#penn state extension

[bethlehem-garden]

Adventures in Soil Testing and Fertilizers

I have much less to do in the garden during the winter, so I listen to podcasts or read books to get my fix. One thing I've been working through is the course The Science of Gardening, presented by Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott at Washington State University, available on Wondrium (I'm not affiliated or paid, I just think it's a great source, and it's worth citing sources).

Dr. Chalker-Scott talked about the importance of soil testing, as in professional soil testing available from a local university extension. This involves sampling your dirt and sending it off in the mail for a small fee to get a chemical analysis done of your soil.

The reasoning for this, she explained, was that if you don't get professional soil testing done - or don't do any at all, even a cheaper test from a big box store - then you don't know what's going on with your soil, which is one of the three primary influences (the others being water and sun) in how well your garden plants are growing. Plants need three essential nutrients - phosphorous, nitrogen, and potash - many other minor nutrients and an appropriate pH to grow most efficiently. Adding fertilizer is all good, but if you're adding something you don't need, you're just wasting money, and if you're adding too much of something, you can create an overabundance of nutrients, aka soil toxicity - and without a soil test you’d never know which.

So I decided to look into it. I garden in Pennsylvania, and the Penn State Agricultural Extension Office is the place for stuff like this, though admittedly, their primary customer is professional farmers rather than home gardeners. I got two "standard individual soil test kit" tests - with instructions available here - which were $10 apiece for the test, analysis, and personalized recommendations for what you're planting. In my case, I got one for "Mixed Vegetables" and one for "Grapes" because I have a grapevine, and that's a separate category - otherwise, this whole thing would have just been $10.

The tricky part with navigating this was the add-ons - because Penn State Extension serves professionals (of any kind - Christmas tree farms, greenhouses, nurseries, flower producers, and traditional farmers), you can add on all sorts of things like organic matter content, soluble salts, nitrate nitrogen, on and on. I didn't get any of that, mainly because it was intimidating and expensive. I found a couple of websites saying that if you didn't already know that you needed the test, then it wasn't necessary for whatever help that is.

To collect the sample, I followed the instructions available here. I went out and scooped up about a cup of dirt from each location (for "Mixed Garden Vegetables" I sampled my entire garden, and for "Grapes" I sampled around the grapevine). I didn't have newspaper, and I was worried about spreading it and leaving it out - I have cats and figured they'd get into it. So instead, I left it in a glass bowl for several days near a fan, occasionally mixing to mix the drier top dirt with the wetter bottom dirt until the whole thing was dry.

I put the dirt in a ziploc bag, put it all in a USPS box with an envelope containing the testing form and a check, and sent it off. It took about a week to come back via email. More below the cut!

So first, the results! I’ve only included the results of the Mixed Vegetable test for the sake of the post.

Holy cow! I've got no phosphate in my yard. Or potash. But also an overabundance of magnesium and calcium. Which was super valuable to know! Now I can buy specific fertilizer and not waste money on things I don't need - but this was much easier said than done.

Let’s segue briefly and mention how fertilizer is sold and labeled. The primary nutrients are nitrogen, phosphate (P2O5), and potash (K2O), and all fertilizers come with numbers indicating the percentage of each nutrient in the formulation. So, for example, a fertilizer labeled 10-30-20 is 10% nitrogen, 30% phosphate, and 20% potash. These numbers are sometimes called the NPK number of the fertilizer, which is an acronym for the elements involved - with the K meaning potash coming from the atomic abbreviation.

Something to point out is that in the above example, that only adds up to 60% - so 40% is something else. This makes sense! Some fertilizers are chemical mixtures, but others come from compost, fermented fish, or other things - so the remaining 40% is just from the other stuff in that. However, some fertilizers contain other secondary nutrients, which became relevant to me since I was trying not to add additional calcium or magnesium.

A final point - these numbers are percentages, so the actual amounts of each nutrient must be worked out based on the weight or volume of fertilizer. So a 50lb bag of 10-30-20 fertilizer will be 5 lbs of nitrogen, 15 lbs of phosphate, and 10 lbs of potash.

Back to my report. Penn State recommended specific formulations of fertilizer to fix the issue - and this turned out to be incredibly difficult to find. First, there’s a ton of fertilizers sold by ‘purpose’ and not by NPK number - turf feed, grass fertilizer, fruit fertilizer, flower fertilizer, general purpose fertilizer, etc - but once you get into the actual formulations, they’re not actually that different. A brief Amazon search pulls up two liquid fertilizers: one ‘fruit and flower’ fertilizer that’s 3-3-5, and a different ‘general purpose’ that’s 3-3-2. The fruit and flower one is sold in a 32oz container and the general purpose in 64oz: so that’s:

Fruit and Flower Fertilizer:

~1 oz nitrogen

~1 oz phosphate

~1.6 oz potash

General Purpose Fertilizer:

~2 oz nitrogen

~2 oz nitrogen

~1.2 oz potash

Which is not actually that different! Is slightly less nitrogen and phosphate and slightly more potash better for fruit and flowers? Is it worth buying a completely separate product? Truthfully, I have no idea, but I have a hard time believing it, and regardless, neither of those were what I needed. I was mostly wondering while clicking through every listing to find the NPK number, which was never very much different than the one before it.

The second category of fertilizer I found were ones like 4-4-4 or 10-10-10. Big box stores near me marketed this as general-purpose fertilizer (even though, as in the example above, general purpose could also be used on different formulations). Using these types is a shotgun approach - loaded with equal amounts of everything, they’ll solve a deficiency but overshoot others. Plus, many were enriched with additional nutrients - like calcium and magnesium, which I also didn’t need.

This was the point where I turned to the internet and swiftly ran into a labeling issue. Beyond having to go into the listing to find the NPK number, I also ran into a problem where I’d search for triple phosphate fertilizer (the 0-46-0 recommended by Penn State) and find something called triple phosphate fertilizer but clearly a concentrated nitrogen fertilizer in the pictures and reviews. At the same time, some items would use the same photo with the same details for all formulations - so 5-5-5 and 5-10-10, and 5-10-5 (which I needed) would all have the same picture of the chemical breakdown and therefore LOOK wrong, but per the reviews, the title was correct.

Ultimately, I found the right fertilizer in the right amounts, but I feel frustrated about the whole experience. Getting the soil test done was a good call, but in future years I will do this soil testing earlier in the season. I had planned to test the soil and then fertilize about a week before starting my spinach outside, but I had to delay the spinach to allow time to find the fertilizer I needed and apply it.

An additional note - the 0-46-0 triple phosphate fertilizer (and any phosphorous containing fertilizer) must be used carefully. Phosphate fertilizer like this, if misapplied or applied at the wrong time (i.e. before it rains), can end up washed into local waterways where it causes something called ‘eutrophication’ - a reduction in oxygen levels that can suffocate fish. Beyond that, high phosphate levels in local rivers, streams, and lakes can also cause algae blooms. Many municipalities ban the sale and use of phosphate fertilizer in some applications precisely because of these environmental concerns. I looked up the laws in PA, available here, and also read this report regarding laws in other states to get a better idea of overall views. Generally speaking (and in my state), this fertilizer is banned in turf applications, but permitted in agricultural uses so I was fine applying to a vegetable garden - but I also took additional care to ensure proper application. The fertilizer was applied and tilled under into the soil the same day, not left on the surface, and was done when there was no rain forecast for several days to prevent runoff. I am not near any waterways, and I used precisely the amount recommended to correct my phosphate deficiency and not more. I will be testing the soil again before applying any additional fertilizer.

Also, you’ll note that the pH level in the report is also too high. I also corrected for that, but that’s a separate post :)

#soil testing #fertilizer #garden #gardening #project #spring #2023 #penn state #penn state extension #ag analytical lab #horticulture #agriculutre #info

[kenttsterling]

Quenton Nelson not worth #Colts cash - YET! Can Chris Ballard say goodbye? Can Jim Irsay? #Titans Harold Landry tears ACL! Donovan Mitchell to Cavs!

Quenton Nelson not worth #Colts cash – YET! Can Chris Ballard say goodbye? Can Jim Irsay? #Titans Harold Landry tears ACL! Donovan Mitchell to Cavs!

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#Ball State Tennessee #Chris Ballard Jim Irsay #Donovan Mitchell Cavs #Purdue Penn State line #Quenton Nelson extension #Youtube

[samsspambox]

languages in tears of themis

hi hi!! i'm back with a headcanon and.. a bit of a justification for that headcanon(?) and in this episode, i wanna tackle languages. i mean, this might be a little late considering i have like,, 3 fics that center on vyn not being able to speak the language of stellis fluently, but better late than never!

now, we know as an audience that dr. richter comes from the kingdom of svart, a place that is outside of stellis (and, presumably, very far away from stellis) enough that it has a different language.

my basis for this is in the card Lingering Warmth (or if like me you don't know cards by their actual name, the vyn magic card)

the game explicitly tells us that the language he speaks with mc is not his first one. the game doesn't explicitly tell us what language he's speaking, but let's call it svartish for now.

this would, in theory, kind of explain a facet of dr. richter that is very much emphasized throughout the game: his elegance. dr. richter speaks in a particular manner, one might say he has a way with words. he's also very polite and proper. sure, we can chalk this up to his upbringing, but there's also a language portion to this.

if you were ever privileged to take another language class or just start learning one on your own, many native speakers of said language you're learning would tell you that you sound 'too polite'.

i feel like this is an additional reason why vyn sounds so propper compared to the rest of the nxx. he can't talk any other way because he learned how to speak the language of stellis as a foreigner.

he may as well be fluent at this point, but i'd like to think he's still adapting to the language! like he can't use slang properly and why his sentences sound so bulky

but now we have this divide. what language is he speaking with mc then? english, right?

no, i say. while it may be easier to say english and call it a day, i don't think that's the case. I'll be honest and say i'm completely basing this off of a localization error, but it gives depth to the game!

in Autumn Dreams (or, artem's study card) we get this exchange

i know that because the game's original language is in Chinese that a common foreign language to use as a throwaway would be english, but think about it.

we don't know what the state of the world is in their 2030 considering some continents are the same (like Africa in luke's rrg) but... the makeup of the countries within the continent might be different. it's how we're able to get new fictional places with 'inspiration' from places we know in our world.

so it's not english they're speaking. what then? well, we give it a name: stellan

(you can totally say they're speaking Chinese tho. i'm pretty sure that mc says that they had scheduled Chinese lessons at school in luke's revisiting youth card!) ((but by the same logic we can say that it was their required foreign language lolol))

and there you have it! this turned into a weird justification of a headcanon i have, but I'll take it skjbdksb. special thanks to @actualbird and @surely-galena whom i have rattled extensively about this hc when bouncing off ideas from them and have helped expand this hc in my fics kjbfkjsb (zak actually came up with the term svartish around the time i was writing penne for your thoughts which, *looks at calendar* was almost a year ago? holy shit)

#tears of themis hc #tears of themis #tears of themis headcanons #talks from the spambox #vyn richter #artem wing #tagging my friends bc they are very important to this headcanon hehe #anyways gn yall! #it just started raining outside gotta get out the good comforter and relish in the ambiance jksbkjsb

[kemetic-dreams]

Land taken from African Americans through trickery, violence and murder

For generations, African American families passed down the tales in uneasy whispers: "They stole our land."

These were family secrets shared after the children fell asleep, after neighbors turned down the lamps -- old stories locked in fear and shame.

Some of those whispered bits of oral history, it turns out, are true.

In an 18-month investigation, The Associated Press documented a pattern in which African Americans were cheated out of their land or driven from it through intimidation, violence and even murder.

In some cases, government officials approved the land takings; in others, they took part in them. The earliest occurred before the Civil War; others are being litigated today.

Some of the land taken from African families has become a country club in Virginia, oil fields in Mississippi, a major-league baseball spring training facility in Florida.

The United States has a long history of bitter, often violent land disputes, from claim jumping in the gold fields to range wars in the old West to broken treaties with American Indians. Poor European landowners, too, were sometimes treated unfairly, pressured to sell out at rock-bottom prices by railroads and lumber and mining companies.

The fate of African American landowners has been an overlooked part of this story.

The AP -- in an investigation that included interviews with more than 1,000 people and the examination of tens of thousands of public records in county courthouses and state and federal archives -- documented 107 land takings in 13 Southern and border states.

In those cases alone, 406 African American landowners lost more than 24,000 acres of farm and timber land plus 85 smaller properties, including stores and city lots. Today, virtually all of this property, valued at tens of millions of dollars, is owned by Europeans or by corporations.

Properties taken from Africans were often small -- a 40-acre farm, a general store, a modest house. But the losses were devastating to families struggling to overcome the legacy of slavery. In the agrarian South, landownership was the ladder to respect and prosperity -- the means to building economic security and passing wealth on to the next generation. When African American families lost their land, they lost all of this.

"When they steal your land, they steal your future," said Stephanie Hagans, 40, of Atlanta, who has been researching how her great-grandmother, Ablow Weddington Stewart, lost 35 acres in Matthews, N.C. A European lawyer foreclosed on Stewart in 1942 after he refused to allow her to finish paying off a $540 debt, witnesses told the AP.

"How different would our lives be," Hagans asked, "if we'd had the opportunities, the pride that land brings?"

No one knows how many African American families have been unfairly stripped of their land, but there are indications of extensive loss.

Besides the 107 cases the AP documented, reporters found evidence of scores of other land takings that could not be fully verified because of gaps or inconsistencies in the public record. Thousands of additional reports of land takings from African American families remain uninvestigated.

Two thousand have been collected in recent years by the Penn Center on St. Helena Island, S.C., an educational institution established for freed slaves during the Civil War. The Land Loss Prevention Project, a group of lawyers in Durham, N.C., who represent blacks in land disputes, said it receives new reports daily. And Heather Gray of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives in Atlanta said her organization has "file cabinets full of complaints."

AP's findings "are just the tip of one of the biggest crimes of this country's history," said Ray Winbush, director of Fisk University's Institute of Race Relations.

Some examples of land takings documented by the AP:

After midnight on Oct. 4, 1908, 50 hooded European men surrounded the home of a African farmer in Hickman, Ky., and ordered him to come out for a whipping. When David Walker refused and shot at them instead, the mob poured coal oil on his house and set it afire, according to contemporary newspaper accounts. Pleading for mercy, Walker ran out the front door, followed by four screaming children and his wife, carrying a baby in her arms. The mob shot them all, wounding three children and killing the others. Walker's oldest son never escaped the burning house. No one was ever charged with the killings, and the surviving children were deprived of the farm their father died defending. Land records show that Walker's 2 1/2-acre farm was simply folded into the property of a white neighbor. The neighbor soon sold it to another man, whose daughter owns the undeveloped land today.In the 1950s and 1960s, a Chevrolet dealer in Holmes County, Miss., acquired hundreds of acres from African American farmers by foreclosing on small loans for farm equipment and pickup trucks. Norman Weathersby, then the only dealer in the area, required the farmers to put up their land as security for the loans, county residents who dealt with him said. And the equipment he sold them, they said, often broke down shortly thereafter. Weathersby's friend, William E. Strider, ran the local Farmers Home Administration -- the credit lifeline for many Southern farmers. Area residents, including Erma Russell, 81, said Strider, now dead, was often slow in releasing farm operating loans to Africans. When cash-poor farmers missed payments owed to Weathersby, he took their land. The AP documented eight cases in which Weathersby acquired African-owned farms this way. When he died in 1973, he left more than 700 acres of this land to his family, according to estate papers, deeds and court records.In 1964, the state of Alabama sued Lemon Williams and Lawrence Hudson, claiming the cousins had no right to two 40-acre farms their family had worked in Sweet Water, Ala., for nearly a century. The land, officials contended, belonged to the state. Circuit Judge Emmett F. Hildreth urged the state to drop its suit, declaring it would result in "a severe injustice." But when the state refused, saying it wanted income from timber on the land, the judge ruled against the family. Today, the land lies empty; the state recently opened some of it to logging. The state's internal memos and letters on the case are peppered with references to the family's race.

In the same courthouse where the case was heard, the AP located deeds and tax records documenting that the family had owned the land since an ancestor bought the property on Jan. 3, 1874. Surviving records also show the family paid property taxes on the farms from the mid-1950s until the land was taken.

AP reporters tracked the land cases by reviewing deeds, mortgages, tax records, estate papers, court proceedings, surveyor maps, oil and gas leases, marriage records, census listings, birth records, death certificates and Freedmen's Bureau archives. Additional documents, including FBI files and Farmers Home Administration records, were obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.

The AP interviewed black families that lost land, as well as lawyers, title searchers, historians, appraisers, genealogists, surveyors, land activists, and local, state and federal officials.

The AP also talked to current owners of the land, nearly all of whom acquired the properties years after the land takings occurred. Most said they knew little about the history of their land. When told about it, most expressed regret.

Weathersby's son, John, 62, who now runs the dealership in Indianola, Miss., said he had little direct knowledge about his father's business affairs. However, he said he was sure his father never would have sold defective vehicles and that he always treated people fairly.

Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman examined the state's files on the Sweet Water case after an inquiry from the AP. He said he found them "disturbing" and has asked the state attorney general to review the matter.

"What I have asked the attorney general to do," he said, "is look not only at the letter of the law but at what is fair and right."

The land takings are part of a larger picture -- a 91-year decline in African American landownership in America.

In 1910, African Americans owned more farmland than at any time before or since -- at least 15 million acres. Nearly all of it was in the South, largely in Mississippi, Alabama and the Carolinas, according to the U.S. Agricultural Census. Today, Africans own only 1.1 million of the country's more than 1 billion acres of arable land. They are part owners of another 1.07 million acres.

The number of European American farmers has declined over the last century, too, as economic trends have concentrated land in fewer, often corporate, hands. However, African American ownership has declined 2 1/2 times faster than white ownership, the U.S. Civil Rights Commission noted in a 1982 report, the last comprehensive federal study on the trend.

The decline in African American landownership had a number of causes, including the discriminatory lending practices of the Farmers Home Administration and the migration of Africans from the rural South to industrial centers in the North and West.

However, the land takings also contributed. In the decades between Reconstruction and the civil rights struggle, black families were powerless to prevent them, said Stuart E. Tolnay, a University of Washington sociologist and co-author of a book on lynchings. In an era when African Americans could not drink from the same water fountains as European and African men were lynched for whistling at white women, few Africans dared to challenge Europeans. Those who did could rarely find lawyers to take their cases or judges who would give them a fair hearing.

The Rev. Isaac Simmons was an exception. When his land was taken, he found a lawyer and tried to fight back.

In 1942, his 141-acre farm in Amite County, Miss., was sold for nonpayment of taxes, property records show. The farm, for which his father had paid $302 in 1887, was bought by a European man for $180.

Only partial, tattered tax records for the period exist today in the county courthouse; but they are enough to show that tax payments on at least part of the property were current when the land was taken.

Simmons hired a lawyer in February 1944 and filed suit to get his land back. On March 26, a group of Europeans paid Simmons a visit.

The minister's daughter, Laura Lee Houston, now 74, recently recalled her terror as she stood with her month-old baby in her arms and watched the men drag Simmons away. "I screamed and hollered so loud," she said. "They came toward me and I ran down in the woods."

The Europeans then grabbed Simmons' son, Eldridge, from his house and drove the two men to a lonely road.

"Two of them kept beating me," Eldridge Simmons later told the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. "They kept telling me that my father and I were 'smart niggers' for going to see a lawyer."

Simmons, who has since died, said his captors gave him 10 days to leave town and told his father to start running. Later that day, the minister's body turned up with three gunshot wounds in the back, The McComb Enterprise newspaper reported at the time.

Today, the Simmons land -- thick with timber and used for hunting -- is privately owned and is assessed at $33,660. (Officials assess property for tax purposes, and the valuation is usually less than its market value.)

Over the past 20 years, a handful of African families have sued to regain their ancestral lands. State courts, however, have dismissed their cases on grounds that statutes of limitations had expired.

A group of attorneys led by Harvard University law professor Charles J. Ogletree has been making inquries recently about land takings. The group has announced its intention to file a national class-action lawsuit in pursuit of reparations for slavery and racial discrimination. However, some legal experts say redress for many land takings may not be possible unless laws are changed.

As the acres slipped away, so did treasured pieces of family history -- cabins crafted by a grandfather's hand, family graves in shaded groves.

But "the home place" meant more than just that. Many Africans have found it "very difficult to transfer wealth from one generation to the next," because they had trouble holding onto land, said Paula Giddings, a history professor at Duke University.

The Espy family in Vero Beach, Fla., lost its heritage in 1942, when the U.S. government seized its land through eminent domain to build an airfield. Government agencies frequently take land this way for public purposes under rules that require fair compensation for the owners.

In Vero Beach, however, the Navy appraised the Espys' 147 acres, which included a 30-acre fruit grove, two houses and 40 house lots, at $8,000, according to court records. The Espys sued, and an all-white jury awarded them $13,000. That amounted to one-sixth of the price per acre that the Navy paid European neighbors for similar land with fewer improvements, records show.

After World War II, the Navy gave the airfield to the city of Vero Beach. Ignoring the Espys' plea to buy back their land, the city sold part of it, at $1,500 an acre, to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1965 as a spring training facility.

In 1999, the former Navy land, with parts of Dodgertown and a municipal airport, was assessed at $6.19 million. Sixty percent of that land once belonged to the Espys. The team sold its property to Indian River County for $10 million in August, according to Craig Callan, a Dodgers official.

The true extent of land takings from African families will never be known because of gaps in property and tax records in many rural Southern counties. The AP found crumbling tax records, deed books with pages torn from them, file folders with documents missing, and records that had been crudely altered.

In Jackson Parish, La., 40 years of moldy, gnawed tax and mortgage records were piled in a cellar behind a roll of Christmas lights and a wooden reindeer. In Yazoo County, Miss., volumes of tax and deed records filled a classroom in an abandoned school, the papers coated with white dust from a falling ceiling. The AP retrieved dozens of documents that custodians said were earmarked for shredders or landfills.

The AP also found that about a third of the county courthouses in Southern and border states have burned -- some more than once -- since the Civil War. Some of the fires were deliberately set.

On the night of Sept. 10, 1932, for example, 15 Europeans torched the courthouse in Paulding, Miss., where property records for the eastern half of Jasper County, then predominantly African, were stored. Records for the predominantly white western half of the county were safe in another courthouse miles away.

The door to the Paulding courthouse's safe, which protected the records, had been locked the night before, the Jasper County News reported at the time. The next morning, the safe was found open, most of the records reduced to ashes.

Suddenly, it was unclear who owned a big piece of eastern Jasper County.

Even before the courthouse fire, landownership in Jasper County was contentious. According to historical accounts, the Ku Klux Klan, resentful that African were buying and profiting from land, had been attacking African-owned farms, burning houses, lynching African farmers and chasing African American landowners away.

The Masonite Corp., a wood products company, was one of the largest landowners in the area. Because most of the land records had been destroyed, the company went to court in December 1937 to clear its title. Masonite believed it owned 9,581 acres and said in court papers that it had been unable to locate anyone with a rival claim to the land.

A month later, the court ruled the company had clear title to the land, which has since yielded millions of dollars in natural gas, timber and oil, according to state records.

From the few property records that remain, the AP was able to document that at least 204.5 of those acres had been acquired by Masonite after African American owners were driven off by the Klan. At least 850,000 barrels of oil have been pumped from this property, according to state oil and gas board records and figures from the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council, an industry group.

Today, the land is owned by International Paper Corp., which acquired Masonite in 1988. Jenny Boardman, a company spokeswoman, said International Paper had been unaware of the "tragic" history of the land and was concerned about AP's findings.

"This is probably part of a much larger, public debate about whether there should be restitution for people who have been harmed in the past," she said. "And by virtue of the fact that we now own these lands, we should be part of that discussion."

Even when Southern courthouses remained standing, mistrust and fear of white authority long kept Africans away from record rooms, where documents often were segregated into "white" and "colored." Many elderly Africans say they still remember how they were snubbed by court clerks, spat upon and even struck.

Today, however, fear and shame have given way to pride. Interest in genealogy among African families is surging, and some African whispered stories.

"People are out there wondering: What ever happened to Grandma's land?" said Loretta Carter Hanes, 75, a retired genealogist. "They knew that their grandparents shed a lot of blood and tears to get it."

Bryan Logan, a 55-year-old sports writer from Washington, D.C., was researching his heritage when he uncovered a connection to 264 acres of riverfront property in Richmond, Va.

Today, the land is Willow Oaks, an almost exclusively European American country club with an assessed value of $2.94 million. But in the 1850s, it was a corn-and-wheat plantation worked by the Howlett slaves -- Logan's ancestors.

Their owner, Thomas Howlett, directed in his will that his 15 slaves be freed, that his plantation be sold and that the slaves receive the proceeds. When he died in 1856, his European relatives challenged the will, but two courts upheld it.

Yet the freed slaves never got a penny.

Benjamin Hatcher, the executor of the estate, simply took over the plantation, court records show. He cleared the timber and mined the stone, providing granite for the Navy and War Department buildings in Washington and the capitol in Richmond, according to records in the National Archives.

When the Civil War ended in 1865, the former slaves complained to the occupying Union Army, which ordered Virginia courts to investigate.

Hatcher testified that he had sold the plantation in 1862 -- apparently to his son, Thomas -- but had not given the proceeds to the former slaves. Instead, court papers show, the proceeds were invested on their behalf in Confederate War Bonds. There is nothing in the public record to suggest the former slaves wanted their money used to support the Southern war effort.

Moreover, the bonds were purchased in the former slaves' names in 1864 -- a dubious investment at best in the fourth year of the war. Within months, Union armies were marching on Atlanta and Richmond, and the bonds were worthless pieces of paper.

The Africans insisted they were never given even that, but in 1871, Virginia's highest court ruled that Hatcher was innocent of wrongdoing and that the former slaves were owed nothing.

The following year, the plantation was broken up and sold at a public auction. Hatcher's son received the proceeds, county records show. In the 1930s, a Richmond businessman cobbled the estate back together; he sold it to Willow Oaks Corp. in 1955 for an unspecified amount.

"I don't hold anything against Willow Oaks," Logan said. "But how Virginia's courts acted, how they allowed the land to be stolen -- it goes against everything America stands for."

#afrakan #african #kemetic dreams #africans #afrakans #european american #european #europeans #land grab #land

[pinkeoni]

Is HNL Connected to Pennhurst?

(and why the show might not done with Pennhurst)

This is a thought I had when thinking about Victor’s fate in Pennhurst. We know for a fact that HNL has a connection to what happened with his family in at least some capacity, considering that they managed to get their hands on Henry and cover it up pretty quickly. I wouldn’t be surprised if Victor’s placement in Pennhurst was somehow orchestrated by the lab.

The patients and nurses of Pennhurst wear mostly white, not unlike the children and orderlies of the lab.

Also peep this patient with similar hair to Brenner:

Pennhurst is named after a real asylum that shut down in ‘87, and while we don’t see a lot of how show Pennhurst works, the lab actually functions pretty similarly to how irl Pennhurst worked.

IE, a lot of patient abuse and basically being a prison rather than a hospital.

There’s also the boys speculation in s1 that El could’ve been from Pennhurst, only for it to be revealed that she’s actually from HNL.

How do we know that the patients at Pennhurst are being treated the same way?

I guess there’s no confirmation, but there are some hints. When Dr. Hatch is giving Robin and Nancy the tour of Pennhurst he says this—

Idk man, if there was ever a veiled way to say “They can’t escape, they don’t choose to be here and they don’t like it here” this would be it. I think Robin bringing into question whether or not they can escape in the first place makes it clear that they are drawing attention to this point, why even talk about this point in the first place if it isn’t a question that the patients want to be there?

Why would HNL and Pennhurst have a connection anyway?

Honestly, some kind of agreement between HNL and the lab would be super beneficial for both parties, and I imagine something like that would have formed during the MK ULTRA days. The lab could get rid of cases that either cause a problem for them and/or prove to potentially be dangerous, and Pennhurst would recieve new patients. Or at least, that’s what I speculate their agreement could be. HNL has a place to lock up Victor so he can’t blab about anything supernatural that he witnessed, and even if he did, he would just be seen as another “nut job” at Pennhurst.

Why would Pennhurst be brought back to the show?

Now I don’t know this for sure (as is true with any theory of mine) but I believe that Pennhurst may be brought back in season 5.

Despite Robin and Nancy only being there for Victor, we get a pretty extensive tour of the place. Granted this could just be here to plant the thing about music, but the way that Pennhurst is established here doesn’t make it feel like a location they would used for only one episode. Why go into so much detail for a single episode location? Why go through the trouble of familiarizing the audience with the layout and part of how it functions if not to bring it back later?

I don’t know exactly what kind of storyline they could use at Pennhurst, but I don’t think it would be out of place nor would it take the place of any other important plotline. Rather, especially if Pennhurst is connected to the lab, I could see the location being used as a vehicle to deliver more information regarding the supernatural plot.

What’s the resolve for the Pennhurst plotline?

Let’s go back to that point about the patients wanting to escape. This has been hinted at, but not brought to fruition. When Robin and Nancy are escaping, we get a closeup of a patient who laughs as they run away.

Something that I stated earlier in the post is that Pennhurst is named after a real asylum that was closed in ‘87, which happened due the revelation of the abuse behind the scenes. We know there will be a timeskip in s5, and while it’s looking like it might be closer to ‘88, details of show Pennhurst don’t align exactly with irl Pennhurst. Penn irl is in Pennsylvania and show Penn is in Indiana, as stated in s1 by Lucas.

But still, if the show still intentionally took the name and some of the real asylum practices, one could assume that the show asylum might end up with the same fate.

IE the truth coming out regarding HNL and the abuse behind the scenes coming to light in the public eye, and more imporantly-

Liberation!

#also not to ignore the questionability of creating a plotline based around a real asylum #just looking at whats going on in the show for this one #stranger things #stranger things theory #my theory #victor creel #henry creel #its related anyway so tagging for the analysts there #robin buckley #nancy wheeler #byler #<- target audience #martin brenner

[darlinggeorgiedear]

Why wasnt anyone by George's bed side when he was in his last moments of life? His family knew he was clinging to life, why did they leave him alone? Especially Mary. Maybe if they were around, that doctor wouldnt have taken the liberty to do what he did. Its sad George died that way. Looked like he was doomed to be lonely until the end. I remember reading somewhere about someone having spotted George in Malta during his time of service there, and he said George looked like a remote and lonely figure.

According to David, his family, including Queen Mary, was in the room when George died.

They did leave him for periods while sick, which is understandable when you think about how he was sick for many days at that point, and George was in an unconscious state.

Lord Penn wrote how Queen Mary and her daughter did enter the room after he left to send out the message, which stated that George was dying (this was done immediately after George was given the lethal shot). This proves that she did check on him periodically, while he slept.

I also want to make the point that when George was sick before Mary did check on him constantly. I've written this before, but during the extensive illness he had in the late 1920s, she would visit him throughout the night, because he couldn't sleep from the pain.

I do agree that George's years in the Navy were not very ideal and he was often lonely. He did create many families away from home with people like Dawson, and his wife, as well as the Duke of Edinburgh to cope.

#king george v #george v #mary of teck #british royal family #brf

[thatstormygeek]

Let’s start with a little context. Mass graves were found this week on the grounds of two Gaza Strip hospitals, from which Israeli troops withdrew earlier this month to prepare for the feared war with Iran (and to reposition for Israel’s still-threatened invasion of Rafah, the last redoubt of half of Gaza’s population). Some of the 392 bodies Gaza health officials say they have dug out of the pits over the last six days showed signs of torture or had their hands tied, suggesting they were victims of field executions. A few still had IVs attached. These bodies included those of children, women, and elderly Palestinians.

I’m noting that context — and the larger context of Israel’s ongoing, U.S.-financed-and-armed mass slaughter and depopulation of Gaza, themselves part of a project that has been ongoing for some 76 years — because so far as I’ve seen it’s been almost wholly missing from the general culture-war freakout over the campus anti-genocide protests that reached critical mass this week across the United States. Nor is there hardly any mention of the 34,000 Palestinians and counting who have been slaughtered in what at a minimum is an egregious act of collective punishment. Nor the fact that some 15,000 of the dead are children or young teenagers, nor that upwards of 7,000 more Palestinians believed by the United Nations to remain trapped under the rubble. Nor the millions in danger of death from further military reprisals, disease, and forced starvation.

[...]

We are thus being subjected to a full-blown moral panic, in which students who literally conducted Passover seders inside their protest encampments this week are being labeled as antisemites, whose “nascent pogroms” (in the words of Sen. Tom Cotton) call for a 54th-anniversary reenactment of the raid at Kent State. Other politicians are labeling the students “terrorists.” The Butcher of Gaza himself, Benjamin Netanyahu, compared the student movement to the rise of the Nazis in 1930s Germany. Not to be outdone, we’ve got Donald Trump bellowing today that they are worse than the 2017 Nazi rally in Charlottesville — the one whose participants he infamously praised at the time. Even President Biden has gotten into the act, condemning “antisemitic protests,” without clarifying which protests he’s talking about.

This is an extension of what you might call the Philosemitism Extended Universe — birthed late last year, when the GOP House caucus, led by the neo-McCarthyite Elise Stefanik, succeeded in making imagined calls for genocide at Harvard and Penn a bigger story than an actual genocide, in Gaza.

#us politics #college protests #columbia university #jonathan m katz

[eckswizi]

For those of us out there who long for good rapid transit and walkable cities in car-centric North America, it can be really easy to doomscroll and it can seem that America is completely incapable of divorcing itself from car culture. But I want to let you all know: right now, at the end of 2022, it’s a great time for rapid transit. So much new construction is going on as we speak, and many new projects are almost finished. I want to go through some of the new projects that have opened over the past 12 months, or will open sometime in the next 12 months, and I want to remind you all that good transit is possible, and is becoming more of a reality with each passing day.

Here’s the most significant new construction from the past year:

The DC Metro finally opened Phase 2 of the Silver Line extension, a long awaited line that extends the DC Metro into a well populated part of Virginia. Additionally, the extension has a station at Dulles International Airport, one of the most major airports in the country.

The Los Angeles Metro opened the first half of the new Crenshaw Line (aka the K line), adding a whole new line and 6 new stations (7, counting the new lower level at the existing Expo/Crenshaw station). The new K line returns service to an area of Los Angeles that had not seen passenger rail service in several decades. The second half of the extension is still under construction, and will connect the K line to the existing C Line as well as LAX.

San Francisco’s MUNI Metro, the system that operates SFs light rail, trolley, and cable car systems, opened their brand new Central Subway. The Central Subway travels roughly North-South through the heart of the city, perpendicular to the existing Market Street Subway. The new subway line will provide service to the densely populated but underserved Chinatown neighborhood, among others.

A whole new system opened this year! Honolulu just opened the Honolulu Rail Transit, operated by the HART, is the first major rail rapid transit in the US to feature platform screen doors and driverless trains.

The MBTA (Boston) just opened the final phase of their Green Line Extension! The GLX, as it is called, brings rapid transit service to the heart of the densely populated town of Somerville, MA. 7 new stations opened as a result of the extension, with one station being rebuilt entirely!

During the summer, Amtrak extended its Ethan Allen Express route to Burlington, Vermont, with two stations in between. The extension returned intercity rail service to Burlington Union Station and the heart of the city for the first time in about 50 years!

The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR; NYC), North American’s busiest regional rail system, completed a project which improved its mainline by adding a third track. The third track is a much needed improvement that allows for more efficient and frequent train operation on a heavily used corridor.

Tempe, Arizona opened a downtown streetcar earlier in the year. The line goes around downtown, and makes the city center more easily walkable, as well connecting to the Phoenix Valley Metro.

Minneapolis opened their new D Line BRT service, a rapid bus service that is but a small part of a massive ongoing transit plan for the Twin Cities

Chicago opened a new flyover junction for the Brown Line, which will speed up and improve service on the Brown, Red, & Purple Lines

Upcoming

A whole new system is opening soon! Honolulu, Hawaii is soon to open the first phase of their new driverless elevated rapid transit. It will be the first non-tourist passenger rail in the state in several decades!

The LIRR will soon open a massive new underground line that allows trains to access Grand Central Terminal in the heart of Manhattan. The new terminal will also relieve pressure from the over crowded Penn Station.

The NYC Subway (MTA) has received its first shipments of its new R211 subway trains, which will be a much needed new fleet of modern rolling stock. The new trains will fill the gap left by the retirement of the 59 year old R32s. Additionally, the MTA also received several sets of the R211T, a variation on the R211 which includes an open gangway between subway cars, like an accordion/bendy-bus.

Seattle’s Link Rapid Transit is currently making major progress on several new extensions, with most of them estimated to open around 2024. The existing line will be extended in both directions. Additionally, the existing line will be complimented by a second line! There will be a total of nineteen (19!!!) new stations, as well as six (6) new stations on the Tacoma Streetcar!

CalTrain, a commuter/regional rail system that serves the San Francisco peninsula, is electrifying their system. When completed, it will bring faster, quieter, and more eco-friendly rail service to the SF Peninsula. Ignoring rapid transit, CalTrain will host the first electrified main line passenger trains to operate west of the Mississippi in several decades.

The TTC (Toronto) is currently making huge progress on their newest train line, the Line 5 Eglinton. It is a brand new light rail line that will have 24 stations along Eglinton Ave in Toronto, and will have connections to the Line 1, Line 2, and Line 3.

The TTC is also constructing the Line 6 Finch, another brand new light rail line north of Toronto! It will run west from the Line 1 along Finch Ave, and will have 18 new stations!

Montreal’s new REM (Réseau express métropolitain / Metropolitan Express Network) is almost ready to open its first phase! The REM is a new light metro line that has one line and three branches, with twenty-six (26!!!) new stations. The line will connect downtown to the airport and several major suburbs.

The MBTA is currently constructing a new commuter rail line that, on two branches, will provide service to Fall River and New Bedford, two notable cities on the south coast of Massachusetts.

Vancouver’s Skytrain is currently working on a massive new expansion of their Millenium Line to travel west and serve a densely populated but previously underserved section of the city.

The LA Metro is currently working on a new subway tunnel through downtown that will connect the A, E, and L lines. When the project is completed, the E and L will be merged into one line.

Mexico City is currently constructing a new commuter train to traverse the heavily traveled corridor between Mexico City and Toluca.

Construction is currently ongoing for the Southwest LRT Line in Minneapolis, a large extension to the currently underserved southwestern parts of the Twin Cities

Calgary is currently most of the way through construction on their new Green Line, which will be the third Light Rail line to serve the region.

Ottawa’s Trillium Line is currently closed for modernization and is expected to reopen this year

Chicago has an ongoing project to overhaul the infrastructure on the aging Red and Purple Lines

Additionally, there have been *countless* new stations constructed and a multitude of other minor construction projects that will have some major effects. Here’s some highlights:

The SEPTA (Philadelphia) added Wawa station to its regional rail system

The MBTA is currently most of the way through construction on a new station to serve the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island

In the fall, the LIRR opened a new station called Elmont-UBS Arena

NYC Ferry established a new service to Coney Island

A new platform at Baltimore Penn Station

Much, much more

Lastly, let’s not forget the fact that a massive number of new transit lines and rail extensions have opened over the past few years, including major openings all over the country. I’ve definitely forgot something, and the fact that I have is because there is so much that has come out of 2022. We’ve come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. From where we are, rail transport and public transit in North America is only going to improve, and I can’t wait.

#public transit #trains #public transport #railroading #railroads #railway #boston #philadelphia #new york #new york city #mtanyctransit #mbta #walkable cities #walkability #urban planning #city planning #long post #wall of text #good vibes #positivity #rail rapid transit #wmata #septa #nycta #minneapolis #minnesota #massachusetts #new england #hopeposting #i like trains

[chessdaze]

@khoc-week​ : DAY ONE: APPEARANCES

Me back at it again with almost forgetting about KHOC Week, But thankfully I decided to do my heartsmiths this year so I already had some refs laying around that I just needed to finish coloring! Sorry for the repeat art, but it’s been awhile since I’ve posted these too so I thought I’d brush the dust off and repost them!

My main man Atlas, he’s gone through some changes recently! Mostly with his hair, but his entire Knave of Hearts design got a makeover that you can see in THIS COMIC I made awhile back.

Kei!!! The main and best girl. Her design hasn’t changed much from the beginning, mostly I just changed my style of drawing her, and figured out how I wanted her hair loopys to work. Along with her body ref we have her keyblade ref! I absolutely love drawing her keyblade tbh it might be my favorite one to draw out of all my personally made ones. It fits her personality so well and shows how strong of a member of Ursus she is.

Quest’s design is probably one of my favorites out of the group. I don’t know where in the hell I came up with this, but I did and it’s just always worked out for him. I can’t picture this outfit on anyone else, it’s just so very Quest. He’s my ‘protagonist’ as it were, my original plan was for him to be the KHUX protag but things ended up changing as I developed him. But he’s still a strong wielder and party leader for Leopardos.

Wynter is so neglected so I decided to include him in with the kids. He’s the OG heartsmith and known as Father Time, the creator of Time Magic and best friend(?) To the Master of Masters.  I do think his design is the weakest out of the four, but I also haven’t been able to design an outfit in a way i’m 100% content with so the battle continues.

His keyblade is special because he can freeze hearts in time, which he ends up using on Atlas before the keyblade war. He has a bittersweet ending as he ends up reincarnated in the main KH storyline after dying in the age of fariytales.

For those who don’t know what my concept of a heartsmith is, please read the below! It’s the abridged version so if you have any questions feel free to ask them!

In the age of fairytales, when the foretellers were chosen and given their roles, others rose up to their own calling. With the abundance of keyblade wielders now in Daybreak Town, a local smith decided to take it upon himself to learn how to help these young warriors. With the Master of Master’s permission, Wynter Penn started experimenting on how to repair keyblades that were damaged, and the hearts of their wielders by extension. Because of this he was known as the ‘heartsmith’.

Heartsmiths are those with the ability to repair keyblades and hearts. The former being the focus and the latter actually just a useful side effect. As keyblades are manifestations of the heart, being able to repair one means you’re able to repair the other to some extent. The ‘extent’ varies from smith to smith, it depends on how easily the smith can connect with a heart that is not their own.

It was also their job to upgrade keyblades, making them more powerful and suited to their wielders wants more often than not. Though wielders could do this themselves by other means, the smiths offered a more in depth process. They could also repair the keyblade while upgrading it, making it more durable for a time.

There is pretty much two kinds of damage a keyblade can take. Physical, such as the keyblade actually physically breaking and everyone can see that. These are actually more difficult for the smiths to work on but through their magic and their actual smithing backgrounds they are able to build a keyblade back no problem.

Then there’s what I like to call ‘Aches’ because I can’t think of anything better. Aches are the damage wielders have a harder time seeing. It’s when the wielders mental and emotional states physically start affecting their keyblades. As keyblades are manifestations of their heart, it stands to reason if there is something burdening them, something weighing down on their heart, then their keyblade is affected as well. This is the sort of damage only a heartsmith can fix - but it’s also half on the wielder. The wielder has to talk out their burdens, say why their heart is aching, before it can be 100% healed. Sometimes the smiths simply close it the best they can, because at the very least by this point the wielder is aware of their heart’s ache and can work on healing it in their own time. This can lead to multiple sessions but the smiths do their best to repair it to a point that the wielder isn’t just walking in the next day.

So visiting the smiths is akin to a therapy session. They have to talk to the wielders, gain their trust, realize what is bothering them, and talk them through on how to improve.

Upgrading a keyblade is very similar! While combining the materials to make the keyblade stronger, the smiths will talk with the wielders about their goals, why they want to get stronger - and what that even means to them. The upgrade will always succeed, but depending on the wielder’s state of mind and heart during the process and the answer to the questions the smiths ask, that will determine the new strength of the keyblade.

#khocweek #khocweek2022 #kh oc week #khoc week #khux oc #khux ocs #kh union x #heartsmith #heartsmiths #my art #atlas penn #kei #quest #wynter penn #quest belrose

[ghostflowerdreams]

Research For What Did People Use Before Toilet Paper?

The reason this post on What Did People Use Before Toilet Paper? came to be was because I wanted to know how in the ancient times did people do their business so that my story would be more accurate.

This of course led me down a rabbit hole and I ended up finding out a lot more. I thought to myself I should make this a post because I might need this info again. It’ll also be convenient to have it all in place. However, at the time I forgot to include sources so I can’t recall all of them exactly.

But I do know that it was a mixed of articles on artifacts, historical documents and old texts, such as literature, personal accounts like journals and so on, because they contained brief mentions of what the people used as toilet paper in them, etc.

Sapien.org - What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

The Washington Post Company - Ever Wondered about the history of toilet paper?

Phys.org - What toilets and sewers tell us about ancient Roman sanitation

Farmers' Almanac - The Hole In The Farmers’ Almanac

Liberty Hall Museum - The Colonial Privy (Toilet) at Liberty Hall Museum [PDF]

University of Nebraska Press: Center for Great Plains Studies - Journals of the Lewis & Clark Expedition | A Natural History | Chapter 2

North Carolina Cooperative Extension: Hoke County Center - Cowboy’s Toilet Paper

Smithsonian Magazine - These Archaeologists Were Looking for Tombs, But They Were Totally Psyched to Find Toilets

ResearchGate - Toilet hygiene in the classical era [PDF]

The University of Texas at Austin - American Wasteland: A Social and Cultural History of Excrement, 1860-1920 by Daniel Max Gerling [PDF]

Cottonelle - What Did We Use Before Toilet Paper?

Living History Farm - 1930s Farm Life: Indoor Plumbing

Lancaster Farming - Pondering the Privy: A History of Outhouses

National Park Service - Outhouse-Sauer Beckmann Farm [Picture]

Penn State University Libraries - The Greatest Missed Luxury: Scott Toilet Tissue

Ancient Accounts of India and China by Eusebius Renaudot [Book]

Ars Technica - 2,000-year-old toilet paper gives us a whiff of life on the Silk Road in China

Archaeology Southwest - Of Poop, Toilet Paper, and Worms…

The Plumber - Toilet Paper: The History ‘Behind’ It

Medievalists.net - The Medieval Invention of Toilet Paper

World History Encyclopedia - Toilets in a Medieval Castle

Corinium Museum - Roman Toilet Paper

The Vintage News - What Did People Use Before Toilet Paper?

CBS News - Toilet Paper Factoids

Kapiolani Community College - Where’s The Toilet Paper?

Wellcome Collection - How Brits went soft on toilet paper [Pictures]

Smithsonian Magazine - Ancient “Poop Sticks” Offer Clues to the Spread of Disease Along the Silk Road

Dig It With Raven - What Did We Use Before Toilet Paper?

Scientific American - Toilet Issue: Anthropologists Uncover All the Ways We've Wiped

Italy Magazine - Ancient Romans May Have Used Flat Stones As Toilet Paper

Vintage Ad Browser - Toilet Paper

Discover Magazine - What the Earliest Toilets Say About How Human Civilization Has Evolved

Japan This! - Japanese Toilets

The Archaeology of Sanitation in Roman Italy: Toilets, Sewers, and Water Systems (Studies in the History of Greece and Rome) by Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow [Book]

BBC - A potted history of the toilet

JSTOR - The Early History of Human Excreta

Popular Science - Nature’s best toilet paper substitutes

The Mariners' Museum and Park - A Head of Its Time: A Brief History of Going at Sea

Museums Victoria - Immigration: Journeys to Australia - Privies & Hygiene

RealClear Science - What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

The University of New Hampshire (UNH) - Ancient Toilet Hygiene [Video]

The Open University - Health and Wellbeing in the Ancient World: What did the Romans use for toilet paper?

National Geographic - What did people do before toilet paper?

National Museum of American History - Toilet

Berkeley University of California: Archaeological Research Facility - The Archaeology of Toileting

Ancient Origins - No Toilet Paper! Do Any of these Ancient Methods Work for You?

LiveScience - What did people use before toilet paper was invented?

HISTORY.com - All the Ways We’ve Wiped: The History of Toilet Paper and What Came Before

Youtube - The Remarkable History of Toilet Paper | Told by The History Guy | History at Home [Video]

Country Life - Curious Questions: What did people use before toilet paper?

Reader’s Digest - This Is What People Used Before Toilet Paper Existed

Free Library of Philadelphia - Unrolling the History of Toilet Paper

Hearthstone Historic House Museum - Flushed with Success: Milestones in Toilet Paper Development

Academia - Evolution of Toilets Worldwide Through the Millennia [PDF]

Ohio State University - Common Mullein- Mother Nature's Answer to Our Toilet Paper Shortage?

Gastrointestinal Society - The History of Toilet Paper

Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences: Powerhouse Collection - Toilet roll made in Australia

Minnesota State University: Centennial Student Union - Potty Talk: Understanding International Bathroom Etiquette

Health Digest - What Did People Use Before Toilet Paper?

BidetGenius - Complete History of the Bidet (Infographic)

Religion Unplugged - Islamic And Hindu Customs Wipe Out Need For Toilet Paper

Science Daily - Biblical Latrine: Ancient Parasites Show That Cleanliness May Have Been Next To Sickliness

#writing research #research #history #toilet paper #writing help #writing #writing reference #writing references #writing fanfiction #fanfiction help #toliets #bathrooms #time period #what did people use before toliet paper

[philadelphia-hq]

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform (or pause and reflect).”

LUCA RICCI

Age: 38 Gender and pronouns: Male, He/Him Occupation: Food & Beverage Director @ Ricci’s Neighborhood: Midtown Village

BIOGRAPHY

tw: cheating

Unconventional. It’s how it’s always been with the ways of Luca Ricci. Born in the passenger side of his dad's new sports car, unable to wait another three blocks. Skipping school most days of senior year to skate and explore the city, yet somehow graduating top five in his class. Luca at heart is a nonconformist. One who thrives off pushing the edge and challenging the narrative and norms of society. It’s no surprise considering he didn’t once question the divorce between his parents. Luca was stuffing his face with macaroni and cheese next to his baby brother when his mom laid a kiss on his head. She murmured the words that she loved him and that she would see him soon. Thinking nothing of the sort, he paid her no mind, but two minutes later, she had a suitcase and left their home never to return again. Commitment, no longer applied. Actions and decisions were made and there was nothing to question from here on out.

Since then, Luca evolved and grew with his expanding family, with a new stepmom and three sisters in tow. The house was rowdy, but it was always filled with the utmost love, support, and adventure. Being the oldest of the bunch, Luca did his best to be a role model where appropriate, but he was definitely a wild card. Defiant is the word that summarizes Luca's teenage years. It was a daily pleasure for him, testing the patience of his father. The animosity between the two brewed so much that the week after graduation, Luca left. A packed duffle bag, a scribbled note taped to the kitchen fridge, and a one way train ticket to Portland, Maine was his plan. An escape to where his mother was in hopes that he could be his own person without someone breathing down his neck. Yet, when arrived his mother had moved on with her life. Luca had only seen each other twelve weeks out of the year, for she was successful and thriving. After six months had gone by, Luca returned back to Philadelphia, relieved to be welcomed with open arms again by his family and friends again.

Since then, he temporarily did the normative, per his father’s request. Luca went to Penn State, where he studied business, before landing a job at a marketing agency. One owned by one of the  regulars of the family’s restaurant. The job was boring and Luca couldn't resist counting down the hours he had left every time he clocked in. The only bonus was having an affair with the bosses’ wife instead of working on his assigned ad campaigns. The apple certainly did not fall far from the tree. Caught red-handed in his bosses' vacation home, Luca was blacklisted from the agency and fellow partners. Fortunately for him, a friend of his started this sports app venture in Boulder, Colorado requesting his dear roommate join him on the adventure. Soon thereafter, the Rossi would become the director of marketing and sales for ten years. In that timeframe, the days were filled with global travel and beautiful women. Daily enjoying the high-life of his successes.

Only three years ago did he relocate back to Philadelphia. The app got bought out by a bigger fish and with enough money to last him a lifetime, Luca figured it would be in his best interest to settle down back home. A conversation with his grandmother brought him back to the family restaurant. A place where he used to bus tables after the school day while flirting with guests for some extra tips. With his extensive portfolio and unique ways of generating profits, Luca has been working for the backend of the business. Returning home has been better than he thought. His dad and step-mom, his annoying siblings. At this point in his life, surrounding himself with friends and family is right for this season. There may not be the views of snowscape mountains from his rooftop, but Luca can always appreciate the city that shaped him into the man he is today.

LUCA RICCI has the face claim of RYAN GOSLING and is played by MISSA.

#midtown village #b #ryan gosling

[missmcspooks]

The Halloween Killer: The Murder of Lisa Ann French

On Halloween night in 1973, a nine year old girl from Wisconsin was excited about dressing up in her costume and going out to get free candy, just like every other child on Halloween. However, this little girl's night took a turn for the worst when she innocently approached her neighbors doorstep with the words, “Trick or Treat.”

Lisa Ann French was born on June 2nd, 1964, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin to parents Allan and Maryann French. She was living with her mother and stepfather, Bruce De Pauw, along with her newborn half-brother. At the time of her death, Lisa was in 4th grade and attended Chegwin Elementary School, and she was also in the girl scouts. The French family lived just half a block down from her killer, Gerald Miles Turner Jr, and were very friendly and well-acquainted with Gerald and his former girlfriend, Arlene Penn. The two had an infant together, and Lisa would often spend time with them so she could see the baby, and Gerald also once shared a rented side of a duplex with the French family as well. Prior to Lisa’s death, Gerald didn’t have any sex offenses against him. He did however sexually assault his 15 year old babysitter, but that accusation didn’t come out until after Lisa’s murder.

On the night of the murder, Lisa left her home around 5:45PM in her hobo costume, wearing a black felt hat, green parka, jeans with blue masking tape on them, and added freckles on her cheeks. She was originally supposed to go trick or treating with her friend, Ann Parker, but she had gotten in trouble and wasn’t allowed to go out that night. Lisa made a stop at another friend's house, along with the house of one of her teachers before heading over to Gerald’s residence for candy. Lisa excitedly approached his doorstep with her candy bag wide open, and her smile lit up when he put the free candy into her bag. According to Gerald, he was sexually motivated as soon as he saw her, and began to discuss candy with the vulnerable nine year old. He lured her into his home with the promise of more candy, where he then closed his door, grabbed her, brought her into his bedroom and proceeded to sexually assault her.

Gerald claimed that at some point after he finished the assault, he noticed that Lisa had stopped breathing, and tried to revive her. He stopped trying once he heard his girlfriend come home. When Arlene was questioned, she claimed that she arrived home around 7PM, and when she saw Gerald, he was wearing a robe and kept telling her that he wasn’t feeling well. She also claimed that he had made multiple trips to the bedroom to lie down, which had their attached bathroom to it, where he had placed her body. Gerald claimed that after Arlene left the home again around 8PM to visit her mother, he stuffed Lisa’s body into one bag, and her clothes into another, and drove her body to Taycheedah, Wisconsin, and left the bags in a farm field. In an attempt to avoid any evidence being left behind, he wore socks on his hands to prevent fingerprints, and wiped down Lisa’s shoes and the zipper on her jacket.

When Lisa didn’t return home at 7PM when she was told to, her mother began to worry about her. By the time 10PM rolled around, a search party was already out looking for her. The search party was a county wide extensive search, which included over 5,000 volunteers, 700 block parents (a large volunteer based program for child safety and crime prevention across Canada), auxiliary police officers, some of the girl scout members, and The United States National Guard. The search went on for four days, before a farmer named Gerald Braun stumbled upon two brown plastic bags behind a wired fence, around 11:30AM on November 3rd. The bags contained Lisa’s nude body, and her Halloween costume. Lisa’s autopsy concluded that her death was caused by asphyxiation, but a pathologist also stated that she could’ve died from circulatory shock due to the sexual trauma that she endured. A $10,000 reward was posted for the capture of Lisa’s killer.

Gerald Turner was a suspect right from the start, but it took nine months of questioning and testing before he finally gave his confession on August 8th, 1974, which he later would retract. During these nine months, police had him undergo a polygraph test, which came back with inconclusive results, and he refused to take a second one. Police also took his body hair and fibers from his bedspread, and his hair was a positive match on Lisa’s body and clothing. In his confession he stated that his attack was completely sexually motivated, he performed anal intercourse on her, and when he noticed she stopped breathing, he put his head over her chest and heard her heart still beating. He tried to revive her, but ultimately had to stop trying when his girlfriend pulled up to the house. Gerald was charged and convicted on February 4th, 1975, for second degree murder, acts of sexual perversion, and enticing a child for immoral purposes, and was sentenced to 38 years and 6 months in prison.

Gerald Turner was paroled on October 13th, 1992, after only serving 17 years and 8 months of his sentencing due to “good behavior.” This caused numerous community protests and public outrage, which prompted lawmakers to create the sexual predator law Wisconsin Chapter 980 nicknamed “Turners Law,” and was ratified on May 26th, 1994. This law allows criminals who have been paroled or released to be sent to mental institutions if they’re deemed to have “substantial probability” to commit another crime. On November 23rd, 1993, Gerald was sent back to prison after a Department of Corrections appeal ruled that they had miscalculated his mandatory parole release from his good behavior.

On January 9th, 1998, Gerald had a four day parole trial and was ruled that he was not a violent sexual predator, therefor he could not be detained at a treatment center under “Turners Law,” and was allowed to begin his second mandatory parole. He was then returned to prison for an additional 15 years after violating his parole in 2003, when a large amount of pornographic material was found in his possession. After his 15 year sentence was completed, he was allowed to be released without parole restrictions, until Lisa’s mother filed a petition to keep Gerald detained in a treatment center. The petition gained over 34 thousand signatures, and Gerald Turner is currently detained at Sand Ridge Secure Treatment Center in Mauston, Wisconsin. The last report to have his status tried again was set for October 2020, but I haven’t been able to find any further information about it.

#true crime #true story #truecrime #true crime blog #true crime community #Crime #writing #writers on tumblr #Writerscommunity #blog #blogging #blogger #blog post #blogpost #murder

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Default Title

Extension Master Gardeners: Cultivating Knowledge and Community

Empowering Volunteers to Transform Communities

For over 50 years, the Extension Master Gardeners (EMG) program has been training volunteers across the nation who have a passion for horticulture and assisting with gardening education in their community. Today, Extension Master Gardener programs can be found in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This work is supported in part by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s capacity funding.

What was established in 1973 in Washington state has grown to more than 77,000 experienced and 12,500 new Extension Master Gardeners.

EMG volunteers share their gardening knowledge by teaching workshops, managing demonstration and community gardens, speaking at events, and staffing garden information helplines. According to the most recent reports, the more than 89,000 EMG volunteers contributed 4.9 million hours in community volunteerism in 2023, valued at $157 million in donated time nationwide. These volunteers collectively reached 10 million people through their work.

Extension Master Gardeners also donated over 1 million pounds of produce to communities in need, estimated at $2.3 million in donations. In many states, EMG volunteers work garden helplines, answering questions from the public. The Extension Master Gardeners information helplines provide individuals with the opportunity to ask EMG volunteers gardening or landscaping questions and receive research-based answers specific to their location.

EMG Helpline Impacts

The University of Vermont Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program aims to develop and promote effective education and outreach programs to improve IPM practice. With the help of the Master Gardeners Helpline, 63% of helpline clients implemented the IPM strategies recommended and 61% reduced or avoided the use of pesticides, saving $137 per client on pesticide costs.

The Alabama Extension Master Gardeners Helpline answered over 168,000 garden questions, which totaled a reach of 311,253 public contacts, according to the 2022 Impact Report.

Penn State University Extension Master Gardeners answered over 3,000 questions related to garden planning, plant propagation, or plant selection. Ninety-four percent of hotline users found the information they received useful, according to the recent impact report.

The number of gardening questions to the Oregon State University “Ask Extension” service has grown almost 600% from 6,203 questions in 2019 to 41,676 in 2022. Master Gardener volunteers answered almost 90% of the questions in 2022.

These examples highlight the impact and value of Extension Master Gardener helplines in providing expert advice and guidance to gardeners across the country. From reducing pesticide use to promoting sustainable gardening practices, the knowledge and dedication of EMG volunteers have a tangible and positive effect on individuals and communities.

Cultivating Knowledge and Community

The Extension Master Gardeners program not only provides valuable resources and assistance to gardeners but also fosters a sense of community and connection. Through workshops, community gardens, and outreach events, EMG volunteers create spaces for learning, collaboration, and growth.

By sharing their expertise and passion for gardening, Extension Master Gardeners inspire and empower others to explore the world of horticulture. Whether it's teaching children about the importance of pollinators or helping individuals start their own vegetable gardens, these volunteers play a vital role in cultivating a culture of knowledge and sustainability.

The impact of the Extension Master Gardeners program extends far beyond the individual garden plots. By engaging with their communities, EMG volunteers contribute to the overall well-being and resilience of neighborhoods and cities. From beautifying public spaces to providing fresh produce to those in need, the work of Extension Master Gardeners has a ripple effect that reaches far and wide.

Looking Ahead

As the Extension Master Gardeners program continues to grow and evolve, there are exciting opportunities to further expand its impact. With the increasing interest in sustainable gardening practices and the growing need for food security, the expertise and dedication of EMG volunteers are more valuable than ever.

By continuing to educate and inspire gardeners, Extension Master Gardeners can help create a future where thriving gardens and vibrant communities go hand in hand. Through their tireless efforts and commitment to sharing knowledge, EMG volunteers are sowing the seeds of a greener, healthier, and more connected world.

The Extension Master Gardeners program has been a cornerstone of gardening education and community engagement for over 50 years. With their wealth of knowledge and passion for horticulture, EMG volunteers have made a significant impact on individuals, communities, and the environment.

From answering garden helpline questions to teaching workshops and managing community gardens, Extension Master Gardeners play a vital role in promoting sustainable gardening practices and fostering a sense of community. Their dedication and expertise empower others to explore the world of gardening and make a positive difference in their own lives and the lives of those around them.

As the program continues to grow, the Extension Master Gardeners will undoubtedly continue to cultivate knowledge, community, and a greener future.

[coastal-garden-chronicles]

The Impact of Extension Master Gardeners: Empowering Communities through Horticultural Expertise

Cultivating Knowledge and Community Engagement

For over 50 years, the Extension Master Gardeners (EMG) program has been training volunteers across the nation who have a passion for horticulture and assisting with gardening education in their community. Today, Extension Master Gardener programs can be found in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This work is supported in part by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s capacity funding.

What was established in 1973 in Washington state has grown to more than 77,000 experienced and 12,500 new Extension Master Gardeners.

EMG volunteers share their gardening knowledge by teaching workshops, managing demonstration and community gardens, speaking at events, and staffing garden information helplines. According to the most recent reports, the more than 89,000 EMG volunteers contributed 4.9 million hours in community volunteerism in 2023, valued at $157 million in donated time nationwide. These volunteers collectively reached 10 million people through their work.

Extension Master Gardeners also donated over 1 million pounds of produce to communities in need, estimated at $2.3 million in donations. In many states, EMG volunteers work garden helplines, answering questions from the public. The Extension Master Gardeners information helplines provide individuals with the opportunity to ask EMG volunteers gardening or landscaping questions and receive research-based answers specific to their location.

EMG Helpline Impacts

The University of Vermont Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program aims to develop and promote effective education and outreach programs to improve IPM practice. With the help of the Master Gardeners Helpline, 63% of helpline clients implemented the IPM strategies recommended and 61% reduced or avoided the use of pesticides, saving $137 per client on pesticide costs.

The Alabama Extension Master Gardeners Helpline answered over 168,000 garden questions, which totaled a reach of 311,253 public contacts, according to the 2022 Impact Report.

Penn State University Extension Master Gardeners answered over 3,000 questions related to garden planning, plant propagation, or plant selection. Ninety-four percent of hotline users found the information they received useful, according to the recent impact report.

The number of gardening questions to the Oregon State University “Ask Extension” service has grown almost 600% from 6,203 questions in 2019 to 41,676 in 2022. Master Gardener volunteers answered almost 90% of the questions in 2022.

Empowering Communities through Horticultural Expertise

The Extension Master Gardeners program has had a profound impact on communities across the nation. With their extensive knowledge and expertise, EMG volunteers have become a valuable resource for individuals seeking guidance and assistance with their gardening endeavors.

Through the various helplines established by the Extension Master Gardeners, individuals have access to research-based information tailored to their specific location. This personalized approach ensures that individuals receive accurate and relevant advice, contributing to the overall success of their gardening projects.

The University of Vermont Integrated Pest Management program is a prime example of the positive impact the Extension Master Gardeners Helpline has had on the community. By implementing the IPM strategies recommended by EMG volunteers, helpline clients were able to reduce their reliance on pesticides and save money on pesticide costs. This not only benefits the individual gardeners but also has wider implications for the environment and public health.

In Alabama, the Extension Master Gardeners Helpline has been instrumental in providing gardening advice to a large number of individuals. By answering over 168,000 garden questions, the helpline reached a staggering 311,253 public contacts. This demonstrates the widespread demand for gardening information and the crucial role played by EMG volunteers in meeting this need.

Penn State University Extension Master Gardeners have also made a significant impact through their helpline service. By answering over 3,000 questions related to garden planning, plant propagation, and plant selection, these volunteers have empowered individuals to make informed decisions and achieve successful gardening outcomes. The high satisfaction rate of hotline users further underscores the value of the information provided by EMG volunteers.

The Oregon State University "Ask Extension" service has experienced a remarkable increase in the number of gardening questions received. With a growth of almost 600% from 6,203 questions in 2019 to 41,676 in 2022, it is clear that the Extension Master Gardeners' expertise is in high demand. Their ability to answer almost 90% of these questions demonstrates their commitment and dedication to helping individuals navigate the challenges of gardening.

The Extension Master Gardeners program has proven to be an invaluable resource for individuals and communities across the nation. Through their extensive knowledge and dedication, EMG volunteers have made a significant impact on gardening education, community engagement, and sustainable horticultural practices.

From teaching workshops and managing community gardens to answering questions on helplines, EMG volunteers have shared their expertise with millions of people. Their efforts have not only resulted in improved gardening practices but have also contributed to the well-being of individuals and communities.

The success of the Extension Master Gardeners program is a testament to the power of volunteerism and the importance of horticultural education. As the program continues to grow and evolve, it will undoubtedly play a vital role in fostering a greener and more sustainable future.

[butterfly-garden-basics]

The Extension Master Gardeners: Cultivating Knowledge and Community

A Look into the Impact of the Extension Master Gardeners Program

For over 50 years, the Extension Master Gardeners (EMG) program has been training volunteers across the nation who have a passion for horticulture and assisting with gardening education in their community. Today, Extension Master Gardener programs can be found in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This work is supported in part by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s capacity funding.

What was established in 1973 in Washington state has grown to more than 77,000 experienced and 12,500 new Extension Master Gardeners.

EMG volunteers share their gardening knowledge by teaching workshops, managing demonstration and community gardens, speaking at events, and staffing garden information helplines. According to the most recent reports, the more than 89,000 EMG volunteers contributed 4.9 million hours in community volunteerism in 2023, valued at $157 million in donated time nationwide. These volunteers collectively reached 10 million people through their work.

Extension Master Gardeners also donated over 1 million pounds of produce to communities in need, estimated at $2.3 million in donations. In many states, EMG volunteers work garden helplines, answering questions from the public. The Extension Master Gardeners information helplines provide individuals with the opportunity to ask EMG volunteers gardening or landscaping questions and receive research-based answers specific to their location.

EMG Helpline Impacts

The University of Vermont Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program aims to develop and promote effective education and outreach programs to improve IPM practice. With the help of the Master Gardeners Helpline, 63% of helpline clients implemented the IPM strategies recommended and 61% reduced or avoided the use of pesticides, saving $137 per client on pesticide costs.

The Alabama Extension Master Gardeners Helpline answered over 168,000 garden questions, which totaled a reach of 311,253 public contacts, according to the 2022 Impact Report.

Penn State University Extension Master Gardeners answered over 3,000 questions related to garden planning, plant propagation, or plant selection. Ninety-four percent of hotline users found the information they received useful, according to the recent impact report.

The number of gardening questions to the Oregon State University “Ask Extension” service has grown almost 600% from 6,203 questions in 2019 to 41,676 in 2022. Master Gardener volunteers answered almost 90% of the questions in 2022.

The Impact of Extension Master Gardeners Program

The Extension Master Gardeners program has had a significant impact on communities across the country. Through their dedication and expertise, EMG volunteers have made a difference in various areas of gardening and horticulture.

One of the key areas where the EMG program has made a difference is in Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The University of Vermont Integrated Pest Management program has seen impressive results with the help of the Master Gardeners Helpline. Over 63% of helpline clients implemented the IPM strategies recommended by the Master Gardeners, leading to a reduction in pesticide use by 61%.

This not only benefits the environment but also saves clients an average of $137 per year on pesticide costs.

In Alabama, the Extension Master Gardeners Helpline has been instrumental in providing gardening advice to the public. In 2022, the helpline answered over 168,000 garden questions, reaching a total of 311,253 public contacts. This shows the high demand for gardening information and the value that the Master Gardeners bring to the community.

Penn State University Extension Master Gardeners have also made a significant impact through their hotline service. They have answered over 3,000 questions related to garden planning, plant propagation, and plant selection. The fact that 94% of hotline users found the information they received useful is a testament to the expertise and knowledge of the Master Gardeners.

The Extension Master Gardeners program has also played a crucial role in Oregon State University's "Ask Extension" service. The number of gardening questions received by the service has grown almost 600% from 6,203 questions in 2019 to 41,676 in 2022. Master Gardener volunteers have been able to handle almost 90% of these questions, demonstrating their commitment to providing accurate and helpful information to the public.

The Extension Master Gardeners program has proven to be a valuable resource for gardening enthusiasts and the general public alike. The dedication and expertise of the EMG volunteers have made a significant impact in various aspects of gardening, from promoting sustainable practices to providing valuable advice to the community.

Through their work in teaching workshops, managing gardens, and staffing helplines, EMG volunteers have reached millions of people and contributed millions of hours in community volunteerism. Their efforts have not only improved gardening practices but also provided communities with fresh produce and valuable guidance.

The Extension Master Gardeners program continues to grow and evolve, adapting to the changing needs of communities and the environment. As more people turn to gardening as a way to connect with nature and promote sustainability, the role of the EMG volunteers becomes even more crucial. Their knowledge and passion for horticulture are instrumental in creating greener, more vibrant communities across the nation.

[bonsai-beauty-basics]

The Extension Master Gardeners Program: Cultivating Knowledge and Community

Empowering Volunteers to Transform Gardens and Communities

For over 50 years, the Extension Master Gardeners (EMG) program has been training volunteers across the nation who have a passion for horticulture and assisting with gardening education in their community. Today, Extension Master Gardener programs can be found in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This work is supported in part by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s capacity funding.

What was established in 1973 in Washington state has grown to more than 77,000 experienced and 12,500 new Extension Master Gardeners.

EMG volunteers share their gardening knowledge by teaching workshops, managing demonstration and community gardens, speaking at events, and staffing garden information helplines. According to the most recent reports, the more than 89,000 EMG volunteers contributed 4.9 million hours in community volunteerism in 2023, valued at $157 million in donated time nationwide. These volunteers collectively reached 10 million people through their work.

Extension Master Gardeners also donated over 1 million pounds of produce to communities in need, estimated at $2.3 million in donations. In many states, EMG volunteers work garden helplines, answering questions from the public. The Extension Master Gardeners information helplines provide individuals with the opportunity to ask EMG volunteers gardening or landscaping questions and receive research-based answers specific to their location.

Making an Impact through Helplines

The University of Vermont Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program aims to develop and promote effective education and outreach programs to improve IPM practice. With the help of the Master Gardeners Helpline, 63% of helpline clients implemented the IPM strategies recommended and 61% reduced or avoided the use of pesticides, saving $137 per client on pesticide costs.

The Alabama Extension Master Gardeners Helpline answered over 168,000 garden questions, which totaled a reach of 311,253 public contacts, according to the 2022 Impact Report.

Penn State University Extension Master Gardeners answered over 3,000 questions related to garden planning, plant propagation, or plant selection. Ninety-four percent of hotline users found the information they received useful, according to the recent impact report.

The number of gardening questions to the Oregon State University “Ask Extension” service has grown almost 600% from 6,203 questions in 2019 to 41,676 in 2022. Master Gardener volunteers answered almost 90% of the questions in 2022.

Creating Lasting Change in Communities

The Extension Master Gardeners program extends beyond providing gardening advice. Volunteers actively contribute to their communities by managing demonstration and community gardens, teaching workshops, and speaking at events. Their efforts have resulted in tangible impacts.

Extension Master Gardeners donated over 1 million pounds of produce to communities in need, estimated at $2.3 million in donations. This fresh, locally grown food helps address food insecurity and promotes healthier eating habits.

The EMG program also plays a crucial role in promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly gardening practices. By implementing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies, EMG volunteers have helped reduce pesticide use and promote natural pest control methods. This not only saves money for gardeners but also protects the environment and human health.

Furthermore, the Extension Master Gardeners program has a strong focus on education. Through workshops, demonstrations, and speaking engagements, volunteers empower individuals to develop their gardening skills and knowledge. This education extends to schools and youth programs, fostering a love for gardening and nature in the younger generation.

A Network of Knowledge and Support

The Extension Master Gardeners program creates a network of knowledgeable and passionate individuals who can provide guidance and support to gardeners of all skill levels. Whether it's troubleshooting a plant problem or seeking advice on sustainable gardening practices, EMG volunteers are there to help.

With the growth of gardening interest in recent years, the demand for gardening information and assistance has skyrocketed. The Extension Master Gardeners program has risen to the challenge, expanding its helpline services to meet the needs of the public. From answering thousands of questions about plant selection to providing guidance on pest management, these volunteers are a valuable resource for gardeners across the country.

The Extension Master Gardeners program has had a profound impact on communities nationwide. Through their dedication and expertise, EMG volunteers have transformed gardens, educated the public, and made a lasting difference in the lives of millions. From teaching workshops to answering helpline questions, these passionate individuals continue to cultivate knowledge and community, one garden at a time.