Just stuff

I read this in the Sunday paper and just had to share -
The article was talking about all the stuff that we worry about in our world today. A good thing for me to read cause my son and his family all have 'the flu' right now. Actually the point was to see how 'unsolvables' have been solved. I usually come from a different perspective but it was a good article and handled the issue well.

And one of the issues was Horse Manure.

As urban populations exploded in the 19th century (sounds like our county these last few years) horses were put to work in many ways. Horse power was used to pull streetcars, coaches and fire engines and quite literally for powering manufacturing equipment. The cities became filled with horses. An example - in 1900, New York City was home to around 200,000 horses. One for every 17 people.

Because of this there was what the economists of that time referred to as "negative externalities". These included many things like noise, gridlock, high insurance costs and far too many human traffic fatalities and one of the worst problems:

...... THE MANURE ......

The average horse produces about 24 pounds of it a day. In New York, at that time, that added up to nearly 5 million pounds - A DAY. (and we think we have it bad)

It lined the street like banks of snow and was piled as high as 60 feet in vacant lots and it smelled really bad. It was a fertile breeding ground for flies that spread deadly disease. City planners everywhere were confounded. It seemed as if cities could not survive without the horse - but they couldn't survive with it, either.

And then the problem vanished. The horse was kicked to the curb by the electric streetcar and the automobile.

Fall Festival & Barn Social

I hope you can ready the flyer - I think it is so cute.
But I want to be sure that you know about this event at Silver Buckle Ranch.

The Fall Festival is a repeat of the very successful open house last year. Lots of happy kids and parents enjoyed our working ranch. This year will be even better with demonstrations of sorting, roping, barrel racing and poles. Wagon rides, a petting zoo, pony rides and free pumpkins for the first 200 children are some of the activities. We are asking for a $5.00 donation per car.

That evening, from 5:30 to 8:30 the adults are invited back to relax and enjoy the fun at the fist Silver Buckle Ranch Barn Social and Auction. It will be catered by Applewoods and will feature a silent and oral auction. Don Hanley will be our auctioneer and we will be treated to some of his cowboy poetry. A few of the items to be offered at auction are an equine massage, a people massage, an in office teeth whitening treatment, custom made saddle pockets and a K-9 Ride-A-Long from our Sheriff's Department.

Call Silver Buckle (360) 260-8932 for tickets, $25 per person.

Come join the fun.

Jody Benson

Update ---
New Auction items

Guided Fishing trip
Wine Gift Basket
Vorson white electric guitar - signed by members of Sawyer Brown!!!!

Daybreak Park

When: Wednesday, October 14th – 7:00 PM
Were: Daybreak Primary and Middle School commons
1900 NW 20th Ave, Battle Ground

What: Another meeting……………..

Seems like there have been a lot lately but these are all important for the future of our horse community. And they seem to be making a difference.

The latest one is a chance for us to let the county know what we think should happen at Daybreak Park.

There was a good article in The Columbian this morning about this meeting. The county is looking to private groups – including us – for good ideas about the use of the 112-acre undeveloped site on the south bank of the East Fork Lewis River. They are looking for partnerships in the planning and developing of the park. The meeting on Wednesday will be for public comment. Jean Akers, county parks planner, stated: “I think there are a number of different groups out there who are interested. I’ll wait and see who comes on Wednesday.” The county will use residents’ input from the Wednesday meeting and from comments on the expansion project’s web site. The plan that is developed from this input will be presented in a public meeting in December. Online, e-mail and phone comments will be accepted from Oct. 15-29. Check out Lower Daybreak Regional Park Master Plan web site for more information.

Or contact:
Pat Lee, Legacy Lands Program Manager
(360) 397-2375 ext. 4070
Patrick.Lee@clark.wa.gov

Jean Akers, Park Planner
Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation
(360) 619-1120
Jean.Akers@ci.vancouver.wa.us

There have been conversations about making this park a major equine area and it sounds to me like the county is asking us, the horse community, to put our time and money where ‘our’ mouth is. We can start by showing up at the meeting to let them know that we want into the party.

This meeting will be in Battle Ground but it will affect all of the horse community. Even if you are from East County, come and stand up for more horse event and trail areas. Send me an email from ‘post a comment’ if you need directions.

See you there,
Jody Benson

Urban Livestock Hearing Oct 6th

Just to remind you. Come all who can.

The county is listening to us and we need to make sure they know we are interested in what happens to the horses in this county.
This is the continuation of the meeting we attended in July where the planners were directed to go back and look at the issues again. At that time we asked that they offer an evening meeting so more people could attend.

PUBLIC HEARING: URBAN LIVESTOCK
6:00 PM
Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street, 6th Floor

To consider proposed addition of a special uses section of the Clark County Code dealing with Urban Livestock (Clark County Code 40.260.235). Continued from July 21, 2009. Staff Report
Staff: Gordy Euler, 360.397.2280, ext. 4968