A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
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by Melinda Myers Grow, harvest and season your holiday meals with fresh herbs grown indoors in a windowsill garden. Add to the experience by using potted herbs and a few holiday adornments to dress up the table. You and your family will enjoy snipping a few fresh herbal sprigs to season your meal to your own taste. Include herbs your family likes, those that complement your menu and are easy to grow indoors like basil, oregano, parsley, chives, thyme, and sage. Purchase plants so they will be...
by Melinda Myers Put fall leaves to work in your landscape. This valuable resource makes a great mulch in planting beds, adds organic matter and nutrients to the soil, provides habitat for many beneficial insects, and is insulation for ground-dwelling queen bumblebees, toads, and more. Leave any disease-free leaves in garden beds but pull them away from the trunks of trees and stems of shrubs. Mulch piles against trunks or stems create a moist environment that is more subject to rot and...
Residents of New England and southeastern Canada are dismayed by this year’s drab fall color display, an unfortunate result of funding cuts at USDA’s Plant-Pigmentation Program. Or at least I assume that’s what happened. Actually, it’s largely due to the abnormally wet season we’ve had. Frequent rains kept foliage damp for long periods, which set the stage for normally weak, opportunistic fungal pathogens to cop an attitude, and set up housekeeping inside leaves. High temperatures and humidity helped speed things along. Anthracnose sounds di...
by Melinda Myers More and more gardeners are adding native plants to their landscapes. These plants provide more than beautiful flowers for us to enjoy. They also support pollinators and other beneficial insects, and provide food and shelter for songbirds, toads, and other wildlife. In addition, these plants help protect and improve our soil and manage stormwater. The plants slow stormwater runoff and help direct it into the soil through pathways created by their deep roots to the groundwater...
by Melinda Myers Welcome spring and create continuous color for several months with a collection of spring-flowering bulbs. After planting in the fall, you'll enjoy an array of flower colors that combine nicely with other spring-flowering trees, shrubs, and flowers. Start the season with early blooming snowdrops. As winter fades watch for the dangling white flowers on six- to ten-inch-tall plants. Include these small flowers in rock gardens, mixed borders, and informal landscapes in sunny and...
When I was younger, an old-time arborist I knew used to say “The best time to prune trees is when the tools are sharp.” This guy was beset with shoulder injuries and knee problems because he also believed “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Sadly, both of these old saws are dangerous lies. Although tree-care companies have year-round expenses and need income in all seasons, a truly professional arborist knows there are two times of the year when pruning should be avoided. Late spring between bud-break and full leaf-out is one period...
More than 6 million Americans receive earned benefits for military service - including disability compensation, education benefits, caregiver assistance, burial benefits and more. It is critical for spouses and caregivers to know how veterans’ benefits are accessed and what could happen when or if a veteran dies. Consider this scenario. A veteran has not told his spouse much about his veteran’s benefits. The veteran dies suddenly. His spouse grieves and plans a funeral, which she pays for out of pocket. The $2,500 tax-free payment from the VA f...
By Melinda Myers. It creeps along the ground covering the soil surface with its leaves. Then it climbs any stem, plant or upright structure it contacts by winding its twining stems around and over its victim. The culprit is field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) and as you may have discovered it is one of the most persistent and difficult weeds to control. It is native to Eurasia but is now found throughout the world and is believed to have arrived here on contaminated farm and garden seeds....
From Our Entire Family: As we come together to remember and honor the life of our Brother Brian, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks for the outpouring of support we’ve received. Your presence at the service, kind messages, donations, and willingness to lend a helping hand have touched our hearts in ways words cannot convey. Your thoughtfulness has given us strength and unity during this time of sorrow. Brian was a friend to many people, and he was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone. His visits will surely be missed by all. H...
by Melinda Myers There never seems to be enough room for all the plants you want to grow. If space allows, create new garden beds to expand your planting space and increase the beauty of your landscape. Start by evaluating your current landscape design and plantings. Perhaps, expanding an existing garden bed or connecting two smaller beds is a better option than creating a whole new garden. No matter the option selected, start by laying out the planned expansion or new bed. Always start by...
Ohiarihko:wa/July 26, 2024 Dear Akwesasne Community, It has now officially been determined that the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (MCA) 2024 General Election results have been set aside, and a new election will be held. The details and dates will be forthcoming but for now, I am sharing what we have learned through the appeals process and multiple internal reviews. First, as the Executive Director (ED) of the MCA, I am extending my deepest apologies on behalf of our organization for the confusion and short...
By Doug George-Kanentiio The Native North American Travelling College is celebrating its 50th year as a formal entity. It has long served the Akwesasne community by sponsoring many artists and teachers over the past five decades while giving visitors and students from the northeast insights into the culture and history of Indigenous peoples. In the spring of 1974, the founder of what was then the North American Indian Travelling College, the late Ernie Benedict, passed on the duties of directing the College to his daughter Salli Benedict, a stu...
by Melinda Myers Another summer of above-normal summer temperatures in much of the country may be taking its toll on your vegetable gardens. Temperature extremes can interfere with flowering and fruit set, resulting in poor flowering, blossom drop, and a lack of or misshapen fruit on tomatoes, peppers, squash, and more. The impact of temperature on plants depends on the stage of the plant’s development. Plants ready to flower or developing fruit during times of optimum temperatures will be fine but plants that are ready to flower or develop f...
by Melinda Myers Low in calories and versatile, cucumbers can flavor beverages, perk up a salad, served as a snack, or made into pickles. This popular vegetable is a good source of fiber, potassium, and vitamin K. Plus, they have a high water content, making them a mild diuretic to help in weight loss and reduce blood pressure. To ensure the best flavor and greatest nutritional value, grow your own or purchase cucumbers fresh from the farmer's market. Harvest cucumbers or purchase them based on...
by Melinda Myers You can double the benefit of every gardening task while keeping your garden looking its best. You'll reduce your workload, help your landscape flourish, and have more time to enjoy its beauty. Don't spend time and energy bagging and hauling landscape trimmings to the recycling center. Put it to work in your garden. Use shredded leaves, evergreen needles, herbicide-free grass clippings, or other pest- and weed-free organic material as mulch. Spread a one-to-two-inch layer of these materials over the soil around annual and...
by Melinda Myers No matter the weather, weeds seem to thrive and reproduce, and if left unchecked, they can overwhelm the garden and gardener. These unwanted plants find their way into your garden as seeds, roots, rhizomes, or whole plants. Seeds can be carried in by the wind, birds, and other animals, or on the soles of shoes. Roots, rhizomes, and even plants hitch a ride in the soil or with plants that we move into the garden. Start early managing weeds in your garden. Smaller weeds are easier to pull and removing them before they flower and...
By Isaac White As I sit down to pen this piece, it's with a heavy heart that I share the critical state of the Indian Time Newspaper, a cornerstone of our Akwesasne community. For over 42 years, we've stood as a beacon of news, culture, and voice for our people, a testament to the strength and resilience of our community. But today, we face an existential threat, not from external forces, but from an internal crisis of sustainability. Despite the herculean efforts of a devoted part-time staff, our newspaper is teetering on the brink of closure...
by Melinda Myers Have fun growing some delicious and nutritious microgreens on your kitchen counter, in a sunny window, or under lights any time of the year. In as little as a week to ten days you'll be making your first harvest to use as a garnish, snack, or add to your favorite sandwich or salad. Simply purchase seeds of lettuce, greens, mustard, radishes, beets, peas, and even sunflowers. Buy organic seeds or those labeled for sprouting or use as microgreens to ensure they have not been...
By Doug George-Kanentiio. Akwesasne has a long history of inclusion from the relocation of the Massachusetts born Tarbell brothers in the 1750's to the current population which includes Natives from many nations: Navajo, Onondaga, Anishinaabe, and many others. The area has long sustained a Native presence for many thousands of years. The Mohawks took advantage of the natural beauty and its wealth of natural resources from the vast forests of pine, oak and maple to the best fishing grounds in the northeast part of the continent. Given its...
by Melinda Myers Expand your planting space, grow a living screen, or add vertical interest to your garden beds. Train vines up a decorative support, onto a fence, or allow them to climb a trellis set in front of a wall or structure. Pole beans, peas, Malabar spinach, cucumbers, melons, and squash are all edible candidates for growing vertically. Training these vegetables up a support saves space in the garden. Plus, the increase in light and airflow through vertically trained plants helps...
by Melinda Myers Boost the flavor and beauty of your landscape by adding a few ornamental edible plants to your garden beds and containers. Look for opportunities to substitute ornamental vegetables, fruit, herbs, and edible flowers for ornamental but nonedible plants. A hanging basket of semi-determinate tomatoes like Lizzano and Torenzo or Pot-a-Peno peppers can dress up a deck or porch and keep the harvest within reach. Peppers like Quickfire and Cayenetta hot peppers, and sweet ones like...
After so many months of winter whiteness, it’s a relief to watch the snow recede at last. We’re always grateful for the spring melt, even though the loss of snow cover gives way to a mostly brown world: brown grass, sand everywhere along the roads, and brown needles under the pines. Not to mention the brown leaves we missed last fall, and maybe the dog poop that had built up, mercifully hidden under the snow. The few sepia-toned weeks after the white stuff disappears, but before trees and grass wake up, can be visually bleak. That’s proba...
by Melinda Myers Have fun and enjoy picking fresh fruit right outside your door thanks to compact varieties you can grow in containers. Just clear some space on your patio, deck, balcony, or front steps that receives at least six hours of sunlight and get busy planting. Consider starting with strawberries. They provide seasonal interest with their white flowers, red berries, and brilliant fall color. Day-neutral and everbearing strawberries produce fruit throughout the summer and grow well in...
by Melinda Myers Make some room in your garden or containers for the new All-America Selections 2024 National award-winning plants. These winning varieties are tested in trial gardens across the United States and Canada. Volunteer judges rate entries based on their improved performance, flavor, disease resistance, and other unique qualities related to their performance in gardens and containers. Celosia burning embers was selected for its bronze foliage with dark pink veins that contrasts with i...
by Melinda Myers Add a warm, cozy feel to this year's gardens with the 2024 Pantone Color of the Year, Peach Fuzz. It was selected for generating a feeling of kindness and tenderness and encouraging sharing, community, and collaboration. Consider including this color in your garden to convey these emotions or as a good excuse to add more plants to your landscape. This is the 25th year the Pantone Color Institute has selected a color that reflects the spirit of the times. These are colors you are...
