Newspaper Page Text
December 31, 2008
PAGE 3B
w
Monroe County Outdoors
Resolutions for the new year
I f you are like me, you be
gin the new year by mak
ing a list of New Year’s
resolutions, I would like
to offer 10 sugges
tions for resolutions to
add to your list. While
most New Year’s resolu
tions typically center
around ways to improve
ourselves, these resolu
tions focus on enhancing
your backyard for you
and your family as well
as your wildlife neigh
bors.
Erect a nesting
box - Many
species of birds
that inhabit our
backyards nest in
tree cavities.
There are rarely enough of
these natural cavities to
supply the needs of all the
animals that need them.
You can help alleviate this
housing shortage by erect
ing a nest box or two in
your yard. If you want to
put up a box with blue
birds in mind, that’s fine
but don’t forget that other
birds such as Carolina
chickadees, tufted titmice,
brown-headed nuthatches
and even screech owls also
need places to nest and
roost.
Provide a source of water
in your backyard - Water
is often in short supply in
most urban/suburban
neighborhoods. In fact, as
far as many species of
wildlife are concerned,
many urban/suburban
neighbors are veritable
deserts. Believe it or not,
you actually attract more
species of wildlife to your
yard with water than food.
You can help remedy this
problem by adding and
maintaining a water
source to your property.
Begin Feeding Birds - If
you don’t
feed birds
in your
backyard,
you are
missing a
real treat.
The birds
attracted
to feeders
will pro
vide you
and
your
family
the
opportu
nity to closely observe the
beauty of behavior of birds
from the comfort of your
home. Begin by purchasing
a small, inexpensive seed
feeder. Fill it with a quali
ty seed mix and wait for
the diners to arrive. The
best seed mixes contain
high percentages of white
millet and black oil-type
sunflower seeds. These
two seeds attract more dif
ferent kinds of seed-eating
birds than anything else.
Plant for Butterflies -
Butterflies have been
described as flying flowers.
If you would like to attract
more of these aerial beau
ties to your yard, you
must provide them with
both nectar and plants on
which to lay their eggs and
provide food for their
caterpillars. Most butter
flies will not lay their eggs
just anywhere. They the
caterpillars will die until
they have just the right
plants. Planting a stand of
bronze fennel is a good
way to start. The fennel is
the host plant for the black
swallowtail. Couple this
with setting out a couple of
butterfly bushes. Since
butteflies aren’t picky on
where the obtain nectar,
the butterfly bushes will
produce blossoms that will
provide nectar for scors of
different butterflies, moths
and other nectar feeders
throughout the summer.
Plant a Tree for Wildlife -
There are scores of trees
that are beautiful and pro
vide food for wildlife and
humans alike. The crabap-
ple is an excellent example
of such a tree, it erupts in
a profusion of showy
blooms in the spring that
attract countless butter
flies, moths and other
insects. Birds will even
feed on the showy petals.
Later in the year the tasty
fruit that can be used to
make jams, and jellies.
The small fruit are also
gobbled up by hungry birds
and other wildlife. If you
rally want to help your
wildlife neighbors, select a
variety that retains its
fruit well into the winter.
Adorn a Fence or Arbor
with Trumpet Creeper
Vines - Trumpet creeper
vines will enhance any
fence or arbor. This native
vine grows quickly,
requires little water, and
produces a bounty of large
orange, trumpet-shaped
flowers throughout the
summer. The flowers are
visited by butterflies such
as cloudless sulphur but
terflies and birds such as
the ruby-throated hum
mingbird.
Buy a Field Guide -
There is no better way to
heighten your enjoyment of
the natural world than
being able to identify your
wildlife neighbors. A field
guide that covers the kinds
of wildlife you are interest
ed in is a great investment.
When possible, purchase a
guide that covers just
those plants and animals
found locally. This will
make figuring out what
you are looking at lot sim
pler.
Learn All You Can About
Wild Plants and Animals
in Monroe County - The
best source of information
about the treasure trove of
wildlife plants and animals
that inhabit Monroe
County is The Reporter. If
you don’t want to miss a
single issue, subscribe to
Monroe County’s home
grown newspaper today.
Spend Time Outdoors
With Your Children and
Grandchildren - One of the
most valuable things that
you can instill in young
sters is a sense of wonder
of the natural world. In
this day in time, kids
spend far more time in
from of a computer moni
tor or television that out
doors. As such, they harbor
little appreciation or
understanding of the
importance of the natural
world to our own quality of
life. One of the very best
ways to address this prob
lem is spending as much
time outdoors with your
children or grandchildren
as possible. There is no
better place to teach them
about the wonders of the
natural world than your
backyard. There is limit
less number of outdoor
adventures and discoveries
than can be enjoyed just
outside your backdoor. All
they need to set out on a
journey of discovery that
will last for a lifetime is an
enthusiastic guide such as
yourself.
I hope that you will add a
few of these suggestions to
you list of New Year’s reso
lutions. While they may
not help make you a better
person, they can help you
make your community a
better place to live. Happy
New Year!
Terry Johnson is the
retired Program Manager
of the Georgia Nongame-
Endangered Wildlife
Program. He is currently
Executive Director of
TERN (The Nongame
Wildlife Section's Friends
Group) and conducts
wildlife research and sur
vey projects, presents pro
grams and writes about
wildlife. Email him at
TJWoodDuck@aol. com.
Monroe County Farm Bureau
reconized among top programs
R&C Day Care
-4810 Boxankle Rd
(In High Falls)
478-994-8364
Perfect for after school children
Drop-ins welcome too!
Breakfast Lunch Snacks
Drug Free Facility
8 State Certified
OPEN
6:00 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
6 weeks up
to 12 years old
Owned <5 Operated bp Ralph <5 Cathie Leaning
'You know Cathie - She's the Tax Lady"
Main Street Outfitters
Monroe County Farm Bureau President Jim Ham (left) accepts a gift from Geor
gia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall in recognition of the county being
named a finalist for the GFB McKemie Award.
The Monroe County Farm Bureau (MCFB)
was recognized as one of the top county
Farm Bureau programs in the state during
the 70th Annual Georgia Farm Bureau
Convention held Dec. 7-9, on Jekyll Island.
The county chapter was named a finalist for
the prestigious McKemie Award, the highest
honor that a county Farm Bureau in the
state can receive, in recognition of the activi
ties it sponsored during the past year to pro
mote agriculture. MCFB was one of eight
county Farm Bureaus to be recognized as a
finalist in the 1,801 to 3,000-member catego
ry. Jim Ham is president of the Monroe
County Farm Bureau.
Founded in 1937, Georgia Farm Bureau is
the state’s largest general farm organization.
The organization has 158 county offices. Its
volunteer members actively participate in
local, district and state activities that pro
mote agriculture awareness to their non
farming neighbors. GFB also has 20 com
modity advisory
committees
that give the
organization
input on issues
pertinent to the
major commodi
ties grown in
Georgia.
14 E Main St
Forsyth, GA
(Across from the Monroe County Bank)
478-994-2999
20°/o Off
FRI. JAN. 2 8c SAT. JAN. 3
Closed New Year’s Day
Carl&rtt
Hard at work since 1889.
We are a family owned
& operated buisness!
Open:Mon-Fr 10am-6pmSat 10am-2pm
Happy
JJewYear!
6
Ham re-elected to Farm Bureau board
:ct«
Celebrate \
Party Favot&3&I
r —
(& • *• (^N
(ration
Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) members
in the organization’s 5th District recently
re-elected Jim Ham of Monroe County to
represent the district on the Georgia
Farm Bureau Board of Directors. The
election was held Dec. 9, during the 70th
Annual Georgia Farm Bureau Convention
on Jekyll Island. The GFB 5th District is
comprised of 17 counties. Ralph Adamson
of Lamar County also serves as a GFB
director for the district.
Ham, who raises cattle, timber and hay,
has served on the Monroe County Farm
Bureau Board of Director for 16 years
and currently serves as president of the
organization. In addition to his Farm
Bureau leadership, Ham has served as
president of the Georgia Association of
Conservation District Supervisors, has
served on the Georgia Resource
Conservation and Development Council
Executive Board and as chairman of the
board of the Water Stewards, Inc. He has
served as a Monroe County
Commissioner since 1987 and is a past
president of the Association of County
Commissioners of Georgia. Ham and his
wife, Lydia, attend Mt. Zion United
Methodist Church. He has one stepson,
John Holland, and three grandchildren.
Founded in 1937, Georgia Farm Bureau
is the state’s largest general farm organi
zation. The organization has 158 county
offices. Its volunteer members actively
participate in local, district and state
activities that promote agriculture aware
ness to their non-farming neighbors. GFB
also has 20 commodity advisory commit
tees that give the organization input on
issues pertinent to the major commodities
grown in Georgia.
mers
IaJow Deriving
Muxed D rinks
4 \ r
hi £
HIGH FALLS
NASHVILLE SOUNDS
_ •a_. - —
FUN & ENTERTAINMENT
4 s
Located on High Falls Rd. Next to High Falls BBQ
Book your private parties for all your special
occasions. For more information call 478 994 6619
NOW OPEN on Sunday 3pm until closing.