Nov. 13, 2019
Liz Writes Life
Published in Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, CA.
Last Saturday, Congressman Doug LaMalfa hosted a Harvest
Banquet at his family’s farm and I received an invitation. His friend, House
Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, was the featured speaker and I really did
want to go. So, I hitched a ride with my friend, Erin Ryan, who is staff for
the congressman and lives in Redding. The farm is south of Chico. When we drove
to the giant barns, I was wowed by the huge rice harvesters, big trucks and
tractors. Yep, it is a full-fledged working farm.
Congressman McCarthy was elected to the California State
Assembly in 2002, the same year that Doug was elected to the assembly. The two
became friends and actually roomed together, when they were in Sacramento.
McCarthy is from Bakersfield. And, Kevin did tell a few stories on Doug.
Kevin’s background is in business. His grandfather was a
cattle rancher and his dad a firefighter, so he understands the working-class
and the problems that government regulations pose to business. He started his
first business, called Kevin O’s Deli, at age 21 and later sold it to put
himself through college and graduate school. Yep, he worked his way up.
In 2006, Kevin was elected to Congress and in 2014 was
elected by his fellow Republicans as Majority Leader of the House. When the
Democrats became the House majority party in January 2019, Kevin had to turn
the gavel over to the Democrat Majority Leader, Nancy Pelosi. He is now House Minority
Leader.
Kevin was one of the first from congress to support Donald J.
Trump, when he announced his candidacy for President of the United States and
has remained a trusted ally. So, Congressman McCarthy started right out
explaining the incorrect process the Democrats are using to push for
impeachment of President Trump. He said the only bi-partisan vote that has been
held was last week and that was to stop impeachment.
Congressman McCarthy praised President Trump for the
improvement in our U.S. economy. “You are living in the best economy for the
last 50 years,” he told the crowd of over 460.
“I’ve watched him rebuild our
military and changed and empowered veterans in their health care.”
“Trump hardly ever sleeps,” said McCarthy and has found the
president to be very caring. He even offered Kevin three scoops of ice cream,
one time, when he was flying on Air Force One. And, Trump is always looking for
ways to solve problems.
When the Camp Fire destroyed most of Paradise, CA., Kevin was
with Doug when they flew with President Trump in Air Force One to witness the
devestation and offer help. It was a sobering and exhaustive situation. President
Trump was visibly affected and concerned.
Kevin praised Doug as he continues to work hard for
reconstruction, aid and support for the victims of the Camp Fire that occurred
on Nov. 8, 2018.
Congressman Doug announced that USDA recently authorized a
grant of $148,300 to the Town of Paradise to support the recovery efforts and
renovate a building to be the Building Resiliency Center to aid residents in
recovery.
“It
has been exactly one year since California’s most destructive wildfire ever
-- the Camp Fire -- was ignited in Butte
County and quickly engulfed the towns of Paradise, Magalia, Concow, Yankee Hill
and the surrounding area,” Doug said. “The destruction is well-documented. Most
tragically of all, 85 people lost their lives because of it. A year later,
we’re still working on solutions to the after effects.”
Doug thanked USDA
Rural Development and President Trump for their continued help. The grant is
part of a $150 million set-aside included in the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief
Act that the president signed into law
on June 6, 2019.
It was a great evening with lots of support for the
re-election of a man I have known and respected since he was elected to the
California Assembly. LaMalfa is a huge fan of Siskiyou County and Siskiyou
Republicans filled two tables. Dinner was super. The prime rib nearly melted in
your mouth and the caterer used Doug’s mom’s brown rice recipe. You must have a
super rice dish for dinner, when you grow rice for a living.
Garden
Yep, it is November, even though the warmer temps and lack of
rain may have us confused. Guess I shouldn’t complain since much of the Midwest
and Northeast are getting hammered with record low temps and snow. But, because
there’s always lots of work to be done in the spring, I have decided to get a
bunch of steer manure this fall to lighten that burden – hopefully – or at
least get started earlier!
My soil really needs a boost from manure, but it will only go
in the rows where I plant. And, I likely won’t put most of the manure out until
March or April, but at least it will be there in bags ready to go. So, to that
end, I purchased my first 10 bags of manure last week and it is stacked on one
side of the garden. Two bags are right by the dried-up rhubarb and I do need to
dump the manure on the plants – this week is the goal!
It is time to get garlic planted. October is considered the
best time to do it, but I procrastinated as usual. I don’t believe it will
begin its growing process until we get some moisture anyway. So, I hope to get
the garlic in this week too. I do pray we get some good rain by Thanksgiving
and then snow in December.
Birds of all sizes are busy eating the abundance of seeds and
berries. It is fun to watch them flit around and they do look chubby. They like
the cosmo flower seeds and I haven’t taken those dry, five-foot tall plants out
yet. The blue jays must be getting plenty to eat, because they are no longer
stealing the dry cat food I put out on the porch for the cats.
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.
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