The Scoop // April / May 2015

thescoop.ca

The APRIL/MAY 2015

SCOOPcelebrates rural life

Anniversary Issue

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2 THE SCOOP • April / May 2015

Celebrates rural lifeFounded in 2005 by Richard Saxe

PUBLISHER & AD SALES

Karen [email protected]

EDITOR

Angela [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE

Cheryl Anderson, Jordan Balson, Rachel Bell, Leah Birmingham,

Sally Bowen, Lillian Bufton, Catherine Coles, Mary Jo Field,

Glen R. Goodhand, Alyce Gorter, J. Huntress, Lena Koch, Barry

Lovegrove, Blair McDonald, Cam Mather, Steven Moore, Susan

Moore, Karen Nordrum, Angela Saxe, Richard Saxe, Grace Smith, Terry Sprague, Sue Wade, Myrna

Wood

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COVERInset photo of Barry Lovegrove and Richard Saxe. Photo credit:

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SCOOPThe Here’s The Scoop...

By Angela Saxe

When I sat down to write the editorial for this issue, my original

intent was to focus on our 10th

anniversary. While this is still true, I soon realized that it was in fact a “goodbye letter.” After ten years as editor of The Scoop, I’ve decided that this might be the best time for me to move on, pass the role to someone new, and leave on a high note.

What started off as a spontaneous and generous gesture to help get a message out turned into a viable and exciting project that is now in its 10th year. Richard Saxe off ered to create a vehicle through which the Township of Stone Mills could be promoted as a vibrant place where people could raise their families, start up new businesses and build a dynamic community full of possibilities. The Scoop emerged as a wonderful hybrid, something between a magazine and a newspaper that used photography and storytelling to celebrate the people and the land of Stone Mills. Success came quickly and he expanded beyond the Stone Mills area to include the counties of Lennox & Addington and South Frontenac. (See Ten Years – Holy Cow! on page 13)

As The Scoop grew, I volunteered to act as the editor and looking back over the last decade I can say that I had a great time. I love The Scoop and I’ve loved working with all the folks who have volunteered to write for us; with Barry Lovegrove, our staff writer and photographer; with Richard Saxe, the fi rst publisher; and with Karen Nordrum, who picked up where Richard left off , and has done some exciting new things with the publication. It hasn’t always been easy work, but it has been a pleasure and a great sense of accomplishment every time an issue goes to press. We’ve always made a great team and had a lot of fun in the process!

Over the years I learned a great deal, especially what a vital and important role the editor plays in any publication. First and foremost the position of editor gave me a platform and a voice. I had the freedom to discuss a range

of topics in my editorials, from the joys of living in this beautiful landscape, to contemplating the rich diversity of the people who live here, their ideas, beliefs, and challenges. As editor I had the great privilege of working with our writers, and bringing new voices and perspectives to the pages of The Scoop.

I’m especially proud of all the students from Napanee District Secondary School and Sydenham High School who volunteered to write for The Scoop. Not only were they given an opportunity to collect volunteer hours but also they were encouraged to write about issues that concern young people today. I believe that their voices need to be heard.

From its inception, The Scoop’s mission was to celebrate rural life. We tell the stories of the pioneering families who have lived in our area for generations and through hard work, built the surrounding towns and villages and farmed the land. We believe that a rural lifestyle includes hunting, trapping and fi shing, snowmobiling and boating and that those activities should also be celebrated. We also believed that the people who made a conscious decision to move to rural south eastern Ontario have enriched the area through their endeavours whether as artists or entrepreneurs, as social agents for change or as retirees with interesting hobbies and passions – they too should also be celebrated for the diversity they bring to our community.

I readily admit that I have a bias and I used my position to promote my personal beliefs throughout the pages of The Scoop: protecting our environment, our lakes and rivers, farmlands and woods is critical if we want to ensure that there continues to be a rich diversity of animal and plant life in the future. It’s important that we encourage development and

growth within sustainable and healthy parameters. We live in a beautiful rural area and while the land we live on is ours for the time being, it is important to think about the future when considering our relationship to our environment. I believe that we must be good stewards of the land for the years that this land is under our care.

The Scoop’s focus has always been on human-interest stories; by reading people’s stories and hearing about their accomplishments, we can appreciate the rich diversity that exists in our country. It is imperative that we do not become anxious or fearful of those who are diff erent; tolerance and acceptance is what has made Canada a fantastic country.

As I sign off for the last time, I want to thank every writer who has generously given his or her time, words and insight. Thank you Barry, for being Mr. Scoop, for taking those terrifi c photographs and for sitting down and listening to people’s stories. Thanks to Michael, for editing my writing and to Richard and Karen for trusting me to choose the stories that needed to be told. The Scoop wouldn’t be what it is without all of you and your contributions.

But most importantly, I want to thank everyone who has read The Scoop over the years. It always means so much to me when people tell me how much they enjoy the paper, especially those readers who tell me that they read it “from cover to cover!”

Thank you all for 10 years of The Scoop – and here’s to 10 more!

Goodbye!

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You’ve Got The SkillsWe’ve Got The Tools

April / May 2015 • THE SCOOP 3

Letter to the EditorThe article in the last issue of The Scoop about one-room schoolhouses brought back many school memories. I started school in 1946 at the Bath Academy. Public and secondary school were all in the same building. Grades 1 to 4 in one room, 5 to 8 in one room downstairs, and the high school upstairs.

Sarah Collins was my fi rst teacher, a very fi ne lady who taught me to crochet. The fi rst aid box on the wall was fi lled with bandages, iodine and electric oil that could be rubbed on everything from a scrape to a tooth that was aching. Miss Collins had long black hair, braided and neatly pinned in a coil around the back of her head. She always wore print dresses with high collars and a matching tie. There was always a silver pin in the tie with a pansy on it.

There were inside biffi es (toilets) in the basement and as the fl oors and stairs were wooden I loved to be excused so I could tap dance (clatter) my way down the hall. These toilets fl ushed (not everybody’s did then) and the doors had screen door hinges that made a terrible loud noise when they banged shut. At recess time we threw balls against the high brick walls and chanted rhymes to make catching the ball harder. The boys didn’t do that but they would play hopscotch, mostly to torment the girls.

I did make it out of the fi rst room to the second where Miss Smith taught us to make “love knots”. That was when I learned I could draw roses better than any of the other kids.

In 1952 we moved to Adolphustown and started school in SS#1, eight grades in one room. I am pretty sure it was #1 as it seemed to denote excellence not something I ever achieved in school although I did make a ”Smoky The Bear” fi re prevention poster that caught the eye of the inspector H.H. Langford who I had been warned was a very stern man. He actually spent time telling me ways to make it better.

This school had outside toilets that believe me did not fl ush. The water pail that we all drank from when totally parched had four drops of chlorine in it. Mildred Roblin was called out of retirement to teach us replacing the previous teacher. She talked to us about Tom Thompson and the Group of Seven. She didn’t wear long dresses like the picture in your paper but when we played ball at recess she would join in; it took all of us to even come close to making up two teams. While watching another student throw a ball I laughed because it looked so odd; that’s when my teacher told me that I threw the ball the same way because we were both left handed. No one had ever mentioned it before.

The school bell was on the corner of the desk and the strap in full view although I don’t remember it ever being used. She taught us penmanship which I will always be thankful for, we still used straight pens for that.

In the winter a huge stove sat in the center of the room to keep us warm. Huck Pollard who lived across the road was the caretaker and kept, I don’t know how many cords of wood piled outside.

Are you beginning to see a pattern here? The best stuff slipped in when I wasn’t paying attention. Like biking to and from school. There were ground hogs to trap (once we got a skunk, not fun) Then the not so smart mother crow who built her nest at the top of a cedar tree which was growing at the base of a high embankment made it easy for us to steal her little bags of beaks and large guts – raising those little birds wasn’t as easy.

Because we lived on the old road where Highway 33 used to follow the shore, we could go either east or west to get to school. If you went west, the road was mostly gravel but spring fl owers and whispering pines made the trip so exciting especially when I traveled alone and no one was looking; I could climb to the top of the young trees along the water and sway in the wind. When you headed east the roads were paved but we passed fi elds where the ground hogs lived and past Allan’s apple orchard.

Thanks for the bringing back memories of my one room school days.

Shirley Miller, Amherst Island

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Feed the Soil…By Mary Jo Field

… not the plants.Feed the soil, not the plants.Feed the soil, not the plants.

That was the message, repeated three times for emphasis, from Titia Posthuma, owner

of Ravensfield Farms in Maberly, Ontario. The occasion was a GrassRoots Growers’ event held at St. Patrick’s School, Erinsville, in February. The audience had braved frigid weather to hear Titia’s wonderfully informative talk on how to improve our soil, followed by a free seed exchange and refreshments.

The 68th United Nations General Assembly has declared 2015 the International Year of Soils. Two of their stated aims are “to raise awareness of the profound importance of soil for human life” and “to educate the public about the crucial role soil plays in food security, climate change adaptation and mitigation, essential ecosystem services, poverty alleviation and sustainable development”. How very timely to hear from a local expert on a subject so well aligned with a UN initiative. And Titia is indeed an expert, if one can judge by the quality of the produce from her farm over the past thirty years.

It all starts with sunlight, which gives rise to photosynthesis. This process produces carbohydrates which are sent to the roots of plants and pushed out of the roots as exudates to feed trillions of microbes in the soil. The microbes use the exudates along with nutrients in the soil to reproduce and when they die (they have very short life spans) amino acids are liberated and taken back up by plant roots to fuel growth of the plant. That is a greatly oversimplified explanation, but it is a starting point.

Titia started her presentation with a quote from a book written in 1947, titled The Rape of the Earth, by Sir Albert Howard. The gist of the quote was that research done in 1934 showed depletion of soil and water occurring at a rate that would result in the loss of 75% of the world’s original soil and water “capital” within fifty years, and lead to Sahara-like conditions within 100 years. Since then, the world has not done much if anything to slow or halt the depredation of our soils, much less mediate it. So, what can we do to start to restore our soil, in order to improve its nutrient storage capacity, raise more disease-resistant plants, and increase by multiples the productivity of our gardens?

In a word, humus. In two more words, organic matter. According to Titia, there is no upper limit to the amount of organic matter you can add to your soil and it is impossible to overstate the importance of humus. Humus holds both water and nutrients better than sandy soil, at the same time making them more available to plants than clay soil. It also helps mitigate the effects of soil compaction.

There are two basic types of humus: bacterially-dominated and fungally-dominated. When bacteria predominate, the nutrients tend to be water soluble and immediately available to plants. Sounds great, right? Except being water soluble means they can be washed away by rain and snow melt. On the other hand fungally-dominated humus gives better structure to the soil, providing more storage capacity for moisture and nutrients and leading to stable, longer-lasting soil health. Obviously the next question is how to have both types.

Bacteria-dominated organic matter comes from your kitchen scraps, weeds, leaves, annuals, straw, all mixed in your compost heap, perhaps with some manure to speed up the process. Fungally-dominated humus comes from the forest and is best used in the form of wood chips. The mention of wood chips raised some eyebrows and led to some questions, which I will summarize along with Titia’s responses.

On the question of tying up nitrogen during the decomposition of wood chips, Titia agreed it can happen when using large amounts of fresh wood chips. This can be dealt with in several ways – compost them for a year; use them in places where having nitrogen tied up for a period of time is not a big issue (for example, on paths, where you can throw your weeds and all will break down together, and then simply shovel it on to the garden next year); or add them to animal bedding, which will eventually find its way into the compost/garden. Do not use sawdust as it has a much greater surface area and so tends to tie up nitrogen even more.

The acidity of some types of wood chips was also noted, with pines and other soft woods being the main culprits. Again, Titia explained the impact depends on the health of the soil to begin with, adding that often, acid soil problems stem from plants themselves when they are stressed by growing in nutrient-poor soil and exude such compounds as carbonic acid as a solvent to try to free up calcium and other nutrients.

In the interests of brevity, a few of Titia’s important points are set out below:

• The ideal mix between coniferous and deciduous wood chips is 80% deciduous/20% coniferous. If you can’t obtain the ideal mix, any mix is better than none.

• Composting is good. Use weeds, kitchen scraps, wood chips,

manure. Chicken manure is good as it contains grit which provides minerals. Wood ash is not so good, as it is too caustic, potentially harming both the plants directly and the microbes in the soil.

• We kill microbes in the soil without knowing it. Nitrogen-based fertilizers feed plants but kill microbes. Tilling the soil is not necessarily a good idea as it disturbs the natural layering of soil, built up over years by the “microbial weathering” of subsoil and rocks.

• Weeds will be easier to control when there is more humus

• Soil testing is not necessary. It provides a snapshot of one point in time. It is more important to understand the processes at work in your soil. Almost all “nutrient deficiencies” identified by a soil test will be cured by adding compost with humus – it has “humungous” benefits.

I am going to finish with two of Titia’s points that were particularly interesting, perhaps even controversial. The first is the matter of crop rotation. Current wisdom holds that crop rotation is very important for control of soil-borne diseases. Another reason often given is that each type of plant uses varying amounts of specific nutrients, so rotating crops prevents over-depletion. However Titia introduced the notion that some plants actually seem to prefer to go where they have been before. Apparently there is some research from 100 years ago that tomatoes like to grow where tomatoes were grown before. During her presentation Titia said each type of plant grows soil under it that it likes. Here is my take on this idea – if each type of plant puts out root exudates (see paragraph three) that feed the specific microbes most beneficial to itself, the idea of non-rotation is worth considering. One caution – Titia was by no means recommending monoculture, the growing of vast amounts of a single crop. She was simply saying soil quality is more important than crop rotation, and recommending that you allow your plants to tell you where they are happiest.

The second idea, mentioned only briefly and with a sidebar about not wanting to send the audience screaming from the room, has to do with gardening according to phases of the moon. I personally do not know much about this approach

but have certainly heard of it before. As an example, Titia recommended pruning only when the moon is waning. Sap flow is less at this time, so bleeding will be less, improving the plant’s chance of survival. I don’t see a downside to this approach, so again it might be worth trying.

There was terrific participation from the audience at this event and it was readily apparent from the number of really good probing questions that the topic of soil health is on the minds of many in the community. To anyone reading this who was not there, I urge you to come out to future GRG events to hear presentations from knowledgeable and interesting speakers. For further information, see Upcoming Events below.

On behalf of the GrassRoots Growers, thank you to everyone who helped with the setting up of tables and chairs, all the audience members who listened with such attention, those who donated seeds for the seed exchange, Marilyn McGrath for preparing the sweets, St. Patrick’s School for the use of their premises, and most especially to Titia Posthuma for providing such an engaging talk.

Tamworth/Erinsville GrassRoots Growers is a community-based group. Our mission is to encourage interest in local and organic gardening for both the home garden and the market garden; to raise awareness of issues surrounding food production; to improve our practical knowledge of all aspects of plant life; and to provide networking opportunities for gardeners. We welcome new members. Visit our website at te-grassrootsgrowers.weebly.com

Upcoming Events – details on our website:

Tuesday, April 7, at 7:00 p.m. – Peter Fuller, owner of Fuller Native & Rare Plants, Belleville, on native plants, biodiversity and sustainable landscapes. Location – St. Patrick’s School, Erinsville.

Saturday, May 23, at 10:00 a.m. – T/E GrassRoots Growers sixth annual seedling and plant sale. Location – Beaver Lake Park, Erinsville.

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Titia Posthuma, at a GrassRoots Growers’ talk on how to improve our soil. Contributed photo.


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Congratulations Bon Eco Turns 10By Angela Saxe

2005 was a very dynamic year in Tamworth; two very creative people combined their

talents and created a vibrant design company that has grown steadily over the past decade.

Carolyn Butts was an exhibit designer and fabricator at the Museum of Civilization as well as an event designer for Corel Centre (Scotiabank Place) before leaving Ottawa in 2000 and moving to Tamworth to raise her son in a small and friendly community.

Hans Honegger is a restoration architect who was the co-director of the Main Street Programme for Heritage Canada (National Trust) and has worked across the country on the regeneration of small towns. He last worked as Project Manager for Public Works, Parliament Hill before moving to Tamworth in 2005.

Carolyn and Hans had a vision for their new business venture that refl ected their own personal beliefs. Bon Eco would become a design house whose products and designs are inspired by nature and refl ect their desire to protect it. When they fi rst opened their retail shop and gallery they sold products such as the very popular RIMS Recovery Inspired Mirrors and other interior décor pieces fabricated from tires. Soon they were involved with community projects in the area: The sculpture on the side wall of the Waterfall Tearoom next to the bridge in the village of Yarker honors the history of the people of the area. Since then, they have done consulting work on museum exhibits and on regeneration plans for small communities. Their current projects include designing eight bronze sculpture for Newmarket Ontario as well as designing, fabricating and installing animal enrichment devices for the Bowmanville Zoo.

Another key component in Bon Eco’s mission is to actively play a role in maintaining the health of the environment in local communities. Carolyn and Hans have worked hard to bring awareness to the public about landfi ll sites and to provide alternatives for diverting waste, transforming it and restoring it in a sustainable and environmentally sound method.

Bon Eco’s vision extends beyond products and design; they also want to provide the opportunity for national and international visitors to share their ideas and skills. Three furnished suites in the historic building of 12 Concession Street in Tamworth welcome guests who either want the peace and quiet to do their own creative work, or to participate in some of Bon Eco’s workshops and discussion groups.

“We’re proud of taking a small little design company and making it grow in a small rural village. There are challenges, “ says Carolyn, “ these are tough economic times and there’s a lot of competition from cheap and disposable off shore goods, but we have bold ideas for the future and we know that we can achieve them.”

How about the next ten years? Carolyn envisions designing a regional development program for Stone Mills that will make the community more resilient. “We care about the wilderness and the watersheds and we will continue to work with other community groups to ensure its health. “

Developing a design house that walks its talk is one of the reasons for Bon Eco’s success; taking waste that was destined for landfi ll sites and transforming the materials into new products is creative, inspiration and it’s good ecology.

Bon Eco, before and after. Contributed photo.

The Artist WithinBy Sue Wade

When celebrating a milestone, the tendency is to refl ect on the past.

Weddings, special birthdays, anniversaries, graduations – these are occasions that prod us to glance back, to notice, to pull stories and images from our memories and enjoy them again.

The Scoop is ten years old with this issue; I certainly think that it’s a gem of a community newspaper. It introduced me to some of my neighbours, taught me heart-warming things about my community and highlighted the fact that my husband and I chose the right place to live.

When I write for The Scoop I want to make people aware of all the art that can be found in our community. I’ve written about art shows and galleries and the trials and tribulations of working in the studio, but this time, I’d like to focus on artistic ability that resides closer to home. Really close. Sitting with you right now, as a matter of fact.

If you are looking around and with a – What is she talking about now? expression on your face, let me explain. In downtown Orlando, Florida, there is an art gallery in the luxurious Bohemian Hotel. A year or so ago, I had the very good fortune to meet the Lovely Woman who runs the gallery. For the Lovely Woman, art is a passion that pours from her. I learned much about the work the gallery displays and the local artists creating these pieces during our chat.

“Do you see this piece?” she asks me, directing my attention to a misty watercolour landscape just signed Jack R. “Jack is 91 years old. He worked in a warehouse all his life and never imagined himself as a painter. He didn’t realize he was an artist till he was in his eighties.” The Lovely Woman believes that, “Everyone is an artist. Some people just don’t know it yet.”

Now, for many of you, the jury might be out on whether or not this statement is 100% true, but allow me to present another story to you that might illustrate further the Lovely Woman’s point. Maria is someone I have known pretty much

all of my life and like TheScoop, she is celebrating a milestone this year – her 60th birthday. If asked to describe some of Maria’s qualities, I would start by saying she is smart, intense, loving, family-oriented and the baker of the world’s best peanut butter cookies. But I would never have called her an artist. Recently, Maria’s personal and professional life was fi lled with some incredibly heavy-duty stress. She wanted to – needed to, do something that would point her in a completely un-Maria-like direction. A local community centre was off ering an acrylic painting class. Maria, hoping for some three-hours-a-week escape, signed up.

This spring, Maria will be attending her fi fth session of painting classes and is painting heartfelt work. The artist in her has stretched and yawned and woke up and has helped her shove aside the chaos in her life from time to time. Maria’s whole self lifts and brightens when she works with paint or talks about her art. It’s amazing to watch excitement ripple across her. Painting might not have erased the stress in her life, but somehow her relationship with painting has given her some tranquility – an island in the storm that swirls through her days.

“My daughter is an artist,” Maria’s mother revealed to me with awe one afternoon when we were examining Maria’s recent paintings. “She’s my daughter yet I never would have guessed.” Maria “knows it” now. She has become acquainted with that place in her where the artist lives. She found it hiding and introduced it to acrylics.

Picasso once said, “All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once you grow up.” This is an interesting spin on the Lovely Woman’s statement, but the basic principle is the same. Just maybe the artist is sitting inside you right now waiting to be nudged awake.

Sue Wade plays with glass at Sageleaf Whimsy Studio just outside of Tamworth and raises a diff erent kind of glass in an anniversary toast to The Scoop!

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Community Resilience Begins With Your NeighboursBy Cam Mather

So everyone who loved the weather this February, raise your hand. Yup, that’s what I

thought; I didn’t see many hands go up. In this part of the country, we set a record for the coldest February – ever. And while February, 1979 was also cold, that month there were six days when the temperature climbed above zero, meaning there was at least a little respite from the cold. This year I think we went almost 40 days with every day below average.

Meanwhile, when we take the average of global temperatures in 2014, it was the warmest year ever. In fact, the warmest 10 years have all occurred since 2000. Oh, and Anchorage Alaska didn’t have a single day below zero in 2014. Now that would be Fahrenheit degrees, so it means that they didn’t have day below – 17.7°C. And when they had to truck snow into the main street of an Alaskan town to start their historic dog races, you know something is up.

What all this points to is climate change and while we think that things are going to get warmer (which in Canada might not seem like such a bad thing) in reality it means the weather is going to get wackier, more extreme and harder to predict. The last two winter’s polar vortexes seem to have been caused by the temperature diff erential between the Arctic, which is warming much faster than southern latitudes, and the equator. When there was a big diff erential the jet stream stayed to the north

and wasn’t quite so wavy. As the Arctic has warmed the jet stream has gotten wavier and keeps getting stuck in one spot, causing forty days of brutal cold in February, or three months worth of rain in three days in Calgary causing $6 billion damage.

If we thought we were going to escape climate change, we were wrong. And it’s not our kids’ or grandkids’ problem, it’s ours.

Putting a price on carbon is the way to deal with this situation, because it’s the carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels that are causing this extreme weather. If the political party you’re thinking about voting for in the upcoming federal election doesn’t have a plan for this, you need to ask them why.

In the meantime, we in Stone Mills have to come up with a plan to deal with the kind of extreme weather that will become the norm. Last spring’s fl ooding around Croydon raised lots of issues such as how to help homeowners deal with such challenges, and who pays for the clean up.

I think what’s even more pressing is providing our emergency responders with the tools to deal with the challenges we face. The fi rst has to be equipping our fi re halls with back up power generators. When windstorms and ice storms and who knows what kind of storms knock out electricity, it is critical that the community has one place it can

count on to have power. We owe it to each other and to our fi refi ghters to provide this one basic level of emergency preparedness. Our fi re stations are not currently equipped with generators that power the entire station. There are small generators on some of the trucks, but these are inadequate and will probably be in use elsewhere.

I would also suggest that our fi re stations should have wood stoves installed to provide back up heat during a prolonged disaster. Propane is a liquid fuel that must be delivered and which we have to rely on an outside supplier to provide. Last time I checked there is no shortage of trees in Stone Mills and a fi re hall heated with a wood stove would provide a warm place for citizens to warm up if their own homes were cold.

If you agree with this concept, I suggest you call Stone Mills Township councilors and tell them. In 2010 taxpayers came up with $3 million (1/3 from each of the federal, provincial and municipal governments) to build our shiny new snowplow building in Centreville. None of the governments had the money, they all put it on their credit cards, each going into debt to pay for this. I like having roads snowplowed as much as the next person, but since our council can’t anticipate the extreme conditions that climate change will bring, they must take steps to be prepared. Providing the money to equip fi re halls with proper

backup power generators is a sound investment, and yet it continues to be ignored.

If you agree that we need to make our communities more resilient to these challenges I also suggest you patronize local businesses. These are the basic building blocks for a strong community.

And if you are inspired to shop locally, think about supporting local agriculture as well. Much of that lovely produce you see in stores right now comes from California, which is in the grip of a brutal drought. Purchasing from local farmers helps make us more independent in terms of our food production.

A hundred years ago, people in Stone Mills relied on their neighbors for pretty much everything. Today most of us rely on people outside of our community for pretty much everything. Heat, electricity, food, you name it, it comes from outside. A community that begins to move towards relying on each other is going to be much more resilient as we face the challenges of the future.

Cam Mather and his wife Michelle run a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) providing members with a basket of organic fruits and vegetables each week during the growing season. Visit their website: www.sunfl owerfarm.ca and follow Cam on his blog at www.cammather.com

MilestonesBy Jordan Balson, Grade 12, Napanee District Secondary School

This month’s issue marks a very special anniversary for the Scoop; ten years of

publication. I haven’t been writing here for that long, just shy of two years, but I still can’t help but get a little nostalgic at the thought of a great little community newspaper surviving and thriving even as the world around it changes. As ideas and the news are increasingly posted on Tweets and on Facebook walls, and as computers have been slowly

phasing out newspapers, it’s nice to think that the Scoop is still going. It has reached a milestone, really—and what always gets me through stressful times is the thought of milestones. That’s something all teens can relate to; no matter how hard our job is or how painful the homework, there’s always the promise of the future to hold on to. And when we think about our high school experience, we know that there will be many anniversaries

and amazing memories, so many milestones to remember.

Something that a lot of my peers are looking forward to is graduation. Graduation is more than just a ceremony to a lot of people – it’s the chance to stand out, the last chance to say goodbye to all your peers; some people have known each other since junior kindergarten! It’s a last hooray with the people that have been a part of our life for so long

and it’s a chance to have fun. The prom dance and the other things accompanying graduation events will provide us with an opportunity to be social with all our high school friends. Graduation marks the end of one part of our life, one part of our education. Before we go off to whatever postsecondary options we’ve chosen, we have the summer to do as we see fi t. Whether that’s working, having fun or becoming involved, it’s always nice to think that there won’t be any homework.

Memories of all the amazing friends we made in high school will be something that we’ll carry with us into our adult life. Some of these friendships will last for a long time and some friends will accompany us to the next milestones of our life: getting our fi rst apartment, adjusting to life away from home, meeting the special person who we will share our life with – there’s so much in store for us!

Graduation is a milestone in your life because you’re saying goodbye to one part of your life but it also opens the door to the next part of your life. With all of the options in store for us, the world is at our fi ngertips. And the best part is that it’s all up to us to decide! We can do or be anything if we put enough eff ort into it; and by deciding our future, we’re taking

a great big leap and ensuring that we will be amazing.

So whenever you’re stressed or confused, just take a moment, be nostalgic and think of all the milestones you’ve already reached and the ones you can to look forward to. The future holds so much promise and is bound to be one incredible ride!

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Limb-itations!By Alyce Gorter

The huge basswood had been a part of my family’s front yard landscape for many decades.

Crows had shouted countless taunts from its towering tip; robins and red-winged blackbirds had announced spring’s arrival from out-reaching branches; kingfi shers dove from limbs stretched over the pond to catch the unsuspecting minnows below while orioles had suspended their horse-hair pouches from its heights. Chipmunks, squirrels, and raccoons had found sanctuary within its depths. But time and the elements had taken their toll. Each new gale or mighty freeze would bring another wooden missile hurtling to the ground. It was a tough decision to reach but that tree had to come down.

I had taken a Cutter course —a competency-based training regarding proper use of a chainsaw. What that actually meant is that I had performed a series of exercises in a controlled environment under the watchful eye of a trainer. I now had a “license” and a chainsaw. But just as getting a driver’s license and a car doesn’t give anyone the skill set of Danica Patrick or Mario Andretti, I still had much to learn about tree-cutting. Fortunately, I was blessed with enough good sense to know when a tree was too big or too diffi cult for me to tackle. Unfortunately, I was cursed with too much pride to let good sense stop me.

My weapon of choice was a much-loved Poulan with a 14” bar. I know that many true cutters will stop reading and say, “That’s enough of that nonsense” and head off to the garage to sharpen the chain on their 18” or 20” Stihl. So be it, they can write their own stories.

The tree stood stiff and straight, like an old veteran at The Last Post. I planned the Final Act: notch the tree on the east side, cut in from the west and the tree will fall ponderously into the wide-open fi eld to the east. I walked sadly but triumphantly out with my trusty 14” Poulan. The fi rst two steps went smoothly enough despite my always present fear in such cases that the whole tree is so rotten that it will tumble onto me without warning no matter how correctly I notch or back-cut. But there was no shudder, no sway, not even a perceptible leaning! I cut a bigger notch; a deeper back-cut then turned the back-cut into a notch! The slice in the trunk now looked like a smirk—both sides. I reassessed the situation and discovered what must have happened: the three neighbouring basswoods, upon hearing the whine of my chainsaw and sensing impending danger, had immediately reached out to one another and linked branches to support whichever one was being

attacked. Now what? I couldn’t trim branches and release my victim for a number of reasons: One, they were all out of reach of even our tallest ladders. Two, trimming branches could result in an unscheduled fall of either the tree or me. Three, I am afraid of heights!

I can’t remember why my neighbour had left his spray bottle here and I can’t remember why this seemed to be the only available container but I fi lled it full of old oil and liberally soaked the notched area and up and down the trunk. I would now light this area on fi re with my BBQ lighter. The oil-saturated wood would blaze away, weaken the entire structure and bring this eyesore submissively to the ground. I backed away to a safe distance to watch the inferno. Not a fl icker. Not a spark.

With an armful of kindling and a jug full of oil I faced the challenge anew. The kindling was crammed into every cut in that tree trunk. Copious amounts of oil were sloshed over the kindling and, because success was now assured, I shoved the spray bottle full of oil as far into the hole as I could get it and left it there since I wouldn’t need it again. I had upped my arsenal power with a propane fl ame-thrower. I twisted the nozzle to full open, clicked the trigger and aimed. There was a small fi re of very brief duration that quickly settled into a smudge.

The tree was ancient and most of its interior had disappeared. This now proved to be a perfect chimney for the smouldering mess below. Dark, grey smoke billowed steadily out of the broken peak 50’ into the air. The hydro man, having chosen that opportune time to check the meter, tried to process the scene in his mind. Finally he looked at me. “Trying to smoke out raccoons?”’ he asked. Was it better for my image to let him think that or to tell him the truth?

By now it had become a personal matter – woman against tree. I hooked a variety of ropes and chains to the tractor allowing for enough length to go around the tree and still let me get far enough away to escape (I hope) the heaviest branch when the whole thing came down. And DOWN indeed it came! Not to the east in the open fi eld as originally planned but to the west smashing the fence and embedding itself in the paddock. It’s now several years later and its main trunk still lies propped against its base where it fell, as mute testimony to who really won that battle.

There is another basswood tree right next to this one that needs to come down. Nuff said!

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ANNOUNCING THE OPENING OF SHARBOT LAKE FARMERS MARKET’S 2015 SEASON ON

MAY 16!Following tradition, the Market will hold its Annual Plant Sale on May

16 with seeds, seedlings, and bulbs. New farm vendors have been added this year, off ering more frozen meats

(including goat meat), produce, and other new products. Almost

all of your favourite vendors will be returning to off er farm-fresh produce

in season, fair-trade organic coff ee, baked goods, maple syrup, frozen meats, local crafts, and more. The Summer Market will run Victoria

Day Weekend through Thanksgiving Weekend, Saturdays 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at

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Lessons LearnedBy Blair McDonald

As I write this column from Kamloops, I realize that Canada’s warm western

winters are its best-kept secret. Why this is not featured in all of its promotional material is beyond me. While friends and family have accused me of “sticking it” (a Seinfeld reference) when we discuss the weather and what not, it’s diffi cult not to brag when golf courses are open for business in the last week of February. But nonetheless, seasons change, spring is around the corner everywhere; I guess we just got a head start.

For the past two years I’ve had the pleasure of being involved with the Kamloops Film Festival. It’s a unique event for the city (now in its 19th year) that brings in a host of national and international fi lms that often don’t have the opportunity to be seen at your local Cineplex. In addition to these fi lms, we also host a local short fi lm festival. We ask fi lmmakers of all ages from the Kamloops area to submit fi ve-minute fi lms about anything they wish and we award cash prizes of up to $500 for the best fi lms and audience favourites.

This year we had 17 participants with fi lmmakers ranging in age from 11 to 65. There were music videos, short documentaries about oil pipelines, horror comedies, dramatic stories about teenage relationships and even a short by a 17 year old pilot about her experience fl ying around Kamloops. All in all, these

fi lms made for a diff erent kind of movie-going experience. While a lot of the conversation after the screenings was about the talent of various people in comparison to some of the other ‘weaker’ fi lms, what made me appreciate this local event was the simple fact that, for once, we all got to see Kamloops, in various capacities, on the big screen. It reminded me of the line in Lorde’s brilliant song “Team”, when she sings: “We live in cities you’ll never see on the screen” or her song “Royals” where she laments how “her torn-up town” has “no post code envy.”

So much of our movie-going experience, especially, for those that don’t live in the big cities, is about seeing life unfold elsewhere over and over again. Isn’t it about time that we project the people, places and surroundings that we live and breathe up on the big screen? For me, the simple joy of seeing the places where we live and work is the reason these fi lms (regardless of how ‘unprofessional’ or ‘naïve’ they may happen to be) matter.

In the age of mass media, how often we forget that the stories that should matter are the ones we create about the people and places that give our life meaning. For all its power of magic, mystery and imagination, Hollywood will always have an attractive story about life happening somewhere (more glamorous, exciting, dramatic, beautiful etc.). But for those of us that don’t live where there is something always happening, let’s not forget about our capacity to tell stories about the places we live. These are the stories that Hollywood can never tell.

A Time of New Beginnings By Lena Koch

Smoke is still coming from the chimneys of the houses in Yarker but a mild wind has

set in during the last two weeks; the piles of heavy snow have started to slowly melt away. It doesn’t look pretty and white anymore to the human eye but the animals don’t care. After so many months of searching for food and relying on human generosity, they are out foraging on their own again.

Winter in southern Ontario set in late; children were disappointed with the green Christmas and the real cold temperatures didn’t arrive until close to Groundhog Day. More than fi ve weeks of frigid cold weather sent South-eastern Ontario into a deep freeze that will be remembered in years to come. The Waterfall almost froze over and the Napanee River only had a few open patches where the rapids angrily resisted the encroaching ice.

Well, it’s over now. The bitter cold wind has given way to a milder wind. Flocks of Canada Geese are returning from the south and their honking melodies sound wonderful to our ears. The village fox has been spotted by hikers roaming around the area looking for food to bring home to the pups in her den. Cats are getting frisky after being confi ned in the house all winter and they ignore the dangerous call of the wild. Mrs. Fox is counting on that and keeps her eye on houses where she knows little kittens are growing up.

The days are getting longer and our clocks have changed back and as the sun goes down and paints the bright blue sky a dark purple, the coyotes start to howl in the distance. The mating season has started for most

animals; raccoons, squirrels and so many other furry creatures have to protect their youngsters from the sharp teeth of their predators.

Soon the blue heron will be back to prepare her nest on the little patch of land within the Napanee River, which she often uses to breed her youngsters. Otters come up the river to play in the open water where the warm wind has already broken up the ice. The beavers are coming out of their winter house and soon they will teach their young how to repair their lodge and how to survive life on the river.

The wind is picking up over night and it’s starting to rain. March winds howl through the valley and clear away winter debris; the world is melting. Soon we will see the fi rst snowdrops emerge through the old snow and tree buds will swell ready to burst open as spring makes its dramatic entrance. A new beginning has started.

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Power to the PeopleBy Steven Moore

What do Burlington, Flamborough, Fort Erie, Lindsay, Longhurst,

Melancthon, Pine Point, Port Dover, Seagrave, Wainfl eet, Timiskaming, and Whitchurch-Stouff ville have in common with Stone Mills Township? They all produce community power: some wind, some biogas, some solar, or some hydroelectric.

These are locally – developed ventures that benefi t their communities with jobs, income, and the peace of mind that comes from self-suffi ciency. These communities are no longer completely reliant on large, increasingly unstable, transcontinental power grids.

In the Netherlands, 60 per cent of wind turbines are owned by farmers and 5 per cent are owned by communities; in Germany, 10 per cent are owned by farmers and 40 per cent are owned by communities; in Denmark, 64 per cent are owned by farmers and 24 per cent are owned by communities. Solar panels power 25% of the German economy and half are owned by individual citizens.

In Scotland, which produced enough renewable power this summer to run every home in their country, they paint and name their community turbines and solar installations because they understand the importance of local power. Compare that to our Canadian petro-state, where climate-change emissions, oil train crashes, and 19th-century plans to build pipelines are part of our communities.

Ontario is catching on to renewables, but we do them poorly. We have wind farms and solar farms in Ontario, multi-acre projects primarily developed by corporate outsiders that just annoy local residents and give renewables a bad name. This is because Ontario is trying to develop renewable power with the same mindset as yesterday’s mega-scale nuclear and gas-fi red power plants – the Ontario Power Generation administrators and engineers just don’t get it.

Energy should be effi cient, but it should also be community owned and controlled.

It used to be. Steam-driven generators were powering mills and lighting a few Ontario communities in the 1880s. By 1890, most towns of

3,000 people or more had electricity provided by locally owned electric plants. Public sentiment was growing for low-cost power and for choice over who would provide it. Communities, private developers, and the Province of Ontario all joined the battle over how to supply electricity to communities.

That battle hinged on two very diff erent ways to distribute electricity. Direct current (DC) is what wind turbines, solar panels, and water turbines produce. It is very easy to store (think of the batteries in your fl ashlight) but, until recently, hard to distribute over long distances. Alternating current (AC), on the other hand, is what nuclear, gas, oil, and coal-fi red power plants produce. But it has severe drawbacks. AC electricity cannot be stored, so momentary generation must always be enough to meet demand. It is easier to distribute than DC using our 20th-century grid but, when transmitted over long distances, there is still a loss of power in the form of heat called Line Losses.

If you dug up Alexander Graham Bell, he would not recognize modern communication devices. He would be astounded at the capabilities of cell phones and computers. If you dug up Thomas Edison, he would recognize every single component of our electrical system. We use the same power lines, substations, capacitors, and generators that he did. Our electrical system is not only stagnant, but the big brains that created it made a crucial mistake that has taken us down the wrong path.

After Edison developed the fi rst practical incandescent light bulb in 1879, his plan was to build hydroelectric plants to generate locally owned DC power in cities across the United States. To solve DC’s drawbacks, Edison hired a 28-year-old Serbian mathematician and engineer called Nikola Tesla.

Tesla went in the other direction; he invented a motor that ran on AC and patented an improved transformer, and Edison recognized Tesla’s ideas as “splendid” but “utterly impractical.”

Shortly after Tesla left Edison in 1885, George Westinghouse, who had money and the ambition to make lots more, bought some of Tesla’s patents to commercialize AC

power. Edison immediately recognized the threat to his business. Although opposed to capital punishment, Edison invented the electric chair to demonstrate the danger of AC power and to put an end to Westinghouse’s threat.

Alas, Edison lost in the end. That’s why we have several huge AC generating stations, many of them sitting idle until demand starts them up, along with power line corridors running all over the province, reducing land values, creating concern about the health eff ects of electromagnetic radiation, and killing birds.

Power lines, collisions, and electrocutions kill 25 million birds a year in Canada (www.cbc.ca/news/politics/9-leading-causes-of-bird-deaths-in-canada-1.1873654). Each hydro tower kills more birds than a wind turbine so, if you are a fan of birds, you should be in favour of local wind turbines, rather than hydro towers sending power many miles over dangerous high-voltage lines.

Ontario’s AC power is not that easy to bring to your home, and you pay hidden charges for it. Look at your Hydro bill, if you are unfortunate enough to have one. You pay a hefty delivery charge. You pay for the upkeep on our nuclear plants that produce much more expensive electricity than renewables do. You also pay a 10% surcharge for our previously mentioned Line Losses. You pay for the power that is produced at the plant, not the 90% that actually reaches you. This is like paying full price for that cord of wood you ordered, even though 10% fell off the truck before it got to you. Ontario Hydro, in their wisdom, decided last summer to hide this extra charge from you.

In exchange for electricity, money is sucked out of local communities. According to the Rocky Mountain Institute and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, in conventional energy systems, like that of Ontario, at least 75 cents of each energy dollar leaves the local economy.

Community renewable energy developments provide an excellent opportunity to help keep energy dollars in the community, create economic development, empower residents, cut pollution, reduce greenhouse gases, and address energy security concerns. According to the Iowa Policy Project (www.ontario-sea.org/Storage/21/1270_SmallPackagesBigBenefi ts.pdf), a locally owned renewable energy project generates 5-10 times the local economic benefi ts than conventional ownership models. From a solely economic perspective, every dollar invested by local community members results in a three-times multiplier within the community.

Through the Community Energy Partnerships Program (www.communityenergyprogram.ca/Home.aspx), community groups, including co-ops, non-profi t groups, and local partnerships are eligible for one-time fi nancial assistance of up to $200,000 for project planning costs, as well as environmental and engineering studies.

The Municipal Offi ces of Stone Mills Township installed 560 solar modules on two roofs and have earned an income of $100,000 each year for 2012, 2013, and 2014. This far-sighted project saves tax dollars for everyone living in Stone Mills, and the Township supports alternative forms of energy production as well as energy conservation from Township and individual initiatives.

There are many potential locations for community power that are unused, abandoned, or already degraded that won’t interfere with anyone’s privacy or view. Our communities are remarkable for their talent, their cooperation, and their willingness to work together. We have local food, local shopping, local service clubs, local sports, why not local power?

It’s an idea worth discussing.

Stay tuned for Part 2: How You Can Benefi t from Community Power.

Steven Moore teaches Sustainability, Environmental Policy, and Ecological Economics at Queen’s University.

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a Natural ViewLearning to Live With Our Backyard WildlifeBy Terry Sprague

There is a village not far from where I live that boasts a large mill pond. Now, one

would think that would be a bonus, especially to anyone wishing to locate along its banks. However, the presence of this large pond resulted in some amusing phone calls to my offi ce when I used to work for a conservation authority in Picton. On one memorable day, I could almost feel the spittle through the earpiece on my phone when one new resident wanted our agency to do something – today – about those bullfrogs that kept him awake all night at his new home. Another one wanted me to pick up the geese that were defecating on his lawn, refusing to accept my suggestion that it was his lawn being mowed to the water’s edge that was providing a grassed runway for them. Unconvinced, he steadfastly maintained that if the geese were picked up and released somewhere far enough away, this would be the end of his problem.

I once received an e-mail from someone who had a raccoon problem. Raccoons were getting into his garbage every night and he asked what could be done to prevent this from continuing. I searched within the e-mail for something in the message I had surely missed, but ended up stating, quite simply, to either keep the garbage in a raccoon proof receptacle, or not put it out at the curb at all until morning. I never heard another word, and I am sure that this is not the answer this person was expecting to hear. The sender of the e-mail likely expected someone on a white horse to come riding in, scoop up the raccoon, and that would be the end of the problem, forever.

There has always been a perception that backyard wildlife is the enemy and it must be eliminated. This is fueled by old wives tales about fi shers pounding down cabin doors, raccoons smashing through solid walls, bats seeking out the women’s long hair, and porcupines shooting quills with the accuracy of frontiersman Davy Crockett and his legendary rifl e, Old Betsy. We are

a very gullible species if we believe such drivel.

It seems unbelievable, but there are still property owners living in the dark ages who employ the use of poisons to achieve what they perceive to be success. This not only puts unintended targets, like cats and dogs and scavengers at risk, but fails to achieve its purported goal. Needless to say, using poisons like antifreeze constitutes cruelty to animals. It’s a slow, incredibly painful death. After ingesting the toxic substance the symptoms for poisoning follow a three step progression starting with intoxication and vomiting, before causing metabolic acidosis, cardiovascular dysfunction, and fi nally acute kidney failure.

The secret to animal control is to know how to dissuade any so-called unwanted animal from behaving in a way that makes them a nuisance. Nothing in backyards needs to be shot, or poisoned with antifreeze, or tortured as some enjoy doing, wringing their hands in ecstasy. The concept has worked well for us at our home for almost forty years and we continue to enjoy a manageable population of wildlife that includes squirrels, raccoons, skunks, cottontail rabbits and one lonely chipmunk, all of whom have created no issues in our backyard. They are simply passing through.

For us, they are entertainment, and the reason they cause no problems is something called responsibility, a word that is no longer as fashionable as it was in earlier times. Responsible by ensuring cavities are sealed to prevent raccoons from taking up residence, garbage is placed at the roadside in the morning after nocturnal animals have retired, feeders are designed to thwart the eff orts of squirrels, small holes are covered to prevent starlings from nesting, and barbeque areas are kept clean to prevent visits from coyotes.

If a so-called “nuisance animal” is removed, either through lethal

means or live trapping, another of its kind will soon move in. It is the way nature works. To enjoy success, we need to manage one or more of their four basic requirements – food, water, shelter (where

they will live) and space (amount of territory). We must learn to work within those parameters to discourage those animals we prefer not to have on our properties or, conversely, encourage those that we want. Most of us already know that in order to discourage starlings from monopolizing the suet we place out for chickadees, we must use feeders that are diffi cult for starlings to access. We put guards on feeder poles to prevent squirrels from reaching them. It is a matter of trial and error; we have to become familiar with the animal’s needs and abilities and use them as the key tool in achieving success. We may not always succeed in managing our backyard wildlife completely, but we can certainly employ ways to prevent them from being as much of a nuisance while they are here. To use a popular phrase, “It’s a no-brainer.”

This concept of wildlife management is one I learned back in Grade 5 in a one room school from a teacher who was way ahead of her time. It is the same principal upon which sound wildlife management is still based today.

Remember the two or three squirrels you may have had at your bird feeder one winter? You decided to live trap them, release them in another area, and at the end of the winter, you realize that you have live trapped 55 squirrels, and were still going strong. Removal of so-called “nuisance” animals rarely works, as Nature refuses to let it work. Wildlife is constantly on the move, inhabiting new territory as it becomes available. Removal does nothing more than accelerate the

process, as in Nature, there shall be no void, if food and water, space and shelter, are all available. Yet, some homeowners continue to live trap, falsely believing that this is the end to their problems. Meanwhile, residents elsewhere are bombarded by a growing number of groundhogs, raccoons, skunks and foxes, all thoughtfully being delivered by urbanites who feel that wildlife does not fi t into their style of living.

Actually, live trapping is not the humane alternative that it is purported to be. Live trapping is actually a cruel and heartless alternative. As you step on the accelerator and watch the animal disappear in your rear view mirror, confi dent that you have acted humanely, the practice causes great stress to the released animal. It must now fi nd food, water and shelter in unfamiliar territory. There will undoubtedly be territorial disputes between the released animal and resident animals that can lead to injury and often death. Relocated animals may also introduce diseases into the resident population, therefore causing other animals to suff er or die. In addition to leaving behind scores of starving and unattended young, these animals are being unceremoniously dumped in an area already claimed by others of their species, and the outcome is not pretty.

It is such an easy process to work with wildlife, instead of against it. I am surprised that so many homeowners refuse to catch on. It’s a learning experience, but one that doesn’t require any more eff ort than learning about the habits of the wildlife that have chosen our backyard to visit. Furthermore, you don’t need to buy a live trap, a jug of antifreeze, or feed them dark chocolate or pine oil to get results.

For more information on birding and nature, check out the NatureStuff website at www.naturestuff .net.

Terry Sprague lives in Prince Edward County and is self-employed as a professional interpretive naturalist.

Backyard raccoons. Photo by Susan Shipman.

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Garden Centre opens May 1st

Stop in and check out our amazing selection of trees, shrubs, pond plants, tropicals, annuals, and perennials!

Napanee Home Hardware Building Centre199 Jim Kimmett Blvd. (613) 354 - 3315

The Fight to Save Ostrander PointBy Myrna Wood and Cheryl Anderson

Did you know that the Evening Grosbeak appearing at your bird feeder in the fall is one

of Canada’s declining species? Its population has gone down 78% in the last 40 years. Some other bird species in decline include our iconic Canada Warbler (80%), Rusty Blackbird (90%), Olive-sided Flycatcher (79%), and Bay-breasted Warbler (70%). Last September, the World Wildlife Fund reported that world animal populations (of fi sh, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles) fell overall by 52 per cent between 1970 and 2010, far faster than previously thought.

The root cause of these decimations is simple – loss of habitat. This loss of habitat and the species they support is a crisis for our planet, superseded only by the projections of even worse decimations caused by climate change. Not only do we humans urgently need to stop the use of fossil fuels, we also need to move to conserve the habitats of our remaining wildlife.

In order to stop fossil fuel use, we must implement conservation by investing in retrofi tting all 19th-20th century technology in our buildings and vehicles, and begin to build alternative sources of power. It is imperative that these new developments be built in areas removed from nature in order to preserve the scarce wildlife lands that remain. New developments should not be sited on land that functions as signifi cant habitat for wild species.

Our undeveloped wild places play a vital role in mitigating the eff ects of climate change. Forests and wetlands sequester carbon keeping it out of the atmosphere, while tall grass prairies actually remove carbon from it. Wetlands prevent fl ooding and erosion and replenish our aquifers. Alvars and other seasonal wetland habitats fi lter contaminants, keeping them out of our streams and lakes. What allows these invaluable habitats to mitigate climate change are the wild species they support. Without these wild species, they will no longer function. Eventually, they will cease to exist at all.

These facts are the inspiration for the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists’ (PECFN) fi ght to Save Ostrander Point from wind turbine development. Ostrander Point is located on Crown land along the north shore of Lake Ontario about 15 km south of Picton, and is a narrow point of land that extends approximately 10 km into the lake. This designated Important Bird Area, along with Amherst and Wolfe Islands, is the fi rst resting place for migrating birds in the spring and the fi nal feeding and preparing place for their take off in the fall. These sanctuaries provide much needed fuel for weary avian travellers on their way to and from their breeding grounds in the boreal forest. As they arrive and take off , their fl ight paths are directly at the height of deadly wind turbine blades.

Over two years ago, PECFN appealed the Ministry of the Environment’s decision to approve the Ostrander Point Industrial Wind Turbine Project. If successful, the components of this project would include nine 2.5 megawatt wind turbine generators, an access road, transformer substation and underground electrical collector system. And, as they say, a lot of water has gone under the bridge – or through the wetland – since then. We based our case before the Environmental Review Tribunal on serious and irreversible harm to plant life, animal life, and the natural environment at Ostrander Point. Environment Canada, Ontario Nature, Nature Canada, Bird Life International, Audubon Society, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and the Suzuki Foundation all joined us in declaring that Ostrander point was the worst site for wind turbine development. Not only is Ostrander Point in a major migratory pathway, it is the home of several endangered species, notably the Blanding’s Turtle and the Eastern Whip-poor-will, and is composed of imperilled Alvar habitat and provincially signifi cant wetlands.

In December, after winning at the Tribunal level and losing the power corporation’s appeal to the Divisional Court, PECFN was back in court again at the Appeal Court of Ontario. The lawyers battled it out

for two days and now we wait for the fi nal decision.

Unfortunately, a similar fi ght is being waged on Amherst Island. We know that the average bird kill per wind turbine at Wolfe Island is about four times that of other turbine installations in North America. The reason for that excessively high number is that the eastern end of Lake Ontario is a major migratory pathway. We believe that it is the worst possible area for wind turbine development.

These legal fi ghts are extremely expensive. We could not have

done any of this without help from our friends. Money has poured in from across Canada to help us pay the legal bills from this fi ght. It is clear that many people agree that Ostrander Point must be saved from development.

PECFN continues to raise funds and gather data. On April 25, the third annual Gala Dinner and Art Auction will be held in Picton. On June 20-21, a 24 hour “Bioblitz” will engage the public in a species listing activity in the PEC South Shore Important Bird Area. For more information about these and other activities go to www.saveostranderpoint.org

An endangered Blanding’s Turtle, found at Ostrander Point. Photo by Joe Crowley.

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GREATER NAPANEE RIVERFRONT FESTIVAL

June 12—14, 2015

Conservation Park, Napanee River Antique & Classic Boat Show

Canoe & Kayak Races

Multi-cultural Music & Dance Entertainment

Arts, Crafts and Food Vendors Market

Community Breakfast

Boat Safety & Water Demonstrations

Children Events & Activities

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TAMWORTH & DISTRICTLIONS CLUB

Th�� Y��To everyone who attended

our fundraisers over the years to support our

community initiatives.

2015 E��nt�

August 16Fish Fry &

Corn Roast With the Land O’

Lakes Cruisers

April 18, May 9, November 28 Lions Club

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BBQAll proceeds

to Canada Day Committee

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In support of the Lennox &

Addington Hospital and SightFirst

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& E-Waste Collection9 a.m. - 12 p.m.,

Tamworth Arena

Christmas Baskets

July 11Kids Fishing

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Live Long and Prosper: 10th Anniversary of The ScoopBy J. Huntress

“Let’s not underestimate the power of their contributions (…those who came before us and who left behind progeny…) and let us continue to be inspired by their lives and by their accomplishments.” A. Jouris Saxe, Editor, Scoop Editorial, Oct. 2005

“There’s a wealth of local history in this stack of Scoops,” I remarked to my

husband as we reminisced about our time living in the village by looking through an eight-year old pile of community papers dating from 2007. The stories revived many memories. We smiled at funny articles and were reminded of lasting friendships. By revisiting the large assortment of people through their visual and written portraits, we marvelled at their achievements and skills and sometimes by the wisdom they had acquired over many years of living.

I first met Scoop publisher Richard and editor Angela Saxe at a Tamworth Hay Day table in July 2007. I was collecting some Scoops to read, and after talking to them for a while I knew that I liked these people and would like to write for their newspaper. My first article was written some weeks later; it described a tiny St. Joseph statue that had been buried for luck and that I’d discovered in my front garden.

Since 2008 when I volunteered to write an article on the Tamworth Quilters (they meet regularly at the Library) I’ve had wonderful times and experiences on assignments and met many wonderful people. The editor sent me off to interview the most varied and interesting people living in the Stone Mills Township area; it has become a very fulfilling part of my life in Tamworth.

My favourite Scoops were the April Fool’s issues Richard Saxe published for a couple of years in 2010/2011: one contained a photograph

someone took near At Home Bread and Breakfast, showing a new subway car from Bombardier being transported to “The North” for a new subway line that was planned to run from Kaladar to Denbigh. I laughed at one of Richard’s early articles comparing Bill Vazan’s sculpture stones to artistic and religious work done in Easter lsland. I regularly enjoy the car travelogues, the Scoop Backroader —they are like Canadian versions of a Thelma and Louise’s trip. Angela Saxe wrote on the history of heirloom apples for this area and she described cider-pressing going on in our summer kitchen one fall day. I regularly read Mary Jo Field’s expert gardening advice and I really liked Barry Lovegrove’s in-depth interviews with some of the local people. The assignments I most enjoyed writing led to other things in my life: In 2008 I had an interview with Ada Young, quilt maker, at Adair Place before she moved to Kingston; our friendship continues and is based on her courage, her lovely quilts, and the help she gives to others.

I have learned much from Cora Reid of Enterprise, formerly with the Lennox & Addington County Archives; she generously shared her collection of pioneer journals and histories of the area with The Scoop, plus her recollections often helped me when I wrote about local history. I continue to value and describe the important community work

done by Marilyn McGrath, Lorraine Prue, Peg Campbellton and Kathee Hutcheon—the Christmas parade, the Hat /Fashion show/Teas, puppet and magic shows for children. Let us all hope they continue for the kids’ and their parents’ enjoyment. Survival in print means that publishers, editors, artists and writers share a vision, a sense of understanding for what the public wants to see. A friend of mine recently wrote about this Scoop’s Anniversary Issue, “It’s a great newspaper for a small place and it has really excellent and high class writing”. I would add “good photography” by Barry Lovegrove and Richard Saxe and compassionate editorials. This paper has meant much to my life here, as has my friendship with the three people who founded this paper—the validity and breadth of their vision for every issue amazes me. As Spock of Star Trek would say, “May this paper live long and prosper”.

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Holy Cow, Ten Years of The Scoop!

RICHaRD SaXe, FOuNDeR

In 2005, I went to the fi rst meeting of a new community group called The Boosters; this

group’s intention was to promote the communities in Stone Mills encouraging people to move to the area and to do business in the township. During the lively meeting comments were aired lamenting the absence of a print vehicle that promoted life within our community.

Well, I stood up and off ered to launch such a project. I had the experience having published a national trade magazine for the kitchen & bath industry as well as Complete Health Magazine for the local complementary health community. The infrastructure was in place, so it seemed like a natural and fun fi t. The Scoop was born out of that meeting but it became more than just a vehicle to promote the area, it became the glue that bound life in our rural area.

Barry Lovegrove was very willing to act as a Roving Reporter and, with his enthusiasm and outgoing personality, he started to interview and photograph folks in Stone Mills and beyond. The Scoop featured a bit of local history and local events, but it really was a lot like a rural People Magazine. It was a load of fun and I couldn’t have done it without Barry.

I really enjoyed designing The Scoop: I have always been a fan of the large tabloid format so I went with that and because I appreciate good photography the covers featured a large colour photograph mostly of people but occasionally of animals or birds. Right from the outset I decided that there wouldn’t be any advertising on the cover and that it would be free.

My wife Angela had worked as the Editor for Complete Health and she immediately signed on to edit The Scoop. She worked with all our contributing writers and she kept my irreverent tendencies somewhat in check. It was our policy never to skewer politicians or public fi gures. They did it to themselves without our input.

Professor Ted Bond off ered to write a philosophical column and was comfortable with my title, Blah Blah

Blah. We had a regular Room for Rant and a Walk on the Wild Side piece that eventually morphed into Terry Sprague’s terrifi c A Natural View column. The humorous HoroScoop appeared for many years and it was often the column people read fi rst.

Indeed we had fun with The Scoop: Our April Fool’s issues proposed building the world’s largest beaver for Beaver Lake (still a good idea next to the old Erinsville station). We told our readers about the subway that was going to go through Tamworth and we had a fantastic picture of the largest crappie ever landed – it fi lled a boat.

People responded enthusiastically to The Scoop. They’d stop me in the street and tell me how much they enjoyed reading it – it made them laugh and they learned a lot about their neighbours. But a few years ago it became apparent to me that I had too much on my plate. I sold all three publications but to be honest, of the three The Scoop is the one I am most proud. It was never a get-rich-quick-scheme; it was a real labour of love.

BaRRY lOVegROVe, THe SCOOP’S FIRST ROVINg RePORTeR

Where did that last ten years go? It seems like yesterday that I received a

phone call from Richard Saxe asking if I would like to help out with a new local news magazine that was to be named The Scoop. Of course I said yes to his request and the next thing I knew he had given me the title of “Scoop’s Roving Reporter”.

My time with The Scoop has brought me many blessings: I’ve made many new friends, gone to places I might never have gone and shared many cups of coff ee around kitchen tables. I even spent a day with our local Stone Mills snow removal and roads department. People have said to me, “I don’t know why you want to talk to me. I have nothing to say.” Two hours later and three cups of coff ee the conversation continued on.

Back in October 2006 I interviewed Mary Burns, a schoolteacher to so many people in this area. Here’s one of her stories: She told me that back in 1934 she approached the school trustees for a pay increase of $50 per year. At that time she was making $600 a year for fi ve days of work.

She said they argued and argued till it was almost dark. Then one of the trustees said that they should settle the matter by fl ipping a coin and whichever way it lands would be their decision. “Well it dropped in my favour and I got the $50.00 a year increase.” There have been many stories such as Mary’s.

I learned a lot of local history from folks who have lived it. I would hate to think of how many photos I have taken over The Scoop Years. Richard and I would sit down in my home offi ce before each edition of The Scoop went to press and look through hundreds of photos deciding which ones would best tell the story and which one was a possible cover shot.

I took The Scoop very personally; I was interested in capturing the essence of each person that I interviewed, telling their stories in their words not mine. I have chatted with farmers, hunters, carpenters, artists of all types, painters, musicians, sculptors wood-turners, printers, dancers, wool makers, quilters, fi shermen, boys and girls, men and women of all ages, the list goes on and on.

Having said all of that I decided a little while ago to hang up my Scoop Hat. A lot of you have told me how much you enjoy The Scoop and now I look forward to it arriving in my mailbox every second month. I’ll just sit back and enjoy the ongoing stories and tales that are yet to be told. It’s has been a very hard decision to leave the Scoop but knowing me, I will probably throw in the odd story now and then – God willing.

I would like to say Thanks to all of you that have let me into your places of work, homes, lives, and your hearts. It has been as I said earlier a blessing, a true journey, one that I will never forget. Thank you, Thank you. Thank You…

KaReN NORDRuM, PuBlISHeR

When my family fi rst moved to the Tamworth area, we picked up The Scoop and

loved it. We found it to be a great resource and used it to fi nd local businesses. We loved the profi les on people in the community, and it gave us insight into what was happening in this part of Ontario.

When I became publisher in the fall of 2011, I had a vision of seeing the

paper grow. Now, 3-1/2 years later, The Scoop has an online presence through its website and Facebook page, reaching a much greater audience and off ering advertisers a wider market. We’ve increased circulation, and mail and drop off copies as far as Amherst Island to the south, and Cloyne to the north. We have a regular Kids & Parents section, and I’ve heard fi rsthand from avid fans of our Puzzle Page! At the same time, I think we’ve managed to stay true to the paper’s initial mission: to celebrate rural people and their rural lifestyle.

As publisher of The Scoop, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed contributing to the community, making new friends, and building valuable business relationships within Stone Mills and beyond. I love hearing from our readers, contributors, and advertisers – your ideas and comments are always welcome. It’s been a rewarding 3-1/2 years, and I hope old and new readers continue to enjoy our little newspaper for many more years to come.

10YE

AR

S

2005-2015

Cover of the fi rst Scoop issue, April/May 2005.

The SCOOP is looking for writers and

photographers!are you a community-minded

person who loves to

write or take photos?

Well then join our team and

have fun making The Scoop

the best little news

magazine in the area!

Contact Karen Nordrum: [email protected]

Barry Lovegrove, Angela Saxe, and Richard Saxe. Photo by Barry Lovegrove.

Karen Nordrum. Photo by Barry Lovegrove.


To Feed Or Not To FeedBy Leah Birmingham

After our second extremely cold winter, the question: Should we feed wildlife?

Is a hot topic in the naturalist/wildlife rehab community. There are reasonable arguments on both sides of the debate. I agree with municipalities lifting the wildlife feeding bylaws during extreme weather or during natural disaster situations. That being said, I disagree with feeding wildlife during normal inclement weather because they are often fed inappropriate food, and can become nuisance or “problem” animals when the food source is withdrawn. It often leaves the wild animal at a disadvantage over time, and can create many scenarios where they suff er in the future.

During the past two winters the Great Lakes and other waterways have frozen over in a manner that has not been witnessed since the late 1970s. Both winters were rough for many water birds that do not typically migrate, except to the closest open water with a food source. Sandy Pines saw an increase in these types of ducks during the deep freeze. People were reporting dead or dying ducks found in strange areas, or literally falling out of the sky. Most of those birds were emaciated, and had been starving for a while before they were brought to Sandy Pines. Apart from the usual Mallards, and Canadian Geese there were other species as well, such as Grebes and Mergansers. Many of them are fi sh or insect eating birds, and with the lakes completely frozen they lost their hunting grounds and had to fl y in search of open water with a good supply of fi sh. For those species the only way to help them is by taking them to a rehab centre that is able to care for them until the ice starts to thaw and the hunting grounds return. They generally will not eat grains or greens, so feeding them at the shoreline isn’t possible.

The number of swans, geese, Mallards and other ducks, (that will eat grain), were admitted in lower numbers this winter. The deep freeze started later which was a blessing because these birds didn’t have to go as long without food. The large die-off that occurred last winter may also account for lower

admissions this year. But it is hard to deny that having concerned people more in tune with the struggles of water birds after last year, and intervening with feed before they starved to death, accounts for some of them not needing to be admitted into the wildlife centre for intensive care.

Even with the new wildlife hospital, Sandy Pines is still over run with water birds. Every cage in the water bird room is full; the barn is housing swans that have recovered enough to be housed outside with limited heat. Some of our other aviaries have Mallards that have recovered and are just waiting for more open water to be released.

The water bird room is full of birds that have poor waterproofi ng, need to be fed frequently or are too emaciated to withstand the cold nights. They are in the wildlife spa – housed in clean cages while providing them with frequent swims. This means one person spends the whole day fi lling pools and cleaning cages. To protect their waterproofi ng it is important that they are not swimming in, or sitting in cages that have been defecated in. Currently there are several Mergansers, Long Tailed Ducks, Red Throated Grebes, a Horned Grebe, a Red-Headed Duck, a Red Throated Loon, and one Lesser Scaup. They each need to be handled separately to reduce disease transmission, which means a set of latex gloves designated for each. We cannot handle them with our hands as that further destroys their waterproofi ng. In their cage they have a dish of super worms, and cut up pieces of smelt. They get fed during their bath time as well, because some prefer to eat in the water. We have a steady supply of minnows donated by Bridgewater Baits in Flinton, that go mainly to the Loon, but occasionally the Grebes get them as a treat. Water birds have very smelly feces, and they seem to produce a lot of it! I literally spent 12 hours in that room cleaning cages, changing water, bathing them, feeding them and then doing loads of laundry since we use towels under the newspapers– that’s a pretty good work out!

Thankfully we only have twelve

swans currently in care, last year we had over twenty-fi ve. Some people may assume that the birds would migrate if people didn’t feed them, especially throughout the late summer and fall. However, migration is much more complex than a food source. Factors such as declining light and changing temperatures are also involved with migration, and that doesn’t change even with people feeding them. True migratory birds will move regardless of a food source, if they are physically capable.

Filling birdfeeders during the summer and early fall creates problems. At that time of year food sources are ample for wild birds. Bird feeders in those months tend to attract raccoons, squirrels and if you live in bear country...even bear. Domestic cats that are allowed outside will take advantage of the ample hunting grounds around bird feeders, so by creating a feeding station for the birds you are also creating a feeding station for their predators.

Another scenario that can lead to nuisance wildlife issues is food left out for feral cats. Many of the people that call us for advice on foxes, raccoons, skunks and coyotes hanging around their homes often reveal that a neighbour is leaving food out for the local homeless cats. I encourage them to only feed the cats during the day time, and bring the food source in at night when wildlife are more likely to

take advantage of the easy food source. Wild animals spend the majority of their time in search of food, if a food source was previously available and no longer is, they move on quickly. The only exceptions would be raccoons and bears that hold out hope that the food source will return. Eventually they too will move on.

Feeding wildlife is not advisable since people often feed them inappropriate foods: bread (especially if it’s moldy), crackers, chips, and popcorn are not appropriate and can lead to nutritional diseases and malformations. Instead feed grains like whole oats, barley, millet, cracked corn, and whole corn. Some will also eat greens like lettuces, and sprouts.

When it comes to deciding whether or not to feed wildlife – do the research. Find the right food items, and whether or not it will benefi t the animal in the long term. With the current state of our environment, rate of species extinction, and our existing government’s blatant disregard for protecting threatened species, I believe wildlife can use all the help we can give them when they are facing extreme weather conditions.

Leah Birmingham is the Assistant Director at SPWC. You can contact Sandy Pines at [email protected] and visit their website at sandypineswildlife.org.

Lesser Scaup in the water bird room at Sandy Pines. Photo courtesy SPWC.

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Local Naturalist Terry Sprague Retires:Let the Celebrations Begin!By Lillian Bufton

Terry Sprague is an author, columnist, naturalist, broadcaster, and retired

farmer. His interest in nature started at an early age and he has spent almost forty years working as a naturalist. Over his long career, he has introduced scores of people to the joys and mysteries of the natural world through weekly newspaper articles, presentations, tours, and hikes.

Growing up on the family farm at Big Island, twelve miles north of Picton on the shore of the beautiful Bay of Quinte in Prince Edward County, Terry was always interested in the natural world around him. During his elementary school days at the small one-room school he attended on Big Island, he received considerable encouragement from the late Marie Foster, his teacher in Grades 6 through 8. Her home was a short distance from where he lived and through the years she was responsible for developing

his interest in birds. The late Phil Dodds, a former editor with the Picton Gazette, also a great nature enthusiast, suggested Terry undertake a nature column – a column he submitted weekly since 1965. The column then expanded to include the Napanee Beaver, Tweed News, and the Belleville Intelligencer.

Through the years, Terry enjoyed working with such nature related agencies as Glenora Fisheries Research near Picton as a resource technician, Sandbanks Provincial Park as a park interpreter, and at Quinte Conservation he developed and delivered a successful program of outdoor events. After retiring, he continued to work from his home offi ce, delivering guided interpretive hikes, bus tours, private nature tours, and giving presentations at speaking engagements through his business NatureStuff Tours and Things, which he began in 1989. He has received both the Pioneer Conservationist

Award from Conservation Ontario (2002) and the Richards Education Award from the Federation of Ontario Naturalists (2004).

Terry wound down his Nature Stuff tour program late last year and is now moving ahead into a diff erent chapter. After writing for the Picton Gazette (2600 columns!) over the past fi fty years, he decided to retire his column as well as his columns at the Napanee Beaver and Tweed News.

Local readers, however, are very lucky, because Terry has agreed to continue writing his A Natural View column every two months for The Scoop. Since fully retiring, he has become involved in a nature program on the new County radio station in Picton, and plans to stay active in off ering private hikes and serving as step-on guide for bus tours. He will also keep writing more books after the success of Up Before Five – The Family Farm (which sold out in a month), a collection of humorous stories from life on the farm. He is working on a brand new book, Naked In the Sand, a humorous look at some of his misadventures during his almost 50 years of being involved in guided hikes. The title is derived from his seven summers as a park naturalist at Sandbanks Park.

An evening of great food and camaraderie celebrating Terry’s career as “The County Naturalist” is being planned for Saturday, April 18 at Highline Hall, Wellington

District Community Centre. Many people who have read his books and newspaper columns, attended his workshops, listened to his presentations, and hiked alongside him on a variety of trails, will take the opportunity to thank him for all he has contributed to our lives and to the natural elements of The County.

Congratulations Terry!

Terry paddling on Sprague’s pond. Photo by Mike Burge.

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Building a Young Business with Aging BrainsBy Sally Bowen

Ian and I were born in the ‘40s. We’ve had a good education and life experiences but we were both

ill prepared for the whammy of the computer age. We have never been on the “cutting edge” of anything.

Topsy Farms started with fifty sheep then grew. Even with our great quality lamb production and meat sales, our farm couldn’t generate sufficient income to cover costs and pay debts. Our group of five owners agreed to start an associated business – using the 6000 lbs of wool clip to try to cover more than half the shearing costs.

The wool products we were able to produce from our bags of raw wool are of beautiful quality, soft and soap-washed only, they retain their lanolin and have hypo allergenic non-prickly characteristics. So far so good.

But Ian was used to doing the books on, well, books, using ledgers and calculators. I was used to doing public relations and sales by talking directly with people. His experience with computers was with punch cards in the 60s. I’d had none.

We borrowed our son’s cell phone when we had to take a trip from home. Needing to make a call, we finally asked a young person how to turn the thing on. “You just push the red button”. “But doesn’t red mean stop or off?” “Yes but it also means

power or go”. Oye. That was our first introduction to the logic of the new age. Our son Jake pointed out kindly that his generation had grown up with the developments; but that we were hitting that technology cold.

Ian bravely dove into the world of spreadsheets, learning the basics: how to use the computer to do advanced arithmetic and counting, knowing he was barely using the full capacity of the program. We both laboured under a quiet guilty feeling that there is just so much more we could do if only... Then the computer crashed and he hadn’t yet learned to back up his data properly. I think it took two years before he finally caught up the accounts.

We opened a small store at home in the old ice house, called it The Wool Shed and confidently expected that folks would love our stuff, would tell others, and that was all that was necessary. Not! How many blankets can our supportive neighbours purchase?

Neither of us had shopped on-line ever, but agreed with the advice to create a website. A what? We’re on our third major revision now, and www.topsyfarms.com has lots of great photos and interesting pictures. What it didn’t have were many shoppers. Apparently waving to Google and saying: We’re great guys, isn’t sufficient to attract world-wide attention. We were

below 3 millionth in ratings based on number of visitors.

So now we’re learning the intricacies of URLs, headlining, alt tags (as distinct from tags) categories, keywords, buttons, links ... it feels endless. And blast it all – it is slowly working!

More people are reading our history or on-line stories or exploring our store at store.topsyfarms.com. They are asking us to mail our products to the eastern and western arctic, from BC to Newfoundland, and many places beyond (including Australia, Finland and a recent enquiry from Israel).

We have had help from so many people and groups: Kathy at the Napanee Chamber of Commerce; Tracy, a wondrous resource person through the Lennox and Addington County; David an Island Amherst Island volunteer with the Internet Café hosted by the Neilson Store Museum, and by a rural economic development

grant from the Ontario Government which enabled us to hire a skilled group called Tangible Words. We are thankful for the hand-holding.

So our brains, trained in a mechanical age are adapting to the electronic age with reluctant admiration for the possibilities. But oh, the learning curve is sometimes so steep!

For more information contact Topsy Farms at 613.389.3444 or 888.287.3157 or visit their website at topsyfarms.com.

Sally and Ian by the Wool Shed. Photo by Mark Bergin.

TOPSY FARMSLamb and The Wool Shed

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Email: [email protected]: www.topsyfarms.comtopsyfarms.wordpress.com

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Introducing L&A’s Great Big Family ReadBy Catherine Coles

Community reading programs in which libraries encourage locals to “get on the same

page” by reading the same book are becoming an increasingly common method for community engagement. The County of L&A Libraries’ own “One Book, One L&A” program launched last year to great success with hundreds of community members reading our chosen book No Relation by Terry Fallis.

In addition to our “One Book, One L&A” program for adult readers, we’ll be launching “L&A’s Great Big Family Read” project in April. The idea is the same: we’re encouraging all of you to start reading the same book. The diff erence here is that the book in question is meant for family reading time.

It goes without saying that engagement with books is important to a child’s development. Not only can reading expand a child’s cognitive abilities, but it can also spur their emotional, moral, and spiritual development, critical thinking skills and imagination. Children who are read to, who witness their family reading and who generally grow up in “reading-rich environments” are the fi rst to reap these benefi ts. “L&A’s Great Big Family Read” is meant to illustrate that literacy is both a family project and something to be celebrated by the community.

Our title selection for 2015 is Unnatural Selections by Wallace Edwards, Governor General’s Award-winning author and illustrator (plus, he’s local to Yarker!).

Edwards works primarily in watercolour and pencil, using a variety of styles from cartoon to scientifi c illustration. His art has been described as “Curious and witty, sophisticated and highly original in approach…” resulting in work which is “visually pleasing as well as mentally stimulating”, according to the Canadian Council for the Arts. His children’s books (including Uncle Wally’s Old Brown Shoe, The Cat’s Pajamas and Mixed

Beasts) have been raved about in the Quill and Quire, the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, Macleans, the Christian Science Monitor, the National Post, the Chicago Tribune, the LA Times, the Washington Post, among many others. Unnatural Selections, his newest book and our choice for “L&A’s Great Big Family Read” was published this past fall and features illustrations and prose that are both beautiful and funny.

In this magical picture book we follow travelling artist Professor I.B. Doodling as he introduces readers to twelve “mixed and matched” imaginary hybrid animals. A few examples: sporting the head of a dinosaur and the fl uff y ears and cotton-ball tail of a bunny “Tyrabbosaurus Rex” perches on a wooden stool and gobbles up carrots. The elegant “Carpantelope”– with a panda head, antelope legs, and a carp’s swishy tail–leaps over fences in a single bound. Other fascinating beasts include the pensive “Hawkodile (hawk and crocodile); the noble “Toraff e” (tortoise and giraff e); and the industrious “Shardunk” (shark and duck and skunk). All of these animal hybrids were originally suggestions from schoolchildren and Wallace Edwards has brought their imagination to fruition in this story. It is defi nitely a book that both children and their parents will enjoy reading together.

To get as many families reading Unnatural Selections as possible, the library has purchased plenty of copies. While the project is running, these books will be available for one week loan periods. Place a hold online at www.countylibrary.ca or at your local branch to reserve your family’s copy.

As a wrap up to this project, we’ll be holding two special presentations with Wallace Edwards. These interactive events will involve reading, drawing demonstrations and the creation of all-new mixed beasts based on audience suggestions.

Join us at the Napanee Branch on Monday, May 4th at 6 p.m. or the Amherstview Branch on Saturday, May 9th at 10:30 a.m. There will be refreshments served and prizes to be won. We hope to see you there!

Catherine Coles is the Manager of Library Services at the County of Lennox & Addington. You can reach her by email at [email protected] or by phone at 613.354.4883 x. 3237.

Do You Remember...Telephone Party Lines?By Glen R. Goodhand

Like so many other inventions, the telephone is not the result of a single concept, but rather

the result of osmosis, the gradual assimilation of workable ideas. Between Robert Hooke’s primitive experiments in 1667 to Alexander Grahame Bell’s famous, “Mr. Watson, come here! I want to see you!” in 1876, no less than two hundred and nine years had passed.

At least seven men were involved in the long process of formulating the principles that ultimately led to the innovative method of long distance communication. Over the years, countless improvements followed the famous inventor’s original patent.

The same is true of the mechanisms through which voices travelled. Experimental “call boxes” morphed into a double “earphone” type apparatus—one into which one spoke, and the other through which the caller’s voice was heard.

But in 1907 a widely-used version, popularly tagged the “1317” went into service—and amazingly enough was popular even up until the 1960s in many rural areas. The fi rst dial telephone was introduced in 1924; the initial touch-tone in 1964; and the cell phone found its way into usage in 1983. The technical advances evident in today’s “Smart phones” are so far removed from the technology of those early days, that Mr. Bell’s fi rst apparatus may almost be tagged as little more than two tin cans connected by a fi shing line.

Some of our readers may remember the telephone party line either on the “1317” models or later on the rotary phone version. A local circuit was shared by as few as fi ve, and as many as ten customers of a given company—like the “Selby Telephone Company”, for instance. Patrons on the same conduit had no need to go through “central”—the area switchboard—to contact one another.

Every customer on a fi ve-party line, for example, had a series of “long” (rings) and “shorts” (rings) unique to them. 5 Ring 2-1 meant two long dings and one short one—heard by the

one turning the crank on the left side of the phone, as well as all others on the “line”.

Should it be required to contact a party on any other “line” the “central” operator had to be summoned to forward the call. She (or he) was reached by pushing a little black button adjacent to the crank. She (or he) responded with

“number please”, and, in turn connected the conduits representing both parties, and put the call through.

Even though there were no “phone police” it was a courtesy when wishing to make a call to see if the line was “busy” with other patrons using it. And in case one or the other may have been taking a breather

between sentences, the question “Using?” was posed.

To be sure, many abused the party-line format, listening in on other people’s conversations. The telephone (which means “distance voice”) spawned a whole new meaning to the word “gossip”. And, on occasion, if more than one party chose to eavesdrop, each time another receiver was lifted, more power was drawn from the enclosed dry cell batteries, and voices got fainter.

There were, in fact, times when it was necessary to shout in a threatening voice, “Please get off the line”, in order to complete one’s business.

LOIS’ OPEN GARDEN

4245 County Road 6, Moscow

Display Gardens

SATURDAY

MAY 2, 9, & 16

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Other times by chance

16TH ANNUAL PERENNIAL PLANT SALE

“Hope, Purpose & Belonging in Long Term Care”

F I L EBIZCARD

The Scoop’s

Call us today to reserve your space: 379-1128

John McClellanChartered Accountant6661 Wheeler Street,

Tamworth, ON K0K 3G0613-379-1069

JUST 39 BUCKS FOR A BIZCARD AD. $110 FOR 3 ISSUES. YOU CAN’T BEAT THAT!

Add to your business. a r r i son

[email protected]

Vicki Harrison Certified General Accountant

613-379-9041

Visit www.tamworth.ca

for an up-to-date list of community events

do it now!

Napanee & DistrictChamber of Commerce

47 Dundas St. E • Napanee 613.354.6601

www.napaneechamber.ca

Networking • Business Seminars Programs That Can Save Businesses $$

Ask Us About Membership [email protected]

Gordon McDiarmidLawyer

3 Rideau St. Kingston613-546-3274 [email protected]

I have practiced law in the areas of Family Law, Real Estate, Wills and Estates and Small Business Law for more than 30 years, but mostly I want to

support this fine commuity newspaper.

Brenda MayhewTel: 613-379-9906P.O. Box 386, Tamworth K0K 3G0

[email protected] Solid Gold Organic

Pet Food. 100% organic! No Chemical Preservatives! Beef,

Lamb and Fish/Vegetarian Formulas.

Pick-up or delivery available. Please call for more information and catalogue. Call the Regal Beagle:

613-379-1101

The Stone Mills Fire Department is holding a Blanket Drive. We are looking for blankets to use at emergency calls. If you have

any blankets you would like to donate please drop them off at the Township of Stone Mills municipal office. Thank you,

Stone Mills Fire Department

[email protected] [email protected]

www.moorepartners.ca 613 • 379 • 5958

Ba mhór ag Cumann na Gaeltachta cur in iúl go bhfuil féilirí pleanála le fáil ar ordú. Is tionscadal tiomsú airgid É faoi choinne GHaeltacht Bhuan Thuaisceart an Oileáin Úir. Taispeánann grianghraif an fhéilire tírdhreach Cheanada agus Éireann, go háirithe áiteanna sa Ghael-tacht. Rinne S2 Architecture, faoi stiúir Linus Ó Murchú, an dearadh mar dheon-achán. Is é $20 an cóip an costas (nó $20 S.A.M.), móide $5 postas (Ceana-dach nó Meiriceánach). Thig ordaithe a chur trí ríomhphost do:

Cumann na Gaeltachta is pleased to announce that 2011 planning calendars are now available for order. This is a fundraising project for the Permanent North American Gaeltacht. Photographs feature landscape in Canada and Ireland, especially Gaeltacht areas. The calen-dars have been generously designed by S2 Architecture in Calgary, under the direction of Linus Murphy. The cost is $20 Canadian (or $20 American), plus $5 postage (Canadian or American). Orders may be placed by email to Siobhán Ní [email protected]

Cheques payable to: An Ghaeltacht Bhuan

Send to:Siobhán Ní Mhórdha1 Kennedy Street, Apt 2.Kingston, ONK7M 2G8

1 Bedroom Apartment for rentMain floor of rural home. Kitchen, Living room, open concept - 12 windows with beautiful views. Private entrance, yard and driveway. Bell Satellite TV included. Refer-ences. $550 plus heat. 613-478-6349

Christ Church Tamworth invites you to a YULETIDE LUNCHEON

and BAKE SALE at the Tamworth Library Tuesday,

December 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. A homemade lunch will served with loving hands and there might even be some

entertainment for your enjoyment and pleasure. So come on down bring a friend to help kick off this

festive season.

PLEASE TELL OUR ADVERTIS-

ERS THAT “I SAW IT IN THE SCOOP” AND THAT ADVER-

TISING WORKS.

RobeRt WRight booksAntiquarian Booksellers’ Association of Canada International League of Antiquarian Booksellers

Hundreds of new arrivalsFri Sat Sun, 11 am - 4 pm379-2108Now open for the season.

www.tamworthbookshop.com

book shopQuality Second Hand BooksBridge Street East at Peel, Tamworth

The Scoop DECEMBER 2010 - JANUARY 2011 Page 14

Wm. (Bill) GreenleyKim Read

Network and Internet Security SpecialistsWired, Wireless, Network Design and Implementation

Computer repairs and salesNew or reconditioned

Tel: 613-379-5874 Email: [email protected]: www.s-o-s-computers.com


KIDS & PaReNTS

L&A County LibraryPrograms & eventsFOR KIDS & FAMILIES

Puppy TalesAmherstview, Wednesdays, 10:30 AMNapanee, Wednesdays, 10:30 AM

StorytimeAmherstview, Tuesdays, 10:30 AMBath, Fridays, 11 AMCamden East, Mondays, 10:15 AMNapanee, Mondays, 10:15 AMTamworth, Thursdays, 11 AM

BabytimeAmherstview, Mondays, 2 PM

Lego/Maker ClubAmherstview, Thursdays, 6:30 PM & Saturdays, 10:30 AMBath, Wednesdays, 6:30 PMCamden East, Wednesdays, 6 PMNapanee, Tuesdays, 6 PM & Saturdays 10:30 AMOdessa, Saturday, 2 PMSouth Fred, Thursdays, 6:30 PMTamworth, Saturdays, 10:30 AMYarker, Tuesdays, 6:30 PM

Reading BuddiesSessions will run Mondays at 6 & 6:30 PM and Saturdays at 10 & 10:30 AM at Amherstview & Napanee Branches.

FOR ADULTS

Amherstview Avid Readers Book ClubCall the Amherstview Branch 613.389.6006) for a list of upcoming dates/times/themes. 613.389.6006. Thursday May 21 – The Club will meet to talk about books related to Gardens and Gardening.

Bath Co� ee Club Book ClubCall the Bath Branch for upcoming meeting information. 613.352.5600

Napanee Novel Readers Book ClubCall the Napanee Branch for upcoming meeting information. 613.354.2525

National Film Board ScreeningsAmherstview, April 13 @ 10 AMBath, April 13 @ 6 PM

Napanee, April 15 @ 10 AM

Computer ClassesAmherstview, Tuesdays @ 2 PMNapanee, Wednesdays @ 2 PM

Tech TalksAmherstview, Mondays – Thursdays, 2 PM. By appointment at 613.389.6006.Napanee, Mondays – Thursdays, 2 PM. By appointment at 613.354.2525.

SPECIAL EVENTS

L&A’s Great Big Family Read Napanee, Monday May 4, and Amherstview, Saturday May 9 at 10:30 AM. Join award winning author Wallace Edwards as we celebrate our fi rst L&A’s Great Big Family Read of his book Unnatural Selections (reserve your copy today). This event will be a special presentation by Edwards followed by refreshments and a chance to win prizes.

Family Film FestivalTamworth, Thursday May 27 at 6:00 PM, and Bath, Saturday May 30 at 10:30 AM. We’ll be showing four fun and thought provoking fi lms: Me and My Moulton, A Child in His County, Baroque’N Roll and To See the World. These fi lms are short (under ten minutes each) and have been selected by the National Film Board especially for kids. Refreshments will be served.

Local Author Showcase and Book SaleNapanee, Saturday May 23. Join us on the garden patio for our inaugural event. Many local authors will be in attendance. You will also have the opportunity to stock up on books for summer (5 books for $1.00) and enjoy a variety of refreshments.

Enter The Scoop Caption ContestWe invite you to submit a caption for the following photograph taken by Brett Smith of Croydon. Please send entries to Karen Nordrum at [email protected].

GOLDEN BOUGH TREE FARMOPEN HOUSE

Saturday & Sunday, May 2 & 39:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Come, browse and choose from our great selection of

bare root trees and shrubs.

END OF SEASON CLEARANCESaturday & Sunday, May 9 & 10

Great buys on over-sized & leftover trees & shrubs.

Cash Payment

900 Napanee Road, Marlbank, ON K0K 2L0www.goldenboughtrees.ca

Napanee Heritage

Quilters Guild presents

Quilts 2015April 18 & 19,

10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.Strathcona Paper Centre (Arena)

FEATURING:Ra� les

BoutiqueMerchant Mall

Refreshment AreaMini Quilt Silent Auction

Display of Members QuiltsQuilt Making Demonstrations

ADMISSION $6

Fore more info:

[email protected]

www.napaneeheritagequiltersguild.com

CONGraTUlaTiONsThe Scoop wants to congratulate Scott Russell for being the fi rst contestant

to accurately “Identify the Location” contest in our last issue. Everyone guessed correctly; the right answer was Yarker. Other entries included:

Christine Bliss, Brigitte Bouchard, Don Kerr, Gail Knowles, Magret Paudyn, Debbie Richmond, Brenda Schamehorn, and Jessie Vannest.

THE CLOYNE AND DISTRICT HISTORICAL

SOCIETY We are continuously building Pioneer

Archives of our coverage area. To date we have over 6,000 entries and still growing. We often receive requests from families working on research and are proud to be able to help. Questions can be directed to

Box 228, Cloyne, ON K0H 1K0 or [email protected]. We also have many photos on Flickr which can be accessed from our website cloynepioneermuseum.ca. Our archives contain photos, documents,

certi� cates, letters, books, diaries, and artifacts. Some of these are very rare and unique. Photo copies are available for 25

cents each.

MAMMOTH YARD SALECloyne Hall, Saturday May 16, at 9 a.m.

We ask folks to save their gently used items for us. For information and item

pickup please call Carolyn at 613 – 336-6858


Free ClassiFiedsFree to private individuals or not-for-profit community groups.

To place an ad, phone 613.379.5369 or email [email protected].

FOR SALE: 6’ to 8’ birch tree

stalks, pruned and excellent for

ornamental garden structures, $2

each, 613.539.2831 Tamworth.

WANTED: Poets to share their

poems. Call me at 613.375.8256

or email me at jerry.ackerman31@

gmail.com

FOR SALE:‘You Pick’ Blueberry

Operation in Tweed area. Well

established blueberry bushes,

business and large customer base,

land with view of lake. Realize

your dream of owning a local

food business with immediate

income in a fantastic location.

613.478.5070.

Answers to the crossword on the Puzzle Page (page 20:

Living in the ShadowsBy Rachel Bell, Grade 12, Sydenham High School

The world is evolving every day, and so is technology. Has our dependence on

technology gone too far, however? As teenagers, we spend hours each day on our iPhones and laptops; always browsing social networks to keep up with the latest news. We’re all so involved with what’s happening online, that we often ignore the people who are right in front of us. Technology can be entertaining and useful, but it is also a distraction from reality, and may be affecting your social skills.

As a teenager in my last year of high school, I find technology to be extremely helpful when it comes to things such as doing research, writing a paper, and keeping in touch with people. I depend on it daily, and wouldn’t be able to accomplish much without it. However, I also enjoy quality time spent with my boyfriend and friends; texting back and forth simply isn’t enough of a social interaction for anyone. So why do we clutch our cell phones so tight? Walking through the school hallways during lunchtime and nutrition breaks, nearly everyone in sight has their head bowed, eyes on their phone. Technology is cutting out the most basic conversations in our daily life; we’d rather spend time online than talking with other people. Think about it, when’s the last time you texted someone? Quite recently, I bet. But how about the last time you picked up the phone and actually called someone? Not so recently, might I guess.

Texting, emailing, or Facebook messaging is quick and easy, though it can actually be affecting your social skills. Michael S. Broder, a

renowned psychologist, states that “The greater fear of what’s perhaps taking place is that kids are not learning how to behave in a face-to-face conversation. Kids who have a problem relating socially, have found a way to avoid learning those skills… ” Teenagers often find talking over the Internet to be a lot easier, and have therefore given up on real, social interactions. Not only have they given up, some even experience “side effects” when unable to be connected with technology.

When forced to go for a minimal amount of time without our cell phones or laptops, such as when the precious battery dies, we feel empty and lost. Breanna Webster, a grade twelve student at Sydenham High School says, “I feel as though I have all this

knowledge at my fingertips, any question I have about anything can be answered instantly. Without this little screen, I feel like I’m missing out on the world. It’s a constant craving for information and without being able to access it, I go through withdrawal.” Does this sound familiar? It’s likely many of you reading are nodding your head, with a bit of shame or maybe curiosity; just now starting to realize the control technology has over you.

It’s important to be aware of how much time we spend with our heads bowed, oblivious to the people around us. Technology is useful and something to appreciate, but is spending hours daily, scrolling through your Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook news feed impacting you in a negative way? It’s something we should all reconsider when it comes to managing our time.

A Brand New MeBy Grace Smith

I don’t know about you, but when spring suddenly falls into my lap, I experience a monumental shift

that only happens once a year.

It’s like a switch has been flipped. I move from my groggy, grumpy winter self to the new and improved me. Now, I don’t claim to be a doctor, but I believe that I suffer from “seasonal-affective disorder.” You know what it’s like: winter makes you all lazy and depressed. (Definitely do not quote me on that.)

Simply put, I don’t like winter and winter doesn’t like me. So when spring rolls around, I feel like Sleeping Beauty – I wake up from a long, long sleep and re-enter society again.

It starts off slow. I venture outside more often as the sun starts to shine, the grass peeks out from under the snow, and my face doesn’t feel like it’s about to freeze off. In general, I become more positive and cheerful and stop grumbling around like I hate the world – wonderful things that spring brings about. But then I become ambitious and this is where I can get into trouble.

I start thinking that I can take on the world. I begin making all of these crazy plans that quickly start to pile up: It’s nice out and I’ve been sitting around all winter, so I need to start jogging 18 times a week. Dishes are starting to pile up, better tear apart the whole house and tackle enough

cleaning for all the seasons. One of those lawn chairs in the backyard isn’t covered in snow, maybe it’s time to plan a gigantic summer BBQ and invite everyone I know.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is what spring does to me.

Now, in retrospect, I know that while the intentions behind all of these plans are good, they’ll ultimately lead to stress. It just feels so terrific to be moving on from winter that I feel I’ll be able to take on the world. And that’s what I try to do.

But not this year. Don’t worry, I’m still going to bask in the beauty of spring. But I am going to do it in a way that lets me truly experience everything this time of year has to offer.

I’m going to implement a light exercise program that gets me out of the house to shed that winter weight. I’m going to slowly work my way through the many chores that spring brings with it. And I’m going to plan small outings and events that get me out of my winter funk and into the summer party mood.

I will do all of this because I don’t just want my spring high to last for a few weeks before it fizzles out due to overwhelming stress; I want to ride it all the way to summer. Because let’s be honest, summer is where it’s at—as far away from winter as possible.

THE EGG BASKETALWAYS FARM FRESH EGGS

240 EMBURY ROAD, NEWBURGH 613-378-0407

STORE HOURS: MON - SAT 9:30 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M.

RIVER VALLEY POULTRY FARM

COME JOIN OUR EASTER EGG HUNT!

Children 10 years and underSaturday, April 4, 2015

10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.While you are shopping, enter our draw for Adults and Children’s Easter Baskets

Take home fresh baked goods, homemade fudge, and a unique selection

of jams, jellies, preserves, and sauces

Mother’s Day

is Sunday,

May 10, 2015

We will have many

Gift Baskets available

for your special mother!


Puzzle PageNew York Times Crossword

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

very hardDaily Sudoku: Thu 26-Mar-2015

(c) D

aily

Sud

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Ltd

2015

. A

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8 7 1 39 6

1 95 4

1 4 6 3 85 2

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http://www.dailysudoku.com/

by Fred Piscop / Will Shortz ©The New York Times

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16

17 18 19

20 21 22 23

24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

36 37 38

39 40 41

42 43 44

45 46 47

48 49

50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59

60 61 62 63

64 65 66

67 68 69

Across

1. Put out, as a fire

6. Furry TV extraterrestrial

9. Arouse, as interest

14. "In my opinion ..."

15. Place for sheep to graze

16. Mrs. Bush

17. Utensil used with flour

18. Perry Mason's field

19. Out of kilter

20. Old "Tonight Show" intro

23. Fork over

24. Word after show or know

25. Bygone Rambler mfr.

27. Classic arcade game

31. Set free

36. Pungent-smelling

37. Expensive tooth filling material

38. Sport with beefy grapplers

39. Admonition to a showboating athlete

42. Notes after do

43. Doll's cry

44. Almost any doo-wop tune

45. What a driver's license shows proof of

47. Makes tough

48. Understood

49. By way of

50. "Cheers" bartender

53. Kid's book with a hidden character

60. Atlantic or Pacific

62. Buddhist sect

63. Squirrel away

64. Suspect's story

65. Stephen of "The Crying Game"

66. Out of favor, informally

67. Derby prize

68. The whole shebang

69. Activities in 57-Down

Down

1. Satellite TV receiver

2. Garfield's pal, in the funnies

3. ___-friendly (simple to operate)

4. Put money in the bank

5. Poker player's headgear

6. Give the O.K.

7. Wife of Jacob

8. Young Bambi

9. Benchwarmer's plea

10. The Beatles' "___ the Walrus"

11. Wit's remark

12. Celestial bear

13. "Piece of cake!"

21. Rock's Bon Jovi

22. Nita of silent films

26. Windsor, notably

27. Father: Prefix

28. Felt sore

29. Oreo's filling

30. Sinking in mud

31. Hardly cramped

32. Director Kazan

33. Napped leather

34. Cybermessages

35. Stadium toppers

37. Pesky swarmer

40. Most common U.S. surname

41. Zero

46. Local noncollegian, to a collegian

47. Bro's sibling

49. Open to bribery

50. Suds maker

51. Rights org.

52. Golda of Israel

54. Poet Pound

55. Walk drunkenly

56. Top-rated

57. Features of science classes

58. "Dang!"

59. 5:2, e.g., at a racetrack

61. Muscles to crunch

© 2008, The Holiday Zone. All Rights Reserved. http://www.theholidayzone.com/


OFFICES44 Industrial Blvd.Napanee

14 Concession St.Tamworth

CONTACTDirect: 613-379-2903Offi ce: 613-354-4347Toll Free: 1 866-233-2062

[email protected]@century21.ca

Robert StorringBroker

5 ALMOST NEW APPLIANCES included in this completely renovated Napanee home. Features 3 bedrooms, kitchen/dining area, good size living room with patio doors to deck. Pretty well everything is new from insulation to siding, windows, bathroom and kitchen. Double garage is large enough for workshop and is insulated. A great buy at $187,500. MLS 15600781

HOME IN THE WOODSAn eclectic blend of functionality, charm, openness, & character would describe this home in very private wooded location. 4 bedrooms, lots of crooks & crannies, bright & open, full basement & a double garage with upstairs. Near Mazinaw Lake, a great deal at $234,500. MLS 15602332

THERE IS NO COST TO LIST A PROPERTY, WE TAKE THE RISK

You only pay when it sells!

CALL ME TODAY!

HOMES • COTTAGES • FARMSBUSINESSES• VACANT LAND • LOTS

Because of a brisk market I am in short supply

of listings of all types.

You may be sitting on an unknown amount of money that could be

working for you.

With years of EXPERIENCE I can off er an EXPERT opinion of value and PERSONAL SERVICE.

Stone Mills Spring FlingA community celebration to support:

Tamworth Lions Club Tamworth Fire Fighters AssociationTamworth CANADA DAY Committee

SATURDAY MAY 98:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.

Stone Mills Recreation Centre, TamworthFEATURING TWO GREAT BANDS

$20 advance$25 at the door

Doors open 7:30 p.m.Licensed under the Ontario Alcohol and Gaming Commission

Must be 19 or older to attend

THANKS TO OUR ADVERTISING SPONSORS

TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM: Tamworth Village Video, TCO Agromart,

Stone Mills Family Market, Lakeview Tavern,

McCormick’s Country Store, The River

Bakery, Tamworth CANADA DAY Committee

back 40

CENTENNIAL SECONDARY SCHOOL 160 PALMER DRIVE. BELLEVILLE Featuring: Marty Haggard, Naomi Bristow & Todd Nolan $30 Per Ticket in Advance, Locations: Ardens Music Belleville & Trenton, Pickers Paradise Colborne, Cook’s Barber Shop Marmora

R.C.A.F 433 WING 164 ARGYLE ST. S. RENFREW

Marty Haggard, Neville Wells, Jeff & Jamie McMinn, & Todd Nolan $30 Per Ticket in Advance, Locations: The Wing, Mill Music, Valley Heritage

Radio Renfrew, Moncion Grocers Pembroke, Village Discount Eganville Peebles Lottery Centre Arnprior, Scheel Furniture Pakenham

TRENTWINDS 264 LANSDOWNE ST. E. PETERBOROUGH Marty Haggard, Naomi Bristow, Joe Aylward & Todd Nolan $30 Per Ticket in Advance, Locations: Trentwinds Peterborough, Long & McQuade (formerly Buds Music Centre) 296 Alymer St. N. Peterborough


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Stone Mills Fire Department reminds residents that as of April 15, 2015…It is the LAW to have a working Carbon Monoxide Alarm.

The CO alarm regulation came into force on October 15, 2014. Buildings that contain no more than six suites of residential occupancy are required to comply with the installation and replacement requirements within 6 months of the in-force date (April 15, 2015, at the latest). Carbon monoxide alarm will now be required near all sleeping areas in residential homes and in the service rooms, and adjacent sleeping areas in multi-residential units. Carbon monoxide alarms can be hardwired, battery-operated or plugged into the wall. Testing and Replacing• Landlords are responsible for installing and maintaining CO alarms in their rental units• Landlords are required to test CO alarms in rental units annually and when the battery

is replaced, changes are made to the electric circuit or a change of tenancy occurs.• It is against the law for tenants to remove the batteries or tamper with CO alarms in

any way.• Test CO alarms every month by pressing the test button. • Replace batteries every year.• Replace CO alarms according to manufacturer’s instructions.

For further information please contact Fire Prevention Offi cer Tracy Easterbrook

at 613-378-2475 or email fi [email protected]

LANE

Veterinary Services

Serving Pets & Farm Animals

Mon, Tues, Thurs: 8:30am-5pm

Wed: 8:30am-7pm

Fri: 8:30am-4pm

Sat: 10am-1pm

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Savour a delicious meal prepared by

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Naturalist, Local Author, Columnist, Speaker, Hike and Workshop Leader, and Friend


Party Crashers: Invasive SpeciesBy Susan Moore

Party crashers are usually unwelcome. Invasive species not only crash the party, they

expect to live with us, too. And they are bad news for our native plants. An invasive species is an organism that is not native to a particular area. It must adapt to the new area easily and reproduce quickly. It will harm property, the economy, or the native plants and animals of the region. (National Geographic, 2015).

Think Buckthorn, Dog-strangling Vine, Purple Loosestrife, Zebra Mussels.

Invasive species such as these damage natural ecosystems (such as our wetlands, forest, lakes, rivers and streams), and they threaten our tourism, fi sheries, agriculture, water quality, and water quantity.

The Frontenac Stewardship Foundation is worried about these party crashers and they plan to do something about it, because invasive species are having a signifi cant impact on the County of Frontenac’s natural biodiversity and threatening the species already at risk. An analysis by the province of factors aff ecting species at risk suggests that invasive species are a very signifi cant threat, second only to habitat loss.

Biodiversity is one of tourism’s greatest assets – its natural capital – because areas of natural beauty

attract visitors. Tourists visiting a region want to see and experience the wonders of that region, not the wonders of species crashing the party. You don’t go to Costa Rica to see white pines. This requires natural, local ecosystems that are healthy and intact.

The ecological eff ects of invasive species are often irreversible and, once established, invasive species are extremely diffi cult and costly to control and eradicate. Many of these costly invaders have already made it to Frontenac County and others are hanging around our door. Our geography also contributes to the spread of these invasive species, in particular aquatic species, because Frontenac County has nearly 500 lakes, many of which are connected through natural streams and artifi cial canals. These connected waterways allow aquatic invasive species to spread to new water bodies, making them extremely diffi cult to control.

Invasive species run up signifi cant economic costs in Ontario. Tourism, fi shing, hunting, forestry, and agriculture can all be aff ected by invasive species. They foul water intakes, reduce the value of commercial and recreational fi sheries, and reduce property values. In Ontario, impacts from Zebra Mussels cost $75-91 million per year. (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry,

2015)

The Frontenac Stewardship Foundation has developed the Frontenac County Integrated Invasive Species Strategy. They are working with many partners, including the Elbow Lake Environmental Education Centre (ELEEC), which sits on a 470-hectare parcel of land in the richly diverse Frontenac Arch. The educational programming at the centre is also richly diverse. A recent Bio-Blitz at the centre identifi ed over 600 species of local plants and animals living here. Many of the ELEEC programs promote citizen science, and visitor programs include species counts and monitoring studies.

Ali Giroux, Assistant Conservation Biologist from The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), says: “Introduced species often invade new habitats, out-compete native plants and animals, disrupt ecosystems, and reduce biodiversity in our natural areas. The Nature Conservancy of Canada is working to control and

monitor invasive species. The Elbow Lake property is owned and managed by NCC, and we are actively controlling Common Buckthorn, Dog-strangling Vine, Garlic Mustard, and Common Reed. We are also mapping aquatic invasive species, such as Common Frogbit and Purple Loosestrife, and monitoring lakes for Zebra Mussels and Spiny Waterfl ea.”

The Frontenac Stewardship Foundation will need recruits to help deal with the “party crashers.” Upcoming events to watch for: Invasive Species and Economic Impacts to Tourism, in Kaladar (April, 2015) and Invasive Species and Management Action, at Elbow Lake Environmental Education Centre (June, 2015). Also visit: www.frontenacstewardship.ca.

www.LCPlandscaping.ca ~ [email protected] or Toll Free 1-877-844-0936

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Dog-strangling Vine. Contributed photo.


If you are planting trees on your property you may be eligible for funding assistance. Planting trees on your property helps fight climate

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Documents

The Scoop // April / May 2015