Here is the text of a presentation entitled "The Constance Bay Village Red Oak Forest Festival Presentation" slated to be given by Henry (Hank) Jones at the CBBCA INFO FAIR 2009 on Sunday, February 8, 2009.
Due to time constaints, the presentation became the spiel delivered at the Red Oak Forest Festival Booth at the Fair.
The presentations is about the Red Oak Forest Festival idea proposed for the Village.
Here is the story:
Who I am
My name is Henry Jones
My friends call me Hank
So, I hope you all will call me Hank, too
I live on Allbirch Road across from the Legion
Why I now live in the Bay
Many years ago my oldest and dearest friend, Darryl Dowler Abbinett, now deceased (whom I deeply miss), told me that the red oak forest of Constance Bay was unique amongst the villages of Canada
No other village had anything like it, he said.
My life long hobby has been promoting tree nut growing in Canada
Red oak acorns are tree nuts, he sagely reminded me
'Hie thee to Constance Bay' and make sure they do not lose their unique red oak forest!
So here I am, doing what he wisely said!
Why I am here today at CBBCA AGM 2009
This year's AGM 2009 has an INFO FAIR, at the back of the room
I wanted to tell you about the red oak forest festival idea, so I put up my Red Oak Forest Festival exhibit in the INFO FAIR
I hope you can find a minute or two to look it over, and talk about how we can keep our red oak forest
The beach outlines the Bay, yes, but the red oak forest is its heart
Every one of us in the village is touched directly by our red oak forest
The red oak forest provides a summer forest canopy for all our homes
It buffers winter's high winds that might otherwise steal the sand
Its roots lock the sand in place so it doesn't wash away
Every big oak pumps an olympic swimming pool's worth of water each year
This transpired water evaporating from the leaves cools equal to a 5000 BTU air conditioner
It keeps our rising the water table down, so our septic systems don't flood
It sequesters carbon dioxide from the air
It makes wood, leaves and acorns, all of high value to us.
What about the red oak leaves
The leaves of our unique red oak forest can be used to make wine
The young spring leaves make one kind of wine and the summer leaves make another
It doesn't take many leaves to keep your wine cellar well stocked.
You can only buy oakleaf wine in Scotland, as far as I know!
Also, many insects make many kinds of beautful galls on oak leaves
The galls make a very good, durable ink: oak gall ink
The American Constitution is written in oakleaf gall ink
When the leaves fall, they make good compost
Cornell University folks say oakleaves make perfectly good compost, contrary to popular belief.
What about the red oak acorns
The red oak forest makes acorns, as we all know
Probably tons most years and many many tons in masting years
Red oak acorns are great to eat and very healthful!
Its a bit of work to ready them, but they are worth it
Come see me and I can tell you how.
What about this fall acorn harvest Red Oak Forest Festival idea?
The purpose for the festival is make sure everyone knows about the importance of our red oak forest, specially our newcomers to the village
The goal of the festival is to see the forest preserved and have lots and lots of fun doing it.
The festival could have a parade, many contests, games, activities and much more, something for each and everyone us in the village, all about red oaks
Some activities might go year-round, some at acorn harvest and some only at the festival itself
The festival would help us learn about our red oak forest and how to keep it forever healthy.
Come see me and I can tell you much more about the exciting red oak forest festival idea!
There you have, in a nutshell!
Canada Nutculture Association, Ottawa, Canada: "Progress through Research & Development"
The Red Oak Forest Festival Presentation
What the red oak forest does for all of us