Focus on Carlsbad Spring 2013

SPRING 2013

Home & Garden CHS’ Hottest Classroom | Living in a Geodesic Paradise | Better Living By Design

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Focus on Carlsbad | spring 2013

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spring 2013 | A Community Magazine

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from the editor

Kicking Off the

Spring

Welcome to the Spring 2013 edition of Focus on Carlsbad!

There was this test you had to take as a kid where you received a score telling you what you should do with your life. For example, if you scored Kyle Marksteiner high on “I” it meant you should Editorial Director become a scientist or engineer. A high FocusOnCarlsbad.com “A” score meant you were artsy, while a big “S” meant you were social and would make a good wedding planner.

Finally, there was the “R” score, which meant you were actually good at doing things, building things, fixing things and so forth. My “R” score was through the roof – of a building located 100 feet below the basement.

I had almost no “R” score. One could argue that I became a writer largely due to my “R” deficiency.

This edition of Focus on Carlsbad celebrates the high “R” scorers of the world, with a little bit of an “A” score thrown in as well. It’s the Home and Garden edition, and you can probably guess that we’re going to be talking about homes and gardens. And by homes, I mean places where you live, not Sherlock.

Topics inside relate to decorating, xeriscaping, building your own house, and much more. It’s a wonderful way to start the spring. I especially enjoyed writing the update on Project Playground, which was an incredible community project completed in 2002.

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Focus on Carlsbad | spring 2013

As an update, I did find out later in life that I have some latent “R” abilities. See, while I could never build a house, it turns out I’m a bit of a savant when it comes to vacuum cleaners. The key is to treat the entire process like a colonoscopy. If there’s ever a vacuum cleaning reality show, I’m in.

That’s it for this column, but there’s plenty more good stuff inside. Take a look! I also wanted to remind you to visit us on Facebook. A couple years ago, we featured Aaron Gonzalez and his brothers and their competitive low-rider bicycles. Aaron has been winning a lot of awards in competitions since then, and he’s posted a few of his photos on our account. Check it out and tell Aaron congratulations.

About the editor:

Marksteiner is the Editorial Director of Focus On Carlsbad.

He can be reached at editor@ad-venturemarketing.com.

Don't forget to visit FocusOnCarlsbad.com for even more great stories, photos & events!

B A IS H V E T E R A N S PA R K IN A RT E S IA

SPRING 2013

From the Editor Focus on education

Carlsbad’s Hottest Classroom Focus on composting

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Focus on xeriscaping

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notes from the garden

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focus on unusual homes

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Focus on home theaters

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Focus on design

24

Focus on home museums

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Focus on overcoming odds

29

Focus feature

If You Build It

30

Focus on playgrounds

Project Playground Celebrates

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focus on mainstreet

34 36 38

Composting

Natural Beauty in an Arid Land It’s All About the Food Home, Home on the Dome Home Theater––Best Show Around Better Living––By Design Collectors Put Treasures on Display Only 32 Miles North of Carlsbad and 40 Miles South of Roswell on US Highway 285

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Getting Back to Life

Home Gardening is Truly Presidential!

Focus on the Chamber Focus Business Directory

About the cover: Photo courtesy of Gosia Allison. Also pictured, from left, is Carlsbad’s greenhouse program (photo by John Safin), Carlsbad’s “dome home” (photo by Brandy Villarreal) and a local interior decorating theme (photo by Eve Flanigan).

Kyle Marksteiner, Editorial Director - Lilly Anaya, Advertising Director Photography by Kyle Marksteiner & Brandy Villareal - along with submitted photos Special Contributors: John Safin, Margaret Barry, Amy M. Barnhart, Sharon McIntire & Donna Birchell Focus on Carlsbad is published quarterly by Ad Venture Marketing.

Ad Venture Marketing, Ltd. Co. - 866.207.0821 - www.ad-venturemarketing.com All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Every effort was made to ensure accuracy of the information provided.

The publisher assumes no responsibility or liability for errors, changes or omissions.

on education

Carlsbad High’s

By John Safin

Hottest Classroom

No more pencils, no more books, growing something for the cooks.

T

hat’s the way some students at Carlsbad High School can think of science class thanks to the efforts of Dr. Jerry Cox and former Senator Don Kidd in 2000. The high school for many years relied on local farmers to allow use of their land for agricultural studies. Dr. Cox brought the idea of a handson agriculture program to CHS campus, and Senator Kidd found a grant to build the greenhouse on the high school campus. In 2001, classes started meeting in the greenhouses -- growing plants, young minds, and visions for the future.

“Students absolutely love it,” stated Vikki Morse, Horticulture Instructor.

“We have all kinds of kids, from

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Focus on Carlsbad | spring 2013

all different backgrounds, that all flourish. The environment isn’t like any other class on campus. All the oxygen the plants pump out wakes up everyone who walks in here.”

Morse has been teaching at CHS for 12 of her 14 years as a teacher.

“Before the high school had a greenhouse, Dr. Cox would grow plants at CARC’s greenhouse where I was the manager. He introduced me to the high school’s program.”

There are two greenhouses joined together where you’ll see rows and rows of tomato vines running from the floor to the 30-foot ceiling. The plants stem (yes, that was a pun) out of dozens of dirt tubes about

Photo: CHS Ag students and teacher Vikki Morris, surrounded by tomato plants in the high school’s greenhouse.

a foot wide, thirty feet long, with enough to grow 600 tomato plants.

(NOTE: It was sad to discover they don’t grow jelly beans.) The CHS greenhouse uses a hydroponics system, which allows the plants to grow in a small amount of nutrientrich soil. This set-up allows the plants to use energy on growing flowers and fruits, instead of having to make roots to find nutrition. The CHS greenhouse uses no chemical pesticides, but their effort is not considered organic because they use fertilizers and water additives.

The Horticulture and Agriculture Sciences classes are two of the most

popular at CHS. The students have to apply for the class the prior year and determine with their counselor if they are a fit for the class. Morse added, “We used to change students every nine weeks. We discovered there was a better learning opportunity to have the students for a full year.”

Apparently, working in the greenhouse for the entire school year is a good thing. “We can see how much the plants grow,” said junior-year student Yamileth Botello.

“I like working in the greenhouse, but I don’t like the heat and humidity.”

Understandable, as the greenhouse is kept around eighty-five degrees and sixty percent humidity. “It takes a lot of work to help plants grow,” Botello added.

The plants start as seedlings in August and will grow to 24 feet by May. Some students think it’s an easy “A.” They soon discover there’s real work involved. Morse clarified, “Each student starts with ten plants and is graded on how well their plants do over the entire year. Once they have their own plants and get involved with activities, they don’t want to leave. The kids come here to nurture the plants, and the plants nurture them.”

CHS sophomore Steven Fischer is another student glad for the class.

“I help my uncle with his farm, my dad has rose bushes, and I was looking for something to get into Future Farmers of America (FFA).”

His favorite part of the class is picking the ripe tomatoes. “I was surprised at how fast the plants grow.”

Featured in the September 2002 issue of Growing Edge International magazine, the high school’s greenhouse, state-of-the-art when it opened, is still an example of

modern science. The facility’s heating and cooling, watering, and fertilization systems, and the amount of sunlight and shade are all monitored and regulated by computers. The CHS greenhouse has a CO2 machine that maintains a proper level for the plants during long vacation breaks and exam week. Remember: plants need carbon dioxide, which we provide, and the plants give us oxygen.

(That’s the reason everyone should have a live plant in every room where they live and work.) The students groom, clip, hook, and provide personal care to the plants.

Unfortunately, bad things can happen even with determined attentiveness.

“It was the third year of the greenhouse program,” told Morse.

“The plants were gorgeous. Just beautiful. We checked the plants over the Christmas break and found cankers all over the plants.”

A canker is a bacterial disease that causes lesions on trees and plants.

Not harmful to humans, but very bad for plants.

Morse and company discovered the cause of the blight was when a student spit chewing tobacco into one of the soil bags. “Tobacco leaves contain an airborne plant virus. The chewing tobacco went into the soil, the virus stayed active, and it infected all the plants. We turned this disaster into a learning experience. Students were shown Story continues on page 8

Photos Top to Bottom: CHS Senior Katie Beeman (front) getting instruction from Horticulture Instructor Vikki Morse.

Junior Austin Rennie tends to his tomato plants in the CHS greenhouse.

A little green tomato, actually smaller than a golf ball.

CHS Agriculture Sciences teacher Leslie Clark showing the basics of a flowering plant.

spring 2013 | A Community Magazine

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Carlsbad High’s Hottest Classroom Story continued from page 7

how to stop the disease and rescue the plants. It was a devastating year, but we saved a few plants.”

Keeping the plants “healthy, straight and doing anything needed to get the tomatoes” is the attitude CHS junior Austin Rennie takes. “Gotta be at it as soon as you get here.

There’s always something that needs to be tended.” Austin plans to get into an agricultural college when he graduates. “I like caring for the plants and being in the greenhouse.”

All the hands-on work in the greenhouse brings experience to the Carlsbad High agricultural students.

However, let’s remember this is a science class and that means work in the classroom (did everyone just groan?). Fortunately for students, Agricultural Science teacher Leslie Clark makes the classroom as much fun as it is educational. “I want them (students) to learn something.

They will learn the basics of plants, structures, the biology, and apply the knowledge to their work in the greenhouse.”

Clark has been teaching for fifteen years, coming to Carlsbad High with almost three years of work with the US Department of Agriculture in Lubbock. “I always wanted to be a teacher and decided to teach agriculture. I also teach welding, which was part of my interdisciplinary college degree,” she noted.

Clark is a certified science teacher and her agricultural classes qualify for dual credits with the high school

Photo: CHS Junior Yamileth Botello on the ladder with CHS Senior Justin Ramos holding the ladder.

and New Mexico State University.

The class isn’t only about plants. It’s about soil, soil types, and modern agriculture tools (GPS, compasses, clinometers). There’s instruction about cows, horses, sheep, and pigs covered in animal sciences, designing landscapes, building barns, zoning ordinances, and other training that would lead to a great career.

“Some students interested in forestry are able to get an internship at US Bureau of Land Management (BLM),” said Clark. “Living in southeast New Mexico gives us a number of resources. We’re living in the middle of the agriculture industry, with access to farmers and ranchers. FFA state officers speak to the students every year, the BLM and Farm Bureau are here, and we have a great amount of support

from the community.” Clark’s agricultural science class is a perfect match with Morse’s horticulture teachings in the greenhouse. For the past two years, their efforts combine training and education with real life opportunities. This includes the sale of crops.

CHS senior Katie Beeman, holding a big red tomato, bragged, “Have you ever had one of our vegetables?

They taste so much better than anything you can get at the grocery store.”

After a few months of growing, the CHS greenhouse will produce 150 to 250 pounds of tomatoes each week.

The students sell the tomatoes to classmates, teachers, and several local restaurants. The students also donate hundreds of pounds of vegetables to Carlsbad Community Kitchen. Vikki Morse added, “The sale of tomatoes, cucumbers, and other items generates funding for next year’s class. I’m proud to say that we haven’t received any money from the central office since the first year.”

Now is your chance to get some locally grown and super tasty veggies while helping our high school students. Call Vikki Morse at Carlsbad High School, (575) 2343319 ext. 286, and she’ll let you know the crop of the week.

About the author: John Safin has

a background in business operations, marketing, event planning, and public relations. Originally from Upstate New York, John moved from Glendale, AZ to Carlsbad, NM, which he now calls “home.” www.johnsafin.com

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Focus on Carlsbad | spring 2013

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on composting

Composting Spring – the transition from dormant to verdant, leaving behind dead-of-winter dreariness in favor of fruitfulness. Wait.

What? Okay… let me break it down – it ain’t cold no more! It’s SPRING! It’s time to get your garden on!

From asparagus to zucchini, freshly harvested and straight to your table makes sense on so many levels. Fresh produce is usually more nutritious and tastes better than commercially canned or frozen food. Growing your own food gives the peace of mind that it isn’t contaminated with any of a gazillion contaminants we’ve feared and faced in recent years. A garden can also be a good way to save money on your grocery bill.

So, what’s the connection between solid waste management and home-grown tomatoes? Whether you’ve never tried gardening or you’re a seasoned hand, one way to give your vegetable patch a boost is do-it-yourself compost. If you’re already recycling, composting is the next logical step in managing your solid waste. Cans, plastic, paper and cardboard go to recycling; yard waste, veggie scraps, eggshells and coffee grounds go in your compost heap.

Did you know that approximately 25 percent of the solid waste going to the landfill is compostable? If we divert green waste and compostable food waste, along with improving recycling, we could potentially DOUBLE the life of our landfill! There’s a LOT of folks that are not recycling or composting yet, so it’s probably not reasonable to expect an immediate result. However, with continued conscientious effort, we can achieve zero waste in Carlsbad. No one said it would be easy, but it’s far from impossible.

Last fall, not all of us were industrious enough to rake weekly (or in my case, weakly) so let’s talk about all those leaves in your yard. They may be unsightly and a potential fire hazard, so we really do want to rake and bag them, right? Instead of sending them to take up valuable space in the landfill, why don’t you give them a second chance at life?

Oh riiiiiight. Leaves … they’re dead! Yet as an ingredient in your compost heap, they release valuable nutrients through their natural decomposition process, which can be compounded with other elements to be used in your garden or landscaping projects. A robust garden or lush lawn takes a lot of work, including feeding. Composting can provide you with plant nutrients and will save you a trip to the gardening center!

Leaves are not the only organic elements you can “recycle” through composting.

Grass clippings and even weeds can enter the mix. Your kitchen is a treasure trove of compostable material: vegetable scraps and peelings, egg shells, coffee grounds and some paper products, like used paper towels, coffee filters, and tea bags are all important in composting – again, saving that space in the landfill and keeping a few more coins in your purse that you won’t spend on commercial product for your yard.

Once those luscious vegetables start coming up, it’s time to get in the kitchen.

You have so many options – fresh salad, canning and freezing for winter or enjoying a mouth-watering ratatouille (try the recipe at http://allrecipes.com/ recipe/summer-vegetable-ratatouille/).

Even if you don’t garden, there are other ways you can “compost” -- your

By Sylvia Hewett Schneider lawn would dearly love it if you left your grass clippings on it instead of bagging them up for a trip to the landfill. Nutrients and moisture in cut blades return to the lawn, which helps keep it greener with less water. During a drought it’s even more important to find ways to conserve water.

And if you simply can’t compost all the vegetation on your property, you can still make an important ecological contribution to your community and save your landfill. Clean limbs are always welcome at the convenience station at 302 E. Plaza Street or at the curb in front of your home for Grappler pickup. (Make sure anything you put out for collection is not directly under power lines, in front of a mailbox, etc.).

Good, clean tree parts are chipped and composted for use on the golf course and city parks. This means that not only do we keep that yard waste out of the landfill, but we aren’t paying big bucks for commercial landscaping product, either. We don’t just talk about composting in solid waste management – we practice it, too!

Your tree limbs and branches should be kept separate from your other bulk trash and bagged green waste. With everyone doing their part, we can have bountiful gardens, green, green grass and a little extra green in our budgets.

Sylvia Schneider is the Solid Waste Coordinator for the City of Carlsbad Solid Waste Department. If you have any questions or comments, please call Solid Waste during office hours, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 575.885.0042; visit http:// cityofcarlsbadnm.com or email saschneider@ cityofcarlsbadnm.com. When you’re on the net, look for Carlsbad Recycles on Facebook and cbadrecycles on Twitter. spring 2013 | A Community Magazine

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on xeriscaping

Natural Beauty in an Arid Land

By Margaret Sage Bemis

E

ver since it was founded in 1888, Carlsbad has been known as an oasis in the desert. With the Pecos River meandering through and parks filled with towering trees, it’s easy to think of our small town as belonging to a much wetter climate, but Carlsbad lies right in the middle of the Chihuahuan Desert and receives only fourteen inches of rain annually.

Water is a precious commodity in the desert—one we need to consider carefully when considering our gardens and lawns.

Getting away from thirsty plants is a good starting place.

“We need to rethink the idea of the neatly manicured and mowed lawn,” says Dean Ricer, retired horticulturist for Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park. He recommends using native grasses instead of water-hungry Bermuda and fescue.

“There are hybrid Bermudas that do fairly well with less water, especially the dwarf ones. They’re bred so that the internodes between the leaves are shorter, making it look dwarf.

Other than that, I recommend native grass seed, and it’s becoming more and more available. You can use a

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Focus on Carlsbad | spring 2013

mixture of tridens, grama grasses and buffalo grass, and do quite well with a lot less water.”

Planting a native grass lawn is fairly easy when nothing else is already planted. To the grass seed Ricer suggests adding seeds of native wildflowers like desert zinnia, desert mallow and blue flax. The result will be a desert meadow that doesn’t

need mowing and provides a colorful landscape.

Converting an existing lawn to native grasses is more of a challenge, especially when the lawn you are replacing is Bermuda grass. But it is possible, and there are several ways to accomplish it. “If you want to get native grasses established in your lawn,” said Ricer, “you can just overseed. But the Bermuda’s going to be a fierce competitor. You learn to coexist.”

Steve and Renee West took a more aggressive approach with the lawn at their house on Ocotillo Canyon Road.

“You never really get rid of Bermuda grass,” said Renee, a biologist at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. “It’s so pervasive.” When Renee bought the house, it had a Bermuda grass Photo Top (‘Xeriscaping’): Desert zinnia mixes in well with native grasses to create a mountain meadow.

Photo courtesy of Dean Ricer.

Photo Above: The seeds to this claret cup cactus came to Gosia Allison by way of a coyote’s digestive tract. Photo courtesy of Gosia Allison.

lawn and two big mulberry trees. “I put up with it for a year. I mowed and trimmed and raked. But I’ve been a member of native plant societies for a long time, and I’m a trained plant ecologist. I started thinking—you know, this is where you put your money where your mouth is. So I took the plunge.” The “plunge” involved three applications of grass-killer and professional removal of the mulberry trees.

Then the seeding began. They became familiar with nurseries in the region that could provide the native seeds. Steve would give Renee a tree when it was time for a present.

Renee collected walnuts from a drainage area. “A lot of stuff came in on its own,” stated Renee. “The birds brought a lot of seeds—things with red berries the birds like to eat, like little-leaf sumac, hackberry, and Christmas cholla.”

The Wests allow their yard to grow as it wishes. Their backyard is now flourishing with native grasses, wildflowers, shrubs and a variety of trees. They rarely water and don’t own a lawnmower. Renee traps rainwater from the roof to help the plants through dry spells.

The biggest advantage they’ve seen is the increase in wildlife in their

yard. Steve, a retired biology teacher and president of the Carlsbad School Board, is a world-class birder. He has recorded 128 different bird species in the yard, along with seven reptile and seven mammal species.

“We’ve had a Bell’s vireo and yellow-billed cuckoo, both listed as endangered,” he said. “We’ve had foxes and raccoons. One day we had a bunch of baby chuckers walk across the back fence. I have no idea where they came from. We’ve seen coyote tracks. I was out in the front yard one night and was almost run over by a buck mule deer.”

“It’s just fascinating to see what happens when you let nature take its course,” added Renee. “For me, that’s been a big thing. The caterpillars don’t eat my plants up, and the birds come in to eat the caterpillars. Having Steve point out all the birds has opened my eyes to wildlife in general. You can make a beautiful yard with native plants.

Our native plants are really quite beautiful.”

Another couple who have found beauty in native plants are Stan and Gosia Allison. When they bought their house on North Thomas Street in 2001, it had a Bermuda lawn, a Russian olive tree and a weeping willow. “We live in the Chihuahuan

Desert,” explained Gosia. “We really like the plants. We see the beauty of the Chihuahuan Desert. So we wanted to have it around us—not the Bermuda grass or the weeping willow.”

The Allisons killed the Bermuda grass by covering it with black plastic for a year. Then they seeded with buffalo and grama grass, and began planting trees, shrubs and flowers. They visited nurseries, took cuttings from friends, collected seeds and rescued damaged plants.

Now their yard looks like a slice of the Guadalupe Mountains with madrone trees, desert willows, cacti, agaves, yuccas, and an abundance of wildflowers.

Always on the lookout for a plant in need of a home, Gosia tells about finding her favorite plant, a claret cup cactus, while hiking with Stan.

“In 2001 I went to a cacti workshop for the New Mexico Native Plant Society. One of the speakers told us, ‘If you want to start plants in the desert from seeds, the best ones come from animal droppings.’

Story continues on page 12

Photo Top: Lesser goldfinches flock around a feeder Steve and Renee West provide in winter. Photo courtesy of Margaret Sage Bemis.

Photo Left: Native wildflowers and trees provide a shady spot in the Wests’ backyard. Photo courtesy of Renee West.

spring 2013 | A Community Magazine

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Mother Nature’s

Security System “Everything in the Great American Desert sticks, stinks, stabs or bites” is an applicable quotation attributed to former New Mexico Territory Governor Lew Wallace. As anyone who has lived in Carlsbad for any amount of time knows, walking barefoot through the grass here can quickly be a very painful experience.

What did you step on?

Eddy County Extension Agent Woods Houghton listed three of the most likely sharp nuisances.

Chances are you’ve probably stepped on a grass plant called a sandbur. They are generally the ones that stick to the legs of your pants when you get home from work, while goat heads and bur clover (see below) will mostly just stick to the bottom of your shoe. The sandbur (Cenchrus spinifex) is a native member of the grass family.

When speaking of sandburs, Houghton said, “It’s got a lot of names, but most of them can’t be repeated,” remarking that horses and dogs suffer as much as humans.

Sandbur

“Once they’ve germinated, their whole purpose in life is to set seed,” he said about the sandbur. “The best thing is to keep them from ever setting seed, or they’ll grow on everything.”

Houghton recommends using a pre-emergent weed control spray during the winter before the seeds begin to germinate. The grass will typically shoot up once the temperature reaches about 50 degrees.

There are many different brands of pre-emergent, he said, but he recommends one with the active ingredient of prodiamine.

Goat Heads

“Weeds here don’t behave like they are supposed to because our winters are so gentle, so sometimes they germinate year round,” he said. “The thing about sandburs is that you need to treat it every three months when you start.”

Another source of pain, the puncture vine, is a member of the spurge family. Its official name is Tribulus terrestris.

Bur Clover

“Most people call them goat heads,” Houghton said. “They are transmitted by sticking into things like shoes and pants. They are designed to land point up.

When I was a kid, I had to change my bicycle tires all the time.”

While the sandbur is a grass plant, the puncture vine is a broadleaf.

Houghton said there’s even a biological control agent for the goat head – a weevil that keeps them from germinating.

Oddly, some body builders use an extract of the weed to restore testosterone levels, and some research has shown that puncture vine extract can increase sexual behavior in some animals.

A third likely option of Mother Nature’s sharp points is Medicago polymorpha, which sounds like a spell from the Harry Potter world but is the name for what is typically called the bur clover. The bur clover, also a broadleaf, is a distant cousin of the puncture vine. Houghton said bur clover can be treated with 24d weed killer, as can goat heads.

For additional tips on removing some of Mother Nature’s prickly points, call the Eddy County Extension Office at 887-6595.

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Focus on Carlsbad | spring 2013

Natural Beauty in an Arid Land Story continued from page 11

After this we were in our beautiful Guadalupe Mountains and found coyote scat. So I took a stick and dug in, found the seeds, put them in a little pot and waited—for a miracle. And the miracle came. My favorite—claret cup!”

Stan suggests that people considering native plants think about spacing, since they can grow very large. He points to three large beargrass plants as proof. “When we planted them, it didn’t seem like they’d take up that much room. It would be nice, if instead of three, we had planted one.”

The Allisons are employed by Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Stan as a cave specialist and Gosia as a seasonal park guide. They came here because of the caves but have found beauty above ground as well. Gosia explained, “What I like about the Chihuahuan Desert is that you have to open your eyes and pay attention to appreciate the beauty. It’s not like you go to Yellowstone and the beauty is ridiculous because it just attacks you. Here you have to use energy to explore it, enjoy it and have fun with it. I think the challenge is what makes it fun.”

The Carlsbad Horticultural Society holds a native plant sale twice a year at the Living Desert State Park. The next sale is scheduled for April 6 and 7, 2013. In addition, the Living Desert will host a xeriscape workshop in March to teach techniques for low-water use gardening. Call Chris Dawson at (575)887-5516 to register.

More information about gardening with native plants can be found at the Native Plant Society of New Mexico at www.npsnm.org/ or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NPSNM. About the author: Mannie Bemis taught in the Carlsbad schools for 26 years. She can now be found on the trails of Carlsbad Caverns National Park where she works as a seasonal ranger, acting on the stage of the Carlsbad Community Theatre, working in her garden, or just spending time with husband Tom and her grandsons.

notes from the garden

GardenNotes It’s All About the Food

by Margaret Barry

Vegetable gardening is a fun way

to reap big rewards. It’s a chance to be outside in “nature,” to hear the birds sing, to smell warm earth, to see a colorful butterfly light on a single blossom, to touch the velvety softness of a newly emerged squash leaf. But for me, truly, it’s all about the food.

Something new for me might be something that is actually an old variety that has been introduced from another country or region. There are many interesting fruits and vegetables that grow in other desert regions around the world and many hybrids that have been developed for heat and drought tolerance. Because GMOs (genetically modified organisms) do not need labeling as yet in this country, I try not to go too far up the hybridizing chain.

If a seed variety has a patent number, that’s a clue that it may be genetically modified to include a gene from something that might not be vegetable in origin, such as a bacteria that kills insects. If you are like me in wanting to stay away from GMOs, it may take a little investigation of the parent varieties to come up with appropriate seeds.

There are also considerations if you wish to save seeds, but that’s a topic for another day.

The main considerations for untried varieties are the limitations that must be considered for desert application, primarily sun exposure and watering requirements. Most seed catalogs give some indication of the plant’s needs.

This is where record-keeping becomes important. If you know that a certain variety needs full sun and moderate moisture, it would be best to meet those requirements in an appropriate location in your garden; however, the sun here can be brutal in midsummer, so I might try a few different locations with the possibility of some afternoon shade, or a little more water during real hot spells.

Let the condition of the plant be your guide, but make notes in your garden journal regularly so that you are able

to track trends, especially if it’s a variety that you hope to add to your regular line-up of garden favorites.

I have had a variety of garden journals. I’ve tried all kinds from elaborate three-ring binders with divisions for different months, to calendars with writing space for each day, to lowly spiral notebooks, and by now there is probably an app for your smartphone, but what seems to work best for me is a smallish waterproofcovered, blank paged journal. I may want to make pages worth of notes on one specific plant, or do a layout drawing of where I’ve placed things in the garden, so calendars with limited space won’t work. Spiral notebooks are good for space, but they fall apart eventually when banged around in the garden, and don’t do well in wet conditions; nor do phone screens do well covered in dust or mud. When the journal is full, I start another, but the old one is still available on the bookshelf for reference.

A good journal keeps track of the planting dates, the beginning of harvest dates, amount of harvest, bug infestations, etc. I also like to make note of rate of growth, fertility requirements, amount of foliage cover, if the fruit is susceptible to sun scald and so on.

Those are the potential considerations for how well a plant may do in the desert, and most importantly, in drought conditions. I also like to have an idea of weather conditions, rainfall amounts and dates (as they are so few and far between). This is generally what makes a good garden

Photo: Snow peas ready for picking, even the pod is edible

journal, but it’s also good to make note of how gardening makes you feel – overworked, sweaty, and miserable in the extreme heat, or joyous with an abundant harvest, or overwhelmed by the exponential growth of weeds after a good rain. Those are features that make the journal personal.

Another important feature in a garden journal is the dates that have no entry.

The journal can be an important way to keep track of events in the garden, but gardening can be complicated enough without having to make daily entries and becoming a slave to it. I make an effort to keep track as much as possible, especially if it’s important that I know when to expect a good harvest, if a certain plant just always gets bugs, a variety of plant that does especially well and so on. Some days are just very routine, and everything is just happening as it should. A garden journal is meant to be as much fun as the gardening that inspires it.

About the author: Margaret and

her husband, John, both artists, moved to Carlsbad in January, 1999. Margaret is an Eddy County Master Gardener and has been gardening/farming most of her life. She is the Carlsbad MainStreet Farmers’ Market Chair and a vendor at the Farmers’ Market.

spring 2013 | A Community Magazine

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Registration deadline

APRIL 18, 2013 Register online at www.carlsbadvelocyclingclub.com you Thank 2012. event in t n eve this make for the poses fficials who m a e o ent ling T lo Cyc forcem wn Ve and law en o ’s d a s Carlsb r volunteer ers. u c to all o for all our ra l specia

Or contact Steve Kouba at

velookie@hotmail.com or (575) 302-3242

CARLSBAD’S 2ND ANNUAL CYCLING RACE

CAVERN•CITY•CLASSIC ROAD •CYCLING •RACE 20–21, 2012 • CARLSBAD, NM Saturday &APRIL Sunday | April 20th & 21st, 2013* *Races will begin each day @ 8 a.m.

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More than riders from New Mexico, West Texas, Arizona and farther are expected to participate. Show your support and bring the entire family!

Proceeds to benefit:

Cavern City Classic Parade & Carnival

Saturday | April 20th , 2013 Call 887 - 3504 for assembly location & times Sign up @ Eddy County Courthouse. NO FEE Bring the whole family AND don’t forget your HELMETS! PRIZES will be awarded!

Organizers: Keep Carlsbad Beautiful, MainStreet & United Way

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Focus on Carlsbad | spring 2013

CO LLE CE CT LL PH ING ON ES!

TAKE PRIDE IN CARLSBAD! Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event 2013 The Great American Clean-Up at the Beach Parking Lot (next to Port Jefferson)

Saturday | April 27th, 2013 | 8 am – 2 pm {Open to all residents of Eddy County} Acceptable Waste

Batteries, dry cells, oils, petroleum products, antifreeze, small capacitors, ballasts, light bulbs, fluorescent light bulbs, small rectifiers, tires, asbestos, insulation, gasoline, degreasers, solvents, paints, thinners, strippers, adhesive, acids, bases, pesticides, herbicides, reactives, aerosols, oxidizers, pool chemicals, educational chemistry sets, e-waste (computers, electronics), BBQ propane tanks, flammable liquids, heavy metals (mercury thermometers, lead, thermostats, lead soldered items, heavy metal based paints, etc).

Unacceptable Waste

Industrial-size containers (30-gal, 55-gal, cylinders), business generated wastes, explosive, radioactive, bio-medical waste, compressed gas cylinders.

According to state and federal law, this event is open fore RESIDENTIAL SERVICE ONLY. All hazardous waste generated by entities other than residences will be rejected.

For more information, call Richard Aguilar, Environmental Services Manager at 887-1191.

Carlsbad Community Anti Drug/Gang Coalition

Drug Take Back

Carlsbad Police & Fire Department will be taking old and unused prescriptions.

The City Solid Waste Management Department will also have recycling bins and a used tire drop-off area onsite.

WINTER 2012 | A Community Magazine

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1: A local veteran in the crowd bows his head during a Veteran’s Day event in Carlsbad. 2: The Loving Light Parade and Carlsbad Light Parade were both hits this year, as usual. 3: Pastor Randy Land joins other community members during the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast in November. 4: Artesia’s Cottonwood Winery was one of several participants at this year’s Winter Wine Festival, hosted by the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce. 5: Local businesses filled the Pecos River Village Conference Center during this year’s Winter Wine Festival. 6: John Heaton speaks during the groundbreaking of the Heaton House at

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Lakeview Christian Home. 7: The Guadalupe Mountains are always a popular place to watch nature change its colors. 8: Local youth show off their costumes during trick-or-treating downtown. 9: Twins participate in one of multiple games at the annual Fall Festival event, hosted by multiple local churches. 10: Students gather to watch a Christmas show at Hillcrest Elementary. 11: The view of the “Carlsbad Island” during the annual Christmas on the Pecos tour. 12: Local youth participate in a Halo tournament at the Carlsbad Gaming Cave. 14: Children play together following Martin Luther King Junior Celebrations in Carlsbad. 14: New Mexico State University – Carlsbad students and others participate in the first ever Zombie Walk in downtown Carlsbad.

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spring 2013 | A Community Magazine

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Garden

Trivia The biggest tomato on record weighed in at a hefty 7 pounds 12 ounces. It was grown by Gordon Graham of Oklahoma.

Bamboo can grow 3 feet in 24 hours.

Cool as a cucumber? It’s true ... the inside of a cucumber on the vine measures as much as 20 degrees cooler than the outside air on a warm day.

The daisy got its name because the yellow center resembled the sun. It was commonly known as the “day’s eye” and, over time, was eventually called daisy.

The onion is a lily, botanically. Asparagus is also a member of the lily family.

Botanically, there is no such thing as a pumpkin.

Pumpkins are certain varieties of squash, which through local traditions and use, have come to be called pumpkins.

The bark of a sequoia tree is almost as fireproof as asbestos.

The world’s largest flower, Rafflesia, can measure up to three feet across.

The Saguaro cactus, found in the Southwestern United States, doesn’t grow branches until it is 75 years old.

In a single season, a large elm tree produces about 6 million leaves.

Bananas are considered the world’s largest herb.

They are related to the lily and orchid family.

The total length of roots and root hairs of a single rye plant is 7,000 miles. The roots grow over 3 miles per day in search of microorganisms.

Rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme and marjoram all belong to the mint plant family.

There are prairie grasses in the Midwest whose roots are 10,000 miles long.

Sources: http://www.plantea.com/garden-trivia.htm and www.shelsgarden.com/trivia.html

spring 2013 | A Community Magazine

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on unusual homes

Home, Home on the Dome A

aron and Robin Irving love living in a geodesic paradise.

The young couple proudly lives in one of the most noticeable homes in Carlsbad – the “Dome Home” on top of C-Hill, located off Miehls Drive.

Among other things, their new house offers the Irvings an endless source of puns.

“The first time I walked in, I said, ‘There’s no place like dome!’” Robin joked.

Robin is a pianist who volunteers and works at Trinity Christian Academy.

Her husband, Aaron, is store manager of Carlsbad’s Walmart. Their own natural cheer matches the friendly feel inside the dome home.

The couple has lived in Carlsbad for 2 ½ years now, and they’ve lived in the dome for the past 1 ½.

“We were renting a house on the south side but hoping to buy,” Aaron said.

“We saw this house online, but it didn’t spark a major interest until we looked at pictures of the inside. I called Robin over, and we made an offer the next day.”

The unusual nature of the house meant there were some extra hoops to jump through with the banks, but the Irvings persisted. The Irvings are the third residents of the dome home. It was first constructed by a Waste Isolation Pilot Plant engineer named Rod Palanca.

Palanca sold the house when he retired so he and his wife could explore the world on a ship he also designed, according to a WIPP feature.

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Focus on Carlsbad | spring 2013

Construction of the house began around 1988-89. Geodesic domes were kind of a thing at the time, with several companies selling kits for instructions on building the futuristic-looking, thermallybeneficial style.

“Everything was customizable, so we feel like our dome is one of a kind,” Robin stated.

Photo Right: Aaron and Robin Irving stand in front of their dome home (Photo Below & Left) on Carlsbad’s C-Hill. The new couple is proud to live in one of Carlsbad’s most unique homes. Photos courtesy of Brandy Villareal.

fireworks.” Several points in the yard are also great for viewing deer.

The original owners even had a fish pond that the Irvings may restore some day.

Aaron said it’s a great place to watch storms approach.

The secondary dome consists of a garage with an upstairs apartment and is connected to the main living area via the laundry room. The Irvings are still working on the apartment, and one of their few complaints about the house is that it’s tough to get two cars in at once due to the shape of the garage. There’s also a screen dome outside and even a small “doggie dome,” used by the pets of some previous owners.

“The sunsets are beautiful too,” Robin added. “And on the Fourth of July, it’s a great place to watch

“All of our other houses have been pretty basic. It’s one of a kind and we love that about it,” Aaron stated.

The house’s primary dome is a threestory structure. There’s a sunken living room at the bottom level, along with a kitchen, dining room and two guest bedrooms. The office and master bedroom are upstairs. Palanca also built a crow’s nest of sorts at the very top of the house, which offers a beautiful panoramic view of the Carlsbad area.

“People love having the opportunity to come see the house.”

The dome’s concrete and steel outer shell includes nine inches of Styrofoam insulation. It does a great Story continues on page 22

spring 2013 | A Community Magazine

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Home, Home on the Dome Story continued from page 21

job of keeping the warmth inside in the winter. In the summer, the house is designed so that the heat rises to the top of the dome and leaves via vents or windows at the top.

Window placement gives the living room a natural bright, airy feel.

Robin has augmented the house’s airy feel with a complementing décor style.

“The challenge has been putting things on slanted walls,” she noted.

“You have to try hard to get it to look right.”

“Visiting children especially light up when they get to tour the home,” Robin said, “because the futuristic interior and exterior sparks the imagination.” The Irvings have several more renovation projects planned over the next few years.

Photo Top: This picture from the late 1980s shows construction of the dome home on C-Hill. Photos courtesy of Brandy Villareal.

Robin has a collection of articles and brochures highlighting the benefits of dome life.

there aren’t more,” she stated.

“We’re just getting to the fun stuff,” Robin said.

“When you read about it and see all the perks, I’m actually surprised

“We got to say we were dome for the holidays!” Robin said with a smile.

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on home theaters

home theater best show around Everybody knows that home theaters are a big deal these days, but what exactly is a home theater, and how is that different than just buying a big television?

Jeff Young, electronics manager at Décor Furniture, said a home theater is defined by the television, the sound system and even the room itself. Of course, a large, highdefinition television is a part of the package.

“But along with that, you want big sound.

That’s when you start incorporating the sound receivers,” he noted. “It’s just kind of a whole-room experience.”

“Home theater has been around for a long time, but the technology has gotten so far ahead of what it was ten years ago as far as speaker design and surround sound receivers,” Young stated. “These days, you can plug an iPad into it, and you have smart TV’s that can stream movies straight in. I think high definition and 3-D created a lot of renewed interest in home theater.”

Décor does a lot of retro-fits to existing houses to add a home theater, but there is also a lot of new construction going on right now that keeps the business busy. Décor has installed home theaters in Carlsbad to seat a family of four, but they’ve also gone all the way up to 16.

“We had a guy come to us to have his theater designed, and then he had the contractor design the entire house around that theater,” Young stated. “It’s very popular in Carlsbad.”

A home theater room needs to be designed for both acoustics and comfort.

Young and other members of the Décor staff conduct in-home surveys to give customers an idea of what to expect. It’s not just a case of buying the right items – it’s buying them and putting them in the right place.

“Once they’ve decided what they want, we’ll send the installers out there,” he said.

While Carlsbad’s economy is thriving, largely due to the oil and gas industry, Young said the real reason home theaters have become so popular is because many of his customers are reaching an age where settling in for the evening sounds wonderful.

“Most of these people have shopped here for years,” he noted.

“When they were younger, they bought car audio equipment from me, and now that they are married with kids, they are doing the home theater thing.”

Retirees also enjoy a home theater, Young observed.

Young suggested anyone interested in a home theater should visit the store and speak with him or Patrick Quintana. Each customer is different. For example, opinions vary on whether speakers should be built into the room or installed via a tower or bookshelf.

“Sound is important to a lot of people,” Young suggested. “If you are watching in high def, part of that is digital sound. It’s kind of a cool deal if you are sitting and watching a game and there are fans clapping and screaming behind you.”

Young’s other piece of advice is to avoid the “home theater in a box” kits.

“They just don’t have the versatility you get from full component systems,” he said.

And yes, in case you are wondering, Décor sells a lot of televisions the week before the Super Bowl! A good home theater has everything but the popcorn.

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www.skeenfurnitureco.com spring 2013 | A Community Magazine

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on design

Better Living–By Design

by Eve Flanigan

When it comes to decorating a room or even remodeling one, most folks seem to live in one of two camps: go with the flow of trends and seasons or set-it-and-forgetit. Regardless of which camp you prefer, following a few abiding guidelines for decoration and design can make your living space more enjoyable. Can’t decide what’s right for your room? Carlsbad is home to a wealth of design experts and vendors who are eager to share friendly advice and are knowledgeable about the latest home fashions.

Stacey Cooper and Gaylynn Williams, buyers at Skeen Furniture on the intersection of Canyon and Greene Streets, share the following tips:

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Focus on Carlsbad | spring 2013

• Appeal to more than just the visual senses. Candles can help a house smell good. Interior Motives even carries a type of candle that makes the sound of a crackling fire.

• Make your bedroom unique by substituting a large picture or a hanging scroll for a headboard.

• A bedroom’s look can change a lot with new curtains, pillows and a lamp.

• A mirror, properly placed, graces a room with a sense of increased space. Mirrors should reflect something of beauty—so plan not only placement but reflection. Like pictures and other art, mirrors should be hung so the fullest view is at eye level.

• Consider your family, pets and habits in selecting upholstery.

Leather is very durable and cleanable, with some types being easier to clean than others depending on the tanning process or application of a protective coating.

Is fabric more your style? Synthetic fibers (polyester and nylon) are more resistant to wear and tear and staining than cotton.

• As for sofas and chairs, neutral tones are the best choice for those who redecorate often.

On a budget or just want a seasonal change? The Interior Motives team offers these suggestions:

• Art should be hung or placed at eye level. Will people be viewing the art while sitting or standing? Is the room used mostly by children or adults? Hang at a height where most eyes will naturally meet and enjoy the art − most people tend to hang pictures too high.

• “Float” furniture in a room, rather than lining up couches and chairs along the wall. Think in terms of friendly conversation, and place seating and tables so guests or family can comfortably face each other.

• An area rug is a great anchor piece.

Start with a rug you love and build around it.

• Refresh a boring bathroom with original storage items like baskets or apothecary jars. A custom look can be achieved by using a fancyframed mirror, normally reserved for a bedroom or living room, as the bathroom vanity mirror.

Photo Top: Pillows are an easy choice for seasonal updates in the living room.

Photo Bottom: Turquoise pottery can bring a touch of trendiness to the living room.

Can’t decide what colors to mix or match, or what colors go where?

Tammy Thompson, owner, and Bobbie McWilliams, decorator at Interior Motives in the Northgate Shopping Center, say people often bring in a photograph of their room and ask for advice. Here’s what they say about creating the room you want:

• New pillows are an easy cure for the redecorating urge. Different pillows can change the flavor of a living room and furniture.

Want a really big change? Renovate or remodel. The kitchen is the most popular choice for remodeling, says Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD) Cindy Brininstool of Carlsbad. As the heart of activity in the home, a functional and stylish kitchen enhances the comfort of daily life as well as a home’s value.

Want an improved kitchen without completely remodeling? Brininstool notes: • New appliances can dramatically change the appearance of a kitchen.

• High-performance flooring or countertops are an excellent choice for an upgrade.

• Consider cabinet inserts for organizing the contents of cabinets. There are many clever, in-drawer storage solutions to help save space.

• In a small space, keep colors light and patterns simple to maximize visual spaciousness. Keep clutter to a minimum and let in natural light, if possible.

For those planning a major overhaul of this important room, Brininstool offers the following suggestions: • The “work triangle” of sink/cooktop/refrigerator is the cornerstone of kitchen design. Be sure your plan will be easy to navigate with full hands, hot items, etc.

• Kitchen design is about safety as well as function. Using a CKD will insure yours is up to par with building codes and insurance requirements.

• Consider how many people will be cooking, and make sure there is enough counter space for each.

• Have plenty of counter space by the open side of the refrigerator, for unpacking groceries. Have heatprotected, waterproof counter space on either side of ovens, cooktops and sinks.

• If you use your kitchen for desk-type work, work the associated storage and countertop needs into the planning stage.

• Do business with an insured, dependable contractor who can produce and provide a drawing of the planned result before work begins.

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Trend-conscious? Carlsbad’s designers and decorators are hip. Their work takes them to marketplaces in North Carolina, Las Vegas (the one in Nevada), Dallas and more on at least an annual basis.

What’s hot?

• Cooper and Williams say retro colors are making a comeback—chartreuse green, greys, and turquoise, with a modern twist by being mixed together. Paula Deen’s furniture line, says the team, has the best selection of the new color schemes.

• Reclaimed and distressed wood, with its characteristically unusual shades, is being used in all kinds of furniture, of all styles.

• Turquoise, say Thompson and McWilliams, is trendy this year and popular with Carlsbad customers.

• By far, says Brininstool, granite countertops are her clients’ most popular choice for renovation of kitchens.

Granite surfaces are both beautiful and practical.

Carlsbad has so many choices for the redesign or decoration of one room or many. Best of all, there is plenty of up-to-date expertise to help you decide just how to make your home the perfect place for relaxation, dining and socializing.

Eve Flanigan has lived in Carlsbad since 1990. She is the program manager with Carlsbad Community Anti-Drug/Gang Coalition, a volunteer with Project Appleseed marksmanship/history program, and an avid collector of hazardous hobbies.

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575.887.5555 • 1044 N. Canal • Carlsbad spring 2013 | A Community Magazine

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on home museums

Collectors Put Tre Fred Beard spent a lot of his childhood in the White’s City area.

As a kid, he shot a pellet gun at some of the old bottles he found in the area. Later on, he started collecting some of those bottles.

He’s been collecting stuff ever since, and one wing of Fred Beard’s ranch near White’s City is more or less devoted to his acquisitions.

There’s a display case devoted to Texaco items and an entire shop of deer horns and dynamite package wrappers. In between is a gamut of old bottles, advertising signs and saddles. Oh, and there’s an entire case in the living room dedicated to Beard’s political collection – overwhelmingly of a Republican nature.

Beard’s part of the ranch “My control stops at that door,” he said, pointing to the entrance to the rest of the home, reads almost like a history lesson of Eddy County.

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It’s a museum celebrating potash, ranching, and oil and gas.

“This is the American Dream come true for me. I’ve wanted to do it all my life,” he stated. “I like to say I started school drilling in the mines, graduated at the rig and got my master’s degree on the back of a horse.”

The ranch itself, located a couple miles northeast of White’s City, is its own history lesson. The cinder block house was constructed by Margaret Marquart, a widow from Comfort, Texas, who owned much of the property in the area. The Beards – Fred’s wife, Deborah, is a local principal – have lived there since 2002. Deborah is somewhat of a collector of her own. “Only it is more girlie-girl, and she keeps it cleaner than I do,” Fred noted.

Beard grew up in the area. He has several pictures of the service station his grandfather built in 1956 and

Photo Top Page: Some of the many items on display at the home of Fred and Deborah Beard.

Photo Above: Fred Beard shows off one of the display cases at his home near Carlsbad.

Photo Right: Robert Hutchins poses with a few of his Obama items.

Photo Bottom: A few of the items on display at Robert Hutchins’ home.

some items in recognition of that station. He avidly attended the auction at the White’s City museum a few years back and purchased what he could. The Texaco truck parked out front quickly grew out of his price range.

His political display includes items related to Susana Martinez, Cathrynn Brown, Ronald Reagan, both George Bushes, Karl Rove and even former President Howard Taft. Beard is the local chair of the Republican Party.

“I’ve been picking stuff up forever, but then people started giving me stuff,” Beard shrugged and then

added, “You’ve only seen one room so far.”

Story continues on page 28

easures on Display

spring 2013 | A Community Magazine

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COLLECTORS PUT TREASURES ON DISPLAY Story continued from page 27

Beard said he’d wanted to move to the ranch for a long time, ever since he’d cowboyed in the area years ago.

“I helped cowboy up here when Margaret owned the ranch,” Beard said. “She had another big house that burned. I’ve got a lot of stories, if you’ve got a lot of time.”

Take Fred up on his offer of stories – he’s got a lot of good visual aids.

“A friend of mine across the street, he’s a Republican, and he bought me this ornament,” he said, holding up a Christmas decoration prominently featuring President Obama.

The display also features Obama buttons, postcards, soft drinks and letters.

“I just got really involved with the Obama campaign,” Hutchins said. “I campaigned for Kerry and Dukakis, but I really got into this one.”

Red or Blue, the home is a great place to make a political statement!

On the flip side of the political spectrum is Robert Hutchins, a retired shipyard worker, who boasts a Democratic display in his home in north Carlsbad.

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While several prominent Democrats are featured, President Obama is the clear star of the show. Multiple pictures of the incumbent decorate an entire wall of a room that also includes Hutchins’ gun rack.

“Democrats have guns too!” Hutchins observed.

Hutchins knows that he’s outnumbered in his neighborhood, in terms of his political affiliation, but his neighbors have generally been pretty understanding.

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"Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others."

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on overcoming odds

Getting Back to Life

Ralph McGary wants to go home, and he wants to go back to work.

The second goal is looking pretty achievable.

We don’t just identify employment; we identify a strategy to get from where you are to where you need to be.”

In 2006, McGary was severely injured in a rollover while heading back from work in the oilfields. He spent six weeks in intensive care in Lubbock and 3 ½ months at a rehabilitation hospital in Denver.

It saved his life, but he’s now a quadriplegic.

Last year, McGary earned his associate’s degree from New Mexico State University-Carlsbad. It helped that he still received some credits for classes he’d taken years ago. DVR’s assistance with a computer was especially helpful.

“I’ve just been gradually getting my strength back since then,” he said.

“But I didn’t want to sit around and be a couch potato, so I went back to school.”

McGary worked closely with Carlsbad’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, a state-federal organization whose mission is to work with persons with disabilities that impede their employability and help them overcome those impediments. DVR provided McGary with a computer and a special voice recognition software.

“We worked with him to develop a plan,” said DVR counselor Barry Jolly. “That included going back to school and completing his degree.

“It’s really helped me because I’m not completely cut off from the world,” he stated. “A lot of people who are disabled just get lost in everything that is going on. I could have just given up and stayed at home and watched TV all day, but that’s just not in my nature. I’ve always been a fighter.”

Then late last year, he joined the Jeff Diamond Law Firm as a part-time employee. McGary was familiar with the law firm, as it helped him secure his Social Security Disability Insurance benefits after his injury.

It was his first job since the injury.

He’s able to make a certain amount of money each month without reducing what he receives from disability.

Photo: Ralph McGary is dropped off at the Jeff Diamond Law Firm in the morning for work. It’s McGary’s first job in six years.

“I call our clients to remind them of their appointments,” McGary noted.

“I also contact them to remind them when they have an examination. I’m the reminder guy.”

McGary’s family took care of him at home for the first few months after the injury, but it became a logistical impossibility since he requires 24-hour care. His wife, Susan, has taught at Carlsbad’s schools for the past 32 years. He’s since moved into a local nursing care facility.

“They come and visit me, but I’d like to become independent some day from there,” he noted. “I’d like to be able to adapt my home to fit me.”

McGary said his home has a carport that could be adapted to suit his needs. He’d also have to lower cabinets, add electric doors and completely widen the bathroom and shower to enable wheelchair access.

That’s all still a dream, but one that now seems more obtainable.

Story continues on page 35

spring 2013 | A Community Magazine

29

feature

If You Build It

Carlsbad Head Baseball Coach Cody May Built a House of Dreams, Not a Field.

May and his wife, Angie, a speech pathologist, have lived in Carlsbad for the past six years. Their eldest daughter, Haddi, is now three, and a second daughter, Jona, is on the way. Last year, May’s Cavemen won the 5A state title, but the family and coaching career were apparently just not enough to keep this former Tularosa High School graduate completely occupied.

Along the way last year, Cody and Angie, with some help from family and friends, built their current house from the ground up in a subdivision near the Carlsbad Elks Lodge.

“It was a vacant lot,” Cody said. “We’d bought all four lots and built our house on two.”

Although it was the first house they would build, they’d done a lot of work

30

Focus on Carlsbad | spring 2013

to their previous homes.

“Every house we bought, we remodeled it and turned it around. We spent a lot of time on that,” Cody stated, noting that the extra money helps on a teacher’s salary. “When we first got married, our goal was to be debt free by the time we turned 40. It’s also probably somewhat of a hobby. When I’m not doing baseball, it gives me something to think about.”

As an example, the Mays purchased their prior house for $70,000, spent $20,000 on remodeling and repairs and sold it for $130,000.

Cody already has “the itch” to start on another house for the family, Angie said, but they are going to wait a few years until the baby on the way is a little older before moving again. Angie really likes the current house, so there’s a little bit

Photo: Cody and Angie May, and their daughter Haddi, stand together in their Carlsbad home. The Mays built their home from the ground up.

of a dispute over exactly what “a few years” means.

Angie grew up with her parents “flipping” houses every few years as an additional source of income, so she said the experience is nothing new to her. Her dad’s been a big help, as has Bart Fritz, one of Cody’s closest friends and the owner of a local construction company. Cody’s father was a coach, but both grandparents were carpenters, so building is in his blood.

They’d been looking for a spot in the neighborhood for some time. Angie said they’d lived nearby earlier and wanted to come back.

The property they purchased was especially challenging due to the elevated terrain. They talked about it for some time and, with Fritz’s help, came up with a design that would work. Cody and Fritz first had to build a 15-foot retaining wall in the backyard to stabilize the property and raise the foundation.

everybody. Angie provided a lot of support, and so did our families.”

When he wasn’t working on his own house, Cody would assist Fritz with other projects. “I’ve always got to be doing something,” the coach stated.

When designing the house, Angie said one goal was to have an open living room and kitchen. The countertops and floors in the kitchen, by desire, are all stained concrete.

After purchasing the vacant lots with Angie’s parents, the Mays began working on their home in December of 2011 and finished last August 2012.

During baseball season, Cody would typically come home after practice, have dinner with his family, and then go work on the house until midnight, usually with Fritz helping as well.

“And then he wouldn’t sleep because his mind would be on basketball, baseball or the house,” Angie noted. Cody was Carlsbad’s head boys basketball coach prior to taking the baseball job last year.

Being away from family for so long was the hardest part, Cody said.

“It was hard on the family,” Angie agreed. “Cody would leave for work at 7 a.m. and get home at midnight, and Haddi and I would maybe see him for an hour a day.”

Fritz has an architectural software program that allowed the Mays to customize minor details of their house in advance. Angie would bring Haddi

They sold the house next door, which they also built, last summer. They plan to start to build another home to sell next summer, which will be easier on the family since it is a nearby lot and doesn’t involve having to move.

Photo: The Mays’ daughter, Haddi, sits in front of the fireplace in the home built by her family.

“Cody wanted a shop, but there was no room in the back, so he extended the garage ten feet to add one there,” she stated.

over most nights and help clean and sweep. Over the next few months, the Mays did almost all of the work on the house by themselves with a few exceptions, such as plumbing and sheetrock and areas requiring specific licenses.

The Mays also wanted a finished attic and dormer windows. The 3-bedroom, 2-bath house is considered to be a story and a half because the finished attic (used as a playroom and guest bedroom) does not have a bathroom.

“We wanted a style that would blend in with the community, but be a little different at the same time,” Angie continued. “We’ve watched housing shows and done home tours and had a lot of different things that we liked.”

“Haddi was so involved that she knew the names of all the different crews,” Angie said.

There are several rules on how many houses you can build in a year without being a contractor and how long you have to live in a house for the purposes of capital gains taxes.

While the Mays may move into a new home every few years or so, some facets of their life have been pretty consistent.

Cody and Angie May were in the same class together, starting when they were in the first grade. The foundation for a good house appears to be a good relationship.

“In today’s society, there’s just no way we’d be able to afford a house (without remodeling),” Cody said. “My best advice is that it has to be a family decision because of the toll it takes on

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on playgrounds

Project Playground

Celebrates One of the biggest community projects in Carlsbad history turned ten last year, and organizers are planning an event during the anniversary to celebrate the facelifts that have been made.

In 2002, more than 400 volunteers worked for ten days to complete Project Playground, a sprawling fortress of fun located on the east side of the Pecos River. A core group of parent volunteers organized the event, while a supporting children’s council provided many of the ideas that were incorporated into the playground.

That children’s council is all grown up now, and most of its members are now in college. Most of the inner circle of parent volunteers, however, has remained involved in keeping the playground repaired and up-to-date. Construction of the original playground cost $250,000, which was raised through public and private contributions. But the committee actually raised $300,000.

For the past 10 years, committee members have spent some of the remaining funds to make repairs to the playground, namely vandalism related.

Last year, the committee decided to spend about a third of the money that was left.

“Basically, it was our 10th anniversary, and we wanted to do a major redo of things that needed to be fixed,” said volunteer Ann Cross. “One thing that has always Photo Top: Playground on the Pecos in 2002.

Photo Right: Gavin Brown, Sarah Nieman and Drew Brown, pictured in the playground’s village.

32

Focus on Carlsbad | spring 2013

been the hardest to maintain was the rooftops.”

For $10,000, the playground’s rooftops were replaced with shiny, metal cones. Several other facelifts are in the works, and the committee plans a celebration and community workday in the spring.

“We’re hoping to have a big community day in April,” Cross stated. “We’re going to re-spread all the wood chips evenly and reseal the fence. We also hope to have a poster board that shows photos of all the people who worked on it, a luncheon and a birthday cake.”

The community celebration will likely feature a workday, but all of the effort involving power tools will be done in advance so it will be safe for children to attend.

Cross said the group may plan one more fundraiser to replenish the

money spent on the rooftops.

She served as the original group’s fundraiser. During the construction phase, she dug post holes, ran impact hammers and did everything in between. The local chapter of Habitat for Humanity built the playground’s multi-story tree house.

“They had the skills and tools to do the high-level construction,” she said. “Whenever we’ve done a remodel, they’ve come and helped.”

Most of the kids of committee members are all grown up now, but Cross said there’s an unofficial rule for committee members who are ready to move on.

“If you want to get off the committee, you need to find a replacement!” she stated. “I’ve found my replacement already.”

Members of the children’s

committee, in 2002, helped plan for the event.

“I remember they brought us all into the Riverwalk Recreation Center and had us draw pictures of our ideal parks,” said Sarah Nieman.

“Once it started, I babysat.”

Brothers Gavin and Drew Brown were also members of the children’s committee. Drew, the younger of the two, soaped nails, while Gavin was allowed to help his father cut boards. The brothers remember coming to the playground during field trips.

“I came here all the time,” Nieman said. “We played sardines, and it was really fun because there are a lot of places where you can hide.”

Michael Pierce and his sister, Emily, were also on the children’s committee. Michael was in the third grade at the time.

“I remember pushing my dad to keep working on it,” he said. “I also remember drawing something completely unrealistic.”

Not all of the kids’ drawings were deemed unrealistic, however, as the bat cave concept was designed by Ann’s son, Evan, along with several other children.

This has been used well, both by out-of-towners and in-towners.”

“Project Playground” was renamed “Playground on the Pecos” following completion.

“But nobody calls it that,” Michael said. “I remember when they picked the name, all us kids said, ‘We’re still going to call it Project Playground.’”

A plaque at the entrance to the playground lists all of the members of the children’s committee.

Vandalism has been an ongoing problem.

“Hand-made tiles were chipped off. The windows in the tree house are kicked out. Our worst enemy is vandals,” Cross stated. “I don’t understand it. The people who are doing this, this playground is for their little brothers and sisters.”

There’s also a lot of graffiti, but it helps that one of the committee’s members is a juvenile probation officer more than willing to send punishers back to the playground to clean up their work.

“The employees of the Riverwalk Recreation Center have worked hard to prevent vandalism,” Cross said.

“It’s just difficult to bear that people can’t be more respectful of community property.”

“I think my fondest memory was playing tag,” Michael said. “If you’d have 20 or 30 kids, you could go across the whole place. We put it to good use. The tower made a good base.”

Cross said she expects she and other members of the original committee will remain involved for some time to make sure the new group knows the ropes (and slides and swings and monkey bars).

Nieman said she was always partial to the tot zone, which features a miniature castle and dry goods store. Michael’s younger sister, Katie, said her favorite part is the monkey bars.

“Working on this project in this community was truly joyful,” she concluded. “It was citizens doing this, and we did it on our own. I haven’t seen anything like it since.”

Cross said the playground was also a lifesaver as a parent.

Photo Top: Katie Pierce plays on the playground that her family helped create. Also pictured is Michael Pierce

“Staying at home with the kids can be a long day,” she noted.

“We’d come down here. We’d have birthday parties here all the time.

Photo Middle: Michael Cross, two years old, is pictured during the playground’s opening day.

Photo Bottom: Michael Cross, pictured today in the bat cave.

spring 2013 | A Community Magazine

33

on mainstreet

Home Gardening Is Truly Presidential!

by Amy M. Barnhart

February marked an important event for Carlsbad MainStreet -- the first Carlsbad Downtown Farmers’ Market meeting of the season! We gather our market growers, crafters, entertainers and volunteers together to begin discussing and making decisions regarding the upcoming farmers’ market season.

February also marked a very special holiday – Presidents’ Day. So in honor Carlsbad MainStreet Executive Director of these two important February happenings, let’s learn a little about the gardens of some of our most famous presidents.

Amy M. Barnhart

President George Washington’s home, Mount Vernon, was (and still is) known for its landscaping and variety of plantings. According to an entry in the digital encyclopedia on the website www.mountvernon.org, George Washington’s greatest passion when it came to the grounds of his home was trees. In fact, he showed a practical interest in trees that produced fruit, planting hundreds over the years, including four varieties of apple.

Additionally, there was a kitchen garden that provided food throughout the year.

“Preparation for planting began in the late fall upon the introduction of dung to increase the fertility of the soil. By early March the garden was producing carrots, onions, leeks, turnips, parsnips, and beets. Soon after, kidney beans, peas, onions, and carrots were planted. At the end of March workers were occupied with grafting apple trees, spreading manure, digging artichokes, planting cabbage, and sowing cauliflower and celery.

Strawberries were gathered in May. Summer and early fall were devoted to harvesting crops as they ripened throughout the kitchen garden.” – Mount Vernon Landscape and Gardens, www.mountvernon.org Washington’s upper garden originally contained fruit and nut trees but was eventually transformed to include garden beds containing flowers. His lower garden was not a major feature within his landscaping scheme, but it played a practical and useful role. It provided Washington with a location to sow untested seeds and monitor their progress.

Here he could experiment with them to make sure they would adapt to Virginia’s soil and climate, before planting them elsewhere. This is where Washington first grew alfalfa and oats, realizing they would increase the productivity of his fields.

Another presidential home, Monticello, the home of former President Thomas Jefferson, is also known for its

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Focus on Carlsbad | spring 2013

landscaping and gardens. Like Washington, Jefferson also experimented with wide varieties of vegetables and fruits, utilizing a scientific approach. According to the website www.monticello.org, Jefferson treated his vegetable garden as a laboratory, experimenting with squash and broccoli from Italy, beans and salsify collected by the Lewis and Clark expedition, figs from France, and peppers from Mexico.

According to www.monticello.org, salads were an important part of Jefferson’s diet.

“He would note the planting of lettuce and radishes every two weeks through the growing season, grow interesting greens such as orach, corn salad, endive, and nasturtiums, and yearly plant sesame in order to manufacture a palatable salad oil. Although the English pea is considered his favorite vegetable, he also cherished figs, asparagus, French artichokes, and such ‘new’ vegetables as tomatoes, eggplant, broccoli, and cauliflower. While Jefferson cultivated more common vegetables such as cucumbers, beans (both “snaps” for fresh use and “haricots” that were dried), and cabbages, he also prized his sea kale, a perennial cabbage-like vegetable whose spring sprouts were blanched with clay pots, then cut and prepared like asparagus.” --Jefferson: The Scientist and Gardener, www.monticello.org Like Mount Vernon, Monticello also had flower and fruit gardens. Monticello’s eight-acre fruit garden included a 400-tree orchard, two small vineyards, “berry squares” of currants, gooseberries, and raspberries, a nursery where Jefferson propagated fruit trees and special garden plants, and “submural beds” where figs and strawberries grew.

Both Mount Vernon’s and Monticello’s vegetable gardens have been recreated and are open to the public. In fact, Monticello plays host to the Heritage Harvest Festival, which celebrates the legacy of “revolutionary gardener” Thomas Jefferson while allowing visitors to taste heirloom fruits and vegetables and learn about organic gardening and seedsaving.

If George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were alive today, they would be celebrating the rise of local farmers’ markets and would no doubt sell their excess produce at their local markets! Based on the wide variety of produce that was grown at both estates, one would imagine they would also encourage farmers’ market customers to purchase produce that may be foreign to them, but will eventually become a delicious addition to their diet!

For more information on the Carlsbad Downtown Farmers’ Market, contact Carlsbad MainStreet at (575)628-3768 or carlsbadmainstreet@gmail.com. You can also visit carlsbadmainstreetnm.com or find them on Facebook.

Getting Back to Life Story continued from page 29

Most of McGary’s SSDI funding goes directly to the nursing home. He keeps $60 a month. He said the new job has been a significant morale boost, while also providing additional needed income.

“It’s really lightened up my life. I feel like I’m a part of this community and a part of society again,” he observed. “School helped a lot, and now this job is, too.”

McGary said most of the clients he calls at work, who are also on disability, probably don’t know he’s in the same boat as they are.

“Only a few people have heard that I’m a quadriplegic,” he stated. “Sometimes, when I hear their stories, though, I’ll tell them ‘I know how you feel,’ and you’ll get the idea that they are thinking ‘How do you know how I feel when you are just sitting there behind your desk?’ and I’ll tell them ‘I know how you feel because I’m a quadriplegic.’”

McGary said his employer, attorney Jeff Diamond, is a strong supporter of getting clients who are receiving disability income back to work.

“I know he’s been trying to work with DVR to help people who want to work or feel like they could work,” he said. “I can’t say enough about how much Barry Jolly at DVR has helped me.

Also, Jeff and everyone here have been so helpful.”

DVR gives clients a placement test to give recommendations about employment. Diamond would like McGary to attend an upcoming DVR conference out of town, but the two men are still working out the logistics.

“Ralph is a real determined man and a sharp individual,” Jolly added. “I used to work in the oilfields, too, so I think we speak the same language. I think one of his strengths is his ability to get along with other people and his understanding of how things work.”

Jolly said clients who find employment can still receive assistance if job-related disability issues come up.

“I’m really happy he’s reclaiming his identity,” he stated. “It’s been a long road, and he’s still got a ways to go, but it’s a major step. Work is good medicine.”

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The extra money has quickly become useful. McGary’s daughter graduated from beauty school last month, and he said it was very nice to be able to send her a gift.

Like all parents, McGary enjoys watching his kid play sports.

He’d always wanted his youngest son, Jonathan, to wrestle, but it had never quite worked out.

During Jonathan’s senior year in high school, however, the other guys on the football team talked him into wrestling.

“He didn’t have much experience, so it was difficult, but he had a lot of heart,” Ralph said about his son. “He put in a lot of effort and didn’t give up.”

Online at carlsbad.nmsu.edu Give us a call at 575.234.9200 or visit the campus today.

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NMSU Carlsbad - Building brighter futures together. spring 2013 | A Community Magazine

35

on the chamber

tou r is m C o r n e r

Video is KING when it comes to Social Media It really shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that video is king in today’s marketing world. Just a couple years ago, if you had a website, you were one step ahead of your competition. Now, to stay ahead, that website needs to be optimized and it needs video. Why? If you keep up with the news, you probably hear almost daily that by the end of this year YouTube will overtake Google as the number one search engine.

And because Google owns YouTube, the inclusion of professionally-produced video on your website substantially increases your ability to make it to page one of a search.

This transformation means you have to change the way you look at video. Just a few years ago, companies were all about producing video for television programs.

Today it is about taking video produced for television programs and editing the longer TV pieces into shorter segments for websites.

The wonderful thing is that video on the web is positively contagious. Once you have it

on your website or YouTube channel, there are no bounds. It goes everywhere, so long as you target your video to make sure it reaches the right people at the right time.

The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce has launched into the social media market and will be seeking companies to produce upto-date videos to help enhance their social media sites this summer. This will be the next tool in our advertising tool box to help boost visitation numbers in Carlsbad.

So think about video in the new internet realm. It’s not just about TV anymore. It’s about great video that may have a home on television...or a combination of television and web. All you have to do is share that video in all the right places through the effective use of VSO (Video Search Optimization), Social Media, YouTube and other points of distribution. It’s a brand new, rapidly changing world!

A PL ACE TO CALL HOME The City of Carlsbad has adopted the Greater Carlsbad Comprehensive Plan: Strategy 2030. This plan included input from the Mayor’s Long Range Planning Committee recommendations. Many cities are just beginning to realize that retirement promotions are an economic development tool.

Retirement migration is an “under the radar” industry. In a recent national survey, 38% of those 60 – 69 who said they would move in retirement said they would move out of state. Many are seeking a more affordable location for their retirement years.

The new comprehensive plan includes goals and strategies to broaden Carlsbad’s appeal to retirees as well as young people. Carlsbad’s population has seen an increasing median age and a rise in the 65 and over age groups and has the largest percentage of residents ages 55 and older in the region.

However, the City also wishes to attract young adults to Carlsbad, and this depends on the availability of adequate

36

Focus on Carlsbad | spring 2013

housing, jobs and community amenities.

Your Chamber Staff

Retirees, as well as young adults, look to community services and facilities to provide a quality of life for residents.

Our city can meet these needs by providing safety and protection, recreation and leisure, meeting places, social services and educational and cultural opportunities.

Robert Defer, Chief Executive Officer

According to the plan, the City will work to create an aesthetically pleasing environment to a) reduce the number of blighted and abandoned buildings and signs; b) enforce building codes and nuisance ordinances; c) encourage developments to follow building design standards for landscaping and signage; d) encourage community redevelopment along the Pecos riverfront and within the Carlsbad MainStreet District. This is a goal that will appeal to young adults as well as retirees.

Janell Whitlock, Director of Retirement

Carlsbad is A PLACE TO CALL HOME.

Jesus Torres, Facilities Maintenance

Janell Whitlock, Director of Retirement, can be reached at 575-887-6516.

director@carlsbadchamber.com

Brenda Whiteaker, Director of Operations operations@carlsbadchamber.com

Lisa Boeke, Director of Marketing & Tourism tourism@carlsbadchamber.com

retirement@carlsbadchamber.com

Donna Cass, Senior Administrative Assistant carlsbadnm@carlsbadchamber.com

Brandi Candelaria,

Administrative Assistant temp@carlsbadchamber.com

Randy Baker, Director of Facility Maintenance facility@carlsbadchamber.com

Matt DeYonge, Facilities Maintenance

c h a m b e r new s

2012

was a very exciting and successful year for the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce.

The most obvious accomplishment of the Chamber’s year was the completion of the newly remodeled Chamber of Commerce/Visitor Center building. Visitors are now welcomed to our community in a more pleasant and inviting environment.

In the summer, a new aggressive advertising campaign was launched with the theme “Carlsbad Adventure Above and Below,” which describes all city and county attributes. The Chamber’s Office of Tourism boasts a daily maintained Facebook, Twitter and Four Square account which everyone can access. We have stepped up into the 21st century.

Our Carlsbad homeowners on the banks of the Pecos did another spectacular job of decorating their backyards. Special thanks to them and also to those individuals and businesses who adopted yards! Christmas on the Pecos carried 14,141 passengers during the 2012 season and booked visitors from twelve states including some as far away as Australia.

Another important part of our Chamber of Commerce is the Retirement Initiative.

During this past year, with an updated web-site, there were 6,184 views and 1,183 visits. The initiative’s database of interested individuals looking to relocate to our community grew to 45,000. The number of retirees who actually visited Carlsbad from 29 states was 197, which was 17 more than the previous year.

2012 also saw another effective Bat Brigade trip where 54 citizens and elected officials traveled to Santa Fe to visit with the Governor and Carlsbad/Eddy County legislators to inform them of our community’s concerns and needs. We also attended the 2013 Bat Brigade held February 10th-12th.

On the social front, the Chamber’s 2nd annual Winter Wine Festival was another grand success. Wineries and vendors from all over the state spent two days in Carlsbad. The two-day event drew approximately 1,000 individuals.

Though the 2012 Business Fair lacked the numbers of previous years, it proved to be another opportunity for those Chamber businesses which participated to gain community exposure.

The Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors spent the year doing what they do best: welcoming new businesses to our community by staging ribbon cuttings at their place of business, then having the event publicized in the Current-Argus. Twenty of these ribbon cuttings were held in 2012. In addition, the Ambassadors were on hand to welcome visiting dignitaries to our community.

In summation, in a year of record-breaking Lodger’s tax levels brought on by the rapid growth of the Oil & Gas industry and other new business in our area, and of very low unemployment, the City and Chamber experienced a great year. Carlsbad was, indeed, a Great Place to Call Home in 2012!

Welcome!

New Members Accounting & Tax Services, LLC Anywhere Heat Pads/ Sweet Surprise Cavern City Cinema Clayton Homes Jack’s Pens Lucy’s Restaurant Print by Design Red Rocket Tascosa Office Machines Windstream ...............................................................

Contact the Chamber at (575) 887-6516 www.carlsbadchamber.com

Judi Waters, Chairman of the Board Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce

Grand Openings ribbon cuttings ground breakings Friends, family, staff, and Chamber Ambassadors celebrated the grand opening of Lucy’s Restaurant located at 710 S Canal St.

spring 2013 | A Community Magazine

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