This week’s pic “Spider Lily” was submitted by Cici Photography.
Learn more about spider lilies here: Flora of Covington: the Many Faces of Spider Lily
Submit your photo for “Pic of the Week” by emailing covweekly@gmail.com, posting on our Facebook page #picoftheweek, or on our Instagram page @covweekly #picoftheweek
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This classic comedy opens as a group of the guys assemble for cards in the apartment of divorced Oscar Madison. And if the mess is any indication, it’s no wonder that his wife left him. Late to arrive is Felix Unger, who has just been separated from his wife. Fastidious, depressed, and none too tense, Felix seems suicidal, but as the action unfolds, Oscar becomes the one with murder on his mind when the clean freak and the slob ultimately decide to room together with hilarious results as The Odd Couple is born.
This is the last weekend to catch “The Odd Couple”, showing Friday October 2nd at 8 pm and Sunday October 4th at 2 pm. Seating is limited due to small capacity and masks are required. Learn more and reserve tickets at playmakersinc.com.
Starring:
Oscar Madison: Ken Richard
Felix Ungar: Cameron Harmeyer
Vinnie : James Bevolo
Murray : Jason Smith
Roy: J.P. DeCesari
Speed: Andrew Jordan
Gwendolyn Pigeon: Nicole Barwick
Cecily Pigeon: Erin Kate Young
Follow these topics: Local Events, Non Profit Spotlight
For three days only, the Northshore Humane Society adoption fees will be reduced to $25 on eligible dogs and cats at their facility in Covington! All participating pets will be clearly marked during each day of the special. “Empty the Shelters” adoption event will be Thursday October 1st through Saturday October 3rd from 9 am – 4 pm. Reduced fees are possible through a grant by Bissell Pet Foundation.
Grab the family, head over to tour their adoptable animals and fall in love with your new best friend! All pets are up-to-date on vaccinations, spay/neutered and microchipped. *Adopters may be required to purchase parish tags and/or prevention
Learn more at www.northshorehumane.org or visit the Facebook page.
Follow these topics: Non Profit Spotlight
The Covington Art Market returns to Lee Lane this Saturday October 3rd from 10 am – 2 pm. Stroll through and find a variety of hand-made arts including pottery, jewelry, metal sculpture, stained glass, mixed media, hand-made garments, wood carvings, photography, and more. The Art Market provides entrepreneurial opportunities to local artists while fostering creative community relationships by allowing artists to sell directly to the public. Learn more at www.sttammany.art/arts-market
Save the Date: Fall for Art October 10th, 2020
Join the St. Tammany Art Association for coordinated art openings, boutique shopping and fine dining on October 10th from 6 – 9 pm. This free event showcases over a dozen galleries, shops and restaurants featuring new artwork, special sales and delicious meals all for all to enjoy. Come out, spread out and stroll downtown Covington for Fall for Art 2020!
Fall for Art is presented in partnership with the City of Covington supported this year by a generous donation from the Covington Business Association. CDC guidelines will apply. For more information, visit www.sttammany.art
Follow these topics: Local Events, Local News
Covington Farmer’s Market weekly e-newsletter provided by Charlene LeJeune:
Happy, Happy October, friends! Well, almost. No matter, the weather is lovely and inviting you to a delightful lunch at the Covington Farmers’ Market. Didn’t I tell you to get some soup mixes from Henderson’s Hearth last week? You didn’t??!! No problem. Check ‘em out this week ‘cause these cooler days (and cooler nights) will be with us for at least this week. I’ve tried the Celtic Blend and the Creamy Rice (excellent!). I’m anxious to try the Black Bean.
Mr. Houston is always there with his veggies – count on peppers and eggplant. This cooler weather is sure to make the Double K hens happy and when the hens are happy, the eggs are plentiful. I usually opt for one of Kandy’s amazing salads but she also makes tasty spring rolls as well filled with shrimp or chicken, lettuce, cilantro, and noodles. It’s like a salad in a wrap. (You may as well pick up some of her creamy shrimp rolls or you’ll be thinking about them all day and probably Thursday as well.)
Hummus, grape leaves, chicken & spinach pies fill Abeer’s table but there’s also Eggplant Moussaka this week. Corey is smoking up a gorgeous pork roast, perfect for making his pulled pork sandwiches and he will be making his tasty cole slaw! Mignon has developed a delightful tonic, strengthening your body in readiness for the winter season. It’s a subtle blend of wild cherry bark, sarsaparilla, anise seed, star anise, and slippery elm. Baby Bhakti has arrived! Congratulations to Johnny and Caroline! Jerome will wow us this week with a creamy Three-Cheese Quiche. I know! Can’t wait to taste it!
As Saturday rolls around, the delightful tunes of the Steve Anderson Band fall from the gazebo and flood the market with music. (I was going to say spring but we are well past that.) So grab your coffee or milk or kombucha or fresh juice and take a stroll around the market to see what’s new.
These cooler temps just seem to put the fall veggies in gear and, if we are lucky, we’ll be seeing some greens soon. Or you can try growing your own. Simply grab a bag of good potting mix and find a sunny location. Poke a few holes in the top and you are ready to plant starter plants from Alton & Sandra — lettuces, kales, parsley (gotta have some herbs), thyme. You may want to ask him about Culantro which apparently tastes like cilantro but looks like a thistle. Get some mushrooms too. You don’t need to plant these; James has already done the work. You just need to cook and enjoy!
Greg is bringing pumpkins! I’ll have to pull out my soup recipes and check out different ways to cook this fabulous veg. Hmmm. Pie comes to mind….muffins…and breads…I wonder if our lovely artisan bakers will take advantage of that. Even if they don’t, a fantastic loaf from Happy Flour or Bear Creek Road will pair perfectly with your soup or the mix of Henderson’s soup mix you got on Wednesday, especially when wearing a spread of Jennifer’s blended butters. For my vegan friends, Jim’s Low-Carb Cauliflower Crust is perfect. Plus, it has so much flavor, anything else would get in the way.
We may not have full out greens yet, but we do have microgreens. Aminta grows an amazing selection of this mini powerhouses. Sprouts also contain a wealth of nutrition, so check out Sam’s. Nutrition powerhouses can come in liquid form, too, and Nancy’s strawberry kefir is fabulous! Try the kombucha flavors as well. And nothing says delicious like a fresh glass of juice from Amanda.
Remember to pick up your Elderberry Syrup from Naturally Well and your raw honey from Blood River, Nick, or Serenity Lane. Indulge in tasty beef jerky from 3 J’s and peruse the Moringa Teas from Exnihilo Farms (and the rabbit).
No matter where you look, you’ll find something wonderful at our Market. Whether you’re looking for doggie treats (Tiger Bait), or treats for yourself (Rose’s creamy pralines), or delicious prepared foods (Norma Jean or Tessier Gourmet), you’ll never regret NOT sleeping in.
Lots of love,
Charlene LeJeune
Abundant Life Kitchen
The Covington Farmers’ Market is open each Wednesday, rain or shine, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Covington Trailhead, 419 N. New Hampshire and every Saturday from 8a.m. to 12p.m. on the side lawn of the Covington Police Station, 609 N. Columbia St. Call (985) 892-1873 for information or visit www.covingtonfarmersmarket.org
Check out our Facebook page – facebook.com/thecovingtonlafarmersmarket
On Instagram — @covingtonlafarmersmarket
Follow these topics: This Week at the Farmer's Market
Fresh recipes inspired by local ingredients by Chelsea Cochrane
Ratatouille is one of those classic early fall dishes because it uses so many of the end-of-the-season fresh veggies that we’re not quite sure what to do with now. It’s really a bit of a kitchen sink stew, usually consisting of eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and peppers. Feel free to add other veggies such as yellow squash or patty pan.
There are two down sides to ratatouille in my opinion: it takes an afternoon to make and is WAY too much food for two people. Sure you can re-invent it as a side or main course, serve it over orzo, rice, noodles, even quinoa (it’s delicious!) but after day three even the best dishes get tiring. Not to mention if you want an even sear on your veggies you’ll end up sauteing them in batches, which can take up the better part of a day pretty quickly.
Never fear, your oven is here! You can get a nice brown on those veggies in a fraction of the time by roasting them in the oven. Plus you get the added bonus of all your veggies cooking together and sharing their delicious flavor juices. Yum.
Note: roasted eggplant can get bitter! The trick is to toss sliced eggplant with salt in a colander and let sit for 15 – 20 minutes, then rinse and strain it out. Don’t skip this step! The salt helps to pull the bitterness out of the skin so you can leave it on and keep the benefits of its color and texture.
So here’s a quick(er) Ratatouille for Two recipe. You can always double it for more people, or freeze some for a future meal. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 medium yellow onion, sliced in 1/4 inch half-moons
1/2 pound bell pepper, red or yellow (or black, like these delicious peppers from GROW.farm) sliced about 1/4 inch strips
1 pound eggplant, sliced 1/4 inch half-moons (Asian varieties seem to work best for this, and are still plentiful at the Market!)
1 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch half-moons
4 medium tomatoes, cubed
6 – 8 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup fresh thinly sliced basil (or 2 Tbs basil pesto) plus 2 more tablespoons for serving
1 tablespoon rosemary
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dark chili powder
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
about 1/4 cup low-flavor cooking oil
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
Optional: 1 15oz can of stewed or diced tomatoes
Directions
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plaudit
noun PLAW-dit
1 : an act or round of applause
2 : enthusiastic approval — usually used in plural
Did You Know?
You earn plaudits for your etymological knowledge if you can connect plaudit to words besides the familiar applaud and applause. A word coined by shortening Latin plaudite, meaning “applaud,” plaudit had gained approval status in English by the first years of the 17th century. Latin plaudite is a form of the verb plaudere, meaning “to applaud”; plaudere, in turn, is ancestor to explode, plausible, and the archaic displode (a synonym of explode).
https://www.merriam-webster.com/
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Northshore Humane Society’s Adoptable Pet of the Week
Princess
Princess is a four-year-old kitty who was surrendered to Northshore Humane Society when her owners could no longer care for her. Her smushy face and excellent posture give her such a unique look!
You can usually find Princess on her favorite pillow, watching the hustle and bustle of the day. She’s a super sweet and affectionate kitty and is going to make a great best friend to someone special out there.
If you are interested in adopting Princess or any of the adoptable pets at Northshore Humane Society, please visit northshorehumane.org or email rescue@nshumane.org.
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“Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils” – Louis Hector Berlioz
Louis-Hector Berlioz (11 December 1803 – 8 March 1869) was a French Romantic composer. His output includes orchestral works such as the Symphonie fantastique and Harold in Italy, choral pieces including the Requiem and L’Enfance du Christ, his three operas Benvenuto Cellini, Les Troyens and Béatrice et Bénédict, and works of hybrid genres such as the “dramatic symphony” Roméo et Juliette and the “dramatic legend” La Damnation de Faust. The elder son of a provincial doctor, Berlioz was expected to follow his father into medicine, and he attended a Parisian medical college before defying his family by taking up music as a profession. — wiki.org
Follow these topics: Quote & Word of the Week, Quote of the Week
Resale Shop sells gently-used furniture, appliances, clothing and more, benefits the Northshore Food Bank
The Northshore Food Bank Resale Shop has moved to a new location! Don’t worry, they didn’t go far – just next door to the former food bank warehouse, which moved in January. This larger facility is now the new home for gently-used furniture, appliances, clothing and more! Conveniently located 830 N Columbia Street, the Resale Shop is open from 9:30 am – 4 pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday (closed Wednesdays and Sundays).
The Resale Shop offers a wide variety of clothing and household items for sale, from major appliances in good working order to like new, gently used furniture, household gadgets, clothing, jewelry, and more. They provide clothing and housewares to individuals in emergency situations as well as those participating in programs at other non-profits including Safe Harbor, Family Promise, James Storehouse, and more.
Funds from the Resale Shop go directly towards purchasing food for the Food Bank. Every time you shop you feed more families on the Northshore. This is a growing need in our community, especially since the COVID crisis, where the Food Bank saw more than 110% record growth increase in the number of individuals and families they serve. They now have over 2,000 distributions monthly.
“Northshore Food Bank Resale Shop is an important source of income for our food purchases. Last year, the shop supplied enough revenue to feed nearly 1,000 families,” says Ginger Kunkle, the Food Bank’s Community Engagement Manager.
Donations to the Resale Shop can be made Mondays and Tuesdays from 9:30 am – 12:30 pm. Donatable items include gently-used clothing and accessories, household items, appliances and furniture. If you have appliances or furniture to donate, please contact the store manager Stacey at (985) 892-5282. For more information about donation guidelines and safe-shopping COVID procedures, visit https://northshorefoodbank.org/resale.
Food donations are always in need and can be made at the Northshore Food Bank’s new location 125 W 30th Ave, Covington, LA. Donation hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday from 9a-12p at the Community Donations door, facing W 29th Ave. Learn more here: https://northshorefoodbank.org/donate-food
Follow these topics: Non Profit Spotlight
Local History segment provided by local historical writer Ron Barthet. This article has been broken up into 4 parts for ease of reading.
View Ron’s blog Tammany Family here.
Covington History: Historical Markers of St. Tammany – Part 1
According to the Historical Marker Project website, there are 45 historical markers in St. Tammany Parish. They share a variety of historical highlights across the area, giving us an idea of the people and places that contributed to early St. Tammany.
Here is their list. You can view the full list and individual markers here: www.historicalmarkerproject.com
Columbia Street
Columbia Street meets the river at the Columbia Street Landing. It was the first place visitors saw when they arrived in Covington. It was also the last stop on land for the area’s principal exports on their way to market via the Bogue Falaya River across Lake Pontchartrain to New Orleans. In 1890, Covington’s new town hall was situated in the ox lot in the middle of the square bounded by Boston, Columbia, Rutland and Florida streets. This block of Columbia Street naturally developed as the principal commercial area in the town.
Steam Powered “Groundhog” Sawmill
The steam engine on display in Houltonville is typical of many such engines employed as portable power plants from the time of their introduction 1847 through the 1930’s. This engine was built by the Geiser Manufacturing Company of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, in 1908. This was their model “P”, the largest portable engine the Geiser Company ever made. Only 82 such engines were built, and this one is the only known survivor.
The engine was put back into operating condition in 1970 and is capable of running the sawmill attached to it today.The sawmill presently attached to the steam engine is a movable sawmill made in Chattanooga, Tennessee, by the Corley Manufacturing Company, and is commonly called a groundhog mill.
Together with the steam engine it illustrates a small, country steam sawmill typical in America during the last half of the 19th-first quarter of the 20th-century. It was last owned and operated by the Varisco Brothers of Hammond, Louisiana.
Original Lone Star Republic
In 1810 residents of Louisiana’s Florida Parishes rose in an armed insurrection and overthrew the Spanish government. The Independent Republic of West Florida existed for 74 days before being forcibly annexed by American forces on December 10, 1810.
Waldheim Church
Built be German Settlers, the Waldheim Methodist Church was dedicated September 12, 1875 as BONIFACE CHURCH by The Rev. J.B.A. Ahrens, D.D.Presiding elder, Louisiana District German Mission Conference of East Texas and Louisiana Methodist Episcopal Church, South.Services in German and English for Many Years. TABERNACLE of the GERMAN SETTLEMENT CAMP GROUNDS –Erected approximately 100 feet east of the Church under the leadership of THE REV. GABRIEL R. ELLIS. First service held September 22, 1887. Annual Camp Meetings which were held for 20 years drew thousands of persons to worship.
Salmen Lodge
Affectionately called Salmen Lodge by the Scouts, this French Creole cottage was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006 and is one of a few early structures preserved along Bayou Liberty. Built by one of the early settlers with bricks made on site, evidence suggests this structure served as a trading post for Native Americans and early Spanish and French settlers. An 1885 property deed indicated the building was used as a store and that a ferry and landing operated nearby.
Fritz Salmen
This Tablet is erected in memory of Fritz Salmen – A pioneer industrialist who in 1924 gave this land to be used as a Boy Scout camp site. Dedicated to the development of good citizenship of American youth.
Sugar Mill Operation
This sugar mill in Fontainebleau State Park operated similarly to other steam-powered mills of the mid 1800’s. Molasses was drawn out of raw sugar cane by heating it in five kettles known as the “batterie.” The cane juice was transferred from the largest kettle called the “”grande” into the next four kettles repeatedly until the sugar was partially crystalized (sic).
Then the sugar is transported in a series of troughs and cooled for 24 hours. The sugar was then put into hogshead barrels with holes on the bottom called Potting-casts. Each hole in the Potting-cast was plugged with crushed cane which drew the molasses away from the sugar and into a cistern. After the molasses was drained away the hogshead barrels of sugar could be shipped by rail or canal to barges on Lake Pontchartrain.
Madisonville Cemetery
Resting place of pre-Louisiana Purchase colonial settlers, veterans of the War of 1812 and the Civil War, and many men and women of great importance to local and national history.
Follow these topics: Local History
This week’s pic “Fall” was submitted by Cici Photography.
Submit your photo for “Pic of the Week” by emailing covweekly@gmail.com, posting on our Facebook page #picoftheweek, or on our Instagram page @covweekly #picoftheweek
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Fresh recipes inspired by local, seasonal ingredients by Chelsea Cochrane
Looking for a soothing recipe for a chilly, rainy day? This sautée of mushrooms and chicken goes beautifully served over fettuccine with some fresh grated parmesan. Screaming Oaks Mushroom Farm (James) at the Covington Farmer’s Market always has the most beautiful mushrooms. And there’s a new chicken vendor, Credo Farms, that can provide all your pasture-raised chicken needs.
Ingredients:
2 – 4 Tbs cooking oil
3 – 4 chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch strips
1 small white onion, sliced thin
1 lb oyster mushrooms
3-4 cloves of garlic, mashed
1/2 bunch of parsley, chopped
2 Tbs basil, chopped
2 tsp thyme leaves
1 tsp paprika
Lemon zest
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
The Covington Farmers’ Market is open each Wednesday, rain or shine, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Covington Trailhead, 419 N. New Hampshire and every Saturday from 8a.m. to 12p.m. on the side lawn of the Covington Police Station, 609 N. Columbia St.
Check out This Week at the Farmer’s Market by Charlene LeJeune to learn more!
Follow these topics: Farmers Market Recipes
From Northshore Humane Society:
BATH TOWELS, PUPPY PADS & CANNED FOOD NEEDED!
With over 200 animals in our care and a full veterinary and surgery department, the amount of towels we use in one day is unimaginable! They are probably the most needed linen all year round! Also, with lots of puppies being rescued right now, we are desperately low on puppy pads and canned food. If you are able to donate at this time, it would be greatly appreciated!
Donations can be dropped off at our rescue located at 20384 Harrison Ave. in Covington. We are open Monday – Friday 8 AM – 5 PM and Saturday 9AM – 2PM. We also ask that you visit our front desk (located outside) to fill out a donation receipt so we can thank you properly!
Shop and donate puppy pads and food through our Amazon wish list here: https://amzn.to/2SXYmR4
Follow these topics: Non Profit Spotlight
The City of Covington announces their recently updated website, www.covla.com, is fully operational and user-friendly. The website has information on City Council, departments, things to do, Covington history, and as always a link to pay your water bill online. You can also sign up for Mayor Mark’s email updates – full of useful info and fun historical tidbits.
Not only is the new website easy to navigate, it has tons of beautiful photos of our Covington area. Great job guys!
Follow these topics: Local News
The Covington Rotary Club announces their 6th Annual Quack-A-Falaya Rubber Duck Race on the Bogue Falaya this Saturday September 26th, 2020. This Celebration of Clean Water and Family Recreation was rescheduled from its traditional spring date due to COVID.
From the Covington Rotary Club:
Support the efforts of the Rotary Club of Covington by buying a duck or two! Fastest duck earns its owner $1500. We’ll also have prizes for the top 10 RUBBER DUCKS.
To ensure we keep to physical distancing protocols, we will LIVESTREAM the race on the Covington Rotary Club and Quack-A-Falaya Facebook pages. Winners will be contacted and need not be present to win.
If you would like to support the efforts of the Covington Rotary Club, you can also make a straight up donation on the eventbrite.com page. THANK YOU! Visit the Facebook pages or www.covrotary.org for more information on the efforts of Covington Rotarians. We are People of Action! Come join us!
The race begins 9 am at the Bogue Falaya Wayside Park.
Sponsor a duck for $20 here: www.eventbrite.com
Proceeds will benefit: Miracle League Northshore, Keep Covington Beautiful, the Covington Boys and Girls Club, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, and the efforts of the Covington Rotary Foundation (501 c 3)
Follow these topics: Local Events, Non Profit Spotlight
From St. Tammany Parish Government 9/22/2020:
St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper and the St. Tammany Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (OHSEP) are closely monitoring Tropical Depression Beta, expected to move over Louisiana later this week. St. Tammany Parish is currently under a Coastal Flood Warning. According to forecasters, Tropical Depression Beta is slow-moving and the prolonged persistent onshore flow of tidal water will continue to produce above normal tides and coastal flooding.
“As we continue to see the onshore tidal flow, we ask citizens who live in low-lying areas to stay tuned to the weather forecast and to prepare for a prolonged event with periods of rainfall. We ask all citizens to please adhere to roadway signage and to refrain from unnecessarily driving through neighborhoods with water in the streets to prevent the movement of this water into homes,” Cooper said. “We are prepared and we ask residents in these impacted areas to stay vigilant. We ask everyone to drive with consideration for others in these impacted areas.”
Self-serve sandbag locations will open today, Tuesday, September 22, 2020 until 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, September 23, 2020 and Thursday, September 24, 2020, as required. All locations will have sand and bags provided. Residents are asked to bring their own shovels in case all shovels provided are in use. In addition, residents are asked to limit the number of sandbags to 15 per vehicle. There will be someone on-hand to assist the elderly and/or disabled at each location during the hours of 7 a.m. – 3: 30 p.m. at the following locations:
St. Tammany Parish Government- Building
21410 Koop Dr., Mandeville
St. Tammany Parish Public Works- Airport Road Barn
34783 Grantham College Rd, Slidell, La
The Old Levee District Site
61134 N Military Road (Hwy 190) Slidell, La.
St. Tammany Parish Public Works- Fritchie Barn
63119 Highway 1090 in Pearl River
St. Tammany Parish Public Works Barn- Keller Barn
63131 Fish Hatchery Road, Lacombe
St. Tammany Parish Public Works Barn- Covington Barn
1305 N. Florida Street, Covington
Parish Government will announce any emergency preparedness information to the public, contingent on the forecast, through the local media, our website — www.stpgov.org/storm , and through social media on Facebook and Twitter. Citizens can also sign up to receive automatic email updates from the Parish by visiting www.stpgov.org.
Sign up now for ALERT St. Tammany, here. This is the Parish-wide emergency notification system for St. Tammany Parish Government. If we can’t reach you, we can’t alert you.
Follow these topics: Local News
by Chelsea Cochrane
It seems like every season is allergy season for something in the South, especially in our particularly sub-tropical region of it. The fall allergens combined with the change in temps seem to hit me the hardest for some reason. Like many people do, I would see the bright yellow plumes of goldenrod flowers and assume that they were to blame for my distress.
Such a shame that these golden beauties get such a bad rap! Their only fault is they happen to share a season with the less conspicuous ragweed. It’s easy to see how the confusion is made – the tiny brightly-colored flowers seem like they would harbor mini pollen bombs waiting for a good breeze. Actually, goldenrod has a thick, sappy pollen that is adapted for insect pollination and does not become airborne. This is opposed to the wind-blown ragweed pollen, adapted to travel hundreds of miles to coat your car and sinuses.
Goldenrods are actually a genus of about 100 to 120 species of flowering plants called Solidagos. Part of the aster family, Asteraceae, most goldenrods are native to North America, with a few South American and European species. According to the U.S. Geological Survey there are at least 13 species of goldenrod found in southern Louisiana. The most common may be the Louisiana goldenrod, Solidago ludoviciana, which can grow to 5 feet and produce as many as 140 flowers per plant.
Goldenrod has many beneficial aspects. As most species are fall bloomers, and heavy bloomers at that, goldenrods serve as some of the last food sources before winter for our pollinating insect friends. Many cultures praise goldenrod for having various medicinal benefits, such as anti-inflammatory and mild pain-relieving effects, and even kidney and bladder cleansing properties. Through several studies by the European Medicines Agency on goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), non-clinical data shows diuretic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic and spasmolytic, antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer and immunomodulatory activity. Add this to its showy golden blooms and you can see why some people consider the goldenrod lucky and feature it in their gardens.
Ragweed is also a member of the aster family in the genus Ambrosia, of which there are about 50 species. It is native to southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico and distributed heavily across tropical and subtropical regions. The most common ragweed species in North America is Ambrosia artemisiifolia. The Greek name Ambrosia translates to “food or drink of immortality/the gods”.
Ragweed is believed to heal many ailments and was widely used in Native American medicine. Surprisingly, it is most well known for its astringent qualities in the treatment of hay fever. According to King’s American Dispensatory, 1898, ragweed is used for “excessive irritation of mucous membranes…with free mucous discharge” of the nose, throat, mouth, urethra, and bowels. The pharmaceutical industry has even caught on to the use of ragweed to treat allergy symptoms, developing a Ragweed Sublingual Immunotherapy Liquid extract (RW-SAIL) for individuals suffering from chronic allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, from their ragweed allergies.
So in conclusion, I would say both plants have their purpose, although both can become invasive if left untended. But as far as allergies go, pull the ragweed before the goldenrod. And maybe make it into a tea.
Follow these topics: Flora of Covington
The Covington Farmer’s Market weekly newsletter by Charlene LeJeune:
Aren’t Tuesdays wonderful, friends? And better still, Wednesday is almost here! Now, it may be a bit on the dreary side (thank you, Beta) but it will be blissfully cooler! So join your Covington Farmers’ Market vendors for a wonderful lunch. Abeer will line up all the usual suspects but you will have a hard time picking out one. Whichever you decide, don’t forget to include grape leaves and hummus —fabulous for snacking. If Kandy’s creamy shrimp rolls are getting a little tiring week after week (yeah…right), a great choice is her lemongrass infused chicken salad, always a favorite of mine because it is very versatile. I can have a fantastic salad or I add a quart of chicken broth or stock. Chop up the cilantro and add to half the soup; to the other half pour in some or all of the “dressing” and voila! two different soups and with temps dipping into the 70s, you’re gonna need warmth.
I do really enjoy blueberry jam from Jerry. I add it to my smoothies or the yogurt I picked up on Saturday from Mauthe’s. So having a jar in the fridge perks up my day…did I mention its absolutely perfect paring with peanut butter? While it may not go well with peanut butter, you can’t go wrong with Corey’s smoked chicken, brisket, and brisket chili. He’ll have his amazing BBQ nachos and Frito pie, too!
You definitely don’t want to forget your eggs! They are an essential part of cooking. Henderson’s Hearth offers a plethora of baking and soup mixes, not to mention jams. Hopefully, Johnny and Caroline will be there with their exclusive Bhakti Farms meals and treats but baby will definitely dictate that.
Music from Mr. Funny Money and his All Stars will be prancing out from the gazebo as our market gets into full swing on Saturday. So grab your coffee and get shopping. Start your morning with a veggie pancakes from Meme’s or one of Jennifer’s amazing breakfast sandwiches. Norma Jean prepares a delightfully delicious quiche that makes for a lovely breakfast (but then so does one of her brownies).
If my calculations are correct, Credo Farms will join us this weekend, offering eggs and chicken (whole or parts). a few weeks ago, I discovered a seasoning she makes with kelp, oregano, thyme, basil and several other spices. You don’t need a lot to give your broth or meat or veggies a lovely flavor. I’ll bet her seasoning would be lovely on duck breast or thighs from Ross. Kaitlin from Exnihilo Farms will have whole rabbit this week. She also prepares a green onion powder that makes a delicious dip. I wonder if it also make a great seasoning on those rabbit pieces before you stew them. Remember to visit James for mushrooms to go with your rabbit stew (or chicken stew or hmmm…..yes, you can make stewed duck.)
Get your dairy fix with goat milk and cheeses from Huckleberry Fred’s. I’m not much on goat milk but their blended cheeses (like French Onion or Garlic) are delightful. As with goat’s milk, I’m not big on cow’s milk either, but I do love Mauthe’s buttermilk (go figure) and my grandson has declared their chocolate milk is the best in the world! Their yogurt is pretty terrific, too! You can eat it plain or stir in one of Althee or Stacey tasty jams, or top with Norma’s granola.
There really is so much to discover and enjoy at the Covington Farmers’ Market. Wonderful things, marvelous things, like pralines (Rose), fruity popsicles (Amanda), apple turnovers (Happy Flour), doggie treats (Tiger Bait), raw honey (Blood River, Nick, Serenity Lane). Of course, you’ll never discover everything that’s new and tasty without being here. You must come and enjoy the adventure with us.
Lots of love,
Charlene LeJeune
Abundant Life Kitchen
The Covington Farmers’ Market is open each Wednesday, rain or shine, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Covington Trailhead, 419 N. New Hampshire and every Saturday from 8a.m. to 12p.m. on the side lawn of the Covington Police Station, 609 N. Columbia St. Call (985) 892-1873 for information or visit www.covingtonfarmersmarket.org
Check out our Facebook page – facebook.com/thecovingtonlafarmersmarket
On Instagram — @covingtonlafarmersmarket
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From St. Tammany Parish Government:
During the first month of her tenure at the St. Tammany Parish Animal Shelter, Beth Brewster has implemented change, laid out her vision, and built upon initiatives that were already in place when she assumed her role.
“Beth is a natural fit for our shelter. She has a deep appreciation for our dedicated employees, she is hands-on, and she brings a fresh perspective to this department,” St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper said. “From increased play and exercise for animals, to changes in hours of operations, to continued partnerships with credible rescue groups and animal welfare non-profits, Beth has created a palpable atmosphere of renewed energy and positivity.”
“We could not have achieved these results without a great team of employees, Dr. Sandy Robbins’ dedication to our animals, and the help of our tremendous partners Wings of Rescue, Big Sky Ranch, and Denise Gutnisky of Mardi Paws,” Brewster said. “I am looking forward to what is yet to come.”
72 adoptions were finalized during the month-long, fee-waived, “Adopt and Donate,” 2020 Clear the Shelters event in August. Shelter partner Mardi Paws lent a paw to this event by giving away a free backpack of Summer Lovin’ swag to everyone who adopted a cat or dog from the shelter during the event. In addition, over 200 animals have been transported through the Wings of Rescue flights in 2020.
As the shelter population decreases through adoptions, fosters, and transports, Brewster has begun the implementation of an enrichment program designed to increase play, socialize dogs in groups as well as individually, increase walking of dogs on leashes, and implement positive reinforcement training methods with treats. Additional pens are currently under construction to provide added exercise resources. The shelter has purchased toys for the kittens, added scratching posts to the adoption room, and purchased feral cat dens for the isolation room.
Future initiatives set to launch include: broadening the volunteer base; expanding the foundation of credible, compassionate rescue programs already in place; purchasing new beds for all shelter animals; educating and more greatly utilizing fosters; and the acquisition of new caging for the isolation room to increase prevention of the transfer of disease.
As part of the continued partnership with Mardi Paws, the Let the Fur Fly fundraising initiative was recently announced and is underway. This effort is a partnership with Wings of Rescue and sponsors, and thus far has secured $25,000 in funding for a late – September flight for the St. Tammany Parish Department of Animal Services, and other high-intake shelters in neighboring parishes out of Top Gun Aviation at the Hammond Regional Airport. Their goal is to fund a second flight during the month of October, as well as secure funding for the purchase of much-needed items for the shelter. Anyone wishing to become a sponsor, or donate may view the link here.
St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper wishes to thank Mardi Paws non-profits for their continued partnership and support, Wings of Rescue, and the top Fur Fly sponsors: Tito’s Handmade Vodka for Dog People, Baldwin Subaru, and The Meraux Foundation; as well as all of the sponsors who helped to fund the upcoming Wings of Rescue transport flight. See the entire list of sponsors here.
President Cooper also wishes to thank St. Tammany Parish citizens for their continued support of the Animal Shelter through fostering, volunteering, and adopting to continue to reduce the shelter population.
Animal Services is open for adoptions from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Learn more at www.stpgov.org/pets. To purchase a bed for donation to the St. Tammany Parish Animal Shelter, click here.
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