Chris Sokol

The Lyle Good Food Pantry serves the food insecure in the High Prairie area as well as Lyle, Murdock and Dallesport. Food distribution began as a small grassroots operation, which Julie Lawson headed up early in the pandemic, operating out of the high school cafeteria. Donations of food came in from all over the community and were sorted and boxed according to family size. Volunteers delivered boxes directly to families and brought boxes to the school bus stops. 

The Pantry was able to secure a permanent spot at the Lyle Community Center thanks to the Washington Gorge Action Program (WAGAP). We became a satellite of this well-established Gorge program one year ago, joining food pantries in Stevenson, Bingen Klickitat, and Goldendale. 

WAGAP not only helps with food, but offers help with housing, utilities and domestic violence. Low income individuals and families are eligible for monthly food boxes which include fresh produce, canned foods, bread, frozen protein, and much more. The boxes are distributed as a drive-through (or walk-through) and are customized for the size of the family. 

Donations are appreciated from overflowing gardens, orchards or pantries. All donations go directly out to the community. Checks can be made out to WAGAP with Lyle in the memo line.

We are always looking for volunteers to help during our distribution days on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. The current summer hours are 10am-1pm and 4-6pm. If you have any questions, call 509-281-0884. 

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TOTAL TIME: Prep: 15 min. Bake 30 min. + standing

YIELD: 8 servings.

Perk up your plate with this humble tomato pie. We like to use fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes and herbs, but store-bought produce will work in a pinch. 

Ingredients
Dough for single-crust pie
1-3/4 pounds mixed tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate.

2. Place half of the tomatoes and half of the onions in crust. Combine mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, basil, salt and pepper; spread over tomatoes. Top with remaining onions and tomatoes. Fold crust edge over filling, pleating as you go and leaving an 8-in. opening in the center. Sprinkle with bacon and Parmesan cheese. Bake on a lower oven rack until until crust is golden and filling is bubbly, 30-35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. If desired, sprinkle with additional basil.

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Tim Darland, Fire Chief

Needless to say, things have been very busy for the fire departmennt over the last month.  In addition to preparing for the open houses scheduled for Saturday, July 10th, High Prairie first responders also worked two major fires in Lyle (Fire District #4) over the last 2 weeks.  I will briefly discuss both fires and what roles HP fire department had on each fire.  Just a reminder that High Prairie and Lyle fire districts have an automatic aid agreement and both departments get paged simultaneously to any emergency.  

The July 4th Fire in Lyle began with a firework launched from a vehicle.  One individual was charged with the crime. The cost of the fire suppression services was estimated between $75,000 to $100,000.  No structures were lost, which most of us professional firefighters consider extremely lucky!  Timing was absolutely perfect in all aspects of the fire – from calling mutual aid from several neighboring fire districts as the Lyle Fire Chief ran out his door; to first units on-scene with a good size-up of the fire; air resources from the DNR; arrival of mutual aid resources (local, state and federal) attacking the fire; and HP (Command 14 and Engine 1411) arriving just in time to assist Lyle brush truck 410 with the spot fire that ignited the grass field in town above the Lyle Activity Center.   

Engine 1411 personnel (4 on-board) quickly pulled two hose lines, one to work the oncoming fire and the other to provide for structure protection at the Lyle Museum.  As Command 14, I was staged at the intersection of Spokane and 4th St where I had a good view of the spot fire to report to both on-the-ground resources for direction and to Incident Command. Once the fire was knocked down, HP firefighters laid a hose line on the eastern edge of the fire to continue to knock out the flames and remaining heat.  Additional HP resources (Brush 1422, Brush 1412) arrived to begin mopping up the hot spots and ensuring the fire was completely out.    

The second fire, officially named the “Lyle Hill Fire,” started above the Lyle high school. The fire began Monday evening of July 12.  The origin of the fire is under investigation.  The cost of fire suppression services is estimated around $500,000.  Official total acres burned tallied at 135 acres.  Here is a link to the details of the fire: https://data.statesmanjournal.com/fires/incident/7662/lyle-hill/ 

Local resources did a great job immediately responding to the fire, and Incident Command also did a great job in assigning resources to areas of the fire.   Unified Command was set up with local, state and Federal resources.    The Sheriff ordered a Level 1 evacuation notice for residences up Centerville Hwy from about milepost 1.5 to 4.2.  This order remained in effect for several days.  HP personnel were essentially set up for traffic control around the access point to the state land and to provide for and oversee structure protection activities along Centerville Hwy at 146, 201, 207 and 216 and for residents along Henderson Rd.   HP units on-scene were Engine 1411, Water Tenders 1415 and 1424, Brush 1422 and Command 14.  The fire remained active near the top of the ridge overnight, and the call was made to request state mobilization resources as we exhausted the capacity of local resources to continue to fight the fire.  Some were up all night.  

A Type 3 Management Team took command of the fire at 10:00 am Tuesday morning.  Over the next several days, multiple air assets put water on the fire and one fire retardant drop was conducted at the top of the ridge. DNR resources were patrolling the area for any flare-ups over the next week and will continue to spot check the fire for any activity.  

Two major injuries occurred with the fire.  One firefighter succumbed to heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation, for which he was LifeFlighted to Portland.  We term this an incident within an incident.  I am happy to report he is doing well and returned home a few days from the initial start of the fire.  The other injury was to a juvenile bald eagle which sustained burns from the fire. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said they got a call about the eagle from fire crews who found it. They were able to bring a specialist to the area to administer fluids and transport it to the Rowena Wildlife Clinic in Oregon.  The eagle is expected to make a full recovery and be released.  Some firefighters sustained minor injuries from poison oak.  

On Saturday July 10th from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, in-between the two fires, the High Prairie Community Council held a community picnic as a tribute to both HP and Lyle first responders.  In addition, the HP Fire Department provided Open Houses for the community to visit both our fire stations and talk firsthand with the men and women on the fire department.   Full disclosure: my plan was to try and attract new recruits for the fire department.  We are at a critical low for staffing, with a total of 12 personnel.  We need a minimum of 6 first responders assigned to each station to maintain our homeowner’s insurance rating.  All skill levels are welcome.  Great news, we did hand out 3 applications to join and we’re looking forward to getting those back.  (Hint, hint.)  Please consider volunteering and help make a difference!   

There are so many folks to thank for the picnic who worked behind the scenes and on the front line cleaning, decorating, cooking, serving, shopping, signage, brownie baking, donation boot touting, cleaning-up including running to the dump with the trash, as well as providing donations.   Community members donated an unbelievable amount of $1,637 dollars to the fire department during the event.  The donations will go toward personal protective equipment to keep our men and women safe in the line of duty.  The HPCC received $215.00 dollars in donations for food and supplies.  What a great tribute. The firefighters and I are so grateful to our supportive community.   Thank you for all you do for us!!    

Last but not least, I want to personally thank each of our first responders and their families (they are in this, too) for the dedication they give to us.  Truly amazed by you answering the call anytime in the day or night, providing selfless service for the betterment of our neighbors’ lives and property.  

Volunteers make High Prairie a great community!

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Rebecca Sonniksen

March 2020 the pandemic had begun, when a friend suggested we watch the live stream of the Clark County Public Utilities Osprey Watch. We enjoy birdwatching but this was different. This was an up-close look at a bird we knew only from its “M” shaped wings silhouetted against the sky.  According to audubon.org, the Osprey is a very distinct fish-hawk, formerly classified with other hawks but now in a separate family. It is also known as the sea hawk. 

Below: The Last Screen Shot before the chick died of heat exhaustion.

It was perfect pandemic entertainment and topic of conversation with our friend as we’d check the wellbeing of “our” birds. How’s the nest remodeling going? Or, Did you see that huge stick Dad carried into the nest?  We’d share our observations from our special vantage point above the nest.  We agreed that Dad was into the large scale pieces, as he pivoted around the nest barely missing Mom. Finally satisfied it didn’t matter if it didn’t fit, he’d wedge it on top of the woven limbs and fly off, leaving Mom to rearrange it with a touch of moss and lichen. 

They had three eggs, and overall it was a surprisingly equal partnership. Mom and Dad took turns sitting on the nest and, after the chicks hatched, alternated watching them. Dad was an impressive fish provider, easily two a day, and Mom served it up. We’d fuss about the last born and smallest chick not getting his fair share, but it seemed to work out.  Eventually the fledglings left and all was well. 

So, this year when our friend texted in late March, “I think they’ve returned to the nest,” we tuned in for season two.  Not sure if it was last year’s pair. Could it be an offspring? This couple was certainly more laid back and less adept at nest rebuilding. They had three eggs, but only two hatched. The wait between fish seemed longer, but the chicks were thriving and Mom and Dad were busy.  

During the week of our 110+ degree temperatures,  we got a text from our friend saying, “I think they are taking off.” The fledglings were leaving the nest.  We turned to the webcam to see one chick was gone and we assumed had made the leap. Its sibling, however, was tottering on the edge with his downy wings flapping in the hot wind. 

Mom, scanning the sky and calling for her lost one, extended her majestic wing to wrap the remaining chick close to her, protecting him from the brutal heat. Maybe she was comforting him, It’s okay. Now isn’t a good time to jump out of the nest. Wait with me. That was the last we saw them together. (It’s the picture shown here.)  When we checked back an hour later the webcam was off and the screen was dark. 

The next day an email sent from the Clark Public Utilities, explained, “the resident osprey pair sadly lost their two chicks to the extreme temperatures.” They went on to say, “We know that seeing the reality of nature can be upsetting for some so we’ve turned off the live stream to the public while nature runs its course. ….we are hands-off observers.”

So this makes me wonder, how much do I want to see up close? In a rural environment surrounded by “nature,” it’s hard not to watch and to wonder sometimes how we might be responsible. Sometimes it’s easier to see an animal as a “species,” part of a flock, a herd, not as an individual creature with attachments. 

I think this applies to most of life. The closer we look, the more we care, the harder to dismiss what we might not understand, what might make us sad or uncomfortable . 

Did Osprey mom grieve for the loss of her chicks? I don’t know. Did she shelter her chick under her feathery embrace until he died? They were right to turn off the video. It’s not easy to see the inevitable loss life brings. But, I’m glad I had the chance to witness this winged gesture of beauty and grace. 

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When tomatoes, peppers, melons, and eggplant develop a sunken, rotten spot on the end of the fruit, the cause came long before you found the problem. It’s called blossom end rot, and here is why it happens.

Vegetables need calcium for healthy development. When tomatoes, peppers, melons, and eggplant can’t get enough from the soil, the tissues on the blossom end of the fruit break down. The calcium shortage may be because the soil lacks calcium, or calcium is present but is tied up in the soil chemistry because the pH is too low. Also, drought stress or moisture fluctuations can reduce its uptake into the plant. Another reason is that too much fertilizer causes the plant to grow so fast that the calcium can’t move into the plant quickly enough.

Start by testing the soil. Although most vegetables do well with a soil pH of 6.2 to 6.8, for those with blossom-end the pH should be 6.5 to 6.8 to free more calcium in the soil chemistry. Test results will indicate the amount of lime to add. Even better, lime also contains calcium. Work the lime into the top 12 inches of soil. Use a lime labeled “fast-acting,” which is better than ground limestone unless you have weeks to wait for the lime to react in the soil. If the pH is already correct, the soil test will recommend a different calcium source, such as gypsum.  Also, add crumbled egg shells to your compost or bury them in your garden over time to help maintain the calcium levels.

Fertilize wisely. Use a fertilizer at planting time that contains calcium, such as Miracle-Gro® Shake ‘n Feed® Tomato, Fruit & Vegetable Plant Food. Whichever fertilizer you choose, be sure to follow the directions on the label so you’ll know how much to apply, as it’s important not to over-fertilize. Adding too much nitrogen during early fruiting, especially if the nitrogen is made from ammonia, ties up calcium in the soil chemistry. 

Avoid moisture stress. Use mulch to keep the soil evenly moist. Vegetables need about 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water a week while fruiting. The best way to water tomatoes planted in the ground is with a soaker hose. In hot climates it is especially tricky to keep big tomato plants in pots watered well during the summer. Make sure to water them daily or set them up on a drip system with a timer. 

As a stop-gap measure, spray tomato plants with a calcium solution made for blossom-end rot. Follow label directions. Apply two to three times a week, beginning when the first blooms appear. This is not a long-term fix, but it may salvage your crop until you can take the steps mentioned above. The spray seems to work better on tomatoes than other vegetables.

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