a species. Many of our seedlings now come from seed with 2nd-generation improved genetics from trees bred for the fastest growth and best form. This is a fairly new concept in north Idaho, but tree breeding has been very successful in improving growth in Douglas-fir in coastal Oregon/Washington and for Loblolly pine in the southeastern US. This improved seed is still somewhat rare, so make sure to ask about the seed source before buying seedlings.

A third reason is to “speed up” the reforestation process. Seedlings are grown quickly to a targeted size in a nursery. This gives seedlings a head start compared to natural regeneration starting from a seed falling on the soil. Depending on species, this head start may translate into a 2 to 3 year acceleration in growth.

When

to plant?

In respect to seasonality, most sites less than 3,000 feet elevation are ready to plant by April 15th. All but the highest elevation sites are ready to plant by Memorial Day. Spring planting is most common, but fall planting can also be successful and is often used for very high elevation units.

In respect to site conditions, the best time to plant is following a disturbance. This disturbance is usually timber harvesting, but can also be forest fire or a windstorm. It is important to make a planting plan BEFORE logging operations start. Once logging is complete it is best to plant the following spring when the site is freshly disturbed rather than 2-3 years later.

How to plant?

The University of Idaho Extension has several pamphlets available with diagrams of correct planting techniques. In general, seedlings need to be kept cool until planting, treated gingerly like living things, planted vertically in the planting hole (no “J-root”), and planted in mineral soil (not duff on the soil surface). Another important thing to note is that tree planting is hard work! Anything over 1,000 seedlings or 3 acres you may want to consider having a forester schedule a tree planting crew.

Minimizing brush or grass competition within 3 feet of the seedling is also very important. This can be done by mechanically removing the vegetation, having a licensed applicator apply herbicides, or by using mats that cover the ground and prevent vegetation from growing up. Browse by deer or elk can also be a problem when they are hungry in the winter. This can be mitigated by using protective tubing, bud caps, or various repellent sprays.

Where to get seedlings?

JD Forest Management has partnered with the Idaho Forest Owners Association (IFOA) to provide quality seedlings with improved genetics to private landowners. You do not need to be an IFOA member to order seedlings, but we encourage membership to support the organization.

Seedling order forms can be found at idahoforestowners.org/seedling-program. The author can be reached at jake@jdforestmanagement.com or at 208-610-4425. Feel free to call Jake BEFORE your next logging operation to discuss a reforestation plan ahead of the tim-

Mike

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. Also, keep in mind that the higher prices may reflect prices only paid in limited locations within the Inland Northwest. *Pole value varies widely depending upon length. Market information as of February 14, 2023

Most log markets have remained fairly steady over the last few months, with the exception of a few select markets where prices have significantly increased. Pulp is a hot item currently due to a shortage of wood chips and sawmill residue. Cedar prices have continued to weaken. Since we are on the cusp of spring break-up there are many unknowns regarding future log prices (length of break-up, mill log and lumber inventories, spring lumber price trends, etc.); however, most log buyers anticipate a modest uptick. - Mike Wolcott, ACF, Certified Forester

ber harvest.

Seedling pickup is scheduled for Tuesday, April 18th at 388 Bodie Canyon Road in Priest River. At pickup day three foresters (including the author) will be on site to discuss correct tree planting techniques and provide advice to landowners. Custom tree planting tools, browse protection tubing, and brush control mats will also be available.

Ryan Pennick Fred Omodt Chris Terwilliger Casey Clark Elynn Reierson

Blood Meal, Bone Meal, Tomato & Vegetable Food, Rose & Flower

Food, Kelp Meal and more!