May - June Round Up 2020

A paper for, and about, country people.

News from the Museum

2

Biochar and the Carbon Question

7

Upcoming Plant Sale

How fermented charcoal feeds the soil

Local Producer List

8

Find locally produced foods and more

Weed of the Month

11

Hoary Alyssum

The Classic Edge Outdoor Wood Furnace is US EPA Certified

Bonner County Gardeners

14

Do-It-With-Help

Annual Garden Tour Coming Up

Radiant Heat

The Economics of Salmon Recovery 15 Dams, Barges, Energy, and Food All Matter

When an Epidemic Helps

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16

Coping with the changes

What Is The Federal Reserve

22

Real Estate and You

23

How it Works

National and Regional Trends

OUR COMMUNITY 7BTV is a proud supporter of the Panida Theater.

We’re in this together, Sandpoint.

The beautiful historic Panida Theater has served as an anchor of stability and a beacon of hope throughout Bonner County history, providing a gathering place that enriches the community - both culturally and economically.

While we are practicing social distancing guidelines to curb the spread of the virus, it’s important to remember the uphill battle for our nonprofit organizations.

As our community comes together, the Panida Theater also needs our help to keep the heart of our community beating and stable during this dark time.

Please show your love and support for the Panida through gift certificates, financial contributions, and memberships. These are a few ways we can help.

Please visit www.panida.org/support for more information.

7BTV 208-263-7288 105 S. 3rd Ave., Sandpoint, ID 83864

ERCWSS Postal Customer

Presorted Std. U.S Postage PAID Spokane, WA Permit #7

May / June 2020 125 Tibbetts Lane Ponderay, ID 83852 coopcountrystore.com

2

From the Editor

The CO-OP Country Round Up

Not Quite the Spring I Envisioned

May / June 2020 Volume 20 Issue 4

This spring has been less than cooperative. I just get it in my head that the future is going to go one way, and when it doesn’t I am genuinely surprised. One would think that by now I would have learned to be a little more pragmatic about the future and perhaps a little more flexible. I am a work in progress I suppose.

Normally by this time in early April, I have my tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant started and under lights. Usually I am already eying the spring pruning, have found the filbert flowers, measured the garlic growth and begun to figure out where all the compost is going. Not so this year and I can absolutely tell you where the fault lands : my adorable little 2 1/2 year old grand-daughter. Yup - all her fault.

With all the social distancing and orders to stay at home one would think this a lovely time to get out in the garden, breathe in the fresh air and dig about in the dirt. But the kind of dirt-digging my little pal and I do consists of dragging sticks through mud puddles, hopping about like a rabbit, and searching for worms like birds. I am not getting much done at all.

Most of the usual events scheduled for this spring have been canceled but there are still some events in the works. So much in terms of classes and education remains on-line so is accessible there. Take note of the continuing classes offered by Bonner and Boundary counties U of I outreach on pages 4 and 17.

There are a couple of plant sales coming up - see page 14 and check out the Bonner County Historical ad below as well. If you don’t want to start your own bedding plants or if, like the rest of us, you are looking for a chance to get out and see your friends and neighbors, a plant sale may be just the thing.

Here at the CO-OP we are being careful but moving headlong into the season because like it or not, farming, kidding, pasture care, and gardens do not stop for anything, least of all the flu.

So I am going to go get my grand daughter, find a wheelbarrow to haul her around in, find her a big pile of dirt, give her some garden toys and enjoy her while I plant my garden. It is not quite what I envisioned for how my spring would go but she is really hard to resist. And why would I anyway?

Panhandle Piecemakers Quilt Guild proudly presents 2020’s

A Judged Quilt Show With Featured Quilter:

Linda Angel ‘Sing me a Song’ Challenge: Can you name that tune?

Marketplace, Demos & Bake Sale Saturday, August 8, 2020 & Sunday, August 9, 2020 9:30am to 6:00pm

9:30am to 4:00pm

Sandpoint Community Hall

204 First Avenue, Sandpoint, Idaho 83864

Admission: $5.00 Children under 10 & husbands are free!

For Additional Info Call: (208) 610-3073 Linda Angel, Quilt Show Chairwoman

Whether you have 5 acres or 500, you need to get to know us.

We are your locally owned and operated farm store cooperative.

Livestock Health & Feeds Electrical & Plumbing Propane Tanks / Fuel Delivery Camping & Off Grid Yard & Garden / Plants Fasteners / Hardware & Tools Pet Foods / Pet Health Field Seeds & Fertilizers and so much more.

You’ve got rural life questions.

We have answers.

Come see us today!

Proud Supporters of FFA, 4-H, Conservation & Education 125 Tibbetts Lane

Ponderay, Idaho

coopcountrystore.com

4

Bits and Pieces

The CO-OP Country Round Up March / April 2020 Volume 20 Issue 3

Spring 2020 Extension Classes

All classes will be held online, unless otherwise noted.

Cheap Eats: Eating Healthy on a Budget, FREE Monday, May 11, 3:30-4:30pm This class will be offered via Zoom. Call or email us with your email address.

Looking for ways to feed your family nutritious foods without going over your budget? Come to this class and learn some tips and tricks to feed your family healthy meals for a reasonable price. Participants will get to sample some tasty dishes and also be provided with resources and recipes for preparing foods at home.

UI Extension Small Farm Topics, FREE Mondays and Tuesdays at 11 am PST / 12 pm MST Monday, May 11: Selling Your Homemade Products & Craft Supplies on Etsy Cultivating Success offers a FREE lunchtime webinar series designed to help you explore, strengthen or expand your small farm or ranch operation! You can also choose from a large selection of pre-recorded webinars.

For more information, see: https://www.cultivatingsuccess.org/webinar-series Cooking Under Pressure, $10 Monday, May 18, 11:00am-1:00pm Boundary County Extension Office, 6447 Kootenai Street Please call or email to register for this class.

Have an electric pressure cooker or thinking about buying one? Come join us to learn how to make quick and easy meals for your family. This is a hands-on class, so don’t forget your apron. We will also be comparing various brands of electric pressure cookers and seeing how each one operates in order to help you decide which type of electric pressure cooker best meets your needs. Class size limited to 12 people.

Container Gardens for Growing Veggies, FREE Tuesday, May 12, 1-3pm It’s easy and fun to grow your own veggies in containers! Plant needs vary by cultivar, but growing in containers has many advantages. More than 20 Little Free Garden containers and raised beds around the county have been producing a variety of vegies all season. Learn how you can participate in the Little Free Garden project, or just create a variety of container veggie gardens for your own use. Jen Jensen, Bonner County Extension Educator, will teach this course.

Link: https://uidaho.zoom.us/s/2277195797 Password: growveggies Homesteading/Rural Landownership: FREE Ten Acres and a Dream Friday, May 1: Introduction to Ten Acres and a Dream, Forestry, and Landowner Experiences Friday, May 15: All About Soils and Growing Crops Friday, May 29: Livestock Production & Management-Intensive Grazing Practices 9-11am This three-part online workshop is designed to help participants learn how to thrive in a rural setting and make their land ownership dreams come true! Topics include forestry fundamentals, homestead planning, growing fruits, vegetables, and other crops of small acreages, raising livestock on small acreages, and more!

To register: https://10acresandadream.eventbrite.com For more information, see: https://www.cultivatingsuccess.org/land-stewardship Forestry: Biochar from Forest to the Farm May 21, 2020 8:00 am Pacific Time For more information, see: http://www.forestrywebinars.net/webinars/biochar_forest_farm/getLatestMarketingEmailSentPage UI Extension Sheep and Goat Weekly Webinar: UI Extension offers weekly webinars on sheep and goat topics on Thursdays at 11:30pm. Follow them on Facebook @UISheepandGoats for the current schedule of topics.

Check our website for current classes and our newsletter: https://www.uidaho.edu/ extension/county/boundary For all things ag, check our blog: BoundaryAgBlog.wordpress.com

Bonner County 2020 Farm Tour Cancelled

The University of Idaho Bonner County Extension in conjunction with Bonner County Agriculture & Forestry Committee regret to inform the community that the Annual Farm Tour has been cancelled.

We regret to inform you that the 2020 Bonner County Farm Tour has been cancelled. We look forward to having you join us for the next farm tour in 2021.

Sincerely, Bonner County Agriculture & Forestry Committee Submitted by Jennifer Jensen, Extension Educator/Small Farms/Horticulture

Variable Image

Kendon Perry 302 Main St Sandpoint (208) 265-5895

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Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company*/West Des Moines, IA. *Company provider of Farm Bureau Financial Services. LI181 (10-19)

The Classic Edge Outdoor Wood Furnace is US EPA Certified

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Then and Now

The CO-OP Country Round Up May / June 2020 Volume 20 Issue 4

The Untold Pleasures of Gardening

By Hannah Combs Brought to you by the Bonner County Historical Society and Museum

Jean Wright developed her passion for gardening from necessity, according to her daughter Bev Kee, first growing food during the Depression years, later adding perennials and flowering vegetation “to her repertoire.” By trading plants with friends, “she could make a beautiful garden out of next to nothing,” says Bev. The art of creating beauty from the earth has a long tradition in Bonner County. Some gardens serve a practical purpose, from the Depression’s kitchen gardens and the victory gardens of World War I to the back alley raspberry bushes and plum trees, overflowing with ripe fruit in the summer. These gardens were designed to feed us, but can’t help showering us with beauty too.

And then there are the gardens that are designed to impress, like that of Cora Clagstone. Cora moved to north Idaho in the early 1900s with her husband Paul, and they established a sprawling cattle ranch near what is now Athol. A former Chicago socialite, Cora adapted quickly to the hard work of farming life, but she believed that women should take time for themselves to embrace the simple joys of their homes. In a public speech she encouraged all women to keep a garden, saying, “You will find the care of it the greatest pleasure, for not only will a few minutes a day do much for the flowers but for yourself as well.”

Thanks to the profitable cattle business, Cora was one of a handful of “privileged pioneers,” according to her daughter’s memoirs.

This meant she had almost unlimited resources to design the garden of her dreams. What started as a simple flower border along the house evolved into a full-fledged English garden, with a formal layout and cottage-style blooms. A horse team spent three days leveling the ground in preparation and laying down several tons of manure.

At the center of the garden was a custom-built sundial, which Cora said “adds much to the picturesqueness besides keeping good time.”

At one garden edge, she had a simple pergola of rough timbers “on which I have old-fashioned roses, clematis and bittersweet growing.”

The enormous effort had been worthwhile: “The pleasure of caring for this garden, and, when busy sewing, looking out over its mass of blooms, is enormous.”

The pleasures of gardening have bloomed for generation after generation in Bonner County. That’s what happened for Bev Kee and her siblings, learning to love the soil from their green-thumbed mother.

Bev, now a gardener herself for many years, sees the practice as a form of art. She says, “It is fascinating to visit friend’s gardens, or public gardens, and study the style and uniqueness of each garden. No two gardens are alike; they are the artistic personality of the creator.”

With the landscape as the canvas and plants as the medium, every choice of color or curve of a pathway “adds style or character to each owner’s garden.”

Bev believes the joy of gardening lies in sharing plants and starts with neighbors and friends. Not only does it bring people together, but it gives the plants stories that they carry from garden to garden. She says, “I particularly love the ability to design a new garden for someone using transplants from my gardens. There are many a garden in Sandpoint that have been created by someone pulling up their van or pick-up and hauling away enough transplants to start their entire garden.”

Maybe you are a garden artist, adding dabs of color to your masterpiece every spring. Maybe you can’t wait to divide starts among your friends and neighbors in a few weeks. Maybe you’re hoping you can keep just one plant alive with your less-than-green thumb. Whatever the case, take pleasure in your garden. As Bev says, “Plant it, move it, share it, remove some, change design, repeat. Unlike a good book, it never ends.”

Research courtesy of the Bonner County Historical Society and Museum.

Image: Clagstone Garden

5

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Ag Education

7

The CO-OP Country Round Up May / June 2020 Volume 20 Issue 4

Biochar and the Carbon Question

How an ancient farming technique could save the world.

by Bill Collier

In 1541 Spanish explorer Francisco de Orellana crossed the Andes travelling eastward from Ecuador to explore the Amazon basin.

He discovered a highly developed, civilized societies and cities with populations of 100,000 people or more. (Much of these populations soon died off due to introduction of European diseases.) The natives were growing enough food to support these large cities. They had agriculture down pat, and had been doing this for perhaps as long as 2-3,000 years. What was their secret?

Most historians scoffed at Oreallas report, but recent archaeology shows us that his reports were true. The way these ancient people were able to raise enough food to support these large populations was due to a substance called Terra Preta, or “black earth,” a Latin term for modified charcoal. Archaeological diggings in the amazon basin show that the Terra Preta is several feet thick in some places.

It is now being rediscovered that this aged, fermented charcoal, that we now call BIOCHAR, grasps water and nutrients, and holds onto them for long periods of time, making the nutrients available to microbes. The microbes, in turn, make the soil into digestible food for plants. BIOCHAR is highly porous and I have read that one gram of TP could have the surface area of a basketball court. The plants are then able to grow into more healthy plants and to yield bigger and better crops. It has also been show recently that healthy soil is better for plants than plants that have been sprayed with pesticide and fed artificial fertilizer. A healthy plant can generally fight off an attack by predators.

The best part is that the BIOCHAR is very stable and will lock carbon into a structure that will hold it for long periods. So instead of a tree or bush (or farm waste or wood chips, etc.) falling over at the end of it’s life and decaying, constantly venting off CO2 into the atmosphere, it’s carbon can be locked into the BIOCHAR for decades, perhaps centuries. Almost all agriculture waste like corn stalks, wheat chaff and grape vine trimmings (waste from hops?) can be used to make BIOCHAR. It is extremely cheap and easy to produce and used liberally could very well lock up gigatons of carbon from the atmosphere.

Additional research shows that BIOCHAR has been and can be used to replace some of the aggregate in concrete, making concrete lighter and stronger. Cement making is known to ne one of top industries spewing huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Other studies show that BIOCHAR mixed in with cattle feed might greatly reduce the CO2 emission from cattle, and it is also a wonderful water filter that will grasp and hold forever many of the impurities in our polluted water systems.

SANDPOINT MARINE & Can this ancient miracle substance save the world, stop global warmMOTORSPORTS ing and create nirvana on earth? Maybe not quite all that but is well 195 TRIANGLE DRIVE PONDERAY, ID worth looking into and applying to your personal life if you farm, garden or have livestock. Or if you know anybody that does these things, or if you have any have any interest in eating healthier, cleaner food 195 Triangle Dr., Ponderay, ID 83864 and perhaps reducing global warming in the process. I feel there is a SANDPOINT MARINE & 208-263-1535 SandpointPolaris.com potential for small businesses to make and sell biochar ovens, to creSANDPOINT MARINE & MOTORSPORTS ate and to sell biochar to our local farmers, both small and large. For MOTORSPORTS 195 TRIANGLE DRIVE much more information simply google BIOCHAR on youtube. ReadyPONDERAY, ID DRIVE 195 TRIANGLE to-use BIOCHAR can also be purchased online if you don’t want to go PONDERAY, ID through the hassle and messiness of making your own. I is quite messy.

Well & Sewer Pump Installations & Repairs My primary source for this essay is the Tanks • Drives • Accessories • Hand Pumps • Parts book, “Gardening with BIOCHAR, Supercharge your soil with bio-activated charPUMPS DON’T HAVE BRAINS coal” By Jeff Cox. In the back are several references to more material on the subject, That doesn’t mean and I have found a lot of interesting videos Offers vary by model. Rebate and financing offers valid on select 2016-2020 new and unregistered Polaris RZR , RANGER , Sportsman , and ACE models purchased they, GENERAL don’t hate on youtube. Good gardening…and good between 5/1/20 5/31/20. "Rates as low as 3.99% APR for 36 months. Examples of monthly payments required over a 36 month term at a 3.99% APR rate: $29.52 per $1,000 financed; and at and a 6.99% APR rate: perselect $1,0002016-2020 financed. new An example of a monthly payment $0 down,, Sportsman no rebate, an APR of 3.99% 36 months at an Offerswith varya 60-month by model. term Rebate financing offers$19.80 valid on and unregistered Polaris RZRwith , RANGER , GENERAL , and APR ACE formodels purchased MSRP of 5/1/20 $12,6995/31/20. is $374.87/mo. of borrowing a total obligation $13,495.27.

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by Bates. I will write more about all the ARE HAPPIER. many other uses for BIOCHAR to sequester carbon from the atmosphere. Think car(208) 263-7867 - 323 McGhee Rd. - Sandpoint, ID 83864 RCT 36175, ELE 021187, PLB 016436 bon fiber for one.

Offers vary by model. Rebate and financing offers valid on select 2016-2020 new and unregistered Polaris® RZR®, RANGER®, Sportsman®, GENERAL®, and ACE® models purchased between 5/1/20 5/31/20. "Rates as low as 3.99% APR for 36 months. Examples of monthly payments required over a 36 month term at a 3.99% APR rate: $29.52 per $1,000 financed; and with a 60-month term at a 6.99% APR rate: $19.80 per $1,000 financed. An example of a monthly payment with $0 down, no rebate, an APR of 3.99% APR for 36 months at an MSRP of $12,699 is $374.87/mo. total cost of borrowing of $796.27 with a total obligation of $13,495.27. Down payment may be required. Other financing offers may be available. See your local dealer for details. Minimum Amount Financed $1,500; Maximum Amount Financed $50,000. Other qualifications and restrictions may apply. Financing promotions void where prohibited. Tax, title, license, and registration are separate and may not be financed. Promotion may be modified or discontinued without notice at any time in Polaris' sole discretion. WARNING: Polaris® off road vehicles can be hazardous to operate and are not intended for on-road use. Driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver's license to operate. Passengers, if permitted, must be at least 12 years old. All riders should always wear helmets, eye protection, and protective clothing. Always use seat belts and cab nets or doors (as equipped). Never engage in stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. Riding and alcohol/drugs don't mix. All riders should take a safety training course.

Call 800-342-3764 for additional information. Check local laws before riding on trails. ©2020 Polaris Inc.

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Local Foods, Producers, and Services and Where To Find Them The following farms can all be found in your neighborhood. If you find  something that really interests you or you want to sign up for a CSA (Community Support Agriculture) call the farmer or visit your local Farmers Market and start eating local. Also, visit www.localharvest.org and post your  farm for others to see what you produce. 

ABC Farmers Market (Athol, ID): Fridays 2pm-6pm Opening May, ending sometime in Oct. Located at the Athol City Park. Follow them on Face book @ABCFarmersMerket 

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Angela and Millie (Sandpoint, ID): Goat milk and Cheese 208-263-3343 or 208-610-0694

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Annie’s Orchard (Clark Fork, ID): Landscaping/ Nursery Products- Terry  and Carol Chowning 208-266-1245 anniesorchard.com

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Black Ridge Trading Post & Gardens (Priest River, ID): Hatching eggs ,Free Range eggs, All Natural goat milk soaps & lotions, Organic soups & spices, and over 3000 varieties of Iris’s and Daylilies– Barry and  Lana Peterson 208-265-0585

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Bella’s Barn (Bonners Ferry, ID): Creamery, Raw Jersey Milk, Yogurt, Raw Butter, Butter Milk– Bob Peterson 208-263-8208 Karyn Sullivan 208-3047201 peterson71@yahoo.com Bill’s Berries (Laclede, ID): U-Pick and Pre-picked Blueberries—208-2638982 Bonners Ferry Farmers Market (Bonners Ferry, ID): 8am-1pm Saturday at the City Parking Lot Bristow Country Gardens (Sagle, ID): Fresh Produce & Flowers (while in season)- Garry and Susan Bristow 208-290-8642 & 208-263-4224

Greentree Naturals (Sandpoint, ID): CSA, Farm Stand, Certified Organic Farm, Fresh Produce, Flowers, Garlic, Herbs, Hops, Organic Gardening Workshops - Diane Green 208-263-8957 www.greentreenaturals.com Hoot Owl Farm (Libby, MT): Locally grown Vegetables and Herbs. Libby and Troy Farmers Markets & CSA. Rudy and Bonnie Geber, 406-3185339, info@hootowlfarm.net, hootowlfarm.net J&M Farms (Athol, ID): Poultry Butchering Service– Judy 208-819-2781 McKerracher Family Farms (Careywood, ID): Pastured Poultry, Market Garden, and Bedding Plants – Julie McKerracher 208-818-0208 also find them at the ABC Farmers Market Mountain Glen Farm, LLC (Sagle, ID): All things poultry from duck & chicken eggs to hatchling & pullet services. Bee Hive construction & maintenance, honey extracting and seasonal honey sales- Susan & Bob Lesniewski 208-255-7818, www.mtglenfarm.com Moose Meadow Farm (Clark Fork, ID): Certified Organic Fresh Produce, CSA Subscription 2018 spots available. Free choice & Weekly deliveries.

— Katherine Creswell & Spencer Nietmann 208-304-6492 moosemeadoworganic@gmail.com moosemeadoworganic.com

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Naturally Good Things (Libby, MT): Health Food, Bulk Foods, Supplements, Spices, and Local Raw Honey– Georgina Powers 406-293-6771

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Pack River Yaks (Sandpoint, ID): Yak Meat & Fiber—Christine Stoneham 208-263-4785

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Queen Bee Honey (Clark Fork, ID): Raw Honey– Andrea & Kelly Cope 208-597-5433

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Byrum Family Farms (Hayden, ID): Pasture Chickens, Heritage Turkeys, Eggs– Paris & Jonathan Byrum 208-664-9793

Rams Head Orchards (Evans, WA): Lamb sold by full or half (Must order ahead of time call for more info), Premium Lamb Burger $9.50/lb (While Supplies Lasts) – Lisa and Mike Whytock 208-818-7825 or 509-684-5425

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Cascade Creek Farm (Bonners Ferry, ID): Grass fed Beef, Pasture Poultry  – Rob & Mimi Fueling www.cascadecreekfarm.com

Raven Rock Ranch (Libby, MT): Grass Fed Beef, and Farm Fresh Eggs– Georgine Powers 406-293-6771 also sold at Naturally Good Things

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Celestial Natural Farms (Careywood, ID): Eggs, Rabbits, Heritage Turkeys, Goats, Fresh Goats Milk, Goat Milk Products, Beauty Products made with organic &natural ingredients– Celeste Ricci 208-610-9289 Feeds locally grown & non gmo feeds, also become a friend of the farm on Facebook (Celestial Natural Farms) and by email Celstialnaturalfarms@yahoo.com

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Red Wheelbarrow Produce (Sandpoint, ID): Naturally Grown Produce in Selle Valley, and Plant Starts– Emily Levine 208-265-2689 Can be found at the Sandpoint Farmers Market and Winter Ridge www.redwheelbarrow.com

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Riley Creek Farms (Laclede, ID): Blueberries, Jam, Vinegars, Vegetables, Raspberries, and Strawberries– Stan Urmann 208-263-4114 stanurmann@yahoo.com

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Clear Skies Sheep Company (Bonners Ferry, ID): Lamb, Pigs, Beef, Eggs– Lou & Marva Maring 208-267-6107 find them on Facebook and  www.clearskiessheepcompany.com

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Deerfield Farms (Sagle, ID): Over 20 varieties of certified organic tomatoes, including 16 heirloom varieties– Jerry and Susan Petrina 208-9466113

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Double Shoe Ranch (Dover, ID): Katahdin Lambs pasture raised– Randy and Gail Curless 208-263-4633

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Farm to Market Store & Bakery/Deli (Libby, MT): Produce & Meat (Seasonal) - Leona Mast 406-293-9775 hours Mon-Sat 9am-6pm

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Four Peas Family Farm (Priest River, ID): Herbal Tonics, Tinctures, Raw Milk Goat Cheese, Raw Wool & Yarn, Handmade Crafts & Toys– Jim and Kim DesJarlais 208-597-0644 fourpeasfamilyfarm@gmail.com

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Four Seasons Farm (Priest River, ID): CSA, Produce, Pasture Pork, Fresh Eggs, Chicken, Goat, and Turkey– Ron and Toni Carey 208-255-9193

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God’s Little Acre (Careywood, ID): All Natural Grass Fed Beef, Berkshire Pigs, Free Range Chickens, Heritage Turkeys & Fresh Eggs– Susan Bourguigon 208-683-2907 or 208-659-6270 Must place order a head of time for Chickens and Turkeys







Shingle Mill Blueberry Farm (Sandpoint, ID) 488 Shingle Mill Road Blueberry Products: Fresh Berries, we-pick/you-pick; Jams & jellies 208-946-3295 Fred and Patty Omodt.

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Sandpoint Farmers Market: 9am-1pm Saturdays and 3pm-5:30 Wednesdays, May - October. Located at Farmin Park on 3rd and Main. www.sandpointfarmersmarket.com

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T&T Farm (Priest River, ID): Fresh Produce, Pepper Plant Starts, Raspberries, Goat Milk Caramel Sauce, Goat Milk Soap and Cheese– Vickie and Darwin Tenney 208-448-2414 and also find them at the Sandpoint Farmers Market



White Dove Ent. (Athol, ID): Poultry Processing—18 years experience (By appointment only, call for more info.) Non-GMO Grass Fed Beef, Non-GMO Chickens & Turkeys for your freezer (Must order ahead of time, call for more info.) Round Bales of Grass hay, Oat hay, and Straw– Mike & Misty Heuett 208-660-5375 mmheuett

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Woods Meats (Sandpoint, ID): Inspected locally grown natural beef – 208-263-3077

Good Shepard Lamb Co. (Bonners Ferry, ID): Fresh naturally grown lamb, no hormones or antibiotics– Gordon and Marlene Stanley 208-267  -5882 can also find them at the Sandpoint Farmers Market Granite Lakes Goats (Libby, MT): Goat meat, Highland Cows & Beef, Chicken, Eggs– Amy Hughes 406-293-8957

Sacred Earth Farm (Sandpoint, ID): Vegetables, and Bedding Plants– Martinson & Higgens 208-263-7647

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The Plant Sale (Priest River, ID): Old Fashioned Perennials, House Plants Pots, Hanging Baskets & Vegetables. 208-448-2464 (ask for Donna) Cloud Eleven Mountain Farm LLC (Moyie Springs, ID) Local Produce; Jams & jellies, garlic, flowers & plant starts Ed & Julie Newcomb 208-267-4743 Instagram@cloudelevenmountainfarm.

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10

Country Life Volume 20 Issuue 4

The CO-OP Country Round Up May / June 2020

Take A Little Trip South for a Taste of Home

The idea of shopping local, eating local, and supporting local businesses in general is not a new concept. This is how many communities got on the map in the first place.

The slow march of time would bring in new businesses to an area, often in competition VENDORS WANTED with the Mom & Pop shops, and give locals Join North Idaho’s another shopping option. Customers could Only Year-Round Farmers’ Market vote with their feet and their dollars as to Come sell with us! which businesses succeeded and which did not.

• No Membership or Seasonal Fees Over the years people have come to understand that if they really • Indoor Market Open 7-days a Week / Year-Round want a choice, it is best to shop and support small businesses and • Two Outdoor Seasonal Markets help keep them open.

Each Week From farmers markets to furniture stores, coffee shops and ice Call (208) 265-2277 cream shops north Idaho is dotted with scores of locally owned and or see our website: OnlyLocal.Farm operated businesses. While the population does enjoy access to large Located on U.S. Hwy. 95, 208.263.3555 stores, small shops are becoming even more important.

North of Cocolalla, ID One such shop has been added to the list and it is a unique one (208) 265-2277 | OnlyLocal.Farm 101 Old Highway 95 • Sagle, Idaho Only Local Indoor Farmers Market. Only Local is a year round farmers market filled with products made, harvested, or otherwise produced by vendors in the Idaho Panhandle area. Within the walls of Only Local you will find the same sort of prod• Metal Machining, • Transmission & ucts you would at a open air Farmers market and all of it Welding & Rear-End Rebuilds is locally produced.

“Only Local is dedicated to promoting healthy, local Fabrication & Exchanges food choices to you while supporting a thriving agricul• Custom U-Bolts & • Driveline Rebuilds tural community. Only Local Farmers Market brings the Hydraulic Hoses& Repairs farm to your table – connecting you with the farmers and while you wait! producers who grow your food. We are a “producer-only” farmers’ market — we only sell products from the Idaho REPAIR • PARTS • SERVICE • EQUIPMENT • TRUCKS • RVS Panhandle region.”

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Our Environment

11

The CO-OP Country Round Up May / June 2020 Volume 20 Issue 4

Weed of the Month - Hoary Alyssum

Manage Your Forest

By Chase Youngdahl, Bonner County Weeds Manager

Anything new in the world these days? Ha ha… I’m trying to navigate through this mess while assisting customers, uninterrupted, with services that Bonner County residents have become accustomed to.

There was no choice but to cancel the annual Bonner County Weeds Seminar, but all other services offered by my department are still in place. The landowner assistance programs, weeds identification, recommendations/weed control advice and sprayers for rent are all “still a go”. This is a fluid situation so circumstances could be different by the time you’re reading this; however, our office is [currently] closed to the public. It appears as though the state of Idaho might lift restrictions in stages throughout May & June—it remains to be seen how that will align with opening our office to the public. That aside, I can take care of most customer service needs via phone, email and/or snail mail. I’ll be able to perform site visits [if necessary] for weeds identification while following social distancing guidelines, but samples cannot be brought into the office until further notice. Additionally, all primary touching points on the rental sprayers will be sanitized prior to being available, and will continue to be sanitized for the duration that the CDC recommends such practices. Kind of a weird year so far, but we’re doing our best to adapt.

Weed of the month is Hoary Alyssum (Berteroa incana), a state listed noxious weed in the mustard family. This is the newest noxious weed confirmed in Bonner County, it showed up near the north end of the Selle Valley last summer. Given its status here, it is in the Early Detection – Rapid Response category, so we’re able to treat it with grant funds from the Idaho State Department of Agriculture. Hoary Alyssum is an annual (summer or winter) growing 1-2 feet in height with multiple stems emerging from the rosette, and the linear-elliptic leaves have a grayish-green color in addition to a hairy appearance. The flowers are white with 4 petals per flower head, separated by relatively deep notches. The flower stalks elongate during the fruiting period, and the seedpods that develop from the fruit have an oval shape that abruptly bottlenecks to a narrow tip.

It has been known to infest meadows, pastures, roadsides, vacant areas and CRP grounds. Being that Hoary Alyssum was just recently confirmed in Bonner County, please keep a close eye out for it, especially in the Selle & Elmira valleys. It can be difficult to confirm prior to flowering, but once it does flower the ‘rabbit ear’ appearance created by the notched petals is the giveaway. I don’t have much personal experience with this being that it is new to our locale, but my research indicates that it’s not really built to spread quickly, which means we should be able to eradicate it! It’s an annual, so it can only spread by seeds—which are heavy and lack dispersal adaptations according to a university publication. The seeds need to be introduced by a contaminant; hay, animals, equipment, etc. Hoary Alyssum is poisonous to livestock, it has been reported to cause leg swelling and fever in horses.

Annual weeds can be controlled by mechanical means with relative success due to their inability to propagate vegetatively. Cut or mow prior to flowering, or hand pull if just a few plants exist. If a seed bank has been established, herbicide control is necessary for eradication.

Being in the mustard family, it is best controlled using metsulfuron (Escort® & generics) or chlorsulfuron (TelarXP® & generics). And a good rule of thumb for many herbicide applications [and the control of many different weeds] is to add a 2,4-D product as well as a surfactant for enhanced control. Think of 2,4-D and the surfactant as a weapon, and the specialty chemistry (metsulfuron or chlorsulfuron in this case) as the ammunition.

Again, please let me know if you suspect Hoary Alyssum. I would like this to end in a success story! And I’m still here as your weed control resource—I’m readily accessible by phone, email and Facebook messenger. Weeds are unaffected by viruses!

Hoary Alyssum

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14

The Gardener’s Corner

The CO-OP Country Round Up May / June 2020 Volume 20 Issue 4

Spring Plant Sale Scheduled

By Ann Warwick

We are living in strange times, but spring is here, flowers are starting to bloom, birds are chirping, and green is the color of the moment.

The Bonner County Gardeners Association had to cancel the Spring Home Horticulture classes to practice social distancing, but the annual spring plant sale is still on tap. Look for us at the main entrance to the Bonner Mall on Friday, May 8, from 9am to 6pm, and on Saturday, May 9, from 9am to 2pm. There will be perennial flower plants, veggie starts, tomato and pepper plants, possibly some berries, house plants, and much more. It is always a delightful surprise to find old fashioned favorites treasured through the decades or unusual plants to make a statement in your garden, or an exotic variety of tomato or pepper. All the plants are donated from the gardens of our members, so we know they grow well here. Come by and take a look at the array of plants, and take a few home. It is Mother’s Day weekend; some nice plants make a great gift.

The annual BCGA Garden Tour is scheduled for July 5. Save the date and plan to view some outstanding gardens to cap off the Fourth of July weekend.

For information on the plant sale or garden tour, visit us at bcgardeners.org for updates and specifics.

THE BACKYARD AS A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT This period of spending more time at home is a great time to explore the backyard in more detail than usual. What are the names of all those plants out there? Which are desired, and which are weeds?

Can you identify all the birds that visit? And insects: we can learn a lot about insects, and find a place in our hearts to love them, as they are essential to life on this planet, and their populations are declining.

Take a hand lens with you when you go outside, and take a good look at these tiny creatures. Learn to identify them, and what role they play in the environment. Very few of them are detrimental to our lives.

Most of them are either pollinators or food for birds or other insects, or serve some other purpose that is beneficial to us.

Start a veggie garden, and involve the entire family. Watch the miracle of germination and growth of a vegetable. Enjoy salads fresh from the garden all summer, and have fun just munching peas or strawberries as they ripen. Grow a tomato plant or two for that unmatched taste of fresh salsa or just big juicy red slices with a dash of salt and pepper. Discover the abundance of green beans and squash. The whole family will develop a new appreciation of veggies when they are fresh from the garden. It is kind of magic.

Spend more time outside. Sunshine is a good thing, and being outdoors is conducive to well being in general. Play games on the lawn, work in the garden, or just relax in a lawn chair. I find the latter difficult, as something that needs attention always catches my eye. But, hey, that is part of the fun, making the backyard a more hospitable and pleasing place to be. And the exercise is valuable, too!

Our Changing World

15

The CO-OP Country Round Up May / June 2020 Volume 20 Issue 4

Salmon Recovery in the Snake River Basin Part 1

by Kathy Osborne

Hot button topics can get us rather excited when we feel strongly about a subject. We also know that every argument has more than one side. Such it is with salmon recovery in the Columbia/Snake River System. However, in this case, four sides have come to the table: The National Wildlife Federation, The Bonneville Power Administration, Agriculture/Barging, and Native American tribes, specifically, the Nez Perce.

Whenever an article like this is written it is usually accompanied by photos of the pristine shores of a river, a photo of an enormous dam, or even of the majestic fish about which all parties are concerned. In this case there should also be an image of a barge moving grain and possibly of Native People groups experiencing the Snake River, their children becoming acquainted with history, for it is history that ties this story together, and which will be made before the final chapter.

Through the 1800s, salmon and steel head used to number in the tens of millions, as they returned upstream in the Snake to spawn. Now less than 2 million of these fish return each year.

Although more than $16 million has been pumped into the recovery process, providing everything from fish ladders to increased fish hatchery production, the numbers continue to decline. The solution is going to be four-prong because it has to be. The fish are important from a livelihood and food standpoint. Beyond this a good stewardship plan will keep a magnificent set of species from going extinct.

The construction of dams on the Snake River, beginning with Swan Falls in 1901 and continuing with the Hells Canyon Dam Complex in the 1950’s and Lower Snake River dams in later years, eliminated or severely degraded 530 miles – or 80% – of the historical habitat. The most productive of that habitat was upriver from the site of Hells Canyon Dam, which has no fish passage. A precipitous decline of Snake River fall chinook followed with only 78 wild adults observed at Lower Granite Dam in 1990.* Is it a loader? A mower? A grader? A tiller? The Massey Ferguson 2600 Series tractor is all Agriculture is important also both from an economic and food Is it a loader? A mower? A grader? A tiller? The Massey Ferguson 2600 Series tractor is all those things and more. And it's the toughest in its class. There's almost no job this rugged standpoint. Farmers from far into the interior of the country are those things and more. And it's the toughest in its class. There's almost no job this rugged utility tractor can't handle around the spread. Big loads in tight places, big acreage in utility tractor can't handle around the spread. Big loads in tight places, big acreage in able to ship tons of grain to foreign markets because of the Cowide rig itit the the way way you you need need ititwith withaawide widerange range wideopen openspaces. spaces. Stop Stop in in for for aa demo. demo. Then Then rig lumbia-Snake river system, the third largest grain export gateway ofofMassey Ferguson attachments, and see how handy this tough little so-and-so can be.

Massey Ferguson attachments, and see how handy this tough little so-and-so can be. in the world. ** The river system is of particular importance to Idaho as wheat is the #2 crop in terms of revenue and half of the crop is exported. The most cost effective way to get those crops to port is via the river system. Barges move nearly 30 million tons of Stop by to learn more! commodities, including wood products, through the river system %APR SANDPOINT MARINE & MOTORSPORTS annually. That shipping system could be in danger if the lower APR & four dams were removed.

FINANCING HAYDEN EQUIPMENT FINANCING for 84 months CALL 208-263-1535 With the construction of dams came inexpensive power to the for 84 months OR Sandpoint MarineSANDPOINTPOLARIS.COM & Motorsports & Hayden Equipment northwest. Over the years consumers have enjoyed electricity to HAYDENEQUIP.COM Call 208-263-1535 homes, farms, and businesses. However, the lower four dams in SandpointPolaris.com OR HaydenEquip.com the system have been getting quite a lot of attention lately. With new, less expensive forms of power available such as wind and solar, the question of whether these four deteriorating dams are worth keeping online has become part of the fish recovery discussion. It is believed that removing the lower dams could help the F recovery but seriously harm the agriculture industry.

In the next installment we will take a look at what Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson has been doing to facilitate salmon recovery while keeping the economy safe as well as honoring the Species February 2020 April 2020 Nez Perce history Douglas-fir/western larch $360 - $445/MBF $375- $430/MBF and management of Grand fir/western hemlock $340 - $430 $350 - $420 their fisheries.

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Real.

% 0.0 0.0

LOG PRICES

Lodgepole pine

$340 - $430

$370 - $420

Ponderosa pine

$325 (6-7”) - $380 (12”+)

$???

Western white pine

$390 - $420

$390 - $400

Western redcedar

$750 - $850

$700 - $840

*$1,700*

*$1,700*

$22 - $32/ton

$25/ton

$52/ton +/-

$50/ton +/-

Cedar poles Pulp Tonwood

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. *Pole value varies widely depending upon length. Market information as of April 22, 2020.

It is a very interesting time in the log market. Many sawmills are not purchasing logs at the present time and there is not a viable ponderosa pine market. Some pulp purchasers are also off the market. An abundance of logs in mill yards and the uncertainty related to the Coronavirus impact on the economy have buyers being extremely skittish and conservative. Please note that the above log prices can be somewhat misleading because only a few outlier mills are in that price range and other mills are either paying less or not purchasing logs. On the brighter side, log purchasers have indicated optimism for a better market once lumber demand recovers. However, it appears ponderosa pine logs will continue to have marginal value. - Mike Wolcott, ACF, Certified Forester This information is provided by Inland Forest Management, Inc., a forestry consulting company. For additional information, they can be contacted at 208-263-9420, IFM@inlandforest.com or www.inlandforest.com.

16

Your Health

The CO-OP Country Round Up May / June2020 Volume 20 Issue 4

Treasures of an Epidemic

by Gabrielle Duebendorfer, NMD

of our remedies have anti-viral action (Vitamin A and C, Echinacea, Elderberry, Goldenseal are just a few) that act in a much broader way than prescription drugs. Handling fevers in a supportive (hydrotherapy and herbs like elderflower or yarrow) rather than suppressive way has a long history of strengthening the immune system. Homeopathic and herbal remedies can be chosen and compounded according to specific symptoms. Dietary adjustments like reducing sugar, processed foods and alcohol, increasing veggies, and going on a liquid diet with a fever take the load off the digestive system and help the body focus on fighting the infection. Feel free to e-mail me for a more specific handout about these suggestions.

This pandemic might be an opportunity to re-evaluate your lifestyle and explore diet, exercise, or stress management changes. Lifestyle related afflictions respond very well to these measures and reduce future vulnerability to viral pandemics. Now is an opportunity for every one of us to take responsibility for our own health instead of relying on the government or an overwhelmed health care system to take care of us. It might help to seek somebody who can help you implement changes.

Stress makes the body more susceptible to viral infection. There are certain ancient breathing practices that not only regulate the breath but also induce a parasympathetic, relaxing response. They train the lungs and build up the respiratory system, which is sorely needed with this flu. Google “skull brightening” and “alternate nostril breathing”.

Simply placing your hand to your heart while breathing consciously for 5 or more minutes will bring about a greater ease of being by feeling inherent interconnectedness with all beings and a higher presence.

Prayer, meditation and yoga lowers cortisol and increases serotonin and oxytocin, resulting in less stress and greater immunity.

So perhaps you can find a new treasure from this epidemic by getting motivated to choose one of these options to pursue while you are off work. Air pollution has drastically improved all over the world. Wild animals like bears in Yosemite Park are on the increase. Space and time is available like never before. Opportunities to help others who are less fortunate abound. The invitation to discover something new for yourself is waiting for you. The ultimate question is whether you will get lost in a fear reaction or whether you are willing to commit to exploring new openings and treasures? What are you waiting for?

My family of origin in Germany is still celebrating Easter with up to 20 people. Living in the USA I have not been able to participate and was therefore delighted to visit with almost everyone virtually this year. It was a bit chaotic with everyone talking over each other, but I got the flair of everyone’s Easter table, an Easter egg hunt, and some visiting.

The social restrictions due to the Covid 19 epidemic have come with other benefits. These hidden treasures are difficult to find when we are buried in fear or anger. I talked with one of my patients the other day about the difficulty to get motivated without the usual externally imposed schedule. This often leads to depression, over eating, or overconsumption of online offerings.

On the other hand I have been amazed at the creative offerings of virtual movement, contemplation, or art classes. I am part of several virtual discussion groups including more than 10 people. The options are endless but there does have to be a certain effort to reach out.

What often keeps us from doing so are old emotional patterns that are being triggered by the lock down. Unless we take responsibility to look at those it’s easy to get dragged down. We have not only been exposed to the virus but the virus also has exposed us with all our unconscious habits and fears, our compensating or numbing methods. Fear can act as a trap of reactivity that gets us lost in depression or anxiety. Resulting behaviors include numbing (TV, online games/ shows), getting lost in news and research, or exploding in anger.

The alternative is to welcome fear as a messenger, opening a doorway to new insight and action. That requires us to recognize and stop the usual reactive behavior, drop the story and feel the impact on a visceral felt level. What a treasure to have the time to confront our fear of death, scarcity, or suffering in the world and find comfort in a higher or inter-personal presence. What draws you to connect in a unique new way, share your talent, be of service, discover a new creative joyful endeavor, explore and dive deeper into a spiritual pursuit, or seek out counseling or mentor ship?

Rather than spending more time online, a friend decided to go for an additional walk in the evening up the Kinnikinnik trail with her dog. Her love for nature has been getting her more deeply in touch with being present. Another couldn’t go on a planned world trip and is planting a garden instead. Since our favorite season series of Outlander just Gabrielle Duebendorfer, NMD, has been practicing as a naturopathfinished we decided to get the books and read them to each other in ic physician in Sandpoint for close to 30 years. She currently is on the evening instead of finding something new to indulge. Inspired by a semi-sabbatical and is only seeing current patients as well as anyone class I just started taking before the shutdown, I have started listening with cancer. Gdueb1@gmail.com or 208-265-2213 and moving to music that really resonates for me – it has enlivened my home in a beautiful way. What is beckoning to emerge from deep Mother’s Day Trivia: Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia began the inside you as an expression of your uniqueness?

The biggest treasure for me from this epidemic has been the hope campaign that brought about the official observance of Moththat more people might be drawn towards natural medicine. The pan- er’s Day in the United States. Her mother died, and Anna wantdemic has exposed our vulnerability to viruses. The fact that severe ed all mothers to be remembered. She asked that white carnacases predominantly, though not excluxively, happen in older folks and tions be the official mother’s day symbol. In 1914, President those with cardio-vascular, diabetes, and overweight issues, should Woodrow Wilson signed the orders that made Mother’s Day give us pause to think what the epidemic is pointing to here. These a national holiday.Anna had hoped for a day of reflection and are all lifestyle issues related conditions. Viruses thrive in toxic terrain. quiet prayer by families, thanking God for all that mothers had When a prominent virologist was asked what he thinks about natu- done. ral substances that improve the immune system he admitted that that was not his Medical - Dental - Pediatrics expertise but then surmised that it would probably not Behavioral Health - VA have an effect on preventing or improving covid 19 267-1718 Bonners Ferry infections. I very much re265-6252 Ponderay spect his expertise in virology and epidemiology, but 265-2242 Sandpoint Pediatrics have to disagree with re448-2321 Priest River gards to that statement.

263-0450 VA Naturopathic medicine has for several hundred kaniksuhealthservices.org years proven to be effecWe can help you take control of your addiction tive in epidemics, both with homeopathy and genand your future. eral naturopathy. My colWe accept Medicaid, Medicare & most leagues have seen huninsurances. No insurance? No problem. A dreds of covid 19 patients low-cost sliding-scale fee structure is available. and none have ended up No one is excluded due to inability to pay. in the hospital so far. The key is to prevent symptoms Accepting new patients. Same day from getting bad enough to appointments. have to be admitted. This is accomplished by basic naturopathic medicine not by fancy remedies. Many

If you are ready to kick your habit, we are ready to help.

Our Community

The CO-OP Country Round Up May / June 2020

Volume 20 Issue 4

University of Idaho Extension Bonner County

17

the graves headstones and markers. They may be replaced after the clean-up day.

Flags will be placed on veterans graves before Memorial Day. May 7, 2020 3pm-4pm All are welcome to participate in both the cleanup and meeting.

Cover Crops for the Home Gardener – Join in for a one-hour we- Thank you. binar on the uses of cover crops in a home garden. This webinar is Eva Whitehead, secretary for Pack River Cemetery 208-263-4401 free, but you must register either by emailing jenjensen@uidaho.edu This Event is Subject to cancelation. or going to this registration link: https://uidaho.zoom.us/meeting/register/uZUuduyurzMvCipvWIduOuDSlV4E1eOMeA Charitable donation tax receipts provided to Donors.

May 14, 2020 3pm-4pm Backyard Composting – In this one-hour webinar we will discuss the basics of backyard composting. Whether you chose to have a passive or active compost pile, the basic structure and components of a compost pile will be covered. This webinar is free, but you must register either by emailing jenjensen@uidaho.edu or going to this registration link: https://uidaho.zoom.us/meeting/register/uZIlcO2hrzgqXuYw59J6KBLLAxHhMM1h6A May 21, 2020 3pm-4pm • Tools • Cabinets • Plumbing Storing your Garden Harvest – This one-hour webinar will focus on • Doors • Windows • Appliances successful produce storage. We will discuss garden planning for qual• Flooring • Furniture • Light Fixtures ity storage vegetables, correct harvesting and vegetable preparation NEW! PRICING BY THE POUND! and maintaining proper storage conditions. This webinar is free, but Most warehouse items $1 per pound (Thursdays Only) you must register either by emailing jenjensen@uidaho.edu or going to this registration link: https://uidaho.zoom.us/meeting/register/uZYscemgrDguFTvBv_ZCQJiT4dSYRqSbQQ Open Wednesday - Saturday

Unique supplies, tools and furnishings at discount prices!

Pack River Cemetery Association

The Pack River Cemetery Association annual meeting and clean-up day will be Sunday May 17. The clean-up will start about 1:00 p.m. with the annual meeting to follow at approximately 2:00 p.m. Two board members will be elected at the annual meeting.

We ask that objects (solar lights, planters, vases, etc.) you want to keep on the graves of loved ones be picked up by May 1. This allows the cleanup people and the mower to do the necessary job around

(208) 265-5313 restore@iphfh.org

To schedule a donation pick-up call

(208) 610-7737

1519 Baldy Park Rd. Sandpoint, ID 83864

Think Remodel • Think

18

Home & Hearth

The CO-OP Country Round Up May / June 2020 Volume 20 Issue 3

Recipes...

What a spring! This has been a strange season, for sure, but one thing has remained the same at my house; Grilling Fever! A soon as even a hint of winter’s departure is detected my son-in-law is ready to fire up the grill. If you share this seasonal bond then take a look below at this great BBQ Sauce recipe. All you need is a blender, some tasty ingredients and a brush. And...GO!

Mango Twist Barbecue Sauce

In a heavy skillet saute until tender: 4 Tbs. olive oil 1/2 large red onion chopped 6 Roma Tomatoes cut in half Poblano chili peppers if desired Allow to cool - place in blender and blend for scant 3 seconds then add the following ingredients and blend to desired consis tency: 1 1/2 cup ripe mango ( preferably Champagne) 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1/4 cup fresh sweet basil 4 cloves garlic chopped finely 3 Tbs. FRESH lime juice Salt to taste Black pepper to taste Use this tasty sauce on meat or vegetables. It can also be blended coarsely and used as a chutney for grilled chicken and pork.

Grilled Corn on the Cob - Who doesn’t like this backyard grilling favorite??

Take your corn and pull back the husks and peel the entire husk off. Remove the silk from it.

Rinse it well with the cold water.

Season it with a little butter, salt & black pepper or you might like cayenne pepper.

Wrap the corn (each piece individually) in aluminum foil.

Grill the corn for 15 to 20 minutes Optional: You can take it off, unwrap it and place the corn back on (without the foil) for a minute longer, to let it get the grill marks.

Serve it immediately.

College, COVID19 The North Idaho Way

By Sierra Rae Speakman

March 9 was a busy college freshman day in Southern Idaho at BYU. I had finished a voice audition, completed biology and math assignments, taken a test, and finished a 90 minute swim. March 10th I woke to COVID19 news. I learned we couldn’t go on campass starting March 13th.

What? We could stay in our apartments, but our classes would be online. It seemed unreal! I immediately packed. March 14th I was home. Life changed in a blink of an eye. That Monday I had been sitting on my twin bed on the 5th floor in my college apartment getting to know some amazing college roomates.

By Saturday I was back home to North Idaho! Life changed in a matter of hours, but, hey, we live in North Idaho! Not a bad place to come home to do something I had never heard of before, “social distancing”.

Winter semester concluded on April 9th with a strange goodbye to my professors through a Zoom meeting while sitting on my bed. Spring Semester resumed April 20th online and continues through the end of July. No classes will be held on campass for Spring Semester. As a pre-veterinary medicine student, zoology and wildlife science emphasis is loaded with science and labs; not really a good fit for online learning. Or is it? North Idaho in the Spring! Fresh air, wide open spaces, trees, mountains, and lakes are a perfect setting for some amazing college Freshman elective classes! Blended with the academic classes, I carefully selected classes that would make this unexpected exprience meaningul and memorable. I enrolled in gardening and horticulture, a survival class, and beginning guitar. So far this week I cleaned the muck out of the old shed, added a fresh coat of barn red paint, purchased a few chickens and ducks, pulled out a dusty old guitar, and started gathering and inventorying emergency supplies from around the house. I gathered packets of seeds for the garden and started my first gardening assignment which is mapping the garden plan. I have to present it to my class through a Zoom meeting in a few days. Of course, I still study, but the addition of the some carefully selected electives fills me with excitement for this semester and the future ahead. I’m planning a pretty large garden so perhaps I will have enough to store, sell, or share. If I produce enough, perhaps we’ll have a little country farm! Maybe I am being too optimistic, but I will be outside giving it my best shot.

We are blessed to live in such a beautiful place on this planet and even though we are asked to stay home, social distancing is relatively easy and a natural way of life in North Idaho. There is so much to learn and do here. I say, let’s get outside, enjoy the fresh air, develop talents and skills, and do all we can to prepare for what seems to be a wild, new ride ahead of us all.

Home gardening and survival skills seem like the perfect fit for now. I’m definitely not alone in this sudden change of plans. My parents are also doing their best to work from home as well. We are litterally all in this together! Let’s do it with a smile, some hand sanitizer, and some good earthen grit.

Image: Sierra Speakman, Sandpoint

Rural Life

19

The CO-OP Country Round Up May / June 2020 Volume 20 Issue 4

Pollinators: Our Friends in the Garden

Anyone whom has ever planted and cared for a garden knows that from a distance the space often looks peaceful and quiet. Planned well, a garden can be an oasis of color, scent, sounds, and tactile beauty. But look closer and another world comes into view - the world of pollinators.

Pollinators in this area of the country include wasps, hummingbirds, bumble bees, mason bees, butterflies, mammoth moths as well as our beloved honey bees. And like it or not yellow jackets are often act as pollinators. With the advent of dandelions and daffodils in the early spring through the final flowering of Japanese Knot-weed in late autumn, pollinators are busy collecting nectar and spreading pollen securing our food supply. We need them and they do their job very, very well. Garden wisdom dictates that we work with pollinators, not against them.

A well thought out garden will have a variety of plants designed to provide food for honeybees as they make their first cleansing flights in spring as well as seed producing flowers such as Autumn Harvest Sunflowers for the birds in fall. How delightful to watch hummingbirds work sweet cherry blossoms next to honeybees and bumble bees as they make quick work of an entire orchard over the course of just a few weeks. What a wonder to see multiple pollinators working Mammoth Sunflowers throughout the season, humans harvesting some of the seed for our own use, then leaving the rest for birds going into winter.

Color plays a huge role in the garden when it comes to attracting pollinators. Hummingbirds are drawn to the deep, rich red, pink, purple, blue and orange hues. Those plants rich with scent and large flowers like Petunia, Trumpet Flower, Foxglove, Zinnia and Delphinium will draw both hummingbirds and butterflies.

In the vegetable garden, with the exception of the squashes and sunflowers most vegetables have a very small flower. Bees and wasps tend to fly slowly between flower clusters. While we can certainly hear the soft humming through the plants we still need to keep an eye out for workers in places like green beans and peas where continuous flowering keeps the pollinator invitation open! I have never known honey bees or wasps to be aggressive when they are working. Not so yellow jackets. They just seem to be cranky all the time so I am very careful as I move through the raspberries in particular.

Beyond beautiful blooms the wise gardener will supply water for pollinators. Pollinators need water on a regular basis, especially honey bees which can travel up to 5 miles from the hive. The water source need not be a water feature in the decorative sense. It can be as simple as water in a shallow dish or pan as long as it has safe places like sticks or rocks for the bees to land. Honey bees can, in fact, drown.

Maybe this is the year we break away from the row upon row of organized garden vegetables and shake up the design with colorful

flower plantings throughout. Companion plantings such as Crackerjack Marigold, in among the nightshades, is beautiful and aromatic.

Zinnias beneath the sunflowers and sweet basil next to the lavender would be lovely to behold.

Pollinators make all the difference in the garden. Enjoy yours this year!

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20

The Great Outdoors

The CO-OP Country Round Up May / June 2020 Volume 20 Issue 4

Attention anglers: Delays expected in “Tag, You’re It”

Reward processsing, but please continue to report tags By Brian Pearson, Conservation Public Information Specialist

Reported tags are crucial for fisheries research, and help make fishing better for Idaho anglers Due to challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, anglers who report reward tags as part of Fish and Game’s “Tag, You’re It” program should expect some delays in receiving their rewards.

Jeff Dillon, fisheries research manager at Idaho Fish and Game said, “Under the current conditions, we are not going to be able to process reward tags as quickly as we normally would.

“We want to take this opportunity to urge anglers to please continue to report tags, because they are a crucial component of our research, aimed at making fishing better for Idaho’s anglers. We also want to ensure them that while they can expect some delays, we will work to process reward tags as quickly as possible.”

Anglers who catch any tagged fish should report it at tag.idaho.gov, or report it by calling the telephone number listed on the front or back of the tag. https://idfg.idaho.gov

Time to Shop 2020 Hunting & Fishing License Deals By Emily Palmer, Marketing Analyst

You can save a few bucks on licenses. Here are some Idaho Fish and Game “hacks” you may not be aware of that can save you money and increase your opportunities.

Hack #1: Purchase a 3-year youth license for your 17-year-old If a youth purchases a 3-year youth license while they are 17, they can continue to purchase junior priced tags through the valid dates of the a podcast by Friends license. Age restrictions still apply of Scotchman for youth-only hunts.

Peaks Wilderness Hack #2: Save $89 on license and tags by buying a Sportsman Package Have you ever been in the field and wished you had another tag or permit in your pocket? Sportsman Package provides a resident combo license, 6 big game tags, and 4 permits -a savings of $89.15 off the a la carte pricing.

New For the avid hunter/angler, this will episodes either save you money or provide sponsored by more opportunities at a marginal weekly Blue Creek Press increase in cost. idfg.idaho.gov

Stories | Essays Nature | Fun

available wherever you listen to podcasts scotchmanpeaks.org/podcast

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20TTTMULE6X7C KAWASAKI CARES: Read Owner’s Manual and all on-product warnings. Always wear protective gear appropriate for the use of this vehicle. Never operate under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Protect the environment. The Kawasaki MULE™ side x side is an off- highway vehicle only, and is not designed, equipped or manufactured for use on public streets, roads or highways. Obey the laws and regulations that control the use of your vehicle. ©2019 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. Assembled in the U.S.A. badge does not apply to the MULE PRO-MX™ models. Accessorized unit shown.

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Piney Woods Iris Farm Closed for the 2020 Season

The Piney Woods Iris Farm will be suspending sales of iris rhizomes this year due to severe loss of last years transplants A lack of snow and prolonged exposure to below freezing temperatures are the culprits for the loss. Piney Woods has been home to more than 200 varieties of iris, a beloved old fashioned flower common in gardens and along yard edges throughout the country.

“It may take a couple of seasons to replace them” said Charlotte Beaudry, owner of the popular iris farm located in Trout Creek, Montana.

“Thank You to all past customers” said Beaudry.

It is hoped that Piney woods will reopen next season.

22

Economics

The CO-OP Country Round Up May / June 2020 Volume 20 Issue 4

What is the Federal Reserve?

By Judy Baird AVP Branch Manager Mountain West Bank

Rather than “another article” about COVID and its impact, I thought this might be a good time to write about the Federal Reserve, what it is, and what role it plays in our finances.

Where laws are left up to the three branches of government, the broader economy and financial system is steered by the central bank. In the United States, the central bank is the Federal Reserve, or “Fed”. The system today has three pillars: the board of governors, 12 regional reserve banks, and the FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee).

The board of governors in Washington, D.C. supervises the entire Fed system. The seven members, one of which is the Fed Chair, are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

The 12 regional reserve banks are scattered throughout the country.

Each has it own president and board of directors who stay informed on their regional economies and report back to the board. These regional banks were created by Congress to ensure the Fed was a “decentralized” central bank, meaning it didn’t just concern itself with what is happening on Wall Street or Capital Hill.

These two components combine to make the FOMC, perhaps the most influential aspect of the Fed. They meet eight times a year, or more depending upon the economy) and all seven governors and five of the 12 reserve bank presidents vote to decide whether to raise or lower interest rates and to conduct monetary policy.

The Fed’s interest rate decisions are what capture the most attention.

During FOMC meetings, officials have three options: raise, lower, or maintain rates. Think of the U.S. economy as having a speed limit.

If the U.S. economy moves too fast, it risks overheating or crashing.

The Fed will pull on the brakes by raising interest rates. That move makes borrowing costs more expensive and essentially encourages more Americans and businesses to delay their purchases, slowing the economy down.

If the Fed raises interest rates too fast or too far, for example, it could slow down the economy needlessly and keep more people out of work. The Fed’s job is to ultimately maintain low unemployment for as long as possible without triggering inflation and it uses interest rates to guide the economy toward that outcome.

If they wait too long, inflation could pick up. Similarly, by cutting interest rates they can give the economy a needed boost by making it cheaper for consumers and businesses to borrow. Most interest rates you see on loans and savings products are not set by the Fed but determined privately. But these rates are influenced by the Fed’s decisions. The Fed has direct control over a short-term benchmark rate known as the federal funds rate. This is the rate the FOMC believes is ideal for continuing strong economic growth.

The federal funds rate then filters through to the rest of the economy.

Similar to how you keep money in accounts at a bank, financial institutions keep reserves in accounts at the Fed. And just as you’re often required to maintain a minimum balance, banks, too, are required to hold a certain level of reserves.

Many banks, however, choose to keep more than is required. To ensure that the fed funds rate is filtered out through the rest of the economy, the Fed pays banks interest on those “excess” reserves. It adjusts that rate in-tandem with adjustments to the federal funds rate.

If the Fed increases the rate that they’re paying banks to hold reserves, it’s going to reduce the incentive for banks to lend out funds. If a financial institution can earn 4 percent by holding reserves at the Fed, it doesn’t seem to be a good deal to lend it out 4.5 percent, given that a borrower can be a little risky. That ultimately raises interest rates in the broader economy because there’s less credit in circulation.

On the flip side, if the Fed wants to incentivize banks to lend out their excess reserves (rather than keeping them at the Fed), the FOMC will lower the interest rate that it pays on them. That increases the amount of available credit in the economy, lowering interest rates.

You’ll feel all of these decisions in your wallet. When the Fed lowers interest rates, it reduces yields on consumer products, such as savings accounts and certificates of deposits. When rates are cut, it makes auto loan and credit card rates cheaper. Mortgage rates aren’t directly impacted by Fed decisions, but they’re influenced by the same external market factors that guide the Fed. By the way, the Fed does not have to seek presidential or congressional approval when deciding what to do with interest rates. It is given complete authority. The Fed does have oversight, however. The Fed is audited ever year by an independent accounting firm, as well as the Government Accountability Office. Results are published on the

board’s website nearly three months later, in March of the following year. In addition, Congress acts as its overseer, with the Fed chair having to report to Capital Hill twice a year on how monetary policy is progressing.

If you want to get a loan, the interest rate you pay on the loan is influenced by what the Fed is up to. If you’re a creditor of someone who’s borrowing or if you’re a borrower, you care about what the Fed is doing. The Fed directly influences the decisions you make.

The CO-OP Country Round Up A paper for, and about, country people.

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

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

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

The next issue of the Round Up will be out on June 26, 2020 Contributors : Jim Haynes, Ann Warwick, Judy Baird, Bill Collier, Dr. Gabrielle Duebendorfer, Chase Youngdahl, Hannah Combs, and Sierra Rae Speakman For advertising rates, information and questions please call 208.265.7703 or email kathy@coopgasandsupply.com You can find us on Facebook, Instagram and on our website coopcountrystore.com.

Real Estate and You

The CO-OP Country Round Up May / Junel 2020 Volume 20 Issue 4

23

First Quarter 2020 National/ Regional Trends

An Initial Look at Covid 19 Impacts on Our Regional Housing Market

by Jim Haynes, Associate Broker

The US housing market showed strong results for the first quarter of 2020 (see Real Estate Statistics this page). The number of existing home sales in the first quarter of 2020 were up 7.1% over the first quarter of 2019 and the median1 home sales price was up 8.1%. March marked the 97th straight month in which national home sales prices increased over the same month one year earlier. Tight inventories and low interest rates were cited as contributing factors for the increase in prices. Market inventory nationally was 3.4 months at the end of March down from March of 2019 when the inventory was 3.8 months. Six months is considered a balanced market. Shorter inventories work to the advantage of the seller. Thirty-year fixed interest rate mortgages were at 3.45% at the end of March down from 3.94% for March of 2019. Lower interest rates mean more buying power for the buyer meaning they can spend more on a house with a lower interest rate.

The three northern counties of Idaho as a whole (see Real Estate Statistics this page) experienced very nearly the same number of homes sold in the first quarter of 2020 as compared the first quarter of 2019 (936 in 2020 versus 934 in 2019). The median home sales priced jumped 12.5% from $296,995 in the first quarter of 2019 to $334,000 in the first quarter of 2020. Market inventory was just under 3.5 months.

Again, the tight inventory makes for a seller’s market.

The Covid-19 virus started impacting the real estate market both nationally and locally towards the end of March. Its impact for the total first quarter was minimal, but what are its impacts going to be going forward. National data for April will not be available until the third week of May. However, as this is being written there are three weeks of data available for North Idaho. Below are the data for the three northern counties of Idaho for April 1, 2020 to April 21, 2020:

Home Sales April 1, 2020 to April 21, 2020

Home Sales April 1, 2020 to April 21, 2020

Homes Change from Median Change from

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Get a Rebate of up to $1,000 ◊ on 2019 models and prior 195 Triangle Dr., Ponderay, ID 83864 208-263-1535 SandpointPolaris.com

© 2020 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, TM and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. In the U.S.A., products are distributed by BRP US Inc. Offer is valid in select markets only, from May 1 to May 31, 2020.

The terms and conditions may vary and these offers are subject to termination or change at any time without notice. † No payments for 90 days on 2020 models and prior: No interest for 2 months, no payment for 3 months; thereafter, 4.90% for 60 months [4.59% APR*]. *Example: On a financed amount of $7,500, your down payment is $0, no interest for 2 months and no payment for 3 months followed by 60 monthly payments of $141.20 each. Interest rate is 4.90% [APR is 4.59% (E)]. Note: The above financing programs are offered by Sheffield Financial, a division of Truist Bank and FDIC member. Subject to credit approval. Approval and any rates and terms provided are based on credit worthiness. Other financing offers are available. See your local dealer for details.

Rate advertised is based on minimumInc. bureau riskAll score of 700.

Minimum amount financed: $1,500. amount of financed: OtherIn qualifi restrictions may apply. Offer effective on eligible qualifi ed unitsmarkets purchased from a participating © 2020 Bombardier , TM and the BRP logo Maximum are trademarks BRP or$50,000. its affiliates. the cations U.S.A.,and products are distributed

by BRP US Inc. Offer isand valid in select only, from May 1 to May 31, 2020.

Recreational Products (BRP). rights reserved. dealer.

See dealer forvary product and qualifi cations between 4/9/2020 4/30/2020. subject tonotice. change†without notice. ◊for Get90 a Rebate of up to $1,000 onand 2019prior: models prior: Rebate of up to $1,000 on select and prior Sea-Doo watercraft The terms and conditions may andeligibility these offers are subject to termination orand change at anyOffer time without No payments days on 2020 models Noand interest for 2 months, no payment for2019 3 months; thereafter, 4.90% for 60 months models. Eligible units are select new and unused 2019 and prior Sea-Doo models. Rebate amount depends on the model purchased. While quantities last. ‡Starting at $5,499: 2020 Sea-Doo SPARK® models start at $5,499. This Manufacturer Suggested Retail [4.59% APR*]. *Example: On a financed amount of $7,500, your down payment is $0, no interest for 2 months and no payment for 3 months followed by 60 monthly payments of $141.20 each. Interest rate is 4.90% [APR is 4.59% (E)]. Note: The above financing Price (MSRP) excludes taxes, delivery and registration fees. The price paid may vary depending on available rebates and promotions, as well as other fees and credit qualifications, if requested by the consumer. Some models depicted may include optional programs are offered by Sheffield Financial, a division of Truist Bank and FDIC member. Subject to credit approval. Approval and any rates and terms provided are based on credit worthiness. Other financing offers are available. See your local dealer for details. equipment. Carefully read the operator’s guide and safety instructions. Observe applicable laws and regulations. Always wear appropriate protective clothing, including a personal flotation device and wetsuit bottoms. Riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix.

Rate advertised is based on minimum bureau risk score of 700.

Minimum amount financed: $1,500. Maximum amount financed: $50,000. Other qualifications and restrictions may apply. Offer effective on eligible and qualified units purchased from a participating See your authorized BRP dealer for details and visit sea-doo.com.

®

dealer. See dealer for product eligibility and qualifications between 4/9/2020 and 4/30/2020. Offer subject to change without notice. ◊ Get a Rebate of up to $1,000 on 2019 models and prior: Rebate of up to $1,000 on select 2019 and prior Sea-Doo watercraft models. Eligible units are select new and unused 2019 and prior Sea-Doo models. Rebate amount depends on the model purchased. While quantities last. ‡Starting at $5,499: 2020 Sea-Doo SPARK® models start at $5,499. This Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) excludes taxes, delivery and registration fees. The price paid may vary depending on available rebates and promotions, as well as other fees and credit qualifications, if requested by the consumer. Some models depicted may include optional equipment. Carefully read the operator’s guide and safety instructions. Observe applicable laws and regulations. Always wear appropriate protective clothing, including a personal flotation device and wetsuit bottoms. Riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix.

See your authorized BRP dealer for details and visit sea-doo.com.

PS18336-SEA-MY20-Primary-Dealer-R2R-May20-Print-FP.indd 1

2020-04-29 15:14

PS18336-SEA-MY20-Primary-Dealer-R2R-May20-Print-FP.indd 1

Sold

Boundary County Bonner County Kootenai County

8 37 202

2019 -52.9% -26.0% 0.5%

Sales Price $254,500 $305,000 $340,789

2020-04-29 15:14

2019 13.4% -10.8% 10.2%

Source: Coeur d'Alene MLS and Selkirk MLS, information deemed reliable but not guarantee Source: Coeur d’Alene MLS and Selkirk MLS, information deemed reliable but not guarantee

© 2020 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, TM and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. In the U.S.A., products are distributed by BRP US Inc. Offer is valid in select markets only, from May 1 to May 31, 2020.

The terms and conditions may vary and these offers are subject to termination or change at any time without notice. † No payments for 90 days on 2020 models and prior: No interest for 2 months, no payment for 3 months; thereafter, 4.90% for 60 months [4.59% APR*]. *Example: On a financed amount of $7,500, your down payment is $0, no interest for 2 months and no payment for 3 months followed by 60 monthly payments of $141.20 each. Interest rate is 4.90% [APR is 4.59% (E)]. Note: The above financing programs are offered by Sheffield Financial, a division of Truist Bank and FDIC member. Subject to credit approval. Approval and any rates and terms provided are based on credit worthiness. Other financing offers are available. See your local dealer for details.

Rate advertised is based on minimum bureau risk score of 700. Minimum amount financed: $1,500. Maximum amount financed: $50,000. Other qualifications and restrictions may apply. Offer effective on eligible and qualified units purchased from a participating dealer. See dealer for product eligibility and qualifications between 4/9/2020 and 4/30/2020. Offer subject to change without notice. ◊ Get a Rebate of up to $1,000 on 2019 models and prior: Rebate of up to $1,000 on select 2019 and prior Sea-Doo watercraft models. Eligible units are select new and unused 2019 and prior Sea-Doo models. Rebate amount depends on the model purchased. While quantities last. ‡Starting at $5,499: 2020 Sea-Doo SPARK® models start at $5,499. This Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) excludes taxes, delivery and registration fees. The price paid may vary depending on available rebates and promotions, as well as other fees and credit qualifications, if requested by the consumer. Some models depicted may include optional equipment. Carefully read the operator’s guide and safety instructions. Observe applicable laws and regulations. Always wear appropriate protective clothing, including a personal flotation device and wetsuit bottoms. Riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix.

See your authorized BRP dealer for details and visit sea-doo.com.

As one can observe, there was a considerable drop in sales for Boundary and Bonner Counties. Kootenai County experienced a small increase in the number of homes sold. It is difficult to draw conclusions with such a short time frame and small numbers of sales. All three counties taken together had a 7.8% drop in the number of homes sold when compared to the same three-week period in 2019. The median sales price increased 9.5% to $340,000 over that same period.

Though the real estate industry in Idaho is still open for business it has changed its business model with many agents working from home and many showings being done virtually. Agents can show homes if social distancing is observed. Time will tell how this will impact sales going forward.

1 The median home price is that price at which half of the homes sold for more than that amount, and half sold for less than that amount.

The median price is used to remove bias from home prices introduced by high end properties.

PS18336-SEA-MY20-Primary-Dealer-R2R-May20-Print-FP.indd 1

Memorial Day Trivia: The holiday was celebrated by “decorating” the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers, flags, and more, hence the name “Decoration Day.” Over time, it became known as Memorial Day. A speech is traditionally delivered at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, usually delivered by The President or Vice President. Initially only soldiers who died in the Civil War were honored.

2020-04-29 15:14