Now in its 45^th year, the Big Thompson Canyon Association (BTCA) Pancake Breakfast has become a tradition in many families. A Sunday trip up the Big Thompson Canyon combined with breakfast in the big historic log building spells an enjoyable and inexpensive family outing. Advance tickets are only $6 for adults and $4 for children 4 to 9 years of age; tickets are $1 more at the door.  Little ones under 4 eat for free.  The BTCA building is located about 1 mile east of Drake.

In addition to providing a great all you can eat breakfast, your ticket is your entry for a chance to win $500 in plants and/or services from Aspen Landscape of Loveland. One lucky patron will win this prize with no additional purchase.

There are more activities than just eating at the breakfast. BTCA members will host a bake sale and a charity raffle that includes merchandise prizes and gift certificates from many area merchants.  The Big Thompson Canyon Volunteer Fire Department (BTCVFD) is hosting a craft show next door at the firehouse; all participants are local crafters.

Proceeds from the day’s activities will fund the BTCA during the year and contribute to the BTCVFD budget.  The BTCA maintains the building and provides a gathering place for the local community.

The fire department has served the communities of Drake, Waltonia, Cedar Park, Cedar Springs, and the Storm Mountain area since 1963. As part of the Loveland Rural Fire Protection District, they work in coordination with Loveland Fire Rescue and Thompson Valley EMS to keep our area safe. As need requires, they also respond to mutual aid calls with Estes Park Fire Rescue, and the Glen Haven area Fire Department. They are working to develop a seasonal wildland team to provide additional support during wildland fire season.

Advance tickets may be purchased at:

Loveland: Anthology Book Store, Hank’s Pet Food Market, Sunny Jim’s Candies, Quick Print Shop, Van’s Cleaners and Whiteside’s Western Wear

Estes Park: Ace Hardware, the Estes Mark Senior Center, Macdonald Book Shop and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.

Big Thompson Canyon: The Big Thompson Indian Village and Riverbend Store.

Berthoud:  Indigo Sky Trading Company

Friday, May 17, 2013

7:00 – 11:00 PM

Public Star Night at the Little Thompson Observatory, 850 Spartan Ave at Berthoud High School (park east of the high school; directions are posted on our website, www.starkids.org).

The guest speakers are William Murtagh and David Stone, from the Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder. The title of their talk will be: “Space Weather Storms: Are we ready for a ‘Space Katrina’.” Our Nation is embarking on ambitious plans to modernize infrastructure that will be based on advanced technological resources vulnerable to space weather. Space weather impacts everyday life, including national security, emergency response, electric power grids, aviation, communications, global positioning system (GPS) applications, and satellite operations – technology we have come to rely on for our day-to-day activities. These recent advances in our technological infrastructure drive emerging space weather service needs undreamed of just a decade ago.

Extreme space weather storms are rare, but these low frequency events have significant consequences. Recent reports suggest the greatest natural disaster perhaps facing the Nation would be an intense geomagnetic storm. In December 2012, the U.S. National Intelligence Council presented solar geomagnetic storms as an event that could change the future course of human history. Building hazard-resilient communities is a national priority, but can we ensure the security of our high-tech community during an extreme space weather storm?

Bill Murtagh is the Program Coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) in Boulder, Colorado. He is NOAA’s space weather lead in coordinating preparedness and response efforts with industry, national and international agencies, emergency managers, and government officials around the world.

Bill is a member of the White House Working Group on geomagnetic disturbances, guiding national policy in response to space weather storms. He regularly briefs the White House and members of Congress and their staff on vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure. He is a regular guest speaker at universities, government agencies, and national and international conferences. Bill has provided numerous interviews to major media outlets and is featured in several TV documentaries on space weather, most recently on the Discovery Channel ‘Sun Storm’, and the NOVA show ‘Secrets of the Sun.’

Before joining NOAA, Bill was a meteorologist and space weather forecaster in the U.S. Air Force. He coordinated and provided meteorological support for national security interests around the world. Bill transferred to the SWPC in 1997 as a space weather forecaster and liaison between NOAA and the U.S. Air Force. He joined NOAA in 2003 after retiring from the Air Force with 23 years of military service.

David Stone is responsible for developing the software which currently ingests and processes the GOES-13/14/15 telemetry and creates the space weather instrument data plots and imagery that is used by Space Weather Forecasters. Modeled after NASA/JPL’s Mars Rover ingest architecture, the success and complexity of this system earned him an Outstanding Performance Award from the University of Colorado.

As a PMP certified project manager, he now leads software development teams at SWPC developing critical forecaster tools and transitioning space weather models into operational weather products. His latest team efforts focus on designing, implementing and re-hosting a new public Space Weather website for SWPC – targeting growth from the current 5 million visitors per day to over 50 million. He has a BS – Computer Science from USMA, West Point (1989) and a MS – Computer Science (in Artificial Intelligence) from Stanford (1996).

The doors will open at 7:00 pm and the presentation will start at 7:30 pm. Weather permitting, after the presentation (around 8:30 pm), visitors will be invited to observe various celestial objects through the 6” Astro-Physics Refractor, and 18” Tinsley and 24” Cole Reflector telescopes. Public star nights at LTO are held the third Friday of each month (except July, when the facility is closed for annual maintenance). No reservations are necessary for these nights.

If you have any questions, please call the observatory information line at 970-613-7793 or check the LTO web site at: www.starkids.org. Public Star Nights at the Pioneer Museum, 224 Mountain Avenue in Berthoud, home of the historical 6” Brashear Refractor from John Bunyan, are held on the first Friday of each month. If you have any questions, please call the Bunyan observatory information line at 970-532-2147 or check the museum web site at: http://www.berthoudhistoricalsociety.org/bunyan.htm

By Suzana Megles

Even though I have never been a fan of the American Kennel Club, I was shocked to find out how little they really care about dogs.  To say they are the “dog’s champion” as they so hypocritically claim is far from the truth.  The Humane Society of the US warned us recently that they found them to be promoters of the puppy mills.  Yes, unbelievably true.  I’m so glad that this news is finally out, and that this week Jeff Rossen of the Today show did a great job of putting their representative on the hot seat when he interviewed her about their connection to puppy mills.

He wanted to know why they put their seal  of approval on puppy mills where the dogs who breed the puppies live in horrible conditions.  And certainly some of the puppies bred there are not healthy as a result.  He wanted to know how only 9 inspectors nationwide can manage to inspect all the puppy mills and give them all a seal of approval without probably inspecting them.  I thought she squirmed in her seat trying to defend their outrageous policies, and if so, I believe the third degree questioning was justified.

I didn’t feel sorry for her or the other members of this “elitist” club.  I felt sorry for all the dogs in these cruel puppy mills which  this organization backs and promotes by giving them their AKC seal of approval.  People have been duped into believing that this seal  means that they are getting healthy dogs from reputable and humane breeders.  Sadly,  nothing could be further from the truth.

If you belong to the HSUS, you have seen pictures and videos of their rescues of some of the dogs from these horrible puppy mills.  For a long time now people who care about animals have been warned not to buy puppies from pet shops or on the internet. I even remember reading about not buying puppies from pet shops in the 80′s, and this was over 30 years ago.  How sad that information such as this takes so long to get to the public. Most people were not aware of puppy mills then, and its seems many are still ignorant today.

As per the HSUS – not only does the AKC support puppy mills, but unbelievably,  for the past 5 years they have been OPPOSING ninety state and local bills which sought to establish some minimum humane breeding standards. I found this information shocking.

]]> http://www.berthoudrecorder.com/2013/05/04/the-akc-and-puppy-mills/feed/ 0 http://www.berthoudrecorder.com/2013/05/03/the-perfect-nanny-comes-to-denver/ http://www.berthoudrecorder.com/2013/05/03/the-perfect-nanny-comes-to-denver/#comments Fri, 03 May 2013 19:10:29 +0000 admin http://www.berthoudrecorder.com/?p=32761

Mary Poppins at the Buehl is a delight to the eye and the ear. This Broadway hit musical is based more on the movie version than the P.L. Travers books and includes all the delightful songs you associate with Mary Poppins.

Madeline Trumble plays an exquisitely prim and proper, with a touch of magic, Mary Poppins, Her singing and dancing make her the center of attention in the many colorful dance numbers in the production.

Con O’Shea-Creal is the multitalented sometimes chimney sweep, sometimes artist, always entertaining Bert. His walk across the ceiling of the stage in the second act is a phenomenal piece of artistry.

The Banks family, especially the children, Jane and Michael are a delight.

The dance ensemble is a delight to watch as they accompany Mary, Bert and the children in several very colorful numbers. This is the kind of musical with the wonderful dance numbers that makes ones heart jump for joy.

There is no doubt that you will enjoy your time with the Banks family. For children, and adults too for that mater, you can go to the Denver Center site and download the “Study Guide.” It provides background and material that will make the show even more enjoyable.

The play will be in Denver through Sunday, tickets available at Denver Center website.

Mary Poppins is a delight for all ages, but especially for children. Go, and take the kids with you.

Bears Are Out; Be Bear Aware This Summer


Durango, Colo.

Black bears have emerged from their winter dens and it’s time for Colorado residents to take precautions to help keep bears wild.

Because of dry conditions in some parts of the state, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials are cautioning residents that bear activity in towns and residential areas may be high again this year. Human-bear conflicts are a fact of life in Colorado, but with some simple actions residents of bear country can help to significantly reduce those conflicts.

The biggest issue in conflict situations is the availability of human sources of food — garbage, pet food, livestock food, compost piles, bird feeders, chicken pens, etc. Bears have a phenomenal sense of smell and can pick up odors of food sources from miles away.

“Bears receive a big calorie reward if they get into something like pet food, or bird seed or leftover pizza,” explained Patt Dorsey, southwest regional manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. “Once they get a taste they quickly become habituated to human food and conflicts start. When that happens, things usually don’t go well for the bear.”

Once black bears have discovered a food source they may defend it and can become dangerous. Those types of situations can be dangerous and it is undesirable to have wild, unpredictable animals in close proximity to people.

“Some bears can be relocated. But bears deemed dangerous must be destroyed. We put down problem bears because we have to, not because we want to,” Dorsey said.

From the Front Range to the mountains to the Western Slope, Colorado offers bears good natural habitat. Bears will go to the areas with the best food availability, and it’s best that they find their food in the wild. If food sources in town are limited, bears will likely spend more time in wild lands.

Colorado residents play a major role in keeping bears wild, explained Renzo DelPiccolo, area wildlife manager in Montrose.

“The public can help us by being conscientious and not leaving any types of food available to bears,” DelPiccolo said. “Without the public’s diligence in reducing human sources of food, we have limited success in avoiding and reducing conflicts.”

Please, follow these tips to keep bears out of trouble and to reduce conflicts:

• Obtain a bear-resistant trashcan or dumpster. Check with local authorities or your trash service to determine what types can be used where you live. Keep garbage in a well-secured location; and only put out garbage on the morning of pickup.
• Clean garbage cans regularly to eliminate food odors. If you don’t have secure storage, put food scraps and items that might become smelly into the freezer. Then put them in the trash on pick-up day.
• Don’t leave pet food or feeding bowls outside.
• Attract birds naturally to your yard or garden with flowers and water features. For those who use bird feeders, suspend them high above the ground so that they’re inaccessible to bears; clean up beneath them every day and bring them in at night,
• Tightly secure any compost piles. Bears are attracted to the scent of rotting food.
-
• Clean-up thoroughly after picnics in the yard or on the deck. Don’t allow food odors to linger.
• If you have fruit trees, pick fruit before it gets too ripe. Don’t allow fruit to fall and rot on the ground.
• If you keep chickens or other small livestock, build a secure enclosure and bring the animals inside at night. Clean up pens regularly to reduce odors.
• Keep the bottom floor windows of your house and garage doors closed when you’re not at home. Lock car doors.
• Never intentionally feed bears or other wildlife. It’s illegal and dangerous
• When backcountry camping, hang food high in trees; at campgrounds, lock food and trash in vehicles.

For more information, go to the Living with Wildlife section on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website: http://wildlife.state.co.us/WildlifeSpecies/LivingWithWildlife/Pages/LivingWith.aspx.

If you know of someone in your neighborhood or town who is intentionally feeding wildlife, please call the nearest Colorado Parks and Wildlife office to make a report.

If you would like a wildlife officer to come to your neighborhood or homeowners’ association to talk about bears or other wildlife issues, contact your local Parks and Wildlife office.
 

For more news about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us/NewsMedia/PressReleases

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

May events

May 1 – Sweet P’s Story Time, 10:30 am. Sweet P’s story time is designed for preschool children. Come interact with songs, finger plays, stories and activities we will build pre-reading skills and have fun doing it.

May 3 – Family Story Time, 10:30 am, library. We will interact with fun books, songs, and finger plays.

May 6 – One Book 4 Colorado Kick off story time, 6 PM with a Berthoud firefighter!  Calling all four year old Berthoud residents, come to the Berthoud library any time between May 6 and May 11 for a free book!

May 7 - Busy B’s Story Time, 10:30 am. This lap-sit story time is designed for caregivers to interact with babies and toddlers; with songs, finger plays, stories and bounces we will open the gateway to reading.

May 8 - Sweet P’s Story Time, 10:30 am. Sweet P’s story time is designed for preschool children. Come interact with songs, finger plays, stories and activities we will build pre-reading skills and have fun doing it.

May 10 –Family Story Time, 10:30 am, at the library. We will interact with fun books, songs, and finger plays.

May 14 - Busy B’s Story Time, 10:30 am. This lap-sit story time is designed for caregivers to interact with babies and toddlers; with songs, finger plays, stories and bounces we will open the gateway to reading.

May 15 - Sweet P’s Story Time, 10:30 am. Sweet P’s story time is designed for preschool children. Come interact with songs, finger plays, stories and activities we will build pre-reading skills and have fun doing it.

May 17 – Family Story Time, 10:30 am, at the library. We will interact with fun books, songs, and finger plays.

 May 18 — Lego club!  Join us every third Saturday of the month for an hour of building with Lego 11am-12pm.

May 21 - Busy B’s Story Time, 10:30 am. This lap-sit story time is designed for caregivers to interact with babies and toddlers; with songs, finger plays, stories and bounces we will open the gateway to reading.

May 22 - Sweet P’s Story Time, 10:30 am. Sweet P’s story time is designed for preschool children. Come interact with songs, finger plays, stories and activities we will build pre-reading skills and have fun doing it.

May 24 – Family Story Time, 10:30 am, at the library. We will interact with fun books, songs, and finger plays.

May 28 - Busy B’s Story Time, 10:30 am. This lap-sit story time is designed for caregivers to interact with babies and toddlers; with songs, finger plays, stories and bounces we will open the gateway to reading.

May 29 - Sweet P’s Story Time, 10:30 am. Sweet P’s story time is designed for preschool children. Come interact with songs, finger plays, stories and activities we will build pre-reading skills and have fun doing it.

May 31 – Family Story Time, 10:30 am, at the library. Special story time – meet local artist, Lisa Davis DeMattei to learn about simple drawing.

By: Khursheed Mama

In yards across Northern Colorado, the emergence of spring bulbs and new growth on trees and shrubs indicates the beginning of another growing season. While many gardeners are happy to have a break during the winter months, spring brings renewed enthusiasm for spending time in the yard. It’s a good time to harness this energy and attend to basic maintenance in the garden to ensure another season of beauty.

March and early April, before bud break, are still acceptable times to prune both deciduous and evergreen trees. For evergreen trees and shrubs, removing new growth provides a way to reduce plant size. While no more than 25% (10-15% in a drought year) of a tree should be pruned in any given year, removing crossing branches, sprouts, and dead wood will help promote tree health and minimize damage from wet heavy snows. For information on pruning methods, refer to CSU Extension Fact Sheet #7.003 on “Training and Pruning Fruit Trees” and the Colorado Master Gardener (CMG) Garden Notes #618 on Pruning Evergreens; both can be found at www.cmg.colostate.edu. Summer and fall-blooming shrubs (e.g., potentilla, caryopteris, Russian sage, etc.) may be pruned at this time, but wait on spring-blooming shrubs like forsythia and lilac—pruning now will result in loss of flowers—prune after these plants have flowered. Additional information on pruning shrubs is available from CMG Garden Notes #619. Early April is an ideal time to remove dead wood from roses and shape them as desired.

In the absence of natural moisture, it is important to continue to deeply water trees and shrubs when weather conditions allow. If you live in an area with poor soils or known micronutrient deficiencies, spring is also a good time to add compost or slow release fertilizers and specific micronutrients to the garden. For more information, read Fact Sheet #7.235 on “Choosing a Soil Amendment”.  Mulching exposed soil in garden beds will help minimize the impact of foot traffic on root development and help reduce evaporative water loss.

This is also the time of year where ornamental grasses should be cut back and dead material removed from perennial plants to facilitate new growth. Make sure to allow spring-blooming bulb foliage to yellow before pruning it back—it helps replenish the bulb and store energy for the coming year. If you need a quick fix to draw attention away from the dying foliage, consider planting hardy pansies for a pop of spring color.

As soon as it is warm enough for irrigation systems to be turned on, check for leaks and efficiency. It will be especially important this year to minimize water loss with planned water restrictions (for lawns) in many Northern Colorado communities. The cities of Fort Collins and Loveland offer free irrigation audits to help optimize lawn watering throughout the growing season—check with your water district for more information.

Aerating the lawn in spring helps correct soil compaction and reduces thatch, encouraging water penetration and root growth (be sure to mark your sprinkler heads). The spring is also a good time to fertilize lawns; try to time application during periods of natural moisture. If you plan to use a pre-emergence herbicide to prevent crabgrass, it is best to do this by April 15^th. Keep in mind that if you also plan to overseed your lawn, this should not be done concurrently as most pre-emergence herbicides will prevent seed germination, since they have a long soil residual.  For the best seed germination, soil temperatures should be consistently greater than 50 degrees F (ideally greater than 60 degrees F). If you need to reseed, but want to apply a crabgrass preventer, consider seeding in fall.

Cool spring temperatures favor certain vegetables including peas, onions, Brussels sprouts and broccoli to name a few. For specific details on when these can be planted, refer to CMG Garden Notes #720.

The spring tasks may seem daunting, but your garden will reward you all season long for your efforts. Enjoy this season of renewal and remember the CSU Extension Master Gardeners are available to home gardeners throughout the year to help answer gardening questions. Larimer County Master Gardeners are available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between the hours of 9am and 1pm from April 1^st through October 30^th, 2013.  Call them at 970-498-6000 or send them an email at larimermg@gmail.com.

Gardening Tips:

By: Sandi Leffel

Start with the Basics: Know What’s in Your Soil

Did you know that 80% of landscape problems are related to soil conditions? Ever wondered how to improve the vitality of your garden or lawn? Testing your soil is an efficient way to guarantee success in your garden or turf.

Colorado State University offers a soil testing service which will determine which nutrients may be lacking in your soil. In addition, the test will also clearly state if there are nutrients that are too plentiful. The CSU soil testing lab offers a complete service which will analyze your soil, make management suggestions and recommend fertilizers and additives.

Soil is a dynamic living system. Well-managed soil is made up of 25% air, 25% water, 3% organic matter and 47% minerals. Plants need 17 elements for normal growth. Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen come from the water and air. Soil is the main source of all the other nutrients. The primary nutrients are nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous. They are used in large amounts by the plants, and if deficient, may be supplemented with fertilizers. Calcium, magnesium and sulfur are secondary nutrients and generally used in large amounts, but are usually readily available to the plants and in adequate supply. The remaining 8 elements are called micronutrients and only needed in small amounts: iron, zinc, manganese, molybdenum, boron, copper, cobalt and chlorine.

One of the most common soil problems here in Colorado is nitrogen. As with all nutrients, it is difficult to know if your nitrogen levels are appropriate without a soil test. Excessive nitrogen in the garden causes vegetable production and quality to suffer. Insects and disease may also contribute to crop failure with an excess of nitrogen.

Soil testing is an economical way to take the guess work out of gardening and lawn management. In order to maximize your growing potential, let the CSU soil testing lab guide you to optimum benefits. For a complete list of soil testing services, please visit http://www.soiltestinglab.colostate.edu.

Gardening Q&As

By: Anne Wuerslin

Q:  My newly planted Scotch pine trees are brown at the tips and have some die back in the inner branches, what can I do?

A:  We are in the second year of extended drought and chances are your trees are suffering from desiccation and winter scald.  Evergreens tend to shed needles more rapidly if water isn’t  in sufficient amounts.  Fall, winter and early spring watering is critical for new trees, and you should try to deeply water at least every 3-4 weeks when daytime temperatures are 40 degrees or warmer.  Increase the frequency as temperatures rise. Conifers are best planted in the spring, when they can develop a good root system during the summer.  For more information on fall and winter watering, please refer to CSU Extension Fact Sheet #7.211 at www.ext.colostate.edu.  For care of trees and shrubs during drought, please refer to http://www.ext.colostate.edu/drought/woody_plant.html.

Q:  What flowering annuals are good for children to start indoors?

A:  The seeds of nasturtiums, moon flower, and four o’clocks are big and easy to handle.  Nasturtiums come in many varieties and the flowers can be eaten.  Moon flowers bring scent to the night garden.  Old-fashioned four o’clocks open in late afternoon, tolerate poor soil and have a wonderful fragrance.

Q: I would like try different herbs rather than the usual parsley, rosemary and thyme, any suggestions?

A: Lovage (Levisticum officinale) is a tall leafy perennial whose leaves can be used in soups and salads.  The taste is similar to celery and the leaves of spring growth are best used early before they turn bitter. One lovage plant is usually enough for an herb garden.  For more information on growing herbs, refer to PlantTalk script #1003 at www.planttalk.org.

The author has received training through Colorado State University Extension’s Master Gardener program and is a Master Gardener volunteer for Larimer County.

Larimer County is a county-based outreach of Colorado State University Extension providing information you can trust to deal with current issues in agriculture, horticulture, nutrition and food safety, 4-H, small acreage, money management and parenting.  For more information about CSU Extension in Larimer County, call (970) 498-6000 or visit www.larimer.org/ext

Looking for additional gardening information?  Check out the CSU Extension Horticulture Agent blog at www.csuhort.blogspot.com for timely updates about gardening around the state.

Visit PlantTalk Colorado ™ for fast answers to your gardening questions!  www.planttalk.org  PlantTalk is a cooperation between Colorado State University Extension, GreenCo and Denver Botanic Gardens.

7 – 11 p.m.

Public Star Night at the Little Thompson Observatory, 850 Spartan Ave at Berthoud High School

(park east of the high school; directions are posted on  www.starkids.org).

The guest speaker is Dr. Dan Durda, from Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in Boulder, CO.

The title of his talk is “Getting Ready to Fly in Space”.

He will talk about SwRI’s suborbital research program, his role in working with both Virgin Galactic and XCOR Aerospace for the suborbital space flights they will do in the coming couple years, and what it’s like to be in training for these flights.

Dan Durda is a Fellow and a former member of the Board of Trustees of the International Association of Astronomical Artists. His space art has appeared in numerous magazines, web news stories, and books and has been internationally exhibited. He has co-authored a book and published dozens of articles popularizing planetary science and human exploration of space.

Dr. Durda is a Principal Scientist in the Department of Space Studies of the Southwest Research Institute’s Boulder Colorado office. He has more than twenty years of experience researching the collisional and dynamical evolution of main-belt and near-Earth asteroids, Vulcanoids, Kuiper belt comets, and interplanetary dust. He is an active pilot, with time logged in over a dozen types of aircraft including the F/A-18 Hornet and the F-104 Starfighter, and was a finalist in the 2004 NASA astronaut selection. He serves as a flight astronomer for the SWUIS-A airborne astronomical imaging system flown aboard NASA and military high-performance, high-altitude aircraft and has spent over 84 minutes of time in zero-gravity conducting experiments on NASA’s KC-135 Reduced Gravity Research Aircraft. Durda is one of three SwRI payload specialists who will fly on multiple suborbital spaceflights on Virgin Galactic’s Enterprise and XCOR Aerospace’s Lynx.

Dr. Durda is an experienced cave diver and holds multiple scuba and cave diving certifications, including Full Cave and Cave Recovery Specialist. He enjoys hiking in the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains, photography, and paleontology.

The doors will open at 7 pm and the presentation will start at 7:30 pm. Weather permitting after the presentation (around 8:30 PM), visitors will be invited to observe various celestial objects through our 6” Astro-Physics Refractor, and 18” Tinsley and 24” Cole Reflector telescopes.

Public star nights at LTO are held the third Friday of each month (except July, when the facility is closed for annual maintenance). No reservations are necessary for these nights.

If you have any questions, please call the observatory information line at 970-613-7793 or check the LTO web site at: www.starkids.org

Public Star Nights at the Pioneer Museum, 224 Mountain Avenue in Berthoud, home of the historical 6” Brashear Refractor from John Bunyan, are held on the first Friday of each month. If you have any questions, please call the Bunyan observatory information line at 970-532-2147 or check the museum web site at: http://www.berthoudhistoricalsociety.org/bunyan.htm

It’s possible to create a beautiful landscape and be kind to the environment even with a busy schedule and while staying within budget.  “All it takes is a bit of planning and a few low maintenance strategies,” says gardening expert and author Melinda Myers.

Myers recommends these five strategies to create a low maintenance eco-friendly landscape this season.

Be Waterwise
Save money on the water bill, time spent watering and this precious resource, water.  Start by growing drought tolerant plants suited to your growing environment.  Once established they will only need watering during extended dry spells.  Mulch with shredded leaves, evergreen needles, woodchips, or other organic matter to conserve moisture, reduce weeds, and improve the soil as they decompose.

Fertilize with a low nitrogen fertilizer, like Milorganite, that promotes slow steady growth instead of excessive greenery that requires more water.  Plus, it won’t burn even during drought. 

Put rainwater to work all season long by using rain barrels to capture rainwater off your roof or directly from the sky.

Recycle Yard Waste in the Landscape
Minimize the amount of yard waste produced, reuse what can be in other areas of the landscape and recycle the rest as compost.  These are just a few strategies that will save time bagging, hauling, and disposing of yard debris.  And better yet, implementing this strategy will save money and time spent buying and transporting soil amendments, since it will be created right in the backyard.

Start by leaving grass clippings on the lawn.  The short clippings break down quickly, adding organic matter, nutrients and moisture to the soil.  Grow trees suited to the growing conditions and available space.  That means less pruning and fewer trimmings that will need to be managed.

Make Compost at Home
Recycle yard waste into compost.  Put plant waste into a heap and let it rot.  Yes, it really is that simple.  The more effort put into the process, the quicker the results.

Do not add insect-infested or diseased plant material or perennial weeds like quack grass, annual weeds gone to seed, or invasive plants.  Most compost piles are not hot enough to kill these pests.  And do not add meat, dairy, or bones that can attract rodents.

Manage Pests in Harmony with Nature
A healthy plant is the best defense against insects and disease.  Select the most pest-resistant plants suited to the growing conditions and provide proper care.

Check plants regularly throughout the growing season.  It is easier to control a few insects than the hundreds that can develop in a week or two.  And when problems arise, look for the most eco-friendly control.  Start by removing small infestations by hand.  Consider traps, barriers, and natural products if further control is needed.  And as always be sure to read and follow label directions carefully.

Energy Wise Landscape Design
Use landscape plantings to keep homes warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.  Homes will have a more comfortable temperature throughout the seasons and energy costs will be reduced.

Plant trees on the east and west side of a house to shade windows in the summer and let the sun shine in and warm it up through the south-facing windows in winter.

Shade air conditioners, so they run more efficiently and be sure to collect and use any water they produce for container gardens.

Incorporate these changes into gardening routines and habits over time.  Soon these and many more strategies that help save time and money while being kind to the environment will seem to occur automatically.

Nationally known gardening expert, TV/radio host, author & columnist Melinda Myers has more than 30 years of horticulture experience and has written over 20 gardening books, including Can’t Miss Small Space Gardening. She hosts the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment segments which air on over 115 TV and radio stations throughout the U.S. She is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and writes the twice monthly “Gardeners’ Questions” newspaper column. Melinda also has a column in Gardening How-to magazine.  Melinda hosted “The Plant Doctor” radio program for over 20 years as well as seven seasons of Great Lakes Gardener on PBS. She has written articles for Better Homes and Gardens and Fine Gardening and was a columnist and contributing editor for Backyard Living magazine.  Melinda has a master’s degree in horticulture, is a certified arborist and was a horticulture instructor with tenure.  Her web site is www.melindamyers.com