Tidbits vernon 315 apr 25 2017 grass online by Tidbits Vernon

April 25, 2017

The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read®

Issue 00315

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GRASS

by Janet Spencer What’s the biggest cultivated crop in the U.S.? That would be grass, in the form of lawns, which out-ranks all food crops grown in the country by acreage. Come along with Tidbits as we celebrate National Lawn Care Month!

A BIG CROP • The United States devotes about one-fifth of its land to agriculture, and the largest single food crop is corn. However, lawns take up three times more acreage than corn. In fact, turf grown in parks, golf courses, and yards takes up more space in the U.S. than corn, wheat, and fruit trees combined. About half of the grass grown in the U.S. is located in micro-plots of American lawns. • Lawns became fashionable in the 1600s. A lawn was a status symbol. Only the very rich could afford to grow a completely useless crop on their property. Lawns had to be cut by hand with sickles and scythes. But all that changed in the year 1830, when English engineer Edwin Budding invented the lawn mower, inspired by the revolving bladed reel he saw trimming fabric in cloth mills. Lawns began to crop up in public spaces and then on private land. The first lawn care book, “The Art of Beautifying Suburban Home Grounds” was published in 1870. Today, about 85 million households in the United States have lawns. • A lawn absorbs rainfall and prevents run-off. In fact, a lawn is six times more effective at retaining water than a wheat field.

What do you call a cow who works for a gardener? A lawn moo-er.

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Pall-mall was a game played in England similar to croquet. The mallet used to hit the ball was called a mall, and the game also eventually became known by its shortened name, Mall. The game was usually played on a shady, grassy lawn. Over the course of time, any public walk became known as a mall. Only recently has “mall” come to mean a huge shopping center.

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“I Love that little paper!” Lawns are better at producing oxygen than trees, and their season is longer, too. A lawn 50 feet (15 m) by 50 feet produces enough oxygen to meet the needs of a family of four. Landscapes that include grass lawns, trees, and shrubs can reduce the air temperature surrounding a home by up to 14°F. Lawns are healthier if clippings are left behind. Clippings shade the ground, slowing evaporation. They decompose, providing nutrients. Grass is healthier if allowed to grow taller, which gives it more surface for photosynthesis, and also crowds out weeds. The drawback of lawns is that about 80 million pounds of pesticides and up to 70 million pounds of fertilizers are applied to lawns in the U.S. every year, far more per acre than crop land. The smell of freshly mown grass or newly cut hay is actually the odor of a set of chemical compounds called green leaf volatiles which are given off by the plant when it is injured. Some of the chemical secretions rush to the injury to bind the wound and protect against fungal infections. Other chemicals act as airborne messengers, signaling predatory insects such as wasps who prey upon grassmunching caterpillars. And some chemicals merely taste bad, in order to discourage animals and insects from continuing to eat the plant. Plants downwind of the injured grass will also begin to produce these bad-tasting chemicals to protect themselves in advance of being eaten. This is the reason giraffes have learned to eat from a tree, and then continue to graze upon other trees that are upwind instead of downwind.

* “To keep light bulbs from sticking in the socket, apply petroleum jelly to the base of the bulb before screwing it into the fixture.” -- B.D. in Virginia * “Use the liner of cold cereal boxes as wax paper. It is much stronger than regular wax paper, and it doesn’t fall apart when it gets wet.” -- S.S. in Minnesota * Replace your pricey dryer sheets with a reusable alternative. To a jar with a wide mouth and tightclosing lid, add two to three dish sponges, and a 50-50 mix of liquid fabric softener and water. Cap jar and shake to distribute. When the washing is done and you have your clothes in the dryer, pull out a sponge, squeeze excess liquid back into the jar and pop the sponge into the dryer. When the clothes are dry, put the now-dry sponge back in the jar for the next time. Refill liquid as needed. This really extends your fabric softener! * “I always keep a ‘toilet tote’ in my car when I travel. Inside the tote bag I put disposable gloves, a can of disinfecting spray, a container of bathroom wipes and a roll each of toilet paper and paper towels. This tote has helped me deal with all kinds of bathroom situations in gas stations and restaurants as well as hotels/motels.” -- D.K. in New Jersey

GREEN GREEN GRASS OF HOME • A type of grass called zoysia grows sideways along the ground instead of up, so it needs less mowing. And it tolerates drought well, so it needs less watering. The plant is named after botanist Karl von Zois. A mixture of zoysia and fescue can stay green year-round in the southern U.S. The zoysia stays green in summer and fescue stays green in winter. • Bermuda grass is one of the most popular varieties of grasses for lawns in warm climates, but it is also one of the most allergenic. The flowers of the plant bloom almost continuously, but they grow so low to the ground that lawnmowers pass right over them. They produce pollen year-round in such prolific amounts that some cities have banned the plant. Bermuda grass is not native to Bermuda. Instead, it’s actually considered an invasive species in Bermuda. However, it arrived in the U.S. from Bermuda, and that’s how it got its name.

* “When your baby goes from the bottle to a sippy cup, don’t throw away the bottle brush. It works great for the sippy cup as well.” -- S.W. in Arkansas

GREAT GRASSES • Aside from lawns, grasses in general are an amazing group of plants. There are over 12,000 different species of grass, making it one of the most abundant families of plants. The scientific name for the family of grasses is “Poaceae” from the Greek word “poa” meaning “fodder.” Grasses are the single most widespread plant family, and can be found in areas ranging from jungles to deserts to mountaintops and tidal flats. • Grasslands account for over 25% of the vegetative cover on Earth, ranging from the savannahs of Africa to the prairies of the Midwestern United States to the steppes of Mongolia. Areas that do not have grasslands include places such as Greenland and Antarctica. Yet, a plant called Antarctic hairgrass grows in Antarctica and is listed by Guinness World Records as the southernmost flowering plant on Earth. There are about 1,400 species of grasses in the United States.

Amazing Plants

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GRASS FACTS Grasses evolved to grow at the base of the plant instead of at the tip. This makes it easier to recover when it is grazed, mowed, trampled, or burned. The first grasses ever cultivated by humans were probably wheat and barley. Agricultural grasses grown for their edible seeds are called cereals or grains. Three cereals – rice, wheat, and maize (corn) – provide more than half of all calories eaten by humans. Of all crops grown by humans, 70% are grasses. Fossilized dinosaur dung from the Cretaceous period 66 million years ago shows remnants of plants very closely related to modern bamboo and rice. Bamboo is the tallest species of grass. Timothy grass is a grass commonly cultivated, cut, and baled for the purpose of feeding livestock. It’s named after American agriculturist Timothy Hanson, who convinced farmers in the northern U.S. that it could grow just as well in colder regions as it does in the south. Cogon grass sports blades of grass that are so sharp they act like little knives. The edge of each blade is embedded with silica crystals that act like the teeth of a saw. The edges are sharp enough to cut the mouths of animals trying to feed upon it. Even the roots have barbed edges, cutting the roots of

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competing plants up to four feet (1.2 m) deep. Pampas grass grows tall with feathery plumes often collected by people to serve as decorations. The word “pampas” is a South American term meaning “plain” and the plains of South America are the plant’s native habitat. Pampas is an invasive weed that is hard to kill. Each plant can produce over a million seeds during its lifetime. Pampas grass burns so hot that it contributes to spreading wildfire. Yet, the roots of pampas grass are likely to survive the fire, and live to spread another million seeds.

ERGOT

• Ergot is a toxic parasitic fungus that attaches to the seed heads of grasses such as rye, sorghum, and wheat. Bread made from seeds contaminated with ergot can affect any unlucky person or animal who eats it. • Ergot contains alkaloids that constrict blood vessels.

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1. What is the average size of a lawn in the U.S.? 2. How many individual grass plants are there in a square inch of lawn? 3. How fast does grass grow in a month? 4. How many hours will a typical homeowner spend on yard work per week? 5. How much money will a typical homeowner spend on lawn and garden products in a year?

rye plant intended to use to nourish the seeds. • The ergot remains in the ovary of the grass plant, where it resembles a grass seed. Under the proper cool moist conditions, the ergot bursts into bloom, producing very tiny mushrooms, the size of a grain of rice. It then drops a small sticky sweet pod to the ground, and inside the pod are millions of spores. Insects attracted to the sweet coating help spread the spores to other plants, and the wind disperses the rest. (cont’d next page) • A French doctor named Thuillier was the first to understand that the mysterious disease that killed so many of his patients was caused by the consumption of contaminated rye bread. After a great deal of sleuthing, he noted that ergotism was a disease suffered only by poor rural people and not by rich urban people. He realized that poor rural people ate rye bread which was cheap and readily available, while wealthier people in cities preferred the more expensive white bread made from wheat. His efforts to alert the populace fell on deaf ears. It was two centuries later before a researcher named Louis Tulasne, who was illustrating the life cycle of the rye plant, realized that ergot was a fungus separate from the plant, and that it has poisonous qualities. • Today, rye seeds are given a salt bath. The healthy seeds sink, while the ergot-infected imposters float to the top, where they can easily be scooped off. Ergot spores cannot survive if they are buried under more than an inch of soil, so deep plowing reduces the infection rate. The spores cannot survive more than a year, so farmers alternate crops with varieties that are not susceptible to infection. If wild pastures are mowed before the grasses flower, ergot contamination is reduced. • Ergot outbreaks are uncommon in developed countries due to these preventative measures. However, in less wealthy countries, ergotism still occurs. In 2001 an outbreak in Ethiopia was traced to contaminated barley following ideal conditions for an outbreak: moist weather, cool temperatures, and a delayed harvest. Barley flowers stay open longer when the weather is cool and wet, giving ergot a greater opportunity to infect the plant. • Ergot also has medicinal properties under the right conditions. Extracts from the plant can be used to relieve migraine headaches and reduce bleeding after childbirth. Ergot is the species from which LSD was first created. WIMBLEDON The most famous and the most expensive lawn in the world is the Centre Court at Wimbledon in England. It’s

This causes a host of problems, ranging from nausea and seizures to gangrene and death. It affects the brain as well, causing hallucinations and hysteria. • Throughout history there are stories of entire villages becoming sick with what was called “dancing mania” referring to convulsions and collapse, or “St. Anthony’s fire” referring to peeling, blistered skin. Even livestock who ate ergot-contaminated grains fell victim, and typically would lose their hooves, tails, and ears before dying. • In order to propagate, an ergot spore must land on the open flower of a grass plant. This is why it commonly affects rye (which has an open floret) and rarely oats (with a closed floret.) The spore must have access to the flower’s stigma, where it mimics a growing seed in the plant’s ovary, hijacking the nutrition that the

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composed of perennial ryegrass, tended to year-round, and cut to a length of 8 mm (1/3 inch) tall prior to the two-week tournament. Here’s a bit of Wimbledon history:

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The All England Croquet Club was founded in 1868. By 1875, the Club was suffering from a drop in membership and income because fewer and fewer people were playing croquet as more people began playing a new sport instead. The new sport was lawn tennis. To increase revenue, the All England Croquet Club removed a croquet lawn and installed a tennis court instead. Then they changed their name to the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club. In 1877, the Club needed to purchase a new roller to care for the lawns. To raise money, they decided to hold a championship tennis tournament. Only 22 people entered that first tournament (men only) but more importantly, 200 people turned out and paid a shilling each to watch. That was more than enough to cover the cost of the lawn roller. The Club decided to hold a tournament every year, and every year it grew bigger. Named after the section of London where it was held, Wimbledon quickly became the most important tennis championship in the world. By 1884 women were allowed to compete, and men’s doubles were added that year as well. Men’s and women’s mixed doubles were added in 1913.

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Brame Hillyard became the first man to play while wearing shorts in 1930. May Sutten of the U.S. became the first non-Brit to win, claiming the title in 1905 and 1907. In 1907 an Australian man won the title. Since then, only two players from Great Britain have won. In 1922 Wimbledon moved to a new site and built a stadium big enough to seat 14,000 with standing room for thousands more. In 1932 with improved stands, attendance topped 200,000 over the course of the event, despite the world-wide economic depression. The tournament was suspended during World War I, and during World War II the grounds were used for military purposes. A German bomb hit Centre Court in 1940, destroying 1,200 seats. Play resumed in 1946 and the grounds were completely restored by 1949. When air travel became feasible in the 1950s, international participation soared. However, because Wimbledon was open only to amateur players, many of the best competitors were lost to professionalism. In 1967, the BBC wanted to celebrate its entry into color television. They did so by sponsoring a tennis tournament for professional players, and the organizers of Wimbledon watched as many of their previous champions appeared on national TV, attracting much media attention and winning huge purses. As a result, Wimbledon was opened to all players in 1968. Wimbledon is the only major tennis tournament still played on grass. It is attended by more than 500,000 people. Rules state that all players must be dressed almost entirely in white. Wimbledon champ Roger Federer was told to switch his shoes because they had orange soles. During the tournament, over 50,000 tennis balls are used. Those not in use are stored in a refrigerated container. Wimbledon once used white tennis balls which were replaced with yellow balls in 1986 to make them more visible to TV cameras.

1. What percent of a grass plant is made up of water? 2. What percent of a grass plant’s mass is located in the roots?

MROWLWANE About 66 million Americans own one of these.

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. . . Goes to the Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre

Layered Mexican Casserole A grande Mexican dish! 2 cups (3 ounces) Frito-Lay Baked Tostitos Tortilla Chips 8 ounces extra-lean ground sirloin beef or turkey breast 1 (8-ounce) can whole-kernel corn, rinsed and drained 1 1/2 cups chunky salsa (mild, medium or hot) 6 tablespoons sliced ripe olives 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese 3/4 cup Land O Lakes no-fat sour cream 1 1/2 cups shredded Kraft reduced-fat Cheddar cheese 1. Heat oven to 350 F. Spray an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with butter-flavored cooking spray. Layer half of tortilla chips in prepared baking dish. 2. In a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray, brown meat. Add corn, salsa and olives. Mix well to combine. Continue cooking for 5 minutes or until mixture is heated through, stirring occasionally. Spoon half of meat mixture over tortilla chips in baking dish. 3. In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese, sour cream and 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Drop half of cheese mixture by spoonfuls over meat mixture. Repeat layers. Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese over top. 4. Continue baking for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and mixture is bubbly. Place baking dish on a wire rack and let set for 5 minutes. Divide into 6 servings. * Each serving: 290 calories, 10g fat, 21g protein, 29g carbs, 878mg sodium, 307mg calcium, 3g fiber; Diabetic Exchanges: 2 1/2 Meat, 1 1/2 Starch/Carbs, 1/2 Vegetable; Carb Choices: 2. (c) 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.

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by Samantha Weaver * It was Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra -- widely regarded as the best writer in the Spanish language and one of the best novelists in any language -who made the following sage observation: “No fathers or mothers think their own children ugly; and this self-deceit is yet stronger with respect to the offspring of the mind.” * You might be surprised to learn that Princess Di was also a tap-dancer. * In the newly egalitarian society that emerged after the French Revolution in the 18th century, the color known as “royal blue” experienced a precipitous decline in popularity. Royalty may have been out of power, but practicality still ruled. For the most part, people didn’t throw out their old clothes, or even re-dye them; to get rid of any monarchist overtones, they simply started calling the color “national blue.” * In New Zealand, speed bumps are commonly known as “judder bars.” * The court system in the Central African Republic is having difficulty dealing with the caseloads. One of the primary problems is witchcraft. It seems that 40 percent of all prosecutions in the nation involve some form of witchcraft, including 5 percent of all juvenile cases. * Those who study such things say that the koala bear has two opposable thumbs on each hand. Thought for the Day: “An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made in a very narrow field.” -- Niels Bohr

The V.J.H Auxiliary’s 2nd Annual Huge Garage, Book and Plant Sale is coming up on Saturday May 6th at People Place Parking Lot from 8:00 am until 1:00 pm.

Gently used donations would be greatly appreciated and can be dropped off in the hospital’s upper parking lot (off 31A St-look for the balloons)

N e e d Wi n d o w C l e a n e r / H e l p e r. Please fill out the Questionnaire a t : h t t p s : / / w w w. z i p r e c r u i t e r. c o m / job/e1b3afdf OR email clearfx@ icloud.com with your information for window cleaning position. Will train. Locals only please. Must have valid Drivers license.

on April 8th, 22nd & 29th from10:00am to 2:00 pm.

No heavy furniture, electronics or clothing please. For more info call 250-542-8844 or 778-475-1586

SPECIALITY SHARPENING

All your sharpening needs, and for your convenience, drop off and pickup at Vernon’s Water Store. 180, 4400 - 32 St (250)308-4866

Time to plant Boyne and Creston raspberry canes $10/dozen. Trees and Shrubs: Maple, Plum etc. Several rolls of page wire plus fence posts. 250-503-0781 ( Vernon)

Build a Shaklee business online while keeping your present job, using your computer and phone. Go to www.naturalfreedom.net to learn more.

BOOK WAREHOUSE #35, Alpine Centre, 100 Kal Lake Road OPEN on WEDNESDAYS and SATURDAYS 9 AM TO 1 PM Quality used books & more, most priced $1 or less Supporting Special Olympics, Vernon & other local charities Phone 250-275-2676 for more info. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

• Big Bag Boy golf cart $25, •Right hand Medicus golf driver + putter trainer + instruction cd $60, •Wine rack holds 20 bottles $30, • Coleman Air Matress with pump $40 (250) 550-8486 Call after 6:00 PM. ( Vernon)

Upcoming Events: April 29th - Lumby & District Community Showcase and Junk in the Trunk Community Yard Sale April 30th - Tourist in Your Own Town bus tours to participating businesses in Lumby & Cherryville

Spring Break Out Community Information Day Sat. April 29 10 am – 4 pm 2520 Patterson Ave., Armstrong One stop shop with Not for Profits, Societies & Clubs. Learn about activities and opportunities! www. armstrongseniors.ca

SPRING DINNER AND AUCTION Double VM Bible Camp Fund Raiser - DVM NEEDS A NEW KITCHENROAST BEEF DINNER - DESSERT AUCTION AUCTION SALE ITEMS - DOOR PRIZES APRIL 28, 2017 - 6:00 P.M. TICKETS (Advance or at Door): $18.00 VERNON CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 6920 PV RD VERNON - 250 –545- 0451

Valley Wide Business Expo Thursday 4 May 2017 4:30pm- 7:00pm @ Predator Ridge The biggest chamber trade show in the valley! Tickets to attend this event are NOW ON SALE and attendance is open to both members and non-members! Come and check out the many vendors from across the Okanagan. Tickets can be purchased on line at www.vernonchamber/ events /calendar/ or call 250-545-0771

1. The average size lawn in the U.S. is about one-fifth of an acre, or 128 square feet. 2. In a well-maintained lawn, there will be about six individual grass plants per square inch, or about 850 plants per square foot. 3. The average lawn grows at a rate of about three inches per month. 4. Adults spend an average of 3.8 hours per week during the spring and summer working on the lawn and garden. 5. The average homeowner spends about $360 annually on lawn care products

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LAWNMOWER

1. About 75% of a grass plant is made up of water. 2. About 90% of the mass of a grass plant is located in the roots.

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