Best Wishes for Happiness, Health & Harmony
in the New Year! ~Shayne
“Live in each season, as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink,
taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.”
–Henry David Thoreau (1817–62)
RECYCLE YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE
Real Christmas trees are biodegradable which means they do not belong in the trash! There are many options for giving your tree dignity in death and we hope you will consider one of the following options – after removing all decorations, wire, and tinsel of course.
- Place outside as a shelter for wildlife
- Decorate your outside tree with seeds, nuts, and berries for the birds
- Cut the trunk for natural edging
- Turn it into compost or mulch
- Firewood for your OUTDOOR firepit
- (the ashes are beneficial to your compost)
- Contact your local recycling center to ask if they accept trees (NM does not)
- Some farms with goats want your trees!
- Sink it in your private pond to create a habitat for fish.
New Milford Residents:
For a small donation of $10, New Milford Boy Scout Troop 158 will collect your tree on Sunday, January 8th to raise money for troop activities. Email your name and address to troop158treepickup@gmail.com if interested. Trees will be mulched so please make sure all decorations, lights, wire, and tinsel are removed.
New Milford residents also have the option to dispose of their Christmas trees at Clatter Valley until Feb.1st. Trees will be chipped so please make sure all decorations, lights, wire and tinsel are removed. (Sponsored by NM Parks & Rec)
DEER CONTROL
Deer can be fun to watch but their browsing habits can be harmful to our properties, not to mention the reduction of plant diversity and shrinking food sources for birds and other wildlife. They feed on plants and rub their antlers against trees, damaging their bark and putting the overall health of the tree at risk.
It can be difficult to move deer out of areas they are not welcome, and not all strategies work for every homeowner.
Deer damage is often first noticed in the spring on new growth by the tell-tale rough, shredded surface on plants and branches. Since deer find almost all plants palatable, there is no such thing as a deer-proof plant, but there are a few they find less appealing. We offer a few solutions to deter deer from making your property their personal buffet. From strategic planting, using a repellant, or installing fencing, your landscape consultant will work with you to find an adequate answer to your deer problem.
NO! IT’S NOT TOO EARLY!
The really nice weather will be here before we know it! If you’ve been perusing seed and plant catalogs and making your wish list, please know it’s never too early to talk to your landscape consultant about making those dreams come true! Unless your property is buried under snow, plans can be made, and materials ordered to move forward with work as soon as the weather breaks in spring!
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Q: The iconic Times Square ball for 2023 was a geodesic sphere, 12 feet in diameter, covered in 2,688 etched Waterford crystal triangles, and was lit by over 32,000 LED lights capable of producing over 16 million colors. How much did the 2023 Waterford Crystal Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball weigh?
6,000 lbs? 12,000 lbs? 24,000 lbs? 48,000 lbs?
Last Issue: Q: In Scandinavia, which animal is a significant Christmas symbol?
