Tuesday, June 24, 2014

June 24, 2014 Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter



These weekly garden notes are written by Kim Willis, unless another author is noted, and the opinions expressed in these notes are her opinions and do not represent any other individual, group or organizations opinions.
Evening Primrose, Oenothera missouriensis 

Hi Gardeners

I am so pleased that we got rain today.  Most of the rain last week passed us by.  As of 2 pm I had 8/10 of an inch which is good.  My pond is shrinking; some rain will do it and the garden good.

I noticed a few Eastern caterpillar tents this week, which seems a bit late.  I have not seen many tents this year so it must be an off year for them.  Rose chafer beetles and June beetles have also been light.  I have yet to see a Japanese beetle- I hope they all died last winter.  One thing I am having trouble with is potato beetles, they are stripping my plants, despite me picking them off.

I have only seen a few butterflies this year, and no Monarchs. I haven’t seen any Viceroy’s or Swallowtails either. I have seen some huge dragonflies however.  Baby toads and frogs are starting to come out of the pond.

My perennials are having a lull right now, except for the shrub roses I have little in bloom, although the daylilies are beginning to open.  Thank goodness for annuals which keep up the color show.  My yellow Evening Primroses are in bloom though and having a pretty year and since they are on my mind I added an article below on them.

I will have some sweet corn knee high by the fourth of July but I am disappointed by the germination rate this year.  I have some good sized tomatoes but they won’t be ripe as early as last year.

My raspberries are blooming and I hope I get more of them than I got strawberries or cherries this year.  The few cherries on the tree were gobbled by birds.  The chickens got most of the strawberries.  We have no pears this year but at least one apple tree has plenty of fruit. 

 Here are two more rose articles, these are on roses you might find growing wild.

Multiflora rose- Rosa multiflora

Like many other plants that are now nuisances the multiflora rose was once promoted by soil conservation districts as a good plant for living hedges, erosion control and for encouraging wildlife.  Unfortunately in many areas of the country it is now seen as a noxious invader, taking over acres of land if allowed.  If you have ever tried to walk through a patch of multiflora rose you’ll know its prickly stems can cause a lot of pain.

Multiflora rose
The multiflora rose is native to Asia and was first brought to this country as a rootstock to graft less hardy roses unto and for some limited ornamental use in the early 1800’s.  It was in the 1950’s to early 60’s that its widespread promotion as a conservation plant caused its proliferation across the country.  While it still has some good attributes its ability to spread by seed and by runners makes it a headache for many landowners.

Multiflora roses form an upright bush 6-10 feet all with arching branches  when growing in an open area.  It will also scramble up trees and buildings sometimes 16-20 feet in the air.  When the rose is blooming in June a tree covered in multiflora rose can be a pretty sight, but the vigorous vine can take a toll on tree health.

Multiflora roses send out suckers which grow into new plants and canes will also root if they arch over enough to touch the ground.  Soon one plant becomes an impenetrable thicket if it isn’t controlled.  The canes are covered with small, stiff thorns and one needs thick gloves to deal with the plants.  Trying to walk through a multiflora thicket is painful.   Goats will eat the canes but most cattle and horses avoid them.

Multiflora rose has typical rose compound leaves of small oval blades with serrated edges.  A distinguishing characteristic of the multiflora rose is a group of small whitish hairs called stipules which grow at the base of each leaf stem, just before its conjunction with the plant stem.

In June multiflora rose is covered with clusters of small white 5 petal flowers with gold stamens in the center.  The roses have a moderately strong rose scent.  Each flower turns into a tiny red rose hip that will persist all winter on the plant if the birds don’t eat them.  Birds do like the hips, which is a one reason this rose spreads so rapidly.  Deer will also pick the hips off the plant as high as they can reach.

Multiflora rose isn’t fussy about soil although it won’t grow in water logged swampy areas.  It likes full sun but can be seen growing in partly shaded locations.  It may die to the ground in a hard winter but will almost always return from the roots as it is extremely hardy. 

You can invite the multiflora rose into the garden if you religiously cut out suckers.  It is quite pretty in June when it blooms and the pleasant scent drifts a long ways.  After blooming trim it back hard to a pleasing shape.  It even be trimmed into that hedge it was once promoted to be.  If the rose does get out of hand frequent mowing or trimming of unwanted canes will cause the canes to die.  Some fertilizer in early spring will make slightly larger and more prolific flowers.

Do keep multiflora rose out of trees, especially those ornamental trees you favor.  It can ruin the looks of the tree and cause the tree stress from competition for light and water.  To keep multiflora rose out of pastures and other un wanted places frequent mowing or trimming off the canes is recommended. (Or get some goats.) Herbicides will also work, but cause more damage to the surrounding environment and creatures that might frequent the rose.

Prairie Rose

The Wild Rose or Prairie Rose, (Rosa setigera), is found blooming throughout Michigan in sunny but moist fields and along roadsides in late June and early July. It has a single layer of 5, rose-pink petals with golden centers and is quite an attractive plant. They have that delightful rose scent if you get up close but beware of the thorns.
Prairie Rose

Wild Rose bushes in good soil can grow up to 4 foot high and 4 foot across or they can scramble up fences or trees. When the rose flowers fade they leave behind small orange- red rose hips which are a favored food of birds and other wildlife. Wild rose hips are high in vitamin C and some people enjoy the tart taste of them as much as the birds do.

This rose is a native plant and is great to add to naturalized gardens.  It prefers to be moist but the soil should be well drained.  The rose leaves turn attractive shades of red and red-purple in the fall and the hips also add winter color.  The rose is hardy in zones 4-8.

Mowing and Ragweed

Detroit has hundreds of acres of vacant land.  It rejected the use of goats to clean up the weeds, another foolish move by their government, and they can’t afford to mow the vacant lots very often, sometimes once every two years. Detroit turned out to be the perfect location for a study on ragweed and its pollen done by the University of Michigan.

Ragweed
Researchers found that if you can’t keep an area mowed regularly, like at least once a month, then it’s better to not mow at all if you want to limit the growth of ragweed and the awful nuisance its pollen causes.  Ragweed grows best in disturbed areas without competition from trees and shrubs.  It will grow rapidly and dispense pollen in abundance in the first 2-3 years after property is abandoned but once trees and shrubs take over the ragweed fades.

This has implications for those outside the city who mow their land once a year to keep down the growth of trees and shrubs.  If you are also grazing animals on that property little increase in ragweed growth and subsequent pollen shedding will happen.  But if you aren’t grazing animals then you are making conditions ripe for a ragweed takeover.  Regular mowing, keeping the grass- or weeds- short, also limits ragweed.  Those who suffer greatly from ragweed pollen will need to make a choice between mowing and allowing their property to become wooded.

Nano particles- a threat to your health and the environment

Forget GMO modified food- there’s something happening to our food supply that’s scarier and probably more dangerous.  Nanoparticles are the new concern.  Nanoparticles are infinitesimally small pieces of elements or compounds, so small that ordinary microscopes can’t detect them.  They do occur naturally to a small extent- when something caramelizes in cooking nanoparticles form for instance.  But it’s the engineered nanoparticles that are of great concern.  Many nanoparticles are made from metals such as iron, zinc, silver and gold but some are from things like clay.

When they were first developed nanoparticles were used in things like electronics, sporting equipment, and fuel additives.  Then it was discovered that some nanoparticles like nano silver had antibiotic properties and they were used in food packaging, personal care items and cosmetics.  Nano technology and the number of things that nanoparticles were added to has proliferated greatly over the last few years.

Of great concern to some people is the food industries use of nanoparticles in common foods.  The FDA does not require disclosure of nanoparticles in food if the nano particles are from a product generally considered safe.  But here’s the problem with that.  Nanoparticles act differently than ordinary sized particles of the same element.  That’s why they were developed.  They have the ability to cross cell membranes and pass into organs and the blood.  Nanoparticles from cosmetics can be absorbed through the skin.  Some nanoparticles have antimicrobial action, or they disperse into mixtures and water more easily, or they form hard coatings, are a different color than the element they are made from, conduct electricity better and so on.

The fact is we just don’t know what nanoparticles that are ingested or absorbed through the skin might do to our bodies.  Little research has been done although money is now being directed into such research and some preliminary studies have been done.  Those studies indicate that there may be reason for concern, both for human health and the environment.   Nanoparticles that pass through our bodies and end up in waste treatment facilities can pass through ordinary filtration systems and end up in the ground and surface water.

A recent study published in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering found that nanoparticles in common “health” drinks penetrated the intestinal mucosa and changed the way the intestinal villa worked, leading to less efficient digestion and possibly diarrhea.  They found some of the particles also passed through the digestive tract and went into the environment.  Research needs to be done on how the “escaped” nanoparticles affect wildlife.

Earlier studies found that nanoparticles of zinc oxide, common in things like sunblock creams, damaged lung cells.  Silver nanoparticles, used in many products, damaged liver and brain cells in animals.  Silver nanoparticles are now listed as a pesticide.  Yet they remain common in food packaging.

One of the most common nanoparticles added to food and cosmetics is Titanium dioxide.  It gives many products that very white color.  Its effects on the human body haven’t been studied in depth and it’s found in a number of common products.  Iron, zinc, and silver nanoparticles are also found in foods and other nanoparticles are being added each year.

What food products have nanoparticles in them?

M&M candies, Hersey’s Bliss Chocolate, some flavors of Kool Aid,  non-dairy coffee creamers, any soy or rice milks,  powdered sugar toppings ( found on Dunkin doughnuts and Hostess Doughnettes), cheese “foods” such as Kraft American singles, Trident gum ( and other gums), and many “nutritional” drinks such as those for toddlers and seniors.  These are products that were tested and found to contain nanoparticles; probably many products go undisclosed because it doesn’t have to be listed on the label.  Unfortunately nanoparticles have been in many foods for over a decade.

Hundreds of food products have packaging with silver and other nanoparticles.  Cooking utensils are coated with nanoparticles. Beer bottles are lined with them.  No studies have been done by non-profit or government agencies to determine whether those particle can leach into food.  And these products do not have to be labeled with the fact they have nanoparticles.

Other products with nanoparticles

Many cosmetics, sunblocking creams, hand creams and lotions, bath scrubs, toothpastes, soaps, shampoos, first aid creams, deodorants, and shaving creams have nanoparticles.  Some countries are now banning the use of nanoparticles or “balls” made of nanoparticles in personal care products because a lot of the nanoparticles end up in the environment – particularly the water.  They may be damaging plants and wildlife and since some of them aren’t filtered out by normal water processing, humans may be consuming them in drinking water.

It may be hard to remove nanoparticles from your diet and we don’t know for a certainty whether there is any great harm done by them. It would be wise to avoid those food items we know have them.  We do know that engineered nanoparticles have the potential for harm and that we have not been guarding our food supply wisely in this case.  We need to step up testing of nanoparticles effects both on health and the environment.  It would be great if companies were required to list nanoparticles used in their products on the label, but don’t hold your breath.

Evening Primrose

There are several species of evening primroses, (Oenothera), that are native to North America and they are often listed in wildflower books.  But in Michigan the evening primrose tribe is most likely to be found in gardens  and so it will be listed here as a garden plant.  Most gardeners can grow the evening primroses; they are hardy to at least zone 4.  Domesticated evening primroses bloom over a long period and are very easy to grow.  They are often used as filler in perennial beds.

Showy Evening Primrose, Oenothera speciosa.
The name evening primrose is confusing, as common names can be, because Oenothera are not related to the true primrose family and many species stay open in the daytime as well.  Oenothera missouriensis is commonly called Sundrops or Missouri primrose.  It is a compact plant with 5 inch yellow flowers that stay open during the day.  The other evening primrose commonly found in Michigan gardens is the Showy evening primrose or Oenothera speciosa, which gets about 30 inches tall with pretty light pink flowers.

Two other varieties of evening primrose may turn up in gardens. The common evening primrose, Oenothera biennis, which is a rangy plant that can get up to 5 feet high in good conditions, has small yellow flowers that do open in the evening. The prairie evening primrose, Oenothera albicaulis, has white flowers.

The cutleaf evening primrose, ( Oenothera laciniata), is a weed of nursery pots and sometimes in fields.  It forms a rosette of lobed, deeply cut leaves with a prominent white vein.  It blooms close to the ground with yellow or reddish small flowers and is not a suitable garden subject.

Description of garden varieties

The leaves of most evening primrose are narrow ovals with a toothed edge.  Stems are reddish, with small hairs. Plants may branch near the top. Plants grow higher through the summer, putting out new clusters of flowers.

Evening primrose flowers open in clusters at the top of the plant.  Each flower has 4 petals and a slightly glossy look.  The showy evening primrose has darker pink veins on the light pink flowers. Flowers are lightly fragrant. The flower size ranges from 1-5 inches wide.

Care of evening primroses

Primroses thrive in dry sunny, places but will also grow in partial shade. They will grow even in poor soil, but it must be well drained.  Gardeners will generally buy plants but evening primroses can be started from seed. Seed actually germinates quite well outside, sow it in midsummer and it will bloom the second year. They are bi-annual or short lived perennials but will spread generously for you by seed.  Many gardeners get their evening primrose plants from other gardeners who need to thin them out after a few years.

Evening primroses are easy garden plants; they don’t require fertilization in all but the poorest soils and have few pests and diseases.  Taken alone they don’t make much of a statement in the border; they should be planted in generous groups.  Showy evening primrose in particular makes quite a show when planted in large drifts. If they are in a spot they like evening primroses will bloom for much of the summer. 

Occasionally the prolific evening primroses will be found where they have escaped the garden, usually in dry, sunny meadows.  In Michigan wild primroses are generally the yellow common evening primrose.  They are sometimes included in wildflower seed mixes.

Herbal use

Native American women chewed the seeds of common evening primrose for menstrual pain, PMS symptoms and other “woman” problems, including breast pain. The seeds are sometimes ground for herbal remedies.  In recent years the extracted oil of evening primrose seeds is being studied for a whole slew of reasons, pain relief and heart health are a few, and it is used in cosmetics for its supposed anti-aging properties.

Be careful using evening primrose oil as it can cause stomach upset and diarrhea and some people have serious allergic reactions to it.

It’s time to play in the rain, get out there and think young!

Kim Willis
 “He who has a garden and a library wants for nothing” ― Cicero

More Information

Identifying critter damage in the garden and landscape
Whether it’s your vegetable garden, flowers or woody ornamentals, when foliage, flowers or entire plants are missing, the big question is “Who did this?”
Posted on June 17, 2014 by Gretchen Voyle, Michigan State University Extension
  
If a gardener isn’t sure what pest is causing foliage, flowers or entire plants to go missing, time and effort can go into the wrong solution and the plant material keeps disappearing. The two divisions of pests for this article are vertebrates, such as deer, rabbits, woodchucks and chipmunks, and some kind of insect. It is important to realize that animal repellants will not repel insects. Insecticides almost never repel animals. Using the correct product is important. Try to figure out who your target is. Having a ten-power hand lens or magnifying glass can help you see more of what is really going on.

When looking at plant damage, think of the size of the animal. It is impossible for an animal to eat small holes in leaves or to just strip tissue away. An insect cannot consume entire leaves, veins and midrib included, but they can feed on plants at all heights. Animal damage above 3 feet high is often deer, but woodchucks can climb to eat leaves or fruit. Damage low to the ground can be any animal, and damage from insects and animals can occur overnight or during the day. These are the kinds of answers that Michigan State University Extension horticulture educators and Master Gardener hotline staffs give every day. Here is a quick look at some common problems.

Leaves
·         Small holes in the middle of leaves or edges chewed, and edges of hole are leaf-colored: Insects
·         Upper and lower leaf tissue removed, leaving just veins: Insects
·         Tan leaf with top and bottom intact, but no tissue in between top and bottom: Insect
·         Missing entire leaves with or without petiole, or connecting stem: Animal
·         Petiole of tree leaf cut or damaged and found on the ground, yet leaf is healthy: Insect
·         Missing parts of leaves, nothing left like leaf mid-vein: Animal
·         Hosta leaves removed to their stems: Usually deer
Needles
·         Tips of spruce new growth is cut off and on the ground in the spring: Squirrels
·         Ends of branches have needles partially removed or shoot is cut and on the ground: Deer
Entire plant
·         Small transplants or seedling cut off at almost ground level: Cutworms
·         Small, tender plants clipped off at ground level and missing: Animal
·         Newly planted bulbs dug up and pushed aside: Raccoon or skunk
Flowers
·         Missing entire flower and possibly stem: Animal
·         Flower bud and stem gone: Animal
·         Small, round, brown or black spots that look thin and dried out on mints and chrysanthemums: Insect
·         Small, ragged or rounded holes in petals: Insect
Garden vegetables
·         Tomatoes close to the ground have holes poked into them: Birds
·         Vegetables or fruit touching the ground are chewed into on bottom side: Slugs
·         Young green bean plants appear to be mowed down: Woodchucks
·         Squash and pumpkin leaves with gray, wilted areas and holes late in summer: Squash bugs
Animal damage can be handled two ways: a fence or netting can be put up to keep the animal or bird out, or a repellant can be used to discourage animal feeding, but repellants do not work on birds. There are many more repellants created for ornamental plants than food plants. Be sure to read the label.
For insect problems, insecticidal soap will work on soft-bodied insects like aphids, spider mites and caterpillars, but not on hard-shelled beetles. Call the MSU Extension Garden Hotline at 888-678-3464 for help with your insect or animal problems.
This article was published by Michigan State University Extension.


Events, classes and other offerings
Please let me know if there is any event or class that you would like to share with other gardeners.  These events are primarily in Michigan but if you are a reader from outside of Michigan and want to post an event I’ll be glad to do it.
Master Gardeners if you belong to an association that approves your hours please check with that association before assuming a class or work day will count as credit.
Do you have plants or seeds you would like to swap or share?  Post them here by emailing me at kimwillis151@gmail.com


New- The Decline of the Monarch Butterfly - Is this Species in Peril?, June 25, 2014 - 6 - 8 p.m. Northwestern Michigan College Scholars Hall 109 (Auditorium), Traverse City, MI
In recent years the population of the Monarch butterfly has decreased to a historically low level.  This program will cover all aspects of the Monarch, including its basic biology, life history, migrations, population trends, threats and possible actions for supporting the survival of the species.
The speaker will be Dr. Duke Elsner from Michigan State University Extension.
The program is free, but a $5 donation is suggested to help cover costs.
Contact: Jackie Baase, 231-946-1510, baase@msu.edu
 

New- Genesee County Master Gardeners 2014 Bus Trip - Open to the Public!! Thursday, July 17, 2014-  Please Park in the U of M parking lot on the corner of Robert T. and Saginaw in Flint.  Entrance to parking lot is on Robert T. (we will be leaving no later 8 am exactly, no refunds)


The tour will be to Brenda’s Butterfly habitat and Barson’s greenhouse (in Westland) and Matthaei Botanical gardens and Nichols Arboretum (In Ann Arbor)



Cost $60.00
(includes Lunch, snacks, water and fees)

Make Check Payable to: MGAGCM
Send to: P.O. Box 34, Flushing, MI. 48433

Please register no later than Monday, June 30, 2014
Contact person: Sabrina VanDyke at 810-407-0808

Schedule

9:00 a.m. 
Arrive at Barson’s Greenhouse approximately 
Presentation at Barson’s Greenhouse
Explore Brenda’s Butterfly Habitat

12:00 p.m.
Leave Barson Greenhouse

12:30 p.m. 
Arrive at Matthaei Botanical gardens and Nichols Arboretum

Picnic Lunch/ Dinner 

5:30 p.m.
Depart for home

Send the below information with the check - Thanks!!
NAME (s) 
PHONE # (cell phone if possible)

Contact person: Sabrina VanDyke at 810-407-0808

New - Michigan Ag Expo 2014- July 22, 2014 - July 24, 2014 Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

Ag Expo is Michigan’s largest outdoor agricultural show. With more than 250 vendors, demonstrations, educational sessions, and ride and drive equipment available, there is something for everyone. Admission to the show is free!
Visit the Ag Expo 2014 website for more information. http://agexpo.msu.edu/


The Busy Gardener-  June 24, 2014 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Oakland County Executive Office Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford, MI

Tips for the gardener who wants to make the best use of precious time and money. Janet will present ideas and answer questions to help you get your garden, shrub and lawn work done in the spring in ways that will make summer more relaxing and beautiful.  Cost $20. Contact Linda Smith, 248-858-0887, smithlin@oakgov.com

What is Popping in the Ponds?, Sunday, June 29, 2:00 pm Seven Ponds Nature Center, 3854 Crawford Road, Dryden, MI  (810) 796-3200

Wetland plants will be blooming and birds will be singing on our walk to see what is popping.

Build a Hypertufa Leaf Birdbath, Saturday, July 5, 10:00 am Seven Ponds Nature Center, 3854 Crawford Road, Dryden, MI  (810) 796-3200

A hypertufa birdbath nestled into a garden space will attract a myriad of bird species. In this class we will learn the process using a real leaf as a mold. Please bring a blanket to cradle your project on the way home and a bag lunch. Please call to preregister for this adult (12 and up) class. Fee $15.00 (members $12.00).


The Lapeer area Horticulture Society is looking for new members.  There are no education or experience requirements to join; only a love of gardening is needed.  The Horticulture Society meets the third Monday of each month for socializing, networking and a brief educational presentation.  Next meeting is at Swoish’s Greenhouse, North Branch, May 19th 6:30 pm.  Everyone is invited to join.  Dues are only $15 a year.  For more information on joining or meeting locations contact Bev Kobylas at bkobylas@yahoo.com

The 3rd Annual Michigan Honey Festival- Saturday, July 12, 2014 10am - 5pm at  The Harvey Kern Pavilion in Frankenmuth, Michigan.

Attend educational seminars and learn all you need to start beekeeping! Purchase all your beekeeping supplies from a variety of vendors.  Lots of Michigan honey for sale. Learn how to brew honey beer and mead and attend the many cooking with honey demonstrations.   There is a children’s craft area and a demonstration garden done by Master Gardeners.  Watch a bee beard demonstration.  There will be lots of interesting products to sample and buy made from honey or bee’s wax. 

This year’s festival is all indoors, so no weather worries.  Admission is $5 for adults, children 12 and under free.  More information ? http://www.michiganhoneyfestival.com/contact.html



Garden Day August 2, 2014, 8 am – 4:15 pm,  Michigan State University Department of Horticulture, East Lansing Mi.


MSU’s annual garden day is on Saturday this year.  The keynote speaker is Amy Stewart, author of Wicked Plants, Flower Confidential, and The Drunken Botanist and other books.  Ms Stewart is also the concluding speaker and you can also stay for a reception after the event where she will discuss the Drunken Botanist. You can choose from a number of excellent workshops/classes, 1 morning and 1 afternoon session. Classes include Herbal housekeeping, Best Herbaceous perennials, Creative Containers, Dividing Perennials, Herbs at Home, Pruning Basics, Gardening in the Shade, Unusual Trees and Shrubs, Creative Edge, and Going Native.

Cost of the event is $85 until July 22nd , $95 after.  Lunch and free parking included. Additional $39 for evening reception.  Go to hrt.msu.edu/garden-day-2014  for class descriptions and to register.


Newsletter information
If you would like to pass along a notice about an educational event or a volunteer opportunity please send me an email before Tuesday of each week and I will print it. Also if you have a comment or opinion you’d like to share, send it to me. Please state that you want to have the item published in my weekly notes. You must give your full name and what you say must be polite and not attack any individual. I am very open to ideas and opinions that don’t match mine but I do reserve the right to publish what I want.
Once again the opinions in this newsletter are mine and I do not represent any organization or business. I do not make any income from this newsletter. I write this because I love to share with other gardeners some of the things I come across in my research each week. It keeps me engaged with local people and horticulture. It’s a hobby, basically. I hope you enjoy it. If at any time you don’t wish to receive these emails just let me know. If you know anyone who would like to receive these emails have them send their email address to me.  KimWillis151@gmail.com





Tuesday, June 17, 2014

June 17, 2014 Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter



These weekly garden notes are written by Kim Willis, unless another author is noted, and the opinions expressed in these notes are her opinions and do not represent any other individual, group or organizations opinions.

Hi Gardeners

Mock Orange.
Oh it’s a scorcher today.  There is a chance for severe weather today and tomorrow so keep an eye on the sky or weather radio.  The whole week is supposed to be warm and unsettled. I am pleased to say that I had an inch of rain last week and it did wonders for the garden. 

The mock orange is blooming; most of my shrub roses and at least one clematis is in bloom.  Weigelas are in bloom.  Ox eye daisies and yellow rocket are coloring the roadsides. The peonies and poppies are fading however.

Garden produce is pouring into the farmers markets.  You should be able to find all sorts of greens, peas, green onions, radishes, baby beets, broccoli, and strawberries.  Some young yellow squash and zucchini are available and some cucumbers will shortly be ready. A few hoop house grown tomatoes may be available but if you see someone with lots of tomatoes, especially large tomatoes, it’s a good sign they weren’t grown locally.  Also suspicious are peppers, melons, grapes, raspberries, blueberries, and sweet corn.  

The problem with these crops is that Farmers Markets are meant to feature local foods, fresh foods.  If someone is trying to deceive you with these crops as being grown locally then they are probably deceiving you in other ways such as if the crops are organic or fresh or even what country it was grown in.  They buy these out of season crops in the same place supermarkets do- and if you want that stuff you might as well buy it in the supermarket where it will probably be cheaper.

Bob Tritton from MSU is reporting some unusual “collapsing” of apple trees this spring.  Trees show wilting branches and die back.  I have just such a tree, it is usually my heaviest bearing tree and it had no blooms this year.  It leafed out but lower branches are dying. Unfortunately he believes it is winter injury to the tree trunk and that the trees will completely die.  I will hope my tree survives but it doesn’t look healthy.  

The apple and cherry crop both look like they will be lighter than usual this year, in some places much lighter.  Peaches and plums are also having poor crops.  This is primarily due to winter damage.  Raspberry crops may be small until fall raspberries ripen.

A safe natural pesticide for Poison Ivy?

Gardeners hate poison ivy.  Once the plant invades your property it’s hard to get rid of without using lots of dangerous pesticides.  But leaving the plant alone risks a painful rash even if the plants oils just get on a garden tool.

Poison Ivy
When John Jelesko, a gardener and also a researcher at Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences got a nasty rash from poison ivy while gardening and decided to do some research on how to destroy the plant.  He and a colleague were trying to develop a strain of poison ivy for lab studies when some of their plants began dying of a fungal disease.  They isolated the fungus and found it to be Colletotrichum fioriniae, a fungal disease that was known to infect and kill some insect pests.

Jelesko found that when this fungus was sprinkled on poison ivy plants it killed them.  It causes plants to wilt, lose their chlorophyll and die in a few days. The fungus also keeps poison ivy seeds from germinating.  There is great hope that this fungus will soon be formulated into an all-natural granular product that can be sprinkled on poison ivy.  Let’s hope this product soon makes its way to stores near us!


Culinary Uses of the rose

Continuing the theme of roses this month is a discussion of using rose parts for foods.  When you consider using roses for food remember to use only roses that have not been treated with pesticides.  Avoid collecting rose hips or petals from roadsides because the plants may be contaminated with pesticides or heavy metals from pollution.

The hips or berries of roses have been used as food for thousands of years.  They can be eaten fresh or turned into jams and jellies.  They are fairly high in pectin, depending on the variety of rose you may not need to use jelling agents to get a good jelly or jam.  Follow a recipe for apple jelly and substitute rose hips.  Rose hips vary in size and sweetness depending on variety also.  Rose hips were also fermented for wine in Russia and Sweden.

Rose water has been used in cooking in the Middle East and India for hundreds if not thousands of years and is still used in many dishes.  Before vanilla became a common, affordable flavoring agent rose water was also used in European dishes. Marzipan was a rose flavored confection.   Rose water is used to flavor pastries, candies, milk products, and cold drinks.   The red coloring in rose petals was often used to tint foods pink. 

You can experiment by using rose water in many dishes.  Make sure you make your own rose water (see last week’s newsletter) or purchase food quality rose water.  Use rose water to flavor tea or lemonade.  You could make rose water ice cubes to drop in drinks. Use rose water in rice pudding, sherbet, yogurt, or ice cream.  Cookies and other pastries can have rose water added for a subtle floral taste.  Rose water has also been used as a substitute for red wine in cooking.


Rose petals can be thrown in salads or used as garnishes.  Use roses with a strong fragrance for best flavor. Slightly crushed rose petals can be layered with sugar and stored for a few days in the refrigerator.  Sift out the rose petals and the sugar will taste faintly of rose.  Use the sugar on cookies or in tea.   Rose petals can also be used to flavor butter.  Layer clean fresh rose petals with soft butter, layer of butter then one of overlapping rose petals, repeat,  and refrigerate overnight.  Remove and discard the petals before using the butter.  The butter can be used in cooking and baking or try the elegant tea sandwiches below.

Rose tea sandwiches

Cut bread into shapes, round, heart and so on with cookie cutters.  Butter the shapes with soft rose butter, then add a layer of fresh rose petals and top with a piece of cut bread.  Allow the fresh petals to peek out between the bread for a pretty look.   Serve at once or store in refrigerator, wrapped tightly, for a few hours.  I have heard of the sandwiches being sprinkled with pink tinted rose sugar.

White bread helps you stay healthy

You must have seen this coming.  Every food that has ever been dismissed as bad for us eventually gets something good said about it.   And now its white breads turn to see a little improvement in its image.   Research done in Spain and published last week in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that people who often ate white bread had higher levels of good gut microbes, Lactobacillus in their intestines. 

Exploring the gut microorganisms has led to some astounding findings on how they affect our health.  Many diseases and chronic conditions are being linked to the wrong kind or lack of microorganisms in our gut. This research also found that pectin from citrus fruits like oranges actually led to lower levers of good gut bacteria.  So skip the orange juice, eat the toast.

Eat some fat with your salad or lose the benefits

It’s the best time of the year for salads, with all kinds of vegetables and greens appearing in the garden and farmers market.  In fact it’s the only time of the year when you should eat salads, when everything is grown locally.  Vegetables have many nutritional bonuses for people in the form of vitamins and antioxidants such as carotenoids.   But here’s something you may not know.  Without adding some fat to that salad your body will absorb very few of those vitamins and healthy compounds. Your intestines won’t absorb the helpful nutrients from salad unless they are connected to fat molecules.  You are basically flushing away any benefits the salad had if you eat it without fat. 

That non-fat dressing you like to use won’t help your body pull nutrients from the vegetables and greens.  You would be better off just to skip the salad.  Instead research done at Purdue University and published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research shows that to obtain much benefit from vegetables and greens in salad you need to add the right kind of fat.  And the right kind of fat is saturated or mono-saturated fat not the poly-saturated fat found in most salad dressings.

Saturated fats will help you get the most from vegetables and greens and mono-saturated fats are a close second.  Saturated fats include butter, lard (bacon grease), coconut and palm oil.  Mono-saturated fats include olive, peanut, sunflower and sesame oils.  Poly-saturated fats don’t help as much as the first two categories and in addition there is now some research that these types of fats may be harmful, causing an increase in cancer, inflammation, obesity and diabetes.  Unfortunately commercial salad dressings are full of these unhealthy oils which include soybean, corn, safflower, canola and cottonseed oil.

Your best bet is to getting the most from your veggies is to make your own salad dressings using one of the better fat choices.  A nice wilted salad of greens and tomatoes with a bacon dressing will actually be better for you than a salad with non-fat dressing poured over it.  And those non-fat dressings usually have more calories – check it out- per teaspoon than fat dressings- because they add sugar or corn syrup (another unhealthy food). 

Is road salt harming the Monarchs?

Emilie Snell-Rood a behavioral and evolutionary biologist with the University of Minnesota's College of Biological Sciences wondered whether the massive amount of salt placed along roads in winter would have any effect on animal species that frequented roadside areas.  Her study published in the June 9 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that road salt may indeed affect animals such as the Monarch Butterfly. 
Monarch on milkweed.
 

Monarch butterflies often feed on milkweed beside roads and that milkweed often has a higher sodium content than milkweed found in other places, because of road salt that runs off from winter applications. Butterflies also use a behavior called “puddling” where they take up minerals from mud puddles.  Mud puddles along roads have higher sodium levels.  Monarchs were found to have higher sodium levels in the blood when they ingested higher sodium milkweed.

Interestingly some additional sodium actually helps Monarchs, giving the males stronger wing muscles and the females’ bigger brains.  But when sodium levels increase too much the Monarchs experienced a much higher mortality rate.  Because urban roads are more highly salted Snell-Rood suggests that populations of Monarchs feeding on roadsides in those areas may be experiencing greater mortality.  However their country cousins may actually be a bit better off, feeding on plants with only a slight sodium increase.

Have some rose flavored lemonade and kick back today.
Kim Willis
 “He who has a garden and a library wants for nothing” ― Cicero

More Information
Calming with Chamomile
By Kim Willis

German Chamomile.  Wikipedia .com
Chamomile has been used as a remedy for calming the nerves and the stomach, and easing sleep, since herbal remedies were recorded. Chamomile is one of those herbs that even beginners can grow and it is hardy through much of the United States.  Chamomile is also used in a variety of beauty products currently on the market from shampoo to skin cream.

Modern medical research has determined that chamomile has anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties, good for use on minor wounds, and skin conditions and as a gargle for sore throats and inflamed gums.  Chamomile also relaxes the smooth muscles, particularly in the intestines and is used to calm upset stomachs, and to relieve gas pain, cramping, and minor diarrhea.

The most common herbal use of chamomile however, is to calm the nerves and aid in getting a good night’s sleep. Research has confirmed that it has sedative properties. It can be used alone or with other herbs with sedative properties such as valerian and catnip.  Chamomile is widely available on the market as a tea, capsules, powdered herb, or essential oil.  It is easy to grow your own chamomile for herbal use also.

Growing Chamomile

There are two types of Chamomile grown by herbalists, German , [ Matricaria recutita], and English or Roman [Chamaemelum nobile].  Both are easy to grow, similar in appearance, and are used for the same medicinal uses.  German Chamomile is the plant used to grow commercial crops.  It is the most studied, but most experts believe the medicinal qualities are very similar between the two types of Chamomile.

German Chamomile is an annual plant that needs to be planted each year; Roman Chamomile is a perennial, hardy in zones 3-9.  German Chamomile gets about 2 feet tall but Roman Chamomile is a groundcover plant that rarely gets more than a foot high.

German Chamomile is started from seed or small plants can be purchased.   In cold climates it would be wise to start the seeds inside about 6 weeks before the last frost.  Transplant them outside after your last frost as they are not frost hardy.  Seeds can also be sown in the garden when the soil is warm.

Roman Chamomile can be started from seed but germination is less reliable than German Chamomile.  Roman Chamomile produces runners, little plants that can be separated from the main plant.  New gardeners will probably want to buy plants or get a start from a friend.

Both types of Chamomile have tiny, narrow gray-green leaves that give them a ferny appearance.  German Chamomile grows upright as a single plant.   Roman Chamomile grows as a tangled mat of plants produced by rhizomous roots.  The leaves of both types have a characteristic smell when crushed, somewhat like apples. 

It is the daisy like flowers that produce the medicinal qualities.  The flowers are white, with 15-18 petals drooping down from a raised yellow cone.  They are about an inch across. Plants begin blooming in mid summer.  A double flowered variety of German Chamomile has been grown since the 16th century

Chamomile likes a sunny spot, with sandy soil.  It tolerates dry conditions but will bloom more freely if watered regularly.  It will not grow in wet areas.  Unless the soil is very poor chamomile does not need fertilizer.  If you are growing Roman Chamomile do not cut the plants back in the fall.  Wait until spring to carefully remove the dead branches from the previous year.

Growing chamomile near other herbs is said to make those herbs have stronger medicinal qualities and make the neighboring plants stronger and healthier.

Harvesting and Using Chamomile

Harvest the flower heads as they bloom.  You can just clip them off the plant. You can use them fresh or dry them for later use. To make an herbal tea, steep about a cup of fresh flower heads in a pint of boiling water.  Use about 2 tablespoons of dried powdered flower heads to a cup of  boiling water.  Keep a lid on steeping chamomile as some of the medicinal qualities may be lost if it is left open. Strain before drinking. 

To calm the nerves and bring on restful sleep, drink a about a cup of warm tea.  Cooled tea can be used as a gargle for sore throats or inflamed gums and cold sores.  Tea is often mixed with ginger ale to help upset stomachs.

Adults should drink no more than 2-3 cups of tea a day.  Children under 5 no more than half a cup and ages 5-18, about a cup. See the other cautions below.

 For use externally, as a poultice for skin problems or minor wounds, make the tea much stronger, about 3-4 cups of fresh flowers to a pint of water or 6-8 tablespoons dried herb to a cup of water.  Cool before using.  This can also be used as a rinse for blond hair to restore highlights.  Cool chamomile tea is also used as a spray for seedlings, to prevent fungal disease.

The flowers can be crushed and then slowly steamed, which will produce pale blue oil.  When such oil is produced at home it is hard to judge the quality and strength.  It’s also hard to produce a sizable quantity.  If you would like to use chamomile oil for herbal lotions or remedies it might be wise to purchase a standardized extract at a health food or drug store.

If you don’t like tea and want to try chamomiles soothing properties you can purchase capsules and tinctures in many stores.  Follow the label directions for dosage.

Warning
Chamomile should not be used by people allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, or asters.  It should not be used by persons with asthma or pregnant women before consulting a doctor.  People on blood thinners should not use chamomile.  Chamomile reacts with many drugs.  If you are on ant-depressants, sleep medicines, birth control pills, sedatives, anticonvulsants, some allergy medications, statins or pain medications you should talk to your doctor about using chamomile.   In fact, you should always consult your doctor before mixing herbal and other medications.  Alcohol use with chamomile should be avoided.


Events, classes and other offerings
Please let me know if there is any event or class that you would like to share with other gardeners.  These events are primarily in Michigan but if you are a reader from outside of Michigan and want to post an event I’ll be glad to do it.
Master Gardeners if you belong to an association that approves your hours please check with that association before assuming a class or work day will count as credit.
Do you have plants or seeds you would like to swap or share?  Post them here by emailing me at kimwillis151@gmail.com
New- Third Annual Bee Palooza from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 22, MSU Horticulture Garden, East Lansing Mi.  Note: This was just posted on line.

In celebration of National Pollinator Week, Michigan State University is hosting the Third Annual Bee Palooza from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 22, 2014. This interactive event is for people of all ages to learn more about pollinators by visiting a series of seven stations set up in various parts of the beautiful MSU Horticulture Gardens. Learn about the 400 bee species found in Michigan, view the inner workings of both honey bee and bumble bee colonies, learn how to build your own solitary bee nesting box, and learn about bee-friendly gardening. In addition, there will be pollinator-themed face painting and a scavenger hunt for the young at heart.

Pollinators play an important role in the production of many seed, nut and fruit crops, including almonds, apples, blueberries, cherries, coffee, melons, squash, sunflowers and tomatoes. Some people think only of allergies when they hear about pollen, but pollination — the transfer of pollen grains to fertilize the seed-producing ovaries of flowers — is essential to plant reproduction. Many trees, shrubs and wildflowers depend on bees and other pollinators to move this pollen between flowers.

This annual event is free and open to the public, and more details are available on Bee Palooza’s Facebook page. Maps to the MSU campus and to the MSU Horticulture Garden on the west side of Bogue Street south of Wilson Road will help you find the gardens and nearby parking.
For more information, contact Julianna Wilson at jkwilson@msu.edu or Rufus Isaacs at isaacsr@msu.edu.

New- The Busy Gardener-  June 24, 2014 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Oakland County Executive Office Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford, MI

Tips for the gardener who wants to make the best use of precious time and money. Janet will present ideas and answer questions to help you get your garden, shrub and lawn work done in the spring in ways that will make summer more relaxing and beautiful.  Cost $20. Contact Linda Smith, 248-858-0887, smithlin@oakgov.com

Rochester WNF&GA- Garden walk Thursday, June 19, 2014, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm  Rochester Hills Museum, 1005 Van Hoosen Road, Rochester Hills.
The Garden Walk is an intimate look at the unique and private gardens in our community. It is co-hosted annually on the third Thursday of June by the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm and the Rochester Garden Club. You are invited to attend a program at 2:00 pm in the newly renovated Calf Barn. Kathy Miller from Fogler’s Greenhouse will present, Creative Container Gardening. This is your opportunity to learn how to spice up your containers with interesting combinations of flowers.

The Open Aire Garden Market will feature vendors on the grounds of the Rochester Hills Museum from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  And don’t miss the Cookie Room in the Dairy Barn for delicious refreshments. Tour tickets can be purchased at the Rochester Hills Museum Dairy Barn Wed-Sat 1:00-4:00 p.m. in advance and on the day of the Garden Tour   - In advance – $10 for Museum members, $12 for non-members, $14 the day of the Tour. Museum Phone: (248) 656.4663

Crocker House Garden Walk Saturday, Jun 21, 2014 9am-4pm, Crocker House Museum, Union Street, Mount Clemens, MI,
Sponsored by the By Macomb County Historical Society at Crocker House Museum. Cost is $15.which includes the walk, breakfast & presentation.   More info contact www.crockerhousemuseum.com.

Monarch Butterfly Conservation Kickoff Saturday, Jun 21, 2014 1-3pm, Leslie Science & Nature Center, 1831 Traver Road, Ann Arbor, MI
Help us develop our "Monarch Waystation" & learn how to create your own.  Register: 734-997-1553.  Cost is $38/family, $11/person.

Summer Solstice Concert- Sun., June 22, 3 pm Matthaei Botanical Gardens 1800 N. Dixboro Rd., Ann Arbor
Join us for a free outdoor concert of live music at Matthaei in celebration of the year’s longest day. Headed by local musician and composer Robert Spalding Newcomb. Free.

Walking Tour of the Herb Garden, Mon., July 7, 7 pm Matthaei Botanical Gardens 1800 N. Dixboro Rd., Ann Arbor
Description: Presented by Evening Herb Study Group July is a peak month for the Alexandra Hicks Herb Knot Garden at Matthaei. Meet outside in the Gateway Garden prior to 7 pm.  Free

What is Popping in the Ponds?, Sunday, June 29, 2:00 pm Seven Ponds Nature Center, 3854 Crawford Road, Dryden, MI  (810) 796-3200

Wetland plants will be blooming and birds will be singing on our walk to see what is popping.

Build a Hypertufa Leaf Birdbath, Saturday, July 5, 10:00 am Seven Ponds Nature Center, 3854 Crawford Road, Dryden, MI  (810) 796-3200

A hypertufa birdbath nestled into a garden space will attract a myriad of bird species. In this class we will learn the process using a real leaf as a mold. Please bring a blanket to cradle your project on the way home and a bag lunch. Please call to preregister for this adult (12 and up) class. Fee $15.00 (members $12.00).


The Lapeer area Horticulture Society is looking for new members.  There are no education or experience requirements to join; only a love of gardening is needed.  The Horticulture Society meets the third Monday of each month for socializing, networking and a brief educational presentation.  Next meeting is at Swoish’s Greenhouse, North Branch, May 19th 6:30 pm.  Everyone is invited to join.  Dues are only $15 a year.  For more information on joining or meeting locations contact Bev Kobylas at bkobylas@yahoo.com

The 3rd Annual Michigan Honey Festival- Saturday, July 12, 2014 10am - 5pm at  The Harvey Kern Pavilion in Frankenmuth, Michigan.

Attend educational seminars and learn all you need to start beekeeping! Purchase all your beekeeping supplies from a variety of vendors.  Lots of Michigan honey for sale. Learn how to brew honey beer and mead and attend the many cooking with honey demonstrations.   There is a children’s craft area and a demonstration garden done by Master Gardeners.  Watch a bee beard demonstration.  There will be lots of interesting products to sample and buy made from honey or bee’s wax. 

This year’s festival is all indoors, so no weather worries.  Admission is $5 for adults, children 12 and under free.  More information ? http://www.michiganhoneyfestival.com/contact.html


Master Gardener College (open to public) June 20-21, MSU, East Lansing, MI
This year’s event features exciting full day tours and hands-on workshops on Friday followed by a delicious dinner at the University Club in East Lansing. Saturday features two entertaining and educational keynote speakers, as well as eighteen exciting sessions to choose from in order to feed your mind with science-based gardening knowledge.  And, of course, there will be plenty of buying opportunities.
Key note speaker Charlie Nardozzi will speak on Foodscaping...A Growing Revolution   Almost a third of American households now do some kind of food gardening. While everyone wants  to grow their own food, many are unwilling to give up precious yard space or have their yard, perceivably, look unruly.

You do not have to be a Master Gardener to attend. Re-certified MG get a discount. There is a wide variety of pricing options for this event starting at about $65 for a single workshop to about $200.00 for the 2 day event.  Please go to http://events.anr.msu.edu/event.cfm?folder=mgcollege14  for more information and to register.

You must pre-register. Registration fees are refundable until May 31, 2014, less a $20 cancellation fee. After May 31, refunds are no longer available.  For more information, contact Betsy Braid at 517-884-7081 or braidbet@msu.edu.

Garden Day August 2, 2014, 8 am – 4:15 pm,  Michigan State University Department of Horticulture, East Lansing Mi.


MSU’s annual garden day is on Saturday this year.  The keynote speaker is Amy Stewart, author of Wicked Plants, Flower Confidential, and The Drunken Botanist and other books.  Ms Stewart is also the concluding speaker and you can also stay for a reception after the event where she will discuss the Drunken Botanist. You can choose from a number of excellent workshops/classes, 1 morning and 1 afternoon session. Classes include Herbal housekeeping, Best Herbaceous perennials, Creative Containers, Dividing Perennials, Herbs at Home, Pruning Basics, Gardening in the Shade, Unusual Trees and Shrubs, Creative Edge, and Going Native.

Cost of the event is $85 until July 22nd , $95 after.  Lunch and free parking included. Additional $39 for evening reception.  Go to hrt.msu.edu/garden-day-2014  for class descriptions and to register.


2014 MASTER GARDENER ASSOCIATION - GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN GARDEN TOUR – June 22nd 2014.

Celebrate spring by enjoying a stroll through beautiful gardens in Genesee County's east side. Each site has its own unique features. The homeowner or a Master Gardener would be delighted to answer any questions. Although each garden looks very different, all of the homeowners share the passion of watching their garden grow and expand each year. Much thought has been put into every loved plant or garden art. The gardeners believe that the garden is an expression of them. Fortunately for us, they want to share their masterpiece with us.

Please join us in touring nine outstanding gardens on Genesee County’s east side Sunday, June 22 10:00AM - 5:00PM.and visit the For-Mar Truck Farm at one of the sites. Mark your calendar for the easy self-guided tour. The total tour is 16.3 miles with easy access from I-69 to start at site #1 and I-75 to end at site #10 home. There are no rules where you start or finish, but the routemoves nicely goingfromnorth to south or south to nor

Advance tickets will be available on May 23rd at the MSU Extension office for $10.00, $2.00 for children under 12. Advance tickets will also be available on May 23rd from the following merchants:

Bordine Nursery 9100 Torrey Rd, Grand Blanc - (810) 655-5588
Jenny B’s Garden Party 9063 Clio Rd. Clio - (810) 687-7742
Piechnik Greenhouse,13172 McCumsey Road, Clio - (810) 686-9211
Walker Farms & Greenhouse 5253 Atherton Road, Burton (810) 743-0260

Tickets may also be purchased the day of the tour (Sunday, June 22rd) at any of the garden sites. Site addresses will be posted on the web page the night before the tour. The photo on the ticket cover was by a student that won the coloring contest at one of Swartz Creek’s elementary schools.
Gardens will be open for viewing on June 22 from 10A – 5P, Rain or Shine.
Visit the web site for driving directions/questions: http://GCgardentour.weebly.com/
NOTE: Gardens open only on this specific day and time. PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE!
Accommodations for persons with disabilities may be requested by calling Jim Harrow, Plant & Pest Hotline (810) 244-8548 two (2) weeks prior to the event to ensure sufficient time to make arrangements. Requests received after this date will be met when possible.

Newsletter information
If you would like to pass along a notice about an educational event or a volunteer opportunity please send me an email before Tuesday of each week and I will print it. Also if you have a comment or opinion you’d like to share, send it to me. Please state that you want to have the item published in my weekly notes. You must give your full name and what you say must be polite and not attack any individual. I am very open to ideas and opinions that don’t match mine but I do reserve the right to publish what I want.
Once again the opinions in this newsletter are mine and I do not represent any organization or business. I do not make any income from this newsletter. I write this because I love to share with other gardeners some of the things I come across in my research each week. It keeps me engaged with local people and horticulture. It’s a hobby, basically. I hope you enjoy it. If at any time you don’t wish to receive these emails just let me know. If you know anyone who would like to receive these emails have them send their email address to me.  KimWillis151@gmail.com