gardens

The Carson City Off-Road was named the best mountain bike race in the nation during the Interbike International Bicycle Exposition on Thursday evening in Las Vegas.

“This is great news for us,” said Joel Dunn, executive director of the Carson City Visitors Bureau, from the event.

There was a lot of laughter and many hugs at a luncheon in Silver Springs as Bruce Barlow of Walmart presented a check for $70,000 to benefit the Dayton and Silver Stage Food Pantries.

Each summer, pantry volunteers, staff and participants host a lunchtime tour with key Walmart representatives to show their appreciation.

Welcome to the weekend, Carson City. Happenings, going-ons, and to-dos can be found all over. Early birds catch the Great Reno Balloon Race, while night owls can enjoy karaoke and live music. Kids won’t want to miss out on the Young Eagle flights at the Carson Airport, just make sure to get there on time. Learn about Roswell at the WNC Observatory or meet Author Sandie LaNae at Artsy Fartsy. Our valley offers something for everyone, keep reading and see.

SATURDAY:

The kids deserve some fun for surviving their first week back at school, and Carson City delivers. The first annual Northern Nevada Family Fun Day takes over Mills Park with music, a kids zone, activities, food, raffles, and much more. Check out the Bowling Blast Off at Carson Lanes for a Car Show, bowling specials, and fun. Once the sun sets, Washoe Lake State Park offers a basic astronomy lesson and some celestial viewing. Keep reading: there’s something for everyone this weekend.

SATURDAY:

Whether you scent your linens, buy perfumed soaps, add it as a food flavoring, make essential oils or simply enjoy its flowers, lavender is a garden delight. On a warm summer morning, you will find it covered in bees collecting nectar and pollen. Lavandula angustifolia, commonly known as English lavender, is the hardiest species for our area.

The first ever Carson Valley Ag Day will be held Saturday at Lampe Park in Gardnerville. This free, family friendly event celebrates the region’s rich agricultural history and provides the community a good understanding of where food, fuel and fiber comes from, how it’s grown and who the local people are making it happen.

I’m a fan of hummingbirds. They are amazing aerobatic wizards. They can fly in all directions including backwards and upside down at speeds of 30 to 45 mph. They can hover like miniature helicopters. They beat their wings 60 to 200 times per second. These tiny powerhouses weigh about as much as a penny, in some cases, yet they are fierce defenders of their territory.

RENO, Nev. – University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s fall “Grow Your Own, Nevada!” program presents eight classes statewide to help Nevadans get on the path to more sustainable, local, healthy living by growing and preserving more of their own food.

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval has declared July "BEAR Logic Month.” "BEAR” stands for Bear Education, Aversion and Research, and BEAR Logic Month is an opportunity to help educate the public about living in bear country.

We just completed National Pollinator Week, a designation that recognizes all that pollinators do for our food supply, environment and economy. Last year the Obama administration released a “National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators” led by U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Three days of thrill-seeking, mountain biking adventure and plenty of capital city hospitality and entertainment will kick off the inaugural Carson City Off-Road Epic Ride series beginning Friday and lasting through the weekend.

Low pressure will bring gusty winds and cool temperatures into Friday with the highest winds on Wednesday as a cold front moves through the region. A Red Flag Warning is in effect until 11 p.m. for the Sierra front, which includes Carson City.

Vegetable gardening in containers not only rewards a gardener with tasty veggies, but also provides an enjoyable creative outlet. However, whether you plant your veggies in the ground or in containers, you may want to think beyond the traditional tomato plant.

With Memorial Day weekend approaching and summer around the corner, public agencies in Nevada, California and around Lake Tahoe are urging residents and visitors to practice proper food storage and trash disposal when living in or visiting bear country.

You can probably take ‘beach day’ off of your agenda. Spring has been briefly usurped by a blustery chill. Grab a coat and hit the town anyway. The early spring farmers market downtown, the Cops and Kids event at the Sheriff’s Department, and the Annual Relay for Life at Mills Park are still a good time. This weekend is jam-packed full of fun, so take a look at the weekend event summary for your options indoors and out.

SATURDAY:

In the 1990s, new insecticides containing the active ingredient imidachloprid came on the market. They were easy for home gardeners to apply, reducing impacts on non-target organisms. They were effective against a variety of challenging insects including bronze birch borers and aphids.

After that cold snap earlier this week, it’s time to go enjoy the sunshine. Spend the afternoon cheering on the WNC Wildcats as they take on Salt Lake Community College. You’ll find the softball double-header at Livermore Sports Complex off Edmonds; baseball is played at the Harvey Field at Western Nevada College. Take a look at the weekend summary for all the fun stuff this valley has to offer.

SATURDAY:

What a wonderful community we live in. Music, theater, hiking, biking, wining, dining, walking, TED-talking, animal loving, state governing, and so much more are available in our valley. The days are getting longer and there is so much in store for us in the coming weeks and months as we journey into summer. Take a good gander at my list of what’s going on in the Carson City area. It is always arranged chronologically by start time.

SATURDAY:

Hello, my name is CJ Gueldner. Several months ago I was driving down that Loneliest Highway that we all love from Mound House to Silver Springs when I caught sight of some adorable community garden style lawn art.

Construction of the Black Bear Diner at Max Casino on South Carson Street is in full swing, and is estimated for completion by early May, Max Casino General Manager Lee Kennedy said Tuesday.

“We’re going to push hard to get to that date,” he said. “The community has really become attached to this project. Everybody’s talking about it.”

It's Your City host Cortney Bloomer welcomes David Ruf of Greenhouse Garden Center in Carson City. They discuss getting your gardens ready for the coming spring and summer.

With all the nice weather we have been having, gardeners’ fingers itch to plant and prune. Any gardener who has been here for a number of years, knows this is a false spring.

Although people new to the area may be wooed into thinking planting time is here, I caution “Let the gardener beware.” We will see the return of cold weather and freezing temperatures. For example, I lost all my apple and lilac blossoms last year with one short overnight freeze in April.

Last week I visited with the Desert Gardeners Club in Carson City. I asked the gardeners to give me some ideas for articles. Donna wanted to know how to grow hydrangeas in our area. Hydrangeas are beautiful plants with large deep green leaves, which sometimes provide red fall color. They have spectacular flowers that can be long lasting, even holding their beauty when dried. Some flowers are large balls. Others look like halos of lovely blooms. Some are the size of dinner plates.

We’ve made it, Carson City! Today is the last day of 2015, so get your resolutions handy. I’ve got your usual list of all that’s going on in town, organized by start time, but I’ve grouped all of the New Year’s festivities together at the bottom. If you’re looking for a little extra luck in 2016 try wearing red underwear, having a stocked pantry before the day is done, and having cash in your hand when the clock strikes twelve.

THURSDAY: New Year’s Eve

• Carson City School District Winter Break

Happy New Year, Carson City. Dinner, dancing, champagne, and more await you whether you want to head downtown or head to your favorite watering hole. Make sure to make your reservations now or you could miss out on some delicious options. The Carson City Sheriff Department will be out and about to make sure the roadways stay safe, so please designate a driver or call a cab.
AAA TIPSY TOW: 1-800-222-4357 (Free Tow from AAA 6pm until 6am Jan. 1 – you do NOT need to be a AAA member. Stay safe tonight!)
CAPITAL CAB: 775-885-0300

UPDATE: This New Year's Eve event listing has been revised some as of Wednesday. Go here for the latest. Have a safe, happy and prosperous new year!
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Ring in the New Year at one of Carson City’s many hot spots. Champagne toasts, live music, and party favors await almost no matter where you’re headed. Please designate a driver, call a cab, or take advantage of AAA’s Tipsy Tow and get home safely.

Northern Nevada Dream Center has teamed up with Carson High School's Culinary Arts program to help feed families. You can support the Culinary Arts team by letting them bake your Thanksgiving pies. You can order them Friday and Saturday at the Carson High School Craft Fair.

The Northern Nevada Dream Center is partnering with CHS Culinary Arts students for the 5th annual Pie to the Rescue.

Students from the awarding winning Carson High School Culinary Arts program will be joining some of Northern Nevada’s best chefs in baking pies to help feed those in need this holiday season.

Randall Hutchison, Orlando, Fla., eagled the 18th and final hole for a 2-under par 70 and 19-under 269 total to lead 26 qualifiers who will advance from Web.com Tour Q-School at Dayton Valley Golf Club. Ben Geyer, Arbuckle, Calif., shot a 5-under 67 that equaled the low round of the day to finish second at 17-under 271.

Urban Roots is holding their annual fundraiser on Sunday, Oct. 4. The event takes place from 4:30 to 8:30pm in the FarmHouse at Urban Roots, 3001 W. Fourth St., in Reno. This special event features local food, drinks, art, and presentations to showcase the sustainability of garden education in northern Nevada.