Almanack Contributor Richard Gast

Richard Gast is a retired Extension Program Educator and has been contracted by Cornell Cooperative Extension Franklin County to continue his informative and thought provoking articles.


Sunday, May 28, 2023

Enjoying the Trails Safely 

Silver Lake

At more than 6-million-acres, the Adirondack Park is the largest publicly protected expanse of wilderness in the continental United States. Within its boundaries are approximately 2.6 million acres of public land, containing more than 3,000 lakes and ponds, over 1,500 miles of rivers, hundreds of mountain peaks (42 of them at elevations over 4,000 feet) and more than 2,000 miles of  clearly marked and maintained hiking trails.

» Continue Reading.


Sunday, May 14, 2023

Heirloom Vegetables – Planting the Seed 

Brandywine, Yellow Brandywine, and Black Brandywine tomatoes

What are Heirloom Vegetables?

The definition of heirloom vegetables varies, depending on who you ask. Some gardeners will tell you that heirloom vegetables are those they’ve grown successfully for many years. Others identify heirloom vegetables as those that are a traditional part of their family heritage or ethnicity. But most of the gardeners I know define heirloom vegetables as older, time-honored varieties whose seeds have been passed down from generation to generation, preserving all of the qualities of the original plant for decades or, in some cases, centuries.

» Continue Reading.


Sunday, April 30, 2023

Many Garden and Ornamental Plants can be Harmful to People and Pets 

Tulips

The types of plants we choose for our flower gardens are mostly a matter of personal preference. But, as we welcome the arrival of spring flowers, and with the promise of summer still ahead, it’s important that we know which of those plants our four-legged friends can check out or play in safely. Many popular spring flowers are among the more than 700 plants that produce compounds which have been identified as being toxic to people and/or pets. The following are just three of the most common spring garden flowers that can cause harm (or worse) if eaten by a much-loved pet.  » Continue Reading.


Monday, April 17, 2023

Crocuses Ring In the Flower Season 

Crocuses

“Behold, my friends. The spring is come. The earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun. And we shall soon see the results of their love.” – Sitting Bull

 

It snowed during the night. But the snow turned to rain early in the morning. And by the afternoon, the sun was shining, bright and warm. I was mulling over the winter’s damage to yard trees and shrubs and considering the clean-up that lay ahead when something caught my eye; a splash of color amidst the thawing mat of leaves and needles, and patches of icy, dirty snow still covering the winter-weary ground. I took a few steps toward it and sure enough. There they were. The first of the spring crocuses; a cheery reminder that winter would soon be coming to an end and that the full beauty of spring lies ahead.

» Continue Reading.


Sunday, April 2, 2023

The Lilies of Easter 

Potted Easter lily (Lilium longflorium)

Consider the lilies… – Luke 12:27 (KJV) Matthew 6:28 (KJV)

The Easter season is upon us. It’s a time of celebration, religious significance, and the arrival of spring. It’s a time of resurrection, both of Jesus Christ and of the earth itself; the season of new beginnings;

The Easter lily, Lilium longiflorum, with its magnificent white flowers and remarkable fragrance, may be the most widely shared symbol of the season. The white lily has come to symbolize the spiritual virtues of Easter; purity, rebirth, new beginnings, hope, and life.

It’s said that lilies were found growing in the garden of Gethsemane. And that they sprung up in Golgotha, in the hours before Jesus’ death.

For Easter Sunday, many churches cover their altars and surround their crosses with lilies to commemorate the Resurrection and to remember and honor loved relatives and friends who have passed away.

» Continue Reading.


Sunday, March 19, 2023

Stoneflies Are Emerging: A Sure Sign of Spring 

Stonefly Nymph

While enjoying a very spring-like late-winter afternoon beside the Trout River, at my home in northern Franklin County, I found myself greatly appreciating the sunshine and fascinated by the large number of black bugs that seemed to also be enjoying the sun’s long-awaited warmth.

The adult stoneflies were emerging in fairly-large numbers; making their way across the ice and snow and onto the tree trunks along the bank; some finding the half-dozen sap buckets I have hanging there. Unfortunately, several made their way into the sap contained in those pails.

» Continue Reading.


Sunday, March 5, 2023

Maple Syrup Season is Here 

Boiling maple sap

It’s early March; the time of year when local maple syrup producers across the North Country are busy tapping or have finished tapping literally hundreds of thousands of trees in anticipation of this year’s harvest. It’s time to reap the reward; to collect the sap and boil it down with pride and care, turning out gallon after gallon of delicious, pure maple syrup.

The weather has been relatively warm this winter, however. And I can’t help but wonder if (and how) the unseasonably warm weather might affect this year’s maple crop. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), New York just experienced the state’s second-warmest January on record. The same can be said for Pennsylvania, and Indiana, while Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey all had their warmest January on record, with temperatures more than 11 degrees above the long-term average in all seven of those states. New Hampshire actually came in at 12.3 degrees above average.

Burlington, Vermont recorded its fifth warmest January since 1884 (source: Burlington National Weather Service) and the nation, as a whole, recorded its sixth-warmest January ever.

» Continue Reading.


Monday, February 20, 2023

Support Local Small Farm Agriculture, Join a CSA Farm 

Tangleroot Farm

Small farms. The name says it all. Modest. Practical. Connected to the earth and the local population. Small farms were once the backbone of this country.

Small-scale farmers grow a diversity of fresh produce; often using very few or no chemicals. They raise livestock avoiding added hormones and antibiotics. They sell their goods at local markets and directly to neighbors, friends, and other members of their community.

They’re a self-reliant lot; sometimes stubbornly independent. They love the outdoors. They’re not afraid to work 80 hours a week. And they’re content to reap fair and honest compensation for fair and honest work. They’re creative, resourceful, resilient agricultural entrepreneurs who love their land and the food they grow on it; food that’s the finest, the freshest, and the best that money can buy.

As consumers, we have a choice. We can buy our food from small, local, independent growers who sell their own home-grown produce and meat direct to the public and enjoy the freshest, highest-quality food possible, or we can buy food produced on industrial, corporate, factory farms; and support stockholders, middlemen, and a soulless, faceless, global, industrialized-food-system.

» Continue Reading.


Saturday, February 4, 2023

Birds in Crisis Around the World; You Can Help – Participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count 

Dark-eyed Junco

North Americans share an amazing diversity of birds. More than 1,000 species can be found in the United States alone. They come in an astonishing variety of colors, shapes, sizes, and behaviors. You could live a lifetime and never see every variety of bird that it’s possible to see in our state, or even in your neighborhood.

    For a serious birder, spotting a rare bird is tremendously exciting, but for everyone else, seeing a quick flash of red, yellow, or orange on the trail can be just as exhilarating. And watching birds at home has been proven to reduce stress.

» Continue Reading.


Tuesday, January 24, 2023

The Beauty of a Snowflake 

Snowflakes

A snowflake is one of God’s most fragile creations. Psalm 147:16 begins, “He sends the snow like white wool” (NLT). And there really is something awesome about freshly fallen, white snow covering everything. It really is like a blanket of white wool spread over the earth. In fact, because snow is comprised of 90 to 95 percent trapped air, when it covers the ground, it keeps everything beneath it warm. That’s why so many animals tunnel into the snow to hibernate or burrow into the ground to get comfortable beneath the snow during winter. It’s also the reason that igloos can be so much warmer inside than outside.

» Continue Reading.


Sunday, January 8, 2023

An Insatiable Hunger for Energy 

Combustion-related air pollutants

By the Numbers – Homes and Businesses 

We use energy in our homes every day; lots of energy. According to the United States Department of Energy, 40% of the energy consumed in the United States goes to powering our homes and commercial buildings.

We use energy to keep rooms at comfortable temperatures, to provide lighting, and to heat water. We also use energy to cook food and to power our phones, computers, games, and appliances.

 

By the Numbers – Transportation 

Even though Americans account for just 4.23% of the global population, with nearly 291-million registered vehicles, the U.S.A. is home to almost a quarter of the world’s cars. American motorists drive more than 3-trillion miles annually, and the Federal Highway Administration expects that number to grow by 22%, by 2049.

» Continue Reading.


Friday, December 30, 2022

Sleeping the Winter Away? 

North County winters pose a challenge to animals who choose to stay here, rather than migrate to warmer climates. Food is scarce. Many survive by sleeping. Well… not sleeping exactly. Hibernating.

Hibernation is a life-saving adaptation. Essentially, it’s the ability to reduce one’s energy needs when resources run low or become unavailable. Many warm-blooded animals would die of starvation if it wasn’t for their ability to hibernate.

Very Few Animals are ‘True’ Hibernators 

    The term hibernation is commonly applied to all types of winter dormancy. But ‘true’ hibernators enter hibernation at the same time every year, regardless of the outside temperature or availability of food. During ‘true’ hibernation, body temperature is lowered to slightly above that of the temperature in the animal’s lair. Respiration is reduced to just a few breaths per minute. Heartbeat becomes barely distinguishable.

» Continue Reading.


Monday, December 12, 2022

Buying, Selecting, and Caring for the Perfect Christmas Tree 

 

I can still remember how exciting it was for my younger sister and me when, as kids, my dad announced, “We’re going to get the Christmas tree tomorrow.” The following morning we’d put on our hats and gloves and head out to the Christmas tree lot in front of Dad’s favorite hardware store to buy that ‘perfect’ Christmas tree. (Once the tree was up however, my sister and I quickly became more focused on what we hoped would be under it.)

Buy Local 

    As I see it, the choice we have as consumers this Christmas (and throughout the year) is to either support small, family-run businesses, or help some fat-cat, one-percenter CEO buy another yacht, sports car, or vacation home.

    Picking the perfect Christmas tree is high on many families’ to-do lists, right now. Maybe you’re planning to pick up your tree this weekend. If so, I want to encourage you to purchase your tree from a local tree farm, nursery, garden center, or farm stand, as opposed to a big box store.

» Continue Reading.


Sunday, November 27, 2022

Snowmobiling This Winter? Ride Safely and Have Fun 

Snowmobiling provides great opportunities for recreation with family and friends during the winter months. It’s a healthy activity that combines sightseeing with adventure. And northern New York offers some of the best snowmobiling you’re likely to find anywhere.

Almost all snowsledders experience the beauty and freedom of the open trail on public access snowmobile trail systems. And northern New York is home to thousands of miles of interconnected, public access snowmobile trails. But with that freedom and riding enjoyment comes considerable responsibility; not just for one’s own safety, but for the safety of other trail users; snowmobilers and non-snowmobilers alike (e.g. cross-country skiers, snowshoers, dog-sledders).

» Continue Reading.


Monday, November 14, 2022

Canada Geese – Big Honkin’ Birds 

Canada Geese in flight

Canada geese, often referred to as Canadian Geese, are the second largest waterfowl in North America. (The largest is the swan.) They’re also the most widely distributed, with a range that encompasses arctic, sub-arctic, and temperate regions in Alaska, Canada, all of the lower 48 states, and Mexico. They’re also found in Greenland, northern Europe, and parts of Asia. Introduced populations have established themselves in New Zealand.

Only the females are actually called geese. The males are known as ganders. And the young are goslings. A large group is called a flock. A flock on the ground is known as a gaggle. And geese flying in the characteristic V-formation are referred to as a wedge, team, or skein.

» Continue Reading.



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