Monday, August 17, 2009

“Home, Garden tips from NU - North Platte Bulletin” plus 4 more

“Home, Garden tips from NU - North Platte Bulletin” plus 4 more

Home, Garden tips from NU - North Platte Bulletin

Posted: 17 Aug 2009 02:52 PM PDT

Keeping fresh produce safe

Farmers pulled their trucks onto an empty parking lot. Displaying their produce on the tailgates of their vehicles, to their delight, customers quickly arrived, parked their cars and strolled among the trucks purchasing the fresh fruits and vegetables. And so the Farmers Market became an instant institution.

The colorful variety of fruits and vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that help us maintain a healthy weight, protect against the effects of aging, and reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease. Eating a rainbow of colors will provide you with fiber, folate, potassium, Vitamin A and Vitamin C as well as many other nutrients.

Take precautions to keep your fruits and vegetable safe to eat;

Go directly home from the market. Foods can decline in quality if left sitting in your car.

Different fruits and vegetables require different temperature and humidity levels for proper storage. Bananas, melons, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and winter squash taste best if stored at room temperature. Store fruits and vegetables in a clean, dry, well-ventilated place, away from direct sunlight.

Some produce can be ripened on the counter and then stored in the refrigerator. Avocados, kiwi, nectarines, peaches, pears and plums are best ripened on the countertop. Avoid placing produce in a sealed plastic bag as this may increase off-odors and decay.

Most other fruit and vegetables keep best stored in a clean refrigerator. Use your refrigerator crisper drawer for whole produce. Use separate drawers for fruits and vegetables as fruits give off ethylene gas, which can shorten the storage life of vegetables.

Refrigerate fruits and vegetable in perforated plastic bags. Unperforated plastic bags can lead to the growth of mold or bacteria. If you dont have access to commercial, food grade, perforated bags, use a sharp object to make several small holes in a food-grade plastic bag (about 20 holes per medium-size bag).

If fruits and vegetables are placed on refrigerator shelves, store meats on plates below the produce, not above.

Wash hands before working with produce.

Wash produce thoroughly before you use it, NOT when you bring it home. Fresh produce has a natural protective coating that helps keep in moisture and freshness.

Dont use soap or detergent as it can get into the produce and make you sick. Rub briskly, scrubbing with a clean brush or hand. Dry with a clean cloth or paper towel.

Remember to rinse produce even when the peel is removed such as for melons and citrus fruits. Bacteria on the outside of produce can be transferred to the inside when produce is cut or peeled. Refrigerate cut or peeled fruits and vegetables within two hours.

Take a stroll through a Farmers Market; its a great place. Enjoy the walk and your bounty of colorful fresh fruits and vegetables.

Source: The Garden Grocery, http://lancaster.unl.edu by Nan Rankin, NEP Extension Assistant.


Abundant gardens may mean more canning, freezing

More Nebraskans are gardening this year to save money on their grocery bills. If harvest is bountiful this summer, freezing and canning excess produce is an option, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln food safety specialist said.

However, certain guidelines need to be followed to assure that produce remains safe and of high quality, said Julie Albrecht, UNL food safety specialist in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Albrecht expects more people will be preserving food this summer. When it comes to preserving food, Albrecht said the easiest thing to try is freezing.

"If you have never canned before, I really recommend freezing if you have a stand alone freezer," Albrecht said. "It is safer."

The stand alone freezer is key. A freezer that is part of a refrigerator really isn't meant for long-term storage, she said.

"You really need to have a freezer that reaches zero degrees or less. A freezer with a refrigerator isn't going to get that cold," she said. "These freezers really can only keep food fresh for about three months or less. And if the freezer is inside the fridge up to 10 days."

Freezing also is less expensive because you don't have to purchase a pressure cooker. When canning vegetables, the only safe way to preserve them is with a pressure canner. This is the only way to destroy the deadly spores of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. This is done by processing for the correct time at 10 pounds of pressure which forces water to boil at 240 degrees at sea level.

More detailed information about canning, including altitude adjustments and processing times, is available by consulting UNL Extension Circular 434, "Let's Preserve: Canning Basics," available at local UNL Extension offices or online at http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/ec434.pdf.

"Using a hot water bath, the oven or anything else for canning vegetables is not safe," she said.

It is safe to can fruit, jams, jellies and pickles using a hot water bath because of the higher acid content of fruit and the pickled product.

Tomatoes can be canned in a hot water bath because of their acid content. However, more and more newer tomato varieties have lower acid content, so it is now recommended to add some lemon juice or citric acid to the jars. It only requires a small amount, about 1 tablespoon per pint, she said.

"Acid inhibits the spores from Clostridium botulinum growing out," she said.

Caution also should be given when canning salsas.

"Be sure to follow the recipe," Albrecht said. "Don't throw in more peppers because it will reduce the acid content. The safety of canning in a hot water bath really depends on the acid content. Use tested recipes as they are safe to process in a boiling water bath. If you don't follow the recipe, be sure to refrigerate the product."

When freezing vegetables, they first need to be blanched, Albrecht said.

This is because enzymes in the vegetables continue to break down even when frozen. If the vegetables are not blanched, corn will begin to taste like the cob and broccoli will smell awful, for example.

"Blanching inactivates those enzymes and also allows you to get more vegetables in a container," she said. When freezing vegetables, be sure to use freezer storage bags or containers that are freezer safe.

When blanching, bring water to a boil and then drop the vegetables in. Cook times for some vegetables include: green beans, 3 minutes; broccoli, 3 minutes; corn on the cob, 11 minutes; corn cut off the cob, 3 minutes; peas, 1.5 minutes and beets, cook until done. After cooking, plunge into ice cold water, drain, package and place containers one layer deep in the freezer to quickly freeze.

Albrecht said freezing also gives vegetables a "less cooked" taste and they are not as mushy.

Additional publications about food preservation are available at the UNL Extension publications Web site at http://extension.unl.edu/publications. Click on "Food & Nutrition", under "Browse Publications" then scroll down to "Preservation".

Additional Nebraska Extension resources to meet today's challenges are available at the UNL Managing Tough Times Web site at http://www.toughtimes.unl.edu.


Bagworm season has arrived

Bagworms, Theridopteryx ephermaeformis, often called "evergreen bagworms," are native to the United States and are found throughout eastern and central Nebraska. Bagworms feed on a wide variety of trees and shrubs, but prefer evergreens, especially juniper.

Bagworms overwinter as eggs within bags fastened to twigs. Eggs hatch in late May and early June. Immediately after hatching, some of the caterpillars release a streamer of silk and are blown by the wind, establishing new infestations on nearby trees. Others begin to spin tiny, one-eighth inch protective cases or "bags" around themselves. These bags are constructed of silk and fragments of needles or leaves.

As bagworms grow, leaf fragments are added to bags, which often grow to two inches in length by the end of the summer. Larvae feed until late August or early September. Male bagworm moths emerge in September and mate with the wingless females through the bag opening. Female moths deposit their eggs within their own bags, drop to the soil and die. Each female can produce 500 to 1,000 eggs. There is only one generation per year.

Bagworms feed on most coniferous plants and on many deciduous trees and shrubs. Common evergreen hosts include juniper, arborvitae, spruce and pine. The earliest sign of bagworm injury in evergreens is brown or stressed needles at the tips of branches. This is caused by the tiny first-stage bagworm caterpillars etching needle surfaces as they feed. Heavy infestations of older bagworms are capable of completely defoliating a tree or shrub. These plants can be severely stressed or even killed if control measures are not taken. Less severe injury will slow growth and stunt plants. Bagworms are especially damaging to conifers because destroyed foliage is not regenerated.

Bagworm infestations on smaller trees and shrubs can be controlled by removing bags during the winter and early spring before egg hatch begins in late May. Destroy bags by crushing or immersing them in soapy water. If bags containing larvae are discarded on the ground, the larvae may return to host plants.

Insecticides are most effective when applied during the early stages of bagworm development. For prevention of early season damage, apply sprays from mid- to late-June when bags are less than 1/2 inch long. Insecticidal applications applied later in the summer when bagworms are larger will likely result in much less effective control. By late August, chemical control is no longer feasible, as most bagworms will have ceased feeding and pupated within their bags.

Insecticidal sprays, whether involving a single tree in the landscape or a shelterbelt, require thorough coverage to penetrate the canopy and contact the feeding bagworms. It is generally preferable to use ground equipment capable of delivering higher spray volumes and pressures. Aerial applications may fail to provide thorough enough coverage resulting in less than satisfactory bagworm control.

Reduced-risk options: Insecticides containing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), spinosad, or neem oil (azadirachtin) and insecticidal soaps are quite effective against young bagworm larvae, but may require repeated applications. These products generally have minimal impact on beneficial insects. Additional insecticide options for bagworm control on ornamental plants include: acephate, bifenthrin, chlorantraniliprole, carbaryl, cyfluthrin, dimethoate, esfenvalerate, fluvalinate, lambda-cyhalothrin, malathion, permethrin and tebufenozide.


Home vegetable gardening gains popularity

Home vegetable gardening is a popular hobby for a number of reasons. Some people garden for exercise and some for the enjoyment of harvesting flavorful produce that can be eaten fresh from the garden or preserved for use during winter.

Others garden so they can grow a wider variety of vegetables than are available at their local grocery store. Finally, in recent years many people are growing vegetables to save money on their grocery bill.

Regardless of motive, gardening can be as simple or as complex a project as you make it. However, careful planning can make gardening easier, more productive, and more enjoyable. In planning your garden, it is important to consider a few basics.

-- "How big should my garden be?"

This is an important consideration because a small, weed-free garden will produce more than a larger, poorly maintained garden. Consider how many family members will really help with the garden, or will you handle the hoe alone? Plants such as watermelon, pumpkin and winter squash take up large quantities of garden space. In small gardens the use of compact vegetable cultivars will conserve space and enable gardeners to still plant a greater variety of vegetables.

Some vegetables can even be grown in containers, allowing placement near the kitchen door and providing growing room for those without enough space for a vegetable garden. Vegetables and herbs can also be incorporated in ornamental plantings of shrubs, perennials and annuals to create an edible landscape.

-- "What should I plant?"

Consider growing the vegetables your family enjoys eating since it makes no sense to plant vegetables that no one likes. Tomatoes, both slicing and cherry types, are among the most popular home garden vegetables. Carrots, radishes, beans, peas and salad greens (lettuce, arugula, mesclun, sorrel) are some of the easiest vegetables to grow. Vegetable cultivars with unusual color or shape, like 'Purple Haze' carrots or 'Easter Egg' radishes, make gardening, and possibly even eating, vegetables fun for children.

-- "How many plants does my family need?"

This depends on your family's personal preferences and whether vegetables will be eaten fresh or preserved for winter use. Below are some approximate yield guidelines for a few home garden vegetables:

-- Cabbage and cauliflower yield one head per plant

-- Potatoes yield 2 to 4 pounds. of tubers per plant

-- Tomatoes yield 10 pounds of fruit per plant

-- Sweet corn yields 2 ears per plant

-- Watermelon plants yield 2-3 fruits per plant

-- Zucchini yields 1-2 fruits per plant per week

Locate your garden in a level area with well-drained soil and a minimum of six hours direct sunlight each day, although 8-10 hours of direct sunlight are ideal. Avoid low spots or areas at the base of a slope or hill. Such areas are slow to warm up in spring and may collect water. Make sure your garden has easy access to water and is close enough to your home for easy maintenance and harvesting. You may also grow plants in more than one location of your yard. A small garden near the kitchen door can provide herbs and greens for quick seasoning and salads.

Draw your garden plan on paper before planting to make the best use of all garden space.

-- Place tall or trellised crops on the north side of the garden to prevent shading shorter vegetables. However, if your garden is exposed to strong southern summer winds, corn, asparagus and other tall plants can provide wind protection for shorter plants if planted on the south or west side of the garden.

-- Group plants by length of growing period. Plant spring crops together so that later crops can be planted in these areas as the early crops are harvested.

-- Place perennial crops, such as asparagus and rhubarb, to one side of the garden where they will not be disturbed by tilling.

For a list of some vegetable cultivars suitable for use throughout Nebraska, refer to Selected Vegetable Cultivars for Nebraska, http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g1896.pdf. The complete list of University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension publications is available at http://ianrpubs.unl.edu. Click on 'Lawn & Garden', then scroll down to 'Vegetables'.

Thumbing through seed catalogues and dreaming of the season's harvest is a great way to make late winter pass more quickly. Seed purchased from a reputable seed company will provide a good start toward realizing your vision of bounty from the vegetable garden.


Pruning primer for small trees and shrubs

Small trees and shrubs are an important part of most landscapes. While foliage can hide problems through the growing season, this is a good time of year to take a close look at branching patterns. It's also a good time to prune most woody plants. An easy rule of thumb is to "prune any time but leaf on or leaf off" -- in other words, when the plant's energy is focused on new growth or hardening off for winter.

Safety is an important issue for large trees, and pruning a good-sized tree can be expensive and require specialized skills and equipment. Fortunately, though, even large-maturing trees that are carefully pruned when small will be stronger and require very little pruning once mature.

Small and young trees are pruned primarily for plant health and for aesthetics. But even the smallest woody plant can quickly turn into a mass of tangled branches.

Where to begin?

-- Start by removing branches that are dead or injured from disease, insects, winds, etc. The pruning cut should be angled from the base of the trunk about an inch or so out (a slightly elevated ridge of bark may be visible).

-- Eliminate branches that are rubbing against other branches.

-- Remove branches with weak or narrow angles of attachment, which are likely to crack or break off. Branches that are angled 60-70 degrees out from the trunk are much stronger.

-- Prune to encourage and not interfere with flowering, usually immediately after flowering: lilac, magnolia, chokeberry, chokecherry, serviceberry, clove currant, forsythia, early-blooming spirea, viburnum, etc.

-- Shrubs grown for foliage, such as burning bush, dogwood, honeysuckle, ninebark, sumac, should be pruned before leafing occurs.

-- Prune to increase air flow, or to allow sunlight for plants underneath the tree.

-- Remove sprouts and suckers in early summer to minimize re-growth.

With newly planted trees, avoid excessive pruning while the plant is developing its root system. Cut back only dead or injured branches to limit plant stress. The main trunk will develop more quickly if lower branches are left on for several years. A few months after transplanting, prune to maintain a central leader and to space branches out around the trunk and vertically.

Deciduous shrubs can be improved in a number of ways: thinning them out from near the base will result in a more open plant and won't stimulate excessive growth. For gradual renewal or rejuvenation, remove older, longer branches near ground level over a period of several years.

With narrow-leaved evergreens like arborvitae, pfitzer junipers and yews, remove dead branches as they occur. To encourage compact growth, the tip ends of new growth can be trimmed each year.

Pines and most other evergreens require very little pruning, although it may be necessary to remove multiple leaders to encourage the growth of a central leader.

Well-shaped deciduous hedges require some effort. To induce low-branching, it's best to select small shrubs with multiple stems and cut them back to 6-8 inches at the time of planting. Prune off half the new growth the following season, and again the following year. It's best to trim when new growth is less than 1 foot long. Evergreen hedges can be shaped as they grow, but not as severely as deciduous since new growth is less likely to occur. Keep the top of the hedge narrower than lower branches. Rounded shapes require less trimming than straight sides and the more natural the pruning, the more likely it is to maintain its shape.

To avoid disease and insect problems, avoid pruning elms from April to October; oaks from April to June when they may be susceptible to oak wilt; and birches in June, when weeping from the cuts may attract insects or diseases.


2009 Gardener's resolutions from the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum

The beginning of a new year is a time for resolutions. Here are some suggestions from the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.

1. Relax and be a little more nutty. Plant more nut- and fruit-producing plants that have long seasonal interest and are great for birds and wildlife.

2. No more doughnuts -- doughnut-mulch rings around plantings, that is. Use 2-3 inches of organic mulch to maintain soil moisture, reduce weed competition, improve soil fertility and reduce mower and weed trimmer damage. Extend mulch to dripline of trees and group plants in "mulch islands" with similar needs, making them easier to maintain and mow around.

3. Burn some calories by taking a weekly walkabout through the garden to pull weeds, deadhead spent flowers and monitor plant condition (a single weed can mature in a few weeks, often scattering hundreds of seeds for next year's crop).

4. Start a new romance -- with a deserving new tree. Check out good regional plant recommendations from ReTree Nebraska, the GreatPlants program and other resources with plant information specifically for the region.

5. Remember the grass isn't always greener on the other side, and resist the desire for a perfectly green, weed-free turf. Turf is expensive and time-consuming and the efforts to achieve it can cause significant problems in the rest of the landscape, so use turf species that require less maintenance, watering, fertilization and disease-prevention.

6. Don't fall for the first pretty face in the nursery this spring. Annuals are often at their peak in May and June, but many longer-lived plants with long tap roots, such as grasses, prairie plants and some tree seedlings, don't do as well in small pots. Think beyond early summer for plants that are at their peak at the end of a hot, dry summer and plants with interesting fall foliage, seedheads and textures.

7. Be green -- emphasizing a diversity of plants that can survive on natural precipitation and existing soil. When possible, return plant residues to the soil. And keep in mind that only a very small percentage of garden insects are pests and use pesticides only when necessary.

8. Wear firs proudly -- Canaan, concolor, Fraser, Korean and Nikko fir for eastern Nebraska and concolor for western parts of the state.

9. Work from the ground up ... since healthy gardens start with healthy soil. Add topsoil or compost if soils, like most Nebraska soils, are heavy in clay, alkaline or low in organic matter.

10. Teach kids about the birds and the bees, and attract them to the yard with a diversity of perennials, shrubs and trees that will encourage wildlife and pollinators like birds, butterflies and insects. Leave unmowed areas for play and imagination and leave children spots of their own to dig, plant, build and play, include native plants and plants with interesting scents, textures, colors and smells.



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The home garden: spending more, enjoying it longer - Trentonian

Posted: 17 Aug 2009 08:40 AM PDT

By KIM COOK
For The Associated Press

Click to enlarge

This product image released by Arizona Pottery shows square poly resin planters with pine tree motif. The pair retail for $144. They are crack proof, Anti-Shock, weather proof and will never fade like typical plastic pottery. (AP Photo/Arizona Pottery)

Retail may be in a drought, but for many garden supply stores, it's been a green season in more ways than one.

We're paying a lot more attention to beautifying our own backyards, perhaps because we're traveling less. Americans are spending about 20 percent more than last year on planters, benches and outdoor accessories, according to online sales tracker CSN.

That's what often happens during a recession, apparently. Sharon Acocella, manager of Tony's Nurseries in Larchmont, N.Y., remembers her old boss saying years ago, "Economy's doing badly; we'd better buy heavy." She reports that while there's been a falloff in some categories — notably statuary and fancier items — there has been vigorous activity on other fronts.

"Blue and black glazed pots are more popular than ever," she says. "We've re-ordered those, and many of our square and rectangular containers, too."

Next door at Larchmont Nurseries, Gloria DeMatas and Donna Bianco echo the positive assessment. They've done well with wind chimes, window boxes and pottery. "We've sold lots of cobalt blue pots. They're so eye-catching; they stand out nicely in the garden, and all flowers look beautiful in a blue pot," says DeMatas.

Birdbaths are another brisk seller.

"Right now, people are enjoying staying at home," Bianco says. "Inside and out, they want to surround themselves with things that make them happy."

People investing the last of their discretionary cash in their gardens probably want to enjoy them beyond the summer.

Pam Brooks, president of online retrailer Arizona Pottery, likes the durability of polyresin planters, which resist the stresses of freeze and thaw and are conveniently lightweight.

"They're crack-proof, weather-proof, and will never fade like plastic," Brooks says.

A wide palette of hues, and styles ranging from classical to modern, make these a versatile choice.

For something a little different, Brooks suggests Vietnamese river clay pots, known for weather hardiness.

Terra cotta is often rejected by consumers as delicate, but Brooks says "clay's a natural material that, more than any other, creates a perfect ecological environment." Plant roots maintain an even temperature in clay, which absorbs excess moisture. But the pots can dry out, and do need to be protected in winter.

Try painting the pots inside and out with an insulating liquid resin. And make sure your plantings are well "crocked" by adding a bottom layer of pebbles or broken pottery for drainage. Set saucered containers on pot feet and keep watering whenever the soil feels dry. Move potted perennials to a sheltered spot when the harsher weather arrives.

Firebowls and pits are increasingly popular in colder climes. Tabletop and floor model propane-fed heaters, long popular in the Southwest, have found a wider audience. There are many versions of the firepit, some incorporating a coffee table or at least a ledge to support a smores stick.

For something more unusual, consider the chimenea, or chimneyed outdoor oven; it serves well in the wind, and channels any excess smoke skyward. Online retailer Teak, Wicker and More has some attractive cast-iron designs, while FirePitsCentral has a huge range of bowls and heaters.

There are other intriguing garden accents sturdy enough to take on the elements. Target's copper rain chain, an Asian garden fixture, channels runoff down its links from the edge of a structure. Temple bells or laminated wood wind chimes provide soothing tones when the weather turns gloomy.

Target's also got stepping stones made of recycled plastic or frost-resistant cast concrete, to mark a path in style.

Nestle one of Chiasso's stainless steel spheres amongst the greenery and watch how the light plays.

And finally, Castart Studios in British Columbia makes a collection of yukima-gata, or snow-viewing lanterns, which would be lovely in a winter landscape.

Sourcebook:

www.chiasso.com - stainless steel reflecting spheres, $18-$68

www.target.com - SmartStones recycled plastic gray step stones, set of 3, $29.99; Gothic Quartrefoil Stepstone cast concrete, $19.90; copper double link rainchain, $69.99; Temple Bells windchime, $29.99; Amazing Grace laminated wood windchime, $34.99

www.castartstudios.com - Greenman cast face, slate benches, Yukima-gata lanterns, all available in several finishes. E-mail Web site for pricing.

www.arizonapottery.com - Vietnamese river clay pots, $173-$202; polyresin planters, set of 4, orange, green, chocolate and ochre, $254; square polyresin planter with pine tree motif, set of 2, $144

www.teakwickerandmore.com - Arctic cast iron leaf-style chimenea, $285

www.firepitscentraldotcom - Real Flame firestones, set of 3, $90; FireSense tabletop heater, $147; FireStone Naples black glass table and firepit, $999

 



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New York Knicks - Hartford Courant

Posted: 17 Aug 2009 03:49 PM PDT

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Vegetable Gardens Help Morale Grow - Wall Street Journal

Posted: 17 Aug 2009 05:01 PM PDT

By RAYMUND FLANDEZ

Some small companies seeking an extra benefit for their employees are turning to their backyard for inspiration: a vegetable garden.

After laying off an employee, cutting hours and discontinuing raises, Sheryl Woodhouse-Keese, owner of Twisted Limb Paperworks LLC in Bloomington, Ind., invested $600 last fall to create a 1,500-square-foot garden outside the recycled paper-products company's office. Now, her four employees can take home their pick of 10 herbs and 22 vegetables.

[Garden]Haberman

Fred Haberman with his son, Clayton, at his company's vegetable garden in Minneapolis.

"The garden really is a nice benefit, saving them on their food bills," said Ms. Woodhouse-Keese, who estimates the garden has meted out $2,400 in produce this season, from tomatoes to potatoes.

Employer-sponsored gardens can be a cheap and easy way to boost workers' morale, relate better to certain customers and expand a company's health and wellness program. It is unclear how many businesses have them, although the National Gardening Association projects a 19% increase in food gardening this year, as the recession motivates households to trim grocery lists.

For a small employer, a garden can encourage camaraderie among co-workers and become "a valuable asset the organization is offering," said Paul Teslak, a professor of organizational behavior and human resource management at the University of Maryland's Smith School of Business. It requires relatively few resources, can help in recruiting and differentiate a small business from its competitors, he said.

That has been the case for Haberman, a public relations and branding company in Minneapolis, which invested about $10,000 this year to set up a garden for its 30 employees. The company hires part-time help to tend the garden but its employees can work the soil and reap the benefits of beans and beets.

"It's creating that water-cooler effect," said Fred Haberman, the company's co-founder and chief executive. "People have a greater excitement [about] working at Haberman." The company has numerous clients in the organic-food industry, so time at the ranch also helps employees connect with them, he said.

For Lundberg Family Farms, a producer of rice products in Richvale, Calif., the two-year-old employee garden is part of the company's wellness program, which also includes health screenings, daily morning stretches and free flu shots. "We think that it's incumbent upon us to make our employees as healthy as we can," said Rhonda Turner, a human resources manager. "Employees that are healthier use their insurance less."

But it takes time and broad support from employees to make a garden live up to its potential.

Autumn Blum, chief executive of Organix-South Inc., of Bowling Green, Fla., learned that first-hand when an employee who took charge of the garden left the natural health-products company.

Weeds have sprouted. Her employees miscalculated planting time this summer season and had to pull rotting squash and tomatoes after three weeks of rain.

Ms. Blum has already invested about $1,000, and wants to continue the project, which started a year and a half ago. She's sought help from local gardening clubs. "We have to catch up and learn a little bit more," Ms. Blum said.

Write to Raymund Flandez at raymund.flandez@wsj.com

Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page B5


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Home Vandalized In Huber Heights - WHIO TV

Posted: 17 Aug 2009 03:35 PM PDT

Posted: 6:36 pm EDT August 17, 2009Updated: 7:16 pm EDT August 17, 2009

HUBER HEIGHTS, Ohio -- A family came home from a weekend get-away and found their house covered in paint, eggs, toilet paper and poison.

It happened in the 8900 block of Garden Gate Drive.

The family said they have already spent thousands of dollars on renovating their new home, and now they will have to spend thousands more to clean it up.

We have Satan signs on our garage, stuck paint in water balloons and threw them at the house, there is eggs on the house and windows, said Holly Comer, from Huber Heights.

Comer and her family think this stems from a neighborhood quarrel between kids and it has escalated to this point of destruction.

Comer said, My children are afraid of what happened and they are afraid to leave home or sleep by themselves due to all this.

Huber Heights police are investigating this crime and they need help of neighbors to find out who is doing this, and put an end to the vandalism and threats.

If you know anything you are asked to call Huber Heights police.

Copyright 2009 by WHIOTV.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.



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