Gas Well Drilling and Your Private Water Supply - March 18

The WVU-ES Natural Gas Education Team has scheduled educational programs for the Winter of 2013. View the schedules andpress releases.

SPRING 2013

• Gas Well Drilling and Your Private Water Supply  (see below)
  Monday, March 18, 2013
  Mollohan Center, Wetzel Co. 4-H Camp Grounds
  New Martinsville

• 2nd Annual Enhancing Public Understanding of Natural Gas Issues Conference
  Wednesday, May 22, 2013
  Bridgeport Conference Center

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March 18, 2013        

TIME:   6:00 pm —8:00 pm 

LOCATION:   Mollohan Center, Wetzel Co. 4-H Camp Grounds,  New Martinsville WV 

Sponsored by:    WVU Extension &  Penn State Cooperative  Extension   

Pre-registration required at (304)455-0934

Agenda

• Basic Management of Private Water Wells and Springs 
• Gas Well Drilling Basics (water use, hydrofracturing, wastewater, regulations to protect water resources) 
• Water Testing Strategies (pre-drilling testing by industry, voluntary landowner testing, leasing stipulations) 
• Understanding Water Test Reports 
•  Solving Water Quality Problems  

    

Learn more at  http://anr.ext.wvu.edu/oil_gas,  

http://water.cas.psu.edu/ and

www.naturalgas.psu.edu

IMPORTANT Note:  This program is for educational purposes only. No part  of this presentation is to be considered legal advice.  Please consult with your attorney before signing any legal document.  Where trade and/or company names appear, no  discrimination is intended, and no endorsement by WVU  or Penn State Cooperative Extension is implied.

Meanwhile Downstream

A little over 150 miles downstream, the Potomac was transformed by last weeks rains.

Excerpted from the Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang blog, original post by Kevin Ambrose.

The Potomac at Great Falls Park on January 24, 2013:

And the same spot just a little over a week later on February 3, 2013.

On the Eighth Day...

I'm a Ford guy, but Dodge scored some points with this ad.

Ugly prediction (updated)

This prediction was captured at 11:19pm on January 30. Parts of this storm traveled from the Blue Grass Valley straight up the South Branch watershed to Green Spring / Levels.

Prediction: from 11:19 pm January 30, 2013

Actual graph (snapped 02-02-2013) - not as bad:

Growing food from surprising sources

I'm having trouble tracking this to the original sources.

Apples- http://www.ehow.com/how_2135774_grow-apple-seeds.html

Tomatoes- http://www.ehow.com/how_5581958_grow-tomatoes-fresh-tomato-seeds.html

Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes- http://www.gardenguides.com/117543-plant-cuttings-potatoes.html

Green Onions- http://www.17apart.com/2012/02/how-to-grow-green-onions-indefinitely.html

Leeks- same technique as green onions

Carrot Tops- http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/children-in-the-garden/grow-carrot-tops.htm

Pineapple- http://www.rickswoodshopcreations.com/Pineapple/pineapple.htm

Romaine Lettuce- Same technique as celery

Cabbage- Same technique as celery

Celery- http://www.17apart.com/2012/02/growing-celery-indoors-never-buy-celery.html

Avocado -http://www.thehungrymouse.com/2009/09/09/how-to-grow-an-avocado-tree-from-an-avocado-pit/

Lentils- http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/02/19/how-to-grow-sprouts/

Pumpkin- http://pinterest.com/pin/98375573080950437/

Ginger- http://www.gardenswag.com/2011/12/5-foods-you-can-grow-from-kitchen-scraps/

Garlic- http://www.gardenswag.com/2011/12/5-foods-you-can-grow-from-kitchen-scraps/

Hampshire Master Gardener's Certification Course

A few more students are needed in order to hold the class. It's conducted by the WV University Extension Service. 

Call our Extension Agent, Steve Starcher at 304-822-5013 to get enrolled. Here are the details:

Class Title: WV Master Gardener's 
Number of Sessions: 10 (1 per week)
Day/Time: Monday, 6-9pm
Where: Old Hampshire County Courtroom (2nd floor)
Dates: February 25-April 29
Cost: $85/person

The core modules will cover Soil Science, Plant Science, Plant Pathology, Entomology, and Communications. After the 10 sessions students must pass an exam. Students will be issued a Certificate and Master Gardener Pin. Students must commit to 30 hours of Volunteer hours as part of program.

Another Planting Guide for Testing

The SproutBot planting guide I featured here drew skepticism, so I'll be curious to hear what others think about this one:

What to Plant Now:
Mid-Atlantic

Not sure what seeds you could be starting right now, or which transplants need to be set outside this season? Our regional planting guides take the guesswork out of garden planning! Click on the current month below to find out which garden plants need your attention right now.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Don't live in the Mid-Atlantic region? Find garden planning information for your area.
For planting times specific to your zip code, check out the MOTHER EARTH NEWS Vegetable Garden Planner.

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/What-To-Plant-Now/Mid-Atlantic-Gardening-Region.aspx#ixzz2JK9ls6Kg

Seeing Trees

Watch, Advisory, Warning

Paraphrasing from the National Weather Service:

Watch suggests there is the potential for a significant hazard to occur, but its occurrence, location, and/or timing is still uncertain.

Advisory announces an imminent hazards that may only merit caution, but could become dangerous if caution is not exercised.

Warning is used when a dangerous hazard is imminent or already occurring.

There is a proposed alternative system under consideration, but until this changes, forecasters choose between 14 types of watches, advisories and warnings.

Bees, flowers, bats and bugs in January

People throughout the mid-Atlantic  enjoyed some surprises this weekend.  Our bees were busy and visited me throughout the day Sunday as I planted trees wearing a yellow shirt.  While driving in the early evening, we saw more than a dozen bats (not a good thing, if they're not capturing any food).  Geraniums and Delphinium were blooming in flower pots, and the leaf buds on the Hawthorns we were planting were opening.  The moist soil was easy to work and it was a great day to plant trees.

Tree Planting in the Snow

Over 500 new trees arrived from the Clements State Tree Nursery just after the Solstice and just before the snowfall began.  We're now in our third week of snow cover.  I used MelissaData to confirm that we have a December and January average temp in Green Spring/Levels (26722) that is only 4 degrees F cooler than Arlington, VA (22201), but that makes all the difference, as there was only flurries and rain in Arlington.

Wood House Research Farm, January 2013

A new mixed-species research plot.

Nevertheless, so far we've been able to plant 100 redbuds (Cercis canadensis), 75 chestnuts (Castanea mollissima), 50 Virginia pines (Pinus virginiana),  and 25 hawthorns (Crataegus phaenopyrum) through the ice and snow.  The remaining 75 hawthorns and 100 crabapples (Malus sargentii) are part of a research plot designed with the Appalachian Coal Team experimenting with a new reforestation technology.

A future chestnut crop.

Interestingly, except for very cold hands, the snow was helpful in insulating and watering the ground below, allowing for a pretty good planting rate when the temperatures were above freezing in the afternoons.

The boathouse and stained glass studio after the first snow arrived on December 24. 

SproutRobot.com

When to plant, based on your Zip Code:  http://sproutrobot.com/

Late December Duck Pond

We built this shallow pond for our resident wood ducks  (Aix sponsa), and it's also very popular with frogs, toads, peepers, salamanders and turtles.  When there is snow on the ground, the tracks show that it's also a popular stop for mammals and birds.

A nesting box built by Alicia Johnston and Gina Armstrong in 2007,
and erected by Grace Young and Katie Lloyd (and their helpful parents).

With the river in the background.

South Branch in the Snow

Just photos.

Looking upstream toward Levels, WV.

Snow highlights the unusual cliff formations across the river.

Cheat River Festival Coordinator

Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Do you love Cheatfest?  Do you love Cheatfest so much you want to be our fearless fest leader?  Apply by 1/4/13!  Please share this opportunity with appropriate friends, colleagues, and groups. Friends of the Cheat Job Opportunity Cheat River Festival Coordinator Friends of the Cheat, Inc. a non-profit, grassroots, watershed group based out of Kingwood, WV is seeking a coordinator for the annual Cheat River Festival held on the first Saturday of May since 1994.  The Festival Coordinator will be responsible for handling all aspects of festival coordination and execution, including:  leading Friends of the Cheat’s Festival Committee; serving as the primary point of contact for festival vendors, key volunteer leaders, and the press; recruiting and coordinating vendors and exhibitors; developing and managing event advertising, marketing materials, and associated grant writing; procuring goods and services related to the festival such as fest merchandise and contractors (sound, security, sanitation, etc.); procuring donations of goods and services for silent auction and raffles; assisting the volunteer coordinator with volunteer recruitment and management; researching alternative parking procedures; updating and maintaining the festival website and social media outlets; drafting/compiling a festival manual for comprehensive record keeping; and leading the setup, execution, and cleanup of the 2013 festival to be held May 4, 2013.  The Festival Coordinator will also work with and provide input to the Festival Site Committee to develop long-term site development plans.  The successful Festival Coordinator must be able to coordinate with veteran festival volunteers to maintain and expand the popular aspects of the festival while balancing the organization’s desire to improve the status quo for a more meaningful festival experience and maximized profits. The successful applicant will be competent in MS Office and possess strong verbal communication skills. Excellent organizational skills are a must.  Attention to detail, flexibility, and the ability to both work unsupervised and be a team player is key to success.  Graphic design knowledge and experience with Wordpress websites is beneficial but not required. Friends of the Cheat is offering this position as a $5K contract with a potential cash bonus based on festival profits.  The ideal contract period is from 1/15/13 through 6/15/13.  Hours will gradually increase from about 10 hours per week to full time as the festival date approaches and taper off during the wrap up period after.  Evening and weekend work is required; however, the work schedule is flexible and many duties may be completed from an adequately equipped home office.  Festival related travel and mobile phone reimbursement will be built into the contract. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and list of three references with contact information by Friday, January 4th to Friends of the Cheat.  E-mail submissions are preferred to Amanda@cheat.org.  Send hard copies to:  Amanda Pitzer, Executive Director, Friends of the Cheat, 119 South Price St., Suite 206, Kingwood, WV 26537.                                                             Smiling Faces Look how many people you would make happy by being a successful fest coordinator!                                                             Important Funds Each year, the festival raises around 40% of FOC's annual operating budget. May 4, 2013 will mark the 19th Cheatfest!  forward to a friend  Copyright © 2012 Friends of the Cheat, All rights reserved. You are a friend of the Cheat! Our mailing address is: Friends of the Cheat 119 South Price St. Suite #206 Kingwood WV, WV 26537-1478

Happy Birthday to Sallie See

As Editor of the Hampshire Review, Sallie helped me brainstorm this blog back in  2009, and her Hampshire Review Blogs Page continues to drive lots of readers here.    She's also provided a home for lots of other great blogs serving our part of West Virginia.

Silver lining to a dark cloud - Bat fungus

from today's Washington Post:

Research on stricken bats may help AIDS fight

(Greg Turner/ Pennsylvania Game Commission ) - A small brown bat is seen in May after it came out of hibernation with tearing of its wings. This is an example of what bats with white-nose fungus sometimes suffer in the same way that humans with AIDS do.

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By Darryl Fears, Published: December 9

In a government lab where scientists slice open dead animals to study the exotic diseases that killed them, Carol Meteyer peered through a microscope at hundreds of little bats and started to notice something very weird.

The bats had managed to survive the white-nose fungus that had killed millions of other bats hibernating in caves, mostly in the Northeast. But they had succumbed to something else that had left their tiny corpses in tatters, their wings scorched and pocked with holes.

Meteyer finally realized what had happened: In the struggle to fight off the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome, the bats were killed by their own hyperaggressive immune systems.

Meteyer, a scientist for the U.S. Geological Survey, had stumbled upon a phenomenon never before seen in mammals in the wild. A similar finding had been observed only once before — in people with AIDS.

Now scientists hope studying the immunology of bats might help in the development of treatments for AIDS.


Read the whole story here.

Potomac Watershed Partnership 2012 Winter Information Exchange

December 11, 2012 (9am-3pm) – WVU Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, 2400 Foundation Way, Martinsburg, WV – This year’s theme: Kids in the Wild: Engaging K-12 Students in Environmental Educational Experiences. 

Topics will include environmental literacy strategies, engaging students in local and national parks, classroom preparation for outdoor experiences, field trips, etc. To register, visit:http://www.cacaponinstitute.org/PWP/PWP_winter_2012_information_exchange_RSVP.htm. For more information, contact pwp@cacaponinstitute.org or 304-856-1385.

Gathering Osage Oranges

On a foggy morning my brother Brian and my nephew Luke transport the fruits of the Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera) to places along the flood plain where the seeds will be planted to develop a natural hedgerow/fence.  We have dozens of these trees on our farm, and soon we'll begin seeing the deer and squirrels relying on them for food.

(Click on the photo for a larger image.)

Leonid meteor shower tonight

The Leonid meteor shower will peak between sunset November 16th and dawn on the 17th. It will be visible in all timezones.

This is one of the brightest meteor showers of the year.

The Leonids (named from the constellation Leo, are associated with the comet Tempel-Tuttle as Earth moves through its meteoroid stream of particles ejected as the comet's frozen gases evaporate under the heat of the Sun whenever it's anywhere closer than Jupiter.  These tiny particles give off huge amounts of light when they impact Earth at over 70 km/s (that's 43 miles per SECOND).