August 28, 2019

Liz Writes Life

Sure have enjoyed the blue skies for most of the summer. It has been so nice to open the windows at night and not have smoke pour inside!

After writing about downtown Yreka in the 1950s and 1960s, last week, it surprised me when no one called to tell me I forgot the J.C. Penney store located on Broadway. Nor did anyone remind me about Nolan Printing, which was a staple for years. Guess, no one wanted to end-up in my column!

For this week’s column, I planned on writing about my very young childhood memories of downtown Etna and decided to call my brother, Steve Dillman, to see if he could clear-up some of my images from that time period. Boy, does he have some stories to tell! He was born 10 years before me, so his recollections were quite specific. Our conversation boomeranged around, but it ended-up having an interesting twist -- and a really fun Yreka story. So, here goes.

From the time he was little, Steve did not want to be a cowboy even though that was what our dad expected. He wanted to fly. In high school, he worked at Ray Smith’s Chevron Station, on Etna’s Main St., after school and weekends. Ray’s son, Gary Smith, was in Steve’s 1963 Etna High School class and they worked together quite often. Steve said Ray paid him $1.75 an hour. Steve also hauled hay in the summer for our dad and Uncle Charlie Hovenden. His goal was to pay for flying lessons and obtain his pilot’s license.

The déjà vu twist to our conversation is that he was sitting at the Susanville, CA. airport last Sunday. Back in June of 1963, he had flown the hours he needed for a license, so he then flew – solo -- to the Susanville airport to meet with his examiner, Mary Barr. She had lived just over the hill from where he was chatting with me. And, yep, he passed the test. Steve is still flying, only for most of his life it has been on helicopters. He learned to fly them in the Army, before being sent to Vietnam.

Anyway, at age 73, he flies huge sky cranes used for fighting fire and other heavy-lifting jobs. Monday morning, his team was moving to Mott airport at Dunsmuir. The West has had fires (he started working in May in Arizona), but nothing like the last few years. I mentioned how nice it has been to have blue skies and he agreed there have been fewer fires, because he has only flown 130 hours this season. By this time last year, he had flown 300 hours!

I did just knock on wood and will not breathe a sigh of relief just yet, because fires could still happen. Many of us remember Sunday, Aug. 30, 1987, when 1,000s of dry-lightning strikes started more than 1,400 fires in Siskiyou Co. Yep, it was really bad and the smoke was thick until late-October. Horrible, it was!

In telling Steve about writing last week’s column, he recalled that the old Warren Building at Yreka’s Broadway and Miner’s Streets also housed the headquarters of the Klamath National Forest in the 1950s. It took up most of the second floor of about 12 to 14 offices. Hum, I thought that was interesting.

After Steve obtained his pilot’s license, he worked at the Siskiyou Co. Airport, north of Montague, for Sis-Q Flying Service owned by Robert A. “Bud” Davis and Fred Arnberg. Bud had been a bomber pilot in World War II. During summer months, Steve filled the tanker planes with fire retardant, gas and oil and learned to mechanic during the winter. I remember he bought a little red Volkswagen bug that he drove over Forest Mt. to work. Our mom really liked his Volkswagen and would drive it whenever she got the chance.

So, here comes the fun Yreka story.

Harry Chaffee was a tanker pilot and mechanic, who worked for Sis-Q Flying Service. He was a poker player. Steve said Harry touted many of his exploits and played (gambled) in Con Brown’s bar or in the back of Yreka Inn. Oh, Steve said as a kid, he purchased comic books from the “front” of Con Brown’s store. Hum!

Well, one spring Sunday afternoon in either 1964 or 1965, Steve was working at the airport. Harry showed up and was in a hurry to get a plane readied and up in the air, which was a bit unusual, but Steve helped him do what needed to be done. You see, Harry had just lost a bet – a big bet that turned into a dare: Buzz Yreka. Not to lose face, Harry quickly took-off in the one-pilot seat 7F7 Tiger Cat. It was used by the Forest Service for fighting fires after having served as a Navy fighter in the Korean War. (Yes, I believe Steve can recite detailed aspects of every plane or helicopter he has ever seen!)

It didn’t take Harry long to fly the big yellow and black E32 tanker, which boasted 4,000 horsepower, to Yreka. He buzzed Main St. – three times. Harry had been a crop duster pilot, so he flew dramatic crop duster turns and seemed to nearly scrape the tops of the buildings. If he was going to buzz Yreka, everyone was going to know about it!

His boss, Bud Davis, lived on Yreka’s hill and saw the plane straight out his living room window! By the time Harry was landing, Bud was pulling into the airport and so were police officers and sheriff deputies. Being 18 or 19 years old, Bud wanted to get Steve away from the escalating situation and quietly sent him home.

Harry was arrested for who knows what and Steve said Harry spend at least three weekends in the Siskiyou Co. Jail.

So, are there any old timers who can add more to this story? Where were you, when Harry Chaffee woke up Yreka? Give me a call. I’ll even keep our chat anonymous, if you prefer.

POW

Scott Valley Protect Our Water will meet this Thursday, Aug, 29, 2019 at the Fort Jones Community Center at 7 p.m. Ray Haupt, Dist. 5 Siskiyou Co. Supervisor, will be speaking on a variety of issues. He has been attending forest meetings, constantly working on new policies to thin trees to get our forests healthy again. Erin Ryan, staff for Congressman Doug LaMalfa, sent word that she will also bring us up-to-date on our congressman’s activities.

Liz Bowen began writing ranch and farm news, published in newspapers, in 1976. She is a native of Siskiyou County and lives near Callahan. Columns from the past year can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

# # #

August 21, 2019

Liz Writes Life

Prediction: Dog days of summer will continue. Shock!

I’ve been checking different weather forecasting stations – all summer – to keep track of the predicted temperatures. (I really like cool nights in the summer.) Anyway, it looks like we are in for another two weeks of these 90-plus day temps. But, I must say I’ve noticed the ground is not drying out as fast as it was at the height of summer in June and July. Yep, the days are getting shorter and this week will be exactly two months since the summer solstice. Already, there is nearly two hours less daylight compared to June 20^th – at my house. The cool breeze starts sooner in the evening, so I can open up the house.

Also, I found another friend that was happy to take a bunch of zucchini. Yay!

Yreka

Last week’s column jogged some memories and it was fun to talk to Linda Dunham Livesay, who called me. She left a message and when I called her back, we chatted about life in Yreka in the late 1950s and 1960s. Even though Linda is six years older than I am, we recall some of the same things. She was born in 1949 at the hospital on Yreka’s Main St. I think it was called Siskiyou County General Hospital? I was born there in 1955.

Linda’s parents, Anna and Paul Dunham, lived on N. Oregon St. near the old Yreka High School. She, and her older brother, Gordon, and the neighborhood kids often gathered at the gym that was typically open and it had a trampoline. Yep, they jumped on it with no adult supervision! And, the school or parents didn’t worry about vandalism.

Roller skating was popular and the kids enjoyed skating on the cement and sidewalks at the school. If they were lucky, Linda said, someone would talk a parent into driving them over to Montague, which boasted a real roller skating rink with boot-skates available for rent.

In the 1960s, teen dances were held at the Veteran’s Hall, especially in the summer. It was located where the middle Yreka on-off-exit onto Interstate-5 is now. That is where she met her husband, Larry Livesay. Linda and her friends liked to browse at Barklow’s dress shop in the downstairs of the old Warren Building hoping to purchase a new Poorboy sweater to wear to the next dance.

I have an impression of a men’s clothing store on the bottom floor of the Warren Building. One year, I think mom twisted dad’s arm to go Christmas shopping to Yreka, after his ranch work was done. It was night and holiday lights added sparkle and excitement of Christmas that I had not experienced before. Yep, it was the big city to me! This was probably the only time my dad ever went Christmas or any other kind of shopping at night! Ha, ha.

One of Linda’s worst memories is of the old Warren Building. There was a dentist office on the second floor and the stairs were broad and high. Yes, it was a dreaded long climb, when she had to go to the dentist. Linda’s memory of those stairs matched mine. Well, of the stairs being big and steep. I didn’t go to the dentist there. My parents were the first Cal Farm Insurance agents in Siskiyou County and rented an office on the second floor. At the top, I remember turning left.

The Warren Building burned down in the late 1960s (we think). It was located where the Tri-County Bank and parking lot is today.  

Downtown Yreka was a busy place, she said. The Broadway Theater held nightly movies and many matinees. It was also used for other special events. When Linda was young, her parents earned extra money working for film companies when one of its movies played. Apparently, the companies wanted an exact count of how many people attended its movies and paid a third-party to get that number. Linda recalls standing behind her parents as they used clickers to do the count as customers paid for their tickets. She still has one of those clickers!

“I think I saw parts of ‘The Ten Commandments’ at least 20 times,” Linda said. She added that folks of all ages were always looking to make extra money and so her parents were happy to get the part-time film company job. Her father owned and operated Dunham Hay and Fertilizer Company, which was his day and long-hours-summer job.

Linda also remembered the Purity grocery store located near Broadway Theater. She recalled going there with her dad to pick-up a beautiful gold-plated coffee pot that he had won in a drawing. Stores held lots of drawings – and offered S&H Green Stamps -- back then to entice customers. The hot-spot for teens was Melody Mart featuring 45 rpm single records and you could actually go into a back room and play it before buying. Linda remembers paying $1.01 for one record. She still has many of those vinyl records.

Anna Dunham often shopped at Lake’s dress and jewelry shops on Broadway. Over on Miner’s St. was Louie Berg’s Feed store, Cooley and Pollards, several restaurants, Elsie’s Tot’s and Teen’s, the Tic Tock Shop and Con Brown’s bar, where typically only men visited. Apparently, they played cards. (Oooo, gambling?) There were several other saloons in the area: Empire Room, Log Cabin and Rex Club. Bob and Hazel Ohlund operated a stationary store.

On the corner of Miner’s and Broadway was the Yreka Drug, which had the best toasted hot dogs ever! At the south-end of that block was Handley’s shoe store. Linda remembered the name and I recalled my mom taking me there every April to get a new pair of cowboy boots before the May Pleasure Park Rodeo in Etna. Yep, it was a special place.

While growing up, Linda said her mom often drove the old Highway 3 road on Forest Mt. to Etna to visit her parents, Millie and Henry Sethman. Millie served as the Etna Librarian for 40 years and, yep, I do remember Mrs. Sethman reading to us kids. Sethman’s lived on Etna’s Main St. across from the Congregational (Berean) church with a big green hedge around the yard. So, Etna sorta feels like home to Linda as well as Yreka.

Thank you, Linda, for the phone call. She said that Yreka was a wonderful place to grow-up. It was bustling with family-owned businesses and they were “profitable enough to support a family!”

Last Sunday, Aug. 18^th, was my mom’s 100^th birthday anniversary. I was tempted to check out the internet to learn what was happening in 1919! Hum, maybe another time.

POW

Scott Valley Protect Our Water will meet Aug, 29, 2019 at the Fort Jones Community Center at 7 p.m. Ray Haupt, Dist. 5 Siskiyou Co. Supervisor, will be speaking.

Liz Bowen began writing ranch and farm news, published in newspapers, in 1976. She is a native of Siskiyou County and lives near Callahan. Columns from the past year can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

# # #

Liz Writes Life 8-14-19

August 14, 2019

Liz Writes Life

Garden

Loved, loved, loved the cooler weather from the thunder storms last weekend. Didn’t appreciate the lightning starting fires, but from several reports, it looks like fire agencies from Klamath National Forest, to CalFire and local volunteer groups were attacking them as fast as they were reported. Sure do hope they are all stopped quickly. Go fire fighters!

Rain hammered-down here on Friday night and I heard Callahan received hail. Then a nice rain showered several times on Saturday. Oh, it was so nice to let nature do the irrigating for several days!

Found five more ripe tomatoes. Luckily, I continued to find friends, who were happy to take the zucchini. The pie pumpkins are already turning orange. My McBroom neighbors, up the hill, gave me several boxes of peaches from their tree, so I canned 15 pints and put a bag in the freezer. Also, enjoyed several bowls of sliced peaches and milk. Yum!

Power went out twice at my place Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Sure appreciated the robo calls from Pacific Power to let me know what was going on. I knew where my flashlights were and used them on Friday night. Was surprised that it was only about an hour and the lights came back on. I did remember to unplug the sensitive computers, television and wifi. Over the years, lightning has taken out my telephone line – twice – and the wifi or computer modem several times. Because of the continuing lightning into Saturday, I just left them all unplugged. Felt kinda good to cut the cords!

Unfortunately, after heavy thunderstorms, it seems the puncture vine grows faster than anything. So, I will need to go out around the house, with the grubbing hoe, to dig them out before they get to be 10-feet across. I drag along a big trash bag to put them in. Ugh, those weeds are bad.

1959

As the dog days of summer continue (after the excitement and socializing from the Siskiyou Golden Fair, last week), let’s take a look back at what was going on 60 years ago in 1959. Yep, time to reminisce a bit. What were you doing in 1959?

I found this info on the internet. Who needs encyclopedias anymore? (I do! And I still have my World Book 1989 set on the shelf – just in case the internet ever goes out and I need something to read.)

The average U.S. cost of a new house was around $12,000 and the average yearly wage was at $5,000. The cost of a gallon of gas was 25 cents and a new car cost approximately $2,000. A loaf of bread was 20 cents. A movie ticket was $1, but for some reason, I don’t think Avery’s charged that much at their theater in Etna -- at least not for kids. If anyone remembers the price, please give me a call.

On January 3^rd, Alaska became the 49^th state admitted to the United States, but I wonder how many new odd-numbered-starred flags were made before Hawaii was admitted as the 50^th state on Aug. 21^st?

After a gritty and grungy revolution, Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba causing worry because of his alliance with the Soviet Union. And the infamous “Kitchen Debate” was held by United States’ Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet Union’s Premier Nikita Khrushchev, when they engaged in an unplanned discussion on July 24^th at the U.S. trade show held in Moscow. The two leaders argued the merits of capitalism and communism, while standing in a model of a modern kitchen that was on display. It was made famous, because an American press filmed the encounter and, surprisingly, was aired in both countries.

Also in international news, the Dalai Lama and thousands of his followers escaped Tibet, when the revolution against Chinese aggression heightened. And an Antarctic Treaty was signed by 12 countries that had been active in the region. The purpose was to guarantee peaceful use of the uninhabited continent for scientific purposes and global cooperation. There are now 53 countries that have signed on to the treaty.

Closer to home, Mattel debuted the first Barbie Doll. My mom purchased the second or third model for me. My friend, Candace Seaver, and I played with the dolls, but I think our moms had the most fun sewing beautiful clothes for them. I still have my dolls and there are more homemade clothes than the store-bought ones.

NASA introduced the first group of astronauts, known as the Mercury Seven. They were Alan Shepard, John Glenn, Walter Schirra, Donald Slayton, Virgil “Gus” Grissom, L. Gordon Cooper and M. Scott Carpenter, who took part in USA’s first human space flight program called “Project Mercury.”

Back on earth, after more than 60 years of planning, engineering and cooperation by the U.S. and Canada, the St. Lawrence Seaway finally linked the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean creating an economic boon.

New television programs included “Rawhide”, “Bonanza”, “The Untouchables”, and “The Twilight Zone”, which still ranks as one of the most unique and well-written shows in TV history. It featured unknown actors who become quite famous, including Ron Howard, Dennis Hopper, Robert Redford and William Shatner. Guess, “Twilight Zone” was a great precursor for Shatner honing his leading role in “Star Trek” a few years later.

In 1959, we didn’t have a television and I have never caught the reruns of “The Twilight Zone.” Hum, I wonder if they are available on Netflix or other streaming services. Don’t think my dad thought much of TV and it certainly was not a necessity at the time.

Popular movies were “Some Like it Hot”, “Ben Hur”, and “North by Northwest.” Academy Award winners were “Gigi”, “The Big Country”, and “The Defiant Ones.”

So, now you get to ponder on your memories that are a bit closer to home. Be sure to share those memories. Write them down for your posterity! How else will history be preserved, if we don’t record it? Yep, this is a challenge to you!

POW

Scott Valley Protect Our Water will meet Aug, 29, 2019 at the Fort Jones Community Center at 7 p.m. Ray Haupt, Dist. 5 Siskiyou Co. Supervisor, will be speaking.

Liz Bowen began writing ranch and farm news, published in newspapers, in 1976. She is a native of Siskiyou County and lives near Callahan. Columns from the past year can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

# # #

Liz Writes Life 8-7-19

August 7, 2019

Liz Writes Life

Election

The ballot for the special primary election for the empty CA. Dist. 1 Assembly seat arrived in my mail box last Friday. I really hope Patrick Jones garners enough votes to be in the top two, so he will be in the run-off (final) election for the assembly seat in November. In my opinion, he has the most experience having served on the Redding City Council for two terms and a term as Redding Mayor. He believes the Klamath hydro-electric dams must be saved and is a strong 2nd Amendment supporter. Jones has also been involved in his family’s private business for 40 years. He has been to Siskiyou Co. several times to learn about our issues, which has me convinced he will fight for Siskiyou Co. in Sacramento.

POW

Erin Ryan, staff for CA. Dist. 1 Congressman Doug LaMalfa, attended the Scott Valley Protect Our Water meeting on July 25, 2019. She said that LaMalfa voted against the H.R. 3877 Bipartisan Budget Act, even though it passed the House, the U.S. Senate and President Trump signed it into law on Aug. 2, 2019. LaMalfa explained his stand:  “While there are important portions I agree with in this bill, like eliminating the threat of a shutdown or default and an agreement to prevent the inclusion of partisan ‘poison pills’ into future appropriations bills, the amount of funding allowed under this deal is simply more than the United States can afford. America has a spending problem and it needs to be reined-in so that our children aren’t the ones paying the price.”

There has been quite a bit of talk about the federal government’s trillions of debt, which as of Sunday night was measured at $22,022,779,932,477 by the debt clock. This equates to over $67,000 of federal debt per person in the United States. I really don’t understand all the implications of this much debt and I do know that not passing a federal budget also causes a crisis. But, I do appreciate that Doug LaMalfa believes in limited spending. How does this problem get fixed? Elected officials must have the fortitude to reduce the size of bloated agencies and federal over-spending. That is truly the predicament. Not enough have the guts to do the job!

On another issues, Doug was pleased the FAA announced grant funding for Northern CA. airports in Plumas and Modoc Counties. He serves as a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and pushed for funding to aid rural communities and their general aviation airports, which also enhances safety and service provided by our airports.

Garden

The tomatoes made a liar out of me and I didn’t mind. I was shocked to find five more red tomatoes last week, which I didn’t think would happen ‘til mid-August! So, I ate another bacon and tomato sandwich! But, in picking and trying to eat a cucumber each day, I am frustrated they are still bitter. The plants look great, so the leaves liked all the extra fertilizer and dried milk I gave them. So, it was very embarrassing to finally give up and go to the store to buy a cucumber to make a cuc and tomato, with red onion, salad – but it was worth it!

Two weeks ago, I decided it was time to pull the pea plants, which makes one less batch of irrigating to do. And, several days ago, I decided I wanted a few potatoes to fry-up. Started scratching the soil and ended up with about three pounds. This plant had dried-up (even with irrigation) and I only wanted a few potatoes, so I didn’t dig very deep. Oh, and the rhubarb looked like it needed thinned, so I pulled out about 10 pounds of stalks without over doing it. Both plants actually look very healthy after they were thinned a bit.

The maroon-colored elephant-head amaranthus are four-feet tall and starting to look impressive; and the volunteer four o-clocks have started blooming. They will likely all be white trumpets as they have reverted. Velvety purple morning glories are climbing the fence.

Bee and bumble bees love the hollyhocks, ornamental oregano, red bee balm and dahlias. Two female hummingbirds scrap and dive-bomb each other, while sipping on the blooming flowers. They are so feisty in their battles, but will hover quite close to me when I am irrigating. They are amazing!

Scams

I just hate scams and was pleased Sheriff Jon Lopey sent out a news release warning the public about phone calls that claim to be from the Social Security Administration or law enforcement agencies that are either demanding or expecting money as donations.

Scammers try to protect themselves and frequently tell victims to pay in prepaid gift cards, Bitcoin or bank wire transfers. Don’t do it!

In May and June, I received a lot of calls from someone telling me I was in big trouble for not paying on my student loan. I never obtained a student loan! So, I hung-up and because the calls were on my cell phone, I blocked the number. But, they just called on another number. I am getting to where I don’t answer unknown long-distant calls on my cell phone.

Sheriff Lopey reminds everyone to simply hang-up and then call your local law enforcement agency and report. Do not believe you can fix any kind of financial problem over the phone!

I must admit that I did not call the sheriff’s dept. and report the calls. Oops! Law enforcement does need to know just how many people are being targeted. So, I promise to call if you promise to call. OK!

Liz Bowen began writing ranch and farm news, published in newspapers, in 1976. She is a native of Siskiyou County and lives near Callahan. Columns from the past year can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

# # #

Liz Writes Life 7-31-19

July 31, 2019

Liz Writes Life

Siskiyou Daily’s sportswriter, Bill Choy, emailed me for some information on the history of the Scott Valley Pleasure Park Rodeos and why they seem to have a special feel. In responding to his questions, I added that I hoped he wouldn’t focus on me in the news article. Yep, you just can’t trust reporters! (Just picking on you Bill).

Anyway, I jokingly referred to myself as the “unofficial” historian of the rodeo association, because of the many years I served on the board, did public relations and my boxes and boxes full of photos and news articles. I have made many mistakes as a news reporter and know that Bill accidentally forgot the “un” part of the “unofficial” historian. But, I am clarifying that I certainly not the “official” historian.

I will state that in the mid-1980s, I asked Elma Selby to write-up what she recalled from the early years of Pleasure Park’s events. She and rancher husband, Gene, were staunch supporters and carried the colors leading the Etna Parade for 30 years. Apparently, around 1955, someone forgot to get the flags or flag bearers for the parade – something I can certainly relate to – and my grandpa, George Dillman, asked them to carry the flags the next year and just take the flags home. Without being asked or reminded very often, they showed-up year after year leading the parade with the USA and California flags. Yep, it became another important detail to find flag bearers, when Elma and then Gene decided they were too old for the job. I remember Nancy Carver partnered with Gene through the 1980s, also carrying the flags in the grand entry of the rodeos.

For years, Gene was the flagman for the rodeo events whipping down the red flag for timers to click-off their stop watches. And Elma made a giant batch of salad dressing (and likely a huge pot of beans) for the September barbecue that fed 300 people for several decades. I think I have her recipe somewhere.

So, I think it was at the annual January Potluck, where new officers were elected back then, when Elma read her writings of Pleasure Park’s first years from the 1950s through 1970s. She then handed me the type-written pages and said she was turning over the “unofficial” historian duties to me. That is why I jokingly claim the moniker of “unofficial” historian.

As a local news reporter and the publicity secretary, on and off since 1982, I wrote up rodeos -- before and after -- and also many grand marshal articles. That is where I truly learned about the history of the rodeos and the association. It is these good people, plus many unsung volunteers that have made the Pleasure Park Rodeos successful and special.

I also want to mention back in the 1970s, when Doug Jenner was serving on the rodeo board that his wife, Gail, suggested selecting a grand marshal for the parade. She wrote up more than a handful of grand marshal articles and served as the “unofficial” publicity secretary, before it was a position on the rodeo board. Thanks, Gail, for your good idea, which has helped to document the history of the now 72-year-old organization.

Patrick Jones

Patrick Henry Jones shared why he is running for the CA. Dist. 1 Assembly seat at the Scott Valley Protect Our Water meeting last week. He is a strong supporter of the 2^nd Amendment and has been fighting against the constant barrage of anti-gun legislation for years. Patrick and his siblings are in business together (which is a major feat) in the Jones Fort Gun Shop, in Redding, that their father established and he has been working at the business since a youth. Lots of business experience there!

Patrick told us he was elected in 2006 to the Redding City Council -- served two terms and a term as Redding City mayor. During that time, he was introduced to a state legislator, who was constantly writing anti-gun bills. When Patrick realized who he was, Patrick immediately chewed-him out for taking away citizens’ rights. Wow, what a fighter!

After touring the Klamath hydro-electric dams with Frank Tallerico and Rex Cozzalio, two weeks ago, Patrick agreed they must be saved because dam removal would certainly destroy salmon runs, water quality and the environment.

Patrick totally advocates actively managing forests to create healthy stands. Wildfires have devastated Shasta Co. His sister lost her home to the Carr Fire last summer.

I was already a support of Patrick Jones, but really appreciated him driving up here to talk to us. He would be a huge asset for Siskiyou Co. in the state assembly and I will vote for Patrick Henry Jones in the Aug. 27, 2019 special election.

Garden

Can’t believe that I picked two small red tomatoes on Sunday and then ate a bacon and tomato sandwich. Yum! I rarely have a ripe tomato before Aug. 1^st and with all the green ones on the vines, it will be several weeks before any more ripen. Those two were flukes!

Last week, I complained about the bitter-end of three cucumbers, so I decided to pick plant specialist, Terry Brown’s, brain on what might be the problem. I stopped in his nursery north of Yreka and received a lecture worthy of any college class. First, most of our soils in Siskiyou Co. are acidic and need the ph improved. If leaves are turning yellow, the soil needs nitrogen and likely some iron sulfur and zinc.

Terry doesn’t like Miracle Gro – mostly cuz it is owned by Monsanto, but he said that it has high nitrogen and that too much nitrogen will give vegetables blossom-end rot. Now, that makes sense for my situation. This year, I was too lazy to douse the tomato, zucchini, cucumber and pumpkins with Miracle Gro. As a result, there isn’t any blossom-end rot on the tomatoes or zucchini, which I usually do have. But, some of the cucumber and pumpkin leaves are turning yellow plus the cucs are bitter.

Terry gave me a bit of his special fertilizer mix, which is lower in nitrogen and is much better for vegetable plants. He also suggested calcium and asked if I had any sour milk or powered milk. Yep, I have some very old powdered milk – several boxes have been in the freezer for years. He said about a half-cup scattered around each plant should help.

So, I went home and gave the cucs and pumpkins a strong batch of Miracle Gro. The next day, they received the dried milk and Terry’s special fertilizer mix. I will report next week in hopes the cucs have sweetened up!

Wanted to mention Alberta Skillen’s pioneer-heritage leopard lilies with orange double-leaves and black spots started blooming, so all is right with the world.

Liz Bowen began writing ranch and farm news, published in newspapers, in 1976. She is a native of Siskiyou County and lives near Callahan. Columns from the past year can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

# # #