This and That for November 2023 From Master Gardener David Wall
Please consider buying your honey from locally-based bee keepers. Why? Because a lot of the honey in grocery store may not be real. In some cases, jars contain little or no real honey. In fact, honey is one of
the most falsified foods available. Even though the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a honey grading system so you can know honey quality, there’s no enforcement system, so producers can put whatever they want on the bottle.”
Got a bunch of old CDs in a box somewhere? Give ‘e, a new life in your garden by hanging them on string from pole or branches in string them from bushes, trees, or stakes. Presto, you now have a bunch of scary garden decoys in place. Even a slight breeze will move them around, and
the combination of light flashes and sudden movement will scare most garden pests.
Over half today’s diet is based on relatively few plants. With the coming climate change, now estimated to be irreversible by 2050, plants that can survive in the new climate will become critically important.
Fortunately, there’s a new book out by Kevin Hobbs and Artur Cisar-Erlach, titled, “Edible: 70 Sustainable Plants That Are Changing How We Eat.” It’s an interview book that discusses current and new
crops that have potential under the “new” climate. Unfortunately, most of these crops are not widely grown in the U.S. It’s well worth reading.
No matter how rich your garden soil was when you started this year’s growing season, that soil has moved a good deal toward lifeless. It has grown weak and used up a lot or most of its nutrients, particularly if the garden is several years old. If you don’t put nutrients back into
the soil before spring, next year could be a disaster.
Don’t Miss Clue
November 24, 2023 – The Rains ISD High School will be performing the play ‘Clue’ in late November and December. VIP seating is available. Contact Lance at [email protected] for more details.
CHRISTUS Health: Prioritize Your Lung
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month
(IRVING, Texas) – An estimated 127,000 Americans will die this year from lung cancer, a number that is equal to the combined deaths of breast cancer, prostate cancer, and pancreatic cancer.
Those numbers from the National Cancer Institute emphasize the need for lung cancer screenings, which can detect potential cancerous cells before a patient exhibits symptoms, leading to a wider range of treatment options. November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. “The idea, like with other cancers, is that if you catch it early, the survival rate is markedly improved,” said Dr. Suman Sinha, chief of pulmonary medicine at CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic.
Sinha recommends that people between the ages 50 to 80 who smoked at least one pack a day for 20 years or half a pack for 40 years, is a current smoker, or has quit smoking in the last 15 years, get screened.
Smoking is widely considered the leading cause of lung cancer. “There are around 15 million Americans that fall into those categories that we highly recommend get a lung cancer screening,” Sinha said. “Unfortunately, the national screening rate of that group is only about 6%, so the health care industry is working hard to encourage more screenings.”
Lung screenings typically include a chest X-ray, a low dose computed tomography (LDCT) scan, PET scan or blood testing. If an area of concern is located through screening, further testing is ordered to determine any potential cancerous cells.
According to the National Cancer Institute, the death rate for lung cancer patients has fallen more
than 25% over the past 25 years.
“Medicine is becoming smarter and smarter, and we are seeing some real breakthroughs in how we treat cancer, whether through chemotherapy, targeted therapies or surgical options,” Sinha said. “The key is that we know what we are dealing with, and from there we can take the appropriate approach to each patient.”
Patients interested in lung cancer screening should talk to their primary care provider or visit
www.christushealth.org to learn more.
Holiday Express Train and Much Much More!
Bring Some Non-Perishable Food and Some Folding Money!
November 22, 2023 – The Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) formally Kansas City Southern will be spreading Christmas Cheer along a route in North East Texas. Sulphur Springs is on the Holiday Express Train Schedule and will host a 4 hour stop on the tracks near Pacific Park. The train should be here between 4:00pm to 8:00pm. on December 6th, 2023.
In addition, the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Drive will be on hand to accept donations. Stephen Thomas, Texas Divisional Director Salvation Army, wants everyone to know “Every penny stays in the Sulphur Springs Community to help those in need.”
The Salvation Army is also partnering with Hopkins County Community Chest to collect non-perishable food donations at the event. These donation will also serve people in Hopkins County. Heather White, director of Hopkins County Community Chest, will send volunteers to the event to help collect and carry food donations. “We are excited to be a part of this fantastic event. Thanks in advance to the people of Hopkins County, and we can always use more volunteers,” said White.
Texas House District 2 Runoff Election Set for January 30, 2024
November 22, 2023 – Texas Governor Greg Abbott has set the date for the runoff election for Texas House District 2 which includes Hopkins, Hunt and Van Zandt counties. After neither candidate received 50% of the votes cast in the November 7th election, a runoff was required and will occur on January 30, 2024.
That office was vacated back in May of 2023 by Royse City representative Bryan Slaton. Six candidates ultimately were on the November 7th ballot, with Brent Money receiving 32% of the vote and Jill Dutton receiving 25% of the vote. Residents in Hopkins, Hunt and Van Zandt counties have remained unrepresented in the Texas House since May for the remainder of the regular session of the Texas Legislature and the unprecedented four special sessions ordered by Governor Abbott since the regular session ended.
The two candidates are viewed as polar opposites as Money has the backing of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Dutton is backed by Dade Phelan who backed Paxton’s impeachment proceedings. Both campaigns employed election location “supporters” who stood just outside polling places in Hopkins County to confront voters as they went in to vote. Some of those supporter’s enthusiasm bordered on harassment as they stood in the pathway of potential voters. Voters can expect more enthusiastic supporters during the runoff election in January.
Both candidates continue to try to appeal to voters in the three counties through their campaign websites. Dutton’s website describes the candidate as: “Jill Dutton is a strong Christian who grew up with a heart for service and a sense of duty to our state and nation. A strong conservative, Jill and her husband run a successful construction consulting business. She is a former School Board Member with Van ISD in Van Zandt County. As a board member, Jill fought for our Christian, conservative values and for the parents and students in our community. Jill is a strong advocate for lowering property taxes. She also supports fully securing the border, empowering parents in our schools, defend the second amendment, preventing child gender modification, and dedicated to protecting the life of our most vulnerable Texans from conception to natural death.“
Brent Money’s campaign website homepage focuses on securing campaign contributions as well as touting his accomplishments as an attorney. “I’m a sixth generation Texan who has had the privilege of serving for many years as the city attorney for Greenville, Quinlan, and other cities while also representing businesses and individual clients in a variety of civil matters. I served two terms on the Greenville City Council before being termed out in 2021. My law practice and real estate title business employs 40 people and serves hundreds more each month, many of whom are your family and friends.”
The winner in January’s runoff, either Money or Dutton, will then turn around in March 2024 and run again during the primary election
Sulphur Springs Trash Service Thanksgiving Schedule
November 21, 2023 – Those residents in Sulphur Springs expecting their normal trash pickup on this Thursday will have to wait an extra day so that the hard working men and women collecting the trash will be able to spend time with their families.
Those customers with Thursday pickup day will be rescheduled to Friday. Other city services and offices will be closed on Thursday, and limited access to services on Friday.
Students at Paris Junior College get the Attention they Need to Succeed
MATH CLASS
Mathematics Instructor Caleb Talley answers questions for some of the students during a recent class at the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center.
Paris Junior College — located in Paris, Texas, about 100 miles northeast of Dallas — has been a part of the Lamar County community since 1924.
Paris Junior College offers Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degrees, as well as Certificates of Proficiency in technical/workforce fields. The college has expanded its academic curriculum through the years to encourage associate degree and university transfer candidates. Since establishing its first vocational program — jewelry and watchmaking in 1942 — the college has been aggressive in adding technical/workforce programs that will benefit students entering the workforce.
The campus of 54 tree-shaded acres includes 20 major buildings and residence halls and provides students a unique and pleasant environment for learning.
Paris Junior College also operates centers in Sulphur Springs, Texas, and in Greenville, Texas.
Vision
To be the educational provider of choice for the region.
Mission
Paris Junior College is a comprehensive community college serving the region’s educational and training needs while strengthening the economic, social and cultural life of our diverse community.
Buff City Soap Treats Seniors to a Sample
November 21, 2023 – Buff City Soap in Sulphur Springs gave area senior citizens a sample of their soap this week. The soapery teamed up with Meal-A-Day and will send the samples out with the home delivered meals.
The MAD volunteer delivery drivers are already delivering extra food this week, as Meal-A-Day will be closed on Thursday and Friday for the holiday. Wednesday the annual Thanksgiving meal will be delivered to qualified seniors around Hopkins County.
If you haven’t already, stop by Buff City Soap at 217 Main St in Sulphur Springs, TX. 903 919 0613.
If you would like to volunteer at Meal-A-Day or if would like to see if you qualify for a $2 delivered meal, call Amanda at 903 885 1661.
Pets Want to Share Your Thanksgiving Feast? Give Them Green Beans
November 21, 2023 – Pet people love to include furry friends in special events when possible. However feeding pets, especially dogs and possums rich holiday dishes can cause problems. The safest food for them, that might appear on your table are as follow:
- Green Beans, by themselves and not covered in canned soup and those onions things.
- Pumpkin puree, not the pie, and certainly not the pie crust.
- White meat turkey, not the skin, no bones and no gravy.
- Any type of squash or sweet potato before it is mixed with butter, marshmallows and spices.
Pet’s digestive system are different in many ways. Indulgence in festive foods can lead to diarrhea, and even worse inflammation of the pancreas. It bears repeating, no bones.
Instead of feeding pets from your plate, consider setting aside a small plate just for them. Fill it with pet friendly items that can be given as small treats through the day. Encourage family and friends to avoid feeding pets anything that is not on that special ‘pet plate’. That way you will know approximately what your pet ate if you need to visit your veterinarian.
Injuries to Trees May Allow Insects to Enter the Tree by Mario Villarino
November 20, 2023 – Injuries to trees that expose the wood or kill the bark may allow insects or disease organisms to enter the tree. Proper treatment protects the tree and promotes faster healing. Few trees reach maturity without receiving one or more wounds from a variety of sources. Yet trees have survived for centuries to become the oldest living creatures on earth despite wounding. Some recent work has involved dissecting trees in an effort to understand how they compartmentalize and close an injury. Trees do not heal in the true sense of the word. Injured tree tissue is never repaired and returned to the former state as is a cut on a person’s hand. Trees react by closing the wound and compartmentalizing or isolating the injured tissue from the surrounding tissue. During compartmentalization enclosure, contents from the injured cells leak onto the uninjured surface where they oxidize and form a barrier to prevent further infection. Then the most recently laid down wood is altered as is the tissue around the injury. This is accompanied by discoloration, the extent of which depends on the kind of tree, the vigor, kind of wound, location of the wound and the time of wounding. New growth rings are laid down the following spring and new tissue begins to grow over the injured tissue. Over a period of time, the new tissue closes the wound.
Homeowners can help the plant compartmentalize the damage more rapidly than it does in nature. If bark has been crushed or stripped from the trunk, remove the injured bark, shape the wound. Cut away all damaged bark and remove isolated scraps from the wound area. For fastest healing, shape the edge of the wound, as nearly as possible, to an elongated ellipse. If this shape cannot be obtained, shape the top and bottom of the wounded area so they come to a point, even if the wound must be enlarged slightly. Remove all splintered wood and smooth the surface of the exposed area with a chisel.
Some true injuries result in cavities or hollows within the main trunk or large branch of a tree. For many years gardeners have tried to fill these cavities with bricks, concrete and other materials in an effort to seal the cavity from rain, insects and diseases. Armed with the knowledge of the plant’s ability to compartmentalize any wound it is not recommended to fill tree cavities. If water does not drain easily out of the cavity, many arborists will recommend trimming the cavity opening so that water can drain out. If this is not possible, a weep hole may be drilled into the bottom of the cavity to allow water to drain freely. Other than these actions, simply keeping the cavity clean of debris and leaves is all that is recommended.
For a year or more after a tree has been struck by lightning, it is often difficult to determine the extent of damage since much of the injury may be internal. Trees that seem badly damaged may live while others apparently only mildly injured may die. If the tree can be saved, remove all shattered parts and damaged limbs; then smooth and paint exposed wood.
In storm-damaged trees, remove all broken branches and reshape the tree as well as possible at the particular time. Try to encourage new branch development in areas with broken branches. Broken trunks, split crotches or cracked limbs often are mended by restoring the damaged part to its original position and holding it there permanently. Consult professional arborists to install screw rods or cables in trees where this work is necessary. For more information on this or any other agricultural topic please contact the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 or email me at [email protected].
