FREE!

Everybody loves something that's free, right?  It is a bit of an incentive to get moving and take advantage of an opportunity.  This entry is a bit of a reminder, or perhaps new information, about a free service to all of us here in Erie that definitely should be used regularly.

Unwanted or broken electronics.  What to do with them?

Erie has completed its first full year of being unable to throw out electronics with curbside trash pickup.  Unfortunately, too many people don't know what TO do with their unwanted devices, thus finding less pleasant ways of disposing of them.  According to the EPA website "Americans discard more than 2 million tons of obsolete electronic products annually".  Hmmm... 

Illegal dumping is just that - illegal.  And for a reason.  Electronic devices are harmful to nature, leaking toxic substances into the groundwater and leaving something in the environment that will stay there without breaking down until long after we are gone, if ever.

So where CAN we take our electronics when they have outgrown their usefulness?

In Erie, the official drop off point is Best Buy on upper Peach Street.  It's FREE to drop off your electronics.  FREE.  No paperwork, no check-ins, no wait.  Just walk in the store, head over to the Customer Service desk and neatly place your items on the bench.  Here is a short list of what they accept:

• Ink and toner cartridges
• Rechargeable batteries
• Wires, cords, and cables
• Plastic bags and gift cards
• Nearly all electronics and large appliances 
• Computers (here is the link to wipe your personal information before dropoff -hard drive wipe)

Please don't misunderstand - this information is not to support or bring undue attention to this corporation in any way.  They have voluntarily chosen to participate in the EPAs Sustainable Materials Management Challenge, meaning they have chosen to "promote responsible electronic recycling". 

 In Erie, this is your location to unload your old laptop, cell phones, video consoles, and broken fans, among other things.  No information is required when you drop off items.  You could do it anonymously.  Or you could share this information and encourage friends to do the same.  

This time of year everyone's looking to declutter, clean out, and clean up.  Taking care of the ever-growing number of outdated or broken electronics in a responsible way is something we CAN do.  If someone you know is going to put an item in a vehicle to haul it to a dumping spot, why not haul it to a place that can recycle the parts and make something useful again?

Note:  If you are not from the Erie area, rest assured that there is a location not far from you that will handle unwanted electronics.  Check out this site for quick information - www.1800recycling.com.

  

Silence

A Plan

Some exciting news from Headwaters Park!  We have been granted funds to create a Master Site Plan for the 70+ acres of natural space!

Fall 2013

Quite a bit of thought went into this process, from actually deciding whether a Plan was necessary to the overall purpose of the Park.  A LOT of thought went into these ideas and, ultimately, our application for funding.  

First, why would we want a Plan for the Park?  Here's a short list of things that are good at Headwaters:

1. The public is welcome.

   

   Outdoor Classroom

2. It's friendly to dogs.
3. It's friendly for families.
4. It's free.
5. There are over 70 acres to explore and 3 miles of trails.
6. There are 4 distinct habitats for wildlife and plants - meadow, forest, stream, and wetland.
7. Educational programming is available to all ages and interests.
8. Geocaching.
9. A Quest.
10. A Tree Trail.
11. Pumpkin D'Light Night in October.
12. Snowshoeing/Cross-country skiing trails are open in the winter.
13. The main trail is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.
14. There are numerous examples of conservation practices.

Fall morning 2013

With all of these great opportunities, why do we need a "Master Site Plan" for an already developed area?  At the Conservation District, our goal is to promote the wise use of our natural resources in Erie County.  To us, that means thinking about our goals and planning them out before doing anything that involves our land and water resources.  

Outdoor Classroom Stream Study Site

We want Headwaters Park to be an example of different ways to take care of our little piece of earth and water here in Erie.  We also want the Park to be a place people can visit and connect with nature and the outdoors, whether by hiking, taking photos, wildlife watching, or picnicking by the stream.

We thought a Master Site Plan for the Park would be the best way to make certain we address these goals. 

 So.

Fruit-laden apple tree along the trail

 Think about what you enjoy about the Park,  Why do you visit or want to make your first visit?  What would be interesting to see?  What might make your visit even more pleasant?  We will be talking with the public in the weeks to come and look forward to hearing the ideas we know are out there.  

We want to maintain the integrity of the Park.  We like how it is natural and a quiet place to be anytime of year.  We intend to preserve that aspect.  We also want to make sure the Park serves as a top-notch educational and recreational experience.

Bridge across Mill Creek

Keep track of your thoughts and ideas and check back soon to hear more about the creation of our Plan!

Fall morning 2013

Third Time's the Charm

This time will be successful.  The third time's the charm, right?  I'm referring to my efforts in our Community Garden to plant and harvest beyond the traditional gardening timeline.  Here in Erie, weather dependent, most summer harvest plants have finished.  We are just now finishing up harvesting grapes, some corn, and, of course, plenty of apples.  In 2013, we have had a very pleasant fall.  Lots of sunshine and relatively dry weather (the opposite of our summer) has led to tomatoes lasting a little longer, along with a few other garden plants. 

My goal is to plant and harvest SOMETHING until sometime in December.  Then start to plant again in March.  Cold weather crops such as lettuce, radishes, onions, arugula, swiss chard and other leafy greens fit the bill.  

I have tried the past two autumns with minimal success.  

I have created a low hoop tunnel in our community garden.  In 2011, I simply laid the plastic over the hoops and wait to see what would happen.  Very little, it turned out.  Most of the growth came in the spring when the weather turned.  

In 2012, I added a floating row cover.  This thin cotton cover helps create a blanket for the plants to keep some heat in, but also let rain and light in.  Even with the added layer there was little growth.  

As with any experiment, a scientist should only change one variable at a time, otherwise you have no idea which part of your experiment was successful or unsuccessful.  The only variable I've been changing is the amount of cover on the soil, thinking that the raised bed cooled off faster and perhaps the soil is actually freezing. 

The one variable I cannot control is the weather.

Along with the purple peppers, I've also left the everbearing strawberries.  Which are still bearing fruit - YAY!  There is nothing like a fresh strawberry in October, of all things.  

This year, 2013, I've layered some straw from our straw bale bed.  I hope it not only hold some heat and moisture in, but also will be useful to the soil by adding carbon when I mix in the decomposing bits in the spring.  I will also add the floating row cover.  And the plastic over the hoops.  With these three layers, I hope to see lettuce and onions poking up in a few weeks!

One aspect of the low hoop tunnel is the caterpillar tie-down system.  I reuse the ropes each year and they are very effective against our winter wind. 

In the fall and spring, I also have the capability of rolling up the sides to let in fresh air, light, and moisture on warmer days.

Cross your fingers that the third time is the charm and baby lettuce will be available by Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Walk 2013

I missed the inaugural Pumpkin Walk in 2012 in Headwaters Park - I was out of town.  I thought the idea was neat, though.  The Erie County Master Gardeners wanted to host a night hike in our Park, but with the addition of lighted jack-o-lanterns along the trails.  Cute, I thought.  Over 1,600 people came last year.

We were floored, and honored by the response.

I was determined to be there for 2013's Walk.  I'm glad I didn't miss it.

Planning truly began last fall, immediately after the first walk.  We ended up with pages of things we'd like to do differently.  How many pumpkins?  How do we keep them looking fresh?  Sponsors?  Lights?  VOLUNTEERS - HOW DO WE GET MORE VOLUNTEERS??????  The Master Gardeners have worked tirelessly all year to make this year a smoother event, even more welcoming, educational, and enjoyable.  Their efforts paid off in numbers:

• Over 720 jack-o-lanterns lined the trails
• A giant pumpkin,weighing over 600 pounds, was donated and carved 
• The Belle Valley Fire Department raised several hundred dollars in refreshment sales
• Over 2,500 people visited the Pumpkin Walk in 2013

600+ pound pumpkin donation - watching the professionals carve it was amazing!

The week prior to the event was full of organized chaos; everyone had an assigned task and they fulfilled it.  Pumpkins were dropped off at volunteer carvers, from kindergartners to scout groups to college artists.  The carving job was so coveted in one school that they held a student contest, the winners being allowed to carve their proposal into one of the pumpkins.  More volunteers picked up the pumpkins.  Other volunteers worked to organize the pumpkins into groups, or get tables ready, or the educational materials.  All Master Gardening events have educational aspects to them, as that is their mission as a group.  This mission fits perfectly into the partnership with the Erie County Conservation District and Headwaters Park, as our goal is to promote the wise use of land and water resources.  

We work very well together.

While the Master Gardeners were organizing the Walk, staff here spent weeks sprucing up the trail to the best of our ability.  We received funding from the Erie County Greenways Program to improve our trail system, including a new boardwalk.  The main trail is now sturdier, ADA accessible, and passable for strollers and visitors of all abilities.  

However, the culmination of all of this work was the walk itself.  The entire sunny Saturday was spent setting up the actual walk.  The entire Saturday.  By 4pm we were placing LED candles in the pumpkins and lighting them (good thing they were LED, as it began to rain promptly at 5pm).  By the first few visitors, the trail was set and ready.  

I almost recommend two walk-throughs.  The first in daylight to see the details and colors. 

The second under the cover of darkness.  As I finally had a moment to walk through at 9pm, I kept hearing words like "enchanted", "fairyland", and "magical". 

The entire park twinkled with winking lights, peeking from tree boughs or from the tops of fallen logs.  You truly had to witness the effect to appreciate it.  

The Erie County Master Gardeners did a fantastic job organizing Pumpkin D'Light Night 2013, and Headwaters Park was pleased to be its host.  We are already preparing for 2014! 

 For more information, contact the Master Gardeners at 825-0900 or Headwaters Park at 825-6403.

Migration Fixation

Our new butterfly/pollinator garden has fulfilled every expectation this year.  The vegetable garden, not so much.  The rainy, cool weather wreaked havoc on the tomatoes, rabbits discovered the cabbages, and the potatoes gave up the ghost a few weeks ago.  But the butterfly garden that the Girl Scouts planted with care in May?

Spectacular.

Everything has grown beautifully and fully, including a volunteer tomato plant (which is crowding out the Bee Balm, but I didn't have the heart to pull it when it was trying so hard to survive).  This time of year, however, is monarch season.

We found four of these striking monarch caterpillars on the swamp milkweed last Thursday.  They seem to prefer it over the traditional roadside milkweed planted right next to it.  Because it is such a fantastic learning experience for all ages, we moved a few into jars and containers to let some of our younger friends care for them until they are ready to be set free.

I'm always fascinated by how much and how quickly they can eat.  You can see the half-eaten leaf above.  One can actually watch them chew through a leaf, almost cartoon-like.  I promise, it's faster and more exciting than watching grass grow.

The coloring is unmistakable.  The vivid striping warns predators that they are toxic and unpleasant to eat.  There are a vast amount of jaw-dropping facts and photos about monarch caterpillars, chrysalis', and butterflies at this site.  Learn how caterpillars breathe, how and why they molt, and how they move.  An especially interesting fact is that these caterpillars increase their size 2,000 times in two weeks.  I'm afraid to do the math and find out how big I would be if I increased my size 2,000 times in 2 weeks!

We found them right before they were ready to build their chrysalis.  Not 24 hours later were they all found hanging peacefully from the roof of their containers, doing their quiet metamorphosis.  Now we are all waiting and watching, hoping to catch a glimpse of the emergence of the butterfly.  In case you have missed this show, click here to watch a video.  It never ceases to amaze me how nature's magic works.

When they have emerged, they will be set free on a sunny morning.  This freedom will set them on their journey south to the Mexican region.  They will roost for the winter and prepare to return next spring.  Check out the map here to see their current migration patterns and how they are doing in 2013.

For something new and fun this fall at Headwaters Park, we're hosting a visitor.  Check him out below.

  He'll only be visiting for a few weeks, but I thought he might like a formal tour of the Park.  So as I hiked with him through the trails, I snapped photo after photo of him in interesting and unique areas (this took a while, as we have a great number of super spots).  Here is a challenge to you all:  Find the spot where I took the photo of our roaming gnome and snap a shot of yourself or a friend/pet/parent in that same spot.  Email it to me and I'll feature some in future blogs.  I'll start you off with two easy locations.  The one above...

and the one below...

What better way to usher in the fall season than with a new hike and a new friend?  Keep your eyes open to new sounds and sights in the Park as the new season arrives!

Nearly Harvest Time

What a long, strange summer it's been!  I have a photo journal of the Community Learning Garden in its first and second year - what a marked difference!

Last year was our first full season of growing and experimenting.  The Learning Garden was created from the Department of Environmental Protection Environmental Education funds with the purpose of providing various garden beds and compost bins for the community to see and actively garden.  This freedom of learning and experimenting with different garden setups and composting bins is a great way to try new things and observe results before implementing them in our own gardens at home. 

Successes:

Three Sisters Garden with corn, pole beans, and squash - 2012

Pak Choi - great greens when sauteed with garlic and olive oil in a pan!
Grown in a handicapped accessible raised bed- 2012

Blue potatoes growing in a recycled tire - Marie Antoinette thought the flowers were so beautiful she would wear potato blossoms in her hair - 2012

Fingerling eggplant in a cedar bed - long lasting wood without chemical treatment - 2012

Jack-Be-Little pumpkins (over 80!) in the concrete block bed - 2012

Along with our successes, there were many learning curves...

I have yet to find the correct formula for the tunnel system that will enable cold crops (spinach, greens) to grow during our winters

Carrots did not like growing in the straw bales

Neither did radishes

So we press on and try new things.  Some new growth is food we have never dreamed of eating.  Some growth, like the carrots and radishes, found their garden bed to be too hot and didn't survive.  What if we put a floating row cover on the tunnel system?  What herbs should we try this year?  How about Dragon pole beans instead of traditional green beans?  So we tried some new things in 2013 and have met with reasonable success - 

Basil from seed grown under our indoor grow lights!

Ever-bearing strawberries from our Seedling Sale!  We are still harvesting them!

Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins in our concrete bed!

Various tomatoes in our straw bale beds - they love the heat from the straw!

Four varieties of grapes grown in true vineyard fashion - Steuben, Concord, Fredonia, and Niagara

Stop by the garden.

Enjoy the colors from our harvest and new Butterfly Garden.

Look us up in the building and ask your questions or for a tour!