Ontario

Ontario Horticultural Youth Society Newsletter Spring 2007 PLEASE MAKE THIS HAPPEN BEFORE MAY 20! ACT NOW! SEE PAGE 23 Editor: “Rad Dad” - Harry Wyma Box 1136 – Ridgetown ON – N0P 2C0 E-mail wyma.harry@sympatico.ca Phone: 519-674-3493 Youth Newsletters/resources - www.gardenontario.org/act/youth.php For a direct route to the Youth Newsletter on the net go to the Association’s home page (below) and click on OHA in ACTION, Next, on the left panel menu; click on YOUTH OHA site - www.gardenontario.org Note: if you are no longer the leader, then please give this to the proper person. Also, I would be very pleased to be informed of any name/address changes. Thanks ever so much for the many that have so faithfully done this. Rad Dad CONTENTS - hold the CTRL key and CLICK the article you want JUST FOR FUN - Insect Find Scrambled Puzzle ……………………………… - Beach Fun Words - Unscrambler + Kids Trivia… - Jokes + Answers to Puzzles………………………………. - Tongue Twisters …………………………………….. 02, 05, - Country and Sea Questions ………………………………… - Game Search Scramble Puzzle ………………………..…… - How Smart + Mentally Flexible R U ……………………. - Figure of Speech Phrase Search………………………….. - Answers to Figure of Speech……………………………….. ACTIVITIES - Animalistic Activity ……………………………………………..… - To Do List for June.…………………………….…………………. - Growing Tomatoes in Containers…………………………… - Squash …………………………………………………………………… - Chilling/Freezing Seeds ………………………………………… - Coloured Noodles ……………… …………………..…………… - Eat Your Garden + Balloon Dome……………………….. ARTICLES - Don‘t call those Cars Lemons………………………………… - Use for Coffee Grounds ………………………………………… - Flower Names………………………………………………………. - Mascot Story – Canada Games – Whitehorse 2007 … - Big Daddy Longlegs ……………………………………………. - The Truth About Organic Foods …………………………… - Clock Flowers ……………………………………………………….. - Native Vegetation + Our Heritage ……..………………… - Silent Signals and Secret Codes …………………………. - Plants Control Birds + Moths Jam Bats Code..…… - Corn Cries for Help + Tails tell Tales …….…………… - Lettuce ………………………………………………………………… - PLEASE MAKE THIS HAPPEN BEFORE MAY 2O!.... - Lost and Found……………………………………………………. - Eastern Hemlock…………………………………………………. - The Night Hunter…………………………………………………. CRAFTS & PROJECTS - Frightened Fly……………………………………………………..… - Chic Sheep…………………………………………………………….. - Garden ―Web‖ Site………………………………………………… - Fluffy Ladybug………………………………………………………. - To Mother with Love……………………………………………… - Cup Cake Flower …………………………………………………… - CD Daisy Puppet …………………………………………………… - Coloured Sand and Cotton People crafts…………. POEMS - Going Downhill on a Bicycle …………………………………… - Summer…………………………………………………………………… PROGRAM IDEAS Gleanings ……………………………………………………………….. RECIPES - Ornamental Frosting …………………………………………….. - Tomato + Goat Cheese Brochette…………….………….. - Mozzarella + Tomato Sauce …………………………….…… - Creamy Vegetable Lasagna …………………………….……. - Vegetable Cranberry Float ………………………………..….. - Dandelion Salad + Blossom Pancakes.……….……..…. 02 03 04 09 14 15 19 20 22 08 11 12 14 15 04 25 02 05 06 06 07 08 09 15 17 17 17 22 23 20 22 23 02 03 04 05 08 12 13 16 05 21 18 19 13 13 18 17 19 1 FRIGHTENED FLY Source: www. familyfun.com MATERIALS Polymer clay in yellow and orange, white, and black 22-guage, permanent-coloured wire Toothpicks 1. Roll and shape all the clay parts shown. 2. Cut the end off a toothpick and use it to fasten the head to the body. 3. Press the fly's wings onto its back. 4. Bend 6 pieces of wire into leg shapes and insert 3 into each side of the fly's body. Insert the wire antennae into the head and add the clay antennae balls to the other ends of the wire. 5. Make eyes by pressing the small white balls onto the head, adding the yellow balls on top, and finally press the black balls on for pupils. 6. Shape the mouth with a toothpick. Sculpting the creatures: Clay fuses during baking, but, the better you press the pieces together the better they will stay together. Using wire: The wire in these projects is 22-gauge, permanent-colored copper wire (we used Artistic Wire brand). It is ovensafe, can be cut with scissors, and is available at most craft supply stores. Safe handling: Follow all the precautions on the clay packaging and be sure to always bake your creations according to package directions. Making repairs: If any parts fall off your clay critter after it's been baked, you can use a little piece of unbaked clay to "glue" the pieces back together and bake it again according to package directions. Crafter's Pick the Ultimate! Glue also works with clay. INSECT FIND SCRAMBLED PUZZLE Source: Ridgetown Independent News There are 12 insect names hidden throughout the scrambled puzzle below. See how many you can find and circle. The words go horizontally and vertically, backward and forward. T P F E C U E K A S B R E I O C O P A A R P E N K C L O S O E T A I E R C E D A P T N Y A D A P I N W N D E L D Y E E M R O R T R Y R I P R C A C M A R B O B D L K R N B E E T L E P U B E U T E L E S R K L A G K C I P P I L L B U G L E M S R C E N R S N H C A O R E T I M R E T N E P K S Polymer Clay Basics Simple tips and techniques for creating these clay creatures Selecting clay brands: A number of varieties and brands of polymer clay are sold in craft stores. We find that Sculpey III and Fimo Soft are the softest and easiest for little hands to mold. Choosing colors: If you can't find the color you're looking for, just knead together different clay colors to get the shade you want. If you're using different colors that you don't want to mix, however, be sure to use a damp cloth to wipe your hands when you switch clays. TONGUE TWISTER A tutor who tooted the flute, tried to tutor two tooters to toot. Said the two to the tutor, ―Is it harder to toot or to tutor two tooters to toot?‖ BEETLE WASP ROACH CRICKET BEE LADYBUG PILL BUG TERMITE SPIDER MANTIS ANT KATYDID TONGUE TWISTER Wishy-washy Wanda watched her watch get washed. Willie wilder went wild while we went wading in the water. 2 CHIC SHEEP Source: family fun.com DON'T CALL THESE CARS LEMONS, BUT MAYBE THEY'RE VEGETABLES Sources: 03/12/07 www.ridgetownc.com/agrilink/scoops From: the Windsor Star - WINDSOR, Ont. A University of Windsor research team is part of a $5.9-billion initiative to turn cash crops into car parts. The Ontario project could grow into a $50-billion global market for bioplastics by 2015. You and your child can round up a flock of these fuzzy heralds of spring: they come together in two shakes of a lamb's tail. MATERIALS 4 black pony beads 2 - 25 cm (10‖) lengths of yarn Masking tape or duct tape New 8 cm (3‖) paint trim roller (from paint and home stores) Craft glue or hot glue Black felt 2 googly eyes A mini pink pom-pom A 5 cm (2‖) white pom-pom Researchers at the universities of Guelph, Waterloo and Toronto will work on making the car parts from plant fibers by adding the fibers to plastic. Then the car parts will be tested at the University of Windsor, which will receive $750,000 over four years in the new $5.9-million Ontario BioCar Initiative. University of Guelph plant agriculture Prof. Larry Erickson was cited as saying that for automakers, it means lighter and less expensive products from renewable sources which will reduce the reliance on foreign oil, and for farmers it could mean better prices for their crops and more uses for plant parts left in the field such as soybean stems, adding, "It's a whole new way of looking at these crops. .. In five years, you're going to see car parts made in Ontario with wheat straw in them." BEACH FUN WORDS – UNSCRAMBLER 1. Begin by threading 2 of the beads onto one of the yarn pieces and tying knots at both ends so they don't slip off. 2. Tape the center of the yarn to the inside of the roller refill, draping the ends over the top to resemble front legs, as shown. Repeat this step with the second piece of yarn to create the hind legs, taping them in place at the other end of the roller. 3. Next, cut a 4 cm (1 ½‖) triangle and 2 small teardrop shapes (for ears) from the felt. 4. Glue the googly eyes and the mini pompom to the triangle to create a face, and then glue the face and the ears to the white pom-pom. Finally, glue the pom-pom atop the roller. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. tkubce …………………………………… tlenascasd …………………………….. shatbignuit ……………………………. vlshoe …………………………………… wregwitnas ……………………………… smimgnwi ………………………………… KIDS TRIVIA 1. Name the largest planet in the solar system. 2. Which is listed first in a dictionary: tuck or train? 3. Turn the word ―thorn‖ into a direction on a map. 4. What do you put at the end of an address? 5. Which animal hibernates in the winter: a deer or a woodchuck? 6. Cinderella‘s slippers were made of silk. True or false? Answers on page 04 3 GARDEN “WEB” SITE Source: www.familyfun.com Attract a few arachnid artists to your garden with this easy web frame. To level the strips across the overlapping wood of the corner, slide a 2 cm (3/4‖) shim under each diagonal strip. Glue all the strips in place and let dry. 7. Using the wire cutters, cut two 60 cm (24‖) lengths of copper wire. 8. When the glue on the spider nook has dried, wrap the edges with wire as shown in the finished sign, trimming off any extra with the cutters. 9. Hammer the nail into the top of the stake until it protrudes about 6 cm (1/4‖). 10. Glue the stake to the back of the Web Site at the center of the bottom slat, making sure to position it so that the top of the nail is just level with the inside edge of the wooden frame. Let the glue dry. 11. Cut a 90 cm (36‖) length of wire and use it to wrap the frame to the stake as shown, looping the wire tightly around the nail. 12. Paint the words? ―Web Site‖ on the front of the frame or decorate the frame with a suitably spidery motif. When the paint is dry, you can take your Web Site out into the garden. Choose a spot among the flowers or vegetables that you can get too easily without trampling anything. Then insert the stake 8 cm – 20 cm (3 – 6‖) into the soil until it‘s steady. JOKES A deer, a skunk, and a duck ate lunch at a restaurant. When they finished, the discovered that the skunk didn‘t have a cent and the deer didn‘t have a buck, so they put the meal tab on the duck‘s bill. Q. Why do bees hum? A. Because they don‘t know the words. ANSWERS TO PUZZLES: page 03 Unscrambles: 1: bucket. 2: sandcastle. 3: bathing suit 4: shovel 5: water wings. 6: swimming Trivia: 1: Jupiter. 2: train. 3: north. 4: postal. 5: woodchuck. 6: false - glass MATERIALS Handsaw One – 1 cm x 3 cm (1/4‖x1 ½‖) wood furring strip, at least 180 cm (70‖) long Sandpaper Wood glue Wire cutters 20-guage copper wire Hammer One – 3 cm (1 ½‖) nail One – 2 ½ cm x 5 cm (1‖x2‖) wooden stake at least 1 metre (3‘) long Acrylic paint Paintbrush Time needed: afternoon or evening 1. Saw the wood strip in four 32 cm (13‖) pieces, two 15 cm (7‖) pieces, and two 2 cm (3/4‖) pieces. Sand any rough edges. 2. Lay the four 32 cm (13‖) pieces in a square allowing the edges to overlap at each corner by about 12 mm (1/2‖). 3. Secure the corners with wood glue. 4. Use the wire cutters to cut four 32 cm (30‖) lengths of copper wire. 5. When the glue has dried, wrap one length of wire around each corner joint, forming an X pattern on the front of the wooden frame, as shown in the finished sign. Trim off any excess wire with wire cutters. 6. Form a cozy nook for your spider to hide in, by placing the two 15 cm (7 ½‖) strips diagonally across one corner of the square so that one strip is on the front of the frame and the other on the back; the tips should extend at least 6 mm (1/4‖)beyond the edges of the frame. 4 FLUFFY LADYBUGS Source: www.craftathome.com Created by Susan Spatone Materials GOING DOWNHILL ON A BICYCLE With lifted feet, hands still, I am poised, and down the hill Dart, with heedful mind; The air goes by in a wind Swifter and yet more swift, Till the heart with a mighty lift Makes the lungs laugh, and the throat cry, ‗O bird see, see; bird I fly. Is this your joy? O bird, then I‘ a boy, For a golden moment share Your feathery life in air. Say, heart, is there aught like this In a world that is full of bliss? T‘is more than skating bound Steel shod to the level ground Speed slackens now, I float Awhile in my airy boat; Till, when the wheels scarce crawl, My feet the treadles fall. Alas, that the longest hill Must end in a vale; but still, Who climbs with toil, wheresoe‘er, Shall find wings waiting there. Henry Charles Beeching (1859-1919) USE FOR COFFEE GROUNDS By: Jeff Blackader - Youth Leader Ottawa Horticultural Society In the spring you can find bags of used coffee grounds near the doors of most Starbuck's stores. I used to ask for the grounds at the counter when they weren't busy as well. I've used the coffee grounds in my worm composter - the worms love coffee. I also add them to my outdoor composter and dig them into the soil if I'm planting something that prefers an acid soil like Blueberries. I tried to use the coffee grounds as a soil-less medium to grow seeds once, but it didn't work and mold grew over the top. Tongue twister - She sits and shines and shines and sits and sits and shines. - Silly Sally sells shine seas shells at the seashore. Pompoms: - 1 medium red - 1 smaller black - 5 teeny black Tacky glue – hot glue for kids Black floral wire or heavy thread Scissors INSTRUCTIONS These are so much fun and make fabulous bulletin board pins and great pins to wear! Begin by cutting one side of your red pompom flat. The ladybug has a flat tummy, so you'll need to trim away one side. Cut a "V" shape into the red pompom (this will be where the black and red meet at the neck of the ladybug). Don't cut the "V" too large. To test, before you cut away too much, insert your black pompom in the opening to measure for a nice fit. At the very point of your "V" and near the top, glue a teeny black pompom. This helps to make the edge around the neck a little smoother. Next, glue your black pompom in place (this is the face). Glue 4 teeny pompoms over the body of the lady bug (randomly), referring to photo Glue 2 pieces of floral wire or heavy thread to centre of the face If you would like to use these as push pins for your bulletin board, glue a tack to the tummy area. Another idea (kids love these) is to make a pin to wear. Simply glue a pin (available at craft shops) to tummy area. You can also decorate clay pots, kid‘s rooms and of course make giant ones for your cat to play with. 5 FLOWER NAMES Source: Sudbury Horticultural Society The names of flowers have very interesting origins. The following explanations come from a book published in 1985 entitled ―Why Do We Say It?‖ Corn refers to so many different grains, ―because originally it meant any small particle – even salt or sand. That is why beef preserved by the use of salt is called ‗corn beef‘ When ‗corn‘ finally came to mean a certain type of grain it was used to refer to the grain that was the leading crop of the locality. Therefore in England ‗corn‘ is wheat; in Scotland and Ireland ‗corn‘ is oats; and in the United States and Canada it‘s maize.‖ MASCOT STORY – CANADA GAMES – WHITEHORSE 2007 On the cool crisp evening of January 25, 2005, something different happened: an Elder stood on a frozen lake checking traps. He looked up and saw three stars shining brightly on the horizon. He was fascinated by the Northern Lights dancing joyfully across a clear blue winter sky. Although always stunning, the lights were mysteriously distinct that night. Three very bright colors lit up the northern sky and a slight noise could be heard in the distance. ―I wonder what that could be?‖ said the Elder out loud as he searched the snowy surface. As he turned around, he found himself gazing at three tiny whimpering husky puppies. They sat illuminated by the three shining colors of the Northern Lights. The purple, green and blue glittering streams of light had delivered the unique puppies as a gift to the earth. The Elder took the puppies underneath his parka to keep them warm. He knew that these furry critters were given to us by the Northern Lights and they were too important for him to keep for himself. He sent each puppy to a dear northern friend of his. He trusted that they would be trained to cherish friendship, sportsmanship and willpower, the three qualities needed for them to fulfill their destiny. One grew up in the Yukon, one in the Northwest Territories and one in Nunavut. Although they were sad to be separated, the puppies took full advantage of their surroundings, knowing that one day they would be together again. Day after day, they learned about the different cultures of their respective territory. Soon the huskies were the most athletic, friendly and intelligent creatures ever having been sent from the sky. Almost a year after they appeared to the Elder on the frozen lake, they were ready to reunite in order to spread the word about the great events that will soon unravel north of the 60th parallel. Today, the huskies wear traditionally designed northern parkas and put a face to the three northern Canadian territories hosting the 2007 Whitehorse Canada Winter Games. Promoting courage, strength and kindness, the three Canada Games dogs will begin the journeys they were born to pursue. The Northern Lights will guide them as they use the skills taught to them by the northern people. Over both tundra and land, climbing mountains and crossing frozen lakes, they will deliver their message in person to communities throughout the North. With their friendship for each other and for all creations of nature, their sportsmanship and their incredible willpower, they will proudly represent the Whitehorse 2007 Canada Winter Games. *The story of the three 2007 Canada Winter Games mascots is an amalgamation of short stories composed by very talented local northern school children.* Hello, my name is Yu’Ka and I‘m the Yukon mascot for the 2007 Canada Winter Games. My name is pronounced U – kah meaning Northern Lights in Kaska. My name was chosen by a grade 8 Kaska Language class in Watson Lake, Yukon. My parka is made of melton cloth with fur trim. My mukluks are made of moose hide. Both my parka and mukluks are decorated with beadwork created by local Yukon artist, Karen Bien. 6 BIG DADDY LONGLEGS Source: Toronto Star Aug 2006 Place: Grandma‘s farmhouse Time: Night Species: Daddy-longlegs, Pholcus phalangioides To get to my favourite place, in my Grandmother‘s house, I rolled up the kitchen floormat. Hidden below is a trapdoor. I grabbed the old brass handle and pulled it with all my strength to open it. All I could see was a big black hole. I felt for the ladder with my toes. After climbing sown three rungs, my hair and face were netted with cobwebs. Those messy webs told me I would find: a Daddy-l0nglegs spider. If you have heard the urban legend that this spider‘s bite is deadly poisonous for humans just reading that name may give you the creeping terrors. Believing only in facts, I researched that spider tale on my laptop. The entomology department at the University of California says, ―There is no reference to any pholic (―Daddy-longlegs) spider biting a human and causing any detrimental harm. ―That means the myth is hot based on scientific study. Daddy-longlegs spiders are found in dark indoor places and because they are so often found in basements they are also called cellar spider. At the ladder‘s last rung, I turned around and leaned back against it. From there I shone my flashlight into a corner. A big Daddy was right there! It was trembling so much the whole web shook. That characteristic revealed its third name, the vibrating spider. It vibrates its web violently to scare off enemies. Since reading Charlotte‘s Web I have never hurt a spider, so it is completely safe with me. The eight incredibly long and skinny legs attached to the thorax of this Daddy made it easy to identify. The first pair of legs was almost six times the length of this spider‘s body. All spiders‘ legs are covered with very sensitive hairs. Their feet have clumps of short hairs that split at the ends into hundreds of infinitely smaller hairs. These are what make spiders such good climbers, able even to climb glass doors and windows. Hi there, I‘m the Northwest Territories mascot for the 2007 Canada Winter Games and my name is Taiga. Taiga means Boreal Forest and is pronounced Tag – ah. My parka is a traditional style worn by the Inuvialuit and Gwitch‘in people who live in the Mackenzie Delta Region. It is decorated with a distinctive white, red and blue braid called the Delta braid. Traditional braids like mine where decorated with porcupine quills but are more recently made of cotton biased tape. My boots are tanned hide mukluks. Hi I’m Uqila which is pronounced ou – ke – lah and I‘m the Nunavut mascot for the 2007 Canada Winter Games. My name means fast or light on you feet in Inuktitut. Inuktitut is the language spoken by the Inuit people in Nunavut which is where I‘m from. I‘m wearing a traditional parka. It‘s made with sealskin and trimmed with fox fur. The fox fur helps block the fierce arctic wind and the seal skin is waterproof. My boots are Kamiks and they‘re also made of sealskin. My socks are wool duffle and were embroidered by a local northern artist 7 The relatively small body of this Daddylonglegs spider had two parts, the abdomen and the chephalothorax (head area), connected by a thin tube. There were four pairs of eyes, one pair much smaller that the others. I knew that the fangs are venomous but too small to puncture human skin. They do not even use these fangs in catching prey (bugs and other spiders). I watched him capture a fly. He threw a stiff web of silk over it, rather like a cowboy with a lasso. After waiting till its victim was still, he spun a ball of thread around it. His prey safely secured, he bit a hole in the sac and nibbled away leaving some for later. My research told me that if no likely victim had approached, the Daddy-longlegs spider would have gone hunting around the house. Being a relatively small spider he uses trickery to capture his prey. Finding another web, he would reach out one long leg and jiggle the web. When the other spider rushed over to see who he has trapped the Daddylonglegs captures him by surprise. Tomorrow night I‘ll be back to see what new web of adventure this Daddy of a spider will spin. ANIMALIA ACTIVITIES - Draw a picture of what you would look like if your legs were six times the length of your body. - Get close and find the spider‘s heart, a dark spot at the top of his abdomen. - If you see a spider (male) rubbing another spider‘s front legs (female) mating is likely to follow. - Eggs hung on the web mean tiny, clear spiderlings are due. Use a magnifying glass to see them. TO MOTHER WITH LOVE Source: www.craftsathome.com By Susan Spatone MATERIAL: Paint stir stick or large craft stick Heavy weight card stock paper2 Paper Doily (large size) Craft glue Ribbon Clipping from Magazine, a family photo is nice too. Parchmount Paper Metallic Pen How to: Cut the template pattern from white card stock. You will need two pieces of the template pattern. Glue your doily to one side of each of the two template cut outs. Allow the glue to dry completely and then trim around the template, removing excess doily sections that overhang. If you cut your doily template first and then glue it to the card stock, you may have a little trouble with the doily tearing, so glue it without cutting first. To press out bubbles and flatten your doily on the paper, place a sheet of parch mount paper on top of the doily and press down, smoothing bubbles and wrinkles. Gently peel back the parch mount paper while the glue is still wet and allow your glue to dry completely. The parch mount paper works very well and will leave a nice clean finish on your doily fan. Repeat for the second template piece. Once your glue is all dry, glue a small clipping (I used a Victorian Vignette) to each side of the fan. A photo copy of you as a child or your family attached here, would be perfect for the occasion. Allow this glue to dry completely. Glue your paint stick between the two sheets (you may need to cut your paint stick; a length of about 23 cm /9‖ will work well. Insert the cut end between the fan and you won't have to smooth the wood). You may need to sand your paint stick a little if it doesn't have a smooth finish. Glue the two wrong sides (sides without doily) together; making sure your stick is lined up in the centre. Be sure that you glue your fan securely. You want this fan to serve a function and not to come apart. 8 Tie a bow around the top of the handle and secure the bow with a little glue. The bow will take a little abuse if these fans are used. Add an inscription on the handle with a gold paint pen, such as "To Mother with Love" or "Happy Mothers Day" or "The World's Greatest Mom", etc. It should be required reading for all food reporters. The book begins with the movement's origins in the 1920‘s lectures of a German mystic, who advised farmers to only use animal manure because the then-new synthetic nitrogen fertilizers lacked vital "cosmic energy". Steiner also recommended stuffing cow's horns and deer bladders with manure and herbs to boost yields and ward off pests. Seriously! In the 1930s and 40s, social elites echoed Steiner's belief in the superiority of manure-fertilized crops. The movement finally got its name when American J.I. Rodale published his first issue of Organic Gardening Magazine in 1942. 75 years later, organic activists still cannot point to any credible science to support their longheld beliefs. Organic believers say organic food is more nutritious. It is their founding belief. Yet dozens of experiments have concluded otherwise, as Avery notes, including their own research. In the late 1940s the wealthy niece of a British Prime Minister donated her sizeable farm to prove the point. In 1977, Lady Balfour admitted that the experiment "revealed no consistent or significant differences." Today, the organic activist group created to conduct the experiment claims the issue hasn't been adequately studied and hides its research like a tobacco company. Many consumers say they purchase organic food to avoid pesticides. Not likely. Every vegetable contains about five percent of its weight in natural pesticides, many of them carcinogenic. According to toxicologist Bruce Ames, one cup of coffee contains more carcinogens than a year's worth of synthetic pesticide residues – usually found on produce at only a few parts per billion (equal to one second in 32 years!). Think conventional meat and dairy products are loaded with hormones and antibiotics? Facts: More than 97% of all meat in the U.S. is totally free of antibiotics and more than 99.5% is free of synthetic hormones. Hormones aren't even allowed or sold for use in pigs or poultry. Only one sample in 400 violates the ultracautious antibiotic limits set by the FDA. THE TRUTH ABOUT ORGANIC FOODS: A BOOK REVIEW - 03/26/07 – Source: www.ridgetownc.com/agrilink/scoops.cfm From a Release: From the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow If you think that organic food is safer, healthier, more nutritious, and is more eco-friendly, you might be surprised to learn that virtually all of these claims are largely hype. As for taste and quality, those depend on far more than using manure fertilizer or natural pesticides. That's the gist of The Truth About Organic Foods, a provocative new book by CFACT Advisor Alex Avery, who serves as Director of Research and Education for the Hudson Institute's Center for Global Food Issues. The book is a dispassionate examination of the organic pseudo-religion's odd origins and unscientific basis. Chapter by chapter, it deconstructs common perceptions regarding organic health and environmental claims. Written for the average consumer, it provides budgetstretched families with a resource to alleviate food fears and is a welcome tool with which to turn the tables on organic purists. 9 Beef hormones produce leaner beef and the billionths of a gram traces occasionally found in beef are many thousands of times less than the natural hormones found in even organic meat, milk, and eggs – not to mention the hormones naturally produced by our own bodies. The World Health Organization and food safety authorities in the U.S., Canada, Japan and even Europe have all declared them safe. Milk is even more pure: 100% of it is tested for antibiotic residues with zero tolerance for even trace contamination. The biotech hormone given to cows is a perfect copy of the natural, so the milk is in all respects indistinguishable from organic. Switching from phantom food risks to real ones, organic foods have repeatedly been found to harbor more illness-causing bacteria. The January 2007 issue of Consumer Reports found organic chicken had 300% more Salmonella than regular and university studies have found more bacteria in organic veggies. Finally, if you think organic farming is better for the planet that too is wrong. Just for starters, giving up synthetic fertilizer would require sacrificing millions of people to reduce food needs—or sacrificing millions of square miles of wildlife habitat to make more manure. It's high time that consumers know the truth about organic food. You will find no better or more accessible source for this truth than The Truth about Organic Foods. ORNAMENTAL FROSTING Put two unbeaten egg whites into a large bowl with 125 mL – ½ cup of sifted icing sugar. Beat vigorously for 10 minutes; add another 125 mL – ½ cup of sifted sugar, and beat again. Add 2 mL – ¼ tsp of cream of tartar. Continue adding sifted icing sugar and beating until mixture will hold its shape when forced through a bag and tube. TONGUE TWISTER Six silver swans swam silently seaward to see Sue sell sea shells by the sea shore. CLOCK FLOWERS Source: De Groots Nursery – Sarnia, ON When my watch went kapot for about a week this summer, I found myself trying to find new ways of figuring out what time it was. One morning as I left home to go to work I told the kids that I‘d try to be home before the Morning Glory flowers closed. For me, that meant mid-afternoon. For the kids, it meant nothing. Morning Glory (Ipomoea spp) comes to glory first thing in the morning. As soon as the high noon sun begins to diminish, flowers follow suit. By the time I get home from work the flowers are closed. The process is so dependable that you can set your clock by it, unless it‘s raining. Moonflower (Ipomoea alba) behaves similarly, but opposite Morning Glory. As the name suggests, Moonflower opens up in the evening when the moon comes out. Both Morning Glory and Moonflower are annual vines that like to grow on an open frame such as an arbour, chain link fence or trellis. Plant them early in spring and they can easily reach 5 metres/15 feet by the end of summer. There‘s a host of clock flowers or plants that react to the sun, many of which are annual flowers. Sunflowers (Helianthus) don‘t open and close, but rather their heads turn to follow the path of the sun. In mass plantings, Sunflowers behave like soldiers with their bright blooms all facing the same direction. Another plant, Compass plant, is so named because the flowers as well as leaves give accurate direction for those who care to notice. Star of Bethlehem (ornithogalum umbellatum) is particularly interesting because its blooms only fully open for a few hours each morning, provided the sun is shining bright. Star of Bethlehem is easy to grow and gives gratifying results. Plant it in the fall as a bulb and by spring it puts on a showy performance of white blooms amid a blanket of green leaves. The list of flowers that open up after a long hard day of sunshine is quite extensive. My favorite is Nicotiana or Flowering Tobacco. This plant does not come into full flower until after supper, at which time it also releases its sweet fragrance. 10 Newer varieties of Flowering Tobacco are bred to produce more flowers with expanded colours but do so at the expense of fragrance. The old fashioned white Flowering Tobacco bears close resemblance to its cousin, the real tobacco. Four O’clocks (mirabilis) and Evening Primrose (oenethera) are so named because they prefer not to open until the end of the day. Evening Primrose is a tidy perennial plant that is ideally suited at the edge of a border or along a sidewalk. Its cheerful sunny-yellow blooms last all summer long. Four O‘clock are annual plants that produce a faithful assortment of colour through summer. Foliage is green and resembles poinsettia leaves. Flowers are tube shaped, abundant, and fragrant when fully opened. The tubers of Four O‘clock can easily be dug up in fall and stored for replanting in spring. Four O‘clock are also easy to grow from seed in spring. Unfortunately it is not a good idea to throw away the Rolex watch and rely on clock flowers to set your watch. The system is thrown off as soon as rain or clouds appear above. Also, clock flowers won‘t tell you that there‘s 2 or 3 more daylight hours in summer than in late fall. TO DO LIST FOR JUNE: Source: ―Lovingly Beryl‖ 1) Hand weed your perennial borders. 2) Remove some of the over anxious, exuberant phlox plants, when they have finished blooming. 3) Hand weed your vegetable beds. This will catch those out-of-places plants that you missed last time you weeded. If you allow them to remain they will detract from the appearance of the plantings, and allow the “theft” of the nutrients essential for the growth and well being of the cultivated species and also provide a place for insect pests and fungus to hide. 4) All dead flower heads should be cut off as soon as the blooms start to look unattractive. Alyssum and delphiniums and some others may produce a second crop of flowers. 11 5) Carrots, beets and vegetables in rows should be thinned out (use these in your salads). His gives the ones left behind more room to grow 6) This is the last week for sowing the seeds of any summer annuals that you haven‟t got around too. You can fill in gaps from your daffodils (you haven‟t cut off the green leaves have you? Good!), or any perennials that didn‟t make it through the winter, with petunias, zinnias, candytuft, dianthus or whatever greenhouses have left. 7) Overgrown, dense and straggly spiraeas should be pruned just as soon as the mass of white flowers has dropped. Do not merely trim the tops, but go to the bottom of the plant and remove the old and unwanted wood from there. When you cut make sure you sever the stem at a 45 degree angle – just above the nodes. 8) This is a good time to check your roses. If you find root suckers, remove them immediately, take them off below the soil level – you can tell which they are for their leaves and stems look different to the rest of the plant. 9) If you haven‟t planted your tomatoes out yet, this is a good time to do so. Do put your stakes in with your plants – this way you will not damage the roots later on. If you were unhappy with your tomatoes sprawling on the ground you can either stake them or put a thick layer of clean straw under and around your plants – this way they will not be sitting on the soil, and serving as supper for all the pests around. 10) Time to purchase and set out your fall mums – you will want a mass of colour in the fall, and this is the time to plan for it. 11) Finish hard pruning shrubs which will flower on this year‟s growth. As their blooms fade, do a little light pruning of early flowering shrubs, such as, flowering current, forsythia and kerria to promote the growth of new wood which will flower in subsequent years. 12) Trim evergreen shrubs only if they need a little re-shaping but prepare to give evergreen hedges, with the exception of the yew, their first cut of the season. CUP CAKE FLOWERS Source: family crafts.about.com By Shelly Osborne Make this flower craft using cupcake liners, submitted by Trace. Materials Needed: - Green, Yellow or White Pipe Cleaners - Cupcake Baking Cups (assorted colors) Instructions: Bend the top of your pipe cleaner. Stick the cupcake cup through the top of the cupcake cup up, and Squeeze it tight. Keep doing this until you have about 5-6 baking cups on your pipe cleaner and keep squeezing them. When you get done, carefully bend the cups back but not to far. Wah Lah - That is it! CD CAISY PUPPET Source: family crafts.about.com Materials Needed: Paper Plate CD Glue Large Wiggle Eyes 2 Inch Pom-Pom Scrap of Felt or Construction Paper Old Green Sock Instructions: Cut around the edge of the paper plate to make petal shapes (figure 1). Glue the cd onto center of the paper plate (figure 2). GROWING TOMATOES IN A CONTAINER Source: Lovingly beryl cockayne@nexicom.net When we speak of growing tomatoes there are three principle types to grow; tall, bush or dwarf, the tall types need strings or poles to climb. The bush will sprawl or can even be grown in a hanging basket; the dwarf types form miniature bushes, these are ideal for tiny spaces. But of course you get a smaller yield. You can sit on the patio and reach out pick them off like candies. There is a wealth of choice. From the huge beefsteak to the tiny cherry ones, a great array of colour, including yellows, pinks, white and striped. Try the huge Beef master (beefsteak) to Sweet 100‘s. Container size: Containers should be at least 25 cm / 10‖ in diameter and ideally 30 cm / 12‖ deep for each plant – last year I tried doubling up to save space, a big mistake. You could try a growing bag; one large bag will hold three plants. A family of four might need six plants – hence two growing bags. Cultivation Buy young plants grown in pots, tall tomatoes will need to be staked and the stake should be at least three feet high. As the plant grows tie the main stem to the cane very loosely, taking care not to damage it. You will need to ―stop‖ the plant once four or five trusses have appeared and remove any leaves that grow between the side shoots and the main stem. All tomatoes need a sunny spot to fruit well. Tall growing varieties and even the small cherry ones should be ties to a good support system. Glue the pom-pom over the hole in the center of the cd. Glue on the wiggle eyes and use a scrap of felt or paper to make a mouth (figure 3). For the final touch, apply a generous amount of glue to the back of your flower. Gently press the foot part of the sock onto the glue. Set aside to dry completely (figure 4). Once the glue is dry, you can slip your hand into the sock and play with your puppet! 12 Pinching Out 1) Pinch out the non-flower-bearing side shoots and the basal (bottom) growths at the point at which the trusses start to form. Tomato plants need warm roots, and too much foliage diverts the energy of the plant, which should be directed into flowering and fruiting 2) In high summer when there are four or five trusses of fruits on the plant, pinch out the growing point (the uppermost growth) Tomatoes in containers need frequent watering, at least a couple of times a week and more often in hot weather, like we had last summer. Less frequent watering will result in tomatoes with good flavour but with very tough skins. Feed the plants with an organic tea once every couple of weeks until the fruits ripens. See end of this section for the "tea" recipe Tomatoes are relatively trouble free, but you might find it worthwhile to plant French marigolds around the base. They not only look attractive but help to deter white flies. Put mulch around the base to not only protect the plants from slugs but conserve the moisture Harvesting – the fun part: ―Tea” (manure) Try a mixture made from any rich organic matter, such as animal manure (not cats or dogs) enclose it in a muslin or burlap bag and steep it in water for about ten days. The nutrients in the organic matter (horse manure is wonderful) will disperse into the water providing you with a useful feed that you use as needed – dilute it to the colour of weak tea before adding it to the plant I suggest an old barrel – away from the house, for it does smell rather. I keep one going all summer – the first year I made the mistake of having it near the front porch – my visitors objected. Tomato and Goat Cheese Brochette 250 mL /1 cup cherry tomatoes, ¼ baguette, medium goat cheese, roughly cubed 2 cloves garlic finely chopped, small handful of torn basil leaves and 45 mL / 3 tbsp olive oil Cut the tomatoes in half and roast them in a warm oven for fifteen minutes. Slice the baguette and cook on a rack in the oven for the last 10 minutes. Spread the tomatoes, goat cheese, garlic, and basil leaves on the slices, drizzle with olive (the best you can afford) and serve warm Mozzarella and Tomato Salad The tomatoes should be ready to pick in late summer, any that are still green in the early fall can be picked, wrapped in newspaper and stored in the dark, adding one ripe tomato to a bowl of green ones will help them all ripen more quickly. If you pull out the plant and hang in upside down inside the house the tomatoes will ripen more readily and have a better taste. To get the maximum benefit from tomatoes and to appreciate their flavour, pick them on a sunny day and eat them raw straight from the garden. Do not, whatever you do, refrigerate them. Especially if you are going to use them in a salad (say with basil) chilling destroys the flavour of any tomato. This is particularly true of the smaller tomatoes. The bigger beefsteaks can be used for salads, or stuffed and baked. Use slightly overripe ones for tomato and basil soup etc. 250 mL /1 ½ cups tomatoes, 375 mL /1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, 2 large cloves garlic, 15 mL / 1 tbsp fresh basil – torn, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, seasoning, 1 tbsp black olives Use the best mozzarella (buffalo if you can find it), slice tomatoes and cheese into rings. Lay them on a plate. Crush garlic, sprinkle garlic and basil over the tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Season to taste and garnish with a few olives (optional). Do Not refrigerate this salad; it should be served at room temperature, ideally with homemade wheat bread. Invite your neighbours over for a feast – I am sure that they have watched you with envy as you brought all those wonderful tomatoes inside Happy gardening to us all - Lovingly beryl cockayne@nexicom.net 705-654-3881 13 SQAUSH Source: De Groots Nurseries. Sarnia, ON At one time, gardeners had a legitimate excuse for not growing squash in the home garden. Not any more. Many new varieties are compact and bush-like rather than the traditional squash that take up much room. Squash are a cinch to grow. They produce prolific yields, and will do so very quickly. Some varieties can grow from seed to harvest in less than 60 days. Such a short growing season makes it possible to grow 2 crops during one summer. To grow squash all you need to know is that they want full sun, fertile soil, heat and steady moisture. If your soil is poor, add fertilizer and organic matter. If you don‟t have a habit of watering your garden, put a layer of wood mulch on the surface of the soil to achieve more uniform soil moisture levels. Try growing squash in Containers. Squash can also be grown in containers if space is at a premium. Plant 2 seeds in a good sized pot and put them in a sunny spot. Be sure to select a bush variety. Keep a hose handy because when squash are planted in containers they will need lots of water. Sow squash seeds directly in the soil after the danger of frost is past. Don‟t plant them early, because they will sprout only if the weather is warm. If you want to get a head start on your seedlings, sprout them indoors 3 to 4 weeks before the frost free date. Squash seedlings don‟t like transplanting, so I would recommend planting seeds in Jiffy pots which can be sown directly outdoors without disturbing the roots. Squash seedlings can be bought as cell packs or bedding plants, but I would recommend starting with seeds and planting them directly in the garden. Seeds will sprout quickly after sowing and the selection available through seed racks and catalogues is indeed vast. 14 Squash plants can be divided into two categories: summer and winter. Summer squash are tender, warm weather vegetables that don‟t keep well, so need to be eaten soon after harvest. Winter squash takes longer to mature, has heavier skin, and can be stored for winter use. Recommending specific varieties of squash is difficult, because there are so many varieties, each with their own unique shapes, tastes, textures and colours. My personal favorite is Zucchini Squash „Dark Green‟ which is a traditional green squash that resembles a cucumber. This compact bush variety will produce plentiful fruit within 60 days of seeding. In terms of preparation, „Dark Green‟ can be boiled, fried, steamed, or even eaten raw. An award winning squash is „Scallopini‟ which produces delicious, uniquely flavoured fruit. For best flavour, pick the fruit when it is only 8 cm / 3” in diameter. When harvesting squash, pick the fruit before it gets too large and flavour is compromised. With summer squash if you pick fruit regularly, the plant will keep producing all season long. There are as many ways to cook squash as there are cooks. Two things most cooks can agree on are don‟t overcook squash because it will loose flavour and become mush. Secondly, if you are cooking in water, use as little water as possible, or you will lose flavour. COUNTRY AND SEA QUESTIONS Q. What country borders on Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland? A. Liechtenstein Q. Where would you find the Ross Sea and the Weddell Sea? A. Antarctica GAME SEARCH SCRAMBLE - Source: The Ridgetown Independent – July 2006 There are 14 games hidden throughout the scrambled puzzle below. See how many you find and circle. The words go horizontally and vertically, backward and forward. M O D O D G E B A L L A B N I P P I N B L N A O R L E G C S S O O N W O L I P W T A P T H O P O K O R D A L F L S B F H E T I L E E T O G W G I C H E C K E R S R U M M Y O R O H T C T L N N L A S U I O B O D E E K O R N N E C I S N W L P B S N E C S I I A Q N L O G E D E S N R S M S S R S N T E A A O G O R F P A E E G C A R S T R A D O D O O L P P O O P O K O L R U M M G H L S S M Root beer is made with an extract taken from the root of sassafras. This tree is also used to make tea and candy. COLOURED NOODLES Source: familycrafts.about.com By: Sherry Osborne Materials Needed: Noodles Rubbing Alcohol Food Coloring Ziploc Baggie or Bowls Instructions: Note: Give yourself plenty of time for this craft! It can take hours for the noodles to reach the desired color, and it can take the noodles up to 24 hours to dry. And... please do not do this craft without an adult‘s help! First we want to color the noodles. Use one baggie or bowl for each color you want to make. Place the desired number of noodles in the baggie or bowl. Pour on enough rubbing alcohol so all the noodles are covered. Add a generous amount of food coloring to each container of noodles. Put these aside and let them sit until they are the desired color (this can take hours - the longer they sit the brighter the colors). Once the noodles have reached the desired color, remove them from the baggie or bowl and lay them in a single layer on paper towels to dry. Once your noodles are dry, you‘re ready to be creative! Use the noodles to make jewelry (use a variety of noodles with a hole in them), collages, sculptures, or anything else you can dream up. If you are really feeling creative, use acrylic paints and paint brush to hand paint small designs on your noodles! CHILLING/FREEZING SEEDS Some seeds that do well to chill in the refrigerator or even place in the freezer compartment for a while are: Butterfly weed (Asclepias), Columbine, Carnation, Pansies, Dianthus, Penstemon, Snapdragons, and Sweet William. BOWLING CHECKERS CHESS DARTS DODGE BALL DOMINOES HOPSCOTCH LEAPFROG PINBALL POKER POOL RUMMY TAG TENNIS NATIVE VEGETATION AND OUR HERITAGE - A few facts: Witch hazels were for many years used in the art of witching, the practice of locating underground sources of water. Its extract is still used in medicine and cosmetics. Some Ontario settlers used beech leaves as filling for mattresses. The wood of blue-beech is so hard that it was once used as wedges for cutting other wood. The aboriginals used black spruce to make snowshoes, and bows for hunting. Hickory wood was used to make spokes for wagon wheels, and also for some early automobiles. It is still used to make tool handles. 15 COLOURED SAND Source: familycrafts.about.com By: Sherry Osborne Materials Needed: Sand Food Coloring Glass or Metal Bowl (you can also use paper cups, paper bowls, or baggie) Instructions: Use one bowl for each color you want to make. Place the desired amount of sand in the bowl. Pour on enough water to barely cover the sand, and then add a generous amount of food coloring to each container. Stir and set the bowl aside and let it sit until it is the desired color (this can take a while). Once the sand has reached the desired color, empty out the extra water, and pour the sand onto paper towels to dry. COTTON PEOPLE CRAFT Source: familycrafts.about.com Get creative and make little people out of cotton balls, submitted by Sandy Materials Needed: Cotton Balls Construction Paper Wiggly Eyes Glue Instructions: Easy craft idea! First you cut hands and feet out of the construction paper. Then you glue them on to a cotton ball. Next, you glue on the wiggly eyes. Set aside and let the glue dry. (From Sherri - It would probably be cute to glue small magnets on the back of these.) LOW CALORIE CRANBERRY FLOAT Serves 6 60 mL – ¼ cup water 15 mL / 1 tbsp lemon juice 60 mL / ¼ cup dried milk powder 05 mL 1 tsp liquid sweetener - beat with rotary egg beater until stiff 01 L / 4 cups low-cal. Cranberry juice 01 pkg. sugar-free orangeade mix Combine; gradually beat into milk mixture. Pour into glasses; sprinkle with nutmeg; serve immediately. Have liquids chilled CREAMY VEGETABLE LESAGNA It is great for vegetarians. Ingredients: 30 mL / 2 tbsp butter 30 mL / 2 tbsp all-purpose flour 500 mL / 2 cups milk 05 mL / 1 tsp salt 05 mL / 1 tsp pepper 05 mL / 1 tsp nutmeg 30 mL / 2 tbsp tomato paste 750 mL / 3 cups grated Mozzarella cheese 500 gram / 1 lb lasagna noodles, cooked 03 / 03 tomatoes, thinly sliced 01 / 01 zucchini, thinly sliced 01 / 01 onion, thinly sliced 04 / 04 cloves garlic, chopped 50 mL / ¼ cup chopped fresh basil 50 mL / ¼ cup lentils 50 mL / ¼ cup Parmesan cheese 05 mL / 1 tsp dried oregano 01 / 01 bunch spinach stems removed Instructions: Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F. Melt butter in a saucepan, medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Stir in 250 mL / 1 cup Mozzarella cheese. Pour a small amount of the sauce into a 33 cm x 23 cm / 13‖x19‖ baking dish. Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles then half of the tomato, zucchini and onion slices. Sprinkle with half of the garlic, basil and oregano. Place a layer of noodles over the top, spread a small amount of sauce on the noodles, sprinkle with 250 mL / 1 cup of the Mozzarella cheese and top with half of the spinach. Press down well. Repeat alternate layers exactly as above. Top the final layer of spinach with noodles. Spread with remaining sauce and sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese. Dust with the Parmesan cheese, cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, bake another 15 minutes. Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving. Preparation time: Approximately 20 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour Serves 6 – 8 persons 16 SILENT SIGNALS AND SECRET CODES Source: thebanner.org – March 2007 By: Joanne DeJonge. Joanne is a freelance writer and a U.S National Park Ranger and writes story books for children. Did you know that trees talk? They do! So do some flowers and bugs and other animals. This isn‘t fantasy or science fiction. God‘s design for this world is sometimes stranger and definitely more creative than fantasy or fiction. We can‘t hear trees ―talk‖ because they use chemical codes we don‘t understand. Other creatures use signals we can‘t hear. Each creature understands and uses the signals it needs for life. And the Creator ―hears‖ and understands us all. CORN CRIES FOR HELP Imagine a field full of corn plants. Here come corn caterpillars to eat the plants. They could ruin the corn field very quickly. But corn is created to ―cry‖ for help. Here‘s how: Corn plants make some kind of corn juice. When corn caterpillars eat a corn plant their saliva mixes with that corn plants juice to make a gas. This gas drifts upward from the field. Corn caterpillar wasps often lurk nearby. They need to lay their eggs on corn caterpillars. When they smell the gas they ―know‖ the caterpillars are eating corn nearby. Immediately, the wasps fly into the field, find the caterpillars, and lay their eggs. This kills most, but not all, of the caterpillars. So the corn field is saved, come corn caterpillars are left, and some wasps will hatch. All is in balance. This really happens. Only the creature‘s names have been changed.* * The caterpillar‘s real name is Spodoptera exigua Hubner, and the wasp is called Cotesia marginiventris. Neither of them, unfortunately, have common names, though the caterpillar is know by a type of armyworm. PLANTS CONTROL BIRDS Gambel‘s quail live in deserts. These birds eat leaves, flowers, and especially seeds if plants called legumes. When there is not much rain, legumes produce few leaves, flowers, and seeds. But they produce lots of chemicals called photoestrogens. When Gambel‘s quail eat lots of phytoestrogens, they produce fewer eggs. So during a dry year with a low food supply and lots of phytoestrogens, they produce few chicks. During a wet year legumes grow vigorously but don‘t produce many phytoestrogens. So quail lay many eggs, and their young have plenty of food. TAILS TELL TALES Match each animal‘s body position (numbers) with its message (letters). 1. A dog meets you wagging its tail. 2. A skunk stomps on the ground and raises its tail. 3. A cat arches its back, holds its bushy tail high, and hisses. 4. A deer bounces away from you with its tail held high. 5. A dog lowers its back and crawls up to you with its tail between its hind legs. A. ―Danger!‖ B. ―I‘m going to spray!‖ C. ―I‘m so happy to see you!‖ D. ―I did something wrong‖ E. ―Don‘t mess with me‖ YOU’RE TURN Some moths react to sounds that we can hear too. Some night, turn on an outside light to attract moths. Then take a key ring full of keys outside. Hold the ring high and shake it. Watch the moths. Some may dive and roll; some may not react at all. It depends on what kind of moths they are. 17 SAY IT WITH FLOWERS Desert lupine flowers need help from bees to spread their pollen and make seeds. Bees use nectar from the flowers to make honey. So they need each other. Certain moths can tell when a bat is coming after them. They‘ll do barrel rolls and loop-de-loops in flight to confuse the bat. If the bat stays on track, the moths fold their wings and fall to the ground, where the bat can‘t find them. Some moths can eve jam the bat‘s sonar by sending out clicks of their own. CONGLOMERATIONS Source: an early 1990‘ youth newsletter Gleanings taken from activity reports received at an early 1990‘s convention of all the youth groups. Note: I was then chair of the committee - Planting orange pips in a tea bag, however, do not be foiled by seedless fruit. - Started meetings with a common houseplant and learning their common as well as Latin names. - Compiled a youth gardening bo9ok. - Made origami and bubble gum tea. - Under a microscope: looked at soil, fern spores and mealy bugs. - Gardens grown and judged with awards presented at a Senior Society Banquet. - Made wall plaques on burlap using dried plant material. - Club trophy provided for the most active member and club plaque for runner-up. - Home Hardware store donated a trophy. - Town mayor‘s office provides a trophy. - Competition for growing largest pumpkin. - News media took pictures of dining table arrangements made for a senior citizens manor special event. - Held an outdoor summer swim & picnic. - A small camera was provided for the youth to take pictures of their gardening projects. - Decorated baby food jars with odds and ends of felt, cotton and yarn and similar material, made to look like a ―relative‖, and then filled with raisins and nuts and given as a gift. - Assisted with a Sunday ―Flower‖ Service for the shut-in‘s. - Held meeting in a local park in suitable weather. - Held a dormant season tree and bud identification field trip. - Learned about the good and bad bugs and how to control them. - Were given a talk on how to prepare the gardens for wintertime. - Stressed the importance of trees and then planted some. When a bee visits a desert lupine for nectar the flower‘s pollen sticks to it like dust. So when the bee flies to the next flower for nectar, it spreads the pollen from the first flower onto the second flower. Both the bee and the flower benefit. The bee gets nectar. The flower‘s pollen gets spread. Desert lupine has very small flowers. A bee must visit hundreds to get enough nectar for honey. That‘s a big job. So the flower ―talks‖ to the bee with colours. Before a bee visits, the flower has a bright yellow spot on its blue petals. After the bee visits, the yellow spot turns red. To a bee, the yellow spot says, ―Here‘s nectar!‖ But the red spot, which the bee sees as black, says, ―Don‘t bother with me. My nectar is gone‖. So the bee stops only at the yellow spots. It gets its nectar at every stop. And it spreads pollen only to flowers that still need it. Lots of flowers ―talk‖ like this. Vetch shows a splotch of black on pollinated flowers. White clover florets droop after a bee visits. Indian Pipes bow their heads. MOTHS JAM BATS SONAR Some bats use sonar to find their food at night. This can be very tricky because their food flies on the dark. But it works because a bat‘s sonar is so finely tuned. A bat ―just looking around‖ makes clicks too high for us to hear, and then it listens to echoes bouncing off nearby objects. For a better ―look‖, the bat clicks faster to hear more echoes. To ―zero in‖ the bat clicks faster and can ―see‖ exactly what is flying where. 18 HOW SMART AND MENTALLY FLEXIBLE R U? This is a difficult test, a challenge even for the leaders. It does not measure word fluency, nor intelligence or mathematical ability. It will give some gauge of your mental flexibility and cunning. It is very doubtful that you will be able to solve the many questions on the first try, it may take days. However, you just may solve all the answers over a period of time. Have fun trying! NO peeking of the answers! Example: 00: 12 = M _ _ _ _ _ in a Y _ _ _ 12 = M o n t h s in a Y e a r 01: 26 = L _ _ _ _ _ _ of the A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 02: 07 = W _ _ _ _ _ _ of the W _ _ _ _ 03: 1001 = A _ _ _ _ _ _ N _ _ _ _ _ 04: 12 = S _ _ _ _ of the Z _ _ _ _ _ 05: 13 = S _ _ _ _ _ _ on the A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ F _ _ _ 06: 54 = C _ _ _ _ in a d - - - (with J _ _ _ _ _) 07: 09 = P _ _ _ _ _ _ in the S _ _ _ _ S _ _ _ _ _ 08: 88 = K _ _ _ on a P _ _ _ _ 09: 18 = H _ _ _ _ on a G _ _ _ C _ _ _ _ _ 10: 90 = D _ _ _ _ _ _ in a R _ _ _ _ A _ _ _ _ 11: 200 D _ _ _ _ _ _ for P _ _ _ _ _ _ G _ in M _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 12: 08 = S _ _ _ _ on a S _ _ _ S _ _ _ 13: 04 = Q _ _ _ _ _ in a G _ _ _ _ _ 14: 24 = H _ _ _ _ in a D _ _ 15: 01 = W _ _ _ _ on a U _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 16: 06 = D _ _ _ _ _ in a P _ _ _ _ _ C _ _ _ 17: 57 = H _ _ _ _ V _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 18: 11 = P _ _ _ _ _ _ on an A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ F_______T___ 19:1000 = W _ _ _ _ that a P _ _ _ _ _ is W _ _ _ _ 20: 29 = D_ _ _ in a F _ _ _ _ _ _ _ in a L _ _ _ Y _ _ _ 21: 64 = S _ _ _ _ _ on a C _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 22: 03 = B _ _ _ _ _ M _ _ _ S _ _ H _ _ T _ _ _ R _ _ _ 23: 32 = D _ _ _ _ _ _ F _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ at which W _ _ _ _ F _ _ _ _ _ _ Answers on page 20 DANDELION SALAD Combine 2 parts greens with part dandelion greens. Add a crumbled hard-boiled egg and some lightly steamed sliced beets. Then top with a favourite salad dressing. DANDELION-BLOSSOM PANCAKES Combine 125 mL / ½ cup whole wheat flour, 125 mL / ½ cup all purpose flour, 10 mL / 2 tsp salt, and 10 mL / 2 tsp sugar. Add 1 large egg, 250 mL / 1 cup milk, and 30 mL / 2 tbsp melted butter. Add 250 mL / 1 cup dandelion blossoms, and mix well. Pour batter in small circles onto hot, oiled griddle. Cook until lightly browned on one side, then flip, and repeat. Serve warm with maple syrup or brown sugar, yogurt or jam. It serves two people. - and NO PEEKING! GARDENING QUOTES ―The foolish person seeks happiness in the distance; the wise person grows it under their feet.‖ James Oppenheim ―The love of gardening is a seed that once grown never dies.‖ ─ Gertrude Jekyll ―You cannot plow a field by turning it over in our mind.‖ Anonymous ―Hoe while it is spring, and enjoy the best anticipations. It does not much matter if things do not turn out well.‖ ─ Charles Dudley Warner ―Before the seeds there comes the thought of bloom.‖ ─ E. B. White ―Spring is sooner recognized by plants than by people.‖ Chinese Proverb One of the healthiest ways to gamble is with a spade and a package of seeds.‖ ─ Dan Bennett ―Man – despite his artistic pretensions, his sophistication and his many accomplishments – owes his existence to a six inch (15 cm) layer of top soil and the fact that it rains.‖ Anonymus REFLECTION Every painful event contains in itself a seed of growth and liberation. ─ Anthony de Mello 19 ANSWERS TO: HOW SMART R U? – Pg 18 01: 03: 05: 06: 07: 08: 09: 10: 11: 12: 14: 16: 18: 19: 20: 21: 22: 23: Letters of the Alphabet 02: Wonders of the World Arabian Nights 04: Signs of the Zodiac Stripes of the American Flag Cards in a Deck (plus Joker) Planets of the Solar System Keys on the Piano Holes in a Golf Course Degrees in a Right Angle Dollars for Passing Go in Monopoly Sides on a Stop Sign 13: Quarts in a Gallon Hours in a Day 15: Wheel on a Unicycle Digits in a Postal Code 17: Heinz Varieties Players on an American Football Field Words that a Picture is worth Days in February in a Leap year Buttons on a Push Button Telephone Blind Mice (See How They Run) Degrees Fahrenheit at which Water Freezes LOST AND FOUND Source: Toronto Star Sep 2006 Some animals once thought to be extinct that have been rediscovered. Northern bald ibis was rediscovered in Syria in 2002 Giant Palouse earthworm, last seen in 1987, rediscovered 2006. Found along the WashingtonIdaho border Laotian rock rat, believed extinct 11 million years, first seen by a western scientist in 2005 Chinese crested tern, thought extinct from 1937 to 200. Slater‘s skink, a type of lizard, was rediscovered in 2004 in Australia. Coelacanth, thought extinct for 80 million years, first seen in 1938 off South Africa. Long-legged warbler, last seen in 1894, rediscovered in Fiji in 2003. North Pacific right whale, thought extinct until mid ‗90s, lives in the waters around Alaska. High range dwarf cattle, rediscovered in India in 2004. Southern white rhino, thought extinct throughout 19th century, rediscovered in South Africa in1895. FIGURE OF SPEECH PHRASE SEARCH Complete the well known phrases listed in the bottom left panel. The missing words can then be found in the puzzle. Y S U B R P S S O B R I G H T O H R I J O T U T E O N R C A R I G E U U K R H E L D E E N D H N M B C D T E C A D O T Y T O I B O M A G B K E D R L V H C O C L E U O E R A L Y G A I R A G F I D C E D I C O M E N E D R H F N T U G N K N T H P L E O B I A D H C C I K A U L I T R O W L T C I D L E G P E N A S H R N L S F E L E R L A S P C T I N O S E D V P A U S T T O N I E A M D K O E S N E I V G A M F L I L E I B S T D G O H S E R F O L M S P R O _ _ _ _ _ AS A BAT QUICK AS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ AS G0LD _ _ _ _ _ _ AS BUTTON SHARP AS A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ AS LEAD _ _ _ _ _ AS A NEW PIN SOBER AS A _ _ _ _ _ LIGHT AS A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ OLD AS THE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ AS A POKER PLAIN AS A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ FIT AS A _ _ _ _ _ _ THICK AS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ PROUD AS A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Answers on page 22 _ _ _ _ _ AS A DAISY BOLD AS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ AS RAIN GREEN AS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ AS A BEE _ _ _ _ AS A DOG _ _ _ _ _ AS LIFE COOL AS A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ AS A ROCK DEAD AS A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ DULL AS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ AS A MULE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ AS PUNCH FLAT AS A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ AS A RAKE 20 RAPTORS SOAR! Source: Nature Northwest August 1994 Raptors (or birds of prey), migrate through Thunder Bay region in the spring and fall. They will follow the edge of large lakes, such as Lake Superior, rather than make the dangerous trip straight across the lake. That is why you can see them at places like Mission Island Marsh in the city, or soaring along the cliff formation. You might even see them from backyard locations if you look up into the sky. Raptors come in all different sizes and in many shapes, too. The can range in sizes from the little Sawhet Owl, only 20 cm / 8‖ tall, to the humungous Turkey Vulture with a wingspan of 2 metres / 2 yards. MAKE A RAPTOR MOBILE and you can watch raptors soar all year long Draw or trace the outline (silhouette) of a raptor onto a piece of paper. Construction or bristle board works best. You can use the silhouette on this page or from a bird book. Make them small or lifesize. You will need a really big piece of paper to make a life-size Bald Eagle. Cut the silhouette. Punch out a small hole near the middle of the paper and tie a piece of thread or string through the hole. Make more silhouettes and then attach them all to a stick or coat hanger to finish your Raptor Mobile. SUMMER The scent of summer fills the air In blossoms growing everywhere, In perfume of the new-mown grass, In moist swift showers as they pass. The sight of summer fills the land With leafy green on every hand; The eager birds, the restless breeze, The open roads that call and tease. The love of summer fills the heart With thoughts no mortal can impart; But when her solver moon is hung, Old dreams are new, and life is young! ─ Lolita Pinney 21 ANSWERS TO: FIGURE OF SPEECH BLIND as a bat Bold as BRASS PRETTY as a button BUSY as a bee SHARP as a new pin Cool as a CUCUMBER Dead as a DOORNAIL Dull as DITCHWATER Fit as a FIDDLE Flat as a PANCAKE FRESH as a daisy GOOD as gold Green as GRASS HEAVY as lead LARGE as life Light as a FEATHER Old as the HILLS Plain as a PIKESTAFF PLEASED as punch Proud as a PEACOCK Quick as LIGHTNING RIGHT as rain Sharp as a NEEDLE THIN as a dog Sober as a JUDGE STEADY as a rock CLEAN as a poker STUBBORN as a mule Thick as MOLASES THIN as a rake Slow as MOLASES EASTERN HEMLOCK Tsuga canadensis This hemlock tree is one of our big trees, averaging 15 – 25 metres / 50-80 ft, but it will go much taller in favourable conditions. It is larger than the southern species, Tsuga caroliniana, but only half as big as the giant western species, the Tsuga heterophylla. New growth at the tips of delicate spreading branches is a bright yellowgreen, contrasting sharply with the deep lustrous green of the more mature foliage. Underneath, the needles are very light, nearly white and 15 mm /1/2‖ long. The cones are small, 15 – 20 mm / ½-3/4‖ round-like, and mature the first year. They remain on the tree through the winter. The warm-gray bark, dry looking and very coarse with its large, thick, vertical scales, shows bright rusty red when cut. LETTUCE Source: De Groots Nursery – Sarnia It is generally agreed that science fair projects are more work for the parents than for the students. My son‘s was not necessarily so. Once we agreed on a topic or hypothesis, Benjamin did most of the work on his own. He set out to determine whether bigger seeds grew to become bigger plants. So we planted tiny seeds, namely lettuce and pansies, as well as bigger seeds, sunflowers and broad beans. The wait began. Within days the lettuce showed signs of growth. A day or two later the lettuce was growing vigorously. In the meantime Benjamin waited patiently for the other crops to show signs of life. Finally almost two weeks after seeding, both the sunflowers and beans sprouted through the damp soil. By that time the lettuce was nearly edible. The pansies didn‘t sprout till a few weeks later. Benjamin concluded that seed size had little to do with the eventual plant size. No surprise there. As a side benefit, Ben, along with his Dad, learned that lettuce sprouts and grows about a mile a minute. Lettuce is a cool season crop and should be planted in early spring or fall. It can be planted as soon as the ground frost is gone and soil can be worked. Lettuce seeds and seedlings don‘t mind early spring frost. Plant lettuce in rich moist soil where there is plenty sun. Lettuce plants can be tucked into any sunny spot in the vegetable or flower garden, in containers and even hanging baskets. There is no need to plant a huge crop of lettuce. Experienced gardeners will seed a few lettuce seeds every two weeks to ensure a small but steady supply of food. By the time summer heat arrives, it will do no good to plant lettuce seeds. Too much heat will cause lettuce to bolt or go to seed, and the crop will be very bitter tasting. Lettuce plants can be broken into 4 categories. Leaf lettuce, the easiest to grow, is also the quickest to sprout. Sow seeds directly in the garden, and you should be harvesting in 45 days or less. 22 Leaf lettuce is crispy, mild and has a delicate taste. The most popular variety is ‗Grand Rapids.‘ If you are looking for colour, plant a few ‗Royal Red‘ to make the salad bowl more attractive. Butterhead lettuce forms a ruffled round mound of tasty foliage. The centre or heart of the lettuce reveals the finest taste. ‗Bib‘ and ‗Buttercrunch‘ are two dependable Butterhead varieties and will be ready for harvest in 60 days. ‗Salad Bowl‘ and ‗Ruby Red‘ tolerate more heat and will be ready for harvest in 45 days. Cos or Romaine lettuce have long wide upright growing leaves that bunch together as they mature. The most popular romaine type lettuce, ‗Paris White‘, has fine, sweet flavour and will mature in 72 days. For a head start, this lettuce can be sprouted indoors and planted outside as soon as the ground is workable. Head lettuce grows to form a tight round head of crisp moist lettuce. ‗Iceberg‘ is the variety most often found in grocery stores. ‗Great Lakes‘ is a good choice for better heat resistance. Head lettuce needs nearly 3 months to mature, so it is a good idea to start the seeds indoors in March or early April so the crop can be harvested before summer‘s heat arrives. PLEASE LET’S MAKE THIS HAPPEN! I just saw something on the news that really touched me. There is a 7 year old boy at the Ottawa Hospital battling cancer. His Birthday is on May 30 and his wish is to have the most birthday cards on record to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. He already has 100,000 and the old record is 300,000. So here is my request, you and Steve have this vast contact base, if it is not asking too much, would you please put his name and address out there???? The above was sent to Ron and Betty Nelson, youth leaders of the Ottawa Society, and forwarded by them. ―Rad Dad‖ mailed it to his (grown-up) kids. A reply from son Leonard, 04-09-2007: I heard about him over the weekend on CBC. He‘s up to 250,000 cards now. I believe it‘s leukemia he has and it‘s the second big bout of it he‘s facing. He‘ll be in surgery on his birthday. Please send Shane a card at: Shane Bernier P. O. Box # 484 Lancaster, ON K0C 1N0 Canada THE NIGHT HUNTER Source: The Crusader, March 2000 By Victoria Peace Green Have you ever felt something go whoosh over your head only to look up into the starry night sky and see nothing? You stand still and squint your eyes trying to defy the darkness. Oops! There it goes! BUG SCRAMBLE Unscramble the letters below, and uncover some things that are bug-related. This insect has not two but one hundred legs. N C T I E E P D E You‘ll find this insect bouncing through the lawn. H G R A E P S O S P R OWLS … They are a part of the night scene, but they are mysterious to many people. Why? Perhaps because of their silent flight or their glaring yellow eyes, which most people can detect very quickly! Each part of the owl‘s body is uniquely designed by its Creator‘s God in the right balance for its environment. Let‘s look at some of these awesome adaptations. 23 FEATHERS … Just as a race driver depends on his finely tuned engine and a bow hunter trusts his sharpened arrow, so an owl trusts his feathers which must take him as he hunts every night of his life. An owl‘s wing feathers are different from those of other birds of prey. They have soft, frayed ends or edges. As all feathers they are delicately ―sewn‖ together with care. On each quill, there are two rows which link overlapping barbules. Many of these overlapping links need preening or cleaning to keep them tight. Because of the hunting tactics, the owl has no barbs on the edges or ends of his flight feathers. Owls use the element of surprise to catch prey, so they must be silent in flight. As the owl swoops down, his wings are making no sound; the noise is muffled. The wind created by the wing is not sharply broken like that of other birds. When the Creator made this great little critter, he didn‘t forget a single element to make the bird successful each night! The feathers surrounding the face of each owl aid him in hearing sounds. Each feather comes out from the center of each eye and forms a disc known as the facial disc. Sound waves are drawn into the concave disc and collected behind the discs in both ears. Each species of owl has a different shaped facial disc. The sounds that this bird of prey picks up are as important to this critter as his sight. An owl also use the beak to tear the prey, then feed it to its mate or owlets, If the owl doesn‘t have a family to care for, he/she swallows the prey whole. All parts of the catch are eaten. Hours later, the hair and bones are regurgitated by the owl in the form of a pellet. Different species have varying size pellets. Can you guess why? TALONS … Owls will catch most of their prey on the ground using their strong talons to pierce and kill. Some owls will hunt with their eyes and ears while flying low to the ground. Others will sit up on a branch and wait, camouflaged next to the tree or branches. Again the Creator‘s designs are always purposeful. An owl‘s legs and feet need to be powerful. The toes were created differently than other birds of prey! Two toes point to the front and the other two point towards the back. Because moonless nights do occur several nights in a month, this toe setup allows for a solid catch without the use of the eyes. Eagles, for instance, have only one large talon on the back of its claw. It is a day hunter. Having feathered feet might seem strange to us, but owls can pick up and et even long, thin, wriggling reptiles! Feathers keep owls from becoming someone‘s prey! EYES ... Unique in many ways, the eyes set owls apart from all other predators‘ bird, animal, and reptile. An owl‘s head can turn almost totally full-circle. Though his eyes are fixed within the sockets, the Creator God provided for successful hunts with a flexible neck which no other bird possesses. He does not have any muscles to move his eyeball around. This inability to move the eyeball gives this bird of prey a wide-eyed stare. When light hits the back of its eye, it is reflected off the back layer called the tapetum. An owl can see in one tenth the light that compared to humans. All animals, including owls that have eyes on the front of their face are predators. This setup allows three-dimensional vision in judging distance and clarity while hunting for prey (animals with eyes on the sides of their heads are the preyed-upon critters). Because the owl hunts in dim light, the binocular or three dimensional vision is and extremely sensitized weapon. BEAK … An owl‘s beak is one of the weapons which the Creator gave him. It is down-curved or hooked, like a falcon‘s, so the owl‘s keen vision is not obstructed by its shape. This beak is extremely sharp! An owl uses its talons to pick up prey, but carries the animal back to its nesting place in its beak. Once in flight, the prey swings freely in the beak. 24 EARS … Because this night hunter relies on the art of surprise, his ears are used more than any other adaptation. These gifts were so designed for the owl allowing all nights to be successful in hunting. Owls do not have ears which stick out. The little tufts of feathers that you may see on a screech owl, for instance, are used for defensive purposes. Compared to their body size, the owl has an oversized head with enormous ear openings. His highly sensitized ears lie behind the disc of feathers on the face. In most of owl species, the ears lay lopsided on his head. On one side, the opening is quite a ways below the eye line! This allows for the sounds further up in the trees to be heard, as well as the scurrying creatures on the forest floor. All the sounds collect in the ear canals at the same time and are processed by the brain! Owls live in a world that is controlled by sight and sound. The Creator God has equipped each with keen senses and sharpened weapons feathers, beak, talons, eyes and ears to assist him to be the bird of prey that stalks in the night. Whoosh … whoosh. There it goes again! The sound is no longer a mystery … it belongs to the night hunter … the owl. EAT YOUR GARDEN By: Caroline McKay Youth leader from Thunder Bay What a dump! Of snow that is. Although I thought it a cruel joke on Mother Nature's behalf, my preschool class thought it incredibly delightful! As for my schedule of events for the year, I've noticed that it helps to draw attention of interested parents and children. I am struggling to keep a fair size group (10 or more). Whether it is lack of interest on the children‘s part or when parents realize I‘m not a babysitting service....I‘m not altogether sure. My theme this year "Eat Your Garden". We will be planting herbs in eggshells and veggies in paper cups. We'll be talking about what to do with herbs and veggies when they are ready to harvest using biodegradable planters. I'm planning on using information I‘ve found in your past newsletter (can't remember the year off hand). I'm not talking about composting this year, only because it has been done with this group the past three years and they have all the information. So instead we'll be talking about ways to reuse items. For example: using pop bottles as a cloche, using old, glass pasta jars to make herbed oil or spiced sugars, turning pruned tree branches into a tripod or trellis for climbing plants! Being an Early Childhood Educator, I have a whole boat-load of ideas floating around in the old brain! Perhaps start me off with a topic and I can go from there. Here's an idea I was sharing with a grade school teacher. BALOON DOME You'll need: ~a white or clear balloon ~1/2 cup soil ~seeds ~water ~funnel How To Make: ~ inflate balloon but do not tie...release air so the balloon is sort of stretched out ~insert funnel in mouth of the balloon and begin to fill the balloon with soil a little at a time, until all the soil is in, then, ~ drop in 4 or 5 seeds and water until the soil is saturated (but not overly muddy) ~ remove the funnel and (here's the tricky part) blow up the balloon as big as possible, and tie it up ~ hang it in a window! The balloon represents the planet earth, the soil our land, the seeds our green life and it demonstrates the water cycle. To remove the plant you need to pop the balloon so be sure the plants have a strong root system! Oh Wow! ... What‘s that??? SUN!!! Time to go break up ice chunks on the lawn! I‘m going to try and learn how to send you pix of some of my ideas...if you'd like!? Take Care - *McKay from the Bay* 25