Eat Your Vegetables (Jan 17, 2022)

Miscellaneous

Repeat from last week or until no longer relevant or until I delete it:

All meetings by Zoom until further notice.

Our club is joining with other clubs to award a Richmond external Paul Harris award Which has now changed to June 16th 2022. If you haven't sent in a nomination please do so to Debbie M.

The Lower Mainland Foundation dinner/event is scheduled for February 5^th 2022 – Pat recently forwarded the email indicating it will be going ahead including details. 6 - 11 PM at the Riverside Baquet Hall. However stay posted for updates.

The next board meeting is January 26^th 2022 now by zoom.

Only 50% of members have criminal record checks please get yours.

Zoom Meeting Rules

THE LINK TO OUR THURSDAY MEETINGS WILL NO LONGER BE EMAILED BUT ACCESSED THROUGH THE LINK BELOW.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86855229058?pwd=c1pxUklLeDMwWGpCdjIrOS9Oak4wUT09

Meeting ID: 868 5522 9058
Passcode: 473892

1) Mute your microphone if you aren't already muted. Background noise is distracting.
2) If you are not engaged in the presentation, turn off your camera.
3) Chat function should only be used to address the speaker, not for Club member remarks during the presentation

4) Unmute when harassing the Sergeant at Arms or taking your turn during Sergeant at Arms.

Presidents Report and Announcements, committee news and other stuff.

Short version of O' Canada. (did not know there was a long version)

Iqbal in a pinch. "I'm proud for not being fake, I have a screw loose, and I am 100% me."

Michael Ghirra is our latest Polio Plus member.

We have sent the $10,000 to the Richmond School District for the scholarships. We will be getting the schedule of graduation ceremonies for club members to attend and present.

Please fill out the DEI survey that Pat has sent to you.

There will be a Rotary Ad celebrating the Lunar New Year in the Richmond News. Watch for it.

Coldest night of the Year is February 26th so sign up at Coldest Night of the Year 2022 - Richmond (cnoy.org)

Carolyn will be sending out invoices once she receives the invoice from RI.

Debbie M. advises that we are among the top of the clubs with Polio Plus members. The external Paul Harris award ceremony is being moved to June 16th. Please send in your nominations and if you have already nominated someone please resend it.

Please direct any questions to the President or a board member of your choosing and we will discuss any and all questions or concerns during our board meeting. Also please refer anyone who may be interested in attending a meeting or joining the club.

Be kind and be calm and safe...

Visitors

Heather Little from the BC Greenhouse Growers Association.

sergeant At Arms Tidbits

Susan's graduated return to work is going gradually. Otherwise happy with the warmer weather and celebrated Glen's Birthday.

Bobby had a bad cough so passed on going to Whistler.

Amanda has had a quiet week with everyone rebooking their hair appointments. Graham has recovered from covid and back at work.

Sandra now has staff off every day with covid. Even a warehouse in Bulgaria has closed because of covid. (at least I heard warehouse and Bulgaria)

Dalbir's family has all had covid but now feeling better.

Larry does not need surgery on his leg but no longer needs crutches but now needs a walker. Can rent one at the red cross.

Peter's property assessment in the Toulameen is up 42%.(ours is up 68% and mom's over 73% on Skaha).

Michael wished everyone a happy new year. Got his booster last week everyone in his family has caught the covid bug as well. Work is suffering from another extension on restrictions. No Netflix report this week.

Mary Lou thanked all once again for the Dean Crain award. She is very busy at work and now knows more people with covid and fortunately no one hospitalized. Looking forward to seeing people at the coldest night of the year.

Carolyn went through a two week academic integrity marathon section with a lot of it on line. Apparently there are on line cheat sites that will give you credit if you use them.

Kal is glad the Cowboys lost and predicts a Green Bay Kansas City Super Bowl.

Debbie M. is busy with work and Granddaughter. Watching lots of good Netflix and so far is dodging Omicron.

Bill relearned how to unmute(after all it has been a week) His niece's wedding is scheduled for February 19th and is getting married regardless of the restrictions and at the moment is planning sadly for a wedding of just 6. Wants to correct that Bobby is the one helping organize the celebration.

Belinda suggests Larry use walking poles (that is if he can't find two toilet plungers). Belinda has put out an APB on her 90 year old mom and if you see her in the grocery store, or any other store for that matter - tell her to go home. Will be hosting a Super Bowl Party for the first time since 2020. All will be vaxxed. If Kal's right hope you are a KC or GB fan. Recommends Stay Close and the Stranger on Netflix.

Debbie S. reports that her mom is out of the hospital with home care and it is going as well as it can be. She is running so as to keep her sanity.

Danny's scheduled hike to the Rockies was covid cancelled but will keep training for an eventual hike in Alberta.

Bob recommends that everybody get off Netflix. To get a life perhaps. When Bob used to write exams he practiced academic integrity as they all wore high tops with answers on the tongues. It was fair of course because everyone did it. Everyone in Bob's family has covid except him. High tops has not helped with that.

Marg got Ben new runners so she is doing her bit for exercise. Has a friend who went to Hong Kong was hoping to come home later this month but all flights have been cancelled and will now be home March 30th. Her hair dresser is sick so may have to book an emergency visit with Amanda. No problem getting a pedicure though.

Joyce's computer had a hissy fit but fortunately the fit was over in time for us to learn that the volunteer organizations are suffering staff shortages, there is a spike in needs, particularly for mental health. She plans on bringing rum toddies in her thermos for the coldest night of the year walk. Promises to share.

Garth was bleary eyed as he watched tennis until 12:30 AM. Had been binge watching Handmaids tale until he started getting nightmares. His paralegal was random tested at the airport and come out positive so in isolation for 10 days and suffering regular calls from the federal government. Was some icy skiing at Whistler this last weekend.

I have a daughter and grandson who have tested positive for covid and before press time a second grandson has tested positive. All slowly recovering.

Christine M. has retired to work on her health and is up to 27,000 - 30,000 steps a day. Which is about 10k. Still doing yoga(no mention of the dog's involvement this week). Has taken her first golf lesson so watch out Joyce, Mary Lou and Pat, here comes the competition, as long as you don't keep score.

Sandra walked 7.75k around the false creek area. Reported that on the medical ward their was one nurse for 16 patients when usually there are only 4 per nurse.

Pat remembered that the Steveston Club is having it's paper shredding fundraiser on May 14th. Has a first world problem in that cannot get strings for her tennis racket because of supply chain issues. The ants are currently at bay but fears losing the extermination war.

speaKER

Heather Little is the Research and Development Manager with the BC Greenhouse Growers Association. Her job is to monitor the latest developments in the industry and keep their members informed. 96% of greenhouse farms belong to the Association. Greenhouses use .01% of farmland but produce 11% of the value of provincial produce. There are strict rules with regard to water use and pests. The Vegetable Marketing Commission licenses growers and they must sell their regulated vegetables through the commission. The regulated vegetables are cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes. Unregulated includes strawberries, cane berries, egg plant and bok choy. There are two propagators that supply plants at two weeks to the growers. The growers may order 100,000 plants to be delivered on a specific date and the plants must be delivered on that date. 99% of growers buy from propagators. Growth is enhanced with both supplemental light and CO2. Some greenhouses switched to cannabis with the change in law. So the acreage under regulated greenhouse dropped by 96 acres. But the area has now increased back to 810 acres. (is about 40 million square feet.) There are 60 members, producing $300 million worth of produce, 70% of which is exported to the US. Of the produce, 15% is cucumbers, 50% peppers, 25% tomatoes, and 10% specialty crops. The pepper % is increasing while tomato % is decreasing possibly because of risk of disease. The growers usually plant in December and January and harvest in late February to April. Cucumbers are planted 3 - 4 times per year. After harvest the greenhouses are completely cleaned out and sanitized helping to interrupt the pest cycle. The industry is sustainable as it recycles water, heat and CO2 capture. Each greenhouse undergoes a daily inspection for pests and disease and will introduce biological beneficial insects or use biologics when needed. The green houses use drip irrigation and measure water in and out and nutrients in and out so only using the water and nutrients the plants need. They collect CO2 from their boilers to supplement their CO2 use and use heat captured during the day. The industry faces the challenges of climate change, supply chain interruptions, biosecurity, and labour shortages. There used to be tours offered but because of the concern over viruses they have been stopped for now. The future is to look to semi autonomous greenhouses with automated pickers, grading and harvesting and drones checking for pests and disease. There is also a goal to reduce reliance on natural gas by using the digester to produce biofuels and a move to electrification. Heather promised to set up a tour when cleared to do so.

Meanderings

So January 19th was National Popcorn day. Hope you celebrated. Here's some fun facts about popcorn.

Did you know that the corn we eat and the corn we pop are two different varieties of maize? In fact, the corn you’d find on your dinner table is most likely unable to pop at all! Only one variety of corn is able to become popcorn: Zea mays everta. This particular corn variety has small ears, and the kernels burst when exposed to dry heat.

In 1948, small heads of Zea mays everta were discovered by Herbert Dick and Earle Smith in the Bat Cave of west central New Mexico. Ranging from smaller than a penny to about two inches, the oldest Bat Cave ears were about 4,000 years old. Several individually popped kernels were also discovered, which have since been carbon dated and shown to be approximately 5,600 years old. There’s also evidence of early use of popcorn in Peru, Mexico, and Guatemala, as well as other places in Central and South America.

Aztecs used popcorn to decorate their clothes, create ceremonial embellishments, and also for nourishment. Native Americans have also been found to consume and utilize popcorn in their day to day lives. In a cave in Utah, thought to be inhabited by Pueblo Native Americans, popcorn has been found that dates back to over 1,000 years ago. French explorers who traveled to the new world discovered popcorn being made by the Iroquois Natives in the Great Lakes region. As colonists moved around North America, and as the USA came to be, many people adopted popcorn as a popular and healthy snack.

There’s no doubt about it, Americans love popcorn. So much so, that they consume over 15 billion quarts of popcorn annually — which is about 45 quarts per man, woman, and child. It’s one of the most wholesome and economical foods available to Americans and considered a healthy snack to indulge in. 70% is eaten at home with un-popped popcorn accounting for approximately 90% of sales for home consumption, and about 30% is eaten outside of the home (theaters, stadiums, schools, etc).

Upcoming Events

January 26th Board Meeting by Zoom.

Foundation Dinner February 5th, 2022.

External Paul Harris March 4th 2022.

Please note the date for the Auction

Friday May 6th 2022 Auction Fundraiser with final details to be determined but anticipating live and in person.

TODAYS CHUCKLEs

🥸

Thanks to Debbie S. for todays contributions.

This next Dad joke is my wife's contribution.

Oh and why aren't dogs good dancers? They have two left feet!