JUNE 2020

June 2020 Volume 6 . Issue 7 golocalmagazines.com

ZEN’S TOYLAND

A NEW TOYSTORE IN LONGMEADOW

RIVERSIDE REPTILES A NEW KIND OF ZOO!

AT HOME ACTIVITIES

THINGS TO DO NOW AND MORE

Check it out:

S&S AND TARNOW

ALL YOUR PROPERTY NEEDS GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 1

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One thing that helps us stand out from our competition is that we enjoy good conversation. We strive to answer every phone call personally, although that keeps getting harder as our business continues to grow. But rest assured, if you have to leave a message, WE WILL RETURN YOUR CALL at our earliest opportunity. We are happy to answer any questions you may have, and we will do our best to explain things in a manner that makes you feel comfortable to have us service your home, business, or property.

2 GO LOCAL JUNE 2020

new this month JUNE 2020 . VOLUME 6 . ISSUE 7

13

RIVERSIDE REPTILES IN ENFIELD, CT The brainchild and longtime hope of owner Brian Kleinman, the center will have about 13,000 square-feet of space housing over 100 species of amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates. Kleinman’s hope is to give children, and adults alike, the same opportunity he experienced when he was younger...

6

A NOTE

12

LOCAL SNAPSHOT

13

RIVERSIDE REPTILES

From The Editor Fiddlehead Fern by Allison Litera A new kind of Zoo in Enfield, CT

AND TARNOW 17 S&S Everything for your property

GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 3

JUNE 2020 . VOLUME 6 . ISSUE 7

20

Artist corner

22

GO LOCAL PICKS

23

zen’s toyland

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go eat

27

at home activity ideas

30

Local Einstein

31

FINAL COUNTDOWN

Mary Risley Jewelry from Northampton, MA

23

Cool Stuff Just Outside Your Door A new toystore in Longmeadow, MA Chili Lime Steak Strips Activities to enjoy now and more!

Put Your Thinking Caps On 7 Places for a Nature Walk

20

4 GO LOCAL JUNE 2020

27

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a note

FROM THE MANAGING EDITOR . G. MICHAEL DOBBS

I’ve often described myself as a farm boy, because from 1969 until I graduated from college in 1976, we had a small family farm in Granby, MA. Even though it’s been a lot of years, at this time of year there is something in my DNA compelling me to plant vegetables and work in the yard even to this day.

My father grew up very poor in Alabama and was definitely a child of the Great Depression. When he retired from the Air Force the family had settled in Granby on six acres of land. My father’s deep-seated issue with hunger manifested itself quickly. We had about an acre of land in cultivation with vegetables, then fruit trees, raspberries and blueberries.

That was just a start.

If my memory serves me correctly then came an escalation in our farming activities with the addition of chickens for meat and eggs. Two Jersey cows were added and later removed when we developed a herd of milking goats. There was always a steer being raised for beef and pigs for pork.

My dad had a tendency of collecting animals. For instance, for a while we had a pair of ducks. Why I’m not sure. We had a mule, a burro and small flock of sheep at various times.

My dad had gotten into his head my mother had a long-time desire to process her own wool for knitting, which by the way she did not. The sheep were traded to another farmer when the ram – normally as benign as a puppy – charged my dad one day and sent him flying. It really wasn’t his fault as it was mating season. My mom was relieved to see them go, though.

My dad, despite the fact he had two tractors, wanted to teach the mule to pull a plow, an activity that involved me. It was not easy or fun and thankfully the mule went back to a peaceful life and the tractors were re-deployed.

It was a lot of hard work, such as the summer I plucked chickens most of the day or dug out stones from the garden area. How I hated harvesting strawberries, which was back breaking labor. I eat them now, but I won’t pick them.

At the same time I learned a lot and it never left me. I’m grateful for all of the experiences.

The June 1, 2011 tornado gave us a blank canvas on which to figure out a new use for the back yard at our Springfield home. Gone was the nuisance brush and stately trees. Now, for the first time since we lived there we had a yard with a lawn.

Now that’s the American dream, correct? We weren’t satisfied. There was something missing. Over the years, we’ve added flower garden areas, a deck, a patio and a vegetable garden, which is slowly expanding.

We go to farmers’ markets, but there is something quite satisfying about going into your backyard and picking a tomato or green pepper or squash.

To be frank, if I could add a beehive ­­­– yes, I took beekeeping in college – I would. I would also add a couple of chicken in a nice coop for eggs.

Living, though, just a mile and a quarter from Springfield City Hall as we do, I know these additions would not be tolerated.

This issue of Go Local has several features for those of us who are interested in gardening or improving our outdoor living space. This is the time to travel to garden centers and poke around. Ask questions and see how you can improve where you live.

It takes work, but you can make your home a little refuge from the outside world that is all your own.

- G. Michael Dobbs, Managing Editor 6 GO LOCAL JUNE 2020

MANAGING EDITOR G. Michael Dobbs

CREATIVE

Beth Thurber, Manager . Leigh Catchepaugh Elizabeth O’Donoghue . Susan Bartlett

DESIGN Michelle Johnson, Manager

ADVERTISING

Barb Perry, Manager . Kim Barba . Lisa Nolan Paula Dimauro . Scott Greene . Nancy Holloway Jeanette Grenier . Matt Mahaney Rosanne Miller-Longtin . Victoria Owen Carolyn Napolitan, Sales Assistant

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GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM Send local story ideas to: Michelle Johnson: mjohnson@repub.com

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LOCAL HARVEST Farmer’s Market

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• natural stone & paver walkways/patios • retaining walls & drainage systems • garden maintenance, mulch & bed edging • perennial dead-heading & dividing/splitting • pruning of shrubs & ornamental trees • shrub transplanting & redesigning GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 11

local snapshot  Allison Litera

12 GO LOCAL JUNE 2020

FIDDLEHEAD FERN

Only emerging in early spring - these tightly coiled fern plant tips are a delicacy to many.

! KEITH O’CONNOR  NATE BLAIS

Lions, tigers and bears.

It’s more like alligators, lizards and snakes at the Riverside Reptiles Education Center, a new kind of zoo set to open in June, hopefully, in Enfield.

The brainchild and longtime hope of owner Brian Kleinman, the center will have about 13,000 square-feet of space housing over 100 species of amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates.

Kleinman’s hope is to give children, and adults alike, the same opportunity he experienced when he was younger GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 13

through his new education center, as well as to continue outreach experiences he began to offer as part of his Riverside Reptiles started in 2003.

Like many businesses during the coronavirus epidemic, Kleinman has felt the pinch, delaying the opening of his dream education center and putting a temporary halt to his outreach business.

“I still have some bookings for the summer, but pretty much all of my school and library programs have stopped for the year because of the virus,” he said.

As a child, Kleinman had no fear of nature and what might lurk in the dark woods, murky swamps, or cleaner ponds behind his home in the rural town of Barkamsted in Connecticut.

While out exploring he would come upon snakes, frogs, turtles and other creatures, only to gather them up and bring them home.

His parents were “pretty much” unphased.

“They knew I was interested in nature and wildlife and wanted me to do something that piqued my interest. They were very supportive of me and would take me hiking and to the local nature center,” Kleinman said.

“Of course, I would always return them to the wild, but first I would give presentations in my garage to the neighborhood kids,” he added.

His interest in wildlife led his parents to enroll their son in Roaring Brook Nature Center’s (RBNC) summer camp program. When he was too old to be camper, he volunteered his services at the nature center after school and on weekends, as well as serving as a camp counselor in the summer.

“You get to pass your knowledge about the Earth and its ecosystems onto others. We have to create new ambassadors for wildlife, and that’s why I enjoy teaching children and adults about natural history,” Kleinman said.

It was only natural that when the nature lover attended college he would further pursue his interest in the great outdoors and its many creatures by studying biology at Franklin Pierce University. As part of his education there, he spent a two-week stay in Costa Rica, where he studied tropical ecology while living in the rainforest.

Outside of college, he has also traveled to Georgia to study Loggerhead Sea Turtles and spent three months in Florida exploring the Everglades.

“Living in the rainforest was a great experience. I’ve been back there with my wife 14 GO LOCAL JUNE 2020

where we hung out for nine days. I love it there and enjoy any chance I get to go back.

It’s not the Marriott, but there are lodges and cabins which aren’t horrible, but have no air conditioning in very hot and humid weather.

You often find animals like geckos and lizards inside on the walls. One night when I went out in the forest for a walk looking for snakes, I came back to find that my wife had barricaded the bathroom where there was a giant cockroach,” Kleinman said.

After graduating from college, Kleinman continued as a counselor at the summer programs at Roaring Brook, and found a job as the animal curator at the Science Center of Connecticut (SCOC), now called the Children’s Museum. For just over two years in the position, he built habitats, fed and cared for the animals, and taught children about the animals that resided there.

Eventually, Kleinman decided to branch out and start his own live animal educational program business in 2004 called Riverside Reptiles, visiting schools, libraries, day cares, camps, fairs, museums, nature centers, and even birthday parties to teach children and adults about the misunderstood creatures of the animal world - reptiles. and amphibians.

When sharing his large collection of salamanders, frogs and toads, crocodilians, turtles, lizards, snakes, cockroaches, spiders, scorpions, centipedes, and millipedes with kids, he said most seem to like the snakes.

“I have some very large snakes weighing up to 100 pounds, including a Burmese Python, Reticulated Python and a Green Anaconda.

But it is the furry tarantula spider that scares kids the most.

“Some kids get startled and even cry, but when they actually see how nice it is then they want to learn more,” Kleinman said.

Kleinman said he has lost thousands of dollars of outreach business due to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as from the delay in opening his new education center.

To offset his loss, he is offering animal sponorships on the center’s new website, alongside money-saving memberships.

For more information, call Riverside Reptiles at (860) 655-7464, visit riversidereptileseducationcenter.com, or follow them on Facebook.

GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 15

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D

o you dream of installing an outdoor kitchen, a patio, a fountain, rescuing your lawn, or just enjoying some beautiful plants in your yard?

Well… “just one call does it all” is the motto of S&S and Tarnow located in Enfield, and owner Shanan Ragnauth will be the one doing it! Ragnauth, who grew up on a farm in Guyana, located in South America, moved to the States in 1992. Although largely self-taught, he is also certified by the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) and by the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI.) Ragnauth’s landscaping and hardscaping business expanded in 2014, when he took over Tarnow’s Nursery when the original owners retired. His company, now known as S&S and Tarnow, offers almost everything a home or business owner could want for their property.

The nursery, located at 146 South Road in Enfield, sells plants (including vegetables), statuary, bulk material such as topsoil, stone, and mulch, custom designed planters, and also items such as bird houses, wind chimes, gardening gloves, and potting soil in the retail store. Ragnauth’s wife, Devina, works as GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 17

the store manager, and her goal is “to make the customers extremely happy when they leave here.” She says many of the people who come in know their plants and know what they want. Often the younger customers come in seeking advice, as they are landscaping or gardening for the first time.

Either way, the Ragnauths are happy to help out with plant selection, yardwork, or hardscaping. “We are very customer oriented,” they said. “We take care of our customers.”

Shanan and Devina are helped out by employee Deanna Laffan, who “does everything from re-potting plants to operating the register,” and by a team of about four employees who help with the landscaping and hardscaping. Shanan’s adult children help out on a part-time basis with technical support and web-site design, and his nephew Nicholas works fulltime as a “jack-of-all trades.”

When asked if he had a favorite plant or plants, Ragnauth said he really liked the limelight hydrangea, the purple leaf sand cherry, Mountain Laurel (Connecticut’s state flower/plant), and boxwood. He gets about 90% of his nursery stock from Prides Corner Farms in Lebanon, Connecticut, and stresses that all of his plants are locally grown. Looking for a specific plant not in stock? He will order it for you. He offers a one-year warranty on trees and shrubs.

His favorite part of the business, Ragnauth says, is the hardscaping. That would include such things as patios, retaining walls, fire pits, fountains, walkways, and even outdoor kitchens. He works with the customer from design to installation, including any plantings and mulching. If a customer is having trouble visualizing what a design may look like, he will sketch it for them. He believes that more people are partaking in “staycations” and doing more outdoor entertaining.

They are therefore investing in the upgrading of their property, and as Ragnauth’s motto claims, “one call does it all!” to help make their dreams a reality. He offers a 5-year warranty on his hardscaping projects.

Ragnauth also offers the basic services of spring and fall clean-ups, lawn mowing, planting and mulching, and lawn renovation.

He can even install lawn drainage to take care of wet yards. Need snow plowing in the winter? He can do that, too!

Repeat customer Jerry Rosata, who has had S&S and Tarnow install a stone walkway, patio, and fire pit at his Enfield home, says 18 GO LOCAL JUNE 2020

that Ragnauth does quality work for a fair price. He is very happy with the work that was done, and was back at the nursery looking for more plants.

New customer Jeanette Hafey recently had Ragnauth install a stone foundation for a storage shed they were having delivered. “He did a good job,” she said, “and they were so nice!”

S&S and Tarnow is located at 146 South Road in Enfield, Connecticut Phone is 860-749-8008 Shanan@SnSandTarnow.com

GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 19

artist corner

MARY RISLEY JEWELRY - NORTHAMPTON, MA

Artist Corner

MARY RISLEY JEWELRY - NORTHAMPTON, MA

WEBSITE: MARYRISLEYJEWELRY.COM IG: @MARY_RISLEY_JEWELRY ETSY: MARYRISLEYJEWELRY FACEBOOK: MARY RISLEY JEWELRY

Tell us a little about yourself!

I am a Western MA native whose first job coincidentally was delivering The Reminder when I was 12! When I’m not in my studio, you can find me on an outdoor adventure or dining out at one of the wonderful restaurants in the area with friends & family.

When/how did you get interested in jewelry making?

I have been making jewelry since I was 10, stringing beads (as most jewelers get their start). I studied studio art in college but my school didn't have a metals program and it was an area I had always wanted to explore. My aunt, a prolific silversmith, got me started working in metal nearly a decade ago. She showed me the basics and I was instantly hooked! Soon thereafter, I traveled to NC to study jewelry making/design intensively at the Penland School of Craft. I have bounced around since then, taking workshops at other schools in the New England area. I started teaching a few years ago and am currently an instructor at Snow Farm, a craft school in Williamsburg, MA.

in each of my jewelry pieces. I like to combine scratched metal surfaces and stones that have character. Many of my pieces are limited edition because I only choose stones that jump out to me because of some unique charm in them. They tend to be statements in their own right and I purposely limit the array of stones I select, so it allows each of my jewelry pieces to be one of a kind and its own expression.

What are your favorite materials to work with?

Sterling silver is my primary material in which I work. I have always been smitten with silver’s dualism; its ability to be both rigid and malleable, fluid then solid, all in a matter of seconds. It has a soft brightness that is very enticing. I also love to oxidize it to give it a rich, blackened patina. Working in solid gold is a treat, although typically reserved for special projects and commissioned work. There are many semi-precious stones that I use in my work but my favorites are turquoise and Peruvian opal.

My eye is always pulled to that aqua color and I am constantly drooling over anything in that color palette.

How would you describe your design aesthetic to What are your inspirations?

Since I draw much of my inspiration from the natural world, my someone who's never seen your work?

My jewelry pieces are airy and simple and most importantly easy to wear. I want my jewelry to feel like a part of you, something you wear every day. Much of my aesthetic is pulled from the natural world. I am constantly charmed by the perfect imperfection of nature. An asymmetrical curve here, an imperfect texture there, it all creates intrigue and balance. I tend to mimic these qualities 20 GO LOCAL JUNE 2020

studio is lined with gifts from the wooded areas around me. River stones, pieces of bark, galls, and unique branches; I can find some inspiration in all of them. The stones I use in my work are often the starting motivation for a piece and further designs stem from there.

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go local picks

COOL STUFF JUST OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR AND ONLINE!

SWEET E’S SIGNS & CUSTOM DESIGNS CUSTOM SIGNS, HOME DECOR AND MUCH MORE! LONGMEADOW, MASSACHUSETTS Sweet E’s Signs & Custom Designs is a small, family business featuring handmade signs and home décor. Owner Erika Belezarian is a Longmeadow native and 2007 graduate of Longmeadow High School. Erika is a broadcast journalist in Albany, New York so without a physical shop, all of Sweet E’s designs are made in her childhood home in Longmeadow. Her dad Kevin helps with the woodworking, frequently helping develop new product styles, while mom Nancy is always helping at craft fairs and with sewing projects, such as the custom pillows found in the shop. Erika creates all of Sweet E’s designs by hand, with the best quality paints and stains, reclaimed wood and lots of love.

You can visit the shop on Esty.com/shop/SweetEsSignsDesigns, on Instagram @sweetessigns or Facebook.com/SweetEsSigns 20% off your order in Erika’s Etsy shop with code: GOLOCAL

GO ON A VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP TAKE A VIRTUAL TRIP THROUGH SOME AMAZING ART GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS - FROM THE COMFORT OF HOME! National Gallery of Art: National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. Metropolitan Museum of Art virtual tour: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/the-metropolitan-museum-of-art The Louvre virtual tour: https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne#tabs National Museum of Natural History: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/visit/virtual-tour 22 GO LOCAL JUNE 2020

ELLINGTON FARMERS MARKET SUMMER MARKET HAS MOVED TO

ELLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, 37 MAPLE STREET

HELD SATURDAYS 9-12 THROUGH OCT. 17TH

35 VENDORS BRING A WIDE VARIETY OF FARM PRODUCTS INCLUDING MEATS. SEAFOOD, DAIRY, EGGS, CHEESE, SPECIALTY FOODS, BAKED GOODS BATH AND BODY PRODUCTS TOO

Pre-orders highly encouraged!

Helpful hints for shopping the market

- Set up both Paypal and Venmo accounts for no cash sales.

- For cash sales please bring small bills - Sign up for our newsletter for updates, pre-ordering links, and shopping procedures.

- If you are able, donate to the market’s fund to match SNAP and Farmers Market Nutrition Program Vouchers, any amount will help low income families obtain healthy food.

- Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

! KEITH O’CONNOR  NATE BLAIS

Zen’s

TOYLAND

T

oyland, Toyland. Dear little girl and boy land. While you dwell within it, you are ever happy there,” go the lyrics to “Toyland” from the popular Walt Disney musical Christmas film “Babes in Toyland.”

Imagine, once again, walking into your favorite “toy land” as a child and seeing a new toy around every corner of the store that you just had to take home to make memories with.

Now imagine providing that very same experience for your child, and even yourself, at Zen’s Toyland, which sells over 5,000 different types of items including board games, arts and crafts, puzzles, books, baby toys and more.

Owner Harshal Patel - a real estate broker with his own business - opened his first Zen’s Toyland in Wethersfield, Conn, in early 2019 after purchasing the shop known as Wooden Toys for

30 years. While acquiring the stock for Wooden Toys, Patel said he had to “start from scratch” at his new location in Longmeadow, Mass., the site of the former Kiddly Winks toy store, late last year.

“I started looking to enter the toy business when Toys ‘R’ Us closed down,” Patel said.

The toy industry has come full-circle since Toys ‘R’ Us put many popular local mom ‘n’ pop toy stores out of business. Other bigger stores such as Kay Bee Toys and Child World also closed their doors finding it hard to compete, while department stores with toy sections also felt the pinch.

Then came along a little something called “e-commerce,” where online sales, mostly from Amazon at the time, along with other big-box stores such as Wal-Mart and Target, helped to put

GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 23

Toys ‘R’ Us out of business.

Some consider toys a risky business today. According to the NPD group, a leading global information company, in 2018 retail sales generated $21.8 billion, a 2% decline after four straight years of growth in the toy industry. Last year, U.S. retail sales took another hit generating $20.9 billion, a decline of 4%.

Still, Patel feels there is a niche for his kind of toy store.

“I have two small kids and recognized the need for a good toy store,” Patel said about his sons, 3-year-old Zen, for whom the store is named after, and 1-year-old Zubin.

“There is a need for those old-type toy stores. I remember when I was a small kid actually going to Toys ‘R’ Us and touching and playing with things. Being able to see toys still has its importance instead of going online. In our stores, you can see everything in one spot and see things you never knew existed before. All those different factors play into the need to have physical stores, but the likes of Wal-Mart and Target only have a handful of isles.

They just don’t replace pure toy stores like ours,” Patel said.

The toy store owner noted what differentiates his shops from other bigger 24 GO LOCAL JUNE 2020

retailers is the quality of items they sell alongside the fact that “all of our toys are handpicked.” In fact, their website claims that they “only bring in toys that we would give our own children” and that they are “high quality and unique items that aren’t available elsewhere.”

Zen’s Toyland sells a variety of items ranging from baby teethers to adult puzzles. Customers, both in the store and online, will also find much in-demand wooden toys, as well as kids’ puzzles, arts and crafts, jewelry, musical items, books, science-themed toys and projects, and baby clothing.

“We’re what you would call more of a boutique toy store. We have some big brand names like Mattel and Hasbro, but not a lot, and almost no Fisher-Price toys.

We don’t carry your typical mainstream toys,” Patel said.

“Lego toys are, of course, very popular for boys and girls and one of the more popular items in the store. Board games are also extremely popular, and what is very different for us is that we have classic games like Chutes and Ladders, Twister, Trouble, Life, Risk, and Candy Land in their original older packaging,” he added.

Patel noted that puzzles and board games were popular before the shut-in

was ordered during the current COVID-19 pandemic, and they continued in popularity online and for curbside pickup while the store was closed to the public. Impulse items such a stress balls, magnetic balls and putty are also popular at the checkout counter.

“For older kids we have remote control cars and for our youngest customers we have teethers made of wood and Japanese rice, small plush animals, and organic clothing,” Patel said.

Patel has also created a playroom where inquisitive little ones can “test drive” things the store carries.

Located on 803 Williams St. in Longmeadow, and at 1273 Silas Deane Highway in the Goff Brook Shops in Wethersfield, Zen’s Toyland is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday.

For information on both shops, visit zenstoyland.com or call (413) 754-3654.

GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 25

go eat

! RECIPE SUBMITTED BY JANET PARÉ

CHILI LIME STEAK STRIPS

A quick, easy, flavorful recipe that needs only a few ingredients and easily adapts well with chicken or pork. Serve with potato wedges, baked potato or over a bed of rice and a side salad.

1/2 lbs. sirloin strip 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic 1/2 tsp. granulated onion 2 tbsp. chili paste 2 tbsp. honey 2 limes, zested and juiced 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 scallion, chopped

26 GO LOCAL JUNE 2020

Sprinkle sirloin strips with salt, pepper, granulated garlic and onion.

Mix chili paste and honey together and pour over strips. Combine until steak strips are fully coated.

Heat cast iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil.

Heat a few minutes then add seasoned sirloin strips. Sear on both sides. Cook until desired doneness. Remove sirloin strips and place on a plate.

Add lime juice and zest to the hot skillet and pan drippings. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer 1 - 2 minutes. Pour over sirloin strips.

Garnish with chopped scallions. Enjoy!

JANET PARÉ is a home cook who began baking with her Memere (grandmother) at the age of 6. Retired and living in Southampton with her dog, Ziggy and cat, Elie Mae, she now enjoys cooking for family and friends.

!  VICKI MITCHELL

Need ideas for fun, rewarding activities that can be done while practicing social distancing and beyond?

We bet you’ll enjoy one or more of these pursuits!

Yard and Gardening Tips

Advanced Master Gardener Susan Pelton from Enfield offers the following timely tips for your yard and garden: June is a great month to be outdoors in your yard as there are plenty of gardening activities to keep the whole family busy. Look at the early-flowering shrubs in your yard: many of them may need some pruning at this point. Early blooming shrubs such as lilac, azalea, and rhododendron should be pruned after they have finished flowering. Pruning these too late in the season will remove the flower buds for next year. Evergreen shrubs and hedges can be pruned in late June or early July. Remove just enough of the new growth to shape the plant.

Containers and pots should be cleaned and disinfected with a 10:1 water and bleach solution before being refilled with this year’s plants. Once containers and pots are clean, they can be filled with flowering or fruiting plants. Even apartment dwellers can grow vegetables such as tomatoes and eggplant or herbs such as rosemary, basil, cilantro, or thyme in small outside spaces using patio pots or window boxes. Containers may need watering daily if the weather is very warm.

Filling nectar feeders is an activity that even young children can help with.

Check out the Audubon Society website for ideas to attract hummingbirds to your yard. Other birds and wildlife will GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 27

Essential Oils

eat ripening strawberries, so this is a good time to cover strawberry beds with netting.

Existing compost piles can be turned and aerated to speed up the decomposition process. Building a backyard composting bin is a good weekend project that can benefit your yard for years to come by turning kitchen and yard plant waste into usable soil. The UConn Soil and Nutrient Analysis Laboratory has detailed instructions for composting and constructing a bin. Mature compost can be spread in garden beds or around fruit trees.

Once the nighttime temperatures are 55°F and above it is a good time to get those warm weather crops into the garden.

Beans, cucumbers, and squash can be directly sown into garden beds while tomato, eggplant, and peppers do their best when transplanted from established seedlings.

Most home gardeners purchase these seedlings from local garden suppliers or big box stores, all of which have plentiful varieties to choose from.

To ensure a profusion of color in your landscape sow the seeds of fast-growing annuals like marigolds, zinnias, and cosmos directly into garden beds or containers. Early June is a great time to plant summer-flowering bulbs such as cannas, gladiolas and dahlias.

28 GO LOCAL JUNE 2020

Learning about essential oils (real, 100% pure oils) can be fulfilling and your research put to good use to enhance your home, your health and beauty routines, and to make your own natural cleaning products, many with antiseptic qualities. You can even concoct a simple formulation to take with you when you travel, especially on airplanes, that will reward you with a refreshing smell, and many believe will help ward off a variety of common ailments (note that we are not saying this will prevent the spread of the coronavirus.)

An essential oil is a concentrated oil derived from various parts of a plant, and is usually extracted by steam distillation or cold pressing. They are commonly used in the manufacture of perfumes, soap, incense, cosmetics, as a flavoring, for aromatherapy, and in household cleaning supplies. They are also credited with having therapeutic properties for a wide range of ailments. Did you know, for example, that tea tree oil is a strong immune system stimulant, and possesses anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties? It comes from a shrub or small tree in the Myrtaceae family, and has needle-like leaves (similar to cypress), with the majority of the essential oil coming from Australia.

Peppermint is known for its use as a natural stimulant, or “pick-me-up.” It also is an anti-inflammatory agent, and has antispasmodic, antiseptic, and analgesic properties.

Its antiseptic properties make it useful during cold and flu season, and like eucalyptus, it is an expectorant. It is of course used as a flavoring, and many enjoy its familiar scent, especially around the winter holidays!

The ever popular lavender can be used to break up phlegm, relieve sore muscles, and assist in getting a good night’s sleep. In fact, lavender is listed with tea tree, eucalyptus, clove, and peppermint as being among the most effective essential oils to use during the regular cold and flu season to help alleviate symptoms.

There are many websites that can give you information on the properties and uses of essential oils. It would be wise to check a reputable medical website such as www. mayoclinic.com, www.webmd.com, or the National Institute of Health site at www.nih. gov for information on any contraindication

a specific oil may have. Pregnant women should exercise caution when using the oils on themselves or on their babies.

Try these simple concoctions For travel Fill a small glass jar with a tight fitting lid with cotton balls. Add the following: 8 drops eucalyptus oil (Eucalyptus globulus,) 5 drops tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia,) and 5 drops peppermint oil (Mentha piperita.) Every hour or so during your trip, uncap the jar and take a deep breath of the refreshing, antiseptic aroma.

A household cleaner (there are many!) In a glass spray bottle, combine 1 cup of water, ½ cup of white vinegar, 15 drops each of lemon and tea tree essential oils; swirl it around and spray on surface.

Wipe with a clean microfiber cloth. Use on countertops, cabinets, doors, and many other surfaces in the house. Search on-line for other cleaners using your favorite oils.

Also try Placing a few drops of your favorite essential oil on your vacuum cleaner bag, or place on a cotton ball and place in canister before vacuuming; use an electric diffuser and add your oil of choice to scent an entire room; put a few drops of lavender oil on your pet’s beds to help them relax and to dispel odors; make your own high quality bath salts and bath oils.

There are so many ways to use essential oils…have fun doing your own research and putting your new found knowledge to great use!

Research Your Family Tree

Finding your “roots” has become a popular undertaking, and maybe now is the time for you to start “digging.” Learning about your family history, in addition to being fascinating, is important for reasons such as creating a sense of connection, developing a sense of personal identity, basic humanity, and diversity. It can give people an idea of where they came from and how that might influence their family today. It can help keep memories alive, or surprise us with new discoveries. It is a source of knowledge of and hopefully, pride in your ancestors. Here are tips from Family Tree Magazine to get

started: Gather what you already know about your family; talk to your relatives; put it on paper; search the internet and explore specific websites. You can Google search tips for genealogists. Family Search. org has the largest collection of free genealogy records, and Ancestry.com subscribers can search from home the site’s millions of records. Some local libraries are offering an opportunity to access Ancestry.com for free during the coronavirus lockdown…check it out!

Projects and Hobbies

It’s a great time to start or complete those sewing or craft projects, scrapbooks, model trains, woodworking…whatever your interests are! Take advantage of any extra time at home to indulge in whatever makes you happy or productive. Seamstresses may want to sew up some face masks for personal use, or to donate to one of the organizations requesting them. There are several videos on-line with simple instructions on how to do this…just do an internet search on “how to make a personal face mask.” If you don’t have a stockpile of supplies at home for your personal interests, there’s always the internet!

GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 29

local einstein

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE - NO GOOGLING!

WHAT IS A SOCCER FIELD CALLED? [A] [B] [C] [D]

3

WHAT IS THE LONGEST RIVER IN THE UNITED STATES?

Field Box Pitch Court

[A] Missouri [B] Mississippi [C] Columbia [D] Colorado WHAT IS THE ONLY DISNEY ANIMATED FILM THAT HAS A TITLE CHARACTER WHO DOESN’T SPEAK?

WHAT ARE PEOPLE WHO STUDY OR COLLECT BUTTERFLIES CALLED? [A] Lepidopterists [B] Philatelists [C] Squamatists [D] Papillioniodists

5

[A] The Fox and the Hound [B] Bambi [C] Dumbo [D] Lilo & Stitch

WHAT WAS THE FIRST JAPANESE CAR TO BE PRODUCED IN THE U.S (1982)?

WHO SHOT BILLY THE KID? [A] Bat Masterson [B] Pat Garrett [C] Wyatt Earp [D] Jack Ketchum

[A] Nissan Maxima [B] Toyota Camry [C] Mazda Miata [D] Honda Accord

7

WHAT HONOR DID BUGS BUNNY RECEIVE IN 1997?

8

WHAT YEAR WAS FACEBOOK FOUNDED? [A] 1985 [B] 1997 [C] 2004 [D] 2010

[A] His own postage stamp [B] A star on Hollywood Walk of Fame [C] Lead spot in May’s Thanksgiving Day Parade [D] Honorary Academy Award

[A] Arsenic [B] Cyanide [C] Ricin [D] Strychnine

30 GO LOCAL JUNE 2020

# CORRECT

IQ

RANK

ANSWERS:

8-9 5-7 2-4 0-1

160 110 50 3

Prodigy Egghead Meh Simpleton

1)C 2)A 3)A 4)C 5)D 6)B 7)A 8)C 9)B

WHICH POISON DO APPLE SEEDS CONTAIN?

The Final Countdown

7 Places to take a nature walk *Please note: List is subject to change given recent circumstances. Please be sure to check each location’s website/social media pages when possible before going.

FANNY STEBBINS MEMORIAL WILDLIFE REFUGE 202 BARK HAUL ROAD LONGMEADOW, MA

This wildlife sanctuary and nature preserve is a great place to ride your bike, take a walk, or enjoy a hike.

Keep your eye out for wildlife along the waterfront!

SCANTIC RIVER STATE PARK

LOCATED OFF ROUTE 190/MELROSE ROAD WINDSORVILLE, CT

Consisting of nearly 800 acres of land, the wooded Scantic River State Park is a relaxing place to have a picnic with family or walk along the water on one of the many trials.

SUNRISE AND STONY BROOKE PARKS 2075 AND 157 MOUNTAIN ROAD SUFFIELD, CT

These parks are open to Suffield residents and their guests (town sticker required). At Sunrise Park, there are spots to swim. Even your dog can take a dip in the water! At both parks there are hiking trails and spots for fishing and picnicking.

ASHLEY RESERVOIR WESTFIELD ROAD HOLYOKE, MA

Ashley Reservoir is a fantastic place for a leisurely walk or run. The mostly flat trails are situated in the middle of the gorgeous reservoir, making for awesome views. Parking may be closed at the time of publication.

LOOK MEMORIAL PARK 300 NORTH MAIN STREET FLORENCE, MA LOOKPARK.ORG

This 150-acre park is open yearround. As of May 2020, Look Park was only open to walk-in or bikein visitors. Be sure to check their website before visiting if planning to drive from a farther distance.

ARCADIA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY - MASS AUDUBON 127 COMBS ROAD EASTHAMPTON, MA

massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/ wildlife-sanctuaries/arcadia Arcadia, not to be confused with Acadia National Park in Maine, is a diverse sanctuary made up of grasslands, marshes, wetlands, and forest.

At the time of publication, the trails may still be closed. Be sure to check their website for updates.

FITZGERALD LAKE CONSERVATION AREA 61 NORTH FARMS ROAD NORTHAMPTON, MA

broadbrookcoalition.org/fitzgerald-lake This park contains a 40-acre artificial lake and half-mile Nature Trail, prime for bird-watching, fishing, and hiking. Lookout Point, along the Nature Trail, offers a fantastic view of the lake.

GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 31