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Barbecue Battle for a Cause is Saturday

4/25/2017

Battle Below the Clouds is April 29

Ruby Falls is hosting its third annual amateur barbecue competition this Saturday, April 29. Battle Below the Clouds is a fundraiser for Lana's Love Foundation. Twelve teams of backyard cookers and smokers are invited to test their skills for Best Pulled Pork, Best Ribs and Grand Champion! Support the cookers and enjoy the festivities and fun.

The meat is provided for participants to begin grilling at 6 a.m., with independent judging to start at 5 p.m. and awards to follow. The overall purpose of this event is to support families living with pediatric cancer through raising funds and providing them fun family outings!

Who will be this year's winners? Last year, Ross Ballenger and Rink Murray on the team R&R Flavor Train won for Best Barbecue Ribs. In 2015, Ward Petty's team took that honor.

"Our Lana's Love mission has always been to provide fun to children and their families battling cancer in the Chattanooga and surrounding areas," said Holly Shull, director of Lana's Love Foundation. "Through the support of our community sponsors and donors, Lana's Love has grown to be so much more. It has become a true support system between families, volunteers and hospital staff. These families look forward to the monthly events where they can relax and forget about life for a while. The Webster family had a great vision and Lana Beth is proud."

The event is free for spectators with live music throughout the day by The Von Wamps (11 a.m.-1 p.m.) and Mountain Creek House Fire (2-4 p.m.). There are drawings available for a Big Green Egg and Yeti cooler, along with other giveaways and free products at the Coca-Cola tent.

Battle Below the Clouds is sponsored by Ruby Falls, Coca-Cola, Food City, The Barn Nursery and Lana’s Love Foundation. In the event of prolonged rain or storms, the rain date is April 30. For more, visit www.rubyfalls.com/bbqbattle.

Ruby Falls is home to America’s deepest commercial cave and tallest underground
waterfall open for public viewing. It features a 145-foot waterfall located 1,120 feet
beneath the surface of Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

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Easter Services Planned

4/11/2017

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Christians around the world gather this week to remember the death and burial of Jesus, and celebrate the resurrection of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Here is a schedule of Easter services on Lookout Mountain.

Lookout Mountain Presbyterian
Maundy Thursday: 7 p.m. Communion service in Fellowship Hall
Good Friday: 7 p.m. Tenebrae Service in the sanctuary
Easter Sunday: 7:15 a.m. Sunrise Service at Point Park; 8:10 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the sanctuary; and 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the fellowship hall.
No Sunday School

Rock Creek Fellowship
Good Friday: 6 p.m., Lula Lake Land Trust
Easter Sunday: 9 a.m. Service with brunch to follow at Lula Lake location; 9:30 a.m. brunch and 10:30 a.m. service at Durham Road location

Good Shepherd
Maundy Thursday: 6 p.m. in the Nave
Good Friday: Noon Good Friday Liturgy; 6 p.m. Stations of the Cross and Holy Eucharist
Easter Sunday: 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Holy Eucharist

Christ Reformed Baptist
Easter Sunday: 9:30 a.m. Sunday School; 10:30 a.m. worship service.

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Workshops Will Teach You How to Save Your Hemlocks

4/11/2017

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Jimmy Stewart tagging a hemlock tree that is infested with the hemlock woolly adelgid

The hemlock trees on Lookout Mountain are in danger of totally disappearing because of an infestation of the hemlock woolly adelgid, a small aphid-like insect that covers itself with a white woolly coating for protection. The larva attach themselves to the undersides of needles and branches on hemlock trees, and remain there their entire lives, sucking sap 24 hours a day from the needles. The needles then fall off, depleting the flow of nutrients, which causes the tree to die. The woolly adelgid can be recognized by what appears to be tiny cotton balls at the base of the hemlock needles. Their numbers increase exponentially and rapidly because both the male and female are capable of laying 300 eggs three times a year. These insects have been present on Lookout Mountain in small numbers for about two years, but the population has exploded this year because the trees were stressed and weakened by the drought last summer.

The pests originally were brought from Asia to Canada and have been spreading south rapidly because there is no local natural predator. The insects cannot fly, but spread by floating on the wind, and hitching rides on birds, animals or people.

“Trees that are infested can live around two years, and that is where we are now,” said Jimmy Stewart, a professional garden designer and community volunteer. If not treated, it is inevitable a tree will die, he said. The good news is that there are effective treatments that can save a tree even after it is covered in the insects. It is important to treat trees that already have the adelgid, to kill them, and to treat the ones that are not yet affected, to help prevent the spread. Once treated, he said, results can be seen within months. It is the responsibility of homeowners to treat trees that are in their yard, and of the towns of Lookout Mountain, Tenn., and Ga., to treat those on municipally-owned property. “Everybody needs to do their part,” Stewart said.

To help the community identify and become aware of the quantity of diseased trees, Stewart plans to mark some of them with yellow caution tape. A note to homeowners who find their trees flagged will be left near mailboxes to explain the yellow streamers. He also is planning to conduct two public meetings, on April 15 and April 29, where he will demonstrate how homeowners can adminster the treatments themselves. The April 15 lesson is at Temple Park from 9 a.m.-noon. On April 29, he’ll teach another class at Fairyland Club from 9 a.m.-noon.

The attempt to eradicate the hemlock woolly adelgid can be done by either professionals or homeowners. Stewart said there are two very effective systemic products that are recommended if individuals want to treat the hemlocks themselves. One is sprayed on the lower 5 feet of the trunk and will be absorbed through the bark. The other is applied as a soil drench. Both are safe for humans and pets once they dry and when used as directed, he said. The spray he recommends is not harmful to bees as long as it is sprayed directly on the trunk of the trees. These treatments offer protection from two to five years. Stewart said trees should be checked each year, and the ones where the insects are still present should be treated again yearly.

The hope for a long-term solution is that a predator beetle can be found to create a natural balance. Beetles have been bred and released in other areas around Chattanooga, but this method is not working yet because the beetles have died. The University of North Carolina and University of Georgia are both actively trying to breed beetles that will survive here. There is an experimental breeding station now at the Lula Lake Land Trust.

Flyers about treatment options that include a list of licensed contractors for treating the hemlocks will be available at the post office, at both town hall buildings and from the garden clubs on the mountain. Recommended companies that service both Tennessee and Georgia include: Lawn Doctor (423) 708-7900; W.D. Scott Company (423) 622-0320; ABC Tree Company, (423) 344-8732; and Green Tree Specialists (423) 508-5883.

The website www.SaveGeorgiasHemlocks.org is recommended for additional and reliable information. The Hemlock Help Line number is (706) 429-8010, or you can email donna@SaveGeorgiasHemlocks.org for more information. Jimmy Stewart is also available and willing to talk to homeowners and can be reached at (423) 413-6420.

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Fill Your Landscape with Plants from Local Plant Sales

4/7/2017

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Reflection Riding having one of the Chattanooga-area's popular plant sales this April.

by David Fields
While this winter saw an abnormal abundance of spring-like days, the actual spring planting season has just arrived, and it is time to start thinking about your spring vegetable garden and landscaping projects.

As they do every year around this time, our local farms and nurseries are springing into action with preparations for annual spring plant sales to welcome the awakening of the season. Crabtree Farms, Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center and the Bachman Community Center will all host annual spring plant sales during April.

Crabtree Farms’ annual Spring Plant Sale and Festival will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 7-9. The sale and festival will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

In addition to offering gardeners healthy, sustainably-grown fruit, vegetable, flower, and herb plants, Crabtree Farms will also offer free gardening workshops, live music, food, fun-on-the-farm activities for kids and handcrafted items from local artisans.
All plants are propagated and grown by Crabtree Farm’s greenhouse manager Mike Barron and community volunteers.

“Chattanooga has a variety of ecosystems, and I enjoy playing with different plants in different spaces to see what works,” said Barron. “Here we propagate, harden off, and grow vegetables and fruits that are good for the average gardener in Chattanooga.”

The plants will not be the only growth visitors see at Crabtree Farms. The farm has been rolling out its new strategic plan, which includes infrastructure improvements such as additional parking and a new entrance to the farm. While these project will not be completed prior to the Plant Sale and Festival, there will be ample parking for the sale.

For more information about Crabtree Farm’s Spring Plant Sale and Festival, visit www.crabtreefarms.org.

Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center will hold its 30th Annual Spring Native Plant Sale on Thursday, April 20 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. for members only, and Friday, April 21, and Saturday, 22, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the public.

“The sale provides a unique opportunity for the community to access a large selection of locally propagated native plants,” said Reflection Riding’s President Larry Zehnder. “Native plants are best suited to our local soils and growing conditions, enabling gardeners to have more prolific gardens which attract birds, bees, and butterflies.”

There will be a variety of native species available for purchase, all of which are propagated in the Reflection Riding greenhouse. Various programming, ranging from attracting native bees and hummingbirds to composting and rain barrel workshops, will take place throughout Friday and Saturday. There will also be wildflower walks.
“Planting natives is an excellent way to preserve biodiversity one Chattanooga yard at a time,” said Reflection Riding’s Greenhouse and horticultural manager John Evans. “We have added several new species this year including Tennessee ironweed, which only grows in this part of Tennessee. No other nursery in the world has it.”

All proceeds from the sale go to support the organization’s native plant propagation program. For more information and to view an available plant list, visit www.reflectionriding.org.

Bachman Community Center on Signal Mountain will host its annual Home and Garden Show Saturday, April 29, from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. There will be a variety of high quality plants and vegetables including trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials, native wildflowers, succulents, herbs and produce.

It addition to the available plants, there will also be garden arts and crafts, kids’ activities, music and workshops conducted by landscapers and local contractors and builders. Refreshments will be offered by the Lions Club.

“Admission is free and all proceeds go to fund the Bachman Community Center’s Nancie Bailey’s Summer Camps and the upkeep of our registered historical building,” said Director Ashley Zimmerman.

For more information about the Home and Garden Show, visit www.bachmancc.org.
Planting a spring vegetable garden is a wonderful way to get outside and shake off those winter blues. But, spring is not only a wonderful time to plant a vegetable garden; it is also a great time to plant trees and shrubs. Trees and shrubs not only increase the curb appeal of your home, they also create habitat for birds, bees and butterflies. Birds can help reduce garden pests such as cabbage worms, whiteflies, aphids, earwigs, grasshoppers, cucumber beetles and grubs, while bees and butterflies can help pollinate your vegetable and flower gardens. Just remember, trees and shrubs should be watered weekly until they are established, especially during the heat of the summer.

Enjoy all your spring landscape improvements and gardening!

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Lookout Mountain
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Barbecue Battle for a Cause is Saturday

Easter Services Planned

Workshops Will Teach You How to Save Your Hemlocks

Fill Your Landscape with Plants from Local Plant Sales

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