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July Programs
There will be no First Tuesday Lecture in July – call it a “holiday break” if you’d like and enjoy yourself! However, we’ll make up for it with a Columbia River film on July 18th, a climate change program on July 28th and a 6-day energy-efficient building program in August! Read more below. |
1) Film “Source to Sea: The Columbia River Swim”
Wednesday, July 18th, 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at the Mazama Community Center (after the farmer's market).
Christopher Swain's epic swim of the entire Columbia River was a remarkable accomplishment – 1,243  miles from the headwaters in Canada to the Pacific Ocean! This award-winning film documents that swim, as well as many of the environmental issues that brought Swain to make the swim and that he hoped to draw attention to during his many months on the river. The film presents an educational yet often humorous and entertaining look at the history of the Columbia, and the many changes and consequences that result from our treatment and use of it.
Open to everyone. Donations for the filmmaker and Swain’s cause will be accepted. For more information contact Mary by email or at 996-2870.
2) Climate Change Program with guest speakers Dr. Richard Gammon, Dr. Dune Ives and more
Saturday, July 28th, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at the Twisp Grange
Join Dr. Dune Ives, a valley resident who is a trained member of Al Gore's “The Climate Project” (www.theclimateproject.org), and Dr. Richard Gammon, a University of Washington Professor of climate science, for a discussion of global climate change, local indicators and solutions. Together, they'll present the latest findings from the 4th report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and share how the Pacific Northwest climate has and is expected to change as a result of global warming trends. In addition, learn what is happening at the state and federal level and what we can do as individuals and communities to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of our changing climate. Co-Sponsored by the Methow Conservancy & Partnership for a Sustainable Methow.
3) Building Green & Remodeling in the Methow: A series on Sustainable Home Design
Friday, Aug. 3rd – Wednesday, Aug. 8th
Come to one or more programs in a free series on green building and remodeling in the Methow for home  owners, builders, architects, subcontractors and the general public! Co-Sponsored by the Methow Conservancy & Partnership for a Sustainable Methow. Led by internationally renowned architect, Kelly Lerner, and using the home of Dune Ives and Erik Froyd on the East County Road as a case study, the series offers technical insights and practical know-how on incorporating green and energy efficiency principles into homes and buildings. Topics include: solar hot water heating, passive solar design, net zero energy, photovoltaics, strawbale building and energy efficiency strategies.
Two Lecture & Discussion Programs
Green Building Intro Presentation
Friday, Aug. 3rd: 6:00 – 8:00 pm, Local 98856 greenhouse
Kelly Lerner, an internationally recognized Spokane-based green building architect, will share details on green building and remodeling, net zero energy, and straw bale building.
Green Building/Remodeling Conclusion
Wednesday, August 8th: 6:00 – 8:00 pm, 620 East County Road
This presentation and discussion will address the systems, challenges, and decisions made for the Ives/Froyd home and discuss how green building fits into the larger picture of sustainable building and living in the Methow Valley.
Two Hands-On Lessons & Demonstrations
Both are free but registration is requested by August 1st. Contact Dune at 996-9849 or duneives@hotmail.com to register. Some food provided; bring a lunch.
Straw Bale Demo & Work Party
Saturday & Sunday, Aug. 4th & 5th: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, 620 East Co. Rd.
Work with others in small teams to learn how to build straw bale walls at the Ives/Froyd home.
Stucco Lesson for Windows & Doors
Monday & Tuesday, August 6th & 7th: 8:00 am– 5:00 pm, 620 East Co. Rd.
Learn how to prepare window and door openings with lath prior to plastering.
For more details, click here or contact Mary by email or at 996-2870.
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Here We Are
With Eric and Emily on board, we figured it was time for a new staff photo.
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From our office garden, here we all are: (Left to right, standing): Steve Bondi, Jason Paulsen, Eric Bard and John Sunderland. (Sitting): Sarah Brooks, Dawn Woodruff, Emily Chenel, Mary Kiesau and Joy Schwab. |
Weed Messengers
First off, come visit our Weed and Native Plant Education Table at the Farmer’s Market in Twisp during the four Saturdays in July! We’ll take your questions, successful stories, weed war stories and share what advice we can. We’ll also have both our Good Neighbor and Restoring Shrub-Steppe Handbooks freely available, so come by and say hello.
Secondly, we’ve heard from several of you who received a letter from the Okanogan County Weed Board recently. Here are some thoughts and tips from our Stewardship Director, Steve Bondi:
The Okanogan County Weed Control Board sent “Notification Letters” recently to landowners with weed issues on their land. The letters reflect observations made by the Board’s field inspectors during the months of May and June, describe the responsibilities of landowners for weed control, and outline the potential penalties for non-compliance. Weed control in Okanogan County is serious business and all landowners, with or without a weed problem, have a role to play.
According to their website (http://okanogancounty.org/nw/index.htm), the Okanogan County Weed Control Board “promotes the control of noxious weeds, increases public awareness, and educates private, state, county and federal entities.” The Weed Board puts weeds into defined classes, including:
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Class A: Eradication of these weeds is mandatory as per State law.
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Class B Designate: These require prevention of seed set in a single year. The most common local Class B Designate is dalmation toadflax.
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Class B/C Reduction/Designate: Weeds in this category are too widespread to be controlled or eradicated and thus reduction of seed production is encouraged but not required. Diffuse knapweed, Russian knapweed, houndstongue, St. Johnswort, yellow toadflax, and whitetop/hoary cress are the most common local Class B/C Reduction weeds while Class B/C Suppression weeds include baby’s breath, Russian thistle, mullein, kochia, and Canada thistle
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New Invaders: These are noxious weeds that have not been recognized by the State Weed Board as being a Class A Weed, that are new and/or established in Okanogan County, which pose a very serious threat. The County Weed Board reserves the right to mandate control. Yellow starthistle and rush skeleton weed are two New Invaders found in the Methow Valley.
Landowners are encouraged to become aware of these weed species because without awareness, landowners cannot even start control weeds. From awareness, comes the need to develop a weed management plan. A management plan will help develop goals, identify the extent of weed populations, and provide an integrated approach to managing them. Implementing the plan through annual targeted actions and monitoring will help the landowner meet their goals.
The Weed Board is available by phone (509-422-7165) to answer any questions landowners might have. The Methow Conservancy Stewardship Program is also available to help landowners explore their options for weed control and, in the bigger picture, to create conditions for desirable plants to thrive. Both entities encourage landowners to recognize that weed control is a means to an end, not the end itself.
Contact our Stewardship Program if you have more questions. |
News from Other Organizations
Join Classroom in Bloom for their “Summer Garden Series.”
The Summer Garden Series has started but you can still attend the remaining workshops. Here’s the scoop:
Classes meet the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month starting June 27 from 6:30-8:30 pm at the Classroom in Bloom garden on the campus of Liberty Bell High School. Learn skills to use in your own garden while working to help maintain the schoolyard garden! A master gardener will teach a specific lesson each week followed by some group activity in the garden. Contact Lexi Koch at 997-0664 for more info.
June 27: Permaculture - Michael Pilarski
July 11: Composting - Maeyowa will give an introduction to home scale composting. Learn how to turn the waste from your kitchen and yard into soil enriching compost.
July 25: Disease Identification - Theresa Miller will help you learn about different diseases that you may be seeing in your own garden. She will offer solutions to these problems through an organic agriculture lens.
August 8: Soil Fertility - Alexa Spivy
August 23: Pests & Beneficials - Helen Buzenberg |
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Events
Below, you'll find announcements about events or publications (ours and those of other organizations) that we think you might find interesting.
July 7th: PSM program - Turn Your Weeds and Lawn into Gardens Through Permaculture, 9:00 am – noon, 248 Corral St, Winthrop. Led by gardene, Kathy Carney. Directions: from Winthrop: At stop sign, head east up Pool Hall Hill until end. Take a right onto Bluff St. Take a right onto Corral Street. House will be on east side of road. Contact the Partnership for a Sustainable Methow at 997-1050 or info@sustainablemethow.net.
July 18th: Film “Source to Sea: The Columbia River Swim”
7:30 – 9:00 at the Mazama Community Center (after the farmer's market). This award-winning film documents Christopher Swain’s 1,243 mile swim for clean water, as well as a fascinating look at the people who know and use the river, its history and our treatment of it. See above for more details.
July 28th: Climate Change Program with guest speakers Dr. Richard Gammon and Dr. Dune Ives for a discussion of global climate change, local indicators and solutions. See above for more details.
August 3rd – 8th: Sustainable Home Design Series: Green Building & Remodeling in the Methow. Led by internationally renowned architect, Kelly Lerner, and using the home of Dune Ives and Erik Froyd as a case study, the series offers technical insights and practical know-how on incorporating green and energy efficiency principles into homes and buildings. See above for more details.
September 29th: Fourth Annual Cider Squeeze
Join us and meet friends new and old at our annual celebration of harvest season and conservation. Make apple cider with a historic press, and enjoy food, music, and kid’s activities at the Sabold's house here in Winthrop. Start saving your jugs for cider now!
October 2nd: Fourth Annual Methow Mixer (7:00 - 8:30 p.m.) at the Seattle REI. If you live on the "Westside" of the mountains, but have a special place in your heart for the Methow, please mark your calendars now for this unusual event. We will bring a bit of the Methow with us to the downtown Seattle REI store for this evening of friendship and learning about our conservation efforts.
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