Our Friend The NMIPRA
by John Weckerle
In response to concerns voiced by former Edgewood Mayor Howard Calkins in a letter to The Independent and by others in a variety of venues, I submitted an Open Meetings Act complaint to the NM Attorney General’s office several weeks ago. This complaint revolved around Mr. Calkins’s concerns and what has been suggested as an excessive use of e-mail that may not be in compliance with the Open Meetings Act. The AG’s office has responded with a request for additional information, which has been compiled and is being submitted. I have also been submitting requests for information regarding the recent debate on funding Town events, and thus far the Town has cooperated.
This brings us to a short discussion of the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act (NMIPRA), which provides that every public body must provide access to records for the purpose of inspection to every person requesting it. NMIPRA provides statutory time limits for response and penalties for improper denial of access, including damages of up to $100 per day plus reasonable attorney’s fees. The Act also provides for enforcement either through the Attorney General’s office or by civil action through district court.
It is important for all residents of our area to know their rights under this very important statute. We are therefore providing the text of the statute as well as our letter to the Town of Edgewood as an example.
Jar Shapes Demystified
by John Weckerle
In comments to our last post, questions were posed and answers theorized as to the reasons why peanut butter comes in round containers, rather than square ones that would minimize wasted space in crates and boxes used in shipping. We sent messages to Con Agra (the makers of Peter Pan peanut butter) and Smucker’s asking for clarification, and received this response from Con Agra. While our proposed reasons probably had some validity, their reason was perhaps more simple: it’s easier to get the peanut butter out of a round container.
In Search Of The Unbroken Cracker
by John WeckerleÂ
Not long ago, we received a link to this story about Wal-Mart’s crusade to cut costs of food, including pressuring manufacturers to reduce package size. Here’s another one I’d like to see them tackle: reducing the amount of broken crackers, chips and other products that represent a potentially substantial waste of food and money.
To illustrate, we purchased a box of Triscuits at the Edgewood Wal-Mart, brought them back, and opened them up. Crackers were removed by gently inserting the hand into the free space in the box and carefully tipping crackers into the hand to avoid accidental breakage. They were sorted into two piles – broken and unbroken – and the broken pile was weighed using a common kitchen scale. »» In Search Of The Unbroken Cracker
Edgewood Mayor’s Statements Need Clarification
by John Weckerle
Over the last couple of weeks, we have been making a series of information requests to, and asking some rather detailed questions of, the Town of Edgewood regarding the Town budget and the Town attorney’s opinion regarding funding Town events. As a result, we find the timing of this Guest View in the Mountain View Telegraph to be rather interesting.
One of the issues we have with the Town budget spreadsheet is the fact that it appears to be incomplete and/or not configured correctly. A budget subject to State approval and public release should not contain (#REF) entries in any of the cells. We have requested a copy of the final spreadsheet. We will reserve judgment on the forward-looking statements in Mayor Stearley’s Guest View regarding the sewer (and other initiatives) and will be delighted if, as suggested, it is operating by January. »» Edgewood Mayor’s Statements Need Clarification
On The Trail Of “Grow Your Own”
by John Weckerle
Examination of our beds this morning reveals another week of excellent progress. Two of the tomato plants in the north bed (Early Girl and Better Boy) have begun to flower, and the squashes are flowering prolifically (most of the flowers are hidden by the leaves). The plants continue to grow rapidly. I have a concern regarding the red and golden bell peppers, however, as it seems that they are destined to be over-shaded by the squash. Attempts to keep them in the sun by cutting back squash leaves will continue. »» On The Trail Of “Grow Your Own”
Hay, Alfalfa!
by John Weckerle
No, not the one in The Little Rascals – today, we’re talking real hay, and real alfalfa. Many area farmers are currently harvesting alfalfa, and yesterday I had the privilege of joining Jim and Peggy Schwebach and Ryan Schwebach at their farm near McIntosh, NM to get a first-hand look at how alfalfa is harvested. The Schwebachs grow alfalfa and corn (for silage), much of which is consumed by dairy cattle within the state.
Harvesting alfalfa is not simply a matter of starting up the mower and picking up some hay. First, the alfalfa is cut and laid out in windrows. The Schwebachs use flat windrows to allow for a wider variety of conditions under which the hay can be collected. Alfalfa can only be baled effectively under certain conditions, and knowing when to bale requires balancing a complex range of variables including temperature, dew point, humidity, and wind speed. All of these can affect the moisture content of the hay, which is critical to successful baling as well as the value of the hay. To estimate the time at which conditions may be right, the Schwebachs monitor the hourly predictions available at the NOAA NWS web site (McIntosh, NM example). They must then be ready to confirm that conditions are right using real-time measurements at the farm. »» Hay, Alfalfa!
Protect Your Food and Garbage
by John Weckerle
Cibola National Forest and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish have issued a joint order regarding the proper storage of food and garbage in the Sandia and Mountainair Ranger Districts. Visitors must ensure that food and garbage are acceptably stored both day and night and are unavailable to bears and other wildlife. Fines for violating the order may be up to $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations. For more detail, read the joint release.
This is a good time to remind residents that they should be managing their food, and especially their garbage, in just the same way. Those who put their garbage out the night before collection should make sure to use animal-proof containers.  Animals can easily be habituated to human food in residential areas and become a nuisance, as is evidenced by the stories we have heard over the years regarding the need to capture or kill bears in the Sandias and Manzanos.
Cibola National Forest Announces Partial Closures
by John Weckerle
Beginning today, portions of the Sandia District of Cibola National Forest will be closed, and other areas will be subject to additional restrictions in response to potentially hazardous fire conditions. South of I-40, biking, biking, and motorized vehicles are now prohibited in the back-country and on all trails, and only the Pine Flat Picnic Ground and Cedro Group Campground are open. Only cold picnics are allowed; no campfires, charcoal, or stoves are permitted.
North of I-40, no fires or charcoal are permitted, but some stoves, lanterns and heaters may be used. Smoking is allowed in vehicles only, and no motorized vehicles may be used off roads. No areas are yet closed north of I-40 because conditions are less dry than in the south, but additional restrictions may be expected if dry weather continues. It should be noted that there are no predictions of substantial probability of rain in the next seven days. For more information, read the Forest Service notice.
Revenge of “Grow Your Own”
by John Weckerle
It’s been a week since we last provided a photo-progress report on our sustainable gardening initiative, and it’s time for an update. The plants are growing fantastically, although comparison with the “control group” may soon be a moot point, as the rabbits have finally noticed it. Three of the four control brussels sprouts have been appropriated, and one cauliflower partially defoliated.
The actual garden beds, however, are well protected against such depredations. There are a number of small yellow squash that have developed, and the green and red bell pepper each have one growing fruit and plenty of flower buds. It is still not clear whether the golden bell pepper will recover from its frost setback.
Today |
June 6 |
Next week, we will introduce you to the second bed. Part of that bed was planted in seed, and many of the seeds have sprouted. The lettuce that was “planted as plants” is ready to provide us with some leaves, so next week we’ll also include a “salad report.”
Jack Thorp Centennial Celebration
About 100 years ago, Jack Thorp published one of the first, and possibly the first, collections of cowboy songs. The book, which contained 23 songs, was published at the Estancia News and Print Shop, right here in New Mexico’s real central valley. A second edition, published in 1921, was expanded to include 101 songs, a number of which Thorp wrote himself.
Born in New York City in 1867, Thorp was the son of a lawyer and real estate investor. He attended Harvard for three years, and moved to New Mexico at about the age of 19 (rangewriter.org). Thorp and other early collectors of cowboy songs are recognized for preserving a tradition of music and poetry that might well have been lost.
The Jack Thorp Centennial celebration will be held on Saturday, June 21 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Torrance County Fairgrounds in Estancia. Events include a silent auction, cowboy poetry, preview of the P.B.S. film “On The Trail of Jack Thorp,” an art show, a barbecue lunch ($8.00) and an evening dance ($5.00). For more information, contact Bobby Neeley at (505) 384-5232 or Babbi Baker at (505) 384-1858.
Post Turtles
by John Weckerle
Recently, an area resident sent me a new version of the old George W. Bush “post turtle joke,” reconfigured to focus on Barak Obama. While I may not have the same opinion as the sender regarding which of the two most resembles a post turtle, I didn’t think much of it; it’s election season and, as tired as we all are of it after the primaries, we’re bound to be seeing a lot of political humor.
I was, however, very surprised at the next message I got, which contained a response from one of the other recipients: “… i’m embarrassed for you. this is pure racism. never send me anything like this again.” »» Post Turtles
This Weekend Was For The Birds
by John Weckerle
Or, perhaps more accurately, part of this weekend was about the birds. Saturday morning, my mother-in-law and I attended the first half of Wildlife West Nature Park’s bird of prey handling class. Normally held on a single day, the class was split into two Saturday sessions this year due to scheduling imperatives. This year, the class’s first session was held by master falconer Tom Smylie of The Peregrine Fund. A class of about 22 people learned the basics of raptor identification, their position within their ecosystems, and the reasons for such attributes as wing structure, tail length, and other physical attributes that make birds of prey suited to their environment and their way of life.
We also learned a few interesting tidbits about birds in general, including: »» This Weekend Was For The Birds
Rain, rain…
by John Weckerle
Yesterday, I used the last of my harvested rainwater. Even though I have a 3,600 gallon capacity, the dry winter, followed by a dry spring, left me with far less than half of that to get through the season. With the second-year trees and shrubs associated with our ecological enhancement activities and the new vegetable gardens, plus the fountains/wildlife bubblers, that much only goes so far.
Why so dry? Part of the answer lies in the state of the El Nino – Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which is a coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon that affects weather on a global scale. It involves temperature anomalies in the surface waters of the central tropical Pacific Ocean. El Niño represents a period when surface waters are 0.5o or more warmer than normal, and La Niña represents a time during which temperatures are 0.5o or more cooler than normal. ENSO neutral conditions exist when surface water temperatures are within 0.5o of normal. During the El Niño part of the cycle, our area tends to get more rain, while dryer conditions persist during La Niña. During ENSO neutral conditions, there is an equal chance of having normal, above average, or below average conditions. We are currently experiencing the La Niña effect, which is currently weakening. »» Rain, rain…
Hey, Central New Mexico – Want To Take A Ride On the Space Station?
by John Weckerle
Well, you can’t – but you can watch other people do it for you. According to NASA, there will be some great observation opportunities from points within our area over the next few days, and at some times, both the International Space Station and the space shuttle will be visible at nearly the same time. For more information, check out the Moriarty Space Station sighting schedule.
Return of the Son of Grow Your Own
by John Weckerle
Given the interest everyone has shown in the concept of sustainable gardening, we think it appropriate to give another progress report on the raised-bed project. Our last update was June 1, and we’re pleased to provide a “then and now” photo comparison of one of the beds.
June 1 |
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Today |
It is important to note here that none of these plants has yet been in the ground three weeks. They all appear to growing extraordinarily well, and have recovered from the minor frost damage that hit them a couple of weeks ago. There has generally been noticeable growth between morning and evening every day. The cauliflower, broccoli, and brussels sprouts (second row from the left and top of the third row) were relatively tiny “six-pack” plants when they went in. One of the squash plants already has its first blossom. In the other bed, the lettuce is already capable of providing at least sandwich quantities (and maybe even a small salad) without overly damaging the plants, and the green pepper plant has a fruit on it that is nearly as long as my thumb.
And “thumbs up” it is to this inexpensive, space-saving gardening technique, at least thus far. We’ll keep you posted! (pun intended)