Never too Old for Something New…You’ve heard the saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?” Don’t believe it!…at least not while the body and mind are able!  It is learning the “new tricks” that keeps us young! I am approaching yet another birthday, (I can’t believe another year has gone by).  The kids are taller, smarter, louder..but what do I have to say for myself?…full article…

Gateway Science Museum Grand Opening…Step into the fascinating world of insects at Backyard Monsters, where visitors can catch sight of towering bugs such as a nine-foot-tall praying mantis and insects that are up to 96 times their normal size! These hi-tech, robotic insects not only appear real, but their actions are simulated to show real-life movements as well…full article…

March Recipes:

Chinese Chicken Salad- Hawaiian Style

Thai Rice and Black Bean Burgers

Sticky Rice with Mango

Everything is Coming Up Wildflowers…Who does not love a wildflower? While not every wildflower enthusiast is a gardener, every gardener I know is a wildflower enthusiast at some level…full article…

This month’s GoLocalChico Free Drawing Prize Winners are: Pamela A., Darin B., Eric C., Julie F., Greg G., Eric H., Kirsty O., Emily R., Julie S., Rick T., Mike W. Please contact us by March 21 to receive your prize! Thank You to Dragon Graphics, In a North State Garden, String Bead and GoLocalChico for their great prize donations!  Remember to please support your local businesses…a strong local community encourages a stronger local economy!

Shop with our North State Artisans for beautiful handmade crafts for both “him and her”! Preview what some of our locals are doing on the GoLocalChico.com Free Artisans Gallery.

Roasted Asparagus for 4:  Simple and so Tasty

1 pound asparagus spears, 1 1/2 T lemon olive oil (or olive oil), 3/4 t. sea salt.

Preheat oven to 425, place a single layer of asparagus in a baking dish, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Cook for 10 minutes, turning spears at 5 minutes to prevent sticking. Add lemon a squeeze of juice at the end for extra kick.

Asian Asparagus for 4: with Citrus Zing!

1 pound asparagus spears, 1 1/2 T. butter, 1 T. roasted sesame seeds, 2 T. orange juice, 1 t. sesame oil

Cut spears on the diagonal into 2 inch pieces. Par-boil asparagus in lightly salted water for 6- 8 minutes- drain and rinse in cold water to keep color. In sauce pan melt butter, add sesame seeds and stir until browned- for 2 or 3 minutes.  Add orange juice and sesame seeds to sauce pan and stir, add asparagus and toss until coated and heated through.

1. loaf King’s Hawaiian Sweet Bread (found in WINCO deli section and specialty stores)

2. 8 eggs

3. 1  1/4 c. milk

4. dash of salt

Slice approximately 1″ thick and dip in custard mixture. Fry in light vegetable oil or butter, watch carefully- sweet bread will burn quickly. Serve with powdered sugar, preserves or syrup- try coconut syrup for a real treat!  This was always a favorite growing up in Hawaii.

There are so many low cost and free garden events in our area. A wonderful way to catch up on what is happening is with In A North State Garden, a weekly Northstate Public Radio and web-based program celebrating the art, craft and science of home gardening in Northern California and made possible in part by the Gateway Science Museum – Exploring the Natural History of the North State and on the campus of CSU, Chico.

In a North State Garden is conceived, written, photographed and hosted by Jennifer Jewell – all rights reserved jewellgarden.com. In A North State Garden airs on Northstate Public Radio Saturday mornings at 7:34 AM Pacific time and Sunday morning at 8:34 AM Pacific time.

April Highlights- check In A North State Garden for full calendar:

April 1, 8,15, 29 – Chico: Chico High School Greenhouses & Horticulture Plant Sale! 9am- 4pm, located at CHS Greenhouses off of West Sacramento Ave. We have pony packs of Early Girl and Beefsteak tomatoes ($2.00/pack), a lot of fern varieties in hanging baskets and in 4”- 8” pots. We also have a wide selection of foliage houseplants that would suit a houseplant lover. i.e. ornamental banana trees, umbrella plants, pothos, ficus trees. The prices range from $2.00-$9.00. PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE SCHOOL HORTICULTURE AND AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS. If you have any questions feel free to call: Quinn Mendez @ 891-3026 ext 381 or email: qmendez@chicousd.org

April 10 – Chico: CSU, Chico Associated Students: COMPOST WORKSHOP 11am – 12 noon, Free Workshop on Composting at the Compost Display Area on the CSU Campus. Located behind Yolo Hall past the tennis courts along the railroad tracks. Please park in the Nettleton Stadium Parking lot (permit required) and walk to the compost display area. More info, contact As Recycling: 530-898-5033, or: asrecycle@csuchico.edu.

April 10 – Chico: Mt Lassen Chapter Cal Native Plant Society FIELD TRIP Chaffin Family Farms and Table Mountain 12:45 pm meet at Chico Park & Ride for this trip to tour this diversified family farm at the base of and on Table Mountain, where we should see a great display of wildflowers as well! Wear sturdy shoes and bring lunch and water. More info: Gerry Ingco 530-893-5213.

April 17 – Chico: Eco-Fest 2010 CSU, Chico All Day. Kendall Lawn, West of Laxon Auditorium on the CSU, Chico Campus. The Environmental Action and Resource Center (E-ARC) will be hosting its 13th annual Ecofest on April 17 on the Kendall Lawn. We are all very excited to have another great event this year, with plenty of music, dancing, food, speakers, and enough diverse booths including GRUB and the Chico Permaculture Guild, for everyone. If you would like to sell something, prepare food, share information, create a fun and interactive booth, or simply represent your organization, you can do it all on this fun-filled day. Take this opportunity to celebrate Earth Month with great music and a ton of great people. If you are interested in participating, please contact:Brooke Langer, Environmental Action and Resource Center, BMU 301(530) 898-5676 earc@csuchico.edu

April 18 – Chico: Chico Organic Gardening: Heirloom Tomatoes and More with Brian Marshall and Nancy Heinzel 1:30 – 3:30 at the Chico Grange; $15 fee per person payable at the door. Growing heirloom tomatoes and other vegetables With Nancy Heinzel and Brian Marshall of Sawmill Creek Farms – they will have plants for sale. Hosted by Chico Organic Gardening and Valley Oak Tool. To register follow links at: www.valleyoaktool.com; More info: hazel@valleyoaktool.com 530 342-6188.

Photos by Jennifer Jewell

This full flavored chili carries a punch.  It’s a great alternative for people who can’t have, or don’t like tomatoes.

INGREDIENTS:

As you are reading this letter, many people are volunteering their time to organize Chico’s second City Wide Water Walk to raise awareness and money for safe water in developing countries and awareness for water conservation in our own community.  This event is being sponsored by Bridging The Gap By Giving Foundation, a local foundation, founded four years ago by Shirley Adams.  BTG  partners with North Valley Community Foundation.

The Water Walk is educational, fun and inspirational for the whole family. The  event takes place in Bidwell Park on April 17, 2010. Walkers begin their walk at the One Mile Park with an empty bucket on a 2K or 5K walk.  As they walk they visit educational stations about the great need for safe water globally & water conservation in our community. Participants fill their water buckets at the midpoint from the creek and carry it back to the One Mile Park.

Because of the generosity of participants and corporate sponsors, BTG was able to raise $24,000, which was matched by a private donor, to bring the total amount to $48,000.      One hundred percent of the money raised was used for water projects that gave safe water to 1,371 Africans for life.  The walk was well received by the community and attracted 400 walkers.  We expect the number of walkers to double this year.

Packet Pick Up Night is April 16 from 3-7pm at the T-Bar on 250 Vallombrosa.

Thanks to the T-Bar- 20% of all food and beverage purchases during Packet Pick Up Night will go to the Water Walk-Be sure to mention BTG”s Water Walk when ordering!  Bring your friends, it is Tea Time!

Fleet Feet will again be featuring Bridging The Gap’s Water Walk from April 10th through April 17th. When you shop at Fleet Feet mention Bridging The Gap’s Water Walk and 10% of your purchase will be donated to Bridging The Gap.

Children’s Prizes for most pledges: 20″ Electra Townie Bike from Sports LTD, $150 gift certificate from Haley’s Martial Arts, a gift bag from Trader Joe’s. Adult’s Prizes for most pledges: $250 gift certificate from Campus Bicycles, 3 month family membership at In Motion Fitness, $165 gift certificate from Simply Pilates.

“Do your little bit of good where you are.  It is those little bits of good put together that overwhelm thee world.” – Desmond Tutu

The Dirty Dozen vs. The Clean Fifteen- Have you heard that the healthiest food you can eat is food that originates in your local area? It is fresher and you can most closely see how it has been raised, grown, and treated. Free range chicken eggs, grass fed beef, locally grown produce- we really have the opportunity to eat well here- and it isn’t as expensive as you may think …more….

Sidewalk Sale! Feb. 19 and 20- Apple Blossom Baby, Bow Bec’s and Buy the Book join together for a great Clearance event and Spring Preview! Over 1,000 book titles, and designer fashions for all ages on Sale. Check them out on our Business Index or Events Calendar for more information!

A Little Valentine’s Surprise-Thai Food! -How about a little heat this Valentine’s Day- Try Thai! There is often the impression that Thai food is rich and complicated, really more than the average cook wants to deal with on a week night…(let’s go out!) Actually, Thai food has many health benefits, and can be simple to make at home …more….

Project Runway 101 - Have you ever gotten in over your head on a project? Maybe a couple of hours of quiet and a little guidance is all you need- or maybe you are like me and having someone with a little more experience to guide you would be very helpful…someone who can translate the instructions into basic understanding-”A to B, B to C…” …more….

New Coupon for Kimo’s Hawaiian Grill

Do You have a favorite local business that you would love to see on GoLocalChico.com- maybe looking for a good coupon? Let them know about us and let us know about them- we’d love to see them here too! We have great start up offers for New Businesses.

Are you looking for some original gift ideas for Valentine’s Day this year? Shop with our North State Artisans for beautiful handmade crafts for both “him and her”! Preview what some of our locals are doing on the GoLocalChico.com Free Artisans Gallery.

Valentine Gift Faire on Feb. 7 at The Chico Women’s Club, a benefit for the CWC Scholarship Fund. Check our GoLocalChico.com Events Calendar for more details.

GoLocalChico is adding a CSUC Student Events Calendar to our site- so if you have any activities, fundraisers, games that you would like to have posted, please submit them to us here.

Remember – adding your events to our calendar is free! Submit your community events to be included on the GoLocalChico.com Events Calendar .

Thank You to our wonderful local businesses who have given us prizes for February’s GoLocalChico Free Drawing! Please remember to support your local businesses, they add so much to our Chico community!

February Gift Certificates and Merchandise provided by:

Bow Bec’s clothing, yarn and accessories- Buy the Book Chico’s Newest used bookstore! — Dragon Graphics for all your printing needs! — GoLocalChico.com it’s all right here— In a North State Garden celebrating the beauty of the botanical- Kimo’s Hawaiian Grill why go all the way to Hawaii for ono plate lunch?

Congratulations to February’s Free Drawing Winners!

Robert B., Machelle C., Mary G., Melissa H., Jeannie H., Jessica M., Christie P., Mindy R., Chris S., Satrina W.

Don’t forget to claim your prizes by February 21st or they will be forfeited. Remember, if you didn’t win this month you are still entered in next month’s Free Drawing, and Spring is right around the corner!

Check out our new Facebook page- become a fan and we’ll help you stay better informed on what’s going on throughout the month.

(And thanks in advance for your patience as we learn the Facebook ropes!)

Happy New Year Chico!

What Do We Have in Common? So, what does jhuk(jook), pickled herring, rice, black eyed peas and champagne have in common? What is jook?…and why would anyone eat fish from a jar anyway…? We all have traditions of one sort or another, these tasty or unusual foods all have symbolic meanings and are all a part of different New Year’s rituals in the melting pot of the United States.

Growing up, we would always have jook (Chinese style chicken rice soup) with our extended family on New Year’s Eve. All the Uncles played cards (poker of course) in the garage and all the Aunties chatted and bustled in the kitchen preparing a feast. Our buffet included New Year’s favorites with traditional roots such as: chow mein ( long noodles for long life), sushi rice (for family), and steamed fish (for strength and a fighting spirit)…more

A New Year’s Day in My North State Garden On New Year’s Day I always turn the compost. No matter where I live, how cold the weather or how full the schedule, I like to get out into the garden and turn the compost.

By what do we measure the quality of our days? Family, work , community – certainly these three, and the many obligations that come with them, rank highly for most of us.

But when obligation is met, when the sometimes-endless list of things we need to do is as short as it ever gets, where then does your mind tend?…more

The Old Green

The other night while talking with the family, the conversation came around to the “Green Movement” and how we are to reuse, recycle and generally use less. This got me thinking about when I was growing up in the Chicago area in the early 1940’s.

We lived in Willamette, a suburb North of Chicago. My dad worked in down town Chicago and commuted every day on the elevated electric train known as the “North Shore.” This was one of two systems that served the area at the time. Very few people would commute into the city like we would today. Gas was in short supply, as it was needed for the war effort, and so civilian use was controlled by rationing. There were many places where the speed limit was 35 miles per hour in order to conserve fuel. This also helped with tire wear, as new tires were almost impossible to get…more

Look and see what some of our North State artisans are doing in our new Artisan’s Free Gallery this month!

Check our Calendar for great Theater entertainment this month! Send in your community events to be included on the GoLocalChico.com calendar.

The Gateway Science Museum is opening to the public on Saturday February 27th – with a ribbon cutting at 10:00 am and grand opening celebration activities for adults and children alike throughout the day – throughout the whole museum. Photo: The Gateway Science Museum’s logo is derived from the skylight at the top of the front tower of the new building’s entrance. That tower represents a volcano – such as the historic Mt. Yana or Lassen Peak or Mt. Shasta, which have been ‘wayfinders’, or directional markers, for people in the North State for 1000s of years.

“The activities will be festive and geared toward fun and education,” Acting Director Rachel Teasdale told me in an interview last week. Among other activities geared toward highlighting the museum’s mission to “create a life-long learning environment that enables people to explore, interpret, and celebrate the magnificent natural heritage of our region through science, research, and education,” Teasdale mentioned that “we will have face painting – and the face painters will create motifs from regional plants, animals and insects for their designs.” So you could get a Pipevine Swallowtail wing or a bouquet of yellow Mariposa-lilies (Calochortus luteus) painted on your cheek.

“The 16 year journey to the opening of the Gateway Science Museum has been noteworthy,” Judy Sitton President of the Gateway Science Museum Board told me. “As a member of the community/campus partnership for this landmark, I look forward to us all experiencing science and regional natural history in a fun, stimulating, interesting and memorable way. We have so much to celebrate and hold dear in the North State. The Gateway Science Museum is a key to the ‘gateway to learning.” 

The first of the museum’s traveling exhibitions will also be in place for the opening. Being installed all of next week, the first exhibitions (beyond the state of the art building and eco-regions based landscapes themselves), as described on the museum’s newly revamped website www.gatewayscience.org, will include:

Backyard Monsters: The World of Insects

will be in the museum’s two main galleries: Photo: a real Praying Mantis on a rose in the garden.

Step into the fascinating world of insects at Backyard Monsters, where visitors can catch sight of towering bugs such as a nine-foot-tall praying mantis and insects that are up to 96 times their normal size! These hi-tech, robotic insects not only appear real, but their actions are simulated to show real-life movements as well.
Interactive education stations are also available for exploration. Visitors can view the world through the eyes of a multi-faceted insect, create rubbings of insects which can be taken home, learn the methods of insect flight, discover how common fleas survive and adapt, and more.
Another eye-catching feature of Backyard Monsters is a world-class insect specimen collection that features numerous insects and bugs such as longhorn beetles, butterflies, arachnids, moths, and insects.

Witness: Endangered Species of North America will be in the long central Valley gallery:

The most strikingly beautiful, yet tragically endangered, species of North America are documented in Witness, an astonishing collection of photographic portraits by Susan Middleton and David Liittschwager, organized by the California Academy of Sciences.
Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the various plants and animals currently on the Endangered Species List of North America such as the California condor, Arizona agave, northern spotted owl, grizzly bear, and more.
Each photographed plant and animal is isolated with a stark background to visually explain that these species are becoming endangered, and in one way or another, losing their natural habitats.

River Voices: A Photography Exhibit on The Confluence of Culture on the Sacramento River Watershed Photo: A Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly and its wing patterns.

Photographer Geoff Fricker documents one of the most important rivers in California, the Sacramento River, and its diverse role in the region.

Seven 6-foot by 9-foot photographic panels record the diverse layers of culture in the landscapes that intersect along the Sacramento River. Here, 500,000 acres of historic riparian habitats once existed, but today, only 25,000 acres of the original habitats remain.

Additional panels provide quotations about the relationship between humans and the land. Other images reveal years of scouring, deposition, and tree growth along the meandering river system, as well as areas of the floodplains adapted to farmland throughout the history of humans in Northern California.

After March 1st, the Gateway Science Museum will keep regular hours.

Museum Hours
Wednesday – Friday:
Noon to 5 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday:
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Directions & Map
The physical address of the museum is
 625 Esplanade
 Chico, CA 95929-0545

Photos and Article by Garden Writer Jennifer Jewell, visit www.jewellgarden.com for more North State garden news!, Gateway Science Museum art by Gateway Science Museum

Tidy tips (Layia fremontii)

Who does not love a wildflower? While not every wildflower enthusiast is a gardener, every gardener I know is a wildflower enthusiast at some level.

I chatted recently with Linnea Hanson, former Forest Botanist and now Ecosystems Manager for the Plumas National Forest and Chris Christofferson, District Botanist for the Forest about the enduring appeal of wildflowers. “I am just a sucker for a pretty face – who isn’t?” said Chris, “wildflowers sport fabulous blooms and so many of them smell so great! I can’t resist them.” Linnea went on to say “The spring wildflower bloom is so exciting – when you have lived in the same area for a long time, you mark your internal seasonal clock by the wildflowers’ blooming – it’s like seeing old friends again and as you walk or drive through the region you want to call out – ‘Oh hi! the Tidy tips are out’ or ‘Look – the fiddleheads have returned!’ And it makes you happy.” 

Wildflowers start to bloom in force in the lower elevations of our region in late February early-March and keep on going through June, July and August in the higher elevations. According to Julie Nelson, Forest Botanist for the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, “The low elevation stuff is popping. Clikapudi Trail on the south side of Shasta Lake has beaucoup shooting stars (Dodecatheon hendersonii), hound’s tongue (Cynoglossum grande, one of my all time favorites), goldback fern (Pentagramma triangularis), osoberry (Oemleria cerasiformis) and toothwort (Cardamine californica) to name a few.”

Iconic California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) blooming along a roadway in Chico in March.

Perhaps one of the reasons we love wildflowers is that they are not necessarily easy to grow or desirable in your home garden, and so their beauty is that much more fleeting and precious. With this in mind, as wildflower season continues, make sure to follow the commonsense rules best summarized as: “Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footsteps – and those should generally be on the trail!” Further, pay attention and be observant so that you can avoid encounters that might detract from your wildflower viewing: always bring water, sunscreen, good shoes and appropriate clothing – raincoat, hat, gloves, etc. Keep your eyes open for poison oak and spring creatures such as rattlesnakes and bears that might be waking up.

Finally, while picking wildflowers might be your first instinct, think again and leave the flowers where they are to bring beauty to the next viewers, feed the pollinators and continue to build the plant communities we love. If you want to have some of these gorgeous plants and flowers for yourself, purchase them from a reputable seller or grower such as your local garden center or nursery or better yet at one of our regional California Native Plant Society Plant Sale fundraisers.

Douglas Lupine (Lupinus nanus)

March 20 – Chico: Mt Lassen Chapter Cal Native Plant Society FIELD TRIP 9 am Meet at Chico Park & Ride for this trip to see the Spotted Fawn Lilies and the McNab Cypress in Magalia. Alternate meeting time 9:45 at the Coutelenc Road Parking lot across from the old Magalia train depot. You will see masses of these lovely lilies (Erythronium multiscapodium) as well as frillaries and more. Wear sturdy shows and bring lunch and water. More info: Wes Dempsey 530-342-2293 or Gerry Ingco 530-893-5213.