Community News

Native Americans for uncounted generations have enjoyed the first wild plants of spring foraging.

Although the dandelion was first introduced from Europe, many Indian tribes quickly learned to enjoy eating it.

Dandelions may be eaten in salads or cooked like spinach, which minimizes the slightly bitter taste. (The Iroquois preferred it boiled with meat.)

Deer love dandelion leaves, and pheasants and grouse like the seeds.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children is working to improve the health of low-income women and children in the face of challenges such as childhood obesity and increases in chronic disease.

WIC’s food package now offers a wider variety of
nutritious foods that are lower in fat, higher in fiber and more culturally appropriate.

“The improved WIC food package follows the Diet-

April 1 is the deadline to obtain Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance coverage on pasture for the crop year 2011.

Timely purchased coverage is a requirement to participate in the Livestock Forage Disaster Program if Roane County is approved for payments.

Other disaster programs require all crops of significance to have either crop insurance or NAP coverage.

Contact the Roane/Loudon Farm Service Agency at 424 N. Kentucky St., Kingston, or call 376-2392, Option 2 for details.

Travelers along Hwy. 58 or Blair Road in Roane County on the first or third Saturday of April may hear a diesel horn echoing through the hills, or see a very visible sign of spring in the vintage passenger train that looks like it rumbled right out of the 1940s.
April is the month when buds on the trees of Poplar Creek Valley start turning green, and the Secret City Scenic Excursion Train starts showing up to take happy passengers through the hardwoods and meadows of the valley.