Page 20A THE BEACON January 2018
By John Hawley
Purdue Extension Educator
hawley4 @ purdue . edu
Winter Lawn Care ; Should I Bother ?
I started this job back in July , and one of the perks has been the financial stability to care for a lawn ( crazy right ?). Many of my friends who also recently landed jobs went for the new car , vacations , or purebred dogs . All I could think about was having the means to do lawn care ! Six years of school and four different apartments certainly built up my anticipation for mowing , fertilizing , mulching , composting , weed control , you name it .
As we approach winter , many of my fellow lawn enthusiasts may be wondering something similar : should I bother with winter lawn care ? The short answer is yes ! Lawn care is often a year-round battle with the elements , and for those seeking to impress their neighbors , there is no time to rest . Although the colder temperatures and frost will reduce the need for common tasks such as mowing , fertilizing , and so on , there is no guarantee from year-to-year . For example , a colleague recently told me that her husband mowed their lawn on Christmas Eve a few years back ! I am sure many of you reading this may remember the exact year she was talking about . My point is that although we expect there to be no need to work on our lawns in the winter , Mother Nature may have other plans .
So let ’ s get down to business and talk about what can be done in normal winter months !
Pest control is surprisingly crucial in the winter months . Although many animals have bedded down for the season and the insects are few and far between , there are still vermin to deal with . I am currently in a knock-down-drag-out fight with a mole that just won ’ t give in . In many circumstances , the first hard freeze may slow these types of pests down , but not always . This week I will re-treat the tunnels in my yard with poison to see if I can finally claim victory .
Although some may enjoy them , deer and other
large mammals may also be a constant presence in the winter . These creatures are often on the move , and your property might be a nice landing spot for food and shelter . If you want to keep your lawn and garden healthy in the spring and summer , my advice is to avoid enticing these creatures with food or other attention . If you are dealing with pests like me , be sure to handle the problem while you can . Setting traps and poisons commonly found at local hardware stores is often effective if done properly .
For those with acidic soils , liming is also not a bad idea in late winter . According to our partners at Penn State Extension , most turf grasses prefer a soil pH ranging from 6.0 to 7.0 . Lime should always be applied after a proper soil test . Visit my office or the Dearborn County Soil and Water Conservation District in Aurora to have this done .
My last piece of advice for lawn care is to use your down time wisely . There is no denying this is the “ slow season ” but don ’ t treat it that way . Perform maintenance on tools , sharpen mower blades , replace the wheels on your spreader , and plan for next season accordingly . If you really want the best lawn on the block , don ’ t wait until warmer weather comes around . Many stores have reduced prices on products that are otherwise hard to find during busy months . For instance , I recently found a brand new fertilizer spreader for $ 7 ! It was the last one on the shelf , and the retailer was clearly ready to part with it . Be sure to look for these deals all winter long !
To learn more about winter lawn care , visit : https :// www . extension . purdue . edu / extmedia / HO / HO-236-W . pdf or http :// plantscience . psu . edu / research / centers / turf / extension / factsheets / seasons
For additional information about other agriculture and natural resources topics , feel free to email me at hawley4 @ purdue . edu . You can also reach my office at 812-926- 1189 . We are located at 229 Main Street , Aurora , IN 47001 .
Look for my next article in February ’ s issue of The Beacon !
Downtown Lawrenceburg ’ s
Ice Skating Rink NOW OPEN through Jan . 14 , 2018 !
Located at Todd Creech Park , Tate St . Tuesday - Thursday : 4-8PM Friday : 4-9PM ** Saturday : 12-9PM Sunday : 12-8PM Closed Mondays ---------- Christmas Break Schedule Hours : December 23 – January 6 : 12-9PM Christmas Eve : 12-3PM New Years Eve : 12-6PM Closed Christmas Day
** Except for Teen Nights ( rink closed to public during hours below ): Friday , December 22 Grades 9 to 12 / 7 to 10PM
For more information contact : Lawrenceburg Main Street 812-537-4507 or go to : www . ThinkLawrenceburg . com
When it comes to holidays , I ’ m a creature of habit . I love the family customs that have been part of my entire existence from the annual Christmas pageants that were part of Providence church in Bright to those that centered around family gatherings throughout the holiday seasons over the years . Because I ’ ve always enjoyed baking , we kept many of those activities . But , in a break with traditions , we ’ ve made some changes also . While I used to spend days making and dipping chocolates , I now may make one batch of English toffee for others . The batches of multiple kinds of holiday cookies have been replaced with only one or two that can be shared . This year , since I now am alone , another longheld tradition of warm yeast cinnamon muffins will give way to a similar warm breakfast treat with the assist of packaged crescent rolls . They even passed the test of reheating with the frosting as the only casualty of the reheat process .
Mini Cinnamon Rolls 1 ( 8-ounce ) can refrigerated crescent rolls 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons butter , softened
( to be easily spread ) 1 cup sifted confectioners ’ sugar 2 teaspoons milk 2 drops vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 375 °. Lightly grease an 8 or 9-inch round cake pan . Unroll crescent roll dough and separate into 4 rectangles . Pinch perforated edges together within rectangles to seal .
Stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon . Spread each rectangle with a small amount of the butter . Sprinkle the mixture evenly on each of the triangles . Roll up , jelly roll fashion , starting with a long side . Pinch edges to seal . Gently cut each log into 5 slices and place , cut sides down into the cake pan . Bake for 15 minutes or until rolls begins to brown . Combine confectioners ’ sugar , milk , and vanilla extract , stirring until smooth . Remove rolls from oven and drizzle
TEEN NIGHT
December 22 7:00-10:00 PM Special Teen Night with DJ Grades 9 - 12 at the Ice Rink
glaze over the warm rolls . If you think you will have leftovers , store the unused glaze in the refrigerator for “ reglazing ” after reheating rolls . Yield about 4-6 servings .
This recipe for Cranberry Chicken has become one of my favorite entrees for fall and winter months . It meets the requirement for speed and ease of preparation , and I often have most of the ingredients on hand in the freezer and pantry . That makes it perfect for last minute guests . Caramelized Chicken with
Cranberry Conserve ¼ cup orange juice 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 garlic clove , minced 4 skinless , boneless chicken breast halves 3 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil ½ cup dried cranberries 1-2 tablespoons sesame seeds , toasted ( optional )
1-2 green onions , minced ( optional ) Combine orange juice , balsamic vinegar , and minced garlic in a gallon size closable plastic bag . Add chicken breasts and marinate for at least 1-2 hours ( in refrigerator ). Remove chicken but reserve marinade .
Cook sugar and sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat , stirring constantly for about 4 minutes . Add chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side . Add reserved marinade and cranberries ; cook , stirring and turning chicken often until done ( about 10 minutes ). Remove chicken and let stand for about 5 minutes . Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and green onions . Serve with cranberry mixture . Here ’ s hoping that your upcoming holiday season will be filled with good memories and perhaps a new or revised custom or celebration . See you next year !
Lauren Hill Award recipient Commissioner Kevin Lynch
Kevin Lynch Honored as Lauren Hill Award Recipient
The Dearborn County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors is honored to recognize Kevin Lynch as the 2017 Lauren Hill Award recipient . Kevin has been a tireless advocate of Dearborn County and Southeast Indiana in various roles throughout the region , most recently as the first Indiana president of the OKI Regional Council of Governments . Mr . Lynch has been a Dearborn County commissioner since 2012 and has served or is serving on a number of non-profit boards throughout the community . Mr . Lynch is a graduate of Xavier University and worked in the banking industry from 1990 until his retirement . His passion for Indiana and Dearborn County come through in everything he does .
In 2014 , the Board of Directors created an award to honor Lauren Hill ’ s legacy of inspiration , collaboration and community spirit . The award is given out each year to an individual or entity whose work over the past year has resulted in broad collaboration throughout the community to accomplish a beneficial goal . By creating the award , the Chamber intended to remember Lauren ’ s impact on this community and continue her legacy to inspire others to work together towards common goals that benefit us all .
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