October 15, 2009

 

 

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Share food, share family and share the season

The holidays are a time for family, friends and community. But this year, with the economy producing layoffs, reduced hours and dwindling life savings, the holidays will be much more stressful for many families. Plus, organizations serving those in need are strapped for resources. Just like every year, SHARE's nonprofit food buying club is here to help.

SHARE helps families save 30-50 percent on high quality food all year long, and everyone is welcome to participate in the savings. But this volunteer-run organization's mission is even more important during the holidays. The Share the Season campaign ensures that everyone can enjoy the holidays with great food while building a better community at the same time.

SHARE's Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinner Packages come with all of the fixings to cook a meal for six, including a new, larger assortment of seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables. The packages cost $25 each, plus small shipping and handling fees in some areas. Because SHARE knows the need this year is great, these packages are being offered at last year's price.

SHARE's Thanksgiving Dinner Package features a 12-14 pound turkey, stuffing mix, cranberry sauce, a 10-inch pumpkin pie, and a fresh produce assortment with potatoes, celery, acorn squash, apples, oranges and other seasonal produce (actual produce selection may vary). Beginning October 14, families can shop for the Thanksgiving Dinner Package online at www.sharewi.org.

The ordering deadline for this package is Tuesday, November 3, and pick-up will take place on Saturday, November 21 at most SHARE locations.

SHARE's Christmas Dinner Package includes a 6-lb. boneless honey ham, canned pineapple, a gelatin ring mold, fixings for chocolate cake with dark sweet cherries, and a fresh produce assortment with potatoes, broccoli, carrots, apples, oranges and more (again, actual selection may vary).

Beginning November 11, order online at www.sharewi.org. Orders must be placed by Tuesday, December 1 for pick-up on Saturday, December 19 at most SHARE sites.

Supplies are limited. Online orders can be accepted beginning on the dates listed above, or orders can be placed immediately by contacting the local SHARE volunteer team at 715-262-5373 or SHARE's main office at 800-548-2124.

The online ordering system accepts debit and credit card payments only, but SHARE also accepts cash, check, money order and Quest/Link/Bridge (food stamp) cards.

Local businesses, churches and other organizations are also invited to participate in Share The Season. Some organizations make cash donations or give SHARE gift certificates so that deserving local families can enjoy a delicious holiday meal. Other organizations gather volunteers to form a SHARE holiday dinner package distribution site. SHARE offers many great opportunities to participate in the spirit of giving that is at the heart of the holiday tradition.

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Ring-neck pheasant season opens Oct. 19 at noon

Hunters heading out to Wisconsin's prairies and marshes in search of ring-necked pheasants this fall may have to sharpen their skills to be successful this season according to state wildlife officials. The 2009 pheasant hunting opens statewide at noon Saturday, Oct. 17 and closes Dec. 31.

"Wisconsin's wild, naturally-reproducing pheasant population experienced another challenging winter," said Scott Hull, DNR upland game biologist. "Both major surveys used to gauge pheasant populations in the spring showed decreases in 2009. The spring crowing count survey showed a 36-percent decrease and the rural mail carrier pheasant survey showed a 35- percent decrease in the number of roosters compared to 2008."

Brood survey information collected in July and August, however, showed a 25-percent increase in the number of broods seen per observer and an increase in the average brood size from 4.6 young per brood in 2008 to 5.3 in 2009. While spring pheasant counts were down, the increase in brood production is a sign that the pheasant population is starting to rebound from the impact of 2008's record rainy spring. "Good brood production in 2009 will offset some of the overwinter mortality we observed heading into the 2009 breeding season," said Hull. "This is certainly a positive sign for pheasants and pheasant hunters as we approach the fall opener."

During the 2008 pheasant hunting season, more than 70,000 hunters went out in search of pheasants and reported harvesting 360,207 birds. The top counties for harvest included Kenosha, Dane, and Dodge.

In Wisconsin, research has shown that wetlands are one of the most important year-round cover types for pheasants. Areas within the pheasant management counties that contain adequate winter cover such as cattail and shrub-carr marshes, well established native prairie fields, and areas with 15 percent or more of the landscape in idle grassland will have the highest pheasant densities. It will be important for hunters to identify areas with high quality habitat and concentrate hunting efforts in that area.

This fall Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologists plan to stock 71 public hunting grounds with approximately 45,000 game farm pheasants. This is a slight decrease from 2008 when 52,000 game farm pheasants were stocked on 70 public hunting grounds. The decrease is partially the result of higher feed and gas costs.

Hunters can check the Pheasant Stocking on State Properties on the DNR Web site for the 2009 Pheasant Stocking Information Sheet identifying public hunting grounds slated for pheasant stocking. Stocked public hunting grounds are primarily located in the southern part of the state. Hunters should carefully verify which public hunting grounds have a 2 p.m. closure and/or allow hen pheasant hunting.

On Oct. 17 and 18, the daily bag limit is one cock and possession limit is two. For the remainder of the season the daily bag limit is two cocks and the possession limit is four.

Some public hunting grounds offer both hen and rooster pheasant hunting (requires free permit and tags) and/or 2 p.m. closure times. The 2 p.m. closure requirements are only in effect for the first two weeks of the pheasant season, from Oct. 19 to Nov. 3. A pheasant stamp is required to hunt pheasants statewide.

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4-H members participate in vaulting exhibition

Helping Hands 4-H members Lindsay Bridges and Anita Frasier participated in a vaulting exhibition at the Washington County Fair Grounds in Lake Elmo on Aug. 1.

They joined their vaulting clubs Northern Lakes Vaulters and Mel-O-Dee Vaulters. Anita is also a member of Rising Sun Pony Club and Rising Star Gymnastics Academy. Lindsay takes lessons at Kinni Valley riding Academy.

Both are students at Prescott High School.

Vaulting, displaying acrobatic feats on cantering horses, can be traced back to Ancient Rome and Crete. Modern vaulting combines gymnastics and dance on the back of moving horses. Vaulting is recreational, therapeutic and competitive.

It was developed in postwar Germany to introduce children to riding. It will be featured as one of the World Equestrian Game competitions to be held in Kentucky in 2010.

Anita was eight when she saw her first vaulting competition and she was fascinated. It wasn't until 2008 when Anita saw a vaulting competition close to home. She immediately joined Mel-O-Dee Vaulters. Looking for a partner, Anita asked her friend Lindsay to vault with her.

Both girls say they like the involvement with horses and learning new moves from other vaulters. They also like the challenge of improving and visiting different places.

Best though for Anita and Lindsay is the involvement with other team members.

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Protect septic system over winter

The weather is cooling down and soon the ground will be frozen for the winter months. Owners of private septic systems are reminded that costly repairs and problems can often be avoided by proper maintenance of your septic system. To help avoid problems, here are three helpful tips:  

1. Leave grass growing on your drain field or add a layer of straw to create a blanket of insulation over the ground. It will also trap snow in the grass or straw and will form a thicker protective blanket. This will help prevent the frost from sinking into and freezing your drain field.

2. Systems installed after July 2000, have tank filters to help hold back material from floating to the drain field. Owners of systems installed after this date should be aware that these filters may require annual or biennial maintenance.

3. Your septic tank should be pumped or inspected at least once every three years. Septic system maintainers or pumpers use a "sludge judge" to measure the level of the scum or sludge in the bottom of the septic tank.

If the sludge is one-third or more full in the septic tank, a Wisconsin Certified Wastewater Service Provider should pump out the septic tank. This will prevent solid material from flowing out of the tank and into the drain field, where it could clog the soil pores and prevent the septic effluent from filtering into the ground properly. Maintenance letters are sent out in April of every third year to septic system owners to remind them that their system must be pumped or inspected that year. Those receiving these forms are reminded that a response is due November 15th.  

Owners of private septic systems should keep in mind that the cost of regular maintenance to your system is much less costly than to repair or replace a failed system.  

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