Prepper's Web

FAYETTEVILLE — Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell was eager to make up for a mistake made.

On Tuesday, looking back at the Bearcats’ matchup against No. 1 Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal last December, Fickell admitted that he did not do an adequate job preparing his team for the atmosphere they would walk into in Dallas.

Cincinnati fell 27-6 to the Crimson Tide and totaled only 218 yards of offense.

In the last couple of weeks, his players have gained an understanding of the environment that awaits them Saturday in Reynolds Razorback Stadium. A large and lively crowd is expected for Arkansas’ first ranked-versus-ranked matchup to open a season since 1980.

“We started probably last week really kind of talking about the environment, talking about the atmosphere, making sure we’re aware of what it’s going to be like,” Fickell said. “I can’t exactly tell them, because I’ve never been there.

“I’ve heard and talked to a lot of other people. But it’s one of those things that’s hard to prepare for.”

Fickell is of the belief that the two teams, which place a priority on toughness and physicality across the board but especially in the trenches, are in for a tough and nasty game.

He anticipates the energy in the stadium to match the hard-hitting nature of the play on the field.

“I think they pride themselves in things like that. We pride ourselves in things like that,” Fickell said. “In Week 1 you’re always trying to figure out who you exactly are, and I think it’s going to be like that. We’ve prepared ourselves for that. That’s what the expectation is.

“If something would change, then obviously you’ve got to adapt and adjust. But if there’s anything I think we’ve got a pretty good idea of, I would imagine it’s going to be the type of physical game that it’s going to be.”

Fickell added that he is attempting to strike a balance in practices this week between plugging in music and crowd noise and ensuring quality reps for a younger team. With so much to prepare for in terms of schematics ahead of a game, the atmosphere can become almost secondary, he said.

But the Bearcats are covering their bases there, too.

“What the environment and atmosphere comes down to is your emotions,” Fickell said. “But it’s not like you’re going to trigger those kinds of motions in a practice based on the environment.”

Fickell’s teams have won eight consecutive road games, including at Indiana and No. 9 Notre Dame last season. Cincinnati is 5-0 in season openers under Fickell and 6-9 against ranked opponents.

“That’s one of those steps for me, even when I came here,” Fickell said, “is wanting these guys to experience the environments like we’re going to play in on Saturday, but also the environments of what a college campus feels like when there’s a buzz, what a community feels like when there’s a buzz.

“I’d remind them again: to much is given, much more is expected.”

Some really big pumpkins are being prepared for entry into this year’s Topsfield Fair Giant Pumpkin Competition. One local gourd grower has quite the track record — despite his age. “Right now, it’s estimated at 1,020 pounds,” said Henry Swenson. At just 20, Swenson has a passion for pumpkins.”During my days off, I’m out here usually 10 hours a day,” Swenson said of the pumpkin patch. Growing up in Topsfield, attending the annual fall fair was part of his childhood.Early on he knew he wanted in on the giant pumpkin growing competition.“I went into the arena, into the weigh off, and I saw how big the pumpkins were and I immediately knew I wanted to grow one,” he said. His current gourd is growing 10 pounds a day. It’s slowed a bit from its peak of 35 pounds a day.Although disease and mother nature has worked against him this summer, he’s not deterred from toiling in the soil.“It’s been tough. It’s definitely been tough, so dry that the leaves burn a little more than what they should. It’s been tough to keep the soil moist,” he said of the summer drought.Over the years, Swenson has had a few whoppers. His 65-pound butternut squash is a Guinness World Record holder. He’s growing a second pumpkin for a Vermont competition.“You need to get the right seed, the right soil, right weather. It’s a lot of prep,” he said. Swenson said he actually likes to name his giant pumpkins, but because it’s still growing, the Topsfield one doesn’t have a name yet. He said he’ll have one when the fair opens up Sept. 30.

“Platoon” was shot in the Philippines, where the production was threatened by political revolution. The actors were a long way from home, and though Dafoe and Berenger later received dual Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor — and they had men answering to them like real sergeants on the “Platoon” set — they were not immune to the hardships of the jungle. John C. McGinley, who played their fellow sergeant, O’Neill, told The Guardian:

“Willem drank water from a river when there was a decomposing oxen downstream and he got medivacked, Tom dropped a knife in his f****** foot – it was just all getting terribly real. And there were snakes. Two weeks earlier, we were running around New York’s West Village having coffee, bagels and talking about ‘Hamlet.’ Now we’re in the jungle with bamboo vipers.”

One can only imagine the insurance nightmare that a movie like “Platoon” might have caused, but at least Dafoe had the medevac there and was able to get to the choppa in time, unlike his doomed character, Sergeant Elias.

“Platoon” certainly isn’t the last time we would hear stories of actors running into trouble in the jungle while shooting Vietnam War scenes. Mykelti Williamson, for instance, was also a snake magnet on the set of “Forrest Gump.” However, when the closing credits roll on “Platoon,” and the words, “Dedicated to the men who fought and died in the Vietnam War” come up — and you see each actor’s face onscreen along with his name — it’s clear that Stone, a real Vietnam veteran, had them running around in the jungle in service of an authentic vision of a band of brothers.

Sewickley Public Library is at 500 Thorn Street. It is open seven days a week. For a complete list of library programs, visit sewickleylibrary.org.

Fall book sale

The Friends of the Sewickley Public Library host the annual Fall Book Sale Sept. 9-11. Shop gently used books, children’s books, movies, music & more.

The sale hours are 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sept. 9, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sept. 10 and 1-3:30 p.m. Sept. 11. On Sunday, the Friends offer Bag Day, where shoppers may fill provided bags with any combination of books, DVDs or CDs for $5. All proceeds from the sale benefit the library.

The Friends are still accepting donations of gently used fiction, non-fiction and children’s titles, as well as DVDs and CDs to add to the sale. All donations must be in good condition and free of mold, mildew, strong odors and water damage. No textbooks, encyclopedias or magazines. For additional information regarding donations or the book sales, contact the library at 412-741-6920.

Tea & Inspiration

All are invited to share a cup and conversation at the newly revived “Tea and Inspiration” program held at the Sewickley Public Library. The program welcomes friends and neighbors to gather to read, reflect and have elevated conversations based on uplifting quotations gleaned from the world’s Scriptures and other wise sources. A different theme will be explored each month.

Sewickley neighbors, Sharon Eakes, Grace Williams and Judith Washington, who coordinate the program, hope to inspire uplifting thought and reflection with the return of Tea and Inspiration, which took a hiatus due to the pandemic. Participants are welcome to contribute their reading and reflection or bring a quotation to add to the discussion, if they choose.

“Tea and Inspiration” will be held on the first Thursday of each month from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Conference Room on the first floor of the library. No registration is required.

Upcoming monthly themes include:

Sept. 1: Oneness of humanity

Oct. 6: The human spirit

Nov. 3: Art and inspiration

Dec. 1: Social justice

For more information, visit sewickleylibrary.org or call 412-741-6920.

If you want a fall garden, now is the time to act. Seedlings take a longer time to mature as daylight recedes. Waiting until September to tuck broccoli, kale or collard seeds into the soil won’t give the small plants enough time to germinate, mature and produce before freezing temperatures and long, dark nights. But seeding cold-tolerant plants in August comes with its own set of challenges. Here are a few tips to make your fall gardening easier.

If you don’t have the time to worry about shade or daily water for germinating seeds, buy seedlings. Hey man, life is busy. August’s sweltering mix of heat and humidity, along with school returning, means there’s plenty to distract you from the garden. Several area growers hold fall sales in September. They’ve already done the hard work of getting the seeds to germinate in 90-plus degrees. All you’ll have to do is purchase, plant in the ground and water normally. 

If you want to eke out the last bits of garden produce and then hang up your garden trowel for the fall and winter, focus on root veggies and sturdy leafy greens. Most radishes mature in approximately 30 days. You could have several harvests before the frosts come. My favorite heat-tolerant variety is Cherry Belle. Kale also matures quickly (60 days) and transitions between steamy summer and cooler autumn. It adds heft to summery salads, as well as green, earthy flavors to sturdy warm soups. Kale plants likely will last through the first few minor frosts, even without protection. I prefer Rainbow Kale to other varieties. Other local farmers grow a whole slew of kinds, so feel free to experiment. 

If you love summer produce and don’t mind taking a risk, resow your summer seeds for a fall succession. There is a chance this could fail. Disease and insect pressure mount in August for summer favorites like tomatoes and cucumbers. Frosts could come early and kill most of your work. That being said, if you can get your plants through the tough month ahead, you could be the only one on your block with cucumbers at the beginning of October. I did this last year, and it worked pretty well. Admittedly, pin worms infested many of my fall cukes, but those went to the chickens who loved the surprise inside. I ate—and sold—the rest. Pick varieties bred to tolerate late blight disease. Dragon Suyo Cross worked well for me last fall, but any cuke with thicker skin might stand a chance. Mountain Magic tomatoes and many of their cross bred cousins tolerate late blight to some degree. 

If traditional fall veggies are your favorites to cook, try planting fall-specific varieties. Some veggies don’t care what season it is. Kale plants, for example, survive all but the coldest and hottest days in Northeast Georgia. Other fall favorites, like broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts and lettuce, grow better if they’re bred to handle the slowly darkening hours and cooler weather. I’ve tried growing fall broccoli in the spring and spring broccoli in the fall, and it doesn’t work—at least, not for me. I often try to stretch the harvest season, like growing cucumbers in October. Some plants don’t have that flexibility.

If you’re worried about a warm winter of climate change sending your sweet fall seedlings into a bolt-a-thon before you can eat them, pick varieties designed for the deep South. Veggies such as radishes, collards, lettuce and bok choy will bolt during an unseasonable warm patch. The plant sends up a stalk and produces little flowers, inviting pollinators to aid the plant in seed production. Most bolted vegetable plants become bitter and/or tough in the leaves and lower stalk. The cues for bolting change from plant to plant, but temperature can be a key ingredient. Purchase seed specifically bred for the South to avoid veggie bolts. I grew five varieties of bok choy before I found Prize Choi, an Asian green that can handle warm weather. I usually gravitate toward seed companies based in the Southeast because they have a better understanding of what will grow in Georgia’s climate than companies based in the Northeast or Midwest.

If fall gardening isn’t your thing, plant a cover crop. Cover crops prevent erosion during fall and winter storms, can look better than covering the space with a tarp, and help restore nutrients. They prevent weeds from taking over your garden, and help with compacted soil. Cover crops take care of themselves after getting established, so there isn’t much to worry about after germination. I’ve grown rye grass, vetch for nitrogen-fixation and weed suppression, and daikon radishes to punch holes and loosen compacted clay soil. I plan on experimenting with clover next.

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WHEELERSBURG, Oh. (WSAZ) – It’s officially game week for high school football teams in Kentucky and Ohio and there’s no shortage of massive rivalry games. In Wheelersburg, the Pirates are getting ready for their annual rivalry game with the Ironton Fighting Tigers. Last season, the ‘Burg lost to them in the regular season but got a bit of revenge in the post-season when they won 17-14.

This upcoming game marks the first time Ironton has played at Ed Miller Stadium since 2018 as their game in 2020 was affected by COVID.

Here’s more from head Coach Rob Woodward and quarterback Eli Jones.

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