Extension

My wife, Carole, and I enjoy walking in the woods on her mom and dad’s farm. On our walks, you will usually find me with camera in hand taking pictures of wildflowers or butterflies, depending on the season, or just anything that might interest me.

If you also enjoy our native woodland wildflowers, you had better hurry! The unseasonably warm weather and recent rains this past week have brought about a flurry of early bloom. The bloom time for many of our native wildflowers is only about a week or two at most.

Kentuckians have lost a lot as a result of the March 2 tornadoes. As those hit the hardest begin to piece together their lives and rebuild, they should be on the lookout for those who may want to prey on their misfortune. Many times, after an area has been hit by a natural disaster, it will see an influx of scam artists and fly-by-night contractors.

Septic systems are used in Kentucky where municipal sewage treatment is not available. They are an effective, long-standing method of collecting, treating and disposing of homeowner wastewater, provided they are properly sited and installed. However, a well-sited, properly sized and installed system will fail if not properly maintained. A failed septic system creates problems such as noxious odors, lower property values, surface water contamination and groundwater pollution and may be a health hazard. Repair and replacement costs are considerable.