Riverton Utah Stake Relief Society
Be Ye Strong
Newsletter
May/June 2010
Volume 3; Issue 3
President’s Message
Dear Sisters,
It’s summer time and instead of the “Lazy hazy days of summer” we are running here and there attending ball games for our children or busy trying to get on top of the weeds in our gardens, or a myriad of other worldly activities that draw us in. Summer is a busy time for all of us but it’s important that we make time and then take the time for Spiritual Renewal.
It doesn’t take much time to feed one’s spirit. Reading scriptures, daily prayers, compassionate service, and attending our meetings all help to keep us spiritually strong and close to our Heavenly Father.
Here is another way to contribute to your Spiritual health – Indexing. It’s one of things that we have been asked to do by our Stake Presidency this year. Even indexing for 30 minutes a day can make a significant contribution to your ward’s assignment of 100,000 names by the end of the year. In some ward Relief Societies we have noticed that they have made a chart to mark their progress. We wonder which ward will get to 100,000 first.
President Monson in the 2007 General Relief Society Meeting told the sisters ” that small acts of service is all that is required to bless and lift another.” Indexing is a small act of service that will bless not only you but also thousands of families who are trying to complete their family history as well as those who have gone on before us; who are waiting for their temple work to be completed.
Sisters, we pray that you will all have a desire to do your share of indexing. We want all of you to know how much we love and admire you for all you do to serve our Father in Heaven. We know He will bless you for your efforts.
Love, Shannon, Lori, Sammy, and Jan
Stake Garden Class
Our next Stake Garden class will be July 10th from 9:00 to 11:00 am at the Ranch Ward building. We will be learning about “Four Season Harvests” and how to build cold frames that will allow us to grow cool season crops such as spinach, lettuce, scallions, and carrots to harvest during the cold winter months. This will be a wonderful, informative class!
Cannery News
Alicia Clayton
Stake Welfare Specialist
801-254-2450
Sandy Utah Home Storage Center Dry Pack (801-561-8104)
Tuesday, June 29th - 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Wednesday, August 4th – 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
These times have been reserved for our Stake.
Summer Strawberry Spinach Salad
3 Cups Fresh Baby Spinach Leaves
1 Cup Bite Size Romaine Lettuce
1 Egg
½ Cup Vinegar
½ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Onion (Chopped)
1 Cup Sliced Strawberry or Mandarin Orange
Slivered Almonds
½ of a Chicken Breast (Sliced)
Dressing:
Beat together egg & vinegar; put in a small pot & simmer, stirring well. Continue to simmer, add sugar & onion; cook for 5 minutes; stir occasionally; chill in fridge for 1 hour.
Wash & drain baby spinach leaves & romaine lettuce well; place in large salad bowl; pour chilled dressing over salad; add strawberries or mandarin oranges, & almonds; mix well; top with chicken.
3rd Annual Garden Share
August & September, Saturdays between 9:00 & 11:00, at the Stake Center. Everyone is invited to come & take the produce they need; a donation isn’t necessary. Any donation of surplus garden produce is always appreciated.
Your Garden Update
Clo Dillman, Advanced Master Gardener
Our very cool, wet spring this year has delayed our gardens. However, don’t be dismayed if your garden looks almost like it did when you first planted it. Once the warm weather arrives your tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, squash and beans will shoot up fast.
Unless you have had some protection such as walls of water or floating row covers for your warm weather vegies, our gardens are just beginning to grow. I think we are all anxiously waiting for the hot and dry days that will really boost the growth and production of our summer vegetables. I can’t wait for the first taste of home grown tomatoes this year!
The lettuce, beets, spinach, peas, broccoli and cabbage that you planted earlier should be doing quite well, as they love these cool and wet spring days and will begin to slow down once the hot weather arrives. These can be replanted in the first two weeks of August for another harvest in the fall.
If you haven’t yet planted your tomatoes it is not too late. I have had to replant my garden after a late frost, in the middle of June and still had a wonderful (but later) crop of tomatoes and cucumbers.
Once the heat arrives, be sure to mulch around your plants with grass clippings or other mulches to preserve water and keep the roots of the plants cool during the heat of the day.
Cold Frames
Clo Dillman, Advanced Master Gardener
You might think that the growing season has a finite beginning and end; the last frost in spring and the first frost in fall. But, in fact, many gardeners try to start planting and harvesting when frost still threatens. With a simple cold frame, you can extend your season by a month or more on either end – in some climates, you can grow right through the winter with one.
What is a cold frame? Nothing more than four walls to trap heat and shelter plants, and a transparent lid that admits light. You can make the walls from any sturdy material, plywood, concrete, even bales of hay. An old window works perfectly as a lid, but you can also use Plexiglas or plastic sheeting tacked to a frame.
The lid’s size usually determines the dimensions of the cold frame. Still you’ll want it to be larger than 2 x 4 feet to make it worth your while; you don’t want it much larger that 3 x 6 feet so that you can reach all the plants inside. Build the back 4 to 6 inches higher that the front to maximize the amount of light that reaches the plants inside and to allow water or melting snow to drain off the top easily.
The best site for your cold frame, is a south facing, sunny spot with good drainage and some protection from the wind. Ideally, the site should get full sun from mid-morning to mid afternoon. You can set up a cold frame permanently in your garden or make one that you put away when you’re not using it.
Before you set up a cold frame in a permanent spot, dig out the top 3 or 4 inches of soil inside and replace it with a layer of coarse gravel. Then put 6 inches of topsoil back. This will ensure good drainage.
You can grow cold frame plants in pots, flats or, if you’re growing just one type (say salad greens) plant right in the soil.
The key to using a cold frame successfully is paying attention to the temperature – and the trick is in keeping it cool rather than warm. The temperature inside the cold frame should stay below 75 F for summer plants, and below 60 F for cool weather plants (peas, cabbage, broccoli.. The way to keep temperatures cool inside is to lift the lid. A good rule is when outdoor temp is above 40 F, prop open the lid 6 inches. When the outdoor temps clear 50F, remove the lid or open it fully.
On cold nights, the plants inside the cold frame may need a little extra protection to keep from freezing. Most heat escapes through the glass or plastic, so pile insulation on top. You can use old blankets, straw, newspaper or whatever is handy. Snow insulates well too, but brush heavy snow off the glass so it doesn’t break.
Charity Never Faileth