Add ½ cup (113 g) of unsalted butter to a large stock pot. Heat it on medium until the butter melts completely, which should take about 3 minutes. When the butter is melted, add 1 chopped medium onion, 2 stalks of chopped celery, and 3 medium carrots that have been peeled and chopped to the pot. Cover it, and allow the veggies to cook until they’re tender, which should take about 12 minutes. Stir the vegetables occasionally as they’re heating to ensure that they cook evenly. When the vegetables are tender, add ½ cup (64 g) plus 1 tablespoon (8 g) of flour to the pot. Stir well with a wooden spoon to mix it in, and allow the mixture to cook for another 2 minutes. Add 7 cups (1.6 l) of chicken broth to the pot. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, stirring it constantly. It should take approximately 5 to 7 minutes to reach a boil. You can use homemade or store-bought broth. If you use store-bought, opt for a low-sodium variety. You’ll need 3 sprigs of parsley, 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, and a bay leaf to flavor the soup. Create a bundle with them, and use a piece of kitchen twine to secure them together before adding them to the pot. After you’ve added the herbs, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the mixture, and allow it to simmer, stirring it occasionally. When the mixture has finished simmering, mix in 2 ¾ cup (385 g) of cooked, diced chicken. Raise the heat to medium-high again, and return the mixture to a boil, which should take about 5 minutes. You can shred the chicken if you prefer. Once the mixture comes to a boil again, take the pot off the heat. Add ½ cup (118 g) of heavy cream, 2 ½ teaspoons (10 ½ ml) of dry sherry, 1 tablespoon (18 g) of kosher salt, and some freshly ground black pepper to taste to the pot. Stir well with a wooden spoon to ensure that all of the ingredients are combined. Use a spoon to lift the bundle of parsley, thyme, and the bay leaf out of the soup and discard it. Ladle the soup into 4 to 6 bowls. Use 2 tablespoons (2 ½ g) of chopped flat-leaf parsley to garnish the bowls of soup. Serve the soup immediately while it’s still hot.

Summary: Melt the butter. Cook the vegetables in the butter until they’re soft. Mix in the flour and cook for another couple of minutes. Stir in the broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Tie the herbs together with kitchen twine and add them to the pot. Simmer the mixture for 15 minutes. Add the chicken and bring the mixture to a boil again. Mix in the cream, sherry, salt, and pepper with the pot off the heat. Remove the herb bundle and spoon the soup into bowls. Garnish the bowls with parsley and enjoy.


As harvest time approaches, you'll want to begin reaching into the branches of the live plant and removing all of the dead and dying fan leaves (identifiable by their yellow hue) from the branches.  This process allows the plant to focus as much energy as possible on growing healthy leaves, rather than wasting energy maintaining leaves that may die anyway. A gentle tug, sometimes firm, is all that's required to remove most leaves. It is normal for some leaves of the plant to die. As branches grow out from the main stalk of the plant, they will in turn develop shoots and branches of their own.  However, they will struggle to get enough light and sap energy from the leaves located at the ends of the main branches.  Trim these leaves and shoots away. If your main stalk has leaves sprouting straight up and out from it, trim them.  This will not only allow the branches to get more light, but will also stimulate new branch growth. Cutting the top of your plant off is crucial if you have limited vertical growing space. FIMing refers to the process of cutting part of a recent shoot (known as a "top") from your plant in order to double the number of buds it produces.  "Topping" mean to remove the whole shoot down to the base.  FIMing also causes your plant to grow out rather than up.  Topping and FIMing produce slightly different results. Research which is best for your setup. To FIM your marijuana plant, locate a new shoot, then use your shears or other trimming instrument to snip two-thirds of the shoot’s length.  FIMing is not without risks.  Every time you clip a shoot, you increase the risk that your plant will get a disease. Your plant’s growth might slow after FIMing.  This is normal. Super cropping refers to the practice of squeezing a branch of the plant firmly, thereby partially crushing its tissue.  This will cause the plant to heal and rebuild the branch more strongly, and allow for more efficient circulation of nutrients and water within the plant.  Select an old yet still supple branch, one that is still green, not brown and woody. Pinch the mid-point of the branch between your thumb and index finger.  With your opposite hand, pinch the branch at a point just above the spot your other hand is pinching it. Bend the branch gently back and forth in an arc.  Increase the angle of the arc gradually until you’ve heard the branch crack.  You should also be able to see some white discoloration at the joint you’ve been working. Rest the bent branch on top of or against a nearby branch to support its weight. If you see small buds sprouting from the lower portion of your plant, pluck or clip them off.  These small buds will only drain energy from the larger and more plentiful buds growing near the top of the plant. After trimming your plant, it needs time to recover and heal.  Trim your plant no more than once every three or four days.  Often, your plant will only need to be trimmed twice a month.  Prune more often during your plant’s early vegetative stage (when it first produces leaves) and toward the end of its flowering (bud-producing) stage.

Summary: Remove dead leaves. Cut all branches and shoots that are not directly connected to the trunk. Cut away the leaves from the top of the plant. FIM or top your plant. Super crop your plant. Pluck low-lying buds. Don’t prune too often.


If there have been recent crimes in your area, chances are interest is high. If not, enthusiasm might be low, but remind your friends and neighbors that the majority of crimes in the US are property crimes, and that a Neighborhood Watch is best-suited to combat property crimes. Gather information about recent crime in your area. Speak to other neighbors, inform them of the facts, and ask them about their interest in participating in a Neighborhood Watch. Distribute flyers inviting all neighbors to a Neighborhood Watch meeting at a central gathering point in your area.  Assure your neighbors that there are many ways of participating, from being a window watcher to being a block captain. Everyone can help! Ask new members if there are any additional crimes they want to address or feel particularly threatened by. Any Neighborhood Watch, though managed and composed of your community members, will operate with the help and supervision of the police. The Sheriff’s Office should assign a Crime Prevention Officer to help train your members and determine if a different or increased Neighborhood Watch structure is necessary. For a Neighborhood Watch to be successful, it is essential that local law enforcement and citizens understand each other. You may be starting your Neighborhood Watch program because you are dissatisfied with local law enforcement, but keep in mind that oftentimes local law enforcement can be concerned with city- or even region-wide crimes. Remind your local law enforcement about your community’s needs, and ask them how they can help you.
Summary: Ask neighbors if they’re interested in starting a Neighborhood Watch. Determine further interest via door-to-door campaigning. Reach out to local law enforcement.