July 26, 2018Jan,While researching for my book on the history of Sierra Valley, I ran across this interesting article from 1862 in which it was recommended to plant hemp as a crop. Dr. Doom, as you may know, was one of the founders of Loyalton and a significant force in Sierra Valley development. With all the current discourse (and apparently some uninformed opinions) over this plant I thought it might be interesting to some folks that it was considered as a viable crop for Sierra Valley way back when (when the climate was cooler). Scott Lawson Blairsden California Farmer and Journal of Useful Sciences: May 30, 1862, Vol.17, No.10: “After a long and pleasant ride of some dozen or fifteen miles up the valley [from H. Tufts Ranch], the evening found us at the ranch of Dr. Doom. This is at the end of settlements, for a space of ten miles. Here we rested, and were kindly cared for. Dr. Doom claims a half section, 50 head of stock, of which 15 milkers, cuts 40 tuns hay, has 10 swine. The Dr. has a large family, eight children. Such farmers can be called real settlers. They people the country; they help to build it up. Old bachelors do live so lonesome! Yet we found lots of them very ready to aid generously in establishing schools, &c. The Dr. has a good bar 40x42, that looks quite farmer-like. In this section wild flax grows well, and it would pay to plant both hemp and flax.†Dear Potential Buyer, Hello, we are Bret and Carlie Sheridan. We live in Loyalton and are members of the Loyalton High School FFA. Bret is 17 years old and will be a senior at Loyalton High. Carlie is 14 years old and will be a sophomore at Loyalton High. We both chose to raise a pig this year for our FFA projects. Carlie's pig is named Colt and Bret's pig is named Jameson. Both pigs are Hampshire/Yorkshire cross and were purchased from Ottenwalter Show Pigs in Colusa, CA. Colt should weigh approximately 260 pounds by fair and Jameson should weigh approximately 275 pounds. Colt and Jameson have been fed Purina Hog Grower/Finisher since bringing them home in mid-April. FFA has proven to be a very educational program for us. It taught us many levels of responsibility. The most important responsibilities we have learned from this project is animal care and financing. The money we raise from our pigs will be put into our college education fund. We invite you to the Plumas Sierra Junior Livestock Auction on August 12, 2018 at Plumas Sierra County Fair in Quincy. The buyers breakfast starts at 7:30 and the Auction at 9 a.m. Loyalton FFA will be providing quality livestock for auction. Thank you and we hope to see you there. Sincerely, Bret & Carlie Sheridan Editor: It is only going to be a matter of time! Have you ever sat in Chilcoot and watched activity in the winter? Snowy, icy roads, traffic nonstop as travelers travel through Chilcoot early hours in the morning. The big rigs being re-routed because I-80 has closed due to heavy snowfall and little visibility. Yet our local little ones/high school age children stand and wait for the school bus to arrive at 7:30 Monday – Friday on Highway 70 and Frenchman Lake Road (284 is what the posted sign states) and departing bus at 3:30 in the afternoon. Have you ever sat in Chilcoot during open season of river fishing? Again our local little ones/high school age children stand and wait for the school bus to arrive at 7:30 a.m. Monday – Friday on the corner of Hwy 70 and Frenchman Lake Road (departing bus at 3:30 in the afternoon). Have you ever sat in Chilcoot in the summer months – Frosty is open, now Goodwins with their BBQ weekends, boaters, campers, and fishermen with our local little ones/high school children out in their yards, driveways, walking to and from the Frosty and or Goodwins. Has anyone noticed a “school bus stop, school bus zone, school bus loading?†I thought you always had to give the pedestrian the right of way. When first moving to Chilcoot, coming in while driving Hwy 70, the speed limit was either 35-45. There are signs of “pedestrian crossing†but the speed limit is now and has been 55 for many years. Why coming into Portola, Quincy and so on, on Hwy 70 you slow down to 45 and then 35? I even noticed on Hwy 70 at C-Road between Portola and Graeagle, there IS a “school bus zone†sign. Going up or coming down Frenchman Lake Road there are NO “pedestrian crossing†signs where most of our children are walking to and from their school bus stop. In the summer months Chilcoot is a very busy place, especially the corner of Hwy 70 and Frenchman Lake Road. You have boaters and campers lining Hwy 70 and Frenchman Lake Road. Full parking lots at the Frosty and Goodwins, pedestrians walking across Hwy 70 and Frenchman Lake Road going to and from Goodwins, and Frosty, while traffic is still traveling at 55 mph on both roads. Yet there are no crosswalks to help these pedestrians get to and from. The locals talk all the time of how quickly the campers, boaters, and fishermen travel up Frenchman Lake Road. They are flat moving, trying to reach the lake before the next person. You see a diesel truck pass a camper as soon as they make the turn off Hwy 70, quads racing up and down the road, dirt bikes going up and down doing wheelies, and just traffic moving way too fast. All it is going to take is a child coming out of their driveway chasing a ball, the woman walking from Goodwins with a baby in her arms going to her vehicle, or hitting an animal getting loose from their yard. Over the years, there have been a couple accidents right next to then Wiggins. In the late 80's, a little boy got hit while riding his bike to Wiggins near the cattleguard. When my girls were in high school, boarding the bus at 7:30 a.m. they witnessed a t-bone collision on Hwy 70 with one vehicle heading to work down Hwy 70, the other vehicle trying to catch the bus. Just this past weekend, coming home from Reno on Sunday midday when all weekend lakers are going home – making a right hand turn off Hwy 70 to Frenchman Lake Road to my home. It was like turning on to a blind road with boaters and campers lining both sides of Frenchman Lake Road from the Frosty to my driveway, which is two past the Frosty. We pretty much had to come to a crawl due to pedestrians crossing the road, vehicles doors are open and vehicles trying to leave the parking lots. Have you noticed the size of the trailers the vehicles pull these days, they are like pulling their homes behind them. Even the boats today are twice the size of vehicles. So you can imagine the congestion at Goodwins, Chilcoot Frosty and Hwy 70 with the traffic still moving at a speed of 55, most 60 mph with pedestrians walking to and from with no “caution signsâ€. I have made a sign, “Slow down, grandkids playing. Thank you,†that I put at the front of my property, so that the speeding vehicle can see as they race up Frenchman Lake Road. Caltrans has moved it twice, placing it in my driveway. You know, I have driven to Big Bear a few times, visiting my daughter. As you drive down Hwy 395 and come to small towns such as Bishop, Big Pine, Lone Pine and so on, the posted speed limits are 45 to 35 and some are 25 mph on 395 going through town. Chilcoot, on Hwy 70 stays at 55 and today they travel at 60 or 65 mph. Teri Palmer Submitted: 07/30/18 Article By: Sierra Booster |