An Emergent Reason to Garden Now

February 3rd, 2023, a train derailment occurred in Ohio. The derailment released large amounts of chlorine gas. Ohio has 10 million acres of farmland and is part of our U.S. food belt.

High levels of chlorine in the soil is toxic to plants. High levels of chlorine in waterways is toxic to fish. There is no telling how far and wide the contamination of this chemical plume will be. Perhaps that was the purpose of all the weather balloons that have been released?

While the effects to come is unknown; what is known, you can take some precautionary steps now. Stock up on seeds and start gardening.

Plants can be grown indoors. Plants can be transferred outside when the weather is favorable. Plants can be brought back indoors for container gardening. Vegetables produced that are not ready to be eaten can be blanched and frozen. Store seeds in a cool and dry place.

If you have the space, I would strongly consider keeping a bin of worms too. They are needed for making healthy soil.

HatTip @WKYCChannel3

Related:

Victory Gardens

Indoor Gardening

GROWING AND STORING FRESH PRODUCE

COMPOSTING FOR YOUR HOME GARDENS

INDOOR CONTAINER VICTORY GARDEN – EGGPLANT

INDOOR CONTAINER VICTORY GARDEN – LETTUCE

INDOOR CONTAINER VICTORY GARDEN – CARROTS

New #distancelearning from @DenvilleLibrary ! Ancient Egypt!

Fantastic #distancenlearning opportunity @DenvilleLibrary from an educational rock star of Monmouth University!

Pyramids, Obelisks and Mummies, Oh My!

Home Schoolers, Teachers, Enrichment Opportunities, History Buffs!

February 15, 2023 – 7:00pm – Virtual – Register @ Denville Library !

Ancient Egypt is one of the wellsprings of world civilization. This presentation explores the ancient Egyptians and their many accomplishments.  

Presented by: Dr. Veit, the interim Dean of the School of Humanities & Social Sciences at Monmouth University, Professor of Anthropology, and esteemed Chair of the Council for Northeast Historical Archaeology.

Thank you @DenvilleLibrary for programs like this!

Register @ Denville Library !



VICTORY GARDENS

Homeschool Days with @MorrisParksNJ

Homeschool Days

Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center, 247 Southern Boulevard, Chatham Township, NJ 07928 – Register here.

February 7:  Skulls and Bones – No bones about it, vertebrates have interesting skeletons! Compare yours to other species in this class. Examine real mammal, reptile, and bird skulls, looking for clues as to who they belong to. We’ll also take a close look at the kinds of teeth that mammals have as we munch on apple slices and carrots to test out how they work.

Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area, 472 Boonton Avenue, Montville Township, NJ 07045 (intersection of Mars Court and Boonton Avenue) – Register here.

March 6:  Be Bear Aware – Black bears are NJ’s largest land animal, found in every county. But there are so many misconceptions about them! Discover the secrets to their success in our state, practice what to do if you see one, play a game to simulate how they live, and take a walk on the trails looking for signs of bears.

Morris County Park Commission
300 Mendham Road
Morris Township, NJ 07960
P: 973.326.7600




VICTORY GARDENS

Hands On Crafts @ Fosterfield’s Living History Farm

Stamping, Stickering and Stenciling was a favorite craft to do with my children when they were young. Even as adults now, they will make their own cards and crafts. Register for this event!

Hands-On History: Stamping, Stickers, and Stenciling Saturday
Fosterfield’s Living Historical Farm 73 Kahdena Road, Morristown NJ 07960

HANDS-ON HISTORY: STAMPING, STICKERS, AND STENCILING SATURDAY

March 11, 2023 – Class times: 10am, 11am or 1pm

Morris County Park Commission
300 Mendham Road
Morris Township, NJ 07960
P: 973.326.7600

Register !




VICTORY GARDENS

MAPLE SUGARING DEMOS with Great Swamp Watershed Assoc.

Maple Sugaring Demos

Saturday, January 21—Sunday, March 12

1 pm – 2 pm or 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

*These classes fill up fast. Don’t delay in registering!

Preregistration is required. For more information, call 973.635.6629

Morris County Park Commission
300 Mendham Road
Morris Township, NJ 07960
P: 973.326.7600


Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center, 247 Southern Boulevard, Chatham Township, NJ 07928

Learn how to identify and tap maple trees, collect sap, and make real maple syrup over a wood-fired evaporator. Finish with a syrup taste test! This program will be held entirely outdoors, so dress for the weather. Syrup will be available for purchase, while supplies last.



VICTORY GARDENS


Virtual Plant of the Month Club with Morris Parks !

Virtual Plant Of The Month Club
Frelinghuysen Arboretum, 353 East Hanover Avenue, Morristown, NJ 07960


Morris County Park Commission
300 Mendham Road
Morris Township, NJ 07960
P: 973.326.7600

Travel around the world and through time in this virtual Plant of the Month Club for kids. Every month kids will propagate a different plant, find out how it got to American, who brought it, the science behind it and get together with other junior green thumbs. 

Monday, January 9: Pawpaw, the “hipster banana” – This month is all about the “hipster banana,” the U.S.’s largest native fruit, the pawpaw. :: Grow your own bananas! Read more.

Monday, February 6: Heavens to Betsy: It’s A Prayer Plant – Did you know there are plants that tuck themselves into bed at night — this month’s plant is the Prayer Plant that does just that. 

Monday, March 6: Eucalyptus, Am I Blue? – Koala Bears love Eucalyptus, learn why you should too.  

Preregistration is required. For more information call 973.326.7601.



VICTORY GARDENS

Garden Sprouts with Morris Parks

Garden Sprouts
Garden Sprouts

Frelinghuysen Arboretum, 353 East Hanover Avenue, Morristown, NJ 07960

Wednesday, January 4: Emerald Evergreens – Why do some plants go dormant and other plants stay evergreen? Sprouts will go for a winter walk to see which trees are still green. 

Wednesday, January 18: Beautiful Bark – Put on your…bark? The flowers and leaves may be gone, but the coat of the trees – the bark – are still out there. Sprouts will explore the winter garden to see and feel this amazing feature. 

Wednesday, February 1: Snow Giants – When it snows a big white blanket may cover the plants, but what’s happening below the snow that we can’t see? Bundle up and let’s explore. Garden Sprouts will learn how snow can help plants in the wintertime.

Wednesday, February 15: Heartwood – What better time to look at the “heart” of a tree than around Valentine’s Day? Garden Sprouts will go for a walk to see giant Dawn Redwoods, and a slice of their cousin, the Sequoia.

Wednesday, March 1: Marvelous Maples – Sugar maples and red maples and Japanese maples, oh my! Maples make up a large amount of our forests in New Jersey. Garden Sprouts will go for a walk to see the different maple trees in our collection, and watch a demonstration of maple tree tapping. 

Wednesday, March 15: Itsy Bitsy Buds – What signs of life can we still see in the garden? Sprouts will use magnifying glasses to see the tiniest parts of the plant that that reveal signs that it is still alive. Sprouts will peel open a bud or two and examine what is inside. 

Wednesday, March 29: Small Seeds, Big Roots – With some time, teeny tiny seeds grow into very big plants. How? Sprouts will discover what is inside a seed and will start their own.

Morris County Park Commission
300 Mendham Road
Morris Township, NJ 07960
P: 973.326.7600

Preregistration is required. For more information, 973-635-6629.



VICTORY GARDENS

Denville S.P.A.R.K. Polar Plunge 2023 at Cook’s Pond!

One of our favorite #Denville parks is hosting the Denville S.P.A.R.K. Polar Plunge 2023

February 25, 2023 @ 9:30am

DONATE and/or PLUNGE: https://givebutter.com/PLUNGE4SPARK2023 

Plunge into Cook’s Pond to continue our efforts to fulfill our mission: INDEPENDENT LIVING for some of the more challenged members within our community. Keep them here, together, in safe and familiar surroundings, Denville.

Registration and check-in begin at We PLUNGE at 1:00PM. Please join us to PLUNGE or show your SUPPORT!

See Denville’s Previous Polar Plunge’s with Denville S.P.A.R.K.:

2020 Denville Polar Plunge

#DENVILLE Polar Plunge

#DENVILLE ‘s Polar Plunge @ Cook’s Pond



VICTORY GARDENS

DenvilleCommunity A Virtual Downtown