The Weblog
The local foods movement is alive and well in Champaign County! Here are some updates on other projects while we finalize our virtual market:
Local Producers Map:
Our local producers map is ready for publication and you will soon be able to find it on gochampaign.com. Copies will be distributed around the community, in the local telephone book, and other “hangouts”. The guide lists the location and contact information for nearly 50 local producers within our county. The map was a project of the Local Food Council and printed with the help of some local sponsors including the Monument Square District, Champaign Bank, the Community Improvement Corporation, the Chamber of Commerce, the Farm Bureau and others. It is a great start to finding a local source for Champaign County’s finest!
Bat Box Information!
As noted on the website of Bat Conservation International, bats are: important, threatened, misunderstood, and everywhere in the world. In this area, the most common species are known as the little brown bat and the big brown bat. Their importance lies in their consumption of flying insects like the mosquito, and their pollination of fruit trees. And they are fascinating creatures as well, being the only mammals capable of sustained flight. We don’t want them in our houses or attics, so give them homes of their own by putting up bat boxes.
The bat boxes sold by Oberly Bros Farm on the Virtual Market are constructed of Western Cedar, and based on a design recommended by the Ohio Division of Wildlife. One side a cedar board is rough (unsanded), and that side faces inward to provide a surface on which bats can easily cling, and cedar excels for outdoor weather-ability. To provide a dark exterior color for heat absorption, and even better outdoor longevity, the exterior surfaces of our bat boxes are coated with a rubber-based black spray sealant. A picture of a mounted bat box is featured on the Virtual Market website.
The bat boxes hang easily on utility poles or on the side of a building. According to the Division of Wildlife, bat boxes should be mounted 12-15 feet above ground where they will receive at least morning sun. The following links contain useful background and information.
https://www.ohiowildlifecenter.org/help-wildlife/found-an-animal/helping-wildlife-bats/
http://www.batcon.org/why-bats/bats-are/bats-are-important