The first week of June will usher some some cooler and wetter conditions as it replaces a warm and dry month of May, according to the forecasts. For many farms, the moisture will be welcome; many regions have been dry and the first grass choppings were shorter than usual. For more insights on agriculture and the local farms this spring, Planting.
Memorial Day weekend was, for the most part, was warm, sunny and a great time to enjoy the outdoors. Many home vegetable gardeners were busy planting. A home garden will cut kitchen costs again this year as prices at the supermarkets could continue to rise because of increased production costs; gas, fertilizer and seed costs are more expensive this year. The price of livestock has also increased dramatically; feeder calves are very expensive at the current time.
If you are planting in your yard this spring, flowers or vegetables, be careful when using any pesticides (if they are even really needed. The honeybees are dying once again and research is increasingly pointing to home and farm pesticide use and chemically treated seeds. More on this issue next Friday.
The Full Moon is June 4 and is traditionally called the Strawberry Full Moon; be sure to buy locally and stocked up on the berries. Enjoy the berries, the emerging fire flies and even the June bugs, and the roses which are starting to bloom. It is the start of the 2012 summer adventures, sights and sounds.
A Lake Pleasant Adventure -Kudos
Located in southeastern Erie County, Lake Pleasant is an ancient and scenic place formed long ago in the last Ice Age. It is known to some as the place where a wooly mammoth was discovered, and by many more, as a good fishing hot spot..
However, the fishing was slow the morning of April 19; but as the noon hour approached the fish began to bite more frequently. Howard ”Bud” Shepler and Matt Pol decided to wait, two of the few people fishing that day, to see if their luck would changed. They were fishing near the outlet, a favorite fishing area ; there was a brisk, and somewhat unusual southwest wind.
It was a fortunate wait for Chuck Schau, whose canoe some distance away on the other side of lake, had capsized. Hearing Schau’s calls for help, the two Mayer Brother Construction employees rowed across the lake. Unable to get the soaking wet and cold Schau into their boat, they towed him back clinging to his canoe, to a nearby private dock. There they got him out of the water and gave him their dry jackets. Then, Schau got in Pol’s boat and the trio paddled back across the lake to public launch area near the outlet. Once safely on shore, they help the 77 year old Schau get a dry change of clothing (which he had in his truck – a real good idea) and loaded his boat and equipment.
They departed after making sure Schau was okay, warm and dry. Later, after Schau called Matt Pol’s license plate number into the Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), both Shepler and Poll were contacted by PFBC, and on May 21 at the Polish Falcons at the S.O.N.’s of Lake Erie meeting, they were presented an award for their life saving action.
“All I could say to him at the award presentation was that I was just glad to see him there,” Shepler said.
Erie Times News columnists Mike Bleech and Liz Allen have also wrote about this story previously.
From a writer’s perspective, it is just great to be able to report “good news” stories and this sure is one of them!
Northwestern PA Fishing Report
Darl Black writes a good blog on some of the most recent information regarding fishing on many of our regional waterways. Be sure to check the reports at FISHING or REPORT.
Goodell Gardens
Plant and Produce Preview Sale – Sunday June 3 from noon to 5 p.m. (rain or shine) Vendors include: Peace by Piece Farm, B & R Greenhouse, Dazzy’s Handmade Homemade, Hurry Hill Maple Farm, Conneautee Creamery (Showman Farms), Beelzebub’s Salsa and Seedlings, Bylers relish House.
Goodell Farms has been other activities scheduled every week, visit their calendar of events of just stop in someday.
Crawford County Conservation District – Woodcock Creek Nature Center
A special Family Fishing Day is scheduled for June, read more below.
Container Gardening – Tuesday June 5 from 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. LIMITED to the first 15 families. This workshop will be led by Bertha Mesearch, Penn State Master Gardeners. She will demonstrate various ways to grow your veggies such as container gardening, grow boxes and square foot gardening.
Trail Walk/Nature “Cell Pics”, Tuesday June 7, 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. LIMITED to the first 15 registrants. Take an hour long nature walk with Kathy Uglow , bring your cell phone or a digital camera. This is not an instructional photography class.
Terrific Terrariums, Tuesday June 19, 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. LIMITED to 15 terrariums (one per family). Join Terry Lobdell and Kathy Uglow for a hands-on demonstration of how to make your own terrarium to take home using plastic containers. (These are always a fun project)
Family Fishing Tuesday June 26, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. at Stainbrook Park Shelter #2 NOTE: Registration for this program is through Chad Foster, PA Fish and Boat Commission, at 814-683-5126 or register online at http://pfbc.state.pa.us This program is open to all ages and will be held rain or shine. All supplies will be provided and there will be both casting practice and fishing.
Pymatuning
This is another great place to fish for Free on Memorial Day. There is a special event, GO Girls, coming up on June 14 from 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at the Environmental Classroom
. For girls 10 to 15 years of age this outdoor program will feature hiking, casual birding, healthy snacks and more. Call the Park Office to register at 724-932-5142. For additional information, also check www.state.pa.us
Canadohta Lake
There is no Book Swap during the month of June; the swap returns the first Sunday of July.
Cottage Open House Tour is scheduled for Sunday, June 10. For more information, OPEN HOUSE.
For more information on events at the Lake, CLABA.
The Canadohta Lake Breeze is now available, stop by any local business established and be sure to get a copy. It is packed full of informative reading.
June 17 – Father’s Day, take dad to Happi Jax for a free sundae.
June 23 from 1p.m. – 5 p.m. at the Township Building is the annual Bloomfield Clean Up Day. Please no tires, paint, refrigerators or anything with freon, and no batteries; everything else can go.
June 24 from 1 p.m. -5 p.m. Art in the Park at the Township Building Baseball Field.
