The nonprofit e-newspaper for the Talbot County Community
The Eastern Shore seemed to have escaped the worst of a major Coastal Flood storm last Friday but even this moderate incident can demonstrate the the impact of rising sea levels.
One of our Spies filed this short video report.
This video is approximately one minute in length.
A spy was able to share a photo of Governor Larry Hogan visiting the mural to commemorate Frederick Douglass in Easton.
The mural, painted by world-renowned muralist Michael Rosato of Cambridge, Maryland, features a timeline of the life of Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey Douglass and his wife, Anna Murray Douglass. Painted on panels, the work chronicles the factors that shaped Douglass as a man and advocate for human rights, highlighting his emphasis on education, and his work in a shipyard and The North Star newspaper. It also focuses on the family’s proud history of military service and illustrates Douglass’ lasting contributions to the progression of African Americans from slavery to the White House.
It can be viewed on the Easton Rails Trail at 505 South Street in Easton.
Attendees line up for a look inside a Maryland National Guard A-10
The weather cooperated for this year’s Easton Airport Day, an annual aviation showcase featuring historic aircraft, information on careers in aviation, and the famous rubber chicken drop. Hundreds of people come to see modern and vintage aircraft and to learn about flying.
The most interesting aircraft on display was a C-47 Skytrain that dropped paratroopers in Normandy, France, as part of the D-Day invasion in 1944. The airplane is the military version of a DC-3.
C-47 Skytrain at Easton
The C-47 is now owned by a foundation. It regularly flies to airshows and aviation museums.
Visitors were not permitted to get into the aircraft, but a side door was open. Inside was a box of rubber chickens that were dropped from the plane later in the day as part of the festivities.
The rubber chicken drop is a competition where airplanes attempt to hit a pickup truck by dropping the chickens as they fly over. You might call it a “chicken bombing.”
If you attend airshows, you have probably seen a Yakovlev-Yak-52, an aerobatic Russian training aircraft first flown in the 1970s. Several were at the airport, including one looking like a fresh arrival from the Soviet Union.
Later in the day, the airplane flew as part of a large formation over the airport.
The cockpit of one of the Yaks was open to permit visitors to view the controls.
Parked near the Russians was a Douglas Dauntless, a World War II Navy fighter. The plane was launched from aircraft carriers and saw combat, including at the battles of Midway and Coral Sea.
Dauntless
Only a few of these aircraft remain in flying condition today. I was fortunate to see this one.
Attracting surprisingly limited attention at the show was a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. The supersonic interceptor first flew for the U.S. Air Force in 1958 for many years for NATO allies.
Because of its stubby wings and quirky handling characteristics, it was known as “the widow maker” in Germany. Germany lost 116 pilots in accidents involving the plane.
Easton’s F-104
The F-104 is on permanent display at the airport but is usually behind a chain link fence. Airport Day provided my first opportunity to see the plane up close. It is unfortunately exposed to the weather. It needs renovation and is not in flying condition. The red material in the engine intake is to prevent birds and other critters from nesting inside.
My time at Airport Day was limited, so we missed seeing the mass formation and the chicken drop.
We did see two aircraft fly. The first was a Civil Air Patrol plane that passed low over the field.
The second was a drone filming the event from a hover above the crowd.
Airport Day 2021 was a huge success. I plan to attend next year.
It’s one thing to say that restaurants are getting creative during this era of COVID, but it’s another to see a great example of this phenomenon. So when the Spy took note of the news that Out of the Fire was going to offer an online market of foods from their kitchen or found locally, it was a welcome sight indeed.
Devoted OOTF fans (of which there are many) throughout the Mid-Shore can now order the famed breads (including pizza dough), deserts, and signature hot sauces and jams. For egg lovers, Out of the Fire is also offering local duck and chicken eggs from Caroline County’s Duck Farm. And while local eggs are a treasure in themselves, the OOTF style even extends to the festival cartons they come in.
For additional information on the Out of the Fire Market, please go here.
While there has been a serious public debate on what monuments should be allowed to reside on the Talbot County Courthouse lawn, a few new ones were added recently. Thanks to VFW Post 5118, led by Agnes Blades and Nancy Gooding, the veterans of World War I, World War II, and the Korean War are now honored for their service with three new monuments.
Nice going VFW!
Well, actually, dirt (nutrients), water, and sunlight, which are the three main ingredients to a happy plant.
With many of us working or on self-quarantine at home, this is a perfect opportunity to spend some time outdoors and help to ensure that with just a little effort, you will have a beautiful garden.
Nutrients
Start by knowing your soil’s nutrient levels. We usually take a sample of a garden’s soil to the Maryland Agricultural Extension Office on Mary’s Court in Easton ($10/soil sample). However, since their offices are closed, they recommend sending it directly to the Agro Lab—(302) 566-6094. The results will be emailed to you approximately ten days later. Once you have it, call the MD Extension Agent (410-822-1244), and they will suggest ways to amend the soil.
Here is an informative 3-minute video from the Univ. of Illinois on how to take a sample.
One thing you know already, or you’ll discover if you test your soil is that the Eastern Shore area is generally subjected to poorly drained clay soil. Fortunately, there are simple ways to improve it.
* Compost your yard waste and kitchen scraps. A compost bin is easy to start and provides natural soil conditioners that improve soil structure.
* Don’t rake/remove your lawn’s autumn leaves. By mowing them into small pieces, they will easily disintegrate over the course of the winter.
* Use commercially available compost material, such as
Leafgro is a very light organic source of humus (composted leaves and grass clippings) produced by the Maryland Environmental Service. I use it extensively in my landscape business when planting trees, adding new plants to gardens, starting a new lawn, or new flower or shrub beds.
For planting: Dig the plant’s hole twice the size and only as deep as the root ball or flower pot. Mix equal parts of Leafgro with the existing soil. Place 2” of this mix in the bottom of the hole, place the plant, so it is 2” above ground. Add the mix around the plant, lightly tamp, and water thoroughly.
For new lawns: Spread at least 2” evenly and mix or rototill to a depth of 4-6,” rake smooth, add seed or sod.
For new flower or shrub beds: Use about eight bags per 100 square feet of the garden. Mix to a depth of 4-6.”
In Talbot County, eight garden stores sell Leafgro in either bags or bulk: Bridges Land Management (bags and bulk) (410) 820-4784, Bryan & Sons 410 819-3001, Dobson Lawn & Garden, Inc. (bulk only) (410) 745-6935, Garden Treasures (bags) (410) 822-1604, George’s Green Thumb (bulk) (410) 822-9255, Robin’s Nest (bags) (410) 822-8700, The Village Shoppe (bags) (410) 745-9300, and Yard Works Plus (bulk) (410) 820-6414.
Water
One inch of rainwater a week is ideal, but you can’t rely on the weather. I give my clients two items to ensure the health of their plants and vegetables and recommend that you use these as well:
* A simple rain gauge, (around $10.00) to ensure your plants are getting 1” of rainwater weekly
* A soil moisture probe, (around $10.00) inserted 6” into the plant’s roots to see if they are dry or wet
Water the soil around the base of the plant, not the plant leaves, in the early morning, If the soil is particularly dry, re-water immediately. But be careful not to overwater if you have clay soil since it retains moisture and drains poorly. Use your moisture probe to check to measure. For my house, I have very sandy soil, so the water washes right through. Chances are the nutrients will also wash right through, so I add additional fertilizer during the growing season.
Sunlight
How much sunlight is enough? Vegetables need 6-8 hours of full, direct, hot sun. Take note of your garden’s sun exposure. Is it in full sun? Partial shade (brief, direct morning or afternoon sun) or dappled sun from mature trees? or Full shade? Read the new plant’s label to determine which plants will go where.
‘Right plant, right place’ is the mantra of an educated homeowner and landscape designer. Next month I hope to help you with this concept for your house foundation plantings. Leave a comment below if you have any questions about your soil, plants, watering, etc. or email me directly at meredithwatters@gmail.com.
Meredith Watters, Watterscape Designs, received her Masters in Landscape Architecture in 1985. In her consulting and design of residential landscapes, she maintains a strong focus on ecologically sensitive and creative outdoor solutions.
Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Talbot Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here
We don’t yet know the extent of COVID-19 and how it will affect us here in Talbot County. But, we were curious if local businesses are changing the way they’ve done things.
Whether you’re self-isolating, on quarantine, or too stressed to cook, we surveyed local restaurants about changes to their delivery options.
One of the exceptions, and the reason for this roundup of responses, was prompted by Eat Sprout’s email/posting from this morning: “Beginning immediately Sprout is offering free delivery to your door in Talbot County.” When questioned further, owner Ryan Groll said, “Whatever we can do to help the community. We can deliver anything from our café: bread, meals, soups, wraps, snacks, drinks, etc.” Eat Sprout can be reached by calling: (443) 223-0642.
Another change is being made by The BBQ Joint ((410) 690-3641), which said that although they didn’t deliver, they will be offering curbside pick-up service for at least the next week. A request should be made when the order is placed. Victory Garden Cafe is offering curb side pick up and free delivery to Easton. They will also deliver to Oxford with a $50.00 food order: 410.690.7356.
Coffee Trappe 410-476-6164 and Momma Maria’s in Trappe. 410-476-6266 will take your phone order with curbside pick up.
The Bagery 410-690-4188 or online offers curbside pickup.
The Galley in St. Michaels offers free delivery in St. Michaels and within a five-mile surrounding area. Latitude 38 will deliver in Oxford for a $5.00 fee.
Other services, such as Blue Heron Catering, provides catering and personal chef services. Beat the Rush Delivery offers to deliver food from groceries, farmers’ markets, or local eateries. They have special fees for seniors or those on subsidized income.
Potbelly is offering free delivery through March 29th via its app, Potbelly.com, GrubHub, and DoorDash. (Plus all orders are securely packaged with tamper-evident stickers).
Many restaurants, such as Headwaters Seafood and Grille, and Snifters, use DoorDash for their deliveries. Delivery fees vary.
In neighbors helping neighbors, 4 Sisters Food Truck have announced that they are offering a free platter to anyone in need in our community. They are located at 600 Dover Road in Easton They will also deliver free to the immediate Easton area and charges $5.00 for delivery to Trapp, Preston, St. Michaels, and Oxford.
Also, Bombay Tadka (443-515-0853), both in Easton and Cambridge, are offering free delivery to the immediate area and instituting a “Good Karma Special.” For every two entrees purchased they will will give one to a neighbors in need. Additional “Good Karma Specials” may be added to your order for $10.00.
The Amish Market in Easton will be open this week (March 19-21, 2020), however the dining area will not be open.
This list will, more than likely change, as the days and weeks pass, and new restrictions are either imposed or lifted. One thing is probably certain in this time of uncertainty, businesses will need to redefine ‘business as usual.’
With record-breaking warmth, signs of Spring are everywhere from buds on shade trees to flowering quince and camellias. Since Talbot County’s average final frost date is the end of April, here are some ways to guard against the inevitable return of the extreme cold of February/March.
In my yard, I have two such areas that have varying climatic conditions: An exposed north-facing garden bed blasted by cold winter wind and an alcove nook with no wind and only morning sun. These two microclimates can vary by ten ambient degrees. Selecting the correct plants for both scenarios is essential.
While the soil is damp and not frozen, there are a couple of things you can do to help prepare for a successful garden. First, dig out those pesky weeds. There is no reason to wait since they will only get bigger and more difficult to remove. Second, prune, prune, prune. Yes, you can do some pruning at this time of year!
Here are some pruning do’s and don’ts:
Refer to the following plant lists for the monthly recommended pruning schedule:
Pruning shrubs
Pruning deciduous trees
Pruning evergreen trees
You can also watch the proper way to prune shrubs here.
Meredith Watters, Watterscape Designs, received her Masters in Landscape Architecture in 1985. In her consulting and design of residential landscapes, she maintains a strong focus on ecologically sensitive and creative outdoor solutions.
Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Talbot Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here
One of the most anticipated happenings in Easton in the past few months is the opening of Bombay Tadka Restaurant. Currently, Bombay Tadka is enjoying success with its Cambridge location on Race Street thanks in part to the innovative ideas of owner, Rohit Shinde. In August, the restaurant held an Indian Street Food Festival to a sold-out and appreciative crowd. Shinde plans to explore various ways to introduce the Eastern Shore to new and delicious food choices through events and specials in Easton, as well. As he says in the interview, “Easton has people with different taste buds.”
Meanwhile, fans of the Cambridge location will find almost the same menu in Easton, although Shinde will be adding some Southern Indian cooking, which includes a stronger focus on vegetables and seafood over the Northern Indian attention to meat and dairy. Future plans also include opening the restaurant as a breakfast destination.
A departure from Cambridge will be the daily buffet that the Easton location plans to feature. Shinde says this will allow him to serve those in the surrounding area who don’t have a lot to time for lunch and will also let new fans taste a variety of dishes. He looks forward to giving recommendations to customers who are interested in mild flavors and those wanting a spicier version of a menu item.
Bombay Tadka will be open from 11 to 9 pm. They are located at 508 Idlewild Ave.
Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Talbot Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here
