January 2023
A member of the rose family, the January Plant of the Month is a cousin to cherry, peach, pear, apricot, and plum. But unlike many of these fruits, the chokecherry tastes bitter and tart to humans. Though chokecherries may not sound tasty, they are, and have been, a very important plant to people for a long time. Among the first people to live in the Denver area, the Cheyenne and Arapaho people used chokecherry stems for their homes and hunting tools. They used the plant for medicines and to make a green or purplish-red dyes.
The Hidden History of Denver notes that the Cherry Creek (neighborhood and small body of water running through Denver) was named by the Arapaho and Cheyenne people, who camped along the water's banks each year to harvest and preserve chokecherries. The Cheyenne and Arapaho used to pick the chokecherries when they were dark purplish-red (see the photo below). Then, they let the fruits dry in the sun, and pounded them into cakes with other foods (like bison) for eating all winter. Settlers used chokecherries for jams, syrups, and vinegar. Chokecherries are high in anti-oxidants, so can be considered a "super food" like cranberries or blueberries.
Chokecherries are not just important to people, though. This 20-30 foot tall shrub grows well in most conditions, including droughts. Its pretty 5-petaled white flowers provide nectar for bees, moths, and butterflies. Because chokecherry "drupes" (fruit) grows in clusters, mammals like raccoon or black bear can gather a lot of fruit at once. The animals then strip the fruit off of the pits and avoid eating the leaves. Like cherry pits, chokecherry pits contain a poison called cyanide. Chokecherry leaves are also toxic to different animals. However, the fruits are excellent food for birds like the chickadee. Chokecherry thickets also provide shelter for birds to build nests, and shoots for animals like deer to eat. We hope you enjoy this special plant when hiking along Sand Creek or Bluff Lake!
Photo by Patrisse Bouchard on Unsplash
For over 2 million years, this tiny, bold bird has graced our area with its 15+ songs and calls. Black-capped chickadees (and close relatives who dwell just a bit further west of us, mountain chickadees) are year-round residents of Colorado. Chickadees weigh just half an ounce, which is about as much as a pencil. Chickadees are named for one of the main sounds they make (listen here). Chickadees will continue to add an extra "dee" at the end of their calls to alert other birds around them to danger or distress. So while you're walking outside, make note of the number of "dee's" you get (email greenteam@thewcepta.com if you hear more than 6 or 7, the Green Team record!).
Chickadees are omnivores, which means they eat plants and animals. In the summer, they eat insects, caterpillars and snails. In the winter, they eat berries and seeds, as well as whatever insects and spiders they can find. Chickadees "cache" (save) their food. They can remember where they save their food over 28 days later. They also store each type of food in different spots--so they may keep chokecherries tucked in a bush here, and store extra sunflower seeds beneath the bark of a tree there. Chickadees help plants by spreading seeds and hunting pests.
Chickadees are highly social. They have even been known to eat seeds from human hands! From August to February (the winter season), they live in small groups that include a leader pair (male and female), some of their offspring and single chickadees. Chickadees allow birds from other species to join their winter flocks. Watch your backyard feeder to see who joins the chickadees in our neighborhood! It may be downy woodpeckers, brown creepers, bushtits or sparrows. Other birds may be drawn to chickadees as flock leaders, because chickadees have an excellent memory for where to find food. Chickadees are also excellent alarms for predators. They are in constant communication, and if hawks, owls, or cats get too close, chickadees make a loud racket to alert birds to the predator, and thus, foil the predator's ability to surprise attack.
Different cultures have viewed chickadees as a symbol of truth and hope. In Cherokee stories, for instance, chickadees show the power of family and community. Scientists study chickadees to understand the health and needs of a forest, meaning chickadees are an "indicator species." If chickadees are doing well in an area, it is likely that other birds and small mammals, as well as tress and plants, are doing well, too. So the next time you are walking to school, listen for a "fee-bee" or "chick-a-dee-dee-dee-dee" and say hello to this remarkable animal!
The Basics of COMPOSTING
This month, people who live in Denver will get FREE composting service each week. But how do you get started with your new green cart? Denver Composts has a great FAQ and more info here. And, here are some tips from your Green Team:
Compost will turn into fertile soil. So anything that will break down easily outside (plant matter) can go in the green cart. Food scraps, grass clippings, tree branches (cut to 2-foot in length) can all be composted.
Clean and dry cardboard, newspaper, and office paper should be recycled. If food has touched your paper (coffee filters, wax paper, paper plates without plastic coating), it should be composted. Mind-blowing pizza box tip: tear the clean top half off and recycle it, composting the greasy bottom half!
Plastic is the mortal enemy of compost. Never put any plastic into the compost! Be diligent with those little plastic stickers on fruits and veggies. Make sure your kitchen pail bags are BPI certified compostable (such as the UNNI brand) and not plastic.
Zero Waste Snack Recipe of the Month: Pita Bread
Ready to ditch more plastic in 2023? Check out this kid-friendly recipe for homemade pita bread: https://simplebites.net/cooking-with-kids-pita-bread/
And, here is a gluten-free pita bread recipe: https://cupcakesandkalechips.com/gluten-free-pita-bread/
What better to pair your fresh pita bread with than some homemade hummus! Here is one of our favorite recipes: https://www.loveandlemons.com/hummus-recipe/
SAVE THE DATE "From the Creek to the Lake"
EARTH DAY Clean Up will be Saturday 4.22.23 from 9am-2pm
Vegetarian Dinner of the Month: Good Luck Lemon Soup
Did you know that many cultures serve beans or lentils on the first day of the year to bring good luck? Try serving this recipe to bring good health and hopefully good fortune on January 1!(adapted from The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook):
1 small onion, roughly chopped 8 cups water or veg stock
1 garlic clove, chopped 4-5 cups spinach
2 T extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups red lentils, rinsed/drained 1 t sea salt
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add onion and garlic, saute for about 5 minutes or until soft.
Add red lentils and water or vegetable stock, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes (or until lentils are very soft and cooked)
Scoop out about half of the lentils and set aside in a bowl. Then, add the spinach and cook until soft (about 5-7 minutes).
Pour in lemon juice and sea salt. Then, with an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Add the lentils back into the pot.
Serve with cooked rice in the bowl, or/and with pita bread.
Green Team Events
January 10: Club Meeting 4:05-5:30pm Mr. Binder's Room
TBD in January:
Students for the Planet
Zoom Panel!
Interested in a Low to No Waste classroom Valentine's Day party? Email greenteam@thewcepta.com and let us help you plan!
February 7: Club Meeting 4:05-5:30pm Mr. Binder's Room