Rutherford Weekly - Shelby NC
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Page 10 - Rutherford Weekly 828-248-1408 www.rutherfordweekly.com Thursday, June 15-June 21, 2023 We can't wait to be back in a building worthy of the name 115 Reservation Drive, Spindale, NC 828-248-2336 (off bypass across from Thunder Rd.) Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10am-6pm • Sun.-Closed We will soon be Hiring for several positions. Applications accepted now at RutherfordPet.com/positions/ July 8 July 8 th th , 2023 , 2023 After three years of confusion, we expect by July 8th to have a building we can proudly share with ALL the members of your family. Juneteenth 1863 will be celebrated Saturday, June 17 at Hardin Park in Forest City beginning at 12pm with a welcome and guest speakers. Juneteenth is a federal holiday commemorating the freedom of slaves. The celebration at Hardin Park continues until 5pm and includes music, free food, fun, games, infl atables, prizes and other giveaways. Among those slated to speak are Mayor Steve Holland, Pastor Keith Lipsey, Spindale Town Council member Rosaleen Francis, Kisha McDowell, and a representative from Isothermal Community College and Meta (Facebook). For more information, call 929-229-3380. Article Provided By: Jean Gordon Juneteenth celebration Saturday June is fi nally here and we expect the days to start warming up after our slow and gentle spring. There are several pollinator-feeding perennials in fl ower right now in our demonstration garden beside our NC State Extension offi ce in Spindale. Conefl ower (Echinacea) has 3' tall open fl owers with rosy petals around a dark center. It's long lived if divided every 3 years and native to the US. It loves open sunny sites like meadows and attracts hummingbirds, butterfl ies, and all sorts of bees. Beardtongue (Penstemon) comes on many colors from white to deep reds to electric blue. Its spikes of tubular fl owers bloom for many weeks from May through June and attract bees, hummingbirds and butterfl ies then later in the season its seeds feed the songbirds. Salvia 'Black and Blue' is in the sage family and ours here is around 4' tall with dark indigo fl ower spikes on black stems attracting hummingbirds, butterfl ies and many bees. Other perennials in fl ower now are Catnip (Nepeta) with 2 to 3' tall and wide mound of blue fl owers alive with bees and Yarrow (Achillea) which comes in a wide range of colors: from white to cream to yellow to orange to red. Butterfl ies and bees love visiting this native which usually keeps to 2', sometimes 3' tall and wide. It's not too late to plant out annual seeds for continuous summer color and benefi cial insects: Cosmos, Marigolds, Cleome and Zinnias can still be seeded. Though we haven't had a lack of rain this spring, be sure to keep an eye on the watering as they germinate and become established. Research suggests that grouped plantings making at least three foot by three foot blocks of an individual species (showing a solid block of color when in fl ower) make it easier for pollinators to fi nd their food. Look out for what's fl owering in your local nursery, in your own or a neighbor's garden and also feel free to come by to see our offi ce display garden for yourself. Feeding Pollinators in June By Laura Ponder, Extension Agent, Horticulture, Rutherford County The Grandfather Ranger District, in partnership with its community partners, is delighted to announce the grand opening of the newly constructed Bernard Mountain Trail Friday, June 16, 2023. This trail marks an important milestone in the ongoing 42- mile trail expansion project in the Old Fort area. The collaborative efforts of Camp Grier's G5 Trail Collective, Eagle Market Streets Development Corporation, People on the Move Old Fort, and the US Forest Service Grandfather Ranger District, known as the Catawba Vale Collaborative, have made this trail expansion possible. Spanning 3.16 miles, the Bernard Mountain Trail descends nearly 1,000 feet from the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, following the rocky ridge parallel to Kitsuma. Designed for intermediate mountain biking and hiking, the trail connects from Bernard Mountain Road, accessible via Mill Creek Road, to the Point Lookout Greenway near the Old Fort Picnic Area. This new trail offers a great new outdoor experience in an area already renowned for its trails. From atop Bernard Mountain, hikers and bikers will enjoy rocky features, all-season views, and lush forests. While classifi ed as intermediate, the trail also features technical sections and advanced alternate lines for mountain bikers. In contrast to the easy-to-intermediate Gateway Trails, Bernard Mountain Trail is narrow singletrack with many rocky sections and steeper grades. In conjunction with the trail opening, a new parking area accommodating 10-15 cars has been established off Mill Creek Road to provide additional parking for hikers and bikers accessing from Ridgecrest. The distance from the new parking area to the bottom of the Point Lookout Greenway is approximately 4.6-miles. This includes 1.5-miles along the Forest Service gated Bernard Mountain Road. Bikers and runners can loop Bernard Mountain as a downhill trail with the Point Lookout climb for a total route of close to 9-miles. In contrast, hikers may prefer the 2-mile hike up to the Bernard Mountain peak from Point Lookout. To celebrate the trail's opening, a public celebration will be held following a ribbon- cutting ceremony Friday, June 16. The Grandfather Ranger District, in collaboration with the G5 Trail Collective, invites the public to join the festivities at the Old Fort Picnic Area, located at the base of the Kitsuma Trail, from 4-6pm. The event offers an opportunity for the community to come together to celebrate and experience the new trail. Complimentary shuttles to the new parking area will be provided throughout the event. Bernard Mountain Trail Opening Celebration When: June 16, 4:00pm-6:00pm Where: Old Fort Picnic Area, 2415 State Road 1400, Old Fort, NC The realization of this trail project has been made possible through the generous funding support of the McDowell County Tourism Development Authority (TDA). Over the past fi ve years, the McDowell County TDA has diligently invested in tourism resources that enhance Old Fort and McDowell County, making them exceptional destinations for visitors and residents alike. The trail construction was executed by the talented builders at Trail Dynamics, who brought the vision of the community to life. Article Provided By: National Forests in North Carolina Section of Bernard Mountain Trail. New Bernard Mountain Trail set to open June 16 in Old Fort Visit Visit rutherfordweekly.com rutherfordweekly.com click on click on "subscribe to our "subscribe to our weekly digital edition" weekly digital edition" Be notifi ed via email Be notifi ed via email of new of new publications! publications! ONLINE VERSION SAME AS THE PRINTED COPY! RUTHERFORDWEEKLY.COM RUTHERFORDWEEKLY.COM Online Subscription Online Subscription is FREE! is FREE! SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE online online