Eco Community Seeds Summer 2008 by Eco Community Seeds Magazine

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www.communityseeds. com

Community Seeds m

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e-Magazine Durham . Chico . Paradise

Summer 2008

FREE

SUMMER FUN

Your Family Will Love Solar School Heats up for chef, Guy Fieri and Governor Schwarzenegger !

What is The Patrick Ranch? Enjoy a little area history

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Easy Being a Little Green! Tips for a greener lifestyle

Eliminating the ARTs?

FEATURED ARTIST: The OFFSPRING drummer, Chico local, will inspire you

Art can be important for brain development

Is It Deceptively Delicious? Read The Cookbook Review Before You Buy

GREAT IDEAS! SUMMER Crafts and Recipes w w w.communityseeds.com

Welcome to Community Seeds!

This issue includes: tips on making small changes to help live a “greener lifestyle,” suggestions on what not to miss in the area this summer, a cookbook review, a musician interview and article, lots of community member photos, stories that will pull at your heart strings, and much more! You will be able to see what is going on in your town and beyond!

We’re Here!

We hope you enjoy reading Community Seeds e-Magazine each season and we look forward to future content sent in by the community.

e-Magazine

Issue 1 Summer 2008

We are excited to release this first issue of Community Seeds e-Magazine! We are proud to publish this virtual magazine, using no paper, ink or fossil fuels. In turn, we are helping to offset our carbon footprints! You can read the magazine from your computer as many times as you wish, any time of the day or night. You can zoom in or out, click to different pages, and click on highlighted links for a direct connection to a websites! Play around with the tool bar to see the many options. If you choose, you can print a page on your recycled paper at home! Each season, we will publish a new magazine with articles, photos, artwork and calendars sent in by local community members. All articles will be written by community members and Community Seeds staff! Each “seed” will come together, forming a fun, informative, engaging publication. 2

Community Seeds . Summer 2008

Amy Behlke, Ad Rep/Contributing Editor (left) with Owner/Editor-in-Chief, DeAnna Holman (right)

Please send comments, article, photos, photos of artwork, interview ideas, and Photos of your Chico Bag to:

info@communityseeds.com For advertising and general information, visit: www.communityseeds.com

A Note From the Editor

Here’s to New Beginnings

It is finally here! Yes, after long hours and no pay, I am

still whole-heartedly committed to this project! When I first dove into the idea of publishing a magazine, my ideas were scribbled on post-its, napkins, bills; any scrap I could find. My initial idea was to purchase an already existing publication and apply those ideas. That plan fell through, but with the continued encouragement and support of my family, I began the process of creating a new magazine. Community Seedsa magazine dedicated to reminding us of the uniqueness of our community- was born! Much of my inspiration for this project has come from my own desires to make small improvements in my own life. Anyone with kids knows that moms take the back seat as they care for their families. I am slowly realizing (and listening to other moms tell me) that I need to take better care of myself. If I feel healthier and happier, my family will be better off in the long run. I want to encourage people to share their stories, artwork, photos, music, advice and knowledge with Community Seeds. We can get to know our local community and realize our impact on the global community. By knowing our community, we can feel more connected and a little less hurried. We may even learn a few things about health, education, the environment, business, music, art and history. I am encouraged by the overwhelming response to this project. This is quite apparent by the number of articles and photos sent in by community members of all ages. Not to mention the numerous e-mails and phone calls. The intended 40 page magazine, quickly exploded into over 100 pages! Quite impressive! I knew as things progressed, I needed a staff! I am extremely thankful that my friend, Amy Behlke came on board to help me! She was my ad rep initially. However, she soon stepped up to take on additional projects such as collecting articles, returning e-mails, writing and promoting for this new venture. And yes, without pay! Amazing! With all of the great response, we have not turned away from those with concerns. We have put an eco-friendly spin on Community Seeds because it has become important to us. People have asked if I am going to take a political stance on environmental issues and I say, “I hate politics.” My intentions are to have people share how we can make small changes in all areas of our lives to better ourselves and our world. I want to make these changes and encourage others to do the same; changes that may not happen if they were bigger. I look forward to my future and the future of Community Seeds e-Magazine. I can’t wait to see what the community will bring to the fall issue. So- welcome; enjoy your visit; stay a while!

DeAnna Holman

Editor-in-Chief

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Contents

44 2 Welcome! 3 Note From the Editor 6 This Issue’s Contributors 10 Summer Quotes 33 Contest Winners 95 Opinion-Lack Of Financial Education

107 Calendar 114 Advertiser’s Index 115 Fall Issue

Community Seeds . Summer 2008

Summer 2008

Features

44 The Offspring Drummer and Parent, Pete Parada, Inspires

18 Solar School in the Spotlight 22 Pictorial- “The Governator” and Guy Fieri Rub Elbows With Solar School Tweens

34 The River Otter, A Young Girl’s Mission 50 Recording Group, Gamma Gamma, Share Their Unique Sound With Chico

12 Making Small Changes to Be Eco-Friendly

True Life

8 Free Cone Day Brings a Little Sunshine 64 The Flight Of Tweeter, a Child’s Love 58 The Martins Get A Miracle, One Mom’s Fight

Departments Easy Being Greener

13 Eco Vocab 14 Where’s Chico Bag? 17 Green Links 24 Worms! & Composting 25 Make Worm Bins 28 Why Recycle? 30 Summer Composting 32 Kids Speak Out Food/Entertainment

76 Cool Popsicle Recipes 81 Cooks Corner Recipes 83 Editor’s Choice Recipe 78 Cookbook ReviewDeceptively Delicious

Outdoors

98 Outdoor Summer in Butte County

100 Water Fun Pictorial 101 Water Safety Health

63 A New Mom’s Needs 75 The Truth About Sweeteners

72 Healthy Families Grant Helps Insure Kids

Crafts

38 Simple “Green” Crafts Home

100

90 Home Buying /Selling Guide 42 Super Mom-No More!

Focus On Small Business

54 Sweet Baby Creations 56 Charli’z Sofit’z 57 Belly Fish

Community

84 The Patrick Ranch 88 Community Faces 93 The Grange 96 Durham Library Honors 94 Finding Our Roots

Philanthropy 107 Ovens For Africa

81 64

108 I Dream Of Fiji, A Girl’s

Dream Of Helping Others

110 What One Teen Does In Her “Spare Time”

Art

36 Importance of Art

Education For Kids

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Contributors

Contributors This Issue-Summer 2008 DeAnna Holman Editor-in-Chief, Owner, Publisher, Web Designer, Mother of Three & Wife. DeAnna holds a BS Degree in Gerontology from USC, a California Teaching Credential and Science Supplement From CSU, Chico and an AA Degree in Liberal Studies/Photo Journalism from Grossmont College in San Diego. Amy Behlke Ad Representative, Writer, Connections Links Coordinator, Mother of Two, Wife. Amy holds a BA Degree in Liberal Studies from CSU Chico, a California Teaching Credential From CSU, Chico, works full time teaching 6th grade and writes grants. Greg Holman Writer, Contributing Editor, Moral Support, Father of Three, Husband. Greg is a Science Teacher, Writer for EnergySeeds.com, Grant Writer, Workshop Facilitator for the National Energy Education Development Project, who holds a BA and CA Teaching Credential from CSU Chico. Jan Holman Author, Jan Holman, has been a resident of Durham since the mid-1960s. A California State University, Chico graduate, she is a devotee of local history, mother, grandmother and Community Volunteer (4-H, Far West Heritage Association, Durham Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club, Durham Schools, just to name a few). Kathy Stapp Kathy Stapp has worked for PUSD for 22 years as Health Tech and is working as a certified application assistant, helping families with their applications for Healthy Families and Medi-Cal for the SHINE grant. Shirley deCoup-Crank Shirley has been married for 53 years and has 4 children and 12 grand children. She started in Genealogy in 1983. She has been on the board of the Paradise Genealogy Society for 10 years and has held nearly every position. Bailee Palade Bailee Palade is a 6th grader at Paradise Intermediate Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Evergreen 6 Program. She lives in Paradise with her family and enjoys playing on her softball and basketball teams. Kim Martin Teacher, mother, CSU, Chico graduate (BA in Liberal Studies) and Owner of the CDL2 open structure preschool in Chico. She shares her encouraging story to help others who are struggling to start a family. Pete Parada Pete is a professional musician, drum instructor, parent and Chico resident. He attended Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, has recorded many albums and has toured with major recording artists around the world.

Community Seeds . Summer 2008

Contributors Jenna Van Vleck-Mommy of Elliana (3 1/2) and Tucker (9 months) and the owner/creator of Sweet Baby Creations handmade baby items.

Rhonda Maehl-Realtor in Paradise and owner of Ponderosa Coldwell Banker (Rhonda Maehl and Team).

Contributors -Not Pictured CarrollAnn Davis- Proof Editor, DeAnna’s mom, home school teacher, Stampin’ Up Demonstrator, PTA Treasurer. Serenity Fitzgerald- 12 year old, 6th grader at Evergreen 6 in Paradise, CA. Along with her father, Chris Fitzgerald, she has started a local organization, Friends of the Otters. Danae Dominichi- Writer and Chef Extraordinare, works for Paradise Unified School District at E6. Howard F Holman, III (“Pete”)-Retired Butte College Dean, Almond Farmer, Builder, Father, Grandfather Tara Donnell - Tara lives in Magalia with her husband, 3 year-old son, and various pets. She works part-time outside the home. June Harry-Durham Resident, Mother, Nurse and Volunteer. Jennifer Arbuckle- Recycling and Public Outreach Coordinator Northern Recycling and Waste Services. Laura A. Douglas, BSN, RN. MICP. Laura A. Douglas has BS degrees in both Computer Science and Nursing. She works as an emergency room and OB nurse at Oroville Hospital, a paramedic for Enloe Medical Center, and is a volunteer Captain firefighter and training officer for Cal-fire, Company 26. She also designs swimming pools. She has authored the Butte County Safe Kids Report for 2006. Cindy Caswell- Art teacher for Durham Schools, volunteer, mother Erica Alvistur & Julie Weaver- Owners of Belly Fish Nursing Cushions. Belly Fish™ was recognized as an honored recipient of an iParenting Media Award. Nichole Brown- Junior at Paradise High School Sydney Zimmerman- 13 years old and lives in Paradise; currently in 8th grade at Paradise Intermediate School. Kenji Lee (Independent Business Owner/Real Estate Investor), graduated from California State University, Chico with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science. He also attended Butte College (AA Degree), Britt University of Financial Education, Chee’s Association of Financial Education, and Rich Dad Coaching of Financial Education. Patt Witt and Pyramid Michael -Members of the Paradise Grange and community volunteers. Kristin Finch- owner and creator of Charli’z baby blankets and products and she is a mom. Stacie Bingham- Stacie is a doula and La Leche League leader in Chico and is very involved in the birth /young mother community in Chico. All contributors are named on the corresponding article.

If you plan to send an article for the fall issue, please include a short bio at the end , along with your photo and photos to go with your article. Send articles (doc) and photos (jpg) to info@communityseeds.com. For additional guidelines, please go to www.communityseeds.com.

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Chico Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day Supports The Sunshine Kids!

By DeAnna Holman

On April 29th, Community Seeds Magazine participated in the annual Free Cone Day Event at the Chico Ben and Jerry’s Scoop Shop. The socially and environmentally-minded company opened its doors to give away 5,815 free ice cream cones from Noon until 8PM. “Jerry and Ben started their first Free Cone Day as a thank you to their customers,” said Debra Heintz, National Retail Operations Director. “We get to continue the peace, love and FREE ice cream tradition every year across the world.”

It was also a great opportunity to try one of Ben and Jerry’s new flavors. (from www.benjerry.com):

Coconut Seven Layer Bar – Based on the popular dessert: coconut ice cream with coconut & fudge flakes, walnuts & swirls of graham cracker & butterscotch. This is a treat solely for the Scoop Shop fans, as it is the only place in the world that you can get this flavor! Imagine Whirled Peace™ – Ben and Jerry’s is proud to partner with Peace One Day to act globally and take one step closer to making our planet one of peace and love. Imagine Whirled Peace is a tongue-pleasing concoction of caramel and sweet cream ice creams mixed with fudge peace signs and toffee cookies.

This year, Free Cone Day became one way Ben & Jerry’s could celebrate its 30th anniversary. It was a busy and fun time with “celebrity scoopers,” happy crowds and live music. It was a great chance for Community Seeds to reach out to community members, inform them of ONE Cheesecake Brownie™ - This top-testing our new projects and help support a cause. new flavor is a decadent cheesecake ice cream with cheesecake brownie chunks. The amazing thing is the taste is only the half of it! Ben and Jerry’s is partnering with ONE.org to “make poverty history.” To find out all the campaign info, visit ONE.org/benjerry. Cake Batter – Yellow cake batter ice cream with a chocolate frosting swirl. The perfect flavor to help blow out Ben & Jerry’s 30 candles in celebration of their 30th anniversary!

Community Seeds . Summer 2008

In Chico, Free Cone Day was a chance to get a free scoop of ice cream, but it was also a time to recognize and support a non-profit organization called, The Sunshine Kids Club. While supporting part of the company’s mission, “commitment to the community,“ owner Jim Graham went a step farther by making his event a way to benefit a Chico Children’s organization; an organization that encourages children with and without disabilities to accept and support each other. “The Sunshine Kids Club is designed to foster self-esteem, empower kids and promote advocacy and acceptance for all children ages 5-18.”* Their goal is to help kids feel a sense of belonging by encouraging them to appreciate the unique qualities of every individual.

It also demonstrated shop owner, Jim Graham’s, and Ben and Jerry’s commitment to social consciousness by offering a day to say thank you to its customers and support a worthy and needed organization’s cause. We look forward to next year’s Free Cone Day Event! For information on the Ben & Jerry’s company and delicious flavors, visit: www.benjerry.com. For information about your local scoop shop, visit: www.benjerry.com/chico/ For information on The Sunshine Kids Club, visit: www.sunshinekidsclub.org.

Kids who are members of The Sunshine Kids Club have a chance to participate in activities such as: self-defense classes, family activities, field trips, visual and performing arts, community service projects, and teen activities. With thousands of kids with special needs in Chico alone, The Sunshine Kids Club proves an extremely valuable resource. Community Seeds was excited and fortunate to be part of this grand social and philanthropic event! The event showcased the obvious community pride of Chico and the surrounding communities with people coming together for ice cream, fun and purpose. *The Sunshine Kids Club Informational Brochure

August 31, 2008

Chico Ben and Jerry’s 855 East Avenue, Chico, CA 95973 530-893-9377 w w w.communityseeds.com

Community Seeds Asked:

What is your favorite thing to do in the summer? Going to the ocean is our favorite thing to do in the summer. It just does not feel like summer if we do not take a trip to the beach! —Jenny Agnew, Chico My favorite thing to do in the summer is being outdoors with my husband and son, playing and laughing, having a good time with each other, and discovering anything new and exciting.

—Teri Tapia,Paradise Summer time is when I get to do lots of outdoor type of adventures such as: backpacking trips, hiking, white water rafting, kyaking, paragliding, fishing, and much more- Lots of weekend trips.

Here at Greenfeet.com, one of our favorite things to do in the summer (as a whole), is head up to one of the great swimming holes at the end of the day, take our dogs for a walk, or just chill in the hammock with a cold Sierra Nevada in hand. Cheers!

Go to the beach! —Brian Donnell, age 3, Magalia

When I lived in Chico, my favorite thing to do in the summer was sit in front of the air conditioner. Now that I live in Magalia, my —Valerie Reddemann, Chico favorite thing to do is anything that involves being outside.

—Tara Donnell, Magalia

If I’m not sitting in the air conditioning, you can find me We look forward to jet skiing on out on Paradise Lake fishing. Lake Oroville, swimming for the —Jason Behlke, Magalia Durham Dolphins, having swim parties and visiting family.

In Butte County during summer, I look for the right climate and then of course lots of outdoor activities. I also love to attend summer local, cultural events and community gatherings. This summer I am planning to take a selected group of my students in outdoor martial arts training as we refer to it, “The Warrior Training Camp”.

Living in Paradise, we have two —Rosalia Flores, Durham beautiful rivers on each side of us, Butte Creek, and the West Branch of the Feather River on I love to BBQ with friends and go the other side. My Family and I water skiing on Lake Oroville. love to go swimming and find —Sarah Butcher, Chico new swimming holes to enjoy. We always make sure to pick up My favorite thing to do in Butte all our trash before we leave. County in the summer is to mill —The Cahn Family, Paradise about a shaded riparian habitat, identifying the flora/ fauna, appreciating nature and all One word…Summerfest! while sipping a ice cold cocktail. —Jason Donnell, Magalia Have a good one.

—Master Azad, Chico

—Jennifer Arbuckle, Chico

10 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

We‛re 30 now! Come in & Celebrate our birthday with us with a scoop of you favorite ﬂavor this summer or try something new!

New!

Your local B ben and Jerry’s Scoop Shop is located at: 855 East Ave Chico, CA 95973 Phone: (530) 893-9377 www.benjerryschico.com

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It’s Easy Being Greener

It’s not Easy Being Green. DeAnna Holman

W hen we used to hear terms like: As our family makes tiny changes, being green, eco-friendly, sustainable, bigger changes seemingly get smaller. or environmentally friendly- we would shudder a bit. The impression was: if we cared about the environment, we would have to run off to the mountains to live with no electricity and let our hair get dread-locked. We all now know that is not the case.

As we have made changes, we have been educating ourselves more about the environment. That has carried over into other parts of our lives, making us and our children, more empathetic individuals.

Making changes to help the environment does not make one a “hippie” and being a hippie does not make one an environmentalist. Most of us care about the future of our health and our earth; if not for ourselves, for our children. Making the smallest contribution helps, so don’t be afraid of being a little greener.

Today, we have seen the effects of yesterday on our environment: pollution causing lung lesions in city dwellers, chemicals leaching into the water tables, the apparent rise in rare cancer rates… the list goes on. Most people care about the environment because they have the desire to live healthier lives and they want their children to have a clean world in which to live. In each issue of Community Seeds e-Magazine, there will be the “It’s Easy We live in a tech-driven society and some Being Greener” department. In this feature, of us are afraid we would have to give we will offer tips on making small changes in up too much to help the environment. the environment. There will be articles about eco-friendly activities in the community, we The truth is, we don’t have to give will suggest some eco-friendly products, our lifestyles up entirely. If everyone and we will look at environmental made small changes, it could help the issues that concern every American. environment more than assumed. If you have green tips you would like to share, send them to info@communityseeds.com. 12 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

EN E R G

T? A H W

Eco-Vocab

Alternative Energy- Environmentally friendly energy, not derived from fossil fuels. Solar energy is an example. Being Green- An attempt to reduce ones negative effect on the environment. There are many levels of being green. Biodegradable- By U.S. government definition, 60 to 70 percent of a product’s ingredients must be able to break down and return to the environment within 28 days. Carbon Footprint- Personal activity that accounts for CO2 emissions, thus leaving your “carbon footprint.” Eco-Friendly- Having, little or no impact on the native ecosystem. Food Miles- The number of miles food has traveled from where it is produced to your plate. Fossil Fuels- Fuels like petroleum, coal or natural gas that come from fossilized plants and animals. Organic- When referring to ingredients, something that has been grown without synthetic chemical pesticides or fertilizers is considered “organic.” Sustainability- A process or state that can be maintained at a certain level indefinitely (Wikipedia.com). Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)- Chemicals that emit gases at room temperatures. Many paints, cleaning products and cosmetics, emit VOCs - as does gasoline.

Cal Baby Sunscreen is made with organic, sustainably grown ingredients. Available at Target stores.

www.camelbak.com

” Embrace the fabulousness of green living, ” read Green Chic - Saving the Earth in Style by Christie Matheson Available at Amazon.com.

Even the dog can “go Green” with this recycled dog bone from www.peacefulcompany.com w w w.communityseeds.com

Whereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chico Bag?

The average American uses 300 to 700 plastic bags per year! If everyone in the United States tied their annual consumption of plastic bags together in a giant chain, the chain would reach around the Earth not once, but 760 times! The popular and stylish Chico Bag makes being earth friendly a little easier. Send your photos of your Chico Bag in different locations to info@communityseeds.com! If your photo is published, we will send you a FREE Chico Bag to use or share with a friend. How many places can Chico Bag be photographed?

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Guess the location of this Chico Bag! The first 5 correct answers get a

FREE Chico Bag!

e-mail: info@communityseeds.com

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Easy Being Greener

16 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

It’s Easy Being Greener

MEET THE GREENS - A site for kids looking after the planet.

CHILDREN’S HEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL COALITION - A site dedicated to creating healthy environments for children through “green” practices.

Companies Go Green COOL MOM PICKS - Organic items found & shared by moms.

FREE RICE - A vocabulary definition game. For every word you get right, they donate 20 grains of rice through the UN World Food Program to help end hunger.

Green Businesses

Interesting Green Websites

ECO LINKS

Chico’s Sierra Nevada Brewing Company’s mission is to produce high quality beers and ales with little impact on the environment. They have several sustainable projects at the brewery, including: hydrogen fuel cells, solar panels, a CO2 recovery system, recycling & waste diversion, transportation improvements, water treatment, and an on-site hop field.

Go to www.sierranevada.com for more information.

FREE CYCLE - Like Craig’s List, only FREE!

Energy Seeds- A blog about Foundation For Environmental Education projects.

Scholastic Book Clubs has made changes to be more environmentally conscious. They have committed to using recycled paper that exceeds EPA guidelines and they have joined the Rainforest Alliance (www.rainforest-alliance.org). They suggest to “act green” and do things to help our environment: Use rechargeable batteries. Use both sides of paper when writing. Don’t use juice boxes, use reusable cups.

Use rags instead of paper towels. Have plants inside to keep the air cleaner. Go to www.scholastic.com/actgreen w w w.communityseeds.com

SPOTLIGHT

Solar School on the Ridge.... Ensuring a Bright Future

Written By Amy Behlke

vergreen 6, a sixth-grade program of Paradise Intermediate School, is quickly becoming one of the most green school programs on the Ridge. Greg Holman, one of the three teachers in this program, has made it a personal mission to educate the 96 students in his science classes each year about the ways they impact the environment. he human footprint each of us leaves behind in our lifetime begins the moment we are born, and by the age of 12, the average American has already generated over 9 tons of trash. eaching students about the environmental impact they are responsible for, is like paying into an insurance policy. If we teach our youth easy ways they can reduce, reuse and recycle; they will teach their families and friends. More importantly, they will learn to live their lives in a less wasteful way.

T T

“It is amazing to see the amount of enthusiastic learning taking place due to the solar installation.”

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Evergreen 6 has won several grants, which have been used to make the school as “green” as possible. One picnic area on the campus features a 1.06 kW solar system on it’s own digital meter. This solar array helps power the library and computer lab and came to E-6, compliments of a PG&E grant awarded in the fall of 2006. “Since the installation of the solar array,” shares teacher Greg Holman, “students have become more energy conscious. Students better understand energy, keep track of our school energy use, and audit home energy use. It is amazing to see the amount of enthusiastic learning taking place due to the solar installation.”

Another PG&E grant, the Bright Ideas Grant, awarded in the fall of 2007, allowed Evergreen 6 to purchase 16 solar “Sun Ovens” (www.sunoven.com). In March of 2008, Evergreen 6 students used these solar ovens to prepare sweet potato French fries for Governor Schwarzenegger and the public to sample at the State Capitol during a celebration of California State Agriculture Day. The ovens are used frequently in more low-profile ways such as: solar bake sales to raise money for the end-ofthe-year camping trip; as part of a local parade as a solar kitchen on wheels; to prepare More about Arnold snacks for staff meetings; Schwarzenegger and and to prepare student’s lunches, cookies, cakes, and E6 on page 22! snacks on any sunny day.

s a part of the Bright Ideas Grant, classes at Evergreen 6 are working on creating a “solar cookbook” from recipes they have tried in the solar ovens. Proceeds raised from the sale of these cookbooks will be used to purchase Sun Ovens to be shipped to villages in Africa. Holman has established contact with a village in the Congo that still relies on wood for cooking, etc. Students hope to send at least one oven per year to this village. As villagers learn about solar cooking, ovens will be distributed Read more about throughout the village for daily use, Ovens for Africa reducing the need for wood heat. on page 109!

n the fall of 2007, Evergreen 6 was awarded a grant from the Paradise Community Foundation, allowing the school to start a large, scale schoolwide recycling and composting program. This grant was awarded in large part due to the help of Jennifer Arbuckle of Northern Recycling and Waste Services. Before this grant was awarded, Paradise Unified School District had very limited formal recycling programs in place. In the fall of 2007, the Evergreen 6 recycling program got off the ground and began collecting recyclable items from classrooms, the office, libraries and the cafeteria at Paradise Intermediate School. By May 1, 2008, Evergreen 6 had diverted 180 pounds of plastic, 832 pounds of paper, and Nearly 1,000 pounds of other recyclable items from the Neal Road landfill. This impressive effort continues today with the goal of permanently reducing Paradise Intermediate School’s waste to 1/3 its previous amount.

“Our program actually composts or recycles over 90% of its waste!”

n additional element to the Paradise Community Foundation Grant was the creation of a 7,000 worm, “worm farm” and two thermal composters. Bins labeled “Worm Chow” can be found in every E6 classroom and in the library. Students visit the worms daily, adding: pencil shavings, old drier lint, and moist paper towels, along with other compostable food-waste items

from the school’s cafeteria, to the worm bins. “It was surprising to learn that worms can eat human hair, cow manure, bread products, pencil shavings, and even drier lint,“ said Maddy Lewis, a 6th grader whose shares the daily duty of emptying the “worm chow” bins into the composters. “It’s amazing that all that stuff can be composted and not thrown away!”

oni Baker and Duana Michaels, two students at Evergreen 6 chose to do a “trash audit” for their science fair project. Baker commented, “We weren’t sure how much of Evergreen 6’s waste was really recycled or composted. When we did the experiment, we were surprised to learn that our program actually composts or recycles over 90% of its waste! We never thought it would be so much!”

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rain-diversion barrel also sits near the worm bins. Water collected from rainfall will be held in the barrels for use in watering the beautiful landscaping at Evergreen 6. Teacher Pat Snyder has worked with Evergreen 6 students since 2001 to create easy to maintain and environmentally friendly landscape elements all around the Evergreen 6 campus. Snyder currently has his eye on a corner of land near the solar panel for a future vegetable and herb garden. The vegetables and herbs grown will be used by students to prepare recipes in the solar ovens. The garden will be watered with diverted rain water. Student Cooper Hawkley has played an vital role in the installation and expansion of the rain diversion barrels. “Modifying school buildings to make them more green is very fun! With a light rainfall, our roofs produced about 30 gallons of water in less than one hour! This is all water that we can use rather than wasting tap water to irrigate our plants,” says Hawkley.

orking with students on all of these projects has been so enlightening for all of us. Watching our 6th graders learn about conservation, the principles of “reduce, reuse, recycle” and how to apply them in real life has been amazing. Parents are often telling us that their kids are “hounding them” for throwing away recyclable items or things that can be composted. Passing on knowledge like this to a future generation is such a powerful way to make an impact on the environment and it is just an amazing thing to be a part of. We are working on saving the earth, one student at a time!

20 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

For more information on Evergreen 6 or any of the programs visit the following websites: www.evergreen6.us www.sunoven.com www.energyseeds.com www.pge.com/solarschools

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Community Seeds Pictoral:

Solar School Heats up for chef, Guy Fieri and Governor Schwarzenegger !

22 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

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Who knew that worms eat

their own weight everyday and create fertilizer for your yard?! At Evergreen 6, we have 20 lbs of red worms in our worm bins! They eat the food that we normally throw away. These worms prevent the food from going to the landfill. The worms eat almost everything we do except for: onions, meat, acidic and greasy foods . Some of the things that the worms can eat are salad, banana peels and coffee grounds that are donated to us by Smog Busters’ Coffee Shop. The foods that are healthy for us, are healthy for the worms also. The worms like to eat some unusual things such as human hair, dryer lint, paper shavings, and wet paper towels. In composting bins, food and paper will be turned into healthy soil made by Earthworms in a small period of time. So why throw away perfectly good food that could be made into soil? Food and paper in landfills breakdown much more slowly, and sometimes not at all, because it’s packed so tightly with other trash. So just give the scraps to the worms! Bailee Palade Bailee Palade is a 6th grader at Paradise Intermediate School’s E6 Program 24 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

Worm CompostingWho Knew?

Earthworms Work for Us: From Organic Waste to Soil through “VermiComposting” Worm Farm, Durham

What in the world is VermiComposting, anyhow?

Well, it’s the natural process of using earthworms (and associated micro-organisms) to break down organic waste and convert it into a rich material loaded with plant nutrients called “worm castings”. Worm castings are in essence worm manure (ok, worm poop). It is fine in texture, yet crumbly, and is almost odorless - it has a slight earthy/humus aroma. Unlike other soil additives such as chemical fertilizers and manures, worm castings will not burn plants. Castings are easily absorbed by plants and are rich in water soluble nitrogen, potash, potassium, magnesium, trace elements and micro-nutrients and are abundant in beneficial micro-organisms - basically the best organic plant growth enhancer available.

What is the difference between VermiComposting and regular Composting?

When Redworms (Eisenia Fetida) are added to a composting system, not only is the nutrient content of the end product increased, but the composting process is speeded up dramatically. Regular composting is achieved by having the compost pile heat to temperatures of up to 160 degrees and involves aerating and turning the pile, which can be labor intensive. The vermicomposting process normally does not exceed 90 degrees, so large amounts of organic material are not required to begin the process. Furthermore, with vermicomposting, there is no need to manually turn the composting pile - the worms will do that work for you, and in much less time. Vermicomposting = better compost sooner for less work

Worm Bins Make Your Own Worm Bins For Perfect Worm Composting By Howard “Pete” Holman, III

Early this year, it was decided that a worm composting project would be a valuable part of the overall recycling program at Evergreen Six (School) in Paradise. After a visit to the Worm Farm in Durham and some research into commercially available “worm bins,” it was decided that we could make our own bins that would be both size appropriate and cost effective. After some thought the following design evolved.

In order to fit in the space allotted to the project and make best use of the materials, we ended up with a box about 4 ft. by 4 ft by 2ft high. The material list is as follows: For one box: 1. 2. 3. 4 5. 6. 7.

1ea. 1ea 4ea 1box 1box 1box 1roll

4’x8’ Hardy Plank (fiber cement siding) sheet 4”x4”x8’ Redwood post 2”x4”x8’ Redwood boards 1 1/4” deck screws* 3” deck screws* 1” galvanized brads for air brad nailer 4’x½” hardware cloth and staples for bottom.

Deck screws should be high quality with good coating. The bins pictured in this article were made with covers, which require an additional ½ sheet of Hardy Plank per bin.

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Sides

To start, the Hardy Plank was cut into 4 pieces, each 24” by 48”. These were later trimmed to about 24” x 44” to match the length of the dado in the 2”x4”s. Don’t trim them until you have cut your 2”x4”s.

Top and Bottom Frame

Next, the 2”x4”s were cut to 4’ lengths and the ends cut to 45 degrees as you would cut a picture frame (Fig 1). With your dado blade set at about 3/8” (This should accommodate the 5/16” thickness of the Hardy Plank), cut a ¾” deep grove 1 ½ “ from the inside (short) edge of each board. Your boards will end up looking like the ones in figure 1.

FIGURE 1

FIGURE 2

FIGURE 3

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 5

FIGURE 6

FIGURE 7

FIGURE 8

Corner Boards

Cut the 4”x4” into 4 pieces 22 ½” long. Then on your table saw, rip out a square piece 1½” x1 ½” so that what you have left is an “L” shaped outside corner (Fig. 2.) Take the 1 ½”x1 ½” pieces that came out and rip them at a 45 degree angle to form the inside corner. Trim the sides to match the length of the dado in the top and bottom boards. You are now ready to assemble the boxes. 26 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

Assemble the Boxes Place two of the corner boards on a flat surface and place a side in between them (Fig.3). Be sure to center the side so that there is ¾” overhang at the top and bottom. This is the part that will slide into the top and bottom frame. When you have this set up and square, attach the side to each corner piece with four or five 1 ¼” deck screws. Next, slide a top and bottom board on the exposed edges of the siding and attach them to the corner boards with 2 3” deck screws at each corner (Fig. 4 and 5). Assemble a second side in the same way. With both sides assembled you can set up the box using the remaining top and bottom board. (Figs.6 & 7). When the box is squared, lift the top board and slide in the sides, attach them to the corner boards and then attach the top and bottom boards as you did the other ones (Fig. 8). One of the corner pieces, that you ripped from the corner posts, can now be placed in each corner and secured with 3” deck screws.

boards and the siding where it slid into the dados. For our bins we made tops. They were simply a ½ sheet of Hardy Plank with two hand holes cut on the ends (Fig. 9).

FIGURE 9

FIGURE 10

FIGURE 11

We now transported the bins to the school and before taking them off of the trailer, we applied the ½” hardware cloth to the bottom side. This was done to prevent moles or other animals from burrowing up into the bins and feasting on the worms. (Figs. 10 & 11). The bins were then easily carried by 5 or 6 Sixth graders to their permanent location, filled with the starter mix, and were ready for the worms. A note should be made that when you are working with the fiber cement material (Hardy Plank), be sure to follow the manufacture’s instructions for cutting and protection from any dust.

In order to stabilize the sides we used an air nailer with 1” galvanized brads on an angle through the top and bottom w w w.communityseeds.com

Why Recycle?

By Jennifer Arbuckle

is true that recycling can be costly, time consuming, and not as easy as throwing all your trash into one container. Literally, the behavioral meanings and implications of recycling fit rather poorly into standard economic theory. The American consumer found in the text books wants only to acquire the most stuff with the least effort, and would not comprehend that there is such a thing as “obviously enough:” five times the present standard of living would be better than four times but not as good as eight times as much. Recycling, unless adopted as an idiosyncratic hobby, would seem to be undertaken only in response to the kinds of economic incentives seen during World War II. Fortunately, there is evidence that the world is not populated solely by such slothful gluttons.

development of far more glorious capabilities than merely having lots of “stuff.” Should our goals not include an awareness and connection to our social and environmental context? The

The growing acceptance and expansion toward

urge to recycle may be viewed as evidence of this broader connection, seen as a statement of responsiveness and responsibility toward one’s surroundings. In fact, recycling is one the most accessible, tangible symbols of such an awareness.

supporting recycling cannot be understood in terms of economic incentives alone. First we must understand that basic values and positions on public policy are not externalities waiting to be monetized. And second, while recycling is not always profitable in the short term, it is nonetheless a valid response to long-term environmental problems, which cannot be reduced narrowly to economic terms. Obviously, human needs would have to include much more than material sufficiency to obtain fulfillment; surely the good life includes the 28 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

Recycling on its own is actually the minimum

effort an individual can do to reduce their impact. The four R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and buy Recycled) are not in an undefined order, there is a purpose. Reducing the amount of waste you have is far more beneficial than having the same amount of waste and then

If it is a typical day in America; 368 million people will each throw away 4.4 pounds of trash, totaling 1,619,200,000 lbs of trash per day and 592,112,000,000 lbs per year; Making America

the #1 trash producing county in the world... “poop” out of your mind and embrace the fact that this natural process smells merely of dirt! All you need is greens, browns, air, water, worms and boom: You’re a full fledged, aware participant in the environment. Be happy, jump up and give a little “hip yip;” you’re on your way to being part of the solution, not the problem.

Final facts: If it is a typical day in America;

368 million people will each throw away 4.4 pounds of trash, totaling 1,619,200,000 lbs of trash per day and 592,112,000,000 lbs per year; Making America the #1 trash producing county in the world at over 1,609 pounds per person per year. This means that Americans who constitute only 5% of the world’s population generate 40% of the world’s trash.

reusing and recycling it. Reusing old clothes for rags or old milk cartons/ toilet paper rolls for art projects etc. is better than just recycling them because they serve another use, someone might learn something in the process, and in the end they’re recycled. There you have it, fun and education all in one, what’s better than that? Buying recycled products is part of “closing the loop,” which means buying recycled content Each day, 115 square miles of rainforests are products, using them and finally, recycling destroyed, totaling 27 million acres per year. them back “into the loop” whenever possible. About 38.9% of the U.S. waste stream is paper. Americans throw away 44 million newspapers Wait there’s more! There is a fifth R out there everyday. To produce each week’s Sunday that provides the ironical cherry on top of the newspapers, 500,000 trees must be cut down. If individual’s plight to reach sustainable living: Rot every American recycled just one-tenth of their (i.e. composting). Rotting your kitchen scraps and newspapers, we would save about 25,000,000 yard waste is an easy diversion process that adds trees a year. If every household reused a paper the side benefit of providing the best soil nature grocery bag for one shopping trip, about 60,000 can provide. Put the myth of a stinking mound of trees would be saved. Until next issue, live well. w w w.communityseeds.com

Composting

The Low Hanging Fruit By Greg Holman

The “Green” Craze Okay, so there is this “green” craze out there, but I am a bit more pessimistic. Sure, I want to save the earth, but environmentalism has had some bad press over the years. People today are extremely busy and going green often seems like it would interfere with everything that has to get done. Well, let me tell you that there are some changes you can make, with little to no investment in money or time, that can make a difference - and cents! The easiest thing you can do at home is to start composting. This is the “low hanging fruit” of being green. This takes very little time, and ultimately can end up saving you money. How will it save you money? You can eventually downsize your garbage container, and then stop driving to the store every spring to buy organic soil for your plants. Interested? Read on. Compost can take place in as simple as a pile, to as complex as an indoor compost machine. Your pile will depend on many factors, including your living situation 30 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

and the space available. Convert one of your now obsolete trash cans into “compost bins.” If you do not think that you can dump it daily, get something with a lid. (Again, reuse a coffee can, or work your way up to a ceramic container with an odor filter.) According to an excerpt from Let it Rot!: A Gardener’s Guide to Composting, this is the number one rule for composting: The realization that no matter what you

ingredients, and the scientific explanation for anyone interested.

do, no matter how many little mistakes you make, you are still probably going to come up with reasonably good, usable compost.

The only hurdle is to make it part of your daily routine. You have no space for a compost pile? Talk with neighbors and make a common compost pile out of an unused corner. You will be surprised how much you can divert from your waste stream! You might even need to move to a smaller, cheaper trash container. Sure, you are saving the world, but more importantly, money! (Or do I have that backwards?) For now, reach up and grab that low hanging fruit!

Truth Be Told This is so very true. Your container can be a fancy commercial container, a primitive chicken wire cylinder with two metal posts, or as simple as a compost pile. Begin by adding the “greens” (lawn clippings, and other green scraps) and the “browns” (coffee grounds and dead leaves) in equal parts - six to 8 inch layers of each. Try to keep the pile as moist as a rung-out sponge. If all goes well, the pile will heat up and decompose over the course of a few months. All you need to do is turn it and check moisture levels weekly. Now truth be told, I never turn my pile, and seldom water it (unless it is raining). It comes down to a few things: space and effort. We happen to have some space for a compost pile, and I have little time for any effort above adding to the pile. Sure, it takes a few more months to make compost, but I am in no hurry. I strongly suggest purchasing a copy of Let it Rot!(ISBN-10:1580170234). This will give numerous examples of bins, lists of acceptable and not-acceptable w w w.communityseeds.com

Kids Speak Out:

Local kids told Community Seeds what they think we can do to help the future of our earth.... We should Recycle glass, cans, paper, cardboard and water bottles. You can even recycle water bottle caps!

Reyana R. Age 11

Rot your brush pile!

Hailee Age 11

Don’t put trash in the lakes and oceans because it can hurt fish and you won’t be able to swim. Emily H. Age 6

Use cloth bags for shopping and not plastic or paper bags.

Joe V. Age 12

Don’t put trash on the ground.

Andrew H. Age 4

There are many different ways to save the earth and save money. Here are a few things to help you save some green in more than one way: 1. Consider brightening up your yard with drought plants. They live and thrive on one rainfall. You can pretty up your yard and save some water for another day. 2. Install an drip system instead of of standing outside holding the hose and wasting gallons of water. Do what you can do to save some water and brilliant up your yard. 3. Think about composting. Cut up your greens, apple cores and other thing, too. Compost makes great soil and helps prevent waste from going into our wonderful land. Toni Age 12 32 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

You could plant a tree outside your window so you don’t have to use the air conditioner because you already have shade. Fabri D. Age 12 Are you a kid and have something to say about protecting the environment? Send in your green tips and if we use your quote, you will get a Chico Bag. Send to: info@communityseeds.com

Congratulations to Our Contest Winners! Mailing List Winners: If you signed up for the mailing list, you were entered into a drawing for prizes: Book: Go Green, Live Rich-Winner: Kim Burke Napster Gift Certificate-Steven Smith Community Seeds T-Shirt- Maggie Rorvine Chico Bag-Jose Perez

Green Kids Quotes Winners: Your quote was chosen to be printed. Reyana R., Joe V., Fabri D., Toni, Hailee, Emily and Andrew H You all won Chico Bags!

Chico Bag Winners: You sent in a Chico Bag photo in order to get another Chico Bag and join the fun! Jenny Cooper, Mary Hansen, Arielle Hofer, and Tammy Stevenson TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE: e-mail to info@communityseeds.com, your full name and e-mail or physical addresses to be verified. You can pick up your prize at an event we host, we can mail it to you, or we can deliver it to your business.

NEXT ISSUE WILL BE THE FALL 2008 ISSUE

The next issue will run September 1 through November 31.

Do you want to write about your event, your music, or your hobbies?

Do you have any ideas, articles, photos, or artwork, pertaining to the fall?

If you answered yes to any question, send them to:

What do you like most about the fall? What is your fondest fall memory?

For formatting information, addresses and advertising information got to:

info@communityseeds.com

www.communityseeds.com

DONâ&#x20AC;?T FORGET TO SEND US YOUR PHOTOS OF CHICO BAGS IN UNIQUE PLACES!

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Paradise Lake’s Unique Inhabitants: The North American River Otter By Serenity Fitzgerald

Indians believed that the River Otter was the god of good health. She had many children. They all had a home on the earth, and to see one of these beautiful creatures would bring great health and long life. When looking for the River Otter, one should know what one of these amazing creatures looks like, what they eat, about their families and much more. Everyone needs a home; well so does the River Otter. The otter’s home is called a den. These dens are mostly borrowed from badgers, beavers, and wood chucks. Sometimes otters will need a temporary home. If this is the case, brush piles, large underground rooted areas and stumps will be used. Beaver ponds are where you will most likely find the otter because of the abandoned homes of the beavers. River Otters thrive in all of Canada and North America. Sadly, these creatures are disappearing all across these regions. The River Otter has many food sources. The otter has stiff, highly sensitive whiskers in which they use when they dive 34 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

one to six “kits” (baby otters) is born. The young otters eyes will not open until it reaches the age of three weeks. These kits will grow fast: they are out exploring at the age two months and can care for themselves at five months, but will not leave the To identify the river otter one family for a few more months should know what these serene or until a new litter is born. creatures look like. The river otter has strong powerful legs Locally, Paradise Lake is the with webbed feet. An adult home to a family of otters. In many states the otter is slowly disappearing due to poor water quality, pollution, and hunting. We are very lucky to have the otter family in the lake. This means we have great water quality, no pollution, and no hunting. Some who have not been educated about the otter think that this creature will do harm to our water quality and fish supply. down into murky water. River Otters mainly eat fish that are disease-ridden or slow moving. Sometimes they will eat crayfish or crabs. Rarely, they will eat young waterfowl, water bugs, snakes, frogs, and even muskrats.

“Indians believed that the River Otter was the god of good health. ... to see one of these beautiful creatures would bring great health and long life.”

G r a c e M . Yoxo n , o f t h e International Otter Survival Fund may get to be eighteen pounds writes: “What people should and forty inches long. River otters have extremely valuable coats, which comes in shades of black, brown, gray, and red. A large part of the otter’s life is their family. The river otter breeds in the months of March and April. A year later, a litter of

“We are very lucky to have the otter family in the lake. This means we have great water quality,...” realize is that having otters in your area is a sign that you have a healthy environment. They use both the land and the water so both habitats have to be perfect for them. This is not only good for the otters but for all species, including fish and even ourselves. Regarding the problem of giardia, it is one of the most common parasites infecting cats, dogs, cows, deer, sheep and even birds. I take it people are not worried about these other creatures. It would seem to me that this is just an excuse put out to make people think otters are a threat, which of course they are not. Clearly, otters will take fish… but, making them an attraction, rather than looking at them as a problem, is very positive. It could work in your favor and after all: if you call yourself Paradise, you should be welcoming these wonderful animals.” If you were to visit Paradise Lake in hopes of seeing some of these beautiful creatures, you should know some things. First, when planning a visit to the Lake plan to travel five to six miles from the town of Paradise. Paradise Lake is the main source of water for the Town of Paradise and there are many exciting recreational

activities that can be enjoyed at the lake. Friends of the Otters, a local group that supports the presence of the otters in Paradise Lake, would like to make the otters an attraction to draw more visitors to the lake as well. Whether you are an expert or just learning, hopefully you have learned something new and can take time to make the trip up to Paradise Lake to see our otters.

SITES FOR REFERENCE www.twingroves.district96.k12.il.us/wetlands/RiverOtter/ROHabitat /ww.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/riverotter www.otter.org/otterframes http://www.luddist.com/otter http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/ eek/critter/mammal/riverotter http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/ detail.asp?recnum=MA0031

Serenity Fitzgerald is a 12 year old, 6th grader at Evergreen 6 in Paradise, CA. Along with her father, Chris Fitzgerald, she has started a local organization, Friends of the Otters. It is her hope to educate the public about the importance of the presence of river otters in our environment and to dispel negative myths about river otters’ effects on our local water supply.

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Art

Importance of Art in Our Schools By Cindy Caswell We cherish the paintings that our children painted when they were in Elementary School. Their first self portrait still hangs on the wall, along with their recycled sculpture that was created in fifth grade. But where is the art after elementary school? Did our children lose interest, or was the opportunity to create art forgotten?

As my teenage daughter ends her junior year of high school and e m b a r k s on her senior year, I am thankful she found a motivational tool and self esteem booster within her photography art class. (Not only do I value art education, I am glad to have her work hanging on our walls once again!) As a senior she will continue studying photography and work on her school’s yearbook. When talking about school, photography is generally the subject spoken. I believe she found an outlet for self expression, a subject where peers give praise, and a release for stress from the teenage world. Countless studies clearly prove that art education has a significant contribution to helping students learn in school. Art education helps 36 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

children develop cognitively (reading, math, handwriting, problem solving and scientific experimentation), physically (body awareness, large and fine motor skills), emotionally (self control, expression of feelings and one’s emotions) and socially (sharing, appreciating differences, self esteem, decision making). Studies reveal children can develop a greater ability to deal with school a n d life in general if given a r t instruction. According to National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, NASAA, high school students who take art classes have higher math and verbal SAT scores than those who do not take art classes. Not only does art instruction aid in development of a well rounded student, I believe Art provides a release from the rigid, basic subjects of school. It is not an “easy A”, nor is it without homework. Art allows freedom of self expression. It is a subject where there is no “right” or “wrong”. Art gives the opportunity for students to release feelings without words and feel valued. It is a form of

Websites Regarding the Importance of Art in Our Schools There are many websites regarding the Importance of Art in Our Schools. I discovered an enlightening study entitled: How the Arts Benefit Student Achievement: Critical Evidence by Sandra S. Ruppert found on the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies NASAA website. http://www.nasaa-arts.org/ Check this out and you will be motivated to find ways to support art in your school! therapy to relieve stress from everyday pressures regarding friends, parents, and school. A high level of tension and stress amongst teenagers is on the rise. This same high level of stress and tension is evident among American families. A local author, Mady Trask, wrote a wonderful handbook for parents and teachers titled A Child’s Art Studio. Here she states that, “There appears to be less and less separation between work and home life and my fear is that children suffer from parents who have little time to interact and who themselves are stressed.” Mady suggests for families to find ways to do more “camping” at home where activities revolve around nature: photographing, appreciating, and interacting. The pace is slower and one can discover the basic elements needed to restore physical and

Importance of Art in Our Schools mental health. I find my own family cherishing our summers together as we spend time â&#x20AC;&#x153;campingâ&#x20AC;? in our cabin in the far north, without the technological fast paced world. We renew our family bonds and create a healthier lifestyle. Art is not only a form of therapy; it is the foundation for our development. Each of us passes through stages of art as a child and most lose formal art instruction after 5th grade. We become more critical of ourselves without art instruction. We lose self esteem and the ability to take risks in creating art, and life in general.

Young Artists James Behlke, Age 3 Magalia

Gracee Lybbert, Age 6 Durham

We need to remember: Art is important in our schools; research has proven its relationship to brain development, social, emotional, and physical growth. We must value its importance as we value reading writing, science and arithmetic. As California schools are faced with drastic budget cuts, we need to find ways to support art in our schools. Art materials are expensive and are not budgeted for the classroom. Many schools have art programs instructed by parent volunteers that enhance or supplement the classroom. We are fortunate in our community of volunteers in Durham to have an Art Docent Program that introduces children to formal art training through fine art prints along with developmental art instruction in Kindergarten through 8th grade. The Art Docent Program also provides quality materials to create art in the classroom through school fund-raising.

Christopher Kalkowski, Age 7 Chico

Emily Holman, Age 6 Durham

Send in your little artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work! e-mail photos to info@communityseeds.com.

To mail go to www.communityseeds.com for address info. Please include name, age and city!

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Crafts

Easy Eco-Friendly Crafts: By Amy Behlke

I am a person who enjoys anything creative. I am also very interested in doing as many little things as I can to try to be eco-friendly in my everyday life. Recently, I began surfing around on the internet to see if I could find some easy, fun crafts to do this summer. I didn’t want to go spend a fortune at the craft store in order to make these projects. What can be used that we already have to make fun, easy little crafts? What I found is there are unlimited possibilities for environmentally friendly projects that can be made using items that are otherwise not earth-friendly at all! By far, my biggest green faux pas is the use of disposable plastic grocery bags. I have tons of awesome reusable grocery bags. Yet, it seems that between juggling a full-time job and two kids, I just can’t manage to remember to bring them to the store with me! Knowing how bad they are for the environment, I just can’t bear to throw these bags away and I never remember to take them to the store to be recycled. As a result, I have a stockpile of hundreds of these evil, non-biodegradable, toxic, environmentally dangerous, eco-killers heaped beneath my kitchen sink.

Following the tutorial I found online at Craftster.org, this is what I did: 1. I sorted through my awful plastic bag stash to find bags with a variety of colors, avoiding brown bags. I wanted a more clear or bright result and thought the brown might make the fabric murky in color. 2. I straightened and smoothed each bag and prepared them by cutting off the handles and bottoms. Using a rotary-cutter made this a quick process. 3. I cut up the side of the bags and opened them up flat smoothing them out. On my ironing board, I laid down a large piece of card stock and layered several bags in a variety of colors (I used 6) to make a flexible, yet durable fabric.

4. Heating my iron to the setting for cotton or rayon blends (one of the lower settings), I sandwiched I was so excited to find instructions on how to take another piece of card stock on top of the bags to these awful bags and turn them into a sewable prevent them from sticking to my iron. fabric similar to “tyvek,” which is typically used to wrap houses, but has recently been used to make 5. I spent several minutes slowly ironing over the clothing and jackets. Other uses for this durable and sandwiched bags while pressing down firmly. environmentally-friendly material is a waterproof, **It is important to wait to remove the card stock heavyweight interfacing for camera cases, bags until it has cooled completely and do not turn your and more! iron up to a hotter setting. If you remove the card stock too soon or turn the iron up too high, aside I decided to make this project a little more green from running the risk of burning yourself, your and use it as a way to replace my kids’ disposable fabric will develop tears and holes. paper lunch sacks with these funky, personalized, reusable, recycled ones. 6. Once the fabric has cooled, feel it to ensure all layers have fused together. If there are places that still feel like a plastic bag, continue ironing until all layers are fused. The fabric can now be used to sew all kinds of durable, waterproof, useful things! 38 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

Crafts

Reusable Cloth Napkins: Another easy way to be more earth-friendly is to reduce the use of disposable napkins and paper towels by making a set of funky, cool cloth napkins of your own. In the spirit of “reduce, reuse, recycle,” I decided to delve into my fabric scrap stash to make my cloth napkins. Most standard cloth napkins come in 12”, 14” or 16” squares. Since I have two young sons who are not always clean at mealtime (yet ,I didn’t want to use up all my fabric), I opted for the middle 14” size. Here’s what I did to make these super simple and reusable cloth napkins:

1. I decided I’d make a set of four reusable cloth napkins. In order to ensure my set of napkins were uniform in size, I used my rotary cutting mat and quilting ruler to measure and cut 15 inch squares out of the printed fabric. I cut them to 15” in order to allow for the seams. 2. I pressed all edges under ¼ of an inch and trimmed the corners off diagonally in an effort to create a mitered corner. 3. After pressing , I folded all edges in another ¼ of an inch and re-pressed. Done properly, this will give you a nice, professional-looking mitered corner. 4. Finally, I top-stitched the edges in place, rotating the fabric at the corners. That’s it! Now we have a nice, new set of reusable cloth napkins!

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Crafts

Cereal Box Business Card Keeper or Wallet:

A fun and simple little craft that “reuses” is a business card holder made out of an empty cereal or cracker box. All you need to make this useful and clever little project is an empty cardboard food box and some elastic cord. The template found on RePlayground.com can be used to make cutting a snap.

.Cracker” My 1 ½ year-old son, Owen, is a “Goldfish fanatic, so in his honor, I chose to use this empty cracker box for my business card holder

.replayground.com, Using the template online at the website www. I traced & cut along the lines.. 40 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

Crafts

.holes, Using a thumb-tack, I punched the making sure they were large enough for the elastic cord to fit through.

.ruler I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a scoring tool, so I just used my and a dull butter knife to score along

.NOTE. I am using mine to carry my Community Seeds business cards, but other uses for this super-cute little wallet include a cash-carrier or coupon-holder.

the template lines, making it easier to fold.

.cord, Tying a double-knot in one end of the I threaded the cord through hole A with the knot on the inside of the box.

.holeI then threaded the cord through B, C, D, E, and F, ending up with

the cord on the inside of the box.

.F Before tying the final knot, I folded tabs A and in and folded the rest of the wallet creases.

Cool links: www.replayground.com www.recycledcrafts.craftgossip.com www.junkmailgems.com

.org

.sureFinally,the I cord tied the knot at hole F, making was snug but not supertight. Slipping the elastic over the corners of the wallet, it was finished!

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Supermom No More… By Tara Donnell Bree Vandekamp from Desperate Housewives), I’ve actually noticed a marked improvement in my mood. It all started two months ago and is something I haven’t In fact, my husband’s mood seems better as well; shared with any of my friends, and only recently so it appears to be a win/win situation. I am happy because the house is clean, and he is happy that I am confided in my family. happy, and it does not involve him picking up a toilet brush or pushing a mop. The secret is…I have a cleaning lady. I have a dirty little secret.

Not only has my cleaning lady improved my mood, but my stress level has gone down too. Because now, instead of running after my 3-year-old all day desperately trying to keep him from harming himself, the dog, cat, fish, or my appliances while I notice all the “filthy” places in my house, I get to do all of the above, minus With my secret out, I can no longer take credit for seeing the dirt! As an added bonus, my obsessive the sparkling stove top, shiny bathroom mirrors, and thoughts have also decreased and I am not nearly as smudge-free sliding glass door. I’ve relinquished this preoccupied with thoughts such as, “Wow, that’s dirty,” “Have I even dusted in this room this year?” and “How job to someone else, and she is fabulous! much mold can be in the bathroom before it causes harm to someone?” Now, I have often fantasized about having my house magically cleaned, but with that often came the I admit I can think of a million other ways to use the dreaded reality that: money I spend on a house cleaner. But in the end, I’ve A. I would have to pay this person decided it’s more important to invest in my sanity and B. I would have to trust this person, and C. This person would see my house when it is dirty. Ok- well being for now. I think in the long run, it will pay off. scratch that, filthy. There, I said it. And now that I have, I suppose this means I will have to officially stop campaigning for the title of “Supermom of the Year.” This campaign takes place all in my head by the way, there are no known public contests that I am aware of.

If you want the number for my cleaning lady I have to warn you…she has a long waiting list. Two things were going for me when the opening came up: first, one of her client’s died (hence the opening) and second, when she heard about what a handful my son is (and she didn’t hear it from me by the way), she took pity on me. Apparently, she has a grandson that could give my son a run for his money. While I never anticipated this kind of a payoff for having a challenging kid, at However, after coming to terms with the fact that I this point I’ll take all the help I can get! will never be my mother (think June Cleaver meets And I mean filthy literally. My cleaning lady said so the first day she came for the job. “It’s filthy,” she said while laboring away on her hands and knees scrubbing my kitchen floor. “But there’s hope,” she added, looking up at me with a sympathetic smile. Crimson with shame, I casually retreated to my bedroom and pretended to fold some clothes. Dang it! She saw the filth; it’s not just me being overdramatic. Sigh.

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John & Peggy Chambers Continue to grow!

Not only does the California Harvest Shop carry the largest and freshest inventory of California’s Bounty: Almonds, Walnuts, Pistachio’s, and Dried Fruit, they are now serving the south bound commuters with the freshest coffee drinks: Fresh Brewed Organic Coffee, Cappuccinos, Lattes & Mochas. Fresh baked goods, coming soon.

Stop. Say hi. Coffee’s on . . . 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday thru Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday 629 Entler Avenue #9 (Down from Wood Bros. Carpet)

530-345-1710

DSL hookup available

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BALANCING A BIG CITY JOB WITH A SMALL TOWN LIFE By Pete Parada

THE OFFSPRING DRUMMER SHARES HIS COMMITMENT TO HIS FAMILY AND HIS SMALL TOWN, WHILE MAKING RECORDS AND TRAVELING THE WORLD.

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“...doing what I love doesn’t come without a price...”

veryone has a tough time finding a balance between their home life and their career, no matter what that career may be. I am fortunate to be able to do what I love the most for a living: I’m a professional musician. For the last decade I have traveled the world playing the drums for bands of all sizes and styles. But doing what I love doesn’t come without a price.

or most of my early career, my days shifted from working any day job I could find to running to rehearsal or to play a small gig somewhere, anywhere, just to try to get some exposure. Late nights led right back into another early morning at work, starting the same day all over again, leaving no time for a personal life of any kind. But after years of toiling away, I finally got my first real job in a touring band. My dream was coming true. I was now a working, professional musician. Everything would be easy from now on, right? I had spent years paying my dues and now it was time to reap the rewards. Or so I thought.

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PETE PARADA-Drummer

f I considered myself busy before, I had no idea what I was about to experience. Traveling for a year crammed in a van with five other people, sharing a room at Motel 6, playing rockpaper-scissors to see who got to sleep in a bed that night and who got to share the floor with the others. If we were lucky, some of the clubs would provide food for us, but mostly we each got a $7 a day per-diem to eat with. Eventually I joined a band that had a bigger following and so we got to travel by bus. The conditions were much better,

“...A FUNNY THING HAPPENED. LIFE HAPPENED.”

but the schedule was still brutal. Being on the road for ten months out of the year, it was now even harder to have a personal life, and pretty much impossible to maintain a real relationship. Two of the guys in my band were married to some amazing women who understood the lifestyle and were willing to make it work. But most of the musicians I knew were in terrible relationships or, like me, just couldn’t be bothered. 46 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

ver the years I went from band to band, doing everything from small club tours to playing big arenas opening for groups like Blink-182. At one point for two years, I played in two touring bands and spent all my time going from a tour with one band right into a tour with the other, and then right back again. I loved the work, but it seemed like things would never slow down. Then, after 14 years of living in L.A., I found myself transported here to Chico to try and make the best of a difficult situation

PETE PARADA-Drummer with my band at the time. And for the first time in eight years, I was off the road for almost an entire year. During that time, a funny thing happened. Life happened. I met the woman who would become my wife, and almost overnight, my priorities changed. The next year we were married, during a break in my now-resumed touring schedule. There were three people at our wedding, the most important of whom was our daughter. I never thought I would find someone who would accept my lifestyle, but she did. It certainly wasn’t always easy, but we were able to find a way to make it work for us. They would fly out every 2-3 weeks to ride on the bus for a few days so we

could be together. My daughter quickly turned into the best traveling baby ever. Many a time have we gotten to the end of a cross country flight, only to have everyone around us remark that they had no idea there was a small child sitting right behind them.

fter a couple of tours, I decided to make my temporary move to Chico a permanent one. I love the feel of the town and the friendliness of the people here. It’s a perfect place to raise our family, and only a short plane trip down to L.A. when I need to work with my newest band, The Offspring. For the first time, I’m in

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PETE PARADA-Drummer a band that understands how important my family is to me. We tour in a much lessgrueling fashion, which leaves me more time to be with my wife and kids. Recently I’ve started taking on students and teaching drum lessons when I am not on the road. We’ve also just had our second daughter, so being in a stable, consistently working band came at just the right time. Of course it’s still a struggle to balance family life with an unorthodox career, but we work hard at it every day and always put our girls first.

“FOR THE FIRST TIME I AM IN A BAND THAT UNDERSTANDS HOW IMPORTANT MY FAMILY IS TO ME.”

ut traveling away from my family is always difficult. Thankfully, technology helps. Computer video chats take the place of nighttime story reading, and cell phones make constant communication possible. But I would imagine it’s the same for anyone who travels for a living: no matter what you try, nothing compares to really being there with your wife and kids. And that’s where the balance gets harder 48 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

to find the only way we’ve been able to make it work is to follow two simple rules: make the most of the time we have together, and make the best of the time we are apart. It’s certainly not a perfect system, but it’s what has made our lives together possible. I love my family, and I love my career. And there’s never a day that I’m not grateful for both.

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Featured Music

ew i v ter

Q&A

GAMMA GAMMA

Andy Tolley (“A-Drive”) of the two man band, stops by to promote their record and talk to Community Seeds about: the band’s unique sound, how he never intended to play live and what he likes about Chico. By DeAnna Holman

Andy with band mate Sean Taugher (“Hexagon Sean”)

All Roads Lead to Chico

Recently, I got the chance to catch up with an old friend that I have known since junior high school. We went to school in San Diego County, so I was shocked and excited to hear that he was coming to Chico to play at Café Coda with his band, Gamma Gamma (appropriate for a college town). I thought this was funny since he is a TV producer in San Diego; an Emmy nominated one at that. How in the world did he come to play in this band and how did this unique sound come about? When we were catching up, I got a chance to ask him some of these questions. 50 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

Your show at Café Coda was a lot of fun to watch! How would you describe your shows to people who have never seen you live? It’s different. We get a lot of curious folks getting in close and trying to figure out how we’re making all these noises. Good thing is, despite all the geeky gear, it’s pretty accessible music and at times quite dance-able. We’ll keep ya’ moving. We also have video projection that augments the whole Gamma Gamma experience. How would you describe your music? I would classify it as Indie/ Electro/New Wave. I would say it sounds like you’re inside an 80’s arcade and a band is playing over the top of that. Sean was pretty good at the drums. Hexagon Sean is one of the best drummers in San Diego and in high demand. I am honored that he’s drumming on this project and I gotta tell you he’s into it. We get along great and being that there’s only two of us, we can pull off traveling in a station wagon. How did you two meet? I met Sean while I was performing with another

Gamma Gamma band -- an instrumental act named Bipolarbear -- in 2004. He said he played drums and if we ever needed a drummer, he would be interested in joining us. Well, our drummer moved to Portland. I emailed Sean and he was such a great and creative drummer. We formed the band Airport 81, and released a CD in 2006. The band was well received, and we were recognized with a nomination for the San Diego Music Awards. We then purchased a vocoder and it changed our sound -- in my view for the better. The bass player was not into this change however, and by the end of 2006 I pulled the plug on Airport 81. Aside from the vocoder, what influenced you to start using computer sounds in your music? I owned a commercial 24-track recording studio from 1993-2000. It was a successful venture but in the end, I grew tired of the late evenings / early mornings and just dealing with musicians. However, I kept a lot of the studio equipment and collected a large assortment vintage analog synthesizers and noise makers. I closed the doors of the recording studio and got more and more into analog synthesis and the use of old arcade and home video games like Atari and Commodore - stuff I grew up with. I also ventured into vintage computers. I programmed an old Texas Instruments TI-99 computer to speak and say words using BASIC language. Thankfully, I have retained my knowledge of BASIC Programming from 8th/9th grade! How did Gamma Gamma come together? [After Airport 81] I retreated to the studio and wrote several songs under the working title Gamma Gamma. I invited Sean to drum on 4 songs. I

Nice Monster went on first to share their unique rock/folk sound.

Gamma Gamma took the stage with high energy, funky glasses, and a video show background; perfect for their fun, Astro-tech dance beat.

With his modern, Indie sound and Hexagon Sean on drums, the talented Dr. Yes took the stage. w w w.communityseeds.com

would have him play at a set tempo, and I would add all kinds of stuff over the top. Often, Sean would come in and drum to himself and my ideas would come 2-4 weeks later. Sean would come back in and add stuff like Simmons electronic drums, noises, etc. We finished the album in about 6 months, and to my surprise it was picked up by a decent label in the Bay Area called Three Ring Records. You mentioned that you never intended on playing live and touring with Gamma Gamma. Why was that and what changed your mind? Airport 81 pretty much put me into the spotlight whether I liked it or not. Don’t get me wrong, performing live is fun. We played some awesome shows in San Diego opening for well-known touring acts like The Hold Steady and the Polysics. But, I’d have to say studio recording is where my passion is. Writing, experimenting with new sounds and new/old technology -- that’s me.

Ring Records in San Francisco. They loved the album, I added a few more songs with Hexagon Sean, and then talks of playing these tracks live came into being. I gotta say that I never intended to play these songs live, really due to the large number of sound sources used to create the album. I can’t bring the TI-99 computer on tour. So there were challenges in arranging these songs. And being that it’s just Hexagon Sean and myself, it means we really have to focus to get things right. It’s the biggest challenge I’ve ever experienced on stage. These songs were recorded with no intention of ever being played live. Sean was excited about the idea [of playing live], and we went for it. In addition, we decided it was best to tour as well. So... our first show was our CD Release in San Diego. Then right into a tour. The Chico show is the first one we booked, at Cafe Coda with Dr. Yes. As an Emmy Nominated TV Producer, how do you have time to travel with a band? When I completed the initial 10 For me, video production is tracks for the Gamma Gamma album, what puts the bread on the I sent it off to the guys at Three table. It’s also a highly creative

52 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

situation. I find that the creativity comes in cycles. When I’m not getting the vibe on a project at work, I turn to music and vice-versa. How does your family feel about your endeavor? I do have a very supportive wife and 2 young kids (ages 6 and 5) so

travel is something of a luxury these days. She’s also an artist - abstract painter - so there are times when she has art shows and I take the back seat. It’s a nice trade-off, and we understand each other on this. Sometimes having 2 artists running the ship can be an adventure, but it sure is exciting!

Andy and Sean sign CDs and T-shirts for their new Chico fans.

Does your family listen to your music? They sure do. My brother is a fan, and my mom, who is a concert pianist, just appreciates the fact that I have embraced music. What was your the first record you purchased? Or 45!

Actually, it was a 45. Bought the theme song to Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I think I was 10. It was epic! What kinds of music do you listen to in your own time? My taste really varies. One look at my iPod will verify this. From

New Order to Curtis Mayfield to Fu Manchu to Kraftwerk to Black Flag to Interpol to obscure early 80s synth pop. I also have a soft spot for 70s AM radio hits. What lead you to book in Chico? Hexagon Sean has the Chico connection, and that would be Dr. Yes, the band sharing the bill with us a Cafe Coda. Dr.Yes or Iestyn (pronounced YESSTON) and Sean go back 10 years; they were in a band together in San Diego. It’s an exciting reunion for them and I was happy to play at Cafe Coda, which has a good rep from fellow San Diego bands that have played there. It was special to see them playing together at the Cafe Coda show. As everyone found out, they groove together well. What did you like most about Chico? I loved Chico for many reasons: the older Victorian and craftsmen homes, the Sierra Nevada Brewery, and the nightlife downtown. There was something different and pleasant about the people of Chico -- very warm and welcoming. Different from the other tour stops we made. I could see myself living up here. Too

bad we showed up during a freak heat wave!!! Is there anything interesting about you that most people don’t know?

Ummmmmmm....am I even remotely interesting?? Little known fact about me: I’ve been playing in an adult baseball league for the past dozen years. We’re talking hardball. All rules in major league baseball apply. By the way, if you mention High School Mascot, it’s open game for ALL those skeletons in your closet!!! I won’t mention it... Where do you see yourself in five years? Probably still working on the 2nd Gamma Gamma release! Check out Gamma Gamma at:

www.myspace.com/gammagammamusic

Check out Dr. Yes at:

www.myspace.com/docyes

Check out Nice Monster at:

www.myspace.com/nicemonster

Check out Cafe Coda at: www.cafecoda.com

*Gamma Gamma Plans to Return to Chico in the Fall.

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FOCUS on Small Business Sweet Baby Creations My name is Jenna Van Vleck and I am the mommy of Elliana (3 1/2) and Tucker (9 months) and the owner/creator of Sweet Baby Creations. When I became a mother in 2004, I saw the need for cute, hip baby products that were functional and unique. It wasn’t until all my friends started having babies and I was attending baby shower after baby shower that I started making Designer Burpies as gifts. They were always the hit of the baby shower and I had gotten many suggestions to sell them locally. At first I sort of shrugged it off thinking, “I have a 1 year old, how is that going happen?” But then the more feedback I got on my designs, the more inspired I got to make it happen. A few months later, a close mommy friend of mine was pregnant with her second child and wanted me to make her a *Nursing Cover* so that she would feel more comfortable breastfeeding in public. There were other nursing covers out on the market, but they were limited in their fabric selections. So, I decided to make her a nursing cover out of fabric that she chose. I added a matching drawstring bag so she could roll her nursing cover up and keep it organized in her diaper bag. I also made her a matching set of *Designer Burpies* to go with her *Nursing Cover*. where carrying around a large diaper was becoming unnecessary. 54 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

By Jenna Van Vleck

I only needed to bring along the essentials: diapers and wipes. So I designed the *Diaper Clutch* to keep the diapers neat and tidy inside my purse. It’s large enough to hold 2-3 diapers and a travel pack of wipes. It also made it easy for quick diaper changes. I could just grab the *Diaper Clutch* and have all the essentials in a cute little clutch. And thus, *Sweet Baby* Creations was born. I’ve since added other baby products to my line. We have luxurious *Chenille Burpies* that are fun designer fabric prints backed with super soft chenille. We have *Changing Blankies* that are also backed with chenille, but are large enough to fit over those public changing stations. They are also soft enough to become your baby’s favorite blankie! I started embellishing toddler clothes at the request of my daughter and have been selling those as well as embellished onesies which can be custom designed to match any of our products. I am constantly coming up with new ideas of things to add to our line. I am currently working on the perfect Diaper Bag. Being the diaper bag-a-holic that I am, I took my favorite parts of all the diaper bags I own and made them into one. I also make *Snuggly Slings* that are pouch style slings to wear your baby close those first months. My son lived in his the first 3 months of his life and it was a live saver.

I graduated Chico State with a B.A. in Child Development and minors in Art and Psychology. I brought my passion for art and creativity into teaching young children and nurturing creative little spirits. I think I have always known I would sell something that I make. I remember making friendship bracelets when I was a little girl and selling them at my dad’s hair salon. I remember each new craft I would learn how to make I would say, “Maybe I could sell that.” I have had the need to create my whole my life. I first learned to sew in high school and made tons of skirts, pants, curtains, pillows, bags, and whatever I could come up with. My life revolves around my children and creating. One of my favorite things is sewing in my studio and having my daughter creating a masterpiece right beside me. In my “spare” time, whatever that means, I like to scrapbook, sew, make stuff, walk in the park, have family time, go on dates with my adorable husband, and play with my kiddos!

To purchase any of our *Sweet Baby* products you can visit Made in Chico at 232 Main St. in downtown Chico and at Baby’s Boutique at 1465 Mangrove Ave. in Chico. You can also visit my online boutique at www.inspiredbyjenna.etsy.com

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FOCUS on Small Business Charli’z

By Kristin Finch, Owner

My business, Charli’z, began the summer of 2007. I became inspired to design a line of hip and trendy, hand-sewn baby products. My daughter Charli, born September 2004, was the true inspiration for my business. Since she was about a year old, Charli has grown attached to a small, silky, pink blanket that a family friend gave to her. Charli’s pink “Softi,” as she calls it, no bigger than 10 x 10 inches square, goes everywhere with her, no exceptions! Thus, my first product creation to my line of Charli’z was born, which I call Softiz.

with a fuzzy plush fabric. As a baby, Charli was very attracted to tags on toys, blankets, etc. I have seen my friends’ babies drawn to tags as well, so I thought it appropriate to add ribbon tags to embellish some of my Softiz. I have received a great response to this addition, which I call Taggiz. It really has added more textures and fibers for babies and children to enjoy. The ribbon tags also enable the Taggi to be attached to a child’s car seat or stroller so that the Taggi is always available and has less chance of being dropped and getting lost.

Through this whole process, my daughter has been by my side while I have been sewing away. She has contently played with scraps of fabric and ribbon, making them into beds and blankets for her baby dolls. She has asked numerous times when we make our trips to the fabric store, “Mommy are we getting fabric to make Softiz for boys and girls?” She has tested out each new fabric by laying her head down on it to see how soft it is and asking, “Can I touch the fabric? My hands are clean!” She has also discovered that you can make little villages and families by poking sewing pins into the ironing board. Due to her interest, I decided to make her a “Scraps Blanket.” I pieced together squares of my extra fabric and quilted Charli her own blanket! Her eyes lit up like I have never seen when I finished her blanket. She was so excited that after all this time of making Charli’z products, Mommy had made something so special just for her. This Scraps Blanket has become one of her favorites.

I have also recently added a line of Bibz and diaper changing Padz. My Bibz include fun and funky fabrics that are backed with plush coordinating chenille and have a Velcro closure. All my Bibz fit most children six months of age and up. Currently, I am working on adding a line of Matz. These are adorable, re-usable children’s place mats that can be folded up and stored in a diaper bag and used in a restaurant. My Matz are made from laminated fabric called oil cloth. A small pocket is sewn on to hold a child’s eating utensils. The Matz clean up nicely with a wet cloth. I also plan to add a line of crayon Totez. This tote has small pockets to hold up to 16 crayons, rolls up and ties neatly, and can be carried in a diaper bag.

I truly have enjoyed this journey. I never imagined I would be making my own line of baby goodies. It is really exciting to watch a Charliz’ Softiz average 17 x 17 inch square and product evolve from a yard of cut fabric into a are typically silky fabric on one side and backed creation for some lucky baby or child to enjoy. Charli’z are available for purchase online at www.charliz.etsy.com. I have products available locally at Made in Chico, 232 Main St , Chico CA . You can also email me directly at kristin@fishingonfriday.com with a custom or special order. Custom orders are always welcome.

56 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

FOCUS on Small Business Belly Fish

After meeting at Enloe’s Bittie Baby class, our friendship grew quickly as we bonded over conversations of clogged milk ducts, two a.m. explosive diaper changes, and pure exhaustion from what felt like a 24-hour nursing marathon. Our gettogethers instantly became a weekly, if not daily, part of our routine. During one of our many walks through Bidwell Park , we discovered we shared a common obsession. We both LOVED our nursing pillows. Our conversation began with a discussion about what to pack for our upcoming vacations. Come to find out, we both attempted the impossible task of trying to squeeze our nursing pillow into our suitcases. We then started to share all the places we brought our nursing pillows; Dinners with friends, Bittie Baby classes, and of course— Bidwell Park . After laughing at images of ourselves dragging nursing pillows across Chico , we decided to design, develop, and manufacture the ultimate travel nursing pillow. During the past year-and-a-half, we have worked non-stop in between nap times, a few hours with a babysitter, and tons of evening hours to create the Belly Fish™. Although we both work part-time jobs while staying home full-time with our children, we were determined to see our invention become a reality.

A big thank you goes out to our kids who have inspired everything that we do. Since we met, Niko (Julie’s son), age two, has become a big fan of cars. Hailey (Erica’s oldest daughter), also two, loves to be outside, and four-month old Avery is a big fan of the Belly Fish™.

Erica Alvistur & Julie Weaver Belly Fish™ is a travel-size nursing pillow with two privacy panels. The Belly Fish™ is unique because it gives you both the support of a nursing pillow, and the versatile panels for privacy. It folds in half making it very easy to travel with. The Belly Fish™ fits comfortably in strollers, most diaper bags, or you can use the neck strap to carry it over your shoulder. We hope the Belly Fish™ will enable nursing mothers to feel more comfortable. Whether it be nursing at the mall, or just being home with company, it is nice to feel comfortable feeding anytime, anywhere. This is a product that will improve the quality of nursing for both mother and child alike. In May of 2008, Belly Fish™ was recognized as an honored recipient of an iParenting Media Award. If you would like to learn more about the Belly Fish™, or share us with newly nursing, or soon-to-be-nursing mothers, please visit our web site for additional information, including style options and availability :www.belly-fish. com. You can also find Belly Fish™ locally at Baby’s Boutique.

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My husband, James, and I met in San Jose while waiting tables at Cocoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bakery & Restaurant in 1995. I moved to Chico in 1996 to go to Chico State. In 1999, we started dating and agreed on a long distance relationship. I graduated in 2000 with a degree in Child Development. In 2001, James moved to Chico and opened his first chiropractic office. We got married June 7, 2003.

The Martins Get a Miracle

Intro By DeAnna Holman

Story By Kim Martin

Kim Martin, owner of the Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Discovery and Learning 2 (CDL2) Preschool in Chico, is outgoing, patient, kind and loves children. Her love for children led her to open this innovative, child-centered preschool where she could interact with kids, see them grow and watch them learn. Her love for children and desire for a family of her own would eventually lead her and her husband, chiropractor James Martin, to the heartache and struggle of infertility. Luckily for her, that long and arduous journey would lead her to a miracle. Two of my kids have been fortunate enough to attend CDL2 and have Kim as a teacher. I have been able to get to know her as a calm, open, always smiling and funny woman. I learned of her plight of infertility and it saddened me to see her amongst all of the preschool children, wanting a child and not able to fulfill that dream. I watched the time go by as she fought, always with a smile on her face, with every ounce of patience to seek out each medical option available. She never gave up and that is why she agreed to help me with an article about her eventual success. She wants to encourage anyone out there with infertility issues to not quit and to keep the faith. Read on as Kim tells her story. 58 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

I knew that I wanted to work with children. When I transferred to Chico State, I was planning on getting a degree in Liberal Arts and teaching kindergarten. I focused on early childhood education. After working at the Child Development Lab on campus, I decided that the preschool level was what I enjoyed. I was a paid teacher at the lab from 1999-2001. After leaving Chico State, I went to work for Head Start for a year. My next experience was being a full-time nanny for a family with four children. In 2004, I found out that the Child Development Lab was closing! I decided I wanted to open my own preschool at this time, and I wanted to model it after the lab. I contacted two colleagues from CDL (Jan and Sandy) about joining me in this venture, and we opened the preschool on September 13, 2004. I always planned to have children. Back in high school I thought six sounded like a good number! I wanted to finish college and start my career first. I honestly thought once I decided I was

ready for a baby. it would just happen. I started trying much later than most of my friends, but I also got married later in life. My husband and I started trying to get pregnant right after we got married in 2003. I wondered what our child would be like and what kind of parents we would be. We didn’t talk about it too much at first. Lots of people we knew were having babies, so we knew it was just a matter of time. The worrying started after we had been trying for a year. I couldn’t understand why we were having trouble conceiving. I began charting my temperature so I could see when I was ovulating. I also used the different ovulation predictors, like the saliva test and the urine sticks. I started getting frustrated and discouraged. Part of the frustration was that people kept asking us when we were going to have kids, which didn’t help matters. Another issue I started to panic about was my age. I was in my early thirties and starting to feel like time was getting away from me. I wanted to be young and energetic when I had my babies. Finally, we decided to see some fertility specialists. I started

here in Chico with two different doctors. Both doctors ran tests to see if there was anything wrong. We did blood tests and physical exams. Both my husband and I were tested, but all they came up with was “unexplained infertility.” After about a year and a half, we started intrauterine insemination. I had to chart my temperatures for a couple of cycles to find out when I was ovulating. When the doctors determined it was the right time we had to go to their office and have the sperm injected into my uterus. This involved many doctor appointments throughout my cycle. We did this three times and then took a break for a few months. Then we tried again with the second doctor in Chico. We went to see him for another 4 months. At this time I had spoken to a number of women who had been to see a doctor in Redding that they highly recommended. The entire process was depressing, but I had a lot of support from my family, friends, and other moms I knew from the preschool. We called the doctor in Redding and started the next part of our journey. He also did the intrauterine insemination, but

...“people kept asking us when we were going to have kids,”... incorporated hormone shots. By keeping my hormones at a certain level, it would be easier to get pregnant. We went to him for over a year. He put me on hormone shots that had to be injected into my lower abdomen. Either my husband or my best friend and her husband would do it for me. On the day before they were going to do the insemination, I had to go get a shot in the low back that would stimulate ovulation. Each month I would wait for the results, feeling like I was going crazy inside. Each month it would be negative. We had to take breaks along the way, so this process took over a year. My doctor talked to me a lot about stress and the negative effects it can have on a woman’s ability to conceive. I joined RESOLVE, a national infertility association, which provides support and resources to those who are not able to conceive. I read everything I could to help me understand what was going on. I wanted to know how people dealt with not being able to get pregnant and how they could come to terms with that. Once we had been through the intrauterine insemination process 6 times, we decided we were w w w.communityseeds.com

Miracle, cont.. ready to try something else. It wasn’t working and I was losing my patience with the whole thing. I wanted to know if I had any other options. We considered adoption for a while, but then our doctor in Redding referred us to a fertility clinic in San Ramon. They specialized in in-vitro fertilization. We would make our first of many trips down there in September 2006. We wanted to know what it was all about and if we were candidates for the process. After meeting with the doctor he said there was a 75% chance that we could get pregnant

of twins! The doctor said we had a very good chance of becoming pregnant. In two weeks we would do a blood test to determine the

“I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t jump for joy or cry. I just held my breath. I felt very guarded.” and carry the pregnancy by going with in-vitro fertilization. That was good enough for us. It truly is an amazing procedure. Again I had to take hormone shots to increase the number of eggs that I would produce. Then the doctors did what is called “harvesting” the eggs. This is a surgical procedure in which the eggs are removed and placed into a little dish along with my husband’s sperm. We ended up with five developing embryos. In December, 2006, he implanted the strongest 2 into my uterus. Of course by doing so we had to consider the possibility 60 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

HCG levels in my blood. Those two weeks were very difficult. I couldn’t help but hope and dream about my new baby. Every time I felt a twinge I wondered what was happening inside of me. Finally I went for my blood test and waited for the doctor to call with the results. When he called my heart sank… He said my numbers were very low. I would need to go for another blood test in 2 days to see if the numbers were increasing, but it was very unlikely the pregnancy would take. The twinkle that I had in my eye for the past two weeks

was gone. I did the blood test again and it was negative. Not only was I heartbroken, but so were my family and friends. They all knew how hard this was and how much we wanted to be parents. The doctor said that the good news was we still had 3 viable embryos. At this point they would freeze them to use for the next cycle. We had to give my body a rest for a couple of months. By March we were ready to try again. This time we didn’t have to harvest the eggs. The doctor just had to inject the frozen embryos into my uterus. We decided to use all three because they were the weakest of the original 5 and we wanted to have our best shot. I was excited and scared at the same time. The procedure itself went well. The doctor said to take it easy, rest, and go get a blood test in two weeks. Once we got home I tried not to expect too much out of all of this. Two weeks went by very slowly. I went for the blood test and waited for the doctor to call. I remember the day vividly. All morning my

best friend and I waited for the call trying to keep ourselves distracted. Finally, we went out to do some errands. We were in the parking lot of Office Depot when he called. Yes I was pregnant!! I kept saying “What? Are you sure?” He said out of the three we put in one was holding strong, one was hanging on, and one didn’t hold. I needed to go for the second blood test in two days. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t jump for joy or cry. I just held my breath. I felt very guarded. I remember telling my husband at his office, but still not quite believing. Two days later I went for the blood test and it was confirmed that I was definitely pregnant. We wouldn’t know for sure if it was one or two until my six week appointment. I was thrilled, but oh so cautious of my emotions. There had been way too many ups and downs. The next six weeks were a blur. At the six week appointment I got to see the heartbeat and that is when I let myself shed some tears! It was so incredible to me. For the whole first trimester I was pretty much a nervous wreck! I was terrified that something would go wrong. I felt like it was a dream. I was 37 years old and I knew there were risks involved. By 20 weeks I started to relax and actually enjoy being pregnant. My baby was born on her due date – December 20, 2007, in Paradise. My husband and I had gone to our regular appointment that day.

That was the first time they discovered she was breech. They took us to the hospital so the doctor could try to get her to turn. During this procedure her heart rate dropped dramatically. The doctor needed to do a c-section right then and there. When I first saw my baby I felt totally confused. My husband got to hold her first and when he held her up for me to see I just stared at her. It was all so overwhelming and then she was gone. They took her out to meet her grandma, aunties, and uncle and told me to rest. When we were reunited an hour later, I just held her in my arms and wondered how I would know how to take care of this little creature. I was terrified. It’s been 5 months now and we are so in love with each other. I am so thankful for her, each and every day. It’s harder than I had ever imagined it would be, but she is the best gift I’ve ever received. Her name is Kiana Irene. We spent hours going through name books, but finally chose that name because Kiana means goddess in Hawaiian and Hawaii is one of our most favorite places on earth! We chose Irene because it is a family name. Now that I have her my priorities have changed. I want to stay at home with her for as long as I can. I

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Miracle, Cont.

am selling the preschool because our family is moving out of Chico. I’m sad to leave Chico and all the people and places I’ve grown to love here. CDL2 has had four great years! My doctor says it is very unlikely that I will get pregnant again on my own. We’ve got our miracle baby now and she is all I need. I’m exhausted, but when I lie down at night and hold her close to me, I know we were meant for each other. I’m perfectly satisfied with our family the way it is. When we were having trouble conceiving, it felt like everybody else was having babies. It’s so hard to stay positive and believe that it can happen. There is a song by the Dixie Chicks called, “So Hard,” that really gave me inspiration to keep trying. It’s important to share our stories so we remember we aren’t alone. I heard so many stories along the way that gave me hope. It was a learning process. I had never heard of all these procedures until I started asking questions and talking to people. I want to tell other people who are struggling with this, that there are options out there. Ask a lot of questions so that you can make the best decision for you and your family. Most importantly – keep the faith.

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A New Mother’s Needs By Stacie Bingham

The excitement that surrounds an expectant mother starts building as soon as the good news is shared. As her burgeoning belly grows. so does attention from others. Baby’s arrival brings relatives, friends, and neighbors… at first. But as the much-awaited birth comes and goes, so do the people. Often this can leave a new mother feeling isolated, tired, and depressed.

listening skills by summarizing her shared feelings and suspending your judgment, offering suggestions only if she asks for your opinion. I have the fortunate opportunity to nurture and support women during their experiences of pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding. I have noticed the mother who functions well, feels good, and exudes confidence early in the postpartum period, is the mother who continues to be blessed with help and visits from her extended supporters. Babies bring joy, but they bring demands as well. By meeting the needs of the new mother in your life, whether she is a friend, a neighbor, or your own daughter, you are enabling her to better care for and meet the needs of her own baby.

In some cultures, the new mother is relieved of her daily duties and attended to for up to 40 days postpartum. Special restorative foods are brought to the mother, she is taken care of by members of her family, and her sole responsibility is to bond with her new baby. This is known as a babymoon. In our culture, 40 days after birth typically sees the end of a mother’s maternity leave! You can help meet a new mother’s needs simply by using your heart and your hands, and sometimes your ears. Never expect to just plop in and be entertained – always ask what you can do to help. Often mothers have reservations about letting you pitch in with cleaning or laundry. If this is the case, place a simple list numbered 1, 2, 3 on the refrigerator. Ask her to write down three things she would feel comfortable accepting help with. The next time you visit, glance at the list and get going! If she insists life is great, do something unexpected for her. Bring her a pot of homemade soup and some warm bread. Drop off a new pair of pajamas for her, or the baby, or both! Demonstrate your active w w w.communityseeds.com

The Flight of Tweeter: a Stuffed, Family Tradition At age 1, Emily discovered a new family member: A yellow, stuffed “duck” named Tweeter. His existence touched more than the hearts of our children; he taught lessons on how to care for others. By DeAnna Holman

Who would have thought that a gift from my mother-in-law to my newborn baby would start a new family tradition. That summer almost seven years ago brought heat, a big belly, an early delivery of a sweet baby girl and Tweeter: my baby’s new best friend. Tweeter was a soft, yellow, bean-bellied duck or chick-Who could tell? He had black eyes, a small puff of fuzzy hair on his head, floppy wings and a crooked smile on his bright orange beak. He was a gift from “grandma,” my husband’s mom, for the new baby; born five weeks too early and yet not soon enough for this excited family. As giddy as we were to get this cute little guy, we made his home on the shelf to become a knick-knack. As the first year of Emily’s life flew past us, she began to notice everything around her. She spoke early and used baby sign language; she was determined to communicate at all costs. She also had an acute eye for detail which allowed her to see a cute, unique, yellow friend amidst the sea of stuffed friends. Not a walker yet, she yelled from my arms, “what that!?” I swung her around to investigate the shelf, home of Tweeter. She grabbed Tweeter and said, “Who ?” I read 64 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

the name on the tag and quickly tried to identify his species… “Tweeter, er, the… duck! This is Tweeter the duck and he was a present to you from Grandma.” At that defining moment (one that would cause future laughter, tears, late night washings, “Tweeter” hunts, cuddles, dances, strange photo ops, and frantic searches on eBay for a double), Tweeter became Emily’s first best friend. So faithful a friend was Tweeter that he would follow Emily on every trip, long or short. He would dance with her and smile his crooked smile at her as if to say, “I will always be here for you.” He would tuck her in at night and watch over her as she squeezed the daylights out of him. As Tweeter had to get “baths,” his neck grew weak, causing it to bend slightly over to one side. This made for some good laughs, with my husband moving Tweeter’s head back and forth and making jokes in a cartoon voice. That duck had become a member of the family. This was not exactly my idea of the exciting, hip, fast paced, jet-setting life I had pictured for myself. This was better.

“He would tuck her in at night and watch over her as she squeezed the daylights out of him.” One night I had: what I know them as, “A Mommy Premonition.” You know the kind where you can see into the future and predict the kid accident before it happens; therefore stopping it in its tracks, avoiding a catastrophe? Super hero stuff. w w w.communityseeds.com

I quickly ran to the computer and e-mailed Gund. “We must get a Tweeter in case something happens to ours.” …Ours. TWEETER HAD BEEN RETIRED FOR A YEAR! Oh, the life of a duck. What now? I needed a replacement at all costs! I logged onto eBay and started searching: ”Tweeter”, no- lots of speakers. “Gund”, no- thousands of toys. “Gund Tweeter”, a bear! What? “Gund Duck, Gund Ducky, Gund Tweeter Duck, Plush Duck…” until finally, as the sun was coming up, “Gund Baby Chick” sent a yellow flash upon my monitor! This cute, little, yellow guy with black eyes, floppy wings and a new fuzzy dollop of hair on his head smiled a crooked smile at me. Let the bidding wars begin! I ended up paying a mint for this stuffed impostor, but it was well worth it. I had an insurance policy that would prove handy in no time.

“In highly trained military fashion, we searched the house for the missing duck.”

“We’re going on a Tweeter hunt…” they sang as they quietly marched around the house away from where I was carrying out my secret operative. Retrieving the new and much, much cleaner duck, I came around the corner and ran into the two Tweeter hunters. Quickly thinking as only an exhausted mother could, I explained that Tweeter had been taking a bath and he had his hair done. He was “as good as new.” I nervously handed the two year old her soft, clean, new best friend. Clutching the bird with relief, she crushed his head with her embrace and went right to sleep.

Soon, Emily would carry her trusted companion into the hospital room to meet her new little brother. Tweeter was there to cushion the blow of realizing it was not just Mommy, Daddy and Emily anymore. I appreciated that duck at that pivotal moment; I needed him. Old faithful. As Emily grew, Tweeter grew an annoying A true member of the new, bigger family. habit of hiding. One fateful night, a relatively early (and rare) bedtime was quickly halted My family grew and so did my eBay, by the sweet, shriek of a young girl’s cry for duck hunting obsession. I wanted to be her lovey. As tears poured down her face, prepared for anything. There could be a her daddy and I switched into Defcon One. In Tweeter for traveling, one left at Grandma’s highly trained military fashion, we searched house, one hidden for emergencies. I was the house for the missing duck. Soon, we stock piling them as if preparing for an had an all-out war against time and tears. inevitable natural disaster. This may seem Remembering the new Tweeter I had won on like an episode of Dr. Phil in the making, but eBay, I signaled to my husband, AKA: “Daddy.” anyone with two young kids in the house He acted swiftly and being the creative genius and considering another, would go to great he is, started a song to get Emily to stop crying: lengths to preserve one ounce of tranquility. 66 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

Again, on an unexpectedly calm night, the unthinkable happened. While washing one of the dirty birds, I went to check on Emily. I picked up the Tweeter Emily had held while sleeping. He had slipped out from her loving grasp and had fallen to the floor. I decided to take it into the laundry room to compare the two Tweeters and see if I should clean the other. I put both yellow friends on the top of the dryer as I folded some clothes. As I lowered a warm towel that had been hiding my face as I folded, a young, sweet three year old looked at me with big eyes. As if she had learned the secret of the Easter Bunny or Santa, she shrilled with surprise, “There are two Tweeters!” She ran to them as I stood in horror, tossing a “help” look to my husband. He just looked at me as if to send a telepathic message. But I wasn’t reading, you copy?! To our amazement, our kind-hearted, loving, young daughter took the Tweeters into her arms and smiled. She walked to her baby brother’s room, parents following, and gently sat a Tweeter on his bed. “Andrew needs a Tweeter,” she whispered as she left his room.

A year or so after our third child was born, I had found, and purchased a new Tweeter. Before I had a chance to pay for the new bird, I received an unusual e-mail sent to me through eBay:

I have a 4 year old, Molly, who lost her Gund Tweeter 5286. It was a gift from her late Grandmother. I contacted Gund and they don’t make the stuffed animal anymore. I was hoping to buy her a replacement - have been looking for this stuffed animal on e-bay and specialty retailers for months.... Since I lost the auction to you, please let me know if you would consider selling it. Tom I already had a collection of undiscovered Gund Tweeter 5286s, so I promptly forwarded the new bird as soon as it arrived. Feeling horrible after bidding against a child who lost a gift from her late grandmother, I told the new owners not to pay. Being parents that would go to any lengths to save a family member, at my chagrin, they sent cash with no return address. I stopped bidding on Tweeters. Quitting Tweeter hunting cold turkey was not as hard as I thought, until I thought about our third child. It is a family tradition after all, to have a Tweeter who will love and comfort you. Let the late night searches and bidding begin! I had to win another new Tweeter, for Abigail! I figured we could store it until the other two children wanted to present the beanbellied duck to our youngest. Unfortunately, no Tweeters were out there. We would have to add the search to “Favorite Searches” and eBay would notify us when one came up. w w w.communityseeds.com

I looked at our birds and figured a “loved” Tweeter would still carry on the tradition. Soon, I forgot about all of that stuffed duck stuff. Until I received an e-mail from a stranger:

On March 30th, you won a bid for a yellow Gund Duck called Tweeter. This will sound crazy, but is there any chance you still have that duck - and if so, would you be willing to sell it? My son had that exact duck which we took with him all over the world. He loved that thing, but last night I left it on the plane. You paid $8.51.

squeezed, kissed, hugged, petted, dressed up, and washed. Oh, and I forgot to mention accidentally dried, causing the fuzzy hair patch to ball up into a bun. I hurried to the computer and e-mailed an offer of one slightly used best friend. The happy father immediately replied:

Hi DeAnna, Thank you for your reply! It has been 3 nights now and he keeps asking for his ducky (yucky as he was). We’ve told him that he’s on the plane flying around.

Name your price.

Here’s a link to a photo I took when he was really young, and the ducky was clean and new.

Man, I sure hope you still have it.

Here’s another when he’s a little older.

Thanks so much.

If you could find your way to let go of one of your duckys - no matter how raggedit is, I can assure you ours was super, super ragged, I, and he would be very grateful and appreciative. I will happily buy it for whatever you feel is fair.

Sean Wow! POKWT (Parents of Kids With Tweeters) unite! But wait! Bad news! I sent the new duck to Molly! I quickly e-mailed back to explain the situation. It was a sad day for one little boy. Suddenly, I had one fuzzy dollop-haired idea. I had Tweeters, many of them. They were older. They were loved. They had been: bid on, boxed up, flown from England and Miami,

Sean

“They had been: bid on, boxed up, flown from England and Miami, squeezed, kissed, hugged, petted, dressed up, and washed.” 68 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

I laughed as I replied that we need a support group for parents of kids with Tweeters. He responded:

Hi DeAnna, Love the group idea. In my search for another Tweeter, I found a post by someone who stated how Gund phases out their animals every couple years which makes it hard for kids who lose theirs. Thanks again... seriously - ours was ragged and old, so if you can let one go, I’d really appreciate it. Sean

I assured him that we would be happy to send him a “Yucky.” I had to explain the hair, but I offered to ship him the next day. No money was to change hands. That and the hair…the deal breakers. The response:

You are an absolute gem! I can’t thank you enough!! This a very big virtual hug. I just flew back to work, but my wife and sons are still in California at grandma and grandpa’s - until Thursday. I know what you mean about the hair - we did that too, so it’s not a problem if you send the washed/dried Tweeter :)

I would like to pay you for Tweeter and for shipping. Please give me your address and I’ll happily send you some money. Thank you again. Ian will be so excited. Sean I explained the entire situation to my kids, hoping they would give up a Tweeter that wasn’t too worn. Again, I was a proud parent when Emily ran to get a duck and Andrew helped wrap him in a “blanket,” w w w.communityseeds.com

(tissue paper). I sent the Tweeter via Priority Mail first thing the next morning. I e-mailed a message saying; “Sean, you are welcome! My kids were excited to help someone who lost their Tweeter. It was our pleasure. Please do not worry about payment of any kind. Just ‘Pay it Forward.’ :) Please let me know when the Tweeter arrives and I will tell my kids. Take care-” This was not about money, this was about family. Sean notified us the very next day that Tweeter the “yucky” had arrived! He posted a bulletin on his Flickr.com site:

Last weekend I left Ian’s pride and joy, his yellow Gund duck on the plane. Ian got Ducky as a gift when he was born, and it has been around the world with him. When we realized I left it on the plane, Southwest’s world class efficiency already had the plane in the air to San Diego. We spent several hours contacting baggage claim and searching for a replacement just in case. I never thought I’d be so concerned about recovering a stuffed animal, but somehow, this little yellow piece of fabric and cellulose is like a family member. Like the beloved family pet - now lost in space. Gund retires their ‘products’ every couple years. And this duck “Tweeter” was sold about 4 years ago. Gund sales team told me it was retired. eBay indicated one was sold a few weeks prior, which was unfortunate because we’d looked many times before to preempt this exact scenario. Gund has made many yellow ducks over the years, but we hadn’t before seen a Tweeter come available on eBay. I contacted the winning bidder of this one 70 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

and would you believe it, she replied. Not only that, she had 6 of them because her kids loved this particular model duck too. I offered to pay her whatever she thought fair if she were willing to sell one of her kids’ Tweeters. Instead, she sent it next day priority mail and refused payment. It’s cliché to talk jaded about the world, and that people just don’t care about others anymore, and all that. But it’s not true. Here is Ian, 4 days after my leaving Ducky on the plane, clinching his new, pre-own duck, happy as ever. Thank you DeAnna, for your kind and generous gift. We won’t forget. P.S. No luck with Southwest baggage claim.

Sean had already paid it forward. That yellow stuffed animal has turned out to be: a toy, a lovey, a security blanket, an obsession, a deliverer of joy, a dance partner, and a gift. He has become a teacher of important life lessons for my husband and me; more importantly, a teacher of important life lessons for our children. Tweeter, our beloved soft, yellow, bean-bag-bellied, floppy winged, crooked-smiled, black-eyed, worn out, flimsy necked, bun-headed, well-loved best friend continues to “Pay it Forward.” Our youngest child, Abigail, received her very own, new Tweeter as an Easter gift this last spring. She sleeps with him every night. The tradition continues…..

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Health

LET IT SHINE

By Kathie Stapp

Safe Schools/Healthy Students Regular “well-child” examinations by your child’s doctor are essential to keep your child healthy. Routine medical care is important for several reasons. First, it is important to catch illnesses as soon as possible, so children can receive appropriate treatment, and often prevent these illnesses from becoming more serious. Second, routine appointments allow pediatricians/physicians to ensure that children are developing and growing appropriately. Children who seem to be experiencing delays can obtain appropriate treatment which can help lessen the negative impact of the delays for both children and their caregivers. Next, taking children to the doctor for both “well child” and sick visits reinforces the idea that visiting the doctor as necessary is an important part of being (and staying) healthy. Finally, routine visits are used to vaccinate children and protect 72 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

them from developing a host of serious diseases. Beyond regular physical check-ups and immunizations, children need other preventative health care. Parents should take their young children to the dentist twice a year for professional cleaning and check for cavities and other oral health issues. Young children should also get their vision and hearing checked regularly. If not caught early, research suggest that problems with hearing or seeing can hinder children’s physical, emotional, or cognitive development. Affected children are not able to take in information as easily and as efficiently as their peers. They may fall behind as a result and become quite frustrated and upset with themselves for doing poorly. In addition, children who have difficulty seeing or hearing may avoid things when they don’t do well or seem unusually clumsy. Children will

not necessarily know they have a deficit because they will lack the experience of having intact sight or hearing necessary for comparison. Regular screenings by a trained professional are the best way to identify and correct deficits early. This year, The Paradise Unified School District was awarded a 4-year, $6 million dollar grant that will focus on the families in the communities of Paradise and Magalia; including youth development opportunities for students in the district, mental health services, increased family and student services at 3 area preschools, and an increasingly safe environment for student and staff at school sites. Another component of the grant is awareness and access to the Healthy Families program for eligible families. Even if your child is healthy, preventive care is important. There are programs, including state-funded programs such as Healthy Families and Medi-Cal, that provide health coverage for children of working families. Healthy Families provides lowcost coverage for families with incomes too high for Medi-Cal. With Healthy Families, you can own your own home and have more than one vehicle. Healthy Families offers a choice of private health coverage plans- Blue Cross EPO, Blue Shield EPO,and Health Net EPO. There are choices for dental and vision plans as well. The coverage is for dependant children up to age 19. Many working families qualify depending on family size and income. For example, a family of 4 making up to $52,000 may be eligible.

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The process of applying to these programs has become much easier. You can apply electronically with the help of a CAA (certified application assistant), so there is no need to take time off work. A simple ten-minute phone call is all that is needed to start the process. For help in filing an electronic application or mail in application please contact Kathie Stapp at 872-6335 Ext 253. This is a free service provided by the SHINE Grant- Safe Schools/ Healthy Student Initiative.

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There is no doubt that family life is busy and challenging and that parents have many roles to play. However, the health and wellbeing of our children is something we all need to be concerned about to ensure children have the best opportunity in life. One of the best gifts you can give your children is health coverage.

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74 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

FOOD

The Sweet Truth Confused about sugar and sugar substitutes? We found some interesting facts. DeAnna Holman

I have tried every sugar and sugar sweetener on the market. I have heard a lot of conflicting information on sugars and sugar substitutes. I found a few tidbits of information that may help solve the sugar mystery. Artificial sweeteners in the blue, pink and yellow packets contain ingredients such as aspartame (known to cause headaches), sucralose (may lead to depression) or saccharine (a known carcinogen). In an article, I found in Scientific American, they discuss how researchers have found a link between artificial sweeteners and WEIGHT GAIN! Go figure!

I found reports that regular white sugar can be harmful because sugar farmers use a toxic herbicide called paraquat on sugarcane crops. So what do we do when we want to use sugar? We could try some sugar alternatives that are natural natural sugar alternatives like agave, stevia or xylitol… or we can use real, organic sugar (especially when baking). Whether you bake or not, sweeteners like agave may not appeal to you, so organic sugar will taste better. It will also taste better than artificial sweeteners, and it will have fewer pesticides.

Here are some options found on IdealBite.com: • Wholesome Sweeteners Powdered Sugar - classic powdered sugar from sugarcane ($19/96 oz). • Aunt Patty’s Date Sugar - made from dates; a great alternative to brown sugar ($7/11 oz). • Maple Valley Maple Sugar - made using boiled-down maple syrup for a distinct maple taste ($6/5 oz). • Domino Organic Sugar - look for the organic version of this big producer’s sugar in many supermarkets; made from sugarcane that’s harvested and made into sugar on the same day, so it comes only from fresh crops ($3/24 oz). • Most natural food stores offer their own organic sugar versions

Natural Sugar Substitutes: Madhava Agave Nectar

ia a liquid sweetener from the agave cactus (note: does contain fruit sugars)($3).

Zsweet is a no-calorie

sweetener made using the plant-based sugar alcohol erythritol, it tastes a little like maple sugar and is way low on the glycemic index ($20).

Stevita Stevia Supreme

is a stevia plant extract (powdered) is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar. It has a slight aftertaste ($8).

Now Stevia is a liquid

extracts than it less refined than powdered Stevia ($7).

Now Xylitol is similar to

sugar in consistency and taste, but less sweet.

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Food

Hot Days, Cool Recipes

Try these popsicle recipes to cool you off on one of our infamous hot summer days.

Rhubarb and Raspberry Yogurt Ice Pops For 6 yogurt ice pops (small shot glasses)

9 oz rhubarb, peeled diced mixed with 1 3/4 oz fine blond cane sugar and 2 Tbsp water 6 1/3 oz raspberries mixed with 2 Tbsp fine cane sugar and 1 Tbsp lime juice 10.5 oz Greek style yogurt 2% mixed with 2 Tbsp fine cane sugar Place your shot glasses in the freezer. To make the raspberry syrup, place the fruit in a pot with the 2 Tbsp sugar and the lime juice. Bring to a boil, cooking for 2 min. Strain to remove seeds and pour back in the pot. Cook until you obtain a thick syruplike consistency, on medium heat. Let cool. Pour in the glasses along the edges and place in the freezer again. To prepare the rhubarb, place 5 Tbsp sugar with the peeled and diced rhubarb in a pot. Add 2 Tbsp water. Cook until the rhubarb is soft and let cool. PurĂŠe finely in a food processor. Mix this rhubarb purĂŠe with the yogurt and 2 Tbsp sugar. Adjust the sweetness according to taste. Place in the fridge to cool (or use an ice cream machine to churn) and then pour in the shot glasses. Place in the freezer again. While still soft, insert the wooden sticks. Place in the freezer once more so that the yogurt pops fully set.

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Multicolored Surprise

Drop a maraschino cherry into po fill it one third of the way full wit juice, let freeze. Repeat with 1/3 p let freeze. Finish off with lemonad trip to the freezer. Use whatever c you like.

Food

Lemon-Rocket Ship Popsicles: 3/4 to 1 cup granulated sugar (depending on how sweet you want them, and if you are using Meyer lemons, use less sugar) 1 cup water 1 Tbsp light corn syrup Zest of 2 lemons 1 cup of lemon juice (about 4 large lemons) Heat 1 cup of water and sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add the zest of 2 lemons and 1 Tbsp of light corn syrup into the sugar water (also called â&#x20AC;&#x153;simple syrupâ&#x20AC;&#x153;). Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and let cool. Juice enough lemons (about 4) to produce 1 cup of lemon juice. Strain out any pulp. Add the simple syrup to the lemon juice, straining out the lemon zest as you pour the syrup into the juice. Pour the lemon mixture into the popsicle molds. Put into a freezer for at least 4 hours to freeze. To unmold, run under hot water for a few seconds.

Popsicles

opsicle mold, th cranberry peach nectar, de and another colors/flavors

Drip-less Popsicles 1 package fruit flavored Jell-o 1 package Kool-Aid 2/3 cup hot water 2 cups cold water 1 cup sugar

In a large pouring pitcher, mix together: Jell-o, Kool-Aid, sugar and hot water, until dissolved. Then add cold water. Pour into molds and freeze. These Popsicles will not drip! Makes 20 ice tups (Tupperware ice molds). We used black cherry Jell-o and cherry Kool-Aid. Recipe made eight, 2.5 oz. pops. w w w.communityseeds.com

FOOD

Book Review:

Jessica Seinfled’s Deceptively Delicious By Amy Behlke

I have two sons, ages 4 and 1 1/2. Both of these boys were breast fed and once the boys were eating solid foods, I fed them fresh, organic, homemade baby food. I wanted to be sure they were getting the freshest foods and more than anything, I wanted to create the most healthy eating habits possible. It did not work. Neither of my boys choose healthy foods, ever. Both are very picky, have small appetites, and most nights refuse to eat any dinner at all. My oldest asks for hot dogs and macaroni & cheese almost every night. My youngest would sustain himself solely on Ritz crackers if I let him.

I want them to eat somethinganything! It would be so easy to cave in; let them have frozen waffles and peanut-butterand jelly for every meal. Yet, I just can’t let myself give in and feed them the foods they crave.

The day Jessica Seinfeld appeared on “Oprah” promoting her new cookbook, Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food, I thought my food-woes may finally be over. I sat for an hour, glued to the T.V., listening to amazing and creative ways to incorporate healthy vegetables, fruits, and other foods into recipes my kids would love. As a parent, I have found myself I immediately ordered her very frustrated with this food cookbook (Amazon.com, $11.39), situation with my kids. I do not and a few days later, I was cooking! want to create a battle with them every time we sit down to eat, but The book is a hardback and spiralbound, which makes it very user-friendly for cooking. There is a foreword by Dr. Roxanna Mehran and Dr. Mehmet Oz, followed by several chapters (such as “Changing Habits Through Loving Deception” and “What Every Parent Should Know About Nutrition”), and recipes. The Recipes are divided into three categories: Breakfast Recipes, Mealtime Recipes, and Dessert Recipes. I read through the chapters that precede the recipes with a pen 78 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

and paper in hand. I found the chapter titled, “The Program,” the most helpful. It provides ideas on the types of equipment and ingredients that are useful to have on hand when getting ready to prepare the healthy recipes as well as storage ideas for the purees used in most of the recipes. I already had experience in making purees from making my own baby food for my boys when they were little, so this part was easy. I had never thought to use these healthy blends in more grownup recipes! Now that I had read the chapters on nutrition, had my kitchen ready, and prepared several of the purees used as bases in many of the recipes, I was ready to cook! The first recipe I tried, Peanut Butter and Banana Muffins (pg. 58), was from the breakfast section of the book. I chose this one because it sounded like it would have yummy flavors my boys would like, and I wanted to test the main premise of the book- the hiding of vegetables in foods in which they did not belong. The “secret ingredients” hidden in this recipe are: banana puree, carrot and cauliflower purees! As I steamed and pureed

Delicious Cont.

the cauliflower, I was very skeptical. I modified the recipe a bit by throwing in a handful of golden roasted flax seeds. Just before baking, the recipe suggests adding half the brown sugar to the batter at the very end, then just mixing lightly. This creates a yummy, crunchy texture on the top & outside edges of the muffins. After baking, we tried a muffin while they were still warm. Both of my sons gobbled theirs up! I was shocked to see them happily eating something so packed with vitamins and healthy ingredients! I really enjoyed the taste of these muffins and gave several of my adult friends a taste to see their reactions. We all agreed that you could not taste the cauliflower at all. Since the Peanut Butter and Banana Muffins had been such a hit, I thought I should stick with the same theme. I was feeling brave, so I actually tried two more recipes from the book’s breakfast section. My kids have never been big fans of eggs, but I thought it would be fun to try the recipe for Scrambled Eggs (pg. 53). I had leftover cauliflower puree, so this was a quick & easy recipe to whip up. After whipping the sour cream, parmesan cheese and cauliflower puree with the eggs, it was a very strange texture and I wasn’t sure how they would cook up. When I poured the mixture into the pan, however, the concoction quickly fluffed up just like regular scrambled

FOOD

eggs. I was disappointed when my kids didn’t touch these, but “The fact that the kids like I said, they’ve never been have no idea what they big fans of eggs. My husband and I both really enjoyed are really consuming them, and agreed that once again, we could not detect actually makes preparing the flavor of the cauliflower at and serving these all! According to the book, a serving of these eggs provides recipes much more fun!” kids with half of the daily value for vitamin C and has more than unheard of for a brownie! An 19 grams of protein per serving! important note in the recipe I sure wish my kids liked eggs!! recommends that you do not eat the brownies until they have One recipe that had been completely cooled because featured on Oprah was for the that is when the spinach flavor Brownies (pg. 156) that Jessica’s disappears. After cooling, I husband, Jerry Seinfeld, had sliced the brownies and lightly said he wanted as “part of dusted them with powdered his last meal.” Being a major sugar. With a nervous grin on my chocolate fan myself, I had to face, I served a platter of these try these! I was intrigued to brownies to visiting friends and see how brownies with carrots our kids. I was shocked when and spinach would taste and if the kids gobbled their brownies my kids would eat them. These up right away and were asking brownies took some time to for more before the adults had prepare. I was a little afraid they a chance to finish theirs! I didn’t wouldn’t be sweet enough, so I tell the adults about the secret decided to modify the recipe a ingredients until after they’d bit by throwing a bag of mini- had a few bites. They almost fell chocolate chips into the batter. out of their chairs when I told The blurb at the bottom of this them! These rich brownies did recipe states that these brownies not have any spinach or carrot are only 133 calories per serving, taste at all. The adults agreed have 3 grams of fiber each, and the texture was a bit strange, are packed with antioxidants but the taste was good and from the spinach and carrots… the kids loved them. So far, this has been my favorite recipe because I feel it is the healthiest version of an unhealthy treat that I could imagine. My oldest son cannot get enough of these. Like Jerry Seinfeld, he may joke about wanting them as part of his last meal someday! w w w.communityseeds.com

One night, my son asked for noodles for dinner, but I had no prepared sauce. I remembered a recipe in Seinfeld’s cookbook Buttered Noodles (pg. 108) that had seemed easy, so I thought it was worth a shot. While the noodles were boiling, I threw the sauce together, which contained only 4 common household ingredients. The hidden healthy punch in this recipe comes from the base for the sauce- yellow squash puree. Once all mixed together, this quick dinner looks a lot like plain buttered noodles. When dusted with a little Parmesan cheese, is full of flavor my kids loved! I even ate a bowl myself! The squash

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gave a rich flavor while not being too overwhelming. This is a recipe I will keep on hand for those nights I need to prepare something quick and don’t have any ideas. The prep time on these recipes is more than for normal recipes. I’ve found it is easiest if I prepare the purees ahead of time and store them in 1/4 cup servings in the freezer so they are ready to use. One thing Seinfeld stresses is that these recipes should not be used as a way to replace fresh vegetables as part of kids’ dinners, but rather as a supplemental way to ensure kids are eating nutrient rich foods. Overall, I have really enjoyed using this recipe book. I have

gotten a lot of satisfaction out of watching my kids enjoy foods that I know are packed with vitamins and nutrients. The fact that the kids have no idea what they are really consuming actually makes preparing and serving these recipes much more fun! I highly recommend this book for any parent who fears their kids aren’t eating enough healthy foods or just wants some creative ideas on how to get a few more veggies into their kids’ tummies. In the short time I’ve had this book, it has become the most used recipe book I own. I’m sure I’ll be pulling it off my shelf frequently for a long, long time.

Cook’s Corner Summer foods that won’t heat up the kitchen. Text by “Danny D”

First, a little background. We moved our family to Paradise, ten years ago. The house we chose doesn’t have air conditioning. This has given me the opportunity to create ideas to cook meals on my charcoal BBQ grill outside, which is perfect for summer-time cooking!

My friends know me as “Danny” or “Danny D.” I am excited to be writing a column for the cooking department of Community Seeds Magazine. I would like to thank the publishers for the opportunity to share my cooking experience, advice and recipes with you. In this issue, I would like to share a few of my summer cooking, outdoor recipes and secrets with you.

I must admit that some things like potato, pasta and fresh green bean salads are a little inconvenient to do on the grill. So, I have started cooking the potatoes, pasta or even fresh green beans the evening before. When they are cooked, I will rinse them in cold water, drain and add a little olive oil to the pasta to keep from sticking while sitting in the fridge overnight. The next day, I will take the potatoes, pasta or green beans from the refrigerator and add the rest of the ingredients for the recipes I am preparing. I then put the dish into the refrigerator until it is time to serve. One important thing that I do to keep the house cool, is cook the several recipes on the grill. Let me share some my favorites and some extra cooking tips with you. w w w.communityseeds.com

Hasselback Potatoes 4-6 medium baking potatoes 1/4-1/2 cup melted butter 1/4-1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese Salt and Pepper to taste 1. Scrub potatoes 2. Place potato on large spoon and slice potato crosswise in 1/2 inch slices, stopping at the edge of the spoon or 3/4 of the way through the potato. 3. Brush butter between slices, sprinkle with seasoning and cheese. 4. Wrap in heavy foil, repeat with each potato. 5. Place potatoes on BBQ grill not over coals. 6. Place lid on BBQ and bake. 7. Check every 20 minutes, turning if they seem to be cooking more on one side. Potatoes should bake on grill for 1 1-1/2 hours, depending on the size of potato.

Grilled Asparagus

One bunch of fresh Asparagus, cleaned* One small onion sliced into 1/2” ring or 1/2” wedge 1-3 cloves of garlic sliced 2-4 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 - 1 tsp ground or cracked black pepper **Recipe tip: Salt to taste When done, I usually place the Optional: zest and juice from one potatoes in a wicker basket lined lemon with terry towel then paper towels so the grill grease doesn’t In glass or plastic rectangular ruin my terry towel. When I do container (length of Asparagus), this, there is more room on the toss all ingredients in, except salt. grill to cook the rest of the meal! Let marinade for 20 minutes or more. When ready to cook, place a grilling pan or BBQ basket on BBQ grate. Carefully put Asparagus mixture into the pan and sprinkle with salt. Grill asparagus 5-15 minutes, tossing so they don’t burn (cook to your doneness). Enjoy hot or cold. *Note: Instead of braking off first inch of stem, try peeling first inch of the stem with knife or vegetable peeler. 82 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

Tasty Tip: Too Much BBQ Chicken

There are many recipes using left over, cooked chicken- so don‘t throw it away! One of my favorites is to make a Chicken Chutney Salad that my best friend, Linda shared with me. 4 cups cubed cooked chicken 1/2 cup pineapple chunks 1/2 cup sliced green onions Optional: 1 cup of grapes or 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds Dressing: 1 cup Mayonnaise 1/4-1/2 cup of chutney (I like mango) 1 tsp. curry powder 2 tsp. lime or lemon zest Juice from the lime or lemon In small bowl mix all dressing ingredients. In large bowl add chicken, pineapple, onions. Pour dressing over and toss to coat. Chill until ready to serve. Sprinkle toasted nuts on top and serve.

Editor’s Choice

An Easy Party Dessert or Breakfast Roll Sent in by June Harry

Chocolate Almond Croissants Prep: 20 min. Bake 15 min Oven 350 degrees F

1/2 of an 8 ounce can almond paste 1/4 cup whipping cream 4 ounces special dark chocolate chopped 1 8-ounce package of refrigerated crescent rolls (8 total) 1 egg lightly beaten 1 tablespoon water 1/4 cup sliced almonds 1 tablespoon powdered sugar 1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a baking sheet, set aside. In a medium bowl, cut almond paste into pieces. Add whipping cream to almond paste; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Stir in chocolate. 2. Separate dough into eight triangles. Spoon almond paste mixture onto the shortest side of each dough triangle; spread slightly. Starting at the shortest side of each triangle and rolling to the opposite point, roll up dough around filling of each. Curve into crescent shapes and place, pointed sides down, on prepared baking sheet. 3. In a small bowl, combine egg and the water. Brush crescents lightly with egg mixture. Sprinkle with almonds. 4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Transfer croissants to a wire rack; cool slightly. Using a sifter or fine mesh sieve, sift powdered sugar lightly over croissants. Serve warm. Makes 8 croissants.

BBQ French Fries Prep Time 15-25 minutes Buy your favorite brand of Frozen French Fries. In grill pan or basket, add frozen or slightly thawed fries. Place on a BBQ grate and toss fries in pan so they don’t burn. Cooking to your crispness, enjoy hot fries and not hot kitchen oven. Tasty Tip:

The Leftover Fruit Salad Dilemma We have all hosted or attended a gathering that left us with the question, “Should I toss it or can I use it in another recipe?” Don’t toss that fruit salad out though, just because the fruit doesn’t look fresh. My advice is to drain the juice from the fruit and place fruit chunks on a wax or parchment lined cookie sheet. The juice you have drained can be poured into ice cube trays. Place both in your freezer until frozen solid. When fruit and juice in the ice trays are solid, carefully take them off the pan or out of trays, and put them in a freezer plastic storage bag. You may ask yourself, “Well, what do I do with frozen fruit salad?” The next time you make that smoothie or blender beverage that requires fruit or fruit juice, walk over to the freezer and grab your ingredients- now ready and at hand! You can also freeze portions of the fruit salad in a plastic cups placing a popsicle stick in the middle for fresh fruit popsicles. Or, using a plastic bowl that fits inside your punch bowl or even in the ice cube trays, make fruit cubes to add to your beverage pitcher. Add the frozen fruit ice instead of traditional ice for a delicious and fruity summer treat! w w w.communityseeds.com

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Far West Heritage Association

Standard of Chico Museum and Patrick Ranch

The Patrick Ranch

270 Boeing Avenue Chico, California 95973 Phone: 530-892-1525 Fax: 530-892-1524 FarWestHeritage.org

THE PATRICK RANCH STORY 10381 MIDWAY, DURHAM In 2001, Hester Grimm Patrick bequeathed the historic Patrick Ranch, its mansion and the surrounding acreage to the long established and esteemed Chico Museum. The acceptance of this magnanimous gift with its unique challenges and its own focus caused the Chico Museum Board to restructure their organization. It was at that time that the Far West Heritage Association was created as the umbrella organization for the Chico Museum and the newly acquired Patrick Ranch. The Far West Heritage Association tells the history of the Far West through individual stories of ordinary people and their extraordinary experiences. The Chico Museum showcases the unique identity of a city formed by generations of area residents including their traditional values, ability to take risks and their dedication to the future. The Patrick Ranch preserves and interprets agricultural history of the Sacramento Valley, including social, cultural and economic aspects. The Far West Heritage Association is a vital organization that invites all individuals interested in immersing themselves in historical research, doing oral interviews, cataloguing artifacts, working on historic landscaping or volunteering for specific events to join us! Individuals can select the level and frequency of their volunteer hours. More information can be obtained by contacting Anne Seiler, FWHA Collection Manager and Volunteer Coordinator at 530-342-1519. Additional information can be found on the FWHA web site at farwestheritage.org. Hester Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gift of the ranch that she and her husband Garrison loved and treasured presents a unique opportunity for research. It challenges staff, board members and volunteers alike, to create a living agriculture museum that will showcase the evolution of agriculture in the Sacramento Valley, of California, indeed of the Far West and the world!

By Jan Holman The Patrick Ranch once boasted some 600 acres stretching from Hegan Lane south toward Durham. During a century and a half of private ownership, the size of the ranch fluctuated through land purchases, marriages and deaths until it was reduced to the 28 acres that surrounds the mansion today.

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The mansion and its surrounding acreage were bequeathed to the Chico Museum by the last ranch

The Patrick Ranch

owner, Hester Grimm Patrick, in 2001. Hester, a museum founder, championed the promotion, documentation, preservation and appreciation of history for her entire life. As per her wishes, The Far West Heritage Association, the umbrella organization for the Chico Museum and the Patrick Ranch, has established the goal of the Patrick Ranch “to preserve and interpret agricultural history of the Sacramento Valley, including social, cultural and economic aspects”. The immediate priorities of the FWHA for the Patrick Ranch are two-fold: to restore the historic mansion to 1917, when it was at the peak of its grandeur, social activity and influence; and to research every aspect of local agriculture with the goal of collecting the agriculture artifacts most pertinent to the evolution of each crop. It is the goal of the FWHA Board to open the fields, barns, breathtakingly beautiful yard, and the home as an agriculture museum. The mansion will be restored to its early 1900 grandeur to be representative of the residences on similar larger acreage of the time. The lives of other ranchers like Burdick, Troxel, Moorehead, and Durham, of similar backgrounds, socio-economic stature, and farming expertise, will be brought into focus. The lifelong connection of local early settlers who first worked for General John Sutter and who were connected in some way to the Patrick Ranch, will chronicle earliest agriculture in the Sacramento Valley. Local men of interest who were once employed by Sutter include William Northgraves, who originally owned the acreage now known as the Patrick Ranch; early Durham land grant recipient and resident, Samuel Neal, a blacksmith who came west with General John Fremont to Sutter’s Fort; and General John Bidwell who originally worked for Sutter and discovered gold with William Northgraves at Bidwell Bar. It was the agricultural ingenuity of men like these that planted the seeds of present day agricultural practices. The ranch was located at the confluence of the old Oroville-Chico stagecoach road and the Northern Electric Railroad line which brought electricity to the Sacramento Valley in 1906 and to the ranch in 1913. It was at the hub of activity for transportation and commerce for all the little towns that sprang up along the California and Oregon Railroad. The C & O Railroad, completed to Chico on July 4, 1870, was the catalyst for the establishment of small towns like Durham, Nelson, and Richvale to the south and Los Molinos to the north. Ranch residents could sit on the wraparound porch and keep their finger on the pulse of the north valley! A chronological listing of the individuals who owned the ranch and lived in the grand mansion is as follows: William Northgraves, C.M Bryant family, Adam and Bee Patrick Compton, and finally, Garrison and Hester Patrick.

“It was the agricultural ingenuity of men like these that planted the seeds of present day agricultural practices.”

86 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

“Ranch residents could sit on the wraparound porch and keep their finger on the pulse of the north valley!”

It is the goal of the Far West Heritage Association to have the ranch open to the public on a regular basis. Open now only for special events, the ranch and its magnificent mansion are always open the weekend before Father’s Day for the “ Old Time Country Faire and Threshing Bee”. This is a not to be missed community event that invites thousands of visitors to view the process of moving the wheat from stalk to table in a matter of minutes. Turn of the century tractors and magnificent draft horses used to harvest, thresh and grind the wheat take visitors back a century in time to understand and appreciate the evolution of agriculture. The entire family is kept busy with pony rides, a petting zoo, watermelon and pie eating contests, pedal tractors, sandbox play, live music, a wonderful artisan faire, mansion tours and a wonderful food court on the mansion lawn. The Patrick Ranch is also open to designated significant community events and will soon be open for multiple family celebrations. Watch the newspaper and the association newsletter for more information. The FWHA telephone number is (530) 892-1525

The Patrick Ranch

The men and women who lived and worked the Patrick Ranch acreage are representative of the aforementioned pioneer farmers who settled in the Chico/ Durham area in the 1850’s, 60’s, and 70’s. The stories of the evolution of transportation (railroad and improved roads), agricultural crops, growth of towns, and the movement from gold mining to farming in the Sacramento Valley can be told through these men and their families whose lives were so closely intertwined.

VOLUNTEER! Anyone interested in history, research, cataloguing, or just working with people who love volunteer work, is invited to join the Far West Heritage Association, steward of the Chico Museum and the Patrick Ranch. Everyone is welcome, the “work” is satisfying and the developed friendships are to be treasured!

Far West Heritage Association Standard of Chico Museum and Patrick Ranch 270 Boeing Avenue Chico, California 95973 Phone: 530-892-1525 Fax: 530-892-1524 FarWestHeritage.org w w w.communityseeds.com

COMMUNITY

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Y FACES

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A Simple Guide to Home Buying or Selling By Rhonda Maehl

Here is a small list to help guide you through the buying or selling process. This is just a simple guide to get you started in the right direction. Please give your local Realtor a call with any questions or concerns you may have, or me at 873-7640.

Simple List For Buying or Selling a House Choose a Realtor

Knowledge Is Power-Understand the contracts

Poker Anyone? Negotiate the sale or purchase

Handle the Surprises

The Light at the End of the Tunnel-Close the Deal

Step 1 – Choose a Realtor Finding the right Realtor to help you is the important first step to take when you are ready to buy or sell. Some people feel it is better to use someone you don’t know. But consider this: someone you know will usually go above and beyond the call of duty, keeping you and your needs as top priority at all times. Knowledge, professionalism and experience are the important factors to consider when selecting a Realtor. You should also look for someone who listens carefully to what your needs and wants are and who knows the market well enough to either find the right house for you or sell your house within a reasonable period of time. It is essential that you feel comfortable and secure with the person you choose. If you feel that the Realtor is sensitive to your needs and desires, you will feel confident working with that person. Step 2 – Knowledge Is Power Understanding the contracts is an important part of being an informed buyer or seller in a real estate transaction. Before you sit down with the agent you’ve selected to represent you in your transaction you should examine the real estate forms used in your area. In our area, most Realtor’s use standard contracts that have been approved 90 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

by the local Board of Realtors; occasionally, they use agreements drawn up by lawyers. You should get a copy of the paperwork you will be signing so that you can read it at your leisure and absorb the information. Don’t hesitate to ask questions about anything that you don’t understand. If any of the standard clauses do not fit your particular situation, discuss with your Realtor the wording that you would like to have modified. Know what options that you have in how you wish to list or buy your home. The key here is to familiarize yourself with the paperwork before you have found your new dream house or buyers for your home. Step 3 – Poker Anyone? Negotiating the sale or purchase of a home is a highly creative endeavor that can be stressful at times. Even though the process is not usually an adversarial one there are issues which may require a compromise from each party, such as the price, the date of possession, and the condition of the property at closing. It helps to know why people are relocating. If a home is part of an estate, for example, it may evoke childhood memories and intense emotions for the person who is overseeing the sale. If the sellers are in the middle of a divorce, their mood will be different than someone who has just won the lottery and is moving to their dream home. Buyers who have been transferred and have had

to leave their dream home behind will feel differently from someone who feels that your home is their “ideal”. One of a realtor’s most important jobs is managing all of the relationships in the transaction. These situations don’t often get really difficult, but when they do, Realtors don’t take it personally. Step 4 - Handling the Surprises! Many adjustments can occur in a real estate transaction between the initial meeting of the minds and the completion of the sale. Both buyer and seller can change their minds when finalizing the terms of the contract. This is where having a professional to handle the sale of your home makes a big difference. Real estate professionals view such changes as challenges, rather than problems. Many potential problems are predictable, but anticipating them can minimize their consequences. Realtor’s usually

Home draw on their past experiences and approach will play an important the experience of their colleagues part in determining which of these to ensure a successful closing scenarios characterizes your closing. for both the buyers and sellers. When disputes arise, our expertise The professionals who are involved helps to smooth out the wrinkles in real estate transactions work and create a win‑win situation. hard to ensure that things proceed A professional, “no-problem, my as smoothly as possible. However, pleasure” approach to selling real the quality of the transaction often estate makes the difference for my depends not so much on what buyers and sellers. It is important happens, but how you react to that your realtor goes the extra mile what happens. If you communicate to handle the countless details and confidence in the professionals who to keep buyers and sellers informed are helping you, the atmosphere at each step of the transaction. will remain positive even if there are complications. Problems are Step 5 – The Light at the End of the Tunnel more effectively resolved if both seller Some buyers and sellers arrive at and buyer trust the realtors to guide the closing feeling terrific about the them through the inherent complexity transaction—they like each other, of a real estate transaction. One of a they like their new home, their realtor’s most important responsibilities Realtor, and even the lender. Others is to complete the sale, under any feel stressed out by the process, and circumstances. come to the closing table with a list of questions and concerns. Whether you are the buyer or the seller, your

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Phone (530) 873-7649

You need a professional that understands the industry and is positioned to stay ahead of the game. We never stop moving.

HelpMeRhondaM.com

e-mail: info@HelpMeRhondaM.com

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Patrons of Husbandry By Pat Witt and Pyramid Michael The Grange was started in 1867 for the purpose of bringing together local people (community and family), dignifying their labor and lightening their workload by presenting knowledge and expanding the human mind. It was the first organization to give voting rights to women, and children 14 years and older. “If they are old enough to work in the fields, they are old enough to have a say in their affairs.”

In Butte County, the Chico Grange is networking with local groups including the Butte County Folk Music Society, the Chico Women’s Club, the Slow Food Shasta-Cascade, and GRUB to name a few. The Chico Grange enjoyed a wonderful turnout at the “Open House” in April 2008 and they cohosted the “Homegrown Music Festival” with the Butte County Folk Music Society on May 17th. In June, they will host a “Talent Show”. Any interested musicians are encouraged to contact Bob Lofaso For over 133 years Granges in California have at rglo@hotmail.com. Monthly pot lucks before worked to advance the interests of the local the meetings occur on the 3rd Monday at 5:30 communities that they serve by providing a p.m., often with a small educational presentation. legislative voice for their political concerns; by showing them how to strengthen their The Paradise Grange hosted a potluck after the neighborhoods through community service; monthly meeting on the 2nd Saturday in April and providing a nurturing family environment to with a showing of two Bioneers Conference enrich the lives of the entire household. presentations and an Open House “Spring into Earth Day” with a barbecue, worm farm workshop, The Grange seeks to educate the public of the T’ai-Chi, alternative energy housing info, and solar role of agriculture in today’s modern society: ovens. The Paradise Grange also has a community to influence public policy through legislative garden and has just received a small grant for advocacy; to promote the proper use of the community youth involvement. In February, environment and natural resources and to assist Paradise hosted the California State Youth Grange in protecting the property rights of the stewards annual conference. of the land. Some of the legislation the Grange is currently sponsoring includes: teaching “local” Thermalito Grange had a successful rummage sale history in public schools (SCR 86); requiring on Saturday, May 17th in Oroville. utilities to buy back surplus residential alternative energy (AB 1920); and empowering community service districts to provide broadband services Find The Grange in your area, go to where not otherwise provided by the private http://www.californiagrange.org. sector (SB 1191). For more information and calendar updates please visit these websites: http://www.paradisegrange.com http://www.chicogrange.org w w w.communityseeds.com

Genealogy

Tracing Your Roots is an Exciting Pursuit By Shirley deCoup-Crank

Genealogy or Tracing Your Family Roots is an exciting pursuit! What do you know about your grandparents, their parents and then their parents? What can you find out about them? Who were they? Where did they live? What did they do to survive? What traits do you have in common with these ancestors? This is what genealogy is all about and this is where the Paradise Genealogy Society (PGS) and Library can help you search for the answers. We can help you find new ancestors and unknown information about the ones you do know something about. We can help you fill out a “Pedigree Chart” which documents your direct ancestors: mother, father, and then their parents and so on. Then we can help you fill out a “Family Group Sheet” on each couple in the pedigree chart with as much information as you know about them and their children. This chart documents the marriage and the children of each 94 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

marriage. Once you fill out all you know, much research is required to find additional information. If you like computers, we can help you obtain a complete and free genealogy software program. Our PGS meetings and library are here to help you. Our free “Getting Started Kits” will show you how to begin. At our Paradise Genealogical Society library, we have over 3,000 books, 300 CD’s plus online access to genealogy search sites. Our library is located at 5587 Scottwood Rd., Paradise CA. You may phone us at 530‑772‑2330 for information and our hours. We would love to meet you and help you. Our monthly meetings are held at the Paradise Senior Center, 877 Nunneley Road in Paradise on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 3:00 p.m. except for July and August. Everyone is welcome who is interested in tracing their family tree.

Opinion Op-Ed

Opinion

FINANCIAL PLANNING EDUCATION (Or Lack There Of) By Kenji Lee

In the world today, it takes more than a job or a career to get through life. There are people who make a lot of money and in the end have no money. Making a lot of money doesn’t mean that a person knows about the subject of money. Financial education is a very important subject. Some people make a lot of money, and pay their bills with that money. After that, they put their money in a savings account. There is more to money than that. People must know how to invest their money, how to grow their money, how to duplicate their money, how to protect their money and how to make wise financial decisions with their money. People can learn how to live a debt free life. Our schools do not teach people all these things. Parents have very little financial education as well. So, they cannot teach their kids about money. We don’t teach financial education in schools. Our children grow up and know very little about handling financial matters. Our school system prepares people for work. Rarely do they teach people how to handle their personal finances. Every grown-up has to handle financial issues. Every grown-up has to handle financial issues. If schools and parents don’t teach their kids about it, they are raising kids that do not know how to handle financial matters.

Our schools system doesn’t teach financial education to students. I am an investor and business owner. Even though I graduated from college, I knew something was missing from my education. I began searching until I ran into a business owner and investor who taught me what most students that graduate from high school and college do not learn. He taught me how to: - invest money - duplicate money - grow money, exponentially - make wise financial decisions - get out of debt and live a debt free life - use good debt to build wealth - survive in case of a layoff from a job or a career - have money for retirement in case Social Security goes bankrupt - protect money from financial predators - create assets or acquire assets - make money work for me - avoid bankruptcy and bad debt - give back to the community - many more financial matters. find out more about financial education at: www.richdad.com www.thisbiznow.com www.bww.com www.quixtar.com http://www.trumpuniversity.com/ w w w.communityseeds.com

Durham Library Honors Each year (since 2001), a Durham group from the Durham Branch of the Butte County Library, “Friends of the Library” come together to honor individuals in the Durham area who have made an impact on the community.They are honored for community service, volunteerism and various other ways they have left their mark on the community. This year, the Durham Library Honors was held on April 17th in the Durham Library. At the Open House and Honors, nominees (or people accepting on their behalf ), were introduced to the community and acknowledged.

Being honored were:

DeAnna Holman

Lucile Blasingame, mother of five children; grandmother to 15; great-grandmother to 12; and great-greatgrandmother of two. When her children were in school she was: in the PTA, a room mother, costume maker for school plays, and very involved with her church. She was very active in the community and was recognized for her community service in Durham for the past 60 years. “Lucile’s dedication to home, hearth, community and church work are the reasons we have the type of town we do.” (Rian Farley) E.G. England, AKA “Prof, “ a teaching principal at the Durham Grammar School for 34 years, a father and a husband. “His life as a teacher, mentor, musician, community advocate, member of Rotary, the Symphony Orchestra, YMCA, Boy Scouts, 4-H, parade float builder, and friend to many are worthy of comment. The embodiment of all the attributes into one individual, revered by a number of community members long after his death, set Ewin England apart from the rest of the populace” (Rian Farley). His award was accepted by long time friend and historian, Jan Holman. Holman shared that Prof . England got a computer in his later years and always said, “keep your mind active.” Maxene Galli, Durham resident for over 40 years, was former Postmaster for The Durham Post Office. Her growing family moved to the house she still lives in on Faber Street in Durham. Her four children grew up and attended Durham schools, all graduating from Durham High. “The kitchen-to-dining-room wall contain some of the china plates Maxene has painted over the years, and begin to tell the story of this vibrant, enthusiastic, interested-in-lots-of-different-things former Durham Postmaster” (Rian Farley). Blanche Gardner, honored “for her dedication to our community as she influenced and shaped the lives of so many young people. Her volunteer work and efforts to improve our community continue to live on today. Mary Blanche Spring Gardner celebrated her 100th birthday in Durham on August 4, 1997. She lived to be 103 years old. Her life in Durham was dedicated to her family, educating children in Oroville, Durham, Nelson, Richvale, and Loma Vista School in Chico, and donating many hours to various organizations in our community. She was Durham’s Woman of the Year at 88 years of age. Blanch was honored for her dedication to her community and tremendous initiative to guide the community in positive strides for change. Betty Strieby accepted the books chosen for our library in honor of her mother.” (Cindy Caswell) “Nick Gore, currently a Director on the Durham Irrigation District board. While in college, he was drafted and served two years in the Army, with a one-year tour in Viet Nam. After being discharged, Nick attended San Francisco State until deciding he would rather return to our area and join his father and brothers in the building business. Nick retired from the business last year. Nick was a member of the Durham Exchange Club for twelve years, and was their treasurer for ten years. He represented the Exchange Club on the Picnic and Parade Committee for 10 years. He has helped raise scholarship money for the area and for PEN (Parent Education Network) center in Chico.” (Karen S. Read) 96 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

Gloria Rose, who worked for the Durham Post Office for 23 yeas. Gloria is a volunteer at Enloe Hospital, a member of NARFE (National Association of Retired Federal Employees) and enjoys researching genealogy. She is active in two quilting guilds that donate community service quilts and patriotic quilts to families who had loved ones serving in the military. “As a member and past treasurer of the Durham Friends of The Library, a position she held for three years, it was certainly our pleasure to reward Gloria for all the time and effort she has given to our community.” (Karen Read) Frances Gielow Stephens who was honored for her numerous contributions the community. She was a long time teacher at Durham High School and was involved with groups such as: Butte County Retired Teachers Association, Chico Creative Art Center, Delta Kappa Gamma; Pi Beta Mu Society, Chico; Butte County Historical Society; Josephine Chapter No. 104, Order of the Nile, Menzaleh Temple No. 16, Sacramento; Chico Nile Club No. 6 and Alta Rebekah Lodge No. 273, IOOF (to name a few). She was also a well-known Durham artist. “In January 1979 Frances Gielow Stephens, 77, longtime Durham teacher died. As we look back on valuable community members like Frances Stephens who influenced so many lives, you feel the need to become actively involved with your community and contribute talents to model and assist the young people that will be shaping Durham’s future.” (Cindy Caswell) Jerry Walters, former owner of the Durham Country Market was honored for his (more than) 23 years of volunteer service. He has been a member of the Rotary Club for 24 years, is a member of American Legion, is a 20 year member of the Commanche Riders Association and is involved with the American Cancer Society. Jerry served on the Durham Parade and Picnic Committee for several years and was the Durham Parade Marshall in 1992. He has donated 128 pints of blood and actually organized the Durham Blood Drive for many years. Jerry and his wife Kay have owned Peruvian Paseo horses (which they have ridden in parades) and they now have gaited Missouri mules. The honorees will have their names added to a perpetual plaque to be displayed at the Durham Library and books have been purchased by the Durham Friends of the Library in honor of these eight very deserving individuals. Here is the list of honorees, followed by the book (s) chosen for each of them: • Lucile Blasingame:Holocaust Chronicles edited by John Roth • E.G. England:National Geographic Field Guide to Birds of North America, 5th edition, and Digital Photography for Dummies. • Maxene Galli: My Favorite Art Book by Jennifer Lipsey Edwards and The American Art Book by Phaidon Press • Blanche Gardner: Crochet For A Quiet Evening by Laura Scott along with 300 Classic Blocks for Crochet Projects by Linda P Schapper. An anonymous contribution of a book titled Children and Painting by Cathy Weisman Topal will also be dedicated to Mary Blanche Gardener. • Nick Gore:Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, by Doris Kearns Goodwin • Gloria Rose: Colorado: Yesterday and Today • Frances Stephens: Lives of the Musicians and Lives of the Artist, both by Kathleen Krull, Illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt • Jerry Walters:A Guide to Raising and Showing Mules by Meredith Hodges The Friends of the Library group meets in the Durham Library every 3rd Thursday evening at 5:30 pm. They welcome new members and are welcoming nominations for the 2009 Library Honors. w w w.communityseeds.com

Durham Library Honors

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www.globalbasecamps.com

w w w.communityseeds.com

Outdoors

Outdoor Summer Fun in Butte County: So many fun things to do, and in your own backyard!

With the summer season upon us, it’s time to start filling our calendars with all kinds of relaxing and entertaining things to do. Look no further than our local communities for recreational ideas perfect for the summer season! By Amy Behlke

Camping is an activity many families enjoy when the weather turns warm. There is nothing better than sitting around a campfire on a warm summer evening roasting marshmallows and sharing good conversation with friends. This traditional summer past-time can be even more enjoyable if you don’t have to drive far to get to your camping destination. Many local campgrounds offer beautiful mountain scenery, opportunities for water sports, hiking as well as many other desirable summer activities. Local campgrounds include: Philbrook Lake, a beautiful (PG&E) campground outside of Stirling City. West Branch is another public campground in the Stirling City area. Near Butte Meadows, Cherry Hill campground is available and Soda Springs campground is located near Forest Ranch.

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Lake Oroville, the largest man-made, earth-filled dam in the country, rising an amazing 770 feet above the stream bed of the Feather River, offers a wide variety of possibilities for summer fun. Many campgrounds can be accessed by the public on Lake Oroville, including: • Kelly Ridge Recreation Area - Visitor center and boat ramp. • Bidwell Canyon Recreation Area -Campgrounds and marina. • Loafer Creek Recreation Area - Campground, picnic area, and boat ramp. • Spillway Marina Recreation Area - Boat launch area. • Foreman Creek Recreation Area - Boat-in campground and boat ramp. • Bloomer Primitive Recreation Area - Boat-in campgrounds. • Goat Ranch Recreation Area - Campground and boat ramp. • Craig Saddle Recreation Area - Campground and boat-in campground. • Thermalito Forebay - Boat ramp, beautiful park-like picnic area. • Lime Saddle Recreation Area - Picnic area, campground, and boat ramp/marina

Outdoors

Lake Oroville also offers many opportunities for hiking, water sports and other enjoyable activities. At the Lake Oroville Visitor’s Center, you can learn about the fascinating history of Lake Oroville and the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area. The visitor center also offers exhibits educating about the history of the California water projects, the Maidu Indians, local wildlife and more. The 47-foot tower at the visitor’s center boasts two high-powered telescopes, offering spectacular views of the lake, the Sierra Nevada valley, foothills, and the smallest mountain range in the world: the Sutter Buttes mountain range.

backyard all summer long. Home to over 150 species of birds, the 5,700-acre wildlife preserve along 12 miles of the Feather River just east of the Afterbay is very popular for bird watching. Another popular bird watching area in Butte County is at the viewing platform at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge at Llano Seco, west of Dayton on the Seven Mile Lane. Fishing is excellent in many local areas. Paradise Lake,

1905, is nationally recognized as a premiere location for unlimited outdoor activities. Aside from Bidwell Park, the scenic Table Mountain is a beautiful location for hiking, picnics and kite flying. For a more intense, yet very rewarding hike, the Feather Falls hike lends beautiful wildlife and spectacular vistas from the viewing platform once you’ve arrived at the falls. Bald Rock, a 1-mile hike outside of Oroville, is a short, yet rewarding one, offering impressive views of Lake Oroville and the towering Bald Rock. Clearly, Butte County offers extensive opportunities for summer fun right in our own backyards.

Another local area popular for day-use and water sports is the Bidwell-Sac River State Park. Launching from Bidwell Marina on Lake Orovile, the Golden Floating down the Feather Sailing Club races sailboats many Saturday mornings. river on tubes, kayaks, or canoes is enjoyed just below Magalia, is ideal Community Seeds would by many local residents. Those for fishing enthusiasts who like to challenge all our seeking a more sporting- are looking to fish for a variety readers to get out and activity might enjoy bank-boat of species in non-motorized enjoy at least one new fishing for salmon, steelhead, boats or from the shore. The activity available locally and shad. The banks along Sacramento River, Feather this summer. Also, send this beautiful wildlife preserve River, and Lake Oroville in your ideas for things can be a relaxing place to are just a few of the other to do in Butte County in spend a lazy summer day. local areas available for the fall. Have lots of fun, excellent fishing experiences. without traveling far! Bird and animal watching are Biking and hiking can be Send to: a few of the other activities that enjoyed locally as well. Bidwell www.info@communityseeds.com can be enjoyed right in our own Park, established July 20, w w w.communityseeds.com

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Water Fun!

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“Hey Mom, Watch Me Because You Won’t Hear Me!”

Playing in the water is something that brings families together. It’s something that everyone can enjoy from young babies to grandparents. To ensure that all memories are good ones, it’s vital to be aware of potential dangers, and take safety measures By Laura Douglas

Drowning is Silent No Splash! – No Scream! Just how serious is the problem? Drowning is one of the leading causes of death for children under five in Butte County and California. Drowning is often referred to as “The Silent Death” because parents do not hear a scream or splashing. The child slips quickly and silently under the water without warning. There is no cry for help. People don’t seem to realize that they won’t hear a splash or scream. One of the goals of the Butte County SAFE KIDS Coalition, in conjunction with the Kids Plates Grant Program and Butte County Public Health Department, is to get this message out to the community before we have another death. With the onset of hot summer days, more and more families with young children

will be heading outdoors to enjoy pools, creeks and lakes. Swimming and other water sports are excellent and healthy family activities. Playing in the water is something that brings families together. It’s something that everyone can enjoy from young babies to grandparents. To ensure that all memories are good ones, it’s vital to be aware of potential dangers, and take safety measures. Therefore, this is the perfect time to remind parents about the importance of using “Layers of Protection” if they own a pool (even the inexpensive inflatable and wading pools) and the “Water Watcher” method for the protection of children whenever they are near the water. Make water safety a priority this summer. Make this a Safe Kids summer. Continued on page 104 w w w.communityseeds.com

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Water Safety

Parents/caregivers often underestimate how quickly a child can drown. Toddlers are inquisitive and driven to â&#x20AC;&#x153;exploreâ&#x20AC;? their environment. Toddlers are also at increased risk of falling into a pool, tub or bucket because of their large head size. Drowning can occur in as little as one inch of water. Six children ages 0-14 years died as a result of drowning and another seven were hospitalized as a result of near-drowning between the years of 2000-2004. Five of the six drowning deaths and six of the seven near-drownings that were hospitalized were under the age of 4. There was no one specific area where the drowning deaths occurred, which makes it more difficult to target a specific cause. It happens everywhere, in ordinary communities, to caring, vigilant parents. The locations where the children drowned included creeks, lakes, above ground pools, built-in pools, bathtubs and a septic tank. The open bodies of water where the children drowned

were in areas with no lifeguards on duty. Swimming pools were almost all near-drowning incidents, meaning the child was hospitalized but did not die. The rate of drowning among California children has decreased in pools and spas over the last decade due to building code ordinances making pools and spas less accessible to young children. Homeowners are required to have at least two approved safety devices in place before a newly constructed pool can be filled with water. The homeowner must install either an automatic pool safety cover or a 5 foot non-climbable fence around the yard that a child cannot get under, over, or through with a self-closing and self-latching gate as well as alarms on all doors exiting to the pool area. These safety requirements will not prevent a drowning, but it has provided an additional safety Layer of Protection between a child and the pool. The goal with Layers of Protection is to have multiple back-up systems. All must fail before

Location for Drowning and Near Drowning Incidents Butte County Children Ages 0-14 2000-2004 Other Creek Bathtub Spa Lake Pool 0

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Water Safety

a drowning can take place. A door or gate has been left open, the alarm system or device for the door has been turned off, the fence gate has been left open, the power safety cover is off, the child does enter the water, panics and does not attempt to utilize survival swim training or is too young, CPR is administered too late to save the child. Layers of protection are essential.

“Layers of Protection” To Prevent Swimming Pool Drowning 1. Supervision 2. High Locks on Doors and Gates 3. Gates Swing Outward Away from Pool Area 4. Alarms on Doors and Windows 5. Fence around Pool including between House and Pool 6. Power Safety Cover on Pool 7. Water Survival Training 8. CPR Water Watcher Recommendations 1. Assign one adult to be the “Water Watcher” for children in and near the pool or open water. 2. The “Water Watcher” must maintain continuous visual and auditory contact with children. 3. The “Water Watcher” should never leave the pool/water until replaced by another designated “Water Watcher”. 4. The “Water Watcher” must not engage in distracting behavior such as talking on the phone, preparing a meal or reading. 5. The “Water Watcher” should be able to swim and, whenever possible, also be CPR certified

According to the statistics, the majority of drowning deaths in Butte County occur in creeks, lakes and other areas of open water, not swimming pools. Supervision is your primary layer of protection. Adult supervision is the single most effective way to prevent drowning. Parents and caregivers can increase the quality of their supervision of children around water by adopting the “Water Watcher” recommendations. Remember: Drowning is Silent. No Splash! - No Scream! Be a “Water Watcher”. Since 2000, Butte County has received over $84,000 in Kids’ Plates funding. These funds were used for: Bicycle safety and helmets, Car seats, Home safety equipment and education, Safe sleep environments, and much more! Child Abuse Prevention Council (CAPC), Butte County Safe Kids and Kids’ Plates Program have joined efforts to launch the “Kids Don’t Float” program. The goal of the program is to decrease the incidence of toddler drowning by teaching parents and caregivers how to be a Water Watcher and providing well fitted Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) to qualifying families. The “Kids Don’t Float” program will begin in June and continue as long as supplies last. The grant funding for the Kids Don’t Float program comes from the sales of “Kids’ Plates,” vehicle license plates that feature a heart, star, hand or a plus sign in the license personal message. Kids’ Plates are California vehicle specialty license plates that generate funds for child injury and abuse prevention, and childcare health and safety programs. Kids’ Plates cost $50 for the initial fee and $40 per yearly renewal. Vehicle owners interested in purchasing Kids’ Plates can order them by calling 1-800-HEY-KIDS, or purchase a plate on-line at www.kidsplates.org. For more information about the Kids Don’t Float Program please call Butte County Public Health Department at 891-2732. w w w.communityseeds.com

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Water Safety Tips 1. Keep children in sight. Never leave them alone, even for a second. 2. Don’t allow children to play in or near streams, ponds, canals, or irrigation ditches. 3. Always have children wear a safety vest in a boat. 4. Fence pools and spas with self-closing, self-latching gates. 5. Keep a phone nearby. 6. Remove toys from in and around the pool when not in use. 7. Swim with a buddy, never alone, no matter what your age. 8. Remember rivers and lakes have currents that can easily overpower a child or adult. 9. Do not use flotation devices, such as inner tubes or water wings as a substitution for supervision. 10. Stay with children in the bathroom. Many have drowned in the bathtub or toilet. 11. Empty household buckets after use and turn upside down to prevent rainwater and sprinkler collection. 12. Empty wading pools after use. 13. “Doggy doors” should be locked or within fenced areas separate from the pool. 14. Stay substance-free. No alcohol or drugs. 15. Pool main drain covers should have antisiphon protection. 16. Don’t dive or jump into open water without surveying the area first. 17. Remove detachable ladders from above ground pools and spas. 18. If you miss your child, always check the pool first even in the winter. 19. Know which of your child’s friends and neighbors have pools. 106 Community Seeds . Summer 2008

AT THE FAIR!

Protect Yourself, Protect Your Family! Mosquitoes can transmit

WEST NILE VIRUS

Planning to be at the fair in the evening?

Wear Effective

REPELLENT!

Be Aware ...

Mosquitoes that transmit WNV usually bite in the early morning & evening hours.

Wear long sleeves & pants!

At the fair, stop by the

Mosquito Repellent Station