Gardening Updates

Well it is that time of year when the weeds have pretty much taken over much of the garden.  BUT there are many delectable items yet to harvest.  My fall lettuces are luscious.  There are still tomatoes and a few peppers, a row of leeks, many beets, swiss chard, Jerusalem artichoke,  kale, collards and the melt-in-your-mouth Russian fingerling potatoes.  Plus more squash, cucumbers and pumpkins from Vermont.  Food is so precious and it appears that prices will be going up on many things this year. Many books at the library can help you get ideas for starting or improving your garden. Now is a good time to plan for next year.  With grant money we purchased The Beginner's Guide to Growing Heirloom Vegetables: the 100 Easiest-to-grow-, Tastiest Vegetables for Your Garden by Marie Iannotti and Michelle Obama's book American Grown: the Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America.    Eating more healthy fresh food is a worthy goal and remember, starting small is fine.

13 Entries for the Sunflower Contest

If you planted your seeds and they came up, wonderful!  There are even some plants blooming at the library.
IF you entered our contest, even better!
Our best entry was 12 ft 10.25 in. tall and the head (without petals) was 13 in. in diameter.  Congratulations to our winner and thank you to all participants.  This was fun.
The picture of the sunflowers is compliments of the Encyclopedia Britannica available 24/7  and provided by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

Friends of the Library Booksale Continues

Today, the library meeting room is filled with books, CDs and  DVDs for all ages and interests.  It's a recycling extravaganza. Buy some great materials at extremely reasonable prices, enjoy them, and bring them back when you are done for the next booksale.  After today, the booksale will continue Monday-Thursday, September 17-20, 2012 during the library's open hours of 10-8. The Friends of the Library booksales generate revenue that fund library programs, museum passes and capital improvements that benefit all of our patrons.  We really thank our dedicated and hard-working Friends.

Remember next time you clean your shelves, to bring your used books to the library.  We use some donations to augment the library collection and the rest go to the sale.  The environment and library staff thank you!

Stop the Asian Long-horned Beetle

Don't miss this Go Green event, Wednesday September 26 from 7-8PM.  Eric Seaborn of Mass DCR will tell us ways to save our trees.  For more information go to Gardening, Landscape and Horticulture Collection and type in Asian Long-Horned Beetle.

Another Green Grant Program

We are planning a special program to finish up the grant year: Mount Washington: Home of the World's Worst Weather to take place Sept. 25 at 7 PM. Eric Pinder, who worked as a weather observer at the Observatory for seven years, describes the joys and terrors of living in the clouds and explains Mount Washington's geology and weather. The Observatory crew find much to enjoy in their icy home - even when it means dealing with 100 mph winds, wandering moose, and odd questions from visitors (Can you see New Hampshire from here?"). Of course, they are also treated to spectacular sunsets, spine-tingling thunderstorms, and breathtaking toboggan runs. For Boston Globe articles go to The Boston Globe (Proquest) and key in "Eric Pinder." You can also visit Eric's homepage to learn more about him: www.ericpinder.com 

Gardening Successes and Failures

Every year the garden yields many surprises.  My tomatoes, beets and peppers were superior to last year.  Also, I have been so pleased with the fingerling potatoes! Last night I put them on the grill and they were perfect.

But I confess that I had to water so much, the squash bugs got ahead of me. I've had a crop failure. (Luckily, I planted squash in Vermont also.)   I guess mild winters, hot summers, extra mulch and my lack of fast action all contributed to this horrific infestation.  For more information about squash bugs and how to deal with them go to Gardening, Landscape and Horticulture Collection and search for squash bugs.

Keeping plastic straws out of organic waste

This is a reminder to all our Hamilton and Wenham friends, that plastic straws should not be included in organic waste.  Milo Cress at age 9 urged many restaurants in Vermont to not give straws out automatically with drinks.  Though not a ban on straws entirely, this practice encourages a huge reduction of plastic straws landing needlessly in the landfill.  Read more about Milo at Be Straw Free or this article from The Christian Science Monitor.

 All about Bats will be presented by the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary's Andrew Prazar.
Please join us for this program provided by the LSTA Green Grant.  For more information about bats please go to Encyclopedia Britannica and type keyword "bats".

Owls and Coyote Howls

Over 200 folks enjoyed Wingmasters on Wed. night.  The Friends of the Hamilton-Wenham Public Library made this program possible.  Last weekend in Vermont, I had a wonderful experience with owls. A couple of night wanderers ran back to the cottage thinking there were coyotes in the woods, but when we listened carefully, we realized it was three Barred Owls who were calling back and forth.Their call sounds like:"Who Who Who Cooks for Youuuuuu???"   To view a picture of a barred owl from the online Encyclopedia Britannica, click here.Under a sky inlaid with stars, we listened for a long time in fascination.  To find out more about owls, go to  Kids Infobits and type in "owl" for a search term.  This picture is from the online Encyclopedia Britannica provided by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

WOW! Vic and Sticks tonight at 6:30 PM

This concert is not to be missed!  Join us tonight at 6:30 PM for Vic and Sticks Recycled Rhythm Band with comedy for the whole family.  Courtesy of the LSTA Green Grant!  Don't leave without your bookmark that shows how to learn about interesting stuff using the library's electronic resources.  For example, see what you can find out about BATS!
Dream Big.....READ!

Loose Tea and Dried Ginger

I absolutely love seeping dried ginger with loose herbal tea.  The flavor of loose tea is so superior to tea bags.  I have Amy Job to thank for introducing me to some of the wonderful loose tea that she sells.  Also, the tea leaves can go directly into the worm bin when they are ready to be discarded.  To try some wonderful teas, take a walk down to the Jolie Tea Company on 1A in Hamilton.   That is where I discovered the dried ginger which is wonderful!

New DVDs available from the Green Grant

New DVDS
Click on the title to order!
Toxic Tears: the Darker Side of the Green Revolution 
Waking the Green Tiger: The Rise of a Green Movement in China
Terra Antarctica: Rediscovering the Seventh Continent
Cafeteria Man: Bad School Food Meets its Match
The Man Who Stopped the Desert
Animate Earth: Science Intuition and Gaia
The Light Bulb Conspiracy: the Untold Story of Planned Obsolescence

Get those seeds in the ground!

We still have free sunflower seed packets for folks who want to join our sunflower growing contest.  The seeds were provided by the Friends of the Library.

This is prime planting time, so don't miss the opportunity to get something in the ground.  I've been enjoying wonderful lettuce and radishes from my garden every night.  Last week I transplanted tomatoes and peppers.  Everything is in and all the seeds are starting to sprout.  I also planted potatoes in both my Massachusetts and Vermont gardens this year and am excited to see how they do.  It is a true blessing to cook with fresh food. I've made two strawberry rhubarb pies with my fresh rhubarb.  Pretty soon I can make one with my rhubarb and with local strawberries.  That combination is packed with flavor and is a special June treat.

We have many books and magazines at the library to help you with gardening.  Also, click here to find out more about the new community garden at Pingree Park

Winson Morrill's Miniature Ships are HERE!

This afternoon we will display Winson Morrill's ships in bottles and miniature scenes.  Winson lives in Hamilton and exhibits a wealth of talent and knowledge of local history. He was featured on "What's My Line" and on "Chronicle."   Come and enjoy this month long display. Winson is a master artist and recycler.  His ships and miniatures are made from old buildings such as the original Beverly Hospital and Motif No. 1.  Also, he uses vintage bottles and light bulbs!  Come and enjoy this fabulous green art program.
Read more in  this Hamilton Wenham Chronicle article by Lucy Sprague Frederickson.

Tasty Treats from the Organic Garden Cafe

Our Green Grant is sponsoring a delightful and delicious presentation by Robert "Rawbert" Reid of Organic Garden Cafe on Wednesday, May 2 at 7 PM.

Robert will demonstrate smoothies, salad dressings, and hummus and his tasty treats will be sure to please. Please call 978-468-5577 to register so he knows how much food to bring.  Invite your friends...it will be a great night!

Personally, I like nothing better than to come home from work, go directly to my garden, where I find all the fixings for making supper.  Nothing like fresh and organic food that I grew myself. See you on Wednesday!

Healthy Lawn Tips

Some healthy lawn tips from Master Gardener, Betty Sanders.
1. Stop using herbicides and pesticides.  They kill the bacteria and fungi that make up healthy soil.
Also, most insects are not pests. Actually, hungry birds are the best "insecticide."  Worms are working constantly to aerate the soil and we don't want to hurt them either.  Keep grass at 3 inches high.  Grass is meant to go dormant in the summer and the grubs will die.   A copy of all of Betty's tips is at the Reference Desk in the Green Grant notebook.

The vermiculture program with Lisa Spence is April 11 at 6:30 PM.  Come see the library composter and visit the 2,000 + worms who call it "home."   Lots of folks are excited about learning how to compost with worms.
Remember to go to the library's electronic resource page.  Choose the  Gardening, Landscaping and Horticulture Collection and search for vermiculture for more information.

Sunflower Growing Contest

Starting May 14 the library will be distributing Mammoth Sunflower Seeds for our Sunflower Growing Contest. Open to all ages!
Two winners:
who will grow the tallest plant or
the largest diameter flower?
The Rules:
*  You must use the seeds we provide.
 *  Use whatever soil & fertilizers you like.
 *  No tampering with anyone else’s
  plants, seeds, etc.
 *  Drop off your entries by
  Tuesday, Sept. 25 by 5 pm.
 * Entries accepted for tallest or largest,
  not both, for a single plant.

The J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island, Florida has wonderful mangroves and wildlife.  It is a beautiful area and can be visited online at http://www.fws.gov/dingdarling/.  J. N. Darling cared deeply for the environment.  To find out more visit Gale Biography in Context.  Two books about him will soon be added to our library's collection.

For another easy energy savings measure -  Today, I installed some Frost King outlet and switch sealers for those outlets and switches located on my outside walls. This reduces drafts and the sealers are very inexpensive and available in local hardware stores.

Phil of www.itsallinthegiftbasket.com donated a lovely gift basket filled with goodies from New England vendors. You might win the gift basket if you play Green Bingo.  Be sure to pass in completed bingo sheets to the circulation desk.  The more you play; the more chances you have to win!  View the basket in the library's foyer.  Thank you Phil!

Sally Zimmerman, Manager of Historic Preservation Services at Historic New England, presents: Energy Retrofits and the Historic Home: Weighing Risks and Opportunities. Learn about making improvements to older houses without damaging historic fabric. She presents a historic preservation perspective on insulation, window repair, air sealing, and renewable energy options in the historic home on Wednesday , February 29 at 7:30 PM.  Visit the Home Improvement Collection in the state electronic resources and type in Historic Buildings.  There are many full-text articles including one on "Wavy Windows".  See you on Wednesday evening.

We Will Have Heidi Come Back!

Heidi Wilcox did a wonderful job on Wednesday night teaching us about how "green" cleaning can reduce toxics in our homes.  The Toxics Use Reduction Institute tests cleaning products for safety and effectiveness. There is a wealth of information at www.turi.org   She showed us the lab results of using distilled white vinegar as a disinfectant. Some of our participants are planning to replace their bleach use with vinegar especially because bleach is corrosive, a respiratory hazard and an eye and skin irritant.  We hope to offer another workshop in May to help us all make our spring cleaning a safer and healthier experience.  More fun too!

Going Green in Your Home: Easy Ways to Reduce Your Use of Toxic Products

Heidi Wilcox will help you create a healthier home or work environment.  She works for the Toxics Use Reduction Institute at U Mass Lowell.  She will be here Wed. Feb. 15 from 7-9 PM.  Click here for more information.  I am looking forward to this presentation.  You can also search some electronic resources.  Click on  The Health and Wellness Center and search for "Toxins in the Home."

Great Article about Saving Energy

Last night was cold....more like what we normally expect in February, but since it has been so temperate this winter, it was a bit of a shocker. Lower that thermostat by one degree and you could save 3 percent of your heating bill.  Haul out that heavy wool sweater and use it!   Here is a nice article I found in the Home Improvement Database   I typed the keyword search "save money by lowering thermostat by one degree" and got this great article Cheaper By the Dozen: PSE&G Offers 12 Tips to Save Money and Keep Warm.  The price of fuel keeps going up.  Every little thing we can do will help.

Community Garden at Pingree Park

I'm excited to hear of the community garden initiative at Pingree Park.  Interested in gardening? You can order The Beginner's Guide to Heirloom Vegetables - It will get you excited to get started.  Another handy title is Growing a Garden City: how farmers, first graders, counselors, troubled teens, foodies, a homeless shelter chef, single mothers, and more are transforming themselves and their neighborhoods through the intersection of local agriculture and community--and how you can, too / Jeremy N. Smith

I ordered seeds on Saturday from High Mowing Organic Seeds in Vermont and was dismayed to discover that the long pie pumpkin seeds were unavailable due to a crop failure.  I'm saving seed from the pumpkins that I grew last year and still have stored at home.

All agriculture is susceptible to the vagaries of weather conditions etc. We can't take our food for granted.  Perhaps you'll consider a community garden plot!  If you are interested, fill out the survey at http://www.hwgreen.org/.

Green Programs all on One Flier!

Green Programs at a Glance!  Also check out Beverly Public Library to see their impressive programs connected to The Mangrove Tree!

Green Bingo Expands!

Pick up a "Green" Bingo sheet at the library or go online.  Completed Bingo sheets must be returned to the library by Friday May 4 to be eligible for prizes.  Feel free to play more than once.

First Church Wenham has a version of Green Bingo especially tailored for the Lenten Season!  Its great to have their participation!

New DVDs and Books Purchased with Grant Money

We continue to purchase new materials and following is just a smattering of items for you to try. Click on a link below to place a hold.

DVDs

Vanishing of the Bees
Dirt, the Movie
Blue Gold:World Water Wars
Gasland
Books

Residential Windows: A Guide to New Technologies and Energy Performance by John Carmody
The World Without Fish by Mark Kurlansky
Folks, this Ain't Normal by Joel Salatin
The Beekeeper's Bible

Pack a lunch; it's healthy, saves resources and money

Last night I heard on the ABC news that according to a recent survey by Accounting Principals, the average worker spends $37 a week or $2,000 a year on buying  lunches. Purchasing coffee can add another $1,000 to the tab. Folks, we can do a lot with that amount of money!

To save money and resources, we can make our own coffee, bring it with us in a reusable container and not waste all those paper cups and lids.  Also there is no wasting time standing in line or idling our cars at the fast-food window. Home-prepared food tends to be healthier and less salty too.

Some brown bag ideas can be found in the statewide Electronic Resources.  Go to the Gale Databases search for"lunchbox cooking" and limit  your results to full-text documents.  A cookbook to try is My Rustic Sandwiches: Great Recipes to Savor Artisan Bread.

The Mangrove Tree and the 50 Book Challenge

Are you taking the 50 Book Challenge?  I am....but I admit that I am reading a lot of shorter books in order to accomplish it  Remember you have a WHOLE YEAR to read 50 books and they can be books of any length.  Why not start with our 2012 Community Read book The Mangrove Tree?  Click on the link to place a hold on this lovely children's book.  This book has fantastic illustrations and is the story of our local Wenham hero, Dr. Gordon Sato.  He started the Manzanar Project and solved the hunger crisis in Eritrea by discovering how to make mangroves flourish despite inhospitable conditions.  Read about this amazing plant and the dedicated man who made it happen.  You can meet Dr. Sato and share in his work on March 29 at Gordon College.  A reception will take place at 6 PM and the lecture at 7:30 PM.  The book may inspire you to consider growing some extra vegetables this year to share with Acord or another local food pantry.  Please call the library for more information.

20 Mule Team Borax is a good cleaning product for the laundry room and bathroom and is touted as a less toxic cleaner. I spent some time learning about this product today (as well as using it as a water softener in the wash and to clean  hard water stains in the shower). 
Here's an interesting question I found in the statewide electronic resources:

Dear EarthTalk: I've heard so much about using Borax for green housecleaning. But if this mineral has to be mined, doesn't that negate some of its "green-ness?"

Go to Gale's Science in Context database and enter keyword "borax."  Scroll down to the magazine articles to read the answer to this question.

I'm looking forward to hearing Heidi Wilcox of the Mass. Toxics Use Reduction Institute when she presents a talk on the many ways in which toxic items are present in everyday items that we use in the home. She will also present alternatives and make-it-yourself versions at her talk at the library on February 15, 2012.

Save energy, resources and time with a pressure cooker.

I've missed making beans in my pressure cooker (the sealing ring needed replacement). A pressure cooker is a marvelous device that saves time, energy and packaging. Using dried beans rather than canned is less expensive, reduces the need for a metal can (that must later be rinsed and recycled) and gives the cook the option to use less salt.  I found a new sealing ring and overpressure plug on the Internet at Red Hill General Store and ordered them to make my 35 year old cooker act like new again!  For online articles on pressure cookers, go to http://www.hwlibrary.org/Online_Electronic_Resources.html  Scroll down to the InfoTrac Home Improvement Collection and type pressure cookers.  Or go directly to http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=PPHI&u=mlin_n_hamwen and enter  pressure cookers.