Liz Writes Life 5-26-21 Honor our military veterans

 May 26, 2021

Liz Writes Life

Honor our military veterans

Services will be held at four Scott Valley cemeteries on Monday, May 31, 2021 by the American Legion Perry Harris Post #260. For years, Legion members have conducted honor guard services at Callahan, Etna and Fort Jones cemeteries. This year, an additional cemetery has been added. It is the Burcell Cemetery on Star Access just outside of Etna.

Legion Commander Bruce Hurlbut said there is a change in the starting time at the Callahan Cemetery, which will now be at 9 a.m. The next cemetery on the schedule will be the Burcell Cemetery at 10 a.m. Services at the Etna Cemetery will remain the same as in past years at 11 a.m. Fort Jones will follow at noon.

A big “thank you” goes out to cemetery districts, volunteers, friends and family who are busy cleaning-up our local cemeteries. I have asked my grandchildren to help me put colorful “fake” flowers on the graves of family members this weekend. We will have a picnic in the park afterwards.

Memorial Day is certainly a good time to remember our military veterans and all of our family and friends, who have passed. Let’s support our American Legion and other military veteran organizations that provide these services on Memorial Day, Veterans’ Day and for individual funerals.

Thank you Sheriff LaRue

Siskiyou County Sheriff, Jeremy LaRue, posted the following on the Siskiyou Co. Sheriff’s Office facebook page. Wow, this is such good news. So many people, in our community, want to stop the infiltration and expansion of organized crime in our county. I heard there were a significant number of volunteers that showed-up with heavy equipment. This is huge! What a great support for our sheriff. More volunteers are needed. If you are able to help, contact the sheriff’s office at 530-842-8300.

 

From the sheriff’s office facebook page: “During a two-day operation, 143 greenhouses containing 50,861 cannabis plants connected to illegal Commercial Cannabis Activity were demolished.

“If you are interested in assisting in our future operations, contact the Sheriff’s Office. We are looking for additional heavy equipment, such as dozers and excavators, and trained operators to volunteer to assist in ongoing efforts to address the illegal Commercial Cannabis Activity plaguing our county.

“As a reminder, Commercial Cannabis Activity is prohibited in Siskiyou County. State law allows individuals the ability to cultivate up to six cannabis plants. Exceeding six cannabis plants is considered Commercial Cannabis Activity.  If a property has established a commercial cannabis operation, anything directly contributing to it, including greenhouses, is prohibited.

“According to state law, “Commercial Cannabis Activity” (more than six plants) includes the cultivation, possession, manufacture, distribution, processing, storing, laboratory testing, packaging, labeling, transportation, delivery, or sale of cannabis and cannabis products.

“People are encouraged to comply with local and state laws.”

Fire danger is high

With this continuing drought, the threat of wildfires is extreme. Yep, most of us are worried.

Kimberly DeVall, public affairs officer for Klamath National Forest sent out a press release last week stating the Klamath National Forest and surrounding areas are entering the 2021 fire season under the effects of a severe drought and that fuels, which would normally still be under snow in May are already dry enough to burn.

DeVall said that the storms from a weekend ago brought numerous lightning strikes to the area and ignited several wildfires. Some precipitation was received with the lightning, but extreme drought conditions has left both live and dead fuels unseasonably dry and ready to burn. There were seven total fires that were reported with the largest “Grouse Fire” growing to eight acres. Luckily, firefighters attacked the fires and held them to small acreages. 

Garden

For three nights I covered the six tomato and 14 zinnia plants to protect from a freeze. It really didn’t get down to 32, but I did see a few burned leaves on the volunteer potatoes and amaranthus. Luckily, the light frost really didn’t hurt anything. There are probably 100 volunteer amaranthus that are less than two-inches tall and I hope to get them thinned down to about 10 in that flowerbed. The prolific purple morning glories are growing there too, so most of them should be pulled this week as well.

Sure hoping this was the last threat of a freeze, so this week I need to re-dig the furrows and watering circles to get the soaker-hoses laid-out and timers set.

On Friday, I thought I noticed that a cantaloupe was up. By Sunday, I realized it was a just hollyhock, cuz there were a lot more coming up (outside the row) that looked the same. A whole bunch of volunteer cosmos are also up in the same spot and will need to be pulled and some transplanted to the flowerbed by the house.

When hand-irrigating Sunday evening, I did spy seven cucumbers that are poking out of the ground. Yay! I planted the cucs and zucchini on May 14th, but the zucs are not up – neither are the giant pumpkins that the grandkids helped me plant on May 11th. Something has eaten about half of two butter crunch lettuces that did finally grow from the April planting. About six others haven’t been munched yet and I will likely harvest them this week before it gets really hot. They are about eight-inches tall.

Finally, I got one rhubarb plant harvested. It was nearly five-feet tall. I probably took more than I should have, but the stems were so big they were falling down. The horse manure really did its job! Gave away about 40 pounds to friends and made several batches of rhubarb strawberry Jell-O jam. Yum!

May peace and calm be with you this week. Smile – just cuz it makes you feel better!

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 can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

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Liz Writes Life 5-19-21 Snowpack very low

May 19, 2021

Liz Writes Life

Snowpack very low

Kimberly DeVall, public affairs officer for Klamath National Forest sent out disappointing information on Friday. (Remember, it isn’t her fault!) As the Forest Service employees measured the snowpack around Scott Valley, they found an “extreme plunge” in the snowpack levels. Warm weather and lack of additional snowfall along with high-elevation rain storms drastically affected the snow that was up at the 5,000 to 6,000 foot levels.

DeVall said that the early-May survey showed the snowpack is at 21 percent of the historic average and the water equivalent is at 18 percent. This was found at all the survey areas from Scott Mt., to the Boulders and on Salmon Mt. behind Etna. So this is bad news.

Then on May 10, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an expanded “drought emergency proclamation” for 41 of the 58 California counties, citing above-average temperatures and dry conditions for April and May. I see where the state government is now asking California residents to voluntarily reduce water usage by 10 percent. Personally, I think urbanites are going to be hit hard on water reduction – sooner than later.

Klamath farmers hit even harder

After the federal Bureau of Reclamation announced, in April, there would be a huge reduction of legally-stored water available for the Klamath Project farmers, on May 12, 2021, Reclamation sent a letter to the many irrigation districts stating the A canal would not supply any water from Upper Klamath Lake to the project. This is the same A canal that did not receive any water back in 2001 and is the life-blood to the intricate irrigation infrastructure.

Boy, this is another huge blow to the 1,200 farmers and the wildlife refuges.

Klamath Basin farmer, Rodney Cheyne, wrote this response on his facebook page: “You know in America there are programs to end hunger. Especially for children, school lunch programs so kids don’t go hungry during school day. Summer lunch programs so kids can get at least one meal a day. Food banks to help the needy and hungry who can’t afford food. My question now is how in the hell is the rest of America and other countries going to feed themselves let alone the needy? When you shut the water off to the farmers who put that stored water to beneficial use to do what? You guessed it – grow crops that help feed you, me, the needy, the kids, the tribes that claim the salmon and suckers are their staple in their diet.

“How are people so far removed from reality? No water, no farmer, no jobs, no crops, no processing, no trucking, etc, all resulting in a raw food shortage!”

Rodney then pointedly suggested that all the people that do not support agriculture should stop eating!

He finished: “The American farmer is the most efficient effective producer on the planet earth. Stop biting the hand that feeds! And stop bitching with your mouth full!”

Boy, do I agree with Rodney.

In last week’s column, I told you about our Siskiyou County supervisors coordinating with Modoc and Klamath Counties to put pressure on the federal government and Biden administration regarding this terrible situation. California Dist. 1 Congressman, Doug LaMalfa, is also putting pressure on the powers that be. For years, he has worked to implement an effective water management plan for the Klamath Basin to no avail.

LaMalfa said on Friday that the Reclamation’s newest decree was a “shocking decision to forbid delivery of Klamath Project water to our water-starved farmers and ranchers in the Klamath Basin and it underscores the almost total failure of the existing water management plan.”

He added that the farmers and ranchers have paid and continue to pay for the canal system and dams that store water and that court decisions have repeatedly recognized the stored project water in the lake belongs to the farmers.

“Reclamation will again seize what they do not own, without compensation, to comply with questionable Endangered Species Act requirements.” He finished by saying that he will be working with every possible partner to bring relief to the basin.

Unfortunately, it looks like there will be added long-lasting devastation from this government-made drought! Such a tragedy.

Garden

Last Tuesday, my grandson, Bryce Bowen, and granddaughter, Lexie Bowen, helped me after school in the garden. We dug up the soil and added manure for the six tomato plants, cantaloupe and giant pumpkin seeds. The soil is very dry, so I added water several times to get it to soak-in. Then we planted the Early Girl tomatoes and then the seeds and, yep, we were worn-out. It was warm last week! I sure do appreciate their help. On Friday morning, I planted cucumber and zucchini seeds. And that is it for vegetable planting.

The garlic are looking better. A month ago, I gave them a shot of sulfate- of-potash and then two weeks later a good granule fertilizer; and I have been irrigating them every other day. Throughout April, several of their long leaves tended to look dry, but they are finally looking happier. There about 20 plants and they should be ready for harvest in late June.

Looks like it will be cooling off today (Wednesday) for a few days. Yep, it could do more than just frost, but may freeze, too. So, I have cardboard boxes ready to cover the tomato plants for several nights for protection. This is why I try not to plant too early in May, cuz there is always this threat. The date I planted the vegetable seeds last year was May 23rd, so I did plant earlier this year. Hope I won’t be sorry.

May peace and calm be with you this week. Smile – just cuz it makes you feel better!

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 can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

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Liz Writes Life - Siskiyou Co. Supervisors meet with Modoc and Klamath Counties to find solutions to federal shut-off of irrigation water to 1,200 Klamath Project farmers and Siskiyou County stands-up to organized crime

 May 12, 2021

Liz Writes Life

Last Friday, I listened to a significant zoom meeting. It was held in Tulelake with our Siskiyou Co. Board of Supervisors cooperatively meeting with Modoc County Supervisors and the Klamath County Commissioners. The goal of the meeting was to approve two letters: One to California and Oregon Congress officials and state legislators asking for financial help regarding the Klamath Project due to its tragic lack of irrigation water for 2021. The second was to U.S. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. also asking for help.

Our Siskiyou Co. Board Chairman, Ray Haupt, made the motions to approve both letters, which passed overwhelmingly.

The situation is dire for not only agriculture, but many businesses throughout the Klamath Basin as unemployment will jump and the resulting domino effect will be felt. Bankruptcies will happen.

Ray told me this is a “human tragedy” and will also hurt the county with a “significant tax loss.” Much of the Tulelake area is part of the Klamath Project. In previous columns, I have discussed this 2021 and the 2001 losses of legal irrigation water to the Klamath Project farmers. During the zoom meeting, farmers explained their predicaments. These issues were addressed in the letters approved by the three county boards. Because the wording is so succinct, I have included several paragraphs, below: 

“As you are aware, Klamath Project irrigators are at the beginning of a disastrous water year where the Bureau of Reclamation has announced 33,000 acre-feet of available irrigation supply from Upper Klamath Lake, less than 10% of needed project deliveries. In recent weeks, based on deteriorating hydrology, even this projected amount now appears to be optimistic. This means that hundreds of family farms will not be able to produce the crops and livestock that have not only been the hallmark of the Klamath Basin, but that also provide food and fiber throughout the world.

“In addition, and just as importantly, thousands of farm and ranch workers will be left without employment, and businesses that rely on active farming and ranching will experience a profound decrease in business. Sadly, our National Wildlife Refuges will also suffer, which will have far-ranging implications up and down the Pacific Flyway.

“In order to assist irrigators through this season so that they may be able to continue their operations into the future, we request a minimum of $45 million for funding programs of the Klamath Project Drought Response Agency (DRA). At this time there is $15 million available, for funding programs, leaving a shortfall of $30 million. We urge you to continue to work together with your colleagues and with the Administration to identify and/or earmark additional funding for farmers and ranchers in the Klamath Project.

 “We would welcome the power of your offices in channeling parties toward constructive prioritization of real needs. With that said, we are aware that tribal and non-tribal fishing communities have identified a need for disaster relief. Recognizing the many arguments about the causes of depleted fisheries, we support all efforts to pursue financial assistance for those resource-dependent communities for injury they may experience.”

Both letters can be found on the Siskiyou Supervisors website and are worth the read. The three counties also said they are concerned about fractured conditions in the basin and fear that some of the communities may be exploited by outside interests.

This is not the first time for the three counties to coordinate and use their clout of representing two states in a regional area that is continually at risk. Ray said they work collaboratively at various times, especially on water issues. One has been to defend “saving” the Klamath dams.

“Solutions must be offered,” Ray said.

I applaud the three county boards for their leadership and desire to defend and aid their residents. Thank you!

Next situation!

Hundreds of residents in Siskiyou County protested last Thursday at the Siskiyou Co. Courthouse in Yreka. Inside the courthouse, a hearing was being held regarding a civil case alleging water from an agriculture well, in Shasta Valley, was used for the illegal growing of marijuana. The case cited a county ordinance that does not allow water to be “wasted” from agriculture wells and alleges that water was wasted when used for a criminal activity. From what I have learned, no decision has yet to be made from the hearing.

The protesters held signs saying they deserved to have water. In my opinion that is not the problem. Yes, they deserve to have water. The problem is that significant underground water is being used to grow illegal crops and contributes to organized crime, which Siskiyou Co. Sheriff, Jeremy LaRue, has said is the biggest challenge facing our county.

I showed-up to see the protest, but couldn’t hear much of what the suited organizers on the courthouse steps said. I do believe they interacted with Sheriff LaRue. Police vehicles stopped traffic to the courthouse-block allowing for pedestrian access and the crowd to stand in street. From what I could see, it remained calm although there was chanting.

Another reason for the protest was the recent much-tougher urgency water ordinances the Siskiyou Co. Supervisors’ Board approved on Tuesday. The first Urgency Ordinance on Well Water makes it illegal to pump and move well water off the parcel (or adjoining parcel) from which it originates unless there is a permit issued by the county. Yes, this sounds onerous, but in April I took a drive up A-12 and was shocked to see so many water tanker trucks traveling back and forth in just that small area. It is illegal to grow commercial marijuana in Siskiyou County, so why have 100s of new greenhouses been built in the Shasta Vista area? Even I have seen the aerial photos of masses of marijuana plants.

Another new ordinance is centered on any vehicle hauling over 100 gallons of water in the county. It must have a permit to do so and the ordinance also makes the use on certain roads in the county illegal -- without authorization. The fine is $100. The ordinances passed. The size of the fine is established by state judicial rules.

From what I have learned is that these tougher ordinances place the burden of how the water (being hauled) will be used to the truck driver and or owner of the vehicle. This is much more cost effective and simpler for law enforcement. Much more practical to my mind.

I will stick my neck out here and be vocal against these illegal marijuana grows, illegal use of agricultural water and the massive organized crime that I allege is the culprit. Sheriff LaRue, CHP and all law enforcement agencies need our support against any and all criminal activities. I want our county to be a safe place to live and work for all county residents.

May peace and calm be with you this week. Smile – just cuz it makes you feel better!

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 can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

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Liz Writes Life 5-5-2021 Plant sale, History Tours in Yreka and Congressman Doug LaMalfa tries to improve power grid

 May 5, 2021

Liz Writes Life

With it being Mother’s Day this coming weekend, lots of spring activities are cropping-up. For those in need of garden plants, the Yreka Garden Club and Yreka Community Garden will jointly hold a plant sale on Saturday, May 8, 2021 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the garden on Knapp Street. You might just find something for mom there!

Masks and distancing will be required, according to Peggy Heide, the garden coordinator, but she said to stop by as there is a nice selection of veggies, flowers and older perennial potted plants in the Yreka Garden Club Nursery. I asked if there were any Black-eyed Susans and they have a good batch. I better get over there. I only want one or two for my new row of perennial and annual flowers I am planning for the outside border of my garden.

Peggy said there are a variety of tomato plants and one is called “Tumbler” that is blooming and small tomatoes have already set-on. These are in one-gallon pots. This is a small cherry and can be grown year-round inside. Hum, sounds great for a nice sunny window in the winter. I wonder how big they get and if you need to keep them pruned to a smaller size, when grown indoors?

After the sale, people can still purchase or visit the nursery by calling Peggy at 530-842-6456 for an appointment.

After checking three different weather stations, I will wait one more week before turning-on what I call my outside water. It is a below-ground plastic line that gives me three faucets to use. But, just in case it may freeze after a predicted rain and cooler temps on Friday or Saturday, I have decided to continue to hand-water with the hose this week. I do not want the pipes or a faucet to break. Yeah, it probably won’t get that cold, but I am not ready to plant the garden anyway.

The soil is dry and pretty warm. I think many folks are already planting. I am just being a bit lazy and I need to put my energy into weed-eating. The bright yellow Marlahan mustard is blooming (yuck) as is the lavender-colored lupine and California poppies. Because of the drought, my weeds are not nearly as invasive as they could be. But, a good rain would change that and I do hope for a good rain. Yep, wishful thinking, I know!

Because fire season is already upon us, Cal-Fire encourages us to get a defensible space around our homes and outbuildings. Yep, we are probably all quite leery about wildfires this year. I am so thankful for our firefighters, police and other safety folks. They certainly have tough jobs.

History Tours

The next tours sponsored by the Siskiyou Historical Society will be held in mid-May. The schedule includes a City-Ranch-Greenhorn Walking Tour on Friday, May 14, 2021. An Evergreen Cemetery Walking Tour will be Saturday, May 15, 2021. On Sunday, May 16, 2021, there will be a Third Street Walking Tour. And a Miner Street Tour will be held on Monday, May 17, 2021. These tours begin at 5 p.m. and cost a mere $5 each. They are in the Yreka.

On Tuesday, May 18, 2021, a special “Memories of Hilt” will be at 1:30 p.m. with a cost of $5. Call 530-572-1099 to reserve your spot and get more info.

Bipartisan Legislation

Yep, a bipartisan congressional bill sounds odd in today’s political polarized realm, but our CA. Dist. 1 Congressman, Doug LaMalfa, has joined with California Democrat Representatives, Jared Huffman and Doris Matsui, and several Texas Representatives to introduce legislation expected to weatherize electrical grids across the nation. What a great idea!

The proposed legislation is titled “The Preventing Outages with Enhanced Resilience and Operations Nationwide Power On Act” and would assist electricity providers and suppliers with federal funding to protect their facilities and infrastructure against future extreme weather events, like wildfires in California or the February 2021 deep freeze in Texas.

What makes this legislation a real possibility is that California Democrat Senator Alex Padilla and Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn have introduced companion language in the U.S. Senate.

 

LaMalfa said, “California and much of the West have been dealing with electric service blackouts for several years due to severe wildfire seasons, and this year’s forecast suggests this devastating trend will continue.” LaMalfa has advocated upgrading the power grid for years.

Senator Padilla stated: “Once-in-a-generation weather events are now becoming a regular occurrence. Whether it be public safety power shutoffs or electric system failures due to extreme weather events, we must invest in grid resilience and modernization in order to keep the power on in impacted communities. We can’t leave another family in the dark during wildfire season or without heat in a blizzard. That’s why Senator Cornyn and I are proposing these necessary, smart investments to strengthen our electric grid and create jobs to boost our economy in the process.”

The bill, if passed, will authorize $100,000,000 (yep, that’s a lot of zeros) annually for fiscal years 2022 through 2026. One thing I like about the bill is that the monies cannot be used for new construction, but to improve equipment and the electric grids to withstand extreme weather, wildfires and other natural disasters. Yep, this would be a really good thing!

May peace and calm be with you this week. Smile – just cuz it makes you feel better!

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 can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

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