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Show The Beaver Press - March 17, 2011 - Page 4 'Veggin1 Out' Is So In: Tips for starting your own veggie garden (ARA) - Vegetable and herb gardening is in and studies indicate it wfll continue to grow in popularity. If you're not growing your own yet ifs time to start. Why? The reasons are as varied as the people who garden. Some do It to save money. Others want to ensure their food to chemical-free, and as safe as possible. Still others grow their own vegetables because fresher is Just better. Many do It because gardening is good for you and some because ifs still fun to play in the dirt. Whatever your reason for opting to join the 7 million Americans who grabbed their gardening gear and grew their own vegetables and herbs last year, your road to success is basically the same as everyone else's - planting at the right time, making sure your soil's in shape, weeding and watering responsibly, and feeding and nurturing your plants. This season, you won't have to buy your fresh herbs and vegetables from a farmer's market; you can grow them on your own, and you don't need a farm-sized backyard - or pocketbook - to do it. Avid gardener Stan Cope, president of Bonnie Plants, the largest producer of vegetable and herb plants in North America, growing locally in 75 locations nationwide, offers some time-saving tips to make the growing easy: * Survey your soil - Your first step istodecide where youil put your vegetable and herb garden. Good soil is key. The best soil is loam, a soft, dark. crumbly dirt. Loamy soil holds water, aBows for drainage and is easy to dig If you encounter clay or sandy soil, add peat moss and bone meal so that these aoHs can also be productive gardening bases. * Size up your space - When plotting out the size of your garden, youil want to be sure ifs ^ A n p u g b . to ytekLa-oood harvest tOTT^e~yoar-effbrts-worthwhBe. But if you're limited on yard space - or have none at all - you can grow vegetables and herbs in containers on a deck, terrace, balcony or even on the windowsHl. * Let the sunshine in - Your pfants need plenty of sun - at least six hours a day, A sunny and open location is your best bet for producing a plentiful harvest. * Pick your plants for your plot Grow vegetables that are expensive to buy in the grocery store or at the farmer's market, such as tomatoes and peppers. A tried-and-true prolific pro* ducer, the Bonnie Original Tomato, was developed exclusively for Bonnie Plants in 1967. They come In environmentally friendly, biodegradable pots that you plant right into the soil. Recent trials, planting five of these tomato plants in 25-gallon containers, averaged 100 tomatoes each at an average of 37 pounds per plant. Another tomato that will tip the scales Is Bonnie's Sun Sugar tomato, a yellow cherry type. Trial garden plants averaged 1,226 tomatoes each. If peppers are your passion, the Yummy Ben Pepper, ripening from green to apricot orange, is a best bet. Trial garden testing of five plants averaged 248 peppers per plant during the summer growing season. * Time-saving transplants When you're ready to begin planting, opt for transplants seedlings that hate already been started - rather than starting from seed. Transplants will buy you tots of time because plants are six weeks or older when you put them in the ground, and you'll begin harvesting much sooner. * Feed your food - Your vegetable plants wDI need food and water to survive and grow. When feeding plants, try to avoid chemical fertilizers that could potentially seep into groundwater. Bonnie Plant Food is a unique, organically based, soybean oilseed extract formula that has demonstrated superior ; - . . - • ' Nutritious and Delicious VessertS Avoid Foreclosure Rescue Scams (NAPS)—Following a few suggestions can help save many homeowners struggling with mortgages and other debt from seeing things gofrombad to worse. For one thing, you can get free assistance from a housing counselor approved by, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at (888) 995-4673 and makinghomeafTordable.gov. As for people or companies offering mortgage modification assistance or foreclosure relief. Federal Trade Commission rules ban advance fees, require clear disclosures and prohibit false or misleading claims. Experts at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency suggest you beware of these 10 lines: 1. "Pay us $1,000 and well save your homo." Companies cannot collect fees until you have a written, acceptable offer from your lender and a written description of the key changes to your mortgage. 2* "I guarantee I will save your home—trust me." Beware . of guarantees like this one. Providers must give you realistic evidence for any claim they make. 3. "Sign over your home and well let you stay in it." Signing over the deed gives the recipient the power to evict you, raise your rent or sell your house—and you'll still have to pay the mortgage. • 4. "Stop paying your mortgage.1' Don't trust anyone who tells you to stop making mortgage payments to your lender or servicer, even if that person promises to do it for you. You could lose your home and hurt your credit rating. 5. "If your lender calls, don't talk to them." Providers cannot tell you to stop communicating with your lender or servicer. results In the health and vigor of plants. Give your garden a good watering once or twice a week, although some crops may need more water, especially if your climate is very hot. A thorough soaking, allowing the water to penetrate 4 to 6 inches into the soil, is better for plants than frequent shallow watering. Gardening is rewarding. It will bring great pleasure as you bring your produce from plot to plate so you can literally enjoy the fruits of your labor. For more information on varieties and gardening advice, visit www.bonnleplants.com. Green With Lawn Envy? How to make the grass greener on your side of the fence (ARA) - Does the grass look greener on the other side of the fence? When you peek at your neighbor's lawn, maybe it really does look better - more lush and healthier - than your own. If what you see leaves you green with lawn envy, you're not atone. Homeowners spend about $40 billion a year on improving and maintaining their lawns, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's national home and garden survey. Undoubtedly, at least some of those invested dollars - and the hours of toil associated with them - still leave many homeowners dissatisfied with the results. The secret to green, greatlooking grass isnt how much you spend in terms of time or money, but how wisely you spend. Investing in Improving the soil under the grass gives your lawn a good foundation, and can fix many lawn issues such as poor drainage, soil compaction and thatch buildup. These issues can deprive grass roots of water, nutrients and air. Before wasting your time and money trying to improve your lawn, consider whether soil problems are standing between you and the lawn you long for. Here are some tips from the soil scientists at Outsidepride.com to help you create the lawn you crave: Aeration gets to the root of the problem You can dump, as much weed killer and fertilizer on a lawn as you can afford, but if nothing reaches the grass roots, your efforts will be wasted. Grass roots require a certain amount of oxygen to thrive. Soil packs down over t i m e r s does the organic matter (thatch) on top of it. When this happens, the Don't fall for foreclosure scams. Let a HUD-approved counselor help. 6. "Your lender never had the legal authority to make a loan." Don't listen to anyone who claims "secret laws" can erase your debt 7. "Just sign this now; well fill in the blanks later." Read id understand everything you Never let anyone else fill out paperwork for you. Don't lot anyone pressure you into signing anything. 8. "Call (800) Fed*Loan." Beware of companies that imitate official federal programs. Providers must tell you they are affiliated with the government. 9. "Pile for bankruptcy and keep your home." Filing for bankruptcy stops foreclosure only temporarily. If you don't make your mortgage payments, the bankruptcy court will eventually let the lender foreclose. Some scam artists may file bankruptcy in your name, without your knowledge, to temporarily stop foreclosure and give you the impression that he or she has negotiated a now agreement on your behalf. 10. "Why haven't you replied to our offer? Do you want to live on the streets?" High-pressure tactics signal trouble. You can learn more at help withmybank.gov, makinghomeaf fordable.gov, consumernnance.gov, consumeraction.gov and nw.org. compacted soil and thatch block water, nutrients and air from reaching plant roots. Or, the layer of compacted soli may not allow moisture to drain away from roots, leaving them to rot from sitting in water. Aeration is one task where you can spend a lot of time and money and reap only frustration if you go the traditional route of either renting a mechanical aerator or hiring a professional to do it for you. Many homeowners are finding liquid lawn eeratton is a faster, easier, cost-effective - and successful - alternative to mechanical aeration. LazyMan Soil Doctor, for example, combines liquid lawn aeration, dethatching, fertilizing end soil conditioning in an all-in-one, easy-to-use, spray-on liquid. Simply spray the polymer mixture on your lawn and It goes to work aerating, dethatching, conditioning, and fertilizing soil. The product covers 100 percent of your lawn, is chemical-free, adds nutrients and amino adds, increases much-needed airflow and boosts the earthworm population underground. If you start out with decent topsoB, you can expect the first application to reach a depth of about 6 inches. Reapply one to two weeks after the initial application, and continue to apply, as needed, at two week intervals. Tests show that In most cases surface water wfll drain away with a single application. The aerating elements that open up compacted soil (technically, polymers that react with water molecules) continue their work until they break down. Research also shows that thatch is reduced by half with three applications at four-week intervals. Digging to the root of problems To determine the health of your lawn's roots, dig several small samples from various spots around the yardi Does the shovel slide into the soil easily? You should be able to Insert half the shovel into the soli without too much difficulty. If you cant, then you probably need to aerate and dethatch. Fertillzing-Ss your next critical lawn-care task; ft replenishes the reserves used during dormant winter months and fuels the rapid growth phase of grass. A balanced fertilizer, like the 103-6 liquid fertilizer in LazyMan Soil Doctor, is biologically enhanced through the Introduction of beneficial mlcrobial species, and it comprehensively revitalizes soil health, plant nutrition, germination arid plant growth. f i n a l l y , water your lawn Celebrate With Irresistibly Easy Double Chocolate Fig Macaroons (NAPS)—Celebrating special times with friends and family often calls for an irresistible dessert. Macaroons, updated to include chocolate and figs, deliver on all fronts. Recipes for macaroons abound and often feature coconut as a main ingredient. Not so in Double Chocolate Fig Macaroons; here, figs, chocolate and almonds star and give tradition a whole new flair. In these easy-to-make macaroons, sweet, chewy chunks of California figs and morsels of semisweet chocolate are surrounded by a mixture of ground toasted almonds and cocoa. The recipe is triple-tested, so you can be assured of success. Plus, there's no flour or other ingredients containing gluten, making these macaroons gluten-free. The versatility and nutritional advantages of California figs make them ideal ingredients in many traditional and contemporary dishes. Figs deliver a multitude of nutritional benefits including fiber, calcium, iron and potassium. Use golden, slightly nutty-flavored Calimyrna figs or dark, sweet Mission figs interchangeably in recipes; both give a sweet, chewy, delightful crunch. For more recipes using California figs, visit the Valley Fig Growers website, www.valleyfig.com. wisely. Once you have treated your lawn for problems with aeration and dethatched, fertilized and conditioned your soil, it is Important to properly water your lawn. Avoid too much water and too-frequent watering. Water each area long enough to allow water penetration of about 7 inches. Do not water again until the soil has had a chance to become slightly dry. A healthy root system requires ongoing care. Pay attention to your lawn Instead of waiting for signs of poor health to show up on the surface of your lawn. A little prevention will ensure a beautiful lawn that leaves your neighbors - and not you - green with lawn envy. Did You Know? (NAPS)—For a roof with "curb appeal," homeowners can check out the Lifetime Designer Shingles Value Collection from GAF <www.gaf.com) for the look of designer shingles at an affordable price. Ail the company's laminated shingles now come with a lifetime limited warranty that's transferable to new owners. * •* A collection of plush Audubon Birds is availablefromWild Republic. Each bird has authentic birdcalls, which were recorded in the wild by ornithologists at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 1b learn more or for a list of retail locations, visit www.wUdrepublic.com. • ** The more than 1,800 FedEx Office Print & Ship Center locations provide a variety of packing and ship* ping supplies and services. For packing tips or to create and print a shipping label, visit www.fedex.com or call (800) 463-3339. • • • A reverse mortgage loan now has even lower costs thanks to the new HECM Saver loan feature. To learn more, visit www.wellsfargo.com/ reverse or stop by your local Wells Fargo or Wachovia store today. • • • Experts at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency say homeowners with mortgage troubles can get free assistance from a housing counselor approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by calling (888) 995-HOPE (4673) or visiting mak inghomeaiTordable.gov. Chocolate, figs and almonds combine for a delightfully sweet, chewy, gluten-free macaroon. '^l[ Double Chocolate Fig Macaroons 1 cup Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid Figs 2 cups toasted slivered blanched almonds 1 cup granulated sugar 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder % teaspoon salt 1 large egg 1 large egg white 'A teaspoon almond extract 1 cup semi sweet chocolate morsels Confectioners' (powdered) sugar Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350° F. Line large baking sheet with foil (coated with nonstick spray) or parchment paper. Remove stems and chop figs; set aside. In food processor, process almonds with sugar, cocoa powder and salt until nuts are finely ground. Add e £g» egg white and almond extract. Process until well blended. Remove dough from processor to separate bowl. •Stir in figs and chocolate morsels. With lightly oiled hands, form rounded tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Place balls, 2 inches apart, on sheet. Flatten each ball to 1Minch circle. Bake for 12 minutes or until cookies are net; do not overbake. Cool on wire rack. Sift confectioners' sugar over cookies. Store in airtight container. Makes about 30 cookies. ':'•'• Eat Right With Color During National Nutrition Month* (NAPS)—March is National Nutrition Month, and with this year's "Eat Right with Color" theme the American Dietetic Association encourages Americans to include a colorful variety offruits,vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and dairy on their plates every day. "Adding a splash of colorful, seasonal foods to your plate makes for more than just a festive meal," says registered dietitian and ADA spokesperson Karen Ansel. "A rainbow of foods creates a palette of nutrients, each with a different bundle of potential benefits for a healthful eating plan." Ansel offers ways to brighten up your plate with this quick color guide: Green produce indicates antioxidant potential and may help promote healthy vision and reduce cancer risks. Fruits include avocados, apples, grapes, hbneydew,ftiwisarid limes. Vegetables include artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, green beans, green peppers and spinach. Orange and deep yellow fruits and vegetables have nutrients that promote healthy vision and immunity and reduce cancer risks. Fruits include apricots, cantaloupe, grapefruit, mangoes, papaya, peaches and pineapples. Vegetables include carrots? yellow pepper, yellow corn and sweet potatoes. Purple and blue options may have antioxidant and anti-aging benefits and may help with memory, urinary tract health and reducod cancer risks. Fruits include blackberries, blueberries, plums and raisins. Vegetables include eggplant, purple cabbage and purple-fleshed potatoes. Red pioduce may help maintain a healthy heart, vision and immu- National Nutrition Month 2011 encourages Americans to Include a rainbow of foods at every m M and always "Eat Right wfth Color." nity and may reduce cancer risks. Fruits include cherries, cranberries, pomegranate, red/pink grapefruit, red grapes and watermelon. Vegetables include beets, red onions, r«$ peppers, red potatoes and tomatoes,; White, tan and brown foods sometimes contain nutrients that may promote heart health and: reduce cancer risks. Fruits include bananas, brown pears, dates and white peaches. Vegetables include' cauliflower, mushrooms, onions; turnips, white-fleshed potatoes and white corn. Ansel reminds Americans to. also include a variety of colorful whole grains, lean meats and fish and low-fat dairy with their meals.: For tips, games and more infos mation, visit ADA's website; www. eatright.org/nnm. '•:'-': James Gordon Bennett is considered the father of the present-day American newspaper. He was a reporter who founded and edited the New York Herald in 1835. : •«* Chains do not bold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads, which sew people together through the years.. • —Simone Signoret ••• •** The first duty of love is to listen. —PauITiUich **• **+ Consider the postage stamp: Its usefulness consists in the ity to stick to one thing 'till it gets there. • —Josh Billings: *«* Any fool can have a trophy wife. It takes a real man to have a trophy marriage. —Diane Solfoe **• One advantage of marriage, it seems to me, is that when you fjJULf out of love with each other, it keeps you together until maybe you I fall in again. .. , ./ ; -Judith Viorst Known for his famous ride In 1775 and his work as a silversmith, Paul Revere is said to have put ads In a Boston newspaper offering his services as a dentist ••• •+* In general, mankind, since the improvement of cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires. . > -. ' —Benjamin FrankUft •** |
