When I first applied to Saint Mary's University I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to be in theatre. When I found out that part of their theatre program involved studying in London for a semester I was hooked. The day I got my acceptance letter I
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"Where Fillmore County News Comes First"
Online Edition
Saturday, May 25th, 2013
Volume ∞ Issue ∞
- 11:44:26, May 21st 2013 - airmaxs52274 - Have you ever thought about adding a little bit more than just your a ... [Read More]
- 5:56:33, May 18th 2013 - modgudur - I guess the child is anti-gun control since Obama went to all that trouble ... [Read More]
- 9:27:41, May 16th 2013 - caal girl - Nice outfit on you. I loved some of the dresses but am holding my breath ... [Read More]
- 2:03:34, May 14th 2013 - - Thanks for sharing the trip with us! ... [Read More]
- 4:12:01, May 9th 2013 - Amanda Ziebell - Wow! Thanks to the Fillmore County Journal for this kind story. For a ... [Read More]
- 11:47:30, May 7th 2013 - EW - ramble.....ramble.....ramble..... ... [Read More]
- 10:25:25, May 7th 2013 - Thunder6 - Great article! I love to see the Youth of Fillmore County receiveing acco ... [Read More]
- 6:52:10, May 6th 2013 - Jason Sethre, Publisher of Fillmore County Journal & Olmsted County Journal - Maryh, ... [Read More]
- 7:29:56, May 5th 2013 - maryh - Where are OCJ's available for pickup...other than at the new office? ... [Read More]
- 2:41:47, May 3rd 2013 - Remark1976 - Mrs. Buckbee, I just looked up Senate File 796 and in it there are said p ... [Read More]
A View From The Woods - Leaves for Free - 10/10/11
Fri, Oct 7th, 2011
Posted in Columnists
Posted in Columnists
Comments
Our wonderful hardwood trees are transforming their leaves to gold and scarlet. Breathtaking beauty is all around us, at the very moment those leaves are letting go and drifting down to earth in a constant reminder of how fleeting the autumn season is.
Those leaves are the best natural soil builders on earth. Ever wonder how a forest can maintain itself for hundreds, even thousands, of years? The forest ecosystem is fueled by the massive plant biomass deposited every fall. Deep tree roots bring up minerals locked below the soil layer, and every fall those minerals fall with the leaves to become part of the living ecosystem, as mulch and compost.
Take note: your gardens and landscape can mimic the forests with a little help. Now is the time to gather leaves for the best fertilizer and soil conditioner imaginable. I cannot fathom why people throw leaves away.
I use leaves three different ways.
Pile Leaves.
Wait a year or two, then deliver the fine black humus to nearby garden beds. You may need a circle of fencing to keep them from blowing away if out in the open, or else choose a spot protected by bushes or trees. So easy.
Make Compost.
Leaves are the carbon material for our kitchen compost, held in three side-by-side bins not too far from the door. I fill the bins with leaves in the fall, and my husband adds all our organic waste, all year long. A turning or two with a garden fork makes rich compost good for delivery to favorite plants needing a boost, like hostas and roses. Fall is the time to use the compost and immediately refill the bin with more leaves.
Put Leaves to Bed.
For years I raked leaves off our endless driveway and hauled them in a cart directly to my vegetable beds. Now I'm older and spoiled with a riding mower that collects chopped leaves. Chopped leaves are easier to transport, and once laid down and moistened, they form a mat that stays put until spring, when they are mostly broken down into soil. I rarely need to dig or weed before plopping seeds right into their rows. I throw bushels of chopped leaves into the raspberry and asparagus beds too. This is composting in place-no need to turn or haul the compost because it is right where it needs to be. Easiest of all.
"Farming with Tree Leaves" is an informative article by Will Bonsall, who lives in Maine and is affiliated with the Seed Savers Exchange near Decorah, Iowa. He notes that leaves contain a considera .....
[Read the Rest]
Those leaves are the best natural soil builders on earth. Ever wonder how a forest can maintain itself for hundreds, even thousands, of years? The forest ecosystem is fueled by the massive plant biomass deposited every fall. Deep tree roots bring up minerals locked below the soil layer, and every fall those minerals fall with the leaves to become part of the living ecosystem, as mulch and compost.
Take note: your gardens and landscape can mimic the forests with a little help. Now is the time to gather leaves for the best fertilizer and soil conditioner imaginable. I cannot fathom why people throw leaves away.
I use leaves three different ways.
Pile Leaves.
Wait a year or two, then deliver the fine black humus to nearby garden beds. You may need a circle of fencing to keep them from blowing away if out in the open, or else choose a spot protected by bushes or trees. So easy.
Make Compost.
Leaves are the carbon material for our kitchen compost, held in three side-by-side bins not too far from the door. I fill the bins with leaves in the fall, and my husband adds all our organic waste, all year long. A turning or two with a garden fork makes rich compost good for delivery to favorite plants needing a boost, like hostas and roses. Fall is the time to use the compost and immediately refill the bin with more leaves.
Put Leaves to Bed.
For years I raked leaves off our endless driveway and hauled them in a cart directly to my vegetable beds. Now I'm older and spoiled with a riding mower that collects chopped leaves. Chopped leaves are easier to transport, and once laid down and moistened, they form a mat that stays put until spring, when they are mostly broken down into soil. I rarely need to dig or weed before plopping seeds right into their rows. I throw bushels of chopped leaves into the raspberry and asparagus beds too. This is composting in place-no need to turn or haul the compost because it is right where it needs to be. Easiest of all.
"Farming with Tree Leaves" is an informative article by Will Bonsall, who lives in Maine and is affiliated with the Seed Savers Exchange near Decorah, Iowa. He notes that leaves contain a considera .....
[Read the Rest]
More Notes From A Country Kitchen - 10/3/11
Fri, Sep 30th, 2011
Posted in Columnists
Posted in Columnists
Took a survey at work the other day to see how many of my co-workers knew how or actually "mended." Not too many!!
Some relied on their mothers or mothers-in-law, some hired a seamstress to do it, and some just tucked the ripped item away!! .....
[Read the Rest]
Some relied on their mothers or mothers-in-law, some hired a seamstress to do it, and some just tucked the ripped item away!! .....
[Read the Rest]
The Working Mom - 9/26/11
Fri, Sep 23rd, 2011
Posted in Columnists
Posted in Columnists
Can You Relate?
When did I get old or, as my 12-year-old would say, "old school." Considering that he associates me with anything from the 80's and wonders how we existed before iTunes, I was not surprised when he said he thought my hair was .....
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When did I get old or, as my 12-year-old would say, "old school." Considering that he associates me with anything from the 80's and wonders how we existed before iTunes, I was not surprised when he said he thought my hair was .....
[Read the Rest]
A View From The Woods
Fri, Sep 16th, 2011
Posted in Columnists
Posted in Columnists
The Air is Alive
Draped over the lawn chair, feet up, I'm sinking into a pleasant summer afternoon snooze with a magazine forgotten in my lap. Cicadas whir and crickets chirp in that endless loop of late-summer background music.
A sof .....
[Read the Rest]
Draped over the lawn chair, feet up, I'm sinking into a pleasant summer afternoon snooze with a magazine forgotten in my lap. Cicadas whir and crickets chirp in that endless loop of late-summer background music.
A sof .....
[Read the Rest]
More notes from a country kitchen 9/12/11
Mon, Sep 12th, 2011
Posted in Columnists
Posted in Columnists
I mentioned my dad in my last article and how he worked at the Canton Nursery before he married my mom. Dad had a milk route for many years. He hauled the milk in the old cans and before my folks had us kids mom would ride along on the weekends. Eve
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Food for Life - 9/5/11
Mon, Sep 5th, 2011
Posted in Columnists
Posted in Columnists
I mentioned in my last column that I follow a lot of food blogs. Not too long ago, I actually stopped following a blog because I got sick of hearing how a person should eat a diet with NO fat whatsoever. This person believed the way to lose fat was
.....
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The Working Mom - 8/29/11
Fri, Aug 26th, 2011
Posted in Columnists
Posted in Columnists
We All Need a Little Hope Sometimes
We all need a little hope sometimes. Especially when monthly bills seem to cost more these days, the packaging on the food we buy is getting smaller for the same or higher cost, and the average cost of rais .....
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We all need a little hope sometimes. Especially when monthly bills seem to cost more these days, the packaging on the food we buy is getting smaller for the same or higher cost, and the average cost of rais .....
[Read the Rest]
More Notes from a country kitchen - 8/15/11
Fri, Aug 12th, 2011
Posted in Columnists
Posted in Columnists
When my dad was a young man he worked at the Tree Nursery in Canton, MN. He became friends with a co-worker named Harvey Russell. Harvey was unable to drive so his wife, Hazel, brought him to work and picked him up every day.
After some visi .....
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After some visi .....
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