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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.