The Farm

ALLIGATOR SAFETY TIPS  Closely supervise children when they are playing in or around water. Never allow small children to play alone near water.  Leave alligators alone. State law prohibits killing, harassing or possession of alligators.  Never feed or entice alligators-it is dangerous and illegal. When fed, alligators overcome their natural wariness and learn to associate people with food.  Inform others that feeding alligators is illegal and creates problems for others who want to use the water for recreational purposes.  Be aware of the possibility of alligator attacks when in or near fresh or brackish water bodies. Attacks could occur when people do not pay close enough attention to their surroundings.  Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.  Dispose of fish scraps in garbage cans at boat ramps or fish camps. Do not throw them in the water. Although you are not intentionally feeding alligators when you this, the end result can be the same as feeding.  Do not allow pets to swim, exercise or drink in waters that may contain alligators or in designated swimming areas with humans. Dogs are more susceptible to being attacked than humans because dogs resemble the natural prey of alligators.  Never remove an alligator from its natural habitat or accept one as a pet. It is illegal and very dangerous to do so. Alligators cannot become tame in captivity, and handling even small ones can result in injury.  Observe and photograph alligators only from a distance. Remember they are an important part of South Carolina’s natural history as well as an integral component of freshwater ecosystems.  Seek immediate medical attention if bitten by an alligator. Alligator bites often result in serious infections.

The Farm

Reasons to Pick Up Dog waste contaminates the ground and becomes a means of passing intestinal parasites and infections to dogs and people. Your own dog can be repeatedly reinfested by parasites in this way. Picking up the feces prevents a great deal of the contamination, especially if diarrhea is not involved. Cleanup can reduce veterinary expenses and might even save on human doctor bills. Because of contamination as well as smell and mess, dog waste is highly offensive to many people in the community. It often becomes a reason to ban dogs from areas. Of course the dogs can't clean up after themselves, so this is a people problem rather than a dog problem. It's easy to enact "no dogs allowed" rules, and then the people who clean up suffer right along with the ones who don't. If happiness for you is being able to have your dog live with you in your association, be conscientious about cleaning up. Dog waste damages landscaping, offends other owners, and costs money to your association. It pays to not only clean up after your own dog, but others, too, whenever the poop is especially conspicuous. Neighborhood disputes over dog poop can escalate into real misery. In some localities it is illegal to allow your dog to relieve on someone else's property unless you have that person's permission. The very existence of such laws is an indication of how seriously people take the cleanup issue! If you've ever tried to have a pleasant outdoor meal next door to a yard contaminated with foul-smelling dog feces, you have some idea of how quality of life can be affected by cleanup neglect. If you've found your lawn mower stinking up the tool shed because of dog feces on the mower blades after mowing your own yard where someone else's dog deposited poop, you surely weren't pleased. Keeping the yard clean keeps the dog cleaner, since the dog won't be stepping or playing in the mess on relief trips outside. A clean yard also gives both people and dogs a lot more exercise space. Ways and Means Various tools are available for picking up dog waste. Some people use a shovel, and may bury the waste in the yard. If you want to dispose of the waste outdoors, a septic or other sewage disposal system may do a better job of handling potentially infectious material. Scooper tools can make the job easier. These are usually lighter in weight than a shovel and more customized for the pickup task. You can tote along a bucket or bag to save steps. A simple plastic bag slipped over your hand like a glove makes an efficient and completely clean pickup tool. A latex glove is also useful. A wide variety of bags will work, making this one way to recycle. Simply pick up the poop, turn the bag inside out to enclose it, tie the top, and deposit it in a legal container. This system works well on outings as well as at home. If bending is difficult for you, a long-handled scooper tool may be your better choice. Some of these are designed to work with disposable bags. There are quite a few different tools designed for picking up poop. The association has doggie stations located throughout the community. Take advantage of these! Good Habits You can make pickup easier with how you manage your dog. Though you need to always be ready to pick up on outings and walks, many dogs will learn to relieve themselves at home before and after walks if consistently given the chance. That saves you having to carry it home. Keeping the elimination to certain areas can help the dog be more social on outings, too. Some dogs will defend territory they have marked by urinating and defecating. Getting your dog to do this at home instead of on your walk can have a positive effect on the dog's attitude toward other dogs and people on walks. If your outings are long and the dog needs to eliminate before you get back home, you may be able to teach your dog to eliminate on cue. Dogs vary in how their bodies work for elimination. Some will be so stimulated by exercise that they simply must move their bowels on every walk. This is just the way they are made, not a training issue. Be Proud There's no place so isolated that you can be sure dog poop would not put some animal at risk of catching something from your dog, or some person or animal at risk of stepping in the mess. Picking up is just part of having a dog. If everyone would do it, there would be far fewer objections to dogs living and traveling in human communities. Be proud to be seen picking up dog poop. It may seem silly at first, but people who see you do this will know any mess left behind is NOT from your dog. Picking up shows pride in your community, in yourself, and in your dog. You set a great example for others, and you help create a brighter future for dogs and their people. CLEANING UP DOG POOP IF YOU WALK YOUR DOG, REMEMBER YOU MAY BE ON CANDID CAMERA! This is lovely dog walking weather. Everyone is grateful for the good neighbors who carry a disposal bag or container and pick up the poop their pet puts out. For those who may have forgotten, it is against the law NOT to pick up your pet’s poop. If someone identifies you and sends a picture to Animal Control of you watching your pet pooping on someone else’s property, you could be cited and not picking up the poop could affect your pocket or pocketbook (this could be quite expensive). With the growing number of surveillance cameras and phones with cameras, it is increasingly likely your picture could be taken in such embarrassing circumstances. Be a good neighbor, tuck a bag in your pocket for poop pick-up, don’t get yourself cited and help keep our city clean. THE LAST BAG If you have just used your last bag and your dear dog decides to poop again, try knocking on the neighbor’s door and asking if they have a poop bag you could use, because you just used your last one. Some neighbors would prefer to help you instead of finding poop on their lawn.

The Farm at Wescott

Spend a Wonderful Easter Afternoon With
Music, Shopping, Dining and Fun at 2nd Sunday on King Street



Gary Erwin of Shrimp City Slim fame and one of the best blues musicians around will grace 2nd Sunday along with Austin Fitzhenry, The Honeybees, South Carolina Broadcasters, Dan Mackey, Bianca & Page and Peter Kiral of Charleston Virtuosi.

Ken Burger will be on hand at the 2nd Sunday Info Tent at Wentworth to talk Charleston and sign copies of his latest book, Baptized in Sweet Tea.

Our favorite 2nd Sunday alfresco restaurants Il Cortile del Re, Old Towne Grill and Seafood, Mellow Mushroom, Muse, Verde, Chucktown Tavern, Caviar & Bananas and Leaf Cafe + Bar will be open.

Don't forget Upper King Street! Halls Chophouse, Closed for Business, The Macintosh, Barsa Tapas + Lounge + Bar and The Swamp Fox are open for your Easter morning Eggs Benedict. Upper King will be the site for special dinner offerings from all the above plus Juanita Greenberg's, Monza, O-Ku and Taco Boy. Park at the Visitor's Center Garage, Hutson Street or the Francis Marion parking decks, and walk to 2nd Sunday.

Food, music, shopping, fun. Join us at 2nd Sunday, won't you? 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, Sunday, April 8, Queen Street to Calhoun. Come to the Information Tent for your free parking vouchers, good in most City Garages downtown, or download them online after Wednesday, April 4. Learn more at www.2ndsundayonkingstreet.com.

Special thanks to 2nd Sunday Sponsor, the 40th Annual FAMILY CIRCLE CUP. The Family Circle Cup is the largest women's only tennis tournament in the world, and off to a great start with Serena Williams scheduled to play Tuesday Night April 3rd!

First serve is at 7:00 PM on the Stadium Court. Serena is 10-2 in matches this year and has moved back to No. 10 in the world rankings, pushing Andrea Petkovic from 10th to No. 11.

The 2008 FCC Champion and her sister Venus are in opposing brackets and could meet in the semi-finals scheduled for Saturday. There are great seats still available for the finest tennis event in the Lowcountry

Have a great Easter Weekend!!!

The Farm at Wescott

Dear Homeowners,

It is that time of year to break out the lawn mower, edger, and blower. I wanted to forward you some good information on this year's weed growth.

Weeds Weeds and more Weeds!

Pre-emergent herbicides become active when environmental conditions (water and temperature) enable the formation of a gas which prevents weed seeds from becoming mature plants. Too little water and the weed preventing gas never forms because the product can’t dissolve. Too much water and the gas is pushed out of the pore spaces in the soil. In either case, efficacy suffers.

Even under ideal conditions, pre-emergents last for only forty-five days before sunlight and other environmental factors break them down. So, how do you get it to work all year? Typically, after the chemicals have broken down, the weather has become cool enough so that soil temperatures are too low for weed seed development. This year temperatures have never stayed consistently low enough to prevent remaining weed seeds from germinating. Indeed, for most of this past winter, conditions have been ideal for weed development and growth.

So what to do? If left alone, all or nearly all of the weeds growing right now will die once the weather gets hot enough to kill these cool season weeds. In cases of severe infestation, post emergent herbicides can be applied, but caution must be used because these chemicals always stress grass, often when it is at its most vulnerable, trying to emerge from dormancy. Many times the best solution may be just to fertilize the grass to choke out the weeds and to spot spray areas of heaviest infestation. After all, the best weed killer of all is a healthy, vigorously growing lawn.

Aaron Hettesheimer

The Farm at Wescott

Dear Homeowners,

Quick Updates:


- The pond banks have been hydro seeded this week in hopes to enhance the community asthetically. Please help us keep these areas free of traffic until the seed can take and root.

- Zumba classes are being held every Wednesday, 7pm at the Amenity Center. $5 a class.

- Pool opens March 30th


Thank you,

Aaron

The Farm at Wescott

Crime Prevention Information!


What should do if you discover you have been a crime victim?
Often responding police officers discover that crime victims have mistakenly destroyed evidence which would be important in solving the crime, or have severely delayed reporting crimes,resulting in criminals getting away. We hope you will not suffer a crime or its effects, but if you do…
1) DO NOT GO IN if you come home to find a door or window broken or standing open on your home. Back away to a safe location and call 911 so officers can check the house to make sure the thief is not still there.
2) Call 911 IMMEDIATELY if you see ANY crime in progress, so officers can be dispatched quickly. (ex: finding a burglar in your home, seeing someone stealing from a car or property, crime of violence)
3) BOLT the DOOR. IF your business suffered an Armed Robbery and the robber has left, secure the door so he cannot return. Ask customers to remain since they are witnesses and additional victims. Do not allow any new customers in.
4) DO NOT CLEAN UP or straighten the mess. Whether it is a theft from your car, a burglary to your home or business, or an armed robbery at your business. Everything is important. Let officers see and record what was broken or turned over. There may be latent fingerprints, blood, etc, that can be processed and the scene needs to be documented for court.
5) Finally – Practice Prevention every day. Lock everything that can be locked, secure valuables from view, both in the car and at home. Keep records and photos of your valuables and their serial numbers.

The Farm at Wescott

Dear Homeowners,


I hope everyone is having a enjoyable winter, especially, with these mild temperatures. This week the temperatures are going to dip below freezing on occasion, so please take the necessary precautions to protect your hose bibs and customized flowers.

-A standard hose bib cover or some isulation and duct tape can be found at Lowes or Home Depot for a low price.

-A sheet or light blanket can protect your plants from the freeze.

I hope these tips help!

Aaron Hettesheimer