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Newsletter
| October 8, 2010
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 EDITOR'S BLOG
A Monster Red Oak
Dave Mance III
As we age, we get smarter but we feel dumber, one of those human condition quirks that poets are always pondering. Country singers from Kenny Rodgers on up have lamented the ignorance of youth ("If I knew then what I know now . . ."), but the flip side of this coin is that age brings with it the startling realization that a lot of what you thought you knew turns out to be just plain wrong. ....Full Article Text
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 THE OUTSIDE STORY
Straight-Line Winds: As Nasty As Any Tornado
Chuck Wooster
"I kind of thought it was a tornado," the woman said, her disappointment apparent, "but they said it was straight-line winds or something." This was from a newspaper article earlier this summer, after a crazy afternoon of thunderstorms broke up the first big heat wave. The poor woman's barn had been blown over (fortunately not injuring any cows), and now the weather service was adding to the indignity by refusing to call it a tornado... Full Article Text |
 WHAT IN THE WOODS IS THAT?
Our Weekly Guessing Game!
As we all know, many mammals have a bone in their penis, called a "baculum." From an evolutionary perspective, this can make copulation more effective (note the strategically curved tip - it's why mating dogs often seem stuck together).
From a human social perspective, the bones give strange credence to the adolescent term "boner," a keystone word in the vocabularies of middle school males everywhere. Parents take heart: your seventh graders use of the term may reveal a somewhat disturbing lack of insight into human anatomy, but on the other hand, it does indicate a rather sophisticated understanding of mammalian reproductive structure.
So. Here's a picture of 5 penis bones from a mink, a raccoon, a porcupine, a fisher, and a coyote. Left to right, match the animal with the baculum.
Every other week we run a photo of something unusual found in the woods. Guess what it is and you'll be eligible to win a copy of The Outside Story, a paperback collection of our Outside Story newspaper columns. A prize winner will be drawn at random from all the correct entries. The correct answer, and the winner's name, will appear in next week's column.View the full image and enter this week's contest This week's contest deadline is 8:00 AM, Wednesday, October 20, 2010. |
 Last Week's Contest Answer
Congratulations to our winner, Michael Morgan of Chelsea, VT! We had 2 correct answers. Michael receives a copy of our book, The Outside Story.
No trip to the Tunbridge World's Fair in Tunbridge, Vermont, is complete without a trip to the beer hall, the pig races, and the historical exhibitions, where this picture was taken. This simple-looking contraption was indirectly related to the rampant deforestation of our region in the 1600s and 1700s. OK, history buffs, what is it?
NW Answer: A leaching tub or barrel used for making lye.
Lye was an important commodity in the old days and was in great demand both privately and commercially. It was used to cure food and make soap, among other things. Much of the virgin forest in the Northeast that was cleared for agriculture was not turned into lumber, but instead was incinerated and turned into potash.
To use this contraption, folks put a layer of gravel in the bottom of the barrel over the holes that lead out to the carved stone base plate. A layer of straw went over the gravel. They then fill the rest of the barrel with hardwood ash, leaving a couple of inches at the top clear. Then they pour rainwater into the barrel.
The liquid that was collected from the barrel was then concentrated until the appropriate distillation of lye was achieved. A lot of those big iron kettles that are sold in antique shops as "old maple sugar boilers" were actually lye kettles, used for making lye.
Visit our What In The Woods Is That? contest archive. |
 NORTHERN WOODLANDS NEWS
Northern Woodlands Goes to School (NWGTS)
We are collecting email addresses from educators interested in participating in an online evaluation of the NWGTS program. If you would like to participate, please email your contact information to: emily@northernwoodlands.org. Thanks for your help.
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We Welcome Your Questions and Comments
Postal Address:
Northern Woodlands
1776 Center Road
P.O. Box 471
Corinth, VT 05039
Toll-Free: (800) 290-5232
Phone: (802) 439-6292
Fax: (802) 439-6296
Email: mail@northernwoodlands.org
General inquiries form
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The mission of the Center for Northern Woodlands
Education is to encourage a culture of forest stewardship in the
Northeast by producing and distributing media content to increase
understanding of and appreciation for the natural wonders, economic
productivity, and ecological integrity of the region's forests. Our
programs give people the information
they need to help build a sustainable future for our region. Through
Northern Woodlands magazine, the Northern Woodlands Goes to School
program, and special
publications, we make a difference in how people care for their land.
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