Collard greens

      COLLARD GREENS

Most Americans associate collard greens with the south where they are very popular.  There are annual festivals in cities like Atlanta and Savannah.  Collard greens are the official state vegetable of South Carolina. It's impossible to imagine southern cuisine without collards, grits or barbecue.

Research indicates that collards originated from wild cabbages found in Asia where it was consumed by humans before recorded time. 

From Asia it spread to Europe where it was grown by the Greeks and Romans in home gardens and eventually became established 

throughout Europe. 

Early European settlers brought collars to America by ship. After their arrival, African slaves added their own cooking styles which has become an important part of our traditional American cuisine today.

Nowadays, collard greens are widely consumed worldwide in many counties, including India and Brazil, where it is an important ingredient in national dishes. Collards are included in New Year's celebrations and eaten for good luck.

Collard greens are a leafy vegetable from the same family as cabbage and broccoli. Collards are a cool season vegetable that when planted in September can be harvested into early winter. Resistant to frost, they are one of the first crops that can also be planted in early spring, two to four weeks before the last frost. Many people claim that frost helps increase the flavor of this vegetable.

Closely related to kale, collard greens require similar care. A moist soil, rich with compost that is not permitted to dry out and receives full sun. 

When started from seed in late August or September, follow the directions on the label for basic care of your seedlings. Collards require one inch of water a week. They are light feeders and when planted in soil enriched with compost do not require additional fertilizer. 

Collard greens are considered a 'super-food' with impressive health benefits. They are known to purify the liver and eliminate toxins from the body. They supply vitamins and minerals that have many positive effects on the body. They even supply antioxidants which offset early aging, promote hair growth, and help prevent disease such as diabetes. 

Too numerous to write here, more information on the health benefits of collard greens can be found online and are well worth researching. Sadly many people over boil these think greens which leaches most of the nutrients out.

Other cole crops (cold weather crops) that can be planted now include cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and kale.  

If you would like a quick harvest autumn vegetable, you can plant lettuce. It grows fast and will last until the first frost.

Happy Autumn Gardening,                                                         

 James

Cats

 

                                                    CATS (Felis catus)

THE HISTORY OF CATS & HUMANS

In ancient times long before recorded civilization, roaming tribes of humans were followed by rodents, mice and rats which were very destructive to stored crops.  In Asia Minor cats began to follow these nomads, feasting on the rodent populations.  This new relationship was welcomed by humans who saw cats as their protectors.  This was the first major step in the domestication of cats.

The second step came as early as 4,000 years ago when Ancient Egyptians  domesticated cats.

Imagine living in a time and place where every home was teeming with tiny, dangerous beasts.  Some new threat lurked at every corner, snakes hiding in clay jars, rats spoiling massive amounts of stored grain, venomous scorpions creeping under cradles.  In this time and place in Ancient Egypt, one creature existed that could make the world safer from these little monsters,  the cat.

Like their wild relatives, domestic cats are natural hunters able to stalk prey and pounce with sharp claws and teeth.  They are particularly effective at night, when their light-reflecting eyes allow them to see better than much of their prey.  Cats also enjoy acute hearing.  All cats are nimble and agile, and their long tails aid their outstanding balance.

Soon after their introduction to Egypt, the Egyptian religion began to worships cats as gods and created laws making injuring or killing cats a punishable crime.  One of the earliest deities of ancient Egypt was the goddess Mafdet, who was highly revered by people seeking protection against venomous animals like snakes and scorpions.  She was shown with a variety of fierce, feline forms, most often as a woman with the head of a lion, cheetah, or house-cat.   Because cats could protect against the tiny monsters that made Egyptian homes unsafe, Mafdet was regarded as the protector of the home and of the kingdom itself!

 As Egyptians truly domesticated their cats, making them valued family members rather than just semi-feral animals that stalked and protected their owner’s homes, Bastet’s image became a lot softer and she became a goddess of family, fertility, and love. Egyptians began regarding their cats as loving, important members of their families, and treated them with as much respect and dignity as their own children.  Followers of the cult of Bastet would mummify their cats and mourn them in the same way they mourned human family members and in much the same way we cat-lovers mourn our own furry friends today.

We tend to joke about how cats feel entitled to worship.   Anyone who’s ever known a spoiled tomcat knows that cats have never forgotten the days when they were worshiped. The worship of cats in ancient Egypt was well-founded.  Cats once saved lives by defending families from vermin.  Without them, civilization as we know it might have never survived!

Cats were later used on trade ships to protect precious grains and cargo from rodents.  This began the cat's journey, traveling throughout the known world and  being adopted by other cultures for their hunting skills and as companions.  Cats finally reached Europe around 900 BC with the Roman legions.

Cats communicate by marking trees, fence posts, or furniture with their claws or their waste.  These 'scent posts' are meant to inform others of a cat's home range.  House cats employ a vocal repertoire that extends from a purr to a screech.

Domestic cats remain largely carnivorous, and have evolved a simple gut appropriate for raw meat.  They also retain the rough tongue that can help them clean every last morsel from an animal bone and groom themselves.  Their diets vary with the whims of humans, however, and can be supplemented by the cat's own hunting successes.

The Felidae family is split into two subfamilies, Pantherinae (big cats: tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard, snow leopard, clouded leopard and Sunda clouded leopard) and Felinae (all other species). The exact number of species is unclear, as some subspecies are occasionally referred to as distinct species such as the Iriomote cat, but there are roughly 40 species described by scientists.*

The Iriomote cat (Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis) is a subspecies of the leopard cat that lives exclusively on the Japanese island of Iriomote. Endangered there are approximately 250 alive in the wild.

Keep Keeping Safe & Happy Autumn,   James

 *Tiger photograph and information by Paul Williams, a TV producer and wildlife photographer, based at the BBC Natural History Unit. 

                                

 

 

 

Japanese Knotweed

         JAPANESE KNOTWEED                           (Fallopia japonica)                                                                                                       

  

Indigenous to Japan, knotweed was originally shipped westward by the German botanist Philipp von Siebold.  
When Siebold sent a variety of plant specimens to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew in August 1850, including Japanese Knotweed, he had no idea what he was unleashing on the world.

With its beautiful heart shaped leaves, Japanese Knotweed has a pleasing appearance to the eye.
It is what we can't see underground that is the problem.

If you take a walk in any local town, county or state park today you are likely to stroll past fields of knotweed, especially near ponds, lakes and streams.  All over Europe nations are on knotweed alert including Latvia, Germany, Hungary, Austria and Switzerland.

Knotweed presents a pleasing appearance to the eye: heart-shaped leaves, bamboo stems and pretty, little white-flower tassels in late summer and autumn. What is less obvious is what lays below the ground .  
The "crown" or "head" of a knotweed infestation can be the size of a bull's head, with scores of roots radiating out from it like strands of hair.  

In early spring knotweed's tender leaves are a food source for deer.
In many cultures knotweed is eaten by humans. 

Due to its tireless and unstoppable army of unseen roots, knotweed spreads outward forming clumps 65 feet wide and 7 foot high.  Superficially resembling bamboo this plant has a relentless killer instinct,  overwhelming  native plants and forcing out wildlife.  If you look through horticultural literature, and you will see knotweed described as "thuggish," "ferocious," "invasive" and an "indestructible scourge."  The stems create dense thickets impossible to walk though.

Amazingly there are very few male knotweed plants in the wild. The females depend on their massive root systems to propagate new plants.

In this photographs my dogs Ally (American Foxhound)  and Lexie (Husky mix)
lead me though a jungle of Japanese knotweed. 
This deer path would quickly disappear without its constant use by our local deer populations.  

Where it once it resided mainly in the wild, today it terrorizes private gardens and homes, forcing  its way up through every crack imaginable, in patios, concrete paths, and even in walls and floors.

If Japanese knotweed is spotted on your property action to control and remove it should be taken immediately.  What's more, getting rid of it is a task beyond the average gardener.  It can take up to five years of regular chemical blitzing before the knotweed all-clear can be sounded.

Uncontrolled knotweed infestations can negatively impact the value of homes and property.     

Knotweed  is used around the world in  herbal remedies and medications.
It's negative effects on native plants and wildlife is now a major problem around the world.

For more information contact your local cooperative extension or go online to Penn State Extension: Knotweed.

Happy Gardening & Keep Keeping Safe,

James

*Thanks to Penn State University & Newsweek magazine for the information in this article.

Mosquitoes

MOSQUITOES & HOW TO CONTROL THEM AROUND THE HOME

Mosquitoes can be found worldwide from the topics to the Arctic and from below sea level to altitudes of 14,000 feet.  Approximately 3,200 species of mosquitoes exist worldwide with 175 species found in The United States and Mexico.  The minimum number of mosquito species in each state ranges from 25 in West Virginia to 84 in Texas.  -Handbook Of Pest Control  (Mallis)

The female mosquitoes require a blood feeding to develop eggs.
Some feed only on birds while most species blood feds on many animals including humans.  

More than 60 different kinds of mosquitoes have been identified in New Jersey. In the 1990's a new mosquito invaded New Jersey. The Asian Tiger Mosquito, a black mosquito with distinct white markings bites her prey during daylight hours.

Because of their ability to transmit diseases to humans and animals, mosquitoes are considered by many experts to be the most dangerous creatures on earth.  Malaria, a major cause of death around the world is transmitted by only one species of mosquito,  'Anopheles'.  The female picks up the malaria from an infected human while blood feeding and transmits it to other healthy humans nearby.

Look into a bucket of standing water and you might see hundreds of mosquito larvae swimming from the bottom where they feed to the surface to breathe. This is a great time to empty bucket before these turn into adults. 

All mosquitoes develop from eggs deposited by females that have previously fed on

blood.  The female mosquito is very specific about where she lays her eggs and searches diligently for water that will be suitable for her offspring, but the kind of water the female selects for her eggs varies considerably  from one species to the next.     Most of the mosquitoes that breed around the home require stagnant water rich in decomposing organic material such as leaves and plants.  Having located a suitable water source, the female mosquito deposits 100-200 eggs that will produce the next generation.  Mosquitoes are aquatic in their immature stages and all species require water to complete their development.  The entire life cycle from egg to adult can be completed in less than 10 days during periods of favorable temperatures.

This  time of the mosquito life cycle is the best opportunity homeowners have to substantially reduce their mosquito nuisance by eliminating  their breeding areas such as standing water around your property.

Adult mosquitoes obtain energy by feeding on flowers and converting the sugar from nectar as a source of fuel.  Both male and female mosquitoes feed regularly on flowers but females require blood to produce fertile eggs. As a result, a female mosquito must find a host and blood feed before she can lay her eggs.  Male mosquitoes never feed on blood.

When I was a child our native mosquitoes only fed at night. 
In 1914 the newly introduced Tiger Mosquitoes from Asia  began to feed on their hosts
during daylight hours making it a 24 hour ordeal.

The mosquito species that breed around the home are considered “domestic species” and rarely range far from human habitations.  

The northern house mosquito, Culex pipiens, is the most common mosquito found in urban and suburban areas.  This mosquito will lay its eggs in virtually any receptacle containing water rich in decomposing organic material. Breeding habitats around the home include: discarded tires, unwashed bird baths, clogged rain gutters and plastic. Even a bottle cap can be a breeding habitat for mosquitoes.  Pay special attention to discarded tires that may have accumulated on your property. The used tire has become the most widespread domestic mosquito producer in this country.

Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar water-holding containers that have accumulated on your property. Do not overlook containers that have become overgrown by aquatic vegetation. Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers that are left out of doors. Drainage holes that are located on the sides collect enough water for mosquitoes to breed in.  Clean clogged roof gutters on an annual basis, particularly if the leaves from surrounding trees have a tendency to plug up the drains. Roof gutters are easily overlooked but can produce millions of mosquitoes each season. Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use.  Turn over wheelbarrows and do not allow water to stagnate in bird baths.

Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish. Water gardens are fashionable but become major mosquito producers if they are allowed to stagnate.   Clean and chlorinate swimming pools that are not being used. A swimming pool that is left untended by a family that goes on vacation for a month can produce enough mosquitoes to result in neighborhood-wide complaints to your county mosquito control agency.   Be aware that mosquitoes may even breed in the water that collects on swimming pool covers.  

Use landscaping to eliminate standing water that collects on your property. Mosquitoes will develop in any puddle that lasts more than 4 days.

Destroying breeding habitats is the best non-chemical, natural control possible. 

A walk around your property once or twice a week will help cut down unexpected breeding sites.  

To obtain additional information on mosquitoes and their control contact your local county mosquito control agency. They can help if the source of the problem is not on your property.  Mosquito control is organized by county in New Jersey and your county mosquito control agency has the expertise to inspect your property, collect biting adults and determine the source of the problem. Your county mosquito control agency can also provide additional information about mosquitoes, the diseases they transmit and the best methods for their control.

Most of the information in this article is from Rutgers Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet (FS)  #80,  Controlling Mosquitoes  Around the Home.

This fact sheet has more information then I could put in the article including the life cycle of mosquitoes.  

You may also want to research Asian Tiger Mosquitoes,  Rutgers FS # 845

Happy Summer & Keep Keeping Safe,                                                                          James

Earthworms 2

       EARTHWORMS

         (Lumbricus terrestri)

Good garden soil should have ten earthworms per square foot.

The reddish-gray colored common earthworm, often called a night crawler in the United States, is familiar to anyone with a fishing rod or a garden. They are indigenous to Europe, but are now abundant in North America and western Asia.



Earthworms are vital to soil health because they transport nutrients and minerals from below the surface via their waste.  Their tunnels aerate the ground. An earthworm can eat up to one third its body weight in a day. A 'healthy' garden soil should have approximately ten earthworms per square foot.



Although not native to North America, earthworms are sign of healthy garden soil. 

Earthworms  burrow during the day, typically keeping close to the surface, but are capable of digging down as deep as 6.5 feet.



An earthworm can live six years in the wild.

Contrary to playground legend, if a worm is cut in half, two will not grow.  Therefore you are better off leaving your earthworm undisturbed to get the best results.  Amazingly earthworms can live up to six years in the wild.

Worm castings, also called ’vermicast', worm humus or worm manure, is the end-product of the breakdown of organic matter by an earthworm. These castings have been shown to contain reduced levels of contaminants and a higher saturation of nutrients than do organic materials before vermicomposting.

You can purchase worm castings or let your worms make it for you. 

To encourage as many earthworms in your garden as possible, add organic materials such as compost to your 
soil.  Scatter it on top or rake it in and the worms will do 
the rest.  This practice adds nutrients to your garden which 
is as good for your plants as it is for your worms. 

Earthworms help water move into the soil closer to the root systems of your plants. 

Most importantly limit the use of pesticides and insecticides as they can harm or kill your earthworms as well as your intended targets.

Although not the cutest critter on the planet, earthworms are worth their weight in gold. 

 The next time you dig up an earthworm while gardening
remember how essential they are and rather than just
tossing it to the side - cover it back up.  Earthworms 
wither and die quickly when left in the sun.

 Happy Gardening,

James

For more information on earthworms and other amazing creatures visit the National Geographic website

Earth Day 50 th anniversary

EARTH DAY'S 50th ANNIVERSARY

APRIL 22, 2020

During the 1960's Americans became aware and alarmed at  the deteriorating condition of the environment. 

In the decades leading up to the first Earth Day, Americans were consuming vast amounts of leaded gas through massive and inefficient automobiles.  Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of the consequences from either the law or bad press.  Air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity.  Until this point, mainstream America remained largely oblivious to environmental concerns and how a polluted environment threatens human health.

April 22, 1970 Earth Day march 

However, the stage was set for change with the publication of Rachel Carson’s bestseller Silent Spring in 1962.  The book represented a watershed moment, selling more than 500,000 copies in 24 countries as it raised public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment and the inextricable links between pollution and public health.

Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson came up with the idea for a national day to focus on the environment after Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, witnessed the ravages of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, in 1969.  Inspired by the student anti-war movement, Senator Nelson realized that if he could infuse the energy of anti-war protests with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution, it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda. He then persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican Congressman, to serve as his co-chair.

Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson worked with conservatives
to create the first Earth, April 22, 1970 

Earth Day, April 22,1970 gave a voice to an emerging public consciousness about the state of our planet.  Today on April 22, we celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement.

On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans,10% of the total population of the United States, took to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies.  Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment.

Groups that had been fighting individually against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness and the extinction of wildlife united on Earth Day around these shared common values. Earth Day 1970 achieved a rare political alignment, enlisting support from Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, urban dwellers and farmers, business and labor leaders.  By the end of 1970, the first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts.                                                                           

“It was a gamble,” Senator Gaylord recalled, “but it worked.”

Known as the "crying Indian" became the face of  the anti-littering movement. 

In 1990, Earth Day went global, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting environmental issues onto the world stage.  Earth Day 1990 gave a huge boost to recycling efforts worldwide and helped pave the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.  President Bill Clinton awarded Senator Nelson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor given to civilians in the United States, for his role as Earth Day founder.

As the millennium approached, Hayes agreed to spearhead another campaign, this time focused on global warming and a push for clean energy. With 5,000 environmental groups in a record 184 countries reaching out to hundreds of millions of people, Earth Day 2000 built both global and local conversations, leveraging the power of the internet to organize activists around the world.  Hundreds of thousands of people also gathered on the National Mall in Washington DC, for a First Amendment Rally. 

Today, Earth Day is widely recognized as the largest secular observance in the world, marked by more than a billion people every year as a day of action to change human behavior and provoke policy changes.

Now, the fight for a clean environment continues with increasing urgency, as the ravages of climate change become more and more apparent every day. 

The social and cultural environments we saw in 1970 are rising up again today,  a fresh and frustrated generation of young people such as Greta Thunberg are refusing to settle for platitudes, instead taking to the streets by the millions to demand a new way forward.  Digital and social media are bringing these conversations, protests, strikes and mobilizations to a global audience, uniting a concerned citizenry as never before and catalyzing generations to join together to take on the greatest challenge that humankind has faced.

By tapping into some of the legacy of the first Earth Day while also channeling the energy, excitement, and coordination of the youth climate strikes, we can build a movement going into the 50th anniversary that goes to the very heart of what Earth Day is all about, empowering individuals with the information, the tools, the messaging and the communities needed to make an impact and drive change.

For more information on the history of Earth Day go to:                   https://www.earthday,org/history

Give a hoot, don't  pollute,   

 James