The Goffstown Edge

NH Common Ground Garden Project

The NH Common Ground Garden Project is a program of the UNH Cooperative Extension and the Massabesic Audubon Center. The Project includes the 4H Green Thumb garden which began in 1998 at the Goffstown County Complex.

Common Ground partners with a variety of after-school programs from the greater Manchester area.  Volunteers are provided by the Audubon Society, 4-H Clubs, Master Gardeners, National ABLE, and many other local organizations.  Community Girl and Boy Scout troops are active, as well as many local garden clubs.

Community volunteers work with the youth, helping them plan, plant and tend the gardens beginning in late April/early May depending on the weather.  Weekly gardening and nutrition education begins in late June when school is out for the 150 youth who participate each week.  An end of season GARDEN FESTIVAL is held to honor the youth, families and community that supports the program.  The Garden Festival 2011 will be held on August 20 from 9 am - 3:00 pm.  Fall work days are set up to help put the beds to sleep for the winter.

The community service aspect of this garden is even more important.  Through the efforts of youth and the adults that work with the program, Common Ground donates the produce from the garden to the NH Food Bank.  In 2010 they donated over 5,500 lbs of produce to the NH Food Bank and are targeting over 6,000 lbs this year.

Common Ground also coordinates “Elders on the Grow” at the Hillsborough County Nursing Home. There a master gardener works with the elders, and families sometimes join in. “Rooting for Families” includes the Pine Street community garden in Manchester. “Shared Harvest” is an effort to encourage people to plant and grow for the hungry. Common Ground is funded primarily through grants and donations.  The program recently received a grant from the NH Council on the Arts, and worked closely with the Salvation Army.
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To volunteer or inquire, contact Mawson at 660-6373 or Julia.Mawson@unh.edu.

Spring Birds and Backyard Feeders

“Spring is such a good time to look for birds.  Any place you can go out and take a walk is a good place”, says NH Audubon Society biologist Rebecca Suomala.  “ “Early spring birds are only just beginning to arrive home.”

Waterfowl like ducks and geese are migrating through right now.  There are certain species such as Teals, or Wood Ducks with their familiar red eyes and white stripes, that you do not ordinarily see.  Wood Ducks are very attractive and great to watch in flight.  It’s also time to start watching for little bug-eating Phoebes, Red-winged Blackbirds and the first tree-swallows.  “It’s a little early, but you can start listening for them,” says Suomala.

Pack up your camera and visit your local marsh, staying close to the edge and being careful not to chase the birds or scare them into flight.  Keep your distance, remain quiet and be respectful of the environment.  Do not tramp through crops or any natural habitat, and limit the size of your group.  If land is fenced or posted, then it’s most likely private and you should obtain permission before entering.  “Never assume it is acceptable to enter private lands,” states the NH Audubon Society in their Birding Ethics Guide.  Watch where you park your car, and do not block driveways, paths, or any other access point.  According to the Birding Ethics Guide, “Lack of proper respect for the rights and privacy of others is what causes the biggest problems in our area. Please consider all of your actions carefully.”

The Southern part of the state will be the first to receive the early returning migrants.  Now is the time to start preparing your yard, taking down your feeders to prevent bears from visiting your property.  The bears are hungry after hibernating all winter and enjoy finding food in a concentrated bowl, so try spreading your seed on a wide swath of ground.  Always remember to keep your feeders clean and remove old seed before it develops dangerous organisms that can harm the birds.  Half of all birds that hit glass will die from their injury, so do not place your feeders close to windows.  Try not to encourage opportunistic birds, as they might harm the native population.

Cornell University hosts an informative and friendly web site through it’s Ornithology Lab (www.birds.cornell.edu).  You will find information about how to choose the right bird feeder, what types of seed would be best for your lifestyle and the birds you want to attract, and information about other bird foods such as suet and peanut butter.  The site answers questions like where to place your feeder and how to take care of it.  You can also visit the NH Audubon Society (224-9909) site at www.nhaudubon.org/ and download their Spring/Summer 2011 Program Guide.  The NH Audubon offers bird identification workshops and day trips.

4H Green Thumb Team Seeks Garden Volunteers

Seeking Garden Volunteers to Plant Seeds of Learning
 
  The 4-H Green Thumb Team (an initiative of the NH 4-H Common Ground Garden Project) is seeking caring, energetic volunteers to become Garden Docents. Docents contribute to our youth gardening program as teachers/mentors to youth from the Greater Manchester Area. The learning and growing takes place in our 4-H Children's Teaching Garden located on the beautiful grounds of the Massabesic Audubon Center in Auburn. The project provides fun, hands-on, gardening lessons with a focus on the environment to approximately 150 youth three days a week for eight weeks, donating a significant share of the produce (5,513 pounds in 2010) to the NH Food Bank.
 
After being screened, volunteers attend a four-week, hands-on spring training, which includes information about the curriculum, child development, group management, safety, and basic gardening.
 
The volunteers we seek love and respect children, have flexible schedules, enjoy working as a team with wonderful people, and have an overall willingness to learn and share. Physically, volunteers need to be able to function outdoors in hot and/or rainy summer weather and to perform typical garden tasks such as bending, carrying, walking, and handling tools and wheelbarrows.
 
If you would like to join our team and enjoy the outdoors at the same time please contact us. We also have other volunteer positions available to support the project. The NH Common Ground Garden Project is cosponsored by UNH Cooperative Extension and the Massabesic Audubon Center. For information about becoming a Garden Volunteer contact Carol Martin-Ward at Carol.Martin-Ward@unh.edu or 641-6060 or Julia Steed Mawson at Julia.Mawson@unh.edu or 660-6373.
 
UNH Cooperative Extension provides New Hampshire citizens with research-based education and information, enhancing their ability to make informed decisions that strengthen youth, families and communities, sustain natural resources and improve the economy.  For more information or to learn more about educational programs in Hillsborough County call (603) 641-6060 or visit extension.unh.edu.

Vegetable Garden Program Offered by UNH Co-Op Extension

For more information, contact:
Ron Christie, (603) 679-5616  email ron.christie@unh.edu

Never grown vegetables before? Don’t know where to start? Maybe you’ve tried in the past, but it doesn’t seem like your green thumb is working?
 
Make your garden flourish this year through this series of seven hands-on workshops sponsored by UNH Cooperative Extension and the Massabesic Audubon Center in Auburn.
 
The series kicks off Saturday, Feb. 12 with “Vegetable Garden Planning, Starting Plants from Seed, and Growing Transplants Indoors.” It runs from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Massabesic Audubon Center, 26 Auburn Way. The workshop will provide tools and techniques to get a jump start on the season and plan for greater success in your garden.
 
Individual workshops are $15 per family or $75 for all seven sessions. To register, contact Ron Christie, Rockingham County UNH Cooperative Extension office, at (603) 679-5616 or ron.christie@unh.edu. Because of limited space, registration is required.
 
Workshops run from February through September and the second session is Saturday, March 12: “Building and Maintaining Your Soil’s Health,” followed by a workshop Saturday, April 9: “Containers and Raised Bed, Growing Different Vegetables.”
 
The series continues Saturday, May 14 with “Weeds, Pests, and Disease; Crop Rotation; Companion Plants and Allies,” Saturday, June 4, “Permaculture; Composting; Cover Crops and Green Manures, Saturday, Aug. 20, “Extend Your Growing Season,” and Saturday, Sept. 24, “Closing Your Garden, Assessing Your Success, Planning for Next Year.” For a workshop flyer, please visit bit.ly/UNHCEgarden.
 
UNH Cooperative Extension provides New Hampshire citizens with research-based education and information, enhancing their ability to make informed decisions that strengthen youth, families and communities, sustain natural resources, and improve the economy. For more information, call (603) 679-5616 or visit extension.unh.edu.

UNH Coop Extension Hosts ALB Awareness Classes

Holly McKinney
Administrative Assistant
UNH Cooperative Extension -Hillsborough County
329 Mast Road, Goffstown, NH 03045
Tel. (603) 641-6060
Fax: (603) 645-5252

Boston ALB Discovery Adds Urgency for Early Detection, Prevention

The recent discovery of Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), an exotic pest native to China and Korea, on six trees in Boston adds to the urgency of efforts to prevent the spread of ALB, and to ensure early detection of any possible infestations in New Hampshire. ALB attacks a wide variety of hardwoods including, but not limited to, maple, birch, poplar, elm and horse chestnut, and is a threat to forest resources and community trees. Infestations in the US have occurred in New York, Illinois and New Jersey, and more recently, in the Worcester and Boston areas of Massachusetts. The area affected in and around Worcester encompasses 74 square miles, and has already required the removal of over 24,000 infested trees.

ALB has not been found in Hew Hampshire. Public awareness is crucial for helping to increase the likelihood of early detection, and for preventing the spread or transport of  ALB. All major ALB infestations have been found by members of the public. Unfortunately, in most cases the beetles have become well established before being detected.

The beetles are easiest to see when they are most active in July and August. This is one reason why Governor John Lynch is declaring August as New Hampshire ALB Awareness Month. New Hampshire residents are being asked to look for the beetles in their trees and even in their swimming pools, this July and August.

On August 3 in Keene and on August 17 in Nashua, awareness meetings will feature a showing of Lurking in the Trees, a 30-minute documentary about what happened to the community of Worcester after it was infested with ALB. Meeting attendees will learn how to identify ALB and its damage symptoms. They will also learn what these alien forest pests could do to the forest ecology and the state’s timber, tourism and maple industries, and what they can do to help. Participants will receive materials and information to help them teach others (e.g., employees, clients, neighbors, garden club members and public officials) about the major, potential problems associated with ALB. There will also be information on Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), another insect pest from Asia that threatens the forests of New Hampshire.

The Saturday morning Beetle blitzes will provide hands-on training to volunteers. Forest pest specialists will teach volunteers how to evaluate the health of trees in their own neighborhoods, and how to scout for both ALB and EAB. Everyone is invited to participate in either or both the twilight meetings and beetle blitzes. There will be 2 pesticide recertification credits offered at the August 3 and 17 meetings.

These programs are sponsored by the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food with support from USDA. Contact John Weaver at jweaver@agr.state.nh.us or phone 603-271-7384. For more information and updates visit the state’s official ALB website at http://extension.unh.edu/ALB/

The Keene meetings will be held at the Keene Library auditorium at 60 Winter Street on August 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm and on Saturday August 7 from 9 am to 1 pm. The Nashua meetings will be held at the Nashua Public Library auditorium at 2 Court Street on August 17 from 5:30 to 7:30pm and on Saturday, August 21 from 9 am to 1 pm.

Elders On The Grow Plant Sale

Please visit the Hillsborough County Nursing Home

400 Mast Road, Goffstown

Elders On The Grow Plant Sale

UNH Coop Extension Free Pruning Class

Part 2 of Budgeting Program

Budgeting: Let’s Talk About Money!

part 2 of 2 sessions


Dates:   February 9 and February 16  6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

(Participants should attend both sessions.) This 2-session program is designed to teach people how to more effectively manage their money. Learn what factors influence our spending and saving  decisions, and how to stretch resources and plan for spending and saving.

Location
    •    Goffstown High School, 27 Wallace Road, Goffstown, NH, 03045