Violet Township Fire Department Annual Toy Drive November 22 through December 22, 2021
Obviously, Covid-19 has changed so much of how we do everything in our lives. We are approaching our second holiday season since the pandemic started. Some things feel a little like they used to, but a lot of our residents still have concerns.
Last year, we modified our annual toy drive. It was a little scary for us as it included some big changes. Even so, we were overwhelmed with the support and generosity of our community.
The toy drive relies heavily on the administrators and teachers of Pickerington schools. The creativity and dedication coming from the schools has been an enormous part of building the toy drive each year.
This year we can expect the same sorts of virtual ways to donate that became available last year. We hope these contactless options will provide even more opportunities for people to give. You will also see our red toy boxes at the local businesses which have supported the toy drive throughout the years.
Giving for the Toy Drive begins the week of Nov. 22 and runs through the week of Dec 20. Please watch our Facebook page www.facebook.com/VioletTownshipFireToyDrive for updates, contactless giving links, dates of Toy Drive-Thru events, and all opportunities to participate in our annual Toy Drive event this season! Any questions can be answered by calling 614-382-5952.
DEA Drug Take Back Day & Electronic Recycling Event
Oct. 23
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Pills only, no liquids or syringes.
Electronic Recycling: televisions $1 per diagonal inch.
Violet Service Center, 490 N. Center Street, Pickerington
Visit www.fairfieldswcd.org for more information.
Engulfed in Leaves? 3 Options for Dealing with your Trees’ Autumn Offerings!
by Carrie Brown, Fairfield SWCD
I don’t know about you, but one of the keystone autumn memories I cherish from my childhood is raking leaves into an enormous pile…only to wreck my efforts by diving into them. Of course, this would happen repeatedly until my father would declare the scattered mess off limits and hurry me inside to clean up. As I got older, the task of raking lost its allure and became more of a chore, so as an adult, I’ve become a bit savvier when dealing with autumn’s leafy offerings. Engulfed in leaves? Here are some options for handling autumn’s most abundant crop.
1. Leave the Leaves
Option one, and likely the easiest route, is to simply leave the leaves where they fall! If your yard is scattered with black cherry, locust, or other broadleaf species that have mostly smaller leaves, there may not be much action to take after leaves drop. However, in the case of maple, oak, and other trees with larger foliage, a bit of mulching may be in order. Use a lawnmower to shred the leaves into dime-sized pieces. There are several benefits to gracing your grass with this mulchy mixture:
- Provide habitat for wildlife such as frogs, turtles and salamanders. Additionally, many moths and butterfly caterpillars overwinter in fallen leaves before emerging in spring.
- Increase your soil fertility and offer your lawn a nutrient boost! As the leaves decompose, nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen, and potassium are added to the soil.
- Supply food for critters like earthworms and millipedes.
- Suppress weeds in your lawn. Decomposing leaves cover the soil in between individual grass plants where weeds are most likely to germinate.
- Save your back! Mulching is far faster and much easier on the body than raking leaves.
2. Make Mulch
Leaves make great mulch for both vegetable plots and flowerbeds! Here are some tips on putting these nutrient-packed remnants to work in your garden.
- Shred your leaves before mulching, as whole leaves can form a mat impermeable to water.
- Use leaves to cover bare soil and insulate tender plants, shielding them from the winter weather. A blanket of shredded leaves up to 6 inches can help to protect cold-hardy vegetables, potentially extending harvest into the winter.
- When mulching trees and shrubs, ensure mulched leaves are not directly touching stems and trunks of plants.
- Before planting vegetable gardens in the spring, balance the carbon provided by the decaying leaves with an organic nitrogen source such as composted animal manure.
- Steer clear of black walnut leaves when mulching, as they contain a substance that can inhibit plant growth.
3. Create Compost
If your yard is rather arborous and fallen leaves are too thick to mulch with a lawn mower, it may be necessary to turn to Plan C: Collect and compost leaves in a designated location. Composting is a process in which microbes break down organic materials into a nutrient-dense, soil-like material. This is a great option for gardeners with the desire to build their own rich planting medium. When done correctly, leaves and other fall garden debris can be composted and ready to use by late spring.
In the case of leaf piles, size and location matter! A pile that is 3-by-3-by-3 foot is manageable and large enough to maintain the heat needed for the composting process. Make as many piles as necessary, choosing a shaded site with good air flow.
“Feed” your compost pile throughout the fall season by adding freshly fallen leaves to a batch of older leaves. You can also supplement by adding other natural materials you may have lying around such as grass clippings, garden debris and kitchen scraps. (It’s important to note that there are a number of materials that shouldn’t be added to backyard compost piles, such as animal products, that will attract pests and take too long to compost.)
Maintain your compost by keeping it moist and oxygenated! Water is needed for the composting process, so it may be necessary to add water to your pile. Additionally, compost requires aeration. This can be accomplished by occasionally turning the pile with a spading fork or other garden tool.
Only Rain Down the Drain!
Whichever option you choose, remember to keep yard waste, including leaves, grass clippings and garden debris, out of drainage ditches and storm drains. Everything that enters a storm drain is ultimately let out, untreated, into a local water body. Leaves, in particular, can be very problematic for storm sewer systems, so never leave them in the path of stormwater. Even if leaves are left behind, water filtering through can become rich in nutrients. When this “leafy brew” makes its way to rivers and streams it can cause an overgrowth of algae and wreak havoc on water quality.
