David Peters

With food costs on the rise and the national economic situation what it is today, many people are wringing their hands when it comes time to cutting costs. Now is the perfect time to turn to the local community to become more self-sufficient. This means saying "no" to the big fast food corporations and processed food and "yes" to buying meat, vegetables and fruit from local farmers. Slow Food in the Tetons is a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable agriculture, the traditional family mealtimes, school gardens and utilizing heritage foods (such as elk, potatoes, carrots, huckleberries and mushrooms in the Tetons). By supporting local farmers, we keep them in business which, in turn, keeps the economy alive. And by helping the farmers, we help our families thrive by bringing back the family mealtime, which has become such a rarity nowadays. In the past, mealtime was a place where everyone talked about what happened at school, work or throughout the day and discussions about what was important to the family were commonplace occurrences. By slowing down our fast food lifestyle in Teton Valley, we can all benefit greatly; financially, spiritually and healthily.

You can always find something to do in Jackson Hole. Habitat for Humanity is welcoming volunteers to help build homes for families in needs on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. For more info, call Lara at 734-0828. Visit the Teton County Library every Thursday from 10:30-11am for Storytime. This is perfect for kids 4-6 and it's absolutely free. The Stagecoach Bar in Wilson hosts Disco Night every Thursday at 9:30pm. Music lovers have alot to look forward to on Fridays and Saturdays. If you like funk, blues and rock, go to the Silver Dollar Bar at The Wort Hotel and enjoy the musical stylings of Dark Cheddar from 7:30-11pm for free. Jazz lovers can visit the deck at Teton Pines for Papa Chan and Johnny C Note (6:30-9:30pm) or go to The Granary for pianist Keith Phillips, bassist Mike Rossi and drummer Ed Domer (7-10pm) for free. If salsa, cumbia and meringue rhythms are more your thing, you will enjoy Latino Night on Fridays at Cutty's (corner of Broadway and Highway 22) at 10pm. Another Storytime happens from 10:30-11am every Saturday at the Teton County Library for children ages 2-5. Saturday Storytime includes puppets, songs, stories and flannel board fun and it's absolutely free. The Sierra Club meets for an easy to moderate eight mile day hike on Saturday to Two Oceans and Emma Matilda lakes. Nature-lovers can continue the love on Sunday with the Jackson Hole bird club at 7:30pm at the Jackson Town Hall.

Wildlife officials are urging Jackson Hole residents to beware of increased bear activity in their area. Bears' appetites increase during the fall so that they can store up fat for their long winter hibernation, where they can go as long as five months without eating. The summer berries are just about gone, leaving the bears to seek out their next food source: whitebark pine nuts. Since the whitebark pine nut crop was only fair this year, Jackson Hole bears are being forced to search out alternative food sources. What does this mean for you? If you live near the typical travel corridors of bears (ie. rivers and streams), you may have a bear come digging through your trash to find sustenance. State wildlife officials offer these suggestions to avoid any possible conflict with a hungry bear:

1. Store your garbage or livestock feed in a bear-resistant container. If you don't have one, a reinforced building or shed should do the job.

2. Take down bird feeders from April-October, when bears are the most active.

3. Feed your pets indoor and keep all pet food inside.

4. If you have fruit trees, pick the fruit as soon as it ripens. Make sure any fruit that has fallen to the ground gets picked up immediately.

5. Use electric fencing to protect your garden, beehive or compost pile.

6. Clean your barbeque thoroughly. Store in a secured building, if possible.

Bears are a normal sight in the Jackson Hole area this time of year. Following these tips will help you stay bear aware and avoid any problems with these beautiful creatures.

Here's what's happening this week in Jackson Hole:

Habitat for Humanity is looking for volunteers to help build homes for families in need October 15, 16 and 19. To sign up, contact Lara at 734-0828 or email: lara@tetonhabitat.org.

The Rec Center is hosting a One to One Wellness Clinic on Chi Walking at 6:30pm October 15th. This free clinic is great for people recovering from an injury or those with chronic injuries because it is easy on the joints. For more info, call 739-9025.

Frank's 19th Annual Fall Film Festival, held October 15-30 at the Teton Theatre, is fun for everyone. The pass for all seven movies in the festival is $35. For each movie, ticket prices are $8.50 for adults, $7 for seniors and $6 for children.

Join the Senior Lunch Outing to Signal Mountain Lodge on October 16 for only $4 plus lunch. The outing departs at 10am. To register for this great event, call 739-9025.

Help out the library by visiting the Friends of Teton County Library's Fall Book Sale going on October 16-19, 4-9pm at the library. For more info, call 733-2164.

The Jackson Elks Lodge will be holding a Kids in Need dinner fundraiser at 6:30pm on Friday, October 17th. The $20 a plate for adults dinner, silent auction, raffle and student art show are all in an effort to raise money for local school lunch programs, C-V, youth sports, scholarships and much more. Children under 5 get dinner for free. Join in on dancing after dinner. For more information, contact Elizabeth Shockley at 733-6278.

The Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust will be hosting an open house on Saturday, October 18th from 9am-12pm to celebrate the completion of 15 new affordable homes in Jackson Hole. These homes are the first LEED certified green building homes. Enjoy refreshments and home tours. For more info, call 739-0665.

Go to the Town Square on October 18 from 9am-12pm for the Rendezvous PTA Pumpkin and Bake Sale. This pumpkin patch includes kids' crafts and face painting, baked goods for sale, hot cocoa and an inflatable fun jump.

According to the National Association of Realtors, pending home sales were up 7.4% in August, the largest gain in almost seven years. This unexpected increase has been credited to the increasing availability of more affordable housing as home prices have fallen and mortgage interest rates continue to be cut. In the western portion of the United States, there was actually an incredible 18.64% increase in August from the downturn of pending home sales in July. With the possibility of 30-year fixed rate mortgages going up to 6.6% by the end of 2009, now is definitely a great time to buy a home!