Courtesy Duluth Community Garden Program
Beans: 2014 Vegetable of the Year
The Duluth Community Garden Program chose beans as the 2014 Vegetable of the Year.
Vegetable of the Year
The Duluth Community Garden Program promotes urban gardening and healthy eating – and since 2011 the organization has chosen a Vegetable of the Year, part of its One Vegetable, One Community initiative.
The 2014 pick? The entire family of beans, from green to black.
This spring, residents can “check out” seeds at the Duluth Public Seed Lending Library. “Plant them, and then return some of the seed offspring in the fall,” says the DCGP.
The group will also organize cook-offs, classes and other bean-centric events throughout the year.
The previous selections were kale, beets and squash.
The Year of the Dog
Washburn, Wisconsin, writer and LSM contributor Julie Buckles:
In 2013, we lit out on our last dogsled run in May and started back up again in December. My then 9-year-old ran her first dogsled race, we hosted an Iditarod afternoon of skijoring, and took out many friends, family and even a few strangers. In other words, it was the year of the dog. And so tonight as I look back on the year and forward to 2014, I turned to the literary king of dogsledding — Jack London — for reflection and inspiration. As might be expected, he had many wise things to say about life and living.
Reduce, Reuse, Treecycle
Now that the holidays are behind us, Western Lake Superior Sanitary District is again collecting Christmas trees for recycling:
Western Lake Superior Sanitary District and area partners kicked off the annual Treecycling program [on Dec. 27], encouraging residents to recycle their fresh-cut holiday trees. This free holiday tree recycling program offers multiple convenient locations available 24-hours a day throughout the region.
The WLSSD website has the list of locations in the Twin Ports and surrounding areas. Some drop-off sites will be open through Jan. 31.
Says WLSSD’s Karen Anderson, “Collected trees will be beneficially re-used as fuel, to line paths, mulch garden beds or for other purposes, while recovering resources and saving landfill space.”
+ A very snowy start to winter is stressing municipal budgets across the region – from Hancock to Duluth – and frigid temperatures have made kids happy and laker captains sad. But winter’s strong opening act has its benefits, too.
+ Thunder Bay’s Chronicle-Journal: “‘I haven’t seen ice this thick in 25 years,’ Gerry Dawson, owner of the Point Valour tugboat and ice cutter, said Thursday.”
+ The Minnesota DNR isn’t likely to extend the 90-day period for public comments on an environmental assessment of the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine, reports Minnesota Public Radio.
+ Krista Burns, Northland’s NewsCenter: “After 13 years in operation, StageNorth in Washburn, WI will close its doors to be formed into a community run non-profit theater.”
+ John Myers, Duluth News Tribune: “Forest Service to restore pines on North Shore.”
+ CBC News: “Deep freeze challenges Thunder Bay farmers.”