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Page 26 THE BEACON October 2017
Members pictured by sign ( from left to right ): Brandon Hoffman , Hope Slagle , Ellie Bonner , and Stefanie Ratliff . Other picture of members who competed ( from left to right ): Gage Crone , Kaite Lytle , Madison McAdams , and Amelia Hartman .
EC FFA Competes in State Contest
On Saturday May 13 , eight members of the East Central FFA Chapter competed in the Indiana State Wildlife CDE at John S . Wright Forestry Center of Purdue University . Members identified preserved animals , took a written exam , and evaluated wildlife habitats . Two teams competed and
DAN , DAVE , TYLER
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It ’ s almost October and that means this year ’ s locally grown apples will be available soon . Several farmers in the area produce and sell apples . I make a trip to Beiersdorfer ’ s Orchard each year for fruit and apple butter . I always purchase enough for a few apple desserts .
This apple pie is full of apple flavor . If you are in a hurry , use one cup of prepared apple sauce instead of making your own . If you take this shortcut , you ’ ll only need three apples .
Deluxe Apple Pie
1 9-inch pie pastry ( make your own or purchase a refrigerated one )
6 medium-sized Golden
Delicious apples 1 10-oz jar apricot preserves Sugar 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Prepare pastry and press pastry onto bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan . Peel and core 3 apples , cut into chunks ; Place about 1 / 3 of chunks into a blender . Add ¼ cup of water . Cover and blend at high speed until apples are pureed . Add one half of the remaining apple chunks and blend until smooth .
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Dearborn County Recycling Center
Fall Break Kickoff October 10-13
12-7pm
Wednesdays and Fridays October 18-27 , 12-7pm
10700 Prospect Ln . Aurora , IN 812-926-9963 DearbornCountyRecycles . com
DAN , DAVE , TYLER
By John Hawley
Purdue Extension Educator
hawley4 @ purdue . edu
What Happened to My Blue Spruce ?
As many may have noticed , our area ’ s blue spruce trees aren ’ t doing so well . If you have seen trees that look dry , brownish or just plain dead , then you know what I am talking about . In fact , fair estimates would put over half our trees in imminent danger of die-off . So what is causing this level of devastation in our local area ? To truly understand , let ’ s start with a brief history of the blue spruce .
The Colorado Blue Spruce or Picea pungens fastigiata is native to the Western United States including the states of Colorado , Utah , and New Mexico . I had the pleasure of seeing these trees frequently throughout my time in graduate school at Utah State University . Like some other spruce , they do very well in their native range , as
Finally , add remaining apple chunks and blend until smooth . Pour into a 3-quart saucepan ; stir in 1 / 3 cup apricot preserves and 2 tablespoons sugar . Over high heat , heat to boiling . Reduce heat to medium-high ; cook , uncovered , stirring frequently , about twenty minutes or until very thick . Remove from heat and cool . Peel and core remaining three apples . Cut each quarter into 1 / 8
-inch-thick wedges . In a large bowl , gently toss apple slices with lemon juice and 2 tablespoons sugar .
Preheat oven to 400 °. Spread applesauce evenly over the pastry . Arrange apple slices in concentric circles around the pie , closely overlapping each slice . Bake for forty-five minutes or until the apple slices are tender and browned . Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool slightly .
Heat remaining apricot preserves to boiling over medium-high heat ; continue cooking about two more minutes or until preserves are thick enough to coat a spoon . Brush preserves evenly over the top of pie . Cool on wire rack . Yields 8-10 servings
This is a great recipe to make if you are assigned to take dessert to a gathering . It yields 32 hearty bars and you think you are eating a square of apple pie . I ’ ve made a smaller version using an 8-inch square pan for home use by reducing the ingredients by half .
Apple Pie Bars 3 cups flour
they prefer lower amounts of moisture , cooler weather , and rocky soil . Over time they have become a very popular choice for ornamental growers throughout the country . This is where the issues begin .
Our moist , sub-tropical climate is very different from the native range of the blue spruce . Without going too far into specifics , our climate essentially allows disease , fungus and pests to do more damage . The most prevalent issues I have witnessed are Rhizosphaera Needle Cast and spider mite infestation . These conditions cause the trees to drop their needles ( usually starting bottom-totop ), creating an unsightly brown-look . According to my colleagues at the Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Laboratory , no matter the precautions taken , blue spruce trees will always be under environmental stress in our area and should not be planted .
So for those seeking ornamental improvement to their property , consider alternative species such as white fur , Korean fur , or Alaska cypress . These trees are all similar in appearance , but according to Dr . Bert Cregg and our partners at Michigan State Extension , they are more appropriate for our area .
So what should those already working with blue spruce do ? What if your trees are just now showing signs of damage ? The good news is that there are a few options for improved management . The bad news is
1 teaspoon salt 1 cup shortening 1 egg ( separate yolk from white ) Milk 1 cup cornflakes 8 cups tart cooking apples , peeled & sliced ¾-1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup confectioner ’ s sugar 3-4 teaspoons milk
Pastry : Stir together flour and salt . Using a pastry blender , cut shortening into flour until crumbs form . Place egg yolk into liquid measure and add enough milk to make ¾ cup liquid . Stir well and then stir milk mixture into flour mixture until combined . Divide dough in half . On a wellfloured surface , roll ½ dough to form a 17x12-inch rectangle . Fold into thirds and place on a 10x15-inch baking sheet .
Sprinkle cornflakes onto the top of dough . Place apple slices over cornflakes . Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle onto sliced apples . Roll remaining dough to an 11 x 16-inch rectangle and place onto apples . Crimp edges . Bake at 375 ° for 50 minutes . Place foil around edges of crust to prevent over-browning . Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool about 10-15 minutes .
Mix confectioners ’ sugar and milk and drizzle over warm bars . Yields 32 bars
Enjoy all the upcoming warm and sunny days that make this part of the country a great place to live .
that these options are often expensive , time consuming , and not guaranteed . Arborists often treat with fungicides and if done correctly , some at-home enthusiasts can accomplish this themselves . Spider mite and other pest infestations can be discovered by shaking limbs onto a white sheet of paper . If black moving specs appear , you have a pest to identify ! A variety of pesticides and ornamental tree foliar applications can hinder these pests . Although these actions may help your tree for a few seasons , there is no guarantee in the long term with or without proper management .
For those seeking to save a few trees , I strongly encourage allowing professionals to do the job if at all possible . However , if you decide to treat the trees yourself , please follow all safety and handling precautions . My recommendation for those with heavily damaged trees is to remove the impacted trees and replant native or well-suited species ( as mentioned above ). This is likely the easiest route for those looking to improve the aesthetics of their property .
For additional information about blue spruce trees or other agriculture and natural resources topics , feel free to e-mail 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 covering ponds and pond management in November ’ s issue of The Beacon !
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