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If YOU are interested in the next phase of Community Resilience please email info@community-resilience.org to inquire about becoming part of the team.

If you are already a member we thank you and a detail of our 2025 goals, actions and benefits will be dropping in the next few weeks as we finalize our 2025 action plans. We thank you to those who have already joined for the preservation of our neighborhoods and communities. 

To unlock the full benefits of having your neighborhood connected to others, membership is required. This is the first step to building a stronger more resilient community to be able to support each other when we need it most. 

We are happy to be here in this time with you as we build a better tomorrow for the next generation.

Tuesday Event

* Feel free to bring a small appetizer to share *

• Promote self-reliance through substainable farming practices.
• Provide training programs on personal and community self-sufficiency.

As February rolls into Northern Georgia, the winter chill begins to ease, offering an ideal opportunity for gardeners to prepare their gardens for the coming growing season. This month, we continue our regenerative and organic approach to garden care, keeping in mind that the health of our garden ecosystem hinges on thoughtful, intentional action. From nurturing the soil to planning for spring planting, February is a month of preparation, renewal, and growth. 

Let’s explore the key activities for February in the garden, with a focus on regeneration, stewardship, and sustainability. 

Part 1 of 2:

1. Soil Renewal: Laying the Foundation for Spring Growth 

As we continue our regenerative approach, February is a great time to focus on renewing the soil. Healthy soil is the backbone of a thriving garden, and there are several ways to enhance its fertility and structure as we prepare for the warmer months. 

• Composting: Keep building your compost pile throughout February. Kitchen scraps, yard waste, and winter pruning’s can all be added to your compost bin or pile. The more organic matter you add, the richer your soil will become when spring arrives. If you haven’t started a compost pile yet, now is the time to begin, as it will yield valuable, nutrient-dense soil amendments come spring. 
• Soil Amendments: If your soil test results from January indicate any deficiencies, February is an ideal time to amend your soil. Consider adding organic materials like aged manure, leaf mold, or mineral-rich amendments such as lime or gypsum to improve pH levels, structure, and mineral content. Regenerative gardening isn’t just about sustaining the soil; it’s about regenerating it to support healthy, abundant crops. 
• Cover Crops: If you planted winter cover crops like rye, clover, or vetch, now is the time to assess their growth. Once they’ve reached the right stage, plan to terminate these cover crops before planting spring crops. You can do this by crimping, cutting, covering, or turning them into the soil, where their decomposing roots and plant material will add organic matter and nutrients. The nitrogen-fixing clover and vetch will leave the soil richer, preparing it for the next planting season. 

2. Pruning and Maintenance: Shaping Your Garden’s Future 

February is still a prime time for pruning, especially for fruit trees, shrubs, and vines. Pruning encourages healthy growth and can help rejuvenate plants that may have been stressed during the colder months. 

• Fruit Trees: Continue to prune fruit trees (apples, pears, peaches, etc.) this month. Remove dead or diseased branches, and thin out crowded areas to allow for better airflow and sunlight penetration. This is a critical practice for maintaining healthy trees that will produce a bountiful harvest. If you haven’t already, consider applying dormant oil to fruit trees to control overwintering pests. 
• Vines and Shrubs: For climbing plants like grapes and kiwis, prune back dead or overgrown canes to ensure strong, healthy growth come spring. For other woody shrubs, such as roses and hydrangeas, prune away dead or damaged wood and shape the plant to encourage vigorous spring growth. 
• Overgrown Perennials: Prune back any overgrown perennial plants that you didn’t trim back in the fall. While some perennials benefit from leaving old growth for winter interest and wildlife habitat, cutting back old foliage now helps prevent the spread of disease and allows new growth to emerge in the spring. 

3. Mulching: Protecting and Nourishing the Soil 

Mulching is a vital regenerative practice in the garden, and February offers a final opportunity to add mulch for winter protection. 

• Winter Mulching: If you haven’t already mulched around your perennial plants, fruit trees, or newly planted shrubs, now is the time to apply a thick layer of mulch. Straw, wood chips, or leaves work well to insulate plant roots, protect them from temperature fluctuations, and suppress weeds. As the mulch breaks down, it will also provide valuable organic material to the soil, feeding your plants as they begin to grow in spring. 
• Preparing for Spring Mulching: As we approach the warmer months, plan to add a fresh layer of mulch around your vegetable beds. This will help retain moisture during the growing season and protect delicate seedlings from harsh sunlight and extreme temperatures. 

How can States so easily restrict some U.S. Constitutional rights more than others? 

Are you allowed to travel to another state and buy a newspaper?  How about a pistol?  Do you need a background check to express your opinion at a gathering?  Do you have your Christian license? 

Let us ask AI:  Are States constitutionally allowed to limit 2nd amendment rights but not 1st amendment rights?

Comparing Limitations:

• Constitutional Basis: Both amendments protect fundamental rights, but the legal frameworks for regulation differ due to historical interpretations and judicial precedents. The First Amendment tends to have a broader protection due to its central role in democratic discourse, making infringements more scrutinized.
• State Laws: States can and do impose regulations on both sets of rights, but:
• • First Amendment: States must be especially cautious with content-based restrictions, which are subject to strict scrutiny, meaning they must serve a compelling government interest and be narrowly tailored to achieve that interest without less restrictive means available.
  • Second Amendment: States have more leeway in regulating the manner of gun ownership and use, often under intermediate scrutiny, where the regulation must advance an important governmental interest by means substantially related to that interest.
    

In summary, while states are constitutionally allowed to limit both 1st and 2nd Amendment rights under certain conditions, the degree and scrutiny of these limitations differ. The First Amendment generally enjoys a higher level of protection against government infringement, whereas Second Amendment regulations are more commonly upheld if they are deemed reasonable for public safety or other significant government interests. However, each case turns on its specific facts and how the courts interpret the balance between rights and government regulation.

Seems to be a failing of our former generations to properly understand and teach us of our obligations to fight Tyranny at every turn.

• Strengthen local economies through the establishment of community-supported agriculture and local businesses.
• Encourage collaboration and neighboring communities for mutual benefit.

Manipulating Your Tax Dollars

The School Senior Tax Exemption Increase

CCSD is opting out of the Homestead Property Tax Exemption. We worked hard to get this tax relief and 76% of Cherokee County voted in favor of this bill. In a nutshell, this bill prevents your property tax bill from increasing more than the national inflation rate. Meaning the 2024 inflation rate was 2.9%, yet the state assessed home value increased by 22%. Greedy CCSD wants to do away with this cap. We encourage everyone who wants tax relief to please email the board! 

All concerned citizens are invited to a public hearing on this matter to be held at the School Board Auditorium located at 1205 Bluffs Parkway, Canton, Georgia on:

* February 13, 2025, at 11:30 a.m.
* February 13, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.

Email the board members to speak your voice… 

• Offer educational programs on sustainable farming, community development, and personal growth.
• Develop partnerships with local schools and educational institutions.

Keep Health Centers Away From Schools!

It is critical that we activate on this issue that has the potential to bring us closer to school health centers with loss of parental rights. 

We need to double down before the Board of Commissioners Regular meeting where they will have a public hearing on the rezoning of the property next to Avery Elementary. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 18th at 6pm. It is important to show up at the meeting (and bring friends). We will wear green to show unity. 

Please take a moment to sign and submit the petition even if you signed the previous petition to P&Z. HERE

We also need your help in a new letter writing campaign. 

If you need ideas of what to say in letters to the commissioners:

-No SPOT zoning (see note below on the AI interpretation of SPOT zoning in Cherokee County).

-A commercial zoning will create a destination to bring additional traffic to the intersection and community. 

-The use requested does not fit the Country Estates Character, the Land Use Plan or the Future Development Plan for the area. 

-This decision will set precedent. It is more than rezoning a single property, it will define the character of the area. 

-Commercial zoning is more appropriate on Hwy 20. The Hwy 20 East Overlay District was created with the intent to set standards for development and design that contribute to community character. The overlay encourages commercial and residential uses to provide a mix of activities and public spaces. 

** Spot zoning in Cherokee County, Georgia is the process of rezoning a small piece of land for a different use than the surrounding area. It is generally considered unauthorized and illegal. 

Email addresses for the commissioners, their administration assistant and planning department 

dmspayde@cherokeecountyga.gov ,

planning@cherokeecountyga.gov ,

hjohnston@cherokeecountyga.gov ,

sbwest@cherokeecountyga.gov ,

rbweatherby@cherokeecountyga.gov ,

bcarter@cherokeecountygs.gov ,

caragsdale@cherokeecountygs.gov ,

Hbgarrison@cherokeecountyga.gov

Please reference Rezoning Application- PL20240000433 - 7658 Union Hill Road (corner lot next to Avery Elementary) in subject line or when calling.

• Support spiritual growth through community activities and mentorship programs.
• Connect experienced individuals with those seking guidance and mentorship.

The Culture War

Though the election is won, we must now win the most important war of our lifetime, the culture war. This is the real war for the army of true believers and only we can, and must, win it. I wrote down these words as I believe He spoke them to me as the challenge that we as Christians are now facing. 

Are you ready to fight the culture war? Now the real war begins.  To change the world is to change the culture. For many years the culture was determined by church communities, family and agriculture. But then came western industry and job culture. Next came the media and social culture and even political culture. But what about My kingdom culture?  What adds purpose and meaning to life and relationship?  Only I can satisfy the soul of man and bring true purpose and meaning to the lives and relationships of the people in this world. For I am the creator of all things and seasons of man. So now you must prepare to fight the culture wars by beginning a dialog for purpose and meaning and the value of life in Me. Begin to show the world that I bring joy and peace, clarity and truth, purpose and meaning, to this life and the coming eternal kingdom.  Show no fear of the future, but live with trust and faith in Me to handle all that the future holds. For nothing shall come that I did not create or allow. For I am the author and finisher of the story of man. 

God in His wisdom has opened up this war by exposing the political and financial corruption of our government with the DOGE audits of USAID and other government agencies giving money to corrupt NGO organizations. But these also expose the moral corruption that is funding woke and immoral attacks on our Christian culture around the world paid for by our taxes. God have mercy on us who have allowed this to happen in the nation you gave us. 

Please consider Ephesians 5:11-14:

¹¹ Do not participate in the useless deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; ¹² for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. ¹³ But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. ¹⁴ For this reason it says,

“Awake, sleeper,

And arise from the dead,

And Christ will shine on you.”

Win for the Country

FDA Bans Red Dye No. 3 from our Food  

This is a huge win for the health of all!  Red dye was removed from our cosmetics and topical medications about 35 years ago because risk of cancer.  Presently, the red dye can be found in food, drinks, and medications.  Companies have until 2027 to reformulate their food products and 2028 to remove the red dye from medications.  If you want to read more about the history of red dye in our foods/mediations and understand the potential impacts to our health particularly our young children, please click on the link below.

Pureed, juiced, powdered, or water from beets is an excellent substitution for red dye for frosting, candy, and desserts

Resilience Tip of the Week

Develop a Strong Network 

Caring, supportive people around you act as a protective factor during times of crisis. Community resilience is the ability to prepare for anticipated hazards, adapt to changing conditions, and withstand and recover rapidly from disruptions. Disaster preparedness—which includes prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery—is crucial to resilience.  Find your network of people in your neighborhood, church, and other like-minded groups.

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