Multicultural Celebrations
the worms crawl in the worms crawl out… Sometimes, doing things in a new way, means going back to the old
way of doing it. The way it’s been done for eternity. Our crossing over
the millennium doorstep without tripping, should not let us grow complacent.
Continued determination to put ourselves in tune and harmony with everything
around us, must be kept alive. By taking a look at how nature gives
countless examples of recycle and renewal we might pick up a few hints,
and maybe get some willing help to take care of the “dirty work”.
One case the OpenMinder looked at this issue, is vermeculture.
Vermeculture is the method
of using worms to speed up the composting
of organic materials. -It is
faster cleaner, and has fewer pests than
traditional outdoor compost
heaps. In can be done inside the home or
apartment, doing away with
the hassles of a frozen outdoor compost at
this time of year. Worms
ingest microorganisms and organic matter and
excrete castings that
contain a wealth of nutrients. The castings increase
the amount of nutrients and
minerals in the soil by ten times the value
of the original plant
debris. It is said that one acre of worms can
move twenty tons of earth in
one year! Local worm expert Eva Anthony
introduced us to these
natural recyclers on a one-on-one basis OM: Have
people been involved in
vermaculture a long time? EVA: As far as I know,
and have read, it has been
going on since the 1950’s. OM: How big of
an industry is it? EVA: It
is quite a large industry. There are commercial
outfits that produce
castings for sale. The castings are used as a nutrient
rich organic fertilizer for
houseplants and gardens. I know that there
are several landfills now
that are buying hundreds of pounds of worms
to speed up the process. OM:
Can this be done on a smaller scale that
someone at home could do?
EVA: Yes, very easily. Some kitchen kits are
available for under the
counter requiring approximately a 2-foot by
2-foot space. A cool
basement or garage is an ideal site, anywhere it
will not freeze. On a larger
scale, you can use an outdoor pile. My
outdoor pile is 4-feet by
8-feet. OM: What do they eat? EVA: Well, any
organic waste, but variety
is essential. You do not want to give them
too much of one thing. You
can use animal products, (meat & dairy),
but there will be an odor
problem. They like eggshells and sand, though,
because the grit helps the
digestion process. They have an orifice where
they ingest; their whole
body is a digestive system and their mouth
is at the front end. They do
not have teeth. The grinding process is
done by the grit, which you
have to supply. Also, enzymes are produced
and secreted by the worms
that breakdown matter. When you feed them,
do not spread it all over
the whole bed. Put the waste down the middle
where the worms can come to
it and feed. They like to eat it, not live
in it. OM: What kind of
maintenance is involved? EVA: Worms are mainly
water, therefore they do
need moist beds, or else they will dehydrate.
Also, the pH must be checked
from time to time. You should avoid using
wood chips for bedding
because it raises the acidity. Shredded newspaper
and cardboard, straw or even
dry grass clippings can be used for bedding.
Make sure the grass is not
fresh, though, because the heat released
by the breakdown process
will harm the worms. The pile should be turned
once in a while for air
circulation because after a time the bed becomes
compacted. OM: Do they
reproduce abundantly, or do you have to replace
the worms after a while?
EVA: They reproduce regularly. You will often
find cocoons throughout the
bed. Worms are hermaphrodites. Each worm
is both male and female.
They mate by joining end to end, resulting
in both worms being
impregnated. OM: So everyone gets to experience
the miracle of birth! EVA:
Yes that is right. A perfect world! OM: What
is it like to handle worms?
EVA: It is really not that bad, you get
used to it after a while.
They kind of tickle the palm of your hand.
A lot of people have this
squeamish feeling about worms, but they usually
get over that quickly. OM:
How do you harvest your worms? EVA: Well,
there are several methods.
If you are into it as a big operation and
you have got hundreds of
feet of beds, you buy a commercial rotary type
harvester. But you are
looking at thousands of dollars for one of those.
So, the simple way of doing
it is you just pile mounds of the composted
bedding on a table where
there is lots of light. It is best if you can
do this outdoors where you
have lots of room. The worms will just dive
deep into the piles to get
away from the light. And so you scoop off
the dirt and then they go
deeper, and when you get down to the very
bottom, you remove all the
castings. You get this mass of worms at the
bottom, it is just
beautiful; you just fill your palms with it! I tried
the screening method.
Underneath the screen you put a layer of moist
burlap. You have to give
them a period of time like up to half an hour
to complete this or else you
have these worms dangling from the screen
and you have to pull them
out, possibly damaging them. You have to leave
a space between the screen
and the burlap so that they can not get back
up. I’ve never really timed
it to see which harvesting method was the
most efficient, time wise.
OM: Can worms see? EVA: No, but they sense
light. When I first got
mine, I was warned to keep the lights on for
a couple days, so they get
used to their new home, or else they might
try to migrate. Try to run
away from home! OM: How long do worms actually
live? EVA: Well, they can
live a long, long time if the conditions are
right. They are very polite.
When babies are hatched, they will leave
the tiny worms at the main
food source. They will move away to feed
off the already partially
digested foods. So if the beds are not well maintained, they will
eventually die from not eating enough. But, when
the worms die, you would
never know it. They just turn to compost themselves.
OM: Is it true that when the
worm is cut in half, it will grow into
two new worms? EVA: No, not
really. A worm can survive and repair itself
if the wound is not too
large. But it does not become two separate worms.
OM: Are there different
types of worms used in vermiculture? EVA: The
Red Wigglers are the most
common. They are the most efficient composters
that I know of. Many people
are expecting to see the garden worm, but
the red wigglers will not
live in the garden. They will only live in
compost. Conversely, the
Night Crawlers, which are the garden worms,
will not live in compost.
But, they will not live in a garden that has
no organic matter, either.
When I first moved to my current location,
I had no worms in the
garden. Because it was so depleted, but once I
added organic matter to the
garden, I had worms. Red Wigglers make good
fish bait because they are
resistant to drowning and wiggle on the hook.
On the other hand, if
fishermen are using the Night Crawlers, they are
too big unless they are
fishing for huge fish. And they have to cut
them in half. OM: So it
seems like vermicomposting is a win-win situation.
Feeding organic waste, which
was formally destined for the landfill,
provides a rich organic
fertilizer in much less time than traditional
compost methods. EVA:
Exactly. I used to get additional waste from a
local restaurant, too. So,
there is quite a benefit to the environment.
OM: How do I find a source
to start my own bin? EVA: Anyone who is interested
in trying vermicomposting
can call me, Eva Anthony at 442-5334.
Dear Betty: About four months ago my 13 year old daughter
informed me that she was now a “vegetarian” My husbands
response was to make a joke about the time he took her dear hunting
being the cause. Our family eats well and I have two other boys
and a husband to feed. Vegie girl now wants veggie dogs that
cost three times the price of regular dogs, and Tofu is not cheap.
I love my daughter, but I am not going to cook separate meals
for her. signed: Mother of veggie girl
Dear Veggie Mom Join the club, this is the age of experimentation.
Check with her class mates you may have enough to form a support
group. Seriously, I was raised in a vegetarian home untill I
left for the big city when I was 18. We sometimes had the opposite
problem, but the rules are the same. If your daughter wants to
choose this way of living, she needs to make some commitments
of her own. Things like growing a gardening, helping more with
meals, and maybe contributing financially or in kind with extra
chores. It could be the beginning of life long healthy eating
habits or maybe not. P.S. sound like hubby should be helping
out more in the kitchen as well.
Just a note from Betty. Thanks for the letters,
keep them coming! I have had some questions as to why and how
I summaries your letters. If you send your question to Betty
in 100 to 150 words, It will be printed complete. I have received
letters that are 3 or 4 hundred words long. In these situations
I attempt to summarize the questions and keep the intent and
the accuracy. If I miss the mark, please let me know. Ms B
On culture: editor While attending the multicultural event, mentioned on the cover, I came to realize that coming from a 4th generation of Canadians, I grew up without any definite cultural customs, like I was experiencing that night. No costume or dress, no coming of age, or rights of passage customs to help intigrate and link my mind and spirit to the family, community, and most importantly adulthood, not even any particular food, except our “Thursday night spaghetti dinner”. The side effects of this for me, meant a long time finding my own connections. After Friday nights event, I came away feeling a deep sense of sharing and gratitude towards those who have strong cultural ties, for something that I will never have, as well as a deeper understanding of myself.
openminder.com For those readers who visit the OpenMinder web site, you will have noticed a completely new look. You will also have noticed that it hasn’t been kept up to date. My appologies for that. The new look for the site was designed by Nicolia Strukoff, who certainly added some dynamics to it, an there has been a learning curve of a new web site program that I am experiencing as well as transfering a copy of the site to my computer, to keep updated. Every thing will be updated soon.Thank you for your patience and thank you to Nicolai Strukoff for a fresh look.
Firemans Park This past Monday
evening Brian Taylor, President of the Grand Forks Recreation
Society came before city council. OM: What was the purpose of the presentation to council on Monday
nite?
Brian: You know we had our first meeting of the Recreation
Societies new Board of Directors last week, and in that meeting
we identified three essential steps to getting back on track
1) Understanding the cities ownership and responsibility to the
land and our need for a mandate to develope the site. 2) Understanding
the involvement of the Fall Fair Society in the agreement with
the A.L.C. 3) Creating an identity. So we had come to council
to take the first step in reporting to the city, and we had also
hoped to get there endorsement for the name of the park. This
may seem like a strange place to start, but if you read Karen
Heaber’s editorial in the Gazette, last week, you will recognise
that the name confusion, on top of that, the enthusiasm of the
voluteers, has added to the confusion. Are we the Rec Centre/Society/multi-multi
what ever? A name is the first thing to establish, upon which
a vision can be built, and a community rallied to accomplish
great things.
OM: You were suggesting Firemans Park, why that name?
Brian: There is a rich history involved with the history
of the Fall Fair, (Firemans Park, being there last real home)
strong community spirit and in keeping with that historical,
or heritage theme we began to refer to the old “Firemans
Park.” We talked about how this was a return to the roots
of our community spirit and how this fit with the Tourism Committies
direction of promoting the heritage of the area. So many pieces
fell into place.
OM: Were you disappointed by councils reaction to your
proposal?
Brian: No, not at all, I think that council is some what
overwhelmed by the complexity, but, I feel they were sympathetic
to our need for a clear identity.
OM: What do the firemen think of this?
Brian: They are flattered to be recognised in the name
of the park. As volunteers, they did remind me that the original
aggreement, where the city promised to replace the park at a
future date, was made with the firemen of Grand Forks. Great
chance for this city council to fullfill a nearly fifty year
old promise.
OM: OK, name, city support, can you tell me what else
the society is doing?
Brian: Surveys are going out and more being prepared,
we have been and are continuing to look at how other communities
have addressed their needs, we are working on getting a scale
model of the site. The Museum is getting involved to help us
develope the heritage theme, and there are many groups ready
to offer hands on help at the site, but we are aware of the need
for a mandate from the city before we actually do anything at
the site. We are even having lease enquiries on future buildings
on the site.
Are You a Professional?
Below are a series of questions that will let you
know if you have what it takes to be a professional in what you
do.
1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?
Correct answer: Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and
close the door. This question tests whether you are doing simple
things in a complicated way.
2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?
Incorrect answer: Open the refrigerator, put in the elephant,
and close the refrigerator door. Correct answer: Open the refrigerator,
take out the giraffe, put in the elephant, and close the door.
This question tests your memory.
3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the
animals attend except one. Which animal does not attend?
Correct answer: The elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator!
This tests if you are capable of comprehensive thinking. OK,
if you did not answer the last three questions correctly, this
one may be your last chance to test your qualifications to be
a professional.
4. There is a river known for its vicious, man-eating crocodiles.
How do you cross it?
Correct Answer: Simply swim. All the crocodiles are attending
the animal conference.
If you answered four out of four questions correctly, you are
a true professional. Wealth and success await you. If you answered
three out of four, you have some catching up to do but there
is hope for you. If you answered two out of four, consider a
career as a hamburger flipper in a fast food joint. If you answered
one out of four, try selling some of your organs. It’s the only
way you will ever make any money. If you answered none correctly,
consider a career that does not require any higher mental functions
at all, such as politics. Tax Tips -Did you know? Keep those
reciepts! by Laverne Simpson Have you gone out of town for medical
reasons? Did you know you can deduct meal, gas and accommodation
expences? Keeping receipts for those expenses can pay off at
tax time bringing down your taxable income and saving you money!
Phoenix Rises Centennial of
Phoenix, B.C. On October 11, 1900, Phoenix B.C., located at 4,500
ft. on a mountain top between Greenwood and Grand Forks, became
the highest incorporated city in Canada. Already established
with hundreds of citizens who were lured by the immense deposits
of copper in the area, it was a place like no other, prosperous,
booming and confident. Today Phoenix City is only a memory, but
we can celebrate the spirit and enthusiasm it projected in it’s
heyday as we recognize the centennial of incorporation. Boundary
Tourism Action Committee is co-ordinating Phoenix Days Celebrations,
August 4 to 6, (to coincide with the long weekend), and are issuing
and open invitation for people to return to the Boundary to take
part. Grand Forks and Greenwood will be the focal points for
‘homecoming’, and we hope both communities will offer many displays
and activities for the visitors. There will be a tour to Phoenix
site on the Sunday, with a picnic lunch in a hall an lots of
reminiscing. Communities and groups are also encouraged to become
involved with their own recognition of the Centennial, either
during the Homecoming or throughout the year. Phoenix was an
influence on all of the Boundary, and we are confident our communities
will participate in the celebrations with their usual enthusiasm.
Tall Man Wanted The Phoenix Centennial
Celebrations committee is looking for a gentleman who most resemble
Magistrate W.R. “Judge Willie” Williams, who presided
in court at Phoenix B.C. from 1898 to 1913. Judge Williams, at
6′ 6″ was know as the highest man in the highest court in
the highest city in Canada. He wa in Phoenix from 1898 to 1913
and it is said he became a legend in his own lifetime. All we
ask from the successful candidate is that he be a very tall man,
with outgoing personality, willing to appear as the Judge at
special Phoenix commemorative events in the Boundary, and to
enter into the spirit of his role. Background material will be
provided and we will try to assist with locating appropriate
attire. The only payment offered is the pleasure of being able
to portray one of the famous people of Phoenix and being a recognized
participant at some of the great centennial celebrations that
are planned. Entries must be received by Tuesday, February 29,
2000For more information contact Boundary Tourism Action Committee,
Co-ordinator, Jean Johnson at ph: 442-3060 or fax: 442-3091 or
e-mail: granby@sunshinecable.com.
Sentinel on the hill High on the hill in the morning shade – An Indian boy and an Indian Maid – Sat with hands and heart entwined And pledged their love to a seedling pine. – Strong as the pine their love would grow – Through summer sun and winter snow ‘Til their bones be dust and their spirits free – Still that love would live in the Sentinel Tree. The year was 1832, – The sun was warm, the sky was blue, And the little tree stretched his roots and grew. The priest gazed out on the open plain – Fresh and green from the summer rain, – Wild willow thickets hid the timid deer – Where the bubbling creek flowed cool and clear. – Far to the south a thin smoke curled – Marking his home in this strange New World. – And the midday ringing of the Mission bell – Told him that all was secure and well. The year was 1863, “Thank you, lord for choosing me,” He prayed, as he knelt by a tall pine tree. The young girl stood in the sunset glow – Looking through tears at her world below, Her wedding day would never come; For young men must answer the distant drum, In a faraway land he spread his blood, Whispered her name as he died in the mud. – All through the night the young girl cried, And the Sentinel Tree understood and sighed. The year was 1917 – The sun still shone, the grass was green; But her world was dead and cold and mean. In early Spring on a moon less night – The old tree shuddered from the axe’s bite, – Soon the ring of death was deep all ’round And the lifeblood sap dripped down to the ground, – And the midnight breeze felt icy cold As the creeping numbness slowly took hold, While far away, on another hill, An Indian grave stirred once and was still.
WE’RE OFF! The Trans Canada Relay 2000 Canada’s
largest Millennium Celebration has begun A team of Junior Rangers
hacking through ice to draw water from the Arctic Ocean helped
launch the first leg of the Trans Canada Trail Relay 2000 – an
epic journey to celebrate the millennium and forge a trail that
aims to link the whole country together from North to South and
East to West. After months of planning and hard work, the Trans
Canada Trail Relay 2000 got off and running on Sunday – even
dogsled running. Teams of volunteers, chosen from thousands of
applicants, will carry the symbolic vessel of Arctic Ocean water
along its way through severe Arctic weather and across thousands
of trail miles throughout the great North. In April and May similar
trail blazers will scoop water from the Pacific and the Atlantic
Oceans and all three relays, unravelling like ribbons across
the country, will converge in the National Capital Region for
a grand celebration in Jacques Cartier Park on September 9th.
They will pour the waters from the three oceans together, symbolizing
a link from coast to coast to coast. It will be a bond of unity
created by everyone who has travelled on foot, by dogsled, bicycle,
cross county ski, on snomobile, horseback and wheelchair to carry
the dream to reality. The premier send off celebration began
under the great white northern spotlight in Tuktoyaktuk, NWT
on February 19th with festivities featuring traditional games
and contests on the frozen Arctic ocean, including igloo construction;
drummers and dancers; a traditional feast of king salmon, moose,
caribou and whale meat; fireworks; northern arts and crafts;
and, of course, the ceremonial drawing of the water from the
Arctic Ocean by a select group of Junior Rangers who had to drill
through layers of ice with special equipment. In attendance were
the three official territorial Relay 2000 teams – the Northwest
Territories, Yukon and Nunavut – as well as local citizens and
dignitaries. The Arctic water began its winter journey on February
20. From Tuktoyaktuk, the NWT and Yukon Relay 2000 teams headed
south to Inuvik; while at the same time, the Arctic Millennium
Project Relay 2000 headed east towards Paulatuk. The Arctic Millennium
Project will carry a third of the Arctic Ocean water through
Canada’s newest territory, and ultimately finished in Nunavut’s
capital of Iqaluit. This portion of the Arctic water will remain
in Iqaluit as a testament to the territory’s participation in
the Trans Canada Trail Relay 2000. On February 21, the Yukon
and NWT teams continue south towards Tsiigethchic where the Rangers
will create a tent city to house both teams for the night. The
following morning the water will be split in two, with one container
travelling through the Yukon with the other through the Northwest
Territories. The two trail ‘tributaries’ will reunite near Regina
(having stopped through Fort Nelson and Fort St. John, BC) where
they will meet up with the east/west pathway. Official water
carriers included local mayors, citizens and schoolchildren each
travelling the Relay 2000 route by dog sled, cross-county skiing,
running or snowmobiling. The First Canadian Rangers, experts
in Arctic travel under adverse conditions, guided the southbound
journey. Each escort was specially equipped with multi-day supplies
of food and water, camping equipment, flares, first aid kits,
tow ropes and state-of-the-art communications equipment. Despite
average temperatures of -40C, severe wind chills, scant road
access and limited daylight in the far north, the participants
were ‘fired up’ and their true Canadian spirit refused to be
extinguished. April 7th will see the drawing of Pacific water
in Victoria, BC. The Relay will weave through the province visiting
over 66 communities with over 100 celebrations between April
7th and May 5th before moving into Alberta, continuing east to
it’s final destination in the National Capital Region. In Greenwood
on April 27th, the largest event in the Boundary area will be
the official unveiling of the Tunnel of Flags. Politicians, special
guests, media and the residents of the region, are all invited
to the unveiling scheduled for mid-morning. Also on the 27th,
in Grand Forks, the water will be brought in on the old Columbia
and Western railbed and a horseback rider will be the water carrier
as Relay 2000 comes into downtown Grand Forks. Late the same
day, at Christina Lake again a horseback rider will be one of
the water carriers taking the water along West Lake Drive to
the Community Hall. On September 9th in the year 2000, the waters
from the three oceans that border Canada will come together in
our nation’s capital. The carriers will have traveled over 16,000
km through every province and territory and countless towns and
communities to this symbolic finale. But what gives this relay
its power and its everlasting legacy is not the end of
the event, but the beginning it represents. Because to get there,
those Canadians and thousands more, will have bound together
their lives with an everlasting national dream. Trans Canada
Trail Relay 2000 – making the dream a reality! For details call:
Marilyn Strong, Community Animator, Trans Canada Trail Relay
2000, and ParticipACTION Ph: (250) 365-2662/Fax: (250) 365-6045
Email: marilyn@participaction.com Community Organizers Greenwood
Ernie Hennig 250-445-227830 Grand Forks Bev
Wisnicki 250-442-2202 Christina Lake – John Mackey 250-442-2202
pavlovs monkey…. An experiment on learned rules & habits, was conducted using monkeys. The experiment consisted of placing a table in the middle of the common area, and above the table, suspended by a string, is a banana. Every time a monkey gets up on the table to get the banana, a water hose is sprayed at the monkey on the table until in gets down and then the rest of the monkeys get sprayed also. After getting hosed a few times the other monkeys start to beat up any monkey who tries to get on the table. Once this behavior starts, there is no need to bring out the hose. Over a period of time new monkeys are put in and old ones out until there is no original monkeys left that felt the spray of the water, but still, every time a monkey gets up on the table, the others grab him, pull him down and beat him up. …Next time you do something, ask yourself, am I a monkey?
Thank you!! Thank you Mola for putting me on the right track! Thank you Kal Tire for going above and beyond the call of duty.
trash talk Fillin, Pots Last Fall I was taking my annual potted plants out of their containers, when I noticed there was an awful lot of unused soil at the bottom where the roots had not even reached. After a bit of research, I found that this problem could be resolved by filling the first 2-3 inches of the pots with styrofoam chips reused from parcels. Filling the space with medium sized gravel can be just as effective. By doing this simple step around my home, I have had to use less packaged soil, which means less packaging to throw out. The plants also seem to have less mould and fungal problems, most probably due to increased drainage. Ideas & comments can be sent to email: drumit@telus.net