Your neighbors with Oak Cliff Coop Snoop are raising awareness of backyard chicken keeping while also raising money to install coops and flocks in Dallas schools.  Its members believe that a movement toward local, ethically raised food can begin in your backyard.  In 2011, Oak Cliff Coop Snoop is showcasing at least 8 urban chicken coops – all within a one mile radius!

October 22, 2011 -10am-3pm

Headquarters:
700 W. Davis St.
Dallas, TX 75208
214-948-4770

More information: http://oakcliffcoopsnoop.blogspot.com/

In preparation for the Home Tour – and just because so many of us are annoyed by their current condition – we are going to clean up our park areas beginning this weekend.

We’ll start at 7 AM this Saturday at Stemmons Park on Windomere / 10^th / Jefferson.  We’ll have coffee and donuts there.  Depending on how many volunteers we have, we’ll set our goals accordingly.

WHNA will provide lawn waste bags, recycle bags and trash bags – Monday is bulk trash day.  We also have latex gloves (trash pickup), bug spray and wasp killer.  Please bring your own rakes and pruning implements – if anyone has one of those tree pruning extension poles, that would be great.  Kimberlea Roe (thanks!) will bring us some ice water around 10 AM.

Our plan is just to generally clean up and assess what we can do in the parks going forward to make them look more community friendly.  Since we’ll be having National Night Out at Stemmons Park in early October, we really want to get that one spruced up!  We will have another general clean up later in the fall in advance of the home tour.  We’ll work on the Stemmons Park, the Park on 8^th Street between Rosemont and Montclair, and then the park on the 12^th Street Connector (bordered by Jefferson, Connector, Clinton).  Our goal is that we will be done by 11 –  we all have a lot of other things to do.

If you have any questions, just email Michele at vicepresident@winnetkaheights.org.

S. Willomet Ave. - Winter 2010

Help our Neighborhood Grow on Saturday, October 22^nd.

Do you have an empty parkway in front of your house?  Let’s beautify it!

The Winnetka Heights Neighborhood Association in a co-operative effort with the City of Dallas has made available free trees for Winnetka Heights residents.

If you would like a free tree for your parkway, you will have to commit to:

• Digging a hole for your tree in accordance with city directions.
• Showing up at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 22 for the neighborhood tree planting.
• Helping all your neighbors plant their trees, until all the trees are planted.
• Watering and pruning your tree(s) regularly.

The following tree varieties are available:

• Cedar Elm
• Chinese Pistachio
• Crepe Myrtle
• Live Oak
• Red Bud
• Red Oak

(20 feet spacing in your parkway is required for larger varieties.  Corner parkways are also eligble)

If you would like to participate in the reforestation and/or get a free tree, contact Rob Romano at 214-942-1715 or at herrhansy@sbcglobal.net.

DEADLINE:   Your commitment to the tree planting and  your tree order must be placed by August 23

On tree planting day, we will need:  pick-up trucks, rakes, hoes, shovels, gloves and man and woman power!

On October 22, we will meet at the park at the SW Corner of Jefferson and Clinton at   9:00 a.m.  See you there!

Don’t Forget to Feed the Hummingbirds

Putting out hummingbird feeders is more critical than ever this year. The extreme drought that is affecting much of the southwest, where migrating birds concentrate, will create enormous hardship, since natural sources of nectar will probably be few and far between.

The Ruby Throated hummingbird, for example, must gain up to 40% of their body weight to make it across their main migration route, the non-stop 300 – 400 mile Gulf of Mexico, before landing in Mexico. With the Texas drought, it will be difficult for them to have enough nectar sources to gain that much weight. Therefore, supplemental feeding is critical. Also, research has proven that putting up feeders will not prevent migration.

Fall migration is in full swing.  Here are some tips:

• 4 to 1 water to sugar, dissolve with hot water.
• No red dyes.
• Change water every 2-3 days to prevent spoilage.
• Shaded location preferred.
• Keep feeders in various locations, as far apart as possible, to minimize fighting and one bird guarding them all.

Plan to attend one or both of two FREE seminars Saturday, September 10, at the Performance Hall (Building “E”) at Mountain View College, 4849 W. Illinois Avenue, Dallas 75211. 
 
Landscape designer and author Bonnie Reese of Beautiful Landscapes will be the speaker at both sessions. The first 100 attendees at each session will receive a copy of Ms. Reese’s book, “Common-Sense Landscaping.” A drawing for one free rain barrel will be held at the end of both the morning and afternoon seminars. Rain barrels generously donated by Catch the Rain.
Also, we will have 6 drawings to give away a bag of Green Sense organic fertilizer from Rohde’s Nursery and Nature Store.
 
Water-Wise Landscape Design 101
Saturday, September 10 • 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Whether you have a new landscape or plan to update an existing area, it is critical to begin with a good design. This program teaches the principles of landscape design with an emphasis on how to create a beautiful landscape that will save resources – natural and financial!
 
Fantastic Plants for North Texas
Saturday, September 10 • 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Using colorful photographs, Bonnie demonstrates the natural beauty of native and adapted plants that thrive in the North Texas region. Learn when, where and how to plant each of the recommended plants, their size and height at maturity, seasonal color, texture and more. This program provides information on trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, groundcovers and turf grasses.
 
Making a reservation
Space is limited, please register online at SaveDallasWater.com or by calling (214) 670-3155.
Let us know which seminar(s) you would like to attend, and how many will be attending in your group.
 
Seminars sponsored by Dallas Water Utilities Conservation, City of Dallas Stormwater Management, and Mountain View College.