An acre of what?

An article in today’s Times-Standard says Humboldt is seeing a spike of first-time gardeners hoping to augment their food supply in these tough times.

The article questions how much people actually save given the cost of establishing and maintaining a vegetable garden.

But one claim stood out: according to Tom Parker of A&L Feed and Garden Supply in McKinleyville, an acre of space can produce enough food to feed a family of six for a year.

Is that true?

During one of the many discussions on this blog about turning Humboldt County into a rash of mini-farms so we can all live the “rural lifestyle,” there was heated discussion about this very topic.  Without being able to locate those comments, it seems the dominant argument was contrary to the above claim.

Perhaps the legion of home gardeners who read this blog can help us out here.  A family of six with one acre?  Really?  And if it’s true, are you stuck with a diet of potatoes and, well, potatoes?

TONIGHT: Leonard’s big announcement

UPDATE: Here’s the Times-Standard report on Leonard’s announcement.

[Press release from Eureka City Councilman Jeff Leonard]

Eureka City Council member Jeff Leonard will announce his intention to run for the Humboldt County 4th District Supervisor seat in 2010.  A pro-business Democrat, Jeff Leonard has served on the Eureka City Council since 2002.

“Twenty-four years is long enough – now is the time for change,” Leonard stated, referring to incumbent Supervisor Bonnie Neely who is about to finish her sixth term in office.  “Bonnie has had a fine career, but twenty-four years is long enough.  The time has come for new ideas and new energy on the Board of Supervisors.”

Leonard was elected to represent the Eureka’s 3rd ward in 2002 and re-elected in 2006 as the result of successful grass-roots campaigns.  Term limits prevent council members from serving for more than two terms – a total of eight years.  Humboldt County Supervisors can run over and over again, accumulating political power and influence along the way after 6 terms.

“I’ve proven that I get things done, work hard, and I always advocate for a better Eureka,” Leonard stated.  As a city council member, Jeff Leonard has advocated for renewable energy, public safety, and downtown businesses.   Last year, he successfully rebuilt Hammond Park with a grant from California Volunteers, and this summer, construction of the Eureka Skate Park will be completed.

“Eurekans need an advocate on the Board of Supervisors,” stated Leonard. “Eureka is the county seat.  Eurekans deserve a representative that will fight to protect our community.”

[See the invitation here.]

Eureka rally for single payer healthcare

Health care professionals will lead a rally for health care reform on the steps of the Humboldt County courthouse Friday at 5pm.

More details from Tom Seabourn.

Railroad through Eel River Canyon

Thanks to Mike Buettner for the link.

The Humboldt Herald turns 3

Happy birthday to us
Happy birthday to us
Happy blogiversary to uh-us
Happy 3 years of merrily blogging to us!

Where does the time go? The Humboldt Herald is getting so old we nearly forgot that today is our special day. Thanks for all the good times.  May we have many more.

MIKE JONES: Blogger

Maybe he was joking, but sources say Eureka City Councilman Mike Jones announced Tuesday that he was thinking of starting a blog.

Jones recently dipped his toes in the Humboldt blogosphere by leaving a comment on the Humboldt Herald.  Jones noted his absence at the cell tower ordinance meeting was totally innocent.  In short, the fire under his keister to git r done is issue non grata.

And seeing how Jones is a busy juggling both career and council duties, we suggest he start with a Twitter account.  Twitter’s built-in limit of 140 characters would help Jones impart short but important points to the masses without relying on city manager Dave Tyson.

Arcata City Councilwoman Alex Stillman is on Twitter.  Perhaps Jones should ask her about it.

Humboldt Bay Economic Development Committee meets tonight

UPDATE: Richard Marks’ report on the meeting.

###

A committee focused on economic development of Humboldt Bay will hold its maiden meeting tonight at 6:30 at the Woodley Island Marina.

The committee was formed by Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation Commissioners Pat Higgins and Mike Wilson. It includes diverse — and sometimes wildly opposing — forces who will come together to hammer out the Bay’s future.  For example, Randy Gans, of Security National fame, will take part in a presentation about industrial development around the bay while fellow committee member Larry Glass looks on.

Longtime readers will remember that Gans once restrained a raving mad man from further attacking Glass, though Gans denies it.

Other committee members include Eureka Chamber of Commerce prez J Warren Hockaday, trail advocate Jennifer Rice, and short-sea shipping entrepreneur Stephen Pepper.

The meeting is open to the public.

California gay marriage decision today

UPDATE: Court upholds Prop. 8 but lets marriages stand.  California has officially lost its reputation for leading the country with its progressive values.  What a terrible disappointment.  The California Supreme Court will issue its decision on November’s gay marriage ban today at 10am.

Rallies are planned for Northern Humboldt starting at 6pm regardless of the outcome.  Gathering sites are the Arcata plaza and the Eureka courthouse.

[Image source.]

Times-Standard to charge for online content

Consumers of free news courtesy of the Times-Standard website might have to dig into their recession-scarred pockets if they want stay informed dot com style.

Eureka’s paper daddy, Dean Singleton, CEO of the T-S parent company Media News Group, announced it will start charging for online content for all MNG-owned papers.  Singleton wrote in a memo to employees that posting articles free of charge does an “injustice to our print subscribers and create perceptions that our content has no value.”

The changeover may take some time, however.  Singleton’s memo said the first goal is to form various task forces and ultimately create a business plan to implement the new strategy.

MNG will rely on its massive newspaper arsenal to usher readers through the switch.

“We will take advantage of the size of MNG to leverage enterprise solutions and build off a common platform that allows for fast implementation and a companywide rollout,” reads the memo.

Undoing of the Dos Rios dam

The Rare Earth News blog looks back 40 years at the dam that could have dried up the Eel River.

The Dos Rios dam would have flooded rich ag and ancestral land in Mendocino County, but was stopped by ranchers, Native Americans and ultimately Governor Ronald Reagan.

Rare Earth includes a link to a 1995 New York Times letter to the Editor by Peter Hannaford — author of those twice-weekly editorials for the Eureka Reporter page in the Times-Standard.  Hannaford wrote to defend Reagan’s role in stopping the dam.

A key opponent of the dam was Richard Wilson, who later headed the California Dept. of Forestry, and recently blew the whistle on Maxxam in Federal Court.

Hannaford’s letter is below the fold.