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One of my favorite parts of being a University of Wyoming Extension Educator is going on yard calls. Residents from around the county will call the office and ask questions about things that are giving them fits in their landscape: yellow patches in grasses, odd-shaped holes in leaves, funny insects marching up and down the bark and so forth. Sometimes people stop in the office with a sample; sometimes they bring pictures. If I can’t figure out the problem from the sample or the picture, I travel to the property and take a look in person. In r...
Wildflowers can be a great addition to a landscape. The cottage look is just what many gardeners are seeking. Additionally, when we hear wildflowers, we tend to think about flowers that are easy to grow, require little maintenance, and maybe even require less water than some of the other plants in the garden. However, there are a few things to keep in mind. The term “wildflower” implies the flowers have not been cultivated and are not hybrids; the flowers should not differ from their native flower counterparts. Wildflowers are not, and can...
Imagine: citrus trees growing in Medicine Bow, Wyoming all year round. As unlikely as this might sound, Kani and Lyle Flansburg believe it possible and are taking the steps to make this unlikely scenario a reality. They have already built a greenhouse in Medicine Bow that is the beginning of this citrus growing world. "We have started a small permaculture design, food forest and sustainable agriculture demonstration business, WyOasis, LLC," Kani said. For those who don't know what permaculture...
For those who are not involved in the world of agriculture, the word "cattle rustling" may invoke images of sepia-toned movies in which black hatted villains abscond with the property of hard working ranchers. Perhaps it brings to mind gritty western movies, still set in the Old West, in which lynch mobs are formed and the thieves are brought to some form of justice. Unfortunately, the theft of cattle is not the problem of a bygone era. While ranches and ranchers have adapted with changing...
Among the many bills that were introduced during this past legislative session, one that may have caught the eye of ranchers throughout Wyoming was House Bill 0244. This piece of legislation, introduced by Representative Hans Hunt, would have repealed Wyoming State Statute 11-37-108, which may fine a rancher up to $750 for not paying the beef check-off dues currently owed to the Wyoming Beef Council. The bill failed by a vote of 27-29-4, Representative Jerry Paxton was excused, and so the $1...
As Saratoga Skijoring prepares to enter its fourth year, it is already proving to be the place to be for competition. In those four years, the event competition has come a long way. In 2016, the Platte Valley Jaycees approached the Saratoga Lions Club about putting on a skijoring race. The Lions Club, looking for something to replace the cancelled chariot races, were more than willing to help. "Initially, it was the Jaycees that had the idea and they said 'We have no idea how to put this stuff o...
On Friday evening, people from across the west will be pouring into Saratoga as they head to the Wolf Hotel to register for Saratoga Skijoring. The two-day event is arguably a new past-time for members of the modern working class of the west and, just down the street from the historical building, a local artist will be highlighting those individuals. Local artist Jamie Waugh, who also does business as Bandita Bones, will be holding an art show in the former home of Fishpaw at 120 E Bridge...
Part of the evolution of any event, especially one in which time is an essential component, is the timing system. The same goes for Saratoga Skijoring, which has gone from an analog timing system to one that removes human error. While a timing system might normally set an organization back a few thousand dollars, the system used for Saratoga Skijoring comes courtesy of Jon Nelson of North Fork Engineering. Nelson has been part of the timing for Saratoga Skijoring since the very first year. For...
The cold weather is bearing down on us and so are the holidays. This is the time of year when people break out their recipes of hot toddies or egg nog to get in the spirit of Christmas and keep warm. There is an old time 19th century hot drink that was famous in its day, but has sadly fallen off most drink menus and many modern recipe books; The Tom and Jerry. No, the drink was not named after the famous cartoon duo, because the bartender who created this drink first published it in 1862. Jerry... Full story
Monday, Dec. 2 6 p.m. HEM Christmas Concert HEM High School Wednesday, Dec. 4 4 p.m. Elk Mountain Elementary School Christmas Concert Elk Mountain Elementary School 6:30 p.m. Encampment Community Choir Concert Grand Encampment Opera House Friday, Dec. 6 4 p.m. Hanna Winter Bazaar Hanna Recreation Center 7:30 p.m. Winter Parade Starts at town hall, ends at Rec. Center After the parade is Lighing of Christmas Tree and Candlelight Vigil Hanna Rec. Center Saturday, Dec. 7 2 p.m. Cookie Decoration Medicine Bow Senior Center 5:30 p.m. Saratoga...
The annual Lighted Christmas Parade will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7 and will begin at Bridge Ave. and River Street as it goes through historic downtown Saratoga. While waiting for the parade to begin, residents and visitors are encouraged to take advantage of local retailers and "shop small" this season. The parade will end at the Platte Valley Community Center, just in time to welcome Santa and Mrs. Claus at "Winter Wonderland." The parade announcer and entertainer each year is...
Following the Christmas parade Saturday, Dec. 7, Valley residents are invited to attend what has become "a long-time holiday tradition" according to a press release from the Valley Service Organization (VSO). Winter Wonderland, which will be located in the Great Hall of the Platte Valley Community Center, will return this year. According to the press release, the VSO's "annual Christmas gift" will feature a free chilli and hot dog feed for everyone, cookies and hot chocolate. The perennial star...
The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) is sharing five tips to help prevent foodborne illness from ruining holiday meals that feature turkey as a star attraction. Tiffany Greenlee, an epidemiologist with WDH, said mistakes with holiday dinners can sometimes lead to unfortunate illnesses. “Foodborne illness is something that can be avoided with good practices and habits,” she said. “These steps can be especially important when we have large holiday gatherings that are spread over more time than our everyday meals.” Greenlee suggests the followi...
My recipes so far have been about tweaking foods to help make them a little more healthy, but not this week! It is getting close to the holidays and we all like to cheat a little and have a tasty treat. So, a warning to everyone, this is a full sugar, full fat and all of that recipe. I use to think fudge was difficult. I previously only had recipes that involved a candy thermometer. I would either end up with goop or a lump of chocolaty looking substance that was too hard to chew. I remember...
Rae Richter has lived in the Valley for nearly three years and currently works for Kip Kerbs, helping him on his ranch outside Saratoga. Richter is originally from Masonville, Colorado and served in the United States Marine Corps (USMC) for four years. "I had a lot of friends that were going to college and all that kind of stuff and I just wasn't ready for college," said Richter. "I had another friend that was in the Marine Corps and he told me I should give it a go." Taking her friends advice,...
"I went to Phu Cat for two weeks of training and that was kind of exciting because I did something really dumb. I was out at my end of the Qui Nhon and it was during the Tet Offensive and the bus was five hours out taking us to Phu Cat, whoever was going that direction. Being young and bulletproof, I stuck my thumb out and hitchhiked ... to Phu Cat." Steve Flauding has lived in the Valley for 41 years. In that time he has worked a variety of jobs. He went from being a troubleshooter for Carbon C...
Morgan Rempel is a 2017 graduate of Saratoga Middle/High School. Following his graduation, Rempel enlisted with the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and has been serving si nce June 2017. According to his mother, Carrie Garcia, Rempel advanced as a Scout Swimmer for the Alpha Raiders. He is currently stationed in Camp Pendleton, California and is a 1st Battalion, 4th Marines Alpha Raider, also known as the China Marines. The 1/4 Marines were originally activiated in April 1911 and first saw...
Before Katherine Munson graduated from Saratoga High School in 2001, she had a scholarship opportunity in Nebraska. After talking with a friend from Rawlins who had joined the Air Force, however, her plans changed. "She came back and was telling me how awesome it was and then she's like 'Honestly, the pride of serving my country is something you can't replace' and I was like, 'Yeah, I want that. I want to serve my country,'" said Munson. Munson's family, on both sides, have a number of members...
Christian Gonzales, a 2015 Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) High School graduated, has recently come back to Hanna after serving his country from 2016 until the beginning of this month. Gonzales said when he graduated HEM, he went into the work force, but after several months, he felt a call to join the armed forces. After looking into his options, Gonzales settled on the Army. "The Army was a good fit for me," Gonzales said. "I wanted to go into communications and found myself being...
On May 2 in 1915, Canadian poet John McCrae’s close friend and former student Alexis Helmer was killed by a German shell in World War I. Composed at the battlefront on May 3, 1915 during the second battle of Ypres, Belgium, this poem became the basis for poppies being the flower symbolically used to honor the war dead. In Flanders Fields In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place: and in the sky The larks still bravely singing fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the dead: Short days ago, W...
Logan Wells is a senior at Saratoga Middle/High School and has been giving serious thought to enlisting in the Air Force. While many members of his family, including his uncle, have been in the military, it suggested an option for him until this summer. "I was kind of thinking, 'Oh my gosh. My life's getting ready to start' and I was just kind of looking at all my options," said Wells. "My uncle was in the Air Force, too, so he kind of introduced me to it. Most of my family has been in the Air...