COMPOSTING IS NATURE’S WAY OF RECYCLING

-BY SHANNON RINOW, MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM COORDINATOR

JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK (May 16, 2023)

-- Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s Master Gardeners are celebrating — “National Learn About Composting Day”, on May 29th!

Recycling plastics is almost automatic for people (hopefully!), but what about the recycling of organic materials? There are SO many good reasons to compost! By making compost, you can save money by making rich, organic soil fertilizer, reduce erosion, conserve, and replenish groundwater, plus much more! Organic material otherwise sent to a landfill creates methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to the negative impacts of our environment.

Master Gardener, Steve Rees shares in his recent article; “The Joy of Composting” https:// chautauqua.cce.cornell. edu/gardening/compostresources “…Returning organic matter to the soil is increasingly important as the earth’s population grows and generates more and more wastes of all types, much of which can be reused to the benefit of all species. For one example, the need for landfill space to accommodate waste stream materials could be reduced by as much as one-third if organic matter is diverted and recycled (composted)…”

It is important to determine the right type of bin or compost system for your household. Steve goes on to explain that [the] “…scale of the composting method chosen by an individual will be first tied to their property size and location. City dwellers or those in suburban or rural areas will select a method best suited to their locale…”

Vermicomposting is another method for composting, using red wiggler worms (E. foetida) to decompose plant waste into castings.

The ingredients for compost are simple and FREE! There must be a proper balance, of 2-3 part “Browns” and 1 part

Friends of the AndersonLee Library to hold annual bake sale

“Green” materials.

-Carbon-rich materials (“browns”) Can include dry leaves, cardboard, and twigs. The carbon-rich materials provide food for the microorganisms to consume and digest.

-Nitrogen-rich materials (“greens”) Can include grass clippings and food scraps. The nitrogen-rich materials heat up the pile to create ideal conditions for the material to breakdown.

-Water (moisture).

-Air (oxygen).

Steve Rees continues “…The decomposition process relies on the microbiological activity of numerous organisms. Imagine a complex food web or pyramid consisting of organic matter such as leaves, grass clippings, and kitchen waste…”

To learn more about composting on a small scale please visit https:// chautauqua.cce. cornell.edu/gardening/ compost-resources

The Master Gardener Program is one of many programs offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County (CCE-Chautauqua). CCE-Chautauqua is a subordinate governmental agency with an educational mission that operates under a form of organization and administration approved by Cornell University as agent for the State of New York. It is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The association is part of the national cooperative extension system, an educational partnership between County, State, and Federal governments. As New York’s land grant university Cornell administers the system in this state. Each Cornell Cooperative Extension association is an independent employer that is governed by an elected Board of Directors with general oversight from Cornell. All associations work to meet the needs of the counties in which they are located as well as state and national goals. For more information, call 716-664-9502 or visit our website at www.cce. cornell.edu/chautauqua. Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.

The Friends of Anderson-Lee Library in Silver Creek are pleased to announce that their annual bake sale will be held on Friday, June 2nd There will be 2 locations. Stop at the Library on Main Street in Silver Creek or at Add Lumber True Value in Irving. The sale will be held from 9:30 am until sold out. All proceeds from the sale are used to enhance library materials. For more information about the Friends group or the bake sale, please call the library at 934-3468.

Mobile Food Pantry

Last Tuesday of Every Month. May 30, 2023; 11:00am1:00pm. Location: Silver Creek Fire Department 172 Central Avenue, Silver Creek. Receive a food box filled with nutritional items for you and your family. Drive-up pickup is strongly encouraged. Call 716-934-3240 with questions.

Forestville Community Yard Sales

Forestville Community Yard Sales will be held on June 10th from 9am – 3pm. Residents may sign up to have a sale at Cave’s Market or Evans Bank. List of sales will be available at Cave’s on the day of sales. The Forestville Fire Department will be holding a chicken barbecue at the Fire Hall from noon until sold out.

County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board to Meet

Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board to Meet on May 31. The Chautauqua County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board will be holding a meeting at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. The meeting will be held in Room 333 of the Gerace Office Building, 3 North Erie Street, Mayville, N.Y. This meeting is open to the public. The meeting is also available by videoconference by going to the link below: https://us02web.zoom.us/ j/84773414886?pwd=UTVsOFZSeDE0dnZsU0VmbkZXWW1EQT09. If you should have questions regarding this meeting, please contact Lauren Sharp at the Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development at sharpl@chqgov.com.

Two Upcoming Healing Mass

Pentecost Sunday Healing Mass; St Dominic Church, 15 Union Street, Westfield, NY. May 28th 3:00P.M. Rev. David Tourville – Celebrant. Everyone Welcome. For More Information Call Church Office at 716-326-2816

Healing Mass Holy Trinity Church; 1032 Central Avenue, Dunkirk, NY. May 31st, Wednesday 7:00 P.M. Rev. Richard DiGiulio – Celebrant. Everyone Welcome. For more information call Church Office at 716-366-2306

Day weekend has its fair share of heartache as well.

Families of fallen service members who lost their lives defending their country tend to find solace in ceremonies honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice. But there are other ways civilian men and women can honor both active and fallen service members in their communities.

• Participate in community events that honor fallen service members. Many communities host Memorial Day parades to honor fallen soldiers. It can be comforting to the families of fallen soldiers to see fellow members of their community attend the parade and public memorials. Such civilian support lets family members of fallen soldiers know that fellow members of their community appreciate and do not forget the sacrifices made by their loved ones.

• Include families of fallen and active service members in your weekend activities.

Memorial Day weekend is a three-day weekend at the end of May, when the weather is warming up in much of the country. The weekend marks the return of backyard barbecues or pool parties, and such events are a great opportunity for civilians to invite the families of fallen service members over to share some fun in the sun. Memorial Day can be an especially difficult time for the loved ones of fallen service members, and even the few hours of relief that a barbecue, pool party or picnic can provide can make a welcome respite from an otherwise difficult weekend.

• Make a charitable donation. Numerous charities exist to support soldiers and their families. Such charities exist to support the families of fallen soldiers, injured soldiers or even those families struggling while a family member is on active deployment. Men and women who want to help can do so by making a charitable donation. And such donations do not have to be financial.

The Hero MilesSM program, for example, allows men and women to donate their frequent flyer miles to wounded, injured or ill service members or their families.

This allows service members who meet certain criteria to be given a round-trip airline ticket from a medical center to their home or to attend an authorized event. In addition, service members can give a round-trip ticket to enable family members or close friends to visit them while they are receiving medical treatment. Since its inception, the program, which is administered by the nonprofit Fisher House Foundation, has provided more than 36,000 airline tickets worth more than $55 million. To learn more, visit www.fisherhouse. org. Numerous other charities exist to help service members and their families in a variety of ways.

• Organize events in your community. Every community benefits from the efforts of active service members and the efforts of those service members who gave their lives in service of their country. Men and women who want to express their gratitude for such service can organize events to do just that. Speak to local merchants and encourage them to offer discounts to military members and their families throughout Memorial Day weekend. Or organize an ice cream social for the children of active or fallen service members. Such events can be uplifting for the families of service members while raising community awareness of the important role our soldiers play.